The phone rings, you don’t see the “scam likely” warning, so you answer. You’re waiting on a call from your doctor anyway. On the other end is a man who claims he is with the police department. You were summoned for jury duty, but he said you ignored the summons. You reply that you never got the summons. He’s convincing because he knows your address, and he said the summons was sent there and even signed by someone who answered the door.
How Seniors Become Targets
You start to question everything. Was there a mistake? He tells you are facing jail time unless you come to a certain location right away, where they can verify your identity. “It’s an emergency,” the guy says, and you must get to the location now.
Hang up! That’s a scam call. But it didn’t seem like it, right? They seemed legit. This is how they get you. This is how they get a lot of us.
Unfortunately, scamming people out of money or tricking them into giving away their personal information has become a lucrative business venture for many dishonest opportunists.
Why Seniors Are Targeted
Senior citizen scams are unfortunately common, especially those that target electronically. Jeanette Fowler, director of IT at the Bishop Gadsden Episcopal Retirement Community on James Island, shared the biggest red flags she sees when it comes to scams targeting seniors.
“I consider the request to pay with a gift card as a definite red flag,” Fowler said. “No legitimate business will ask anyone to pay with gift cards. A sense of urgency is another red flag. Scammers try to use emotion and urgency to put the victim in a state of panic or frenzy.”
Red Flags of Scams
She said Bishop Gadsden passes out helpful “reminder magnets” for residents to put on their refrigerators that list helpful tips to protect seniors from scammers. These tips include:
- Check for professionalism.
- Be cautious with emails from unknown senders.
- Do not pay with gift cards.
- Don’t answer calls from unknown numbers.
- Don’t share sensitive information.
- Verify first.
Community Engagement and Prevention
There are many reasons seniors are often referred to as “easy targets” for scams. Scammers will take advantage of people who are both unfamiliar with technology and isolated. Additionally, because seniors often have more assets and financial resources than younger individuals, and because they tend to be more trusting, they become easy targets.
“Seniors are often having to navigate the complexity of today’s world on their own, and scammers will capitalize on that. Here at Bishop Gadsden, we focus heavily on having community engagement, which often leads to identification of a scam,” Fowler said.
Reporting a Scam
Fraud prevention is key, but if you are a victim of a scam, there are ways to report it. Fowler suggested first going to a trusted relative about the issue. She also mentioned that the incident should be reported to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaints Center.
Shame is a big problem, as well, in a scamming situation. Many seniors don’t want to tell anyone that they fell for the scam. However, education is key, and family members are often the ones who can teach their loved ones about elder fraud and the most common scams targeting seniors.
“Often, there may be a feeling of shame or embarrassment that keeps a victim quiet. Scammers rely on victims staying quiet so that they may continue their exploitation. I encourage family members to talk regularly about scams, create safe words, let their loved ones know that it’s OK to hang up on a scammer, and not to click on unknown links,” Fowler said.
Cybersecurity Best Practices
Prevention is always the best protection against scams, and there are many ways that seniors can prevent a cyberattack.
Fowler suggests installing a robust antivirus solution on all computers. “Whether it’s Microsoft Defender or another reputable third-party option. It’s important to ensure that the antivirus is on, up-to-date and configured to perform regular scans. This is your first line of defense against malware, phishing attempts and other cyber threats.”
She also encourages long passwords and keeping a log of passwords, either on the computer or written in a journal. Her advice about multifactor authentication: “MFA is extremely helpful; however, it is key that the code is never given out. Scammers have adapted to MFA in many ways and work hard to obtain the code verbally from the victim.”
What to Do if You’re a Victim
If an attack has already occurred, Fowler said scams can be reported to IC3.gov, the Better Business Bureau and the Department of Justice.
In the end, if a scam is suspected, the user should just disconnect. “If you are on a call, hang up and block the number. If someone is controlling your computer, shut it down. It’s OK to disconnect,” she said.
By Theresa Stratford
