The Caring Corner®
October 27, 2025
Common Scams That Target Seniors
- Government Imposter Scams: The caller pretends to be from a trusted agency like the Social Security Administration, IRS, or Medicare. They might claim your account has been suspended, you owe back taxes, or your information has been linked to a crime. The threat of arrest or loss of benefits is used to pressure you into immediate payment or revealing sensitive information. Remember: Legitimate government agencies will almost never call out of the blue demanding immediate payment via gift card or wire transfer.
- Grandparent Scams: This one is a heartbreaker. A scammer calls, pretending to be a grandchild or other loved one in immediate distress (e.g., in jail, in an accident, stranded abroad) and desperately needs money wired fast for bail, medical bills, or travel. They typically ask the victim to keep the request a secret.
- Tech Support Scams: A pop-up on your computer or an unsolicited phone call claims your device is infected with a virus, has a major technical error, or has expired software. The scammer, posing as a technician from a major company like Microsoft or Apple, requests remote access to your computer—which is their real goal—or demands payment for a fake “fix.”
- Investment and Sweepstakes Scams: These play on the desire for financial security. Investment scammers guarantee high, risk-free returns. Sweepstakes scams claim you’ve won a massive prize but must first pay “taxes,” “fees,” or “insurance” to collect it. If you have to pay a fee to get a prize, it’s not a prize.
- Romance Scams: Con artists build emotional relationships online, often over weeks or months, before fabricating an emergency and asking for money for travel, a medical crisis, or a business deal. They exploit loneliness and trust.
Essential Defense Strategies
- Stop and Think: Urgency is the Red Flag. Scammers rely on panic. Any request demanding immediate action, secrecy, or payment before you have time to think or verify is almost certainly a scam. Hang up and wait a few hours before doing anything.
- Verify, Verify, Verify: If someone claims to be a government agent, family member, or bank representative, hang up and use a known, official number to call them back. For a relative, call them directly on the number you know is theirs—not the one the supposed ‘lawyer’ or ‘agent’ gave you.
- Know the Payment Warning Signs: Never pay anyone who demands money via:
- Gift Cards (iTunes, Amazon, Google Play, etc.)
- Wire Transfers (like Western Union or MoneyGram)
- Cryptocurrency
- Cash mailed through the postal service
- These methods are virtually untraceable. Legitimate businesses and government agencies do not operate this way.
- Protect Your Personal Information. Never give out your Social Security number, bank account details, or passwords to anyone who calls, emails, or texts you unexpectedly.
- Talk About Scams Openly. Open communication is critical. Don’t let shame or embarrassment prevent you or a loved one from discussing a suspicious interaction. Having a “Trusted Contact”—a family member or friend—who you promise to consult before sending money in an emergency can be a life-saver.
If You or a Loved One Has Been Scammed
- Report it: Contact your local police and the bank or company used to send the money. You should also report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
- Contact a Trusted Advisor: Reach out to a family member, lawyer, or financial advisor to help secure accounts and monitor credit.
Filed in: News
