AAA3C Joins National Campaign to Protect Older Adults from Financial Scams
Tuesday December 3, 2024
This year’s campaign provides guidance to older adults, caregivers and families on avoiding financial scams and fraud.
To help older adults stay safe this holiday season, the Area Agency on Aging (IIIC) is participating in Home for the Holidays, a national campaign led by the Eldercare Locator and USAging. This year’s campaign provides guidance to older adults, caregivers, and families on avoiding financial scams and fraud.
Scams targeting people aged 60 and older resulted in over $3.4 billion in losses in 2023 alone, according to the FBI. Although financial scams can occur throughout the year, they usually increase around the holiday season due to increased online shopping or donations. Older adults, especially those who are isolated or lonely, are particularly vulnerable.
A new Home for the Holidays brochure, Protect Your Wallet: A Guide to Avoiding Financial Scams, highlights common scams that target older adults, tips for avoiding scams and resources for reporting them. This year’s campaign empowers older adults to take control of their finances and avoid falling victim to the fraudsters that prey on them. Residents can access the brochure on the website at www.bhsj.org/aaa or by calling the office at 517-278-2538.
“We encourage individuals to reach out to law enforcement or our agency’s victim assistance program if you have been scammed. Scam artists are very clever and victims should not be embarrassed to ask for help. We want to educate the community to the commonly seen scams in the hope that they can identify a scammer before sensitive information or financial exploitation occurs,” says Laura Sutter, Director, Area Agency on Aging (IIIC).
Tips to avoid Scams:
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Be wary of someone offering a “great deal” that seems too good to be true or pressuring you to act quickly.
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Do not be afraid to say “no” or hang up if you feel uncomfortable or suspicious about a phone call solicitation or to ignore emails or text solicitations.
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Never send money using a gift card or wire transfer directly to a seller or unknown person.
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Do not click on suspicious links or attachments in text messages, emails, websites, or social media.
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Be suspicious of a company asking you by phone or email to update your password or account information. Look up the company’s phone number on your own and call the company to find out if the request is real.
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Keep personal information in a safe and secure location that unauthorized individuals cannot access
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Do not share numbers of passwords for accounts, credit cards, or Social Security.
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Monitor your financial accounts by setting up alerts for unusual activity and reviewing statements more frequently during the holidays.
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Build a strong support network and keep in touch with others to prevent social isolation. This can decrease the chances that you will experience financial exploitation and the likelihood that it goes unnoticed.
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Stay informed about current scams and keep older family members up to date on official warnings about current scams or fraud.
If you need immediate assistance from law enforcement, call 9-1-1. You can also contact the victim assistance program staff at 517-278-2538 or toll free at 888-615-8009.
Our mission is to provide a full range of high-quality services, programs, and opportunities which promote the independence and dignity of older adults while supporting those who care for them throughout Branch and St. Joseph Counties.