People, Agencies, and Institutions to Contact in Case of Senior Fraud

Senior fraud is on the rise. The Federal Trade Commission has reported that impostor scams increased by nearly 50% from 2017 to 2018, and the number of cases is likely to have ballooned since. Impostor scams are when someone poses as a government official, business representative, or someone else to trick you into giving them money.

 

There are different types of senior fraud. Daniel Klibanoff shares some of the most common ones below:

 

IRS scams: In this scam, someone will pose as an IRS agent and claim that you owe back taxes. These scammers may threaten to arrest you or take away your Social Security benefits if you don't pay up immediately.

 

Grandparent scams: Here, a con artist will call or send an email posing as your grandchild. They'll say they're in trouble and need money right away.

 

Medicare scams: For this fraud, someone will pose as a Medicare representative and try to get personal information such as Social Security numbers or credit card numbers. They may say you need to sign up for a new Medicare plan or that you can get a free health care service.

Getting help

If you think you've been a victim of senior fraud, Daniel Klibanoff lists some of the things you can do immediately:

 

• Place a call to your local law enforcement agency.
• File a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission.
• Contact your state's attorney general.

 

You can also be more aware of senior fraud incidences by talking to your family and friends. Scammers are always coming up with new ways to trick people, so it's important to keep everyone in your life up to date on the latest frauds. In addition, warn your neighbors and other seniors in your community about senior fraud. The more people are aware of these scams, the less likely swindlers will be able to take advantage of them.

 

Learn more about senior fraud and how to spot it by reading Daniel Klibanoff’s thoughts and insights in this blog.