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Senior citizens must beware of financial scams and abuse

On Behalf of | Sep 27, 2019 | Financial Abuse |

Senior citizens are sometimes seen as easy targets by scammers. The financial impacts of this are often considerable. All seniors need to remember some easy tips that can help them avoid becoming victims of identity theft or financial abuse.

First, make sure that you have any payments coming to you done via direct deposit. Not having checks coming in the mail can stop a good number of scams and problems. Some scammers use checks sent in the mail to gain access to your bank account information, so make sure that you only cash checks that you were expecting.

Second, don’t ever give financial or personal information out over the phone. Scammers can use this information to make unauthorized charges to your accounts. Personal information can be used to open new accounts, including credit accounts, in your name.

Third, watch your accounts closely. Sadly, more than 90% of cases of elder abuse are at the hands of the person’s family. Only share your information with people who you know you can trust and that will always act in your best interests.

Fourth, use caution on the internet. Email scams are common, so don’t click through links in them. Instead, type the URL into the browser yourself. Only go to links that you are certain belong to the company or website that you are trying to reach.

If you are the victim of a scam, identity theft or financial abuse, your top priority is to stop the damage to your life. This might involve taking legal action, and you might need to seek compensation to help you remove the monetary damages that you have due to the situation.

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