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Avoid Becoming a Vic m of Fraud
December 2019 AGING & DISABILITY RESOURCE CENTER [ADRC] 721 Oxford Avenue Room 1130 Eau Claire WI 54703 Monday Ͳ Friday 8:00 am Ͳ 4:30 pm 715.839.4735 1.888.338.4636 &y: use Relay (711)
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Many of us have been told to be aware of ďŹ nancial fraud but how can we be sure that we protect ourselves or a loved one? Older Americans aged 65+ are 34% more likely to become vic-ms of fraud compared to those in their 40’s. Typically elderly become targets because they may be lonely, willing to listen and are more trus-ng than younger individuals. Here are a few of the most common types of frauds: Medicare. They will ask for personal informa-on such as your Medicare ID. They then use this informa-on to bill Medicare for fraudulent services. Funerals. Scammers use obituaries to ďŹ nd informa-on about the deceased to extort money from family members and spouses. They claim they have an outstanding debt that must be paid immediately. Telephone. These types of scams are the most common among the elderly. The caller gets them to send money by claiming they are a family member in trouble. This can go as far as the scammer asking the person who answers the phone if they know who is calling. A6er the person guesses a name, they pretend to be that person and claim they are in a ďŹ nancial bind. They ask them to send money to help them out, but also request that they don’t tell anyone else about their situa-on. It plays on the grandparent’s emo-on and makes them extremely vulnerable. Internet. For someone not savvy with technology, they are an easy target for scammers. The scammer tells them to download fake an-Ͳvirus so6ware that will give them access to their personal informa-on. They may also respond to phishing emails asking them to update bank or credit card informa-on on a phony website and the scammer then has all their personal data needed. How can you protect yourself? Be aware that scammers o6en pretend to be government agencies, they can use fake caller ID and some-mes can even mimic government phone numbers. Never give out personal informa-on to unsolicited callers. Do an online search of the product, the company or their phone number. How you are asked to pay; honest companies and the government will not ask you to wire money or use a reloadable gi6 card. You can also sign up with the Federal Trade Commission for a free scam alert email at:
h;ps://www.consumer.6c.gov/features/scamͲalerts