Seems to be all I see on the news lately - scammers taking advantage of our seniors. I recently read an article in the New York Times that talks about these scams.
To quote the article, "Elder fraud is a huge problem, and Monday's study doesn't mean that people who fall prey to a con artist have some sort of dementia brewing. But scientists know that long before the memory problems of Alzheimer's become obvious, people experience more subtle changes in their thinking and judgment. Neuropsychologist Patricia Boyle of Rush University's Alzheimer's disease center wondered if one of the warning signs might be the type of judgment missteps that can leave someone susceptible to scams."
So while falling for these scams could happen to anyone, it can occasionally be a symptom or a sign of dementia or dementia-like disease. For example, I had a client that had numerous subscriptions to the same magazine. She would not remember that she subscribed, so the scammers kept calling back, over and over again. She provided her credit card info each time and was getting 5-6 of the same exact magazine and newspaper every month. I want to see harsh punishments for these crimes!!
If you are aware of elder abuse, report it!
Want to see the impact that these scams have, and what the cost the elderly? Look at this graphic put out by Experian:
Experian also has a great article about how to protect yourself and your loved ones - READ IT HERE.
