Scams are common across the country and worldwide. Many scams today target seniors and the aging population for several reasons. A couple of the reasons are because they are more vulnerable and many have more money in their bank account. Many different types of scams are out there, and the National Council on Aging highlights several of them in this article. The good thing is if you’re a senior living at home and always have your guard up, you can avoid the scams targeting your demographic.
Protect Your Sensitive Information
It is rare companies will need sensitive information like your Social Security Number. If anyone calls you asking for this information, it should be a red flag to you that something seems fishy. Ask questions as to why they need this type of personal information and gauge their response. If it’s vague and doesn’t answer the question clearly, then you can take it as a sign they are not legitimate and hang up the phone.
Always Ask Detailed Questions
Whether you’ve opened a piece of physical mail, an email or received a phone call from someone trying to sell you a product or service, be sure to ask as many questions as you can think of. Scammers may have answers to common questions, but the more follow-up questions you ask, the more nervous or frustrated they’ll get and eventually hang up. Some companies may be legitimately soliciting your business, but it doesn’t hurt to ask thorough questions and demand thorough answers to prove their legitimacy.
Research The Company To Prove Legitimacy
If you’re a senior living at home, do some research before responding to anything you get via mail or over the phone. And if you don’t have a computer or are not technologically-savvy, ask a family member or friend to help you. Fake companies offering mobility products target the aging population since they assume a mobility product could be beneficial for them. Learn about their credentials, how long they’ve been in business, what reviews they have and more to prove they are legitimate.
Understand How To Boost Online Security
For as many scams as there are via phone and mail, there are just as many or more online. A vulnerable senior living at home may not be able to identify a phishing email from a legitimate one, so learning about the topic of online security is important. Like with anything else, keep your guard up and just provide sensitive financial information to companies or websites you can prove to be legitimate.
Next Day Access appreciates every opportunity to improve a senior’s independent living efforts. We have been in business for more than 20 years and have thousands of success stories from happy clients. Our experts are transparent and honest with you and won’t try to sell you more than what you need to live a comfortable lifestyle. We are ready to work with you so give us a call at any time.
