Top 10 Scams Targeting our Nation's Seniors (and the Broader Population)
Security & ID TheftWant to protect yourself from the latest scams attempting to part you and your hard-earned money? Do you have elderly friends or family that might fall prey to these shysters?
The US Senate Special Committee on Aging recently produced a user-friendly, 48-page booklet explaining the top 10 scams targeting seniors. It also provides tips to protect yourself and weblinks and phone numbers to call to report a scam or get help if you've been taken.
As I've previously reported, the #1 scam is still getting a phone call from some slimeball impersonating the IRS (some of you will think there's redundancy in that line). The caller lies about back taxes you allegedly owe, demands immediate payment, and often threatens arrest or home foreclosure if you don't pay up.
The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) calls the IRS Impersonation Scam "the largest, most pervasive impersonation scam in the history of the IRS." The report indicates that, according to TIGTA, nearly 900,000 Americans have been targeted by scammers impersonating IRS officials, with 12,000 to 13,000 submitting complaints on this scam every week as of December 2015.
The next top 9 are:
- Sweepstakes Scams
- Robocalls/Unwanted Phone Calls
- Computer Scams
- Identity Theft
- Grandparent Scams
- Elder Financial Abuse
- Grant Scams
- Romance Scams/Confidence Fraud
- Home Improvement Scams
Information and vigilance are the key to staying ahead of these guys. Use the email link below to send this to friends or loved ones who may find it helpful.
Source: Fighting Fraud: US Senate Aging Committee Identifies Top 10 Scams Targeting Our Nation’s Seniors