With the busyness of the holidays upon us, you may be more susceptible to \u201cletting your guard down\u201d and opening your checkbook. Unfortunately, this may sometimes be to people whose intentions are bad. Our older family members, relatives and friends are particularly vulnerable. It\u2019s estimated that older adults lose billions of dollars each year to scammers, who are more active during the holidays.<\/p>\n
For that reason, we\u2019re sharing with you today some ways you can protect yourself and your loved ones, and a few of the more common scams to be wary of.<\/p>\n
There are several ways you can protect yourself from cyber fraud and financial exploitation, including:<\/p>\n
Here are some of the more common scams that our older parents, relatives and friends may be tricked into:<\/p>\n
Romance<\/strong> Grandparent \/ Grandchild<\/strong> Lottery Winner<\/strong> Fake Charity<\/strong> Online Shopping<\/strong>
\nFor single or widowed seniors, the holidays can be a lonely time. Scammers will use a fake personal to build a relationship online, and then ask for money to come to the US, or for another urgent purpose.<\/p>\n
\nGrandparents are usually willing to do just about anything to help their grandkids. Fraudsters will attempt to exploit this by contacting the elderly and telling them their grandchildren have been arrested and need bail money transferred immediately.<\/p>\n
\nOlder Americans who play the lottery are vulnerable to fraudsters who contact them by phone, and tell them that to receive their (fake) lottery winnings, they must first pay a sizeable fee, or taxes, on that win.<\/p>\n
\nCharity scams are especially prevalent during the holiday season. Make sure that you verify the authenticity of any charitable organization before making a donation.<\/p>\n
\nShopping online makes us a potential target for fraud or identity theft. To minimize the risk, should only shop with trusted online retailers, and use credit cards instead of debit cards to deter fraud.<\/p>\n