Full Notification

For a variety of reasons, seniors are frequently targeted for fraud and confidence scams. Unfortunately, once they have been victimized a first time a senior citizen is much more likely to be targeted again. Due to embarrassment, the victim is often reluctant to report the crime to police. This only serves to exacerbate the problem and facilitates the continued victimization of the senior citizen.

Popular scams targeting seniors include a caller pretending to be a distant relative in distress; a caller pretending to be a representative of the IRS claiming that back taxes are owed and must be paid; or receiving a letter claiming that the addressee has won the lottery in a foreign country and must pay the taxes and fees before they can claim their lottery winnings.

Another common tactic used by criminals to victimize the elderly is known as a “Distraction Burglary”. This typically involves a person who represents themselves as a door to door salesperson distracting the elderly home owner, while an accomplice commits a theft in the residence.

Everyone, particularly senior citizens, is urged to be diligent when it comes to protecting themselves from con-artists. Keep in mind these three tips: First, if you are ever asked to give money in order to get money, such as in the lottery scam, it is likely a fraud. Second, beware of suspicious or unusual phone calls as they may be a con-artist trying to set up a scam. Lastly, revenue collecting government entities such as the IRS almost never contact taxpayers by email or telephone. Most communications are handled by postal mail. For this reason, be very cautious of emails or phone calls from someone claiming to be a government employee representing a tax collecting agency. If you suspect yourself or someone you know has been the victim of a fraud or confidence scam, please report it to police.