Many older adults are targeted by scammers and con artists, and most victims don’t report it until it’s too late.
Some common signs of fraud include frequent junk mail and spam calls, unfamiliar payments being made, acting secretively about phone calls or messages, and sudden problems paying bills or buying other necessities.
The Wisconsin Better Business Bureau has provided some tips to prevent fraudulent activities in your loved ones’ lives.
They suggest becoming familiar with common scams and teaching your friends and family the risks can help prevent issues.
Encourage the person to ignore suspicious phone calls and messages or possibly to change their phone number.
Sometimes, when older adults are in the care of another, they can be more susceptible to physical, verbal, emotional, and financial abuse.
Some signs of neglect include lack of basic hygiene and food, missing doctor’s appointments, and medications, hoarding, and a lack of supervision in their room or in moving around.
Physical signs include unknown bruises, bed sores, STDs, and unexplained weight loss.
A sudden need for funds or suspicious money transfers can signal financial exploitation.
The Bureau urges everyone to be aware of these signs and to inform their loved ones of the dangers.
