Anyone can be guilty of a scam, but senior citizens are often considered easy targets.
Unscrupulous people try to scam others with criminal intent and they prefer to take the path of least resistance to make their schemes successful. That means that many scammers prefer to target the elderly, whenever possible. This is because the elderly are more likely to suffer from cognitive decline and live alone as the Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog points out in “Top 10 Scams That Target Seniors.”
There are many different types of scams targeting the elderly. Popular scams include Medicare supplemental insurance fraud, tricking someone into thinking a relative is in trouble and in need of bail, making someone think they owe money to the IRS and fake funeral pre-payment schemes.
The important thing for seniors to keep in mind to avoid getting scammed, is to never give out any personal or financial information to someone right away. They should always avoid making rash decisions, take time to think about it and ask someone else about it.
When a senior does fall victim to a scam, it is important not to be embarrassed about it and remember it is not a personal failing.
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