National Senior Citizen Day: Remember Seniors Are 'Targets'

SOUTHEAST, NY — The Office for Senior Resources in Putnam is among the local agencies that work throughout the Hudson Valley to educate the county's aging population about how to spot signs of a scam.

"We know our older residents are targets of deceptive schemes, and we must remain vigilant in educating them about potential risks," County Executive Kevin Byrne told Patch. "By raising awareness and fostering a sense of community support, we try to empower our seniors to recognize and avoid scams, ensuring their safety and peace of mind."

National Senior Citizens Day on Aug. 21 is a time to educate people about the fact that financial fraud and exploitation is one of the most prevalent types of elder abuse, according to New York's Division of Consumer Protection. A recent AARP report estimates that the annual loss of victims of financial abuse in the United States is assessed to be at least $28.3 billion dollars.

"These crimes are often some of the most difficult to prevent and can inflict untold trauma upon the victims and their families," said New York State Office of Children and Family Services Acting Commissioner Suzanne Miles-Gustave. "Financial fraud and exploitation of our elder New Yorkers literally robs them of the resources they need to maintain their independence, provide for their health care and other vital assistance that ensures their well-being."

Some of the most common older adult scams include:

• Medical Device Scam: Unsolicited prerecorded messages, known as “robocalls,” offering free medical alert devices by providing an address and credit card information.
• Grandparent Scam: Scammers call or email asking for money while impersonating a beloved grandchild who is in some kind of trouble.
• Ghosting Scam: Identity thieves obtain personal information about deceased persons from obituaries, funeral homes, hospitals, stolen death certificates and online web sites and use this information to establish credit and open accounts, take out loans, receive benefits, or even collect tax refunds filed under the stolen identity.
• Jury Duty Scam: Scammers pretending to be law enforcement officers or court officials contact individuals to inform them that they have failed to report to jury duty and must pay a fine by credit card to avoid an arrest.
• Funeral Notification Scam: Scammers send emails deceptively informing recipients of an upcoming farewell ceremony in remembrance of a friend or loved one, and upon clicking a link provided in the email, victims are sent to a third-party website where malicious software is downloaded so scammers can gain access to the user’s information.
• Sweepstakes Scam: Scammers entice consumers with various prize offers and then ask you to share personal information or pay a fee to enter the sweepstakes.
• Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Imposter Scam: Phone scammers impersonate IRS agents and demand immediate payment of overdue taxes from victims via debit card or wire transfer to avoid being arrested.
• Free Grant Scam: Scammers promise fraudulent grants in print or over the phone and ask for bank account and routing numbers.

Here are some tips to follow if you or someone you know receives a call or email you believe to be a scam:

• RESIST the urge to act immediately - no matter how dramatic the story is.
• VERIFY the caller’s identity - ask questions that a stranger couldn’t answer. Check with a family member to see if the information is true.
• DO NOT send cash, gift cards or money transfers. Once the scammer gets the money - it’s gone!
• DO NOT give your personal banking account information by email or over the phone OR log into bank accounts as directed by the caller (scammers can steal your information using screen mirroring).

For more information about how you can recognize the most common older adult scams or for more scam prevention tips, download The Division of Consumer Protection’s Senior Anti-Fraud Education (S.A.F.E.) brochure. If you have parents or older family members, take the time to explain these scams to them, state officials urged.

If you need assistance, or have a concern about scams, you can find local help by contacting NY Connects at 1-800-342-9871.

The Division of Consumer Protection has a bureau of adult services at 1-844-697-3505 for referrals on money management services and other financial programs.