| Be alert to scams targeting the
elderly |
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Be careful even when opting for
a relative. Police files are thick with sons and daughters who've
let their elderly family members exist in squalor and abuse.
Zoran Basich, a California-based elder law attorney,
says one way to protect the elderly is to spell things out in writing
while the senior's still in control of his faculties. A letter from
the patient's physician testifying to his mental condition and a
notarized power of attorney for a trustworthy family member are
two good steps in that direction.
Further isolate the caregiver from financial matters
by paying the bills yourself. It's harder to steal from someone
when you can't get to the money.
The ship's in port and other
fairy tales
Lansing, Ill., police Chief Dan McDevitt recently worked a case
where an elderly woman was swindled out of $295,000 in three separate
confidence schemes.
"She lost $287,000 to a Nigerian fraud scheme
alone," McDevitt says. "Then she was targeted by the Spanish
lottery and the Canadian lottery. It was obvious they (the criminals)
all knew one another."
All three scams -- the fake lotteries and the Nigerian
scam (also known as the 419 fraud) -- operate on the same principle
of something for nothing. These aren't the only con games in town,
but they're all essentially the same.
People want to believe their ship's in, no matter
how unlikely the source. That's why fake lotteries continue to hook
victims.
"They get a call or a letter saying 'before he
died, your husband bought a ticket for the Canadian lottery. I'm
not supposed to give this to you, but send me $2,500 and I'll send
you $150,000,'" McDevitt says.
Many elderly fall for these schemes because they grew
up in more trusting times and tend to be less skeptical. "My
father was a World War II veteran, and those are the ones who are
getting ripped off," McDevitt says.
The same generation also provides a prime target for
home-repair scams, where exorbitant prices are charged for repairs
and home improvements that aren't needed and are shabbily done.
What you can do
If you suspect a scam, notify authorities without delay. Chances
are the thieves are long gone, but there's always a possibility
they'll one day be caught. Discuss the incident with the victim
in a nonjudgmental way. Yes, it's difficult to understand that anyone
could fall for such transparent schemes, but many do.
And here's one way to send scammers packing: If an
elder you know if offered such a dubious "opportunity"
again, McDevitt says that they should, "Tell them you want
their name and phone number and that you're a good friend of the
police chief. You'll have him call and talk to them. If he says
it's OK to do business, then you will."
Another way to prevent elder fraud is through education.
Most local law enforcement agencies and senior services organizations,
including AARP, have programs and literature on the subject -- all
you have to do is ask.
Protect the seniors in your life by checking on them
often. If you're on the other side of the country, call frequently.
You might also ask a trusted neighbor or friend to look in on them.
Remember, it only takes one unscrupulous individual to drain a lifetime
of savings. Be the trained dog at the door and chase the scammers
away before they take a big bite out of someone else's future.
Next up: "8
signs of elder abuse"
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