In recent years, the United States has witnessed a significant increase in spam calls, with millions of Americans receiving unwanted and often fraudulent calls daily. According to the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), nearly 50% of all calls made in the U.S. are now robocalls, many of which are scammers. Elderly parents are particularly vulnerable to these deceptive practices, making it crucial to understand how to protect them from falling victim to crime.
Let me share two stories to illustrate how these scams can unfold. Mrs. Anderson, an 82-year-old widow, received a call from someone claiming to be from her bank. The caller ID on her phone showed the name of her bank and a valid phone number. The caller warned her that her account had been compromised and urgently requested her social security number and bank details to secure it. Believing the call was legitimate, Mrs. Anderson provided the information. Within hours, her account was drained of thousands of dollars, leaving her devastated and unsure how to recover from the financial loss.
In another case, Mr. Thompson, an 85-year-old grandfather, received a distressing call from someone claiming to be his grandson. The caller, who sounded eerily similar to his grandson, explained that he had been in an accident and urgently needed money to pay for medical expenses. The voice was convincing, and the plea was desperate. Without hesitation, Mr. Thompson wired the money, only to find out later that his real grandson was safe and had never called. The call had been a scam, with the criminals using advanced voice technology to mimic his grandson’s voice.
These are just two alarming examples of the damage scammers, robocalls and telemarketing scams can cause, especially to seniors who may not be as familiar with these deceptive tactics. Protecting our elderly parents and loved ones from such scams is not just about safeguarding their finances but also ensuring their dignity and peace of mind.
Telemarketing scammers are often very clever and use social engineering to trick people. Social engineering is when scammers manipulate or deceive someone to get personal or financial information. They use psychological tricks to make victims believe they are talking to someone they can trust. For example, a scammer might already know the name of the bank or credit card company the victim uses, making the call seem more legitimate. Scammers can also use caller ID spoofing, which makes it appear like they are calling from a trusted number, or AI voice technology to mimic a loved one’s voice. This makes it even more difficult to recognize that the call is a scam.
Common Types of Telemarketing Scams Aimed at Seniors
- Phishing and Identity Theft: Scammers pose as legitimate entities like banks or government agencies, asking for personal information.
- Lottery and Sweepstakes Scams: Victims are told they’ve won a prize but must pay a fee to claim it.
- Charity Fraud: Fake charities solicit donations, preying on the goodwill of seniors.
- Tech Support Scams: Scammers pretend to be tech support representatives, claiming the senior’s computer is at risk and demanding payment for unnecessary services.
- Requests for Money: Scammers pretend to be loved ones who need the victim to wire money quickly in order to cover an alleged emergency.
How Scammers Target Seniors
- Isolation and Loneliness: Many seniors live alone and may welcome any interaction, making them more susceptible to scam calls.
- Lack of Tech-Savviness: Some seniors may not be familiar with modern technology or scams, making them easier targets.
- Trusting Nature: Seniors often grew up in a time when people were more trusting, which scammers exploit.
- Caller ID Spoofing: This tactic makes it appear they are calling from a trusted number, such as your bank or a government agency. This makes it even more difficult to recognize that the call is a scam.
- AI Voice Technology That Impersonates a Loved One: AI voice technology can now mimic the voices of family members, such as grandchildren or children. This technology allows them to create convincing audio clips that can deceive even the most cautious individuals. Scammers may use these voice samples to pretend that a loved one is in urgent need of money, such as being in an accident or legal trouble, and manipulate the victim into wiring funds quickly.
Signs That a Call Might Be a Scam
- High-Pressure Tactics and Urgency: Scammers often create a sense of urgency, pressuring the victim to act quickly.
- Request for Personal Information or Money: Legitimate companies rarely ask for sensitive information or payments over the phone. Other scams include getting you to buy gift cards to pay a purported debt or to send money to someone that you have only met online.
- Offers That Seem Too Good to Be True: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. For example, an email or call saying you’ve won a sweepstakes or lottery even though you don’t recall entering one.
Tips to Help Seniors Stop Telemarketing Scam Calls
- Be wary of all unsolicited calls. Avoid answering calls or texts from unknown numbers and don’t assume the person calling is legitimate.
- Educate parents and seniors about common scams. Remind them that they should never give out important personal or financial information over the phone such as social security numbers, credit card numbers, and bank account numbers no matter how urgent the call appears to be.
- Encourage skepticism. If they receive an unsolicited call, they should hang up and call the company back using an official number or talk with a trusted family member or talk with a friend about the call to get a second opinion.
- Educate about caller ID and AI voice scams: Remind seniors that they should never automatically trust the caller ID that is displayed on the phone and encourage them to always verify the identity of the caller by either asking specific questions that only the real family member would know or by hanging up and calling the loved one directly using a known, trusted number. It’s crucial to be skeptical of any request for money, especially if it comes with an emotional plea and a sense of urgency.
- Register phone numbers on the National Do Not Call Registry to reduce unwanted calls.
- Use call-blocking technology and apps to screen potential scam calls. CTIA represents the U.S. wireless industry and has a list of apps for Android and Apple devices that block robocalls and spam texts. A client also shared that they have had a good experience using TeleCalm which is a service that helps manage telephone calls for elderly seniors who suffer from cognitive decline or Alzheimer’s disease.
- Establish a credit freeze and regularly monitor bank statements and credit reports for any unusual activity. When you place a security freeze, creditors cannot access your credit report. This will keep them from approving any new credit accounts in your name.
Encourage Open Communication
It’s essential to maintain open communication with elderly loved ones about the risks of telemarketing scams. Regularly discussing the rising amount of scam calls and how these scammers work and encouraging them to share any suspicious calls can create a supportive environment where they feel safe to ask for help.
Robocalls and telemarketing scams targeting seniors are a growing concern, but with the right knowledge and tools, we can protect our elderly loved ones from falling victim. By staying informed, educating seniors, and fostering open communication, we can help them navigate these challenges and safeguard their financial well-being.
At the Passaro Group, we make senior living easy to understand.
Contact us at 310-428-8221 and we will be happy to guide you through the entire process – all at no cost to you.
Resources
Robocall and Call Blocking
- Federal Trade Commission (FTC): Report scams and learn about consumer protection.
- National Do Not Call Registry: Register phone numbers to block unwanted calls.
- The CTIA list of robocall blocking apps for Android devices.
- The CTIA list of robocall blocking apps for iPhone and iOS devices.
- AARP Fraud Watch Network: Free resources and tips for avoiding scams.
About TeleCalm
The owner was his mother’s caregiver for over 5 years and created TeleCalm to solve the issues families have related to the telephone and a parent with dementia. They are now helping families solve phone-related issues both in private homes and in over 500 senior living communities across the U.S. The service evaluates each incoming and outgoing call, deciding whether the call should be allowed, blocked, or re-routed. Only incoming calls from trusted contacts ring on the senior’s telephone. This helps protect seniors living with Alzheimer’s from all telemarketers and scam calls. Outgoing calls can be filtered as well, to block certain calls to unwanted destinations or to limit calls only to family and friends.
How to Freeze Your Credit
Freeze or lift the freeze on your credit report for free by contacting each of the three major credit reporting agencies:
