Financial Scams

For many of us, it’s the lifeline of our retirement financial security. Estimates are that for nearly half of us over age 65, 50% of our income comes from Social Security. And for nearly ¼ of us, Social Security amounts to almost 90% of our retirement income. That’s a big…

You know the score: your cell phone rings and it looks like a familiar number- or at least a local number. So you answer, assuming it must be someone you know. But more likely it’s a scammer trying to swindle you out of money. This trap is called “neighborhood spoofing”…

It can happen to the best of us- one enticing phone call promising easy money for a little bit of info, or one sad story that tugs at our heartstrings, and just like that, we’ve been swindled. And perhaps most galling: it may be people we most trust, or most…

No one likes to think of themselves as being vulnerable or unable to look out for themselves. But the reality is that unsuspecting seniors are disproportionately the targets of fraud and scams, although apparently, many may not realize how personally vulnerable they are. In a new report put out by…

How many times have you heard this story: an older person, usually cautious in life, has somehow been conned into sending money to some far-flung place. Maybe it’s even happened to you or your loved ones. How to explain this vulnerability to being scammed in otherwise smart, careful people? Well,…

With Valentine’s Day, our thoughts often turn to romance and love. But for some sinister prowlers, professing love and affection may just be a way to prey on the vulnerable, and seniors are frequently the target of such “sweetheart scams.” Especially for seniors who are active online, and who may…