Financial Scams

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…

For virtually all seniors, social security plays an important role in their financial health and well being. And for savvy computer hackers, it’s a rich target for identity theft and financial scams. A recent report in Reuters describes how the push to encourage seniors to create online social security accounts…

As the year winds down and you prepare for your usual year-end activities- gift purchases, charity donations, holiday gatherings- make sure you watch out for another holiday tradition: scamming unsuspecting buyers and donors who may be caught off guard as they’re caught up in the holiday spirit. From packages that…

Given the recent computer hacking of the Equifax credit monitoring system, all of us need to be at heightened alert over identity theft or financial fraud perpetrated on us. For seniors, this is especially true, as confirmed in a recent survey done by the Cooperative Credit Union Association. In this…

Whether you’re a computer whiz or you just try to stay on top of your US Postal Service mail delivery, you’ve probably encountered attempts to reach out to you from strangers or suspicious characters. You may think yourself savvy and able to ward off dangers, but in fact even the…