Fighting Fraud
By Better Business Bureau Serving Greater Cleveland
June 15 is designated as World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (WEAAD) by the International Network for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (INPEA). Better Business Bureau (BBB) urges the community to stay educated about signs of abuse and report any suspected mistreatment immediately. BBB is contacted daily about scams specifically targeting older adults that end up costing them more than just money. BBB shares the following signs to help you recognize the signs of neglect/abuse:
- Lack of basic hygiene, adequate food, or clean and appropriate clothing
- Lack of medical aids like glasses, walkers, hearing aids, and/or medications
- Cluttered home, filthy, in disrepair, or having fire and safety hazards
- A home without adequate facilities including heat, air, appliances, electricity, etc.
- Giving excessive financial reimbursement/gifts for care and companionship
- Caregiver controls elder’s money but fails to provide for elder’s needs
- The caregiver is overly concerned about the elder spending money
- Elder/adult signs property transfers (Power of Attorney, a new will, etc.) but is unable to comprehend the transaction or what it means
- Unexplained or uncharacteristic changes in behavior, including withdrawal from normal activities
- The caregiver isolates older adult
- The caregiver is verbally aggressive, uncaring, or demeaning
Knowing the signs of neglect might not be enough. Here are common scams targeting our community of older adults:
- Grandparents scam. The scammer contacts a grandparent claiming to be their grandchild who is in a dire situation and needs money. The plea is so persuasive that the grandparent wires money to the scammer, only to find out later their family member was safe and sound all along.
- Bogus sweepstakes/lottery scam. You receive an email or phone call allegedly from a contest organizer informing you that you’ve won a prize. To claim your winnings, scammers say you must first pay taxes, shipping costs, or other fees. You are urged to send the money by wire transfer, or buy a prepaid debit card and share the number and PIN with the “contest organizer.”
- Tech support scam. You get a telephone call or see a pop-up alert on your computer screen from someone claiming to be with tech support from a well-known software company. You are told only a tech support employee can fix a problem they’ve identified and you’re asked to allow access to your computer. Once access is granted, the caller may pretend to run a “scan” and claims your computer is infected with viruses. The scammer then offers to fix the problem for a fee. If you allow remote access, malware may be installed on your machine. Malware often scans files in search of personal information, which scammers can use to commit identity theft.
Report suspected fraud to:
- Your bank or credit card company. They may be able to reverse charges for purchases made months or more before, depending on the fraud.
- Better Business Bureau at BBB.org
- The Department of Justice’s Elder Justice Initiative website at justice.gov/elderjustice
Additional Questions? Reach out to your BBB at 216-241-7678 or [email protected]. For more news and tips, visit BBB.org.
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