4 Ways You Can Help Protect A Senior Loved One From Scams
Seniors who are aging in place are unfortunately often the targets of scams. Scammers are getting more creative and now seniors can be victimized through landline phones, cell phones, and the Internet. Social media is a big risk for seniors who are often targeted in scams where people message them pretending to be the senior’s child or grandchild who needs money sent to them immediately because of an emergency. Dating scams that target seniors are also becoming more and more prevalent. But there are some things that you and your in-home care provider can do to help protect your senior loved one from scams like:
In-Home Care in Lincoln CA: Scams
Check Their Social Media
Romance and dating scams that target seniors often go through social media, so it’s a good idea to keep an eye on your senior parent’s social media accounts. Make sure that you have the user names and passwords for any of their social media accounts and check them often. Set up parental controls on their accounts and use strict privacy controls so that your senior loved one is less likely to accept messages or friend requests from scammers.
Become A Cosigner On Their Accounts
A good way to make sure that your senior loved one doesn’t empty their checking account or run up their credit card giving money to scammers is to become a cosigner on their accounts. That way you can set up the notifications to make sure that you are alerted if any large withdrawals or purchases are made and you will be able to see where the money is going. If necessary you will be able to file a fraud claim too if you are an authorized user on the account.
Get In-Home Care
One of the many benefits of in-home care for seniors is that in-home care providers can answer the phone for your senior loved one and help weed out scam calls. They can block numbers, set up speed dial so that your senior loved one doesn’t accidentally call back a scammer and expose their line to potential phishing, and handle phone calls to make sure that scammers don’t call back again.
Give Them A Pre-Paid Credit Card
Pre-paid credit cards for seniors are a fantastic way to make sure that your senior loved one doesn’t lose a lot of money. Pre-paid credit and debit cards can be loaded online in any amount you want but once the money is spent that’s it. No more can be taken. So if a scammer does manage to get your senior loved one to give them the credit card number or the debit card number and the scammer tries to get money from it they won’t get any more than the amount that is already loaded on the card. And since that card it not tied to any other accounts they won’t be able to use that card number to access any other accounts or piggyback their way into any of your senior parent’s bank accounts or credit accounts.
If you or an aging loved-one are considering hiring In-Home Care in Lincoln, CA, talk to the caring staff at Partners in Care today. Serving El Dorado, Nevada, Yuba, Sutter, Sacramento, Placer, Butte, Glenn, Yolo, & Colusa Counties!
Call us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week! (530) 268-7423
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