La Jolla Senior Care News

Home Care: How to Protect Your Senior From Scams

Home Care: When it comes to scams, there’s usually a good way to spot them. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.
fraud
Home Care: Senior Scams

When it comes to scams, there’s usually a good way to spot them.

If something seems too good to be true, it probably is. But, as you may have heard, life isn’t fair and sometimes scams can be hard to spot. With that in mind, here are some home care tips to protect your seniors from scams.

1. Protect Their Identity

Identity theft is one of the most common scams, and it usually has the most devastating effects. If their identity is stolen, they can be locked out of accounts and have their credit score ruined.

Prevent identity theft by creating strong passwords with a combination of letters, numbers, and special characters. It is also a good idea to sign up for credit monitoring. If you have an elderly parent who is a senior citizen, it is also wise to put them on your credit card accounts. This way, you can monitor their activity and keep them from making a purchase on a credit card they don’t recognize.

2. Watch Out For Scam Artists

Older adults are one of the most vulnerable demographics to scams because they are reliant on their children to have access to their finances.

Avoiding scams is difficult because scammers can be very convincing. If an elderly relative is targeted by a scam, it is wise to have them change their passwords, freeze their credit, and even change their phone number to avoid further targeting.

3. Be Wary Of The Tax Season

As tax season approaches, scammers are usually on the lookout for opportunities to try and scam a person. Tax season is a great time for a scammer to try and prey on a person’s fear and desperation.

The IRS has long used the phrase “If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is” to warn people of scams. If the tax preparer is asking you for sensitive information, such as your Social Security number, it is best to find another preparer.

If you have elderly parents, you may want to make sure they are aware of a scam called the “IRS Impersonation Scam.” The scam involves someone calling and claiming to be from the IRS. They will then ask you to pay your “debt” over the phone. The caller is impersonating the IRS, and the money will be sent to an account outside the U.S.

 

4. Don’t Over-Share On Social Media

Social media has become a great tool for keeping in touch with family and friends, but the downside is that it has also become an easy way for scammers to track down their targets.

It is a good idea to make sure your senior has locked down their social media accounts, and you or caregivers monitor their accounts to make sure they are not sharing personal information.

5. Be Wary Of Any Job Offers

One of the most common scams out there is the “work-at-home” scam. These scams usually involve someone sending you an offer for a job. You may be hired to do a task, such as stuffing envelopes. But, when you send your money to the company, you will realize that you were scammed.

If you are offered a job, make sure to research the company before you send any money. There are many scam websites that look like real job websites. You may even be asked to pay money to get the job.

6. Don’t Fall For “Free” Gifts

It is a great feeling to get something for free, but it is even better to be wary of anything that seems too good to be true.

If they get a call from a company offering them a “free gift” in exchange for their credit card number, hang up and make sure their caregivers are aware of it.

Home Care: Conclusion

If you have a family member who is elderly, it is a good idea to hire caregivers to help you get your elderly loved one what they need.

Every year, frauds cost the US hundreds of millions of dollars. While these scams can seem overwhelming, there are many things you can do to help protect your loved ones. Home Care Caregivers can help- give us a call and explore your options for home care today!

 

For more information about hiring  Home Care in San Diego, CA, call the friendly caregivers at La Jolla Nurses Homecare who can help your aging parents remain in their own homes, at 858-454-9339. We are a home care agency providing quality and affordable senior care in La Jolla, CA, and the surrounding communities.

 

Sources:

https://www.irsvideos.gov/Professional/ScamsFraud/TaxScamsSoundTooGoodtobeTrue

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-scams-consumer-alerts

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/consumer-alert-scammers-change-tactics-once-again

Brittnei Salerno

Recent Posts

Categories

Contact Us About Home Care

Please enable JavaScript in your browser to complete this form.
Name
Checkboxes
READ/AGREE WITH THIS STATEMENT: I understand that I will be receiving a call and emails from a staff member of La Jolla Nurses Homecare. The purpose of the call is to understand more about my senior care needs. There is no obligation to purchase any services. You agree to receive automated messages. This agreement is not a condition of purchase. Receive up to 2 messages per month. Reply STOP to opt-out or HELP for help. Message & data rates apply. Terms and privacy policy found here.
Skip to content