Elder Scamming is Becoming an Even Bigger Problem
By celticeagle
@celticeagle (189820)
Boise, Idaho
October 10, 2022 9:52pm CST
In 2021 The FBI, at their Internet Crime Complaint Center, reported that over 92,000 victims lost $1.7 billion to scams directed toward the elderly. This is a 74% increase over 2020.
It could be romance-based or technology-based but it is financial fraud targeting any citizen of the United States over 60 years of age.
This is a worldwide issue with organized and sophisticated groups from several foreign countries targeting American retirees. One man was taken for $750,000 on a dating site. Another woman was taken for $200,000 from a supposed Publisher's Clearinghouse scam on the telephone.
The scammers are manipulative and are very good at what they do.
The lack of technological knowledge of many retirees is said to be the reason for the rise in fraud cases being reported. Stolen identity, tech support, non-payment/ non-delivery, and, romance scams are the most common.
15 people like this
14 responses
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
14 Oct 22
I answer them sometimes just to give the caller a bad time.
3 people like this
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
15 Oct 22
@RubyHawk ........Maybe you should have sung badly then.
2 people like this
@RubyHawk (99367)
• Atlanta, Georgia
14 Oct 22
@celticeagle I have done that a few times. For awhile I sang to them but that didn’t stop them.
2 people like this
@aninditasen (18198)
• Raurkela, India
11 Oct 22
It's therefore essential that people above 60s should be updated about technology from time to time or else such scams will continue.
4 people like this
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
15 Oct 22
@aninditasen .......They really need to have some kind of training.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
14 Oct 22
I think they should have to take a class before they get a computer. Short and to the point so they know about scams.
1 person likes this
@aninditasen (18198)
• Raurkela, India
15 Oct 22
@celticeagle That's true indeed but it won't take time. I learned using the computer when I was in my 40s.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
19 Oct 22
@TheHorse ........nor scruples or ethics.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
14 Oct 22
It is definitely wrong but these scammers don't care.
2 people like this
@LadyDuck (502208)
• Italy
11 Oct 22
They are targeting retirees of any citizenship and not only American. The police here has sent a notice to all the over 65 (our retirement age) to ask to be careful. The police recommends when in doubt to call the police before taking decisions and never to open our door to unknown people.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
15 Oct 22
@LadyDuck .......Yes! I got a call like that one. They sure have their nerve don't they?
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502208)
• Italy
15 Oct 22
@celticeagle Some elders were scammed by "fake" police agents.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
11 Oct 22
Some sure get some odd ideas. I think my paternal grandmother had dementia. Sure hope I don't get that.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
16 Oct 22
@celticeagle .......I do too. Not a fun way to end ones life.
1 person likes this
@jefferson126 (3670)
• Shenzhen, China
11 Oct 22
there are some scams aiming at the elderly here,usually the scams is related to health care foods or instruments,the scammer knew well that the elderly care much about health care.Thus they claimed sale of health care products to attract the elderly
3 people like this
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
14 Oct 22
Whatever the scammers think they can sell the oldsters on.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
19 Oct 22
I think that is a good thing and part of being a friend.
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
19 Oct 22
@TheHorse .......They can just up and move so quickly.
1 person likes this
@TheHorse (238277)
• Walnut Creek, California
19 Oct 22
@celticeagle Alas, I am not counting on it.
1 person likes this
@JESSY3236 (22247)
• United States
11 Oct 22
My uncle was bad about falling for scams. Especially the tech ones.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
11 Oct 22
Yes, there should be mandatory class seniors need to take before getting online.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222285)
• United States
11 Oct 22
This is outrageous and pathetic. I wish they could catch all these scammers and lock them up after penalizing them big bucks.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
14 Oct 22
They could but you know what they do. THey set up a store and do their scamming thing. Then when things get hot they just move on.
1 person likes this
@BloggerDi (3121)
• United States
12 Oct 22
I've seen a couple of great documentaries that explain how scammers trick people. Now there are entire networks of scammers all over the world, very powerful, similar to the mafia.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
14 Oct 22
Yes, I've seen them too. And they know how to hide their email addresses so they can't be tracked down.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
18 Oct 22
@TheHorse .........They should. They have to be careful. Must be sure they have all their ducks in row.
@MarieCoyle (59132)
•
18 Oct 22
Last year a friend’s elderly mother, who has a grandson in Australia, answered the phone to a call who claimed to be her grandson desperately needing $3,000 American dollars for bail money. He’s never been in any trouble. She fell for it and raced to the store to wire the money. The clerk insisted on calling my friend, who came immediately, they explained the scam to the grandmother and thus avoided the loss of the money. There are scammers in all walks of life!
@Beestring (15373)
• Hong Kong
11 Oct 22
Scams are everywhere. This is a worldwide issue targeting not only US. Here, scam is common too.
2 people like this
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
14 Oct 22
People have to be careful. Seniors are just so vulnerable.
1 person likes this
@celticeagle (189820)
• Boise, Idaho
15 Oct 22
@Beestring ........That is terrible. They are so allusive too.
1 person likes this
@Beestring (15373)
• Hong Kong
15 Oct 22
@celticeagle Actually, not just seniors here. Some adults got cheated too.
1 person likes this
