By Karen Courtney, Director of Programs
The June 3 meeting of the Coalition Empowering Against Senior Exploitation (CEASE) group included much discussion about the types of scams we are seeing in our community.
One of this month’s Senior Times themes, Companionship, can be tied to the work of CEASE because the human desire for connections among seniors is one of the vulnerable points of access that is exploited by scammers. Multiple people in our community have been stolen from by romance scammers recently.
Romance scammers will initiate contact with isolated seniors using social media, internet games, emails, and texting. Scammers will build trust over time, using multiple interactions and chats to build up a sense of relationship and common interests. Seniors may feel they know this unseen person, simply because they’ve been virtual pen-pals online for a while.
Imagination is a powerful force, and online or phone scammers take advantage of imagination! “What will we do when we meet in person? Go Dancing? Go to the movies? Travel?” Whatever idea strikes the imagination of the lonely senior gives the scammer one more thing they can use to build that feeling of common interests and desire for companionship. “Dancing? I love dancing, too!” The senior’s imagination just took the bait, and the scammer will set that hook and start reeling, eventually asking for money “so I can come visit you” or “to put a deposit down for that getaway vacation, where we will dance in the moonlight on the beach…”
Some older adults have also been strung along and taken advantage of in person by new acquaintances or “helpers” who have taken items of value, money, debit cards, vehicles, or who have even moved in and refused to leave without being formally evicted! Falling for a romance scammer can happen to anyone, at any age, regardless of education or financial circumstance. There is no shame or stigma in sharing your story, and it may help others recognize red flags.
Red flags may include: Being asked to not tell others about the “relationship,” identifying as military serving overseas or undercover law enforcement, asking for loans or gifts of money, asking for your home address “so they can send you small gifts,” and asking lots of questions about work history, travel history, or things you own. For example, the scammer might say their 401k account just took a bad hit due to the stock market, and then they’ll ask how your investments are doing. Don’t share financial info with strangers!
Tell your family and friends if you’ve met someone online and need help checking if the person is “real.” Tell your bank or credit union if someone wants you to transfer money, give account info, or process a cashier’s check. Tellers are trained to help spot scams and fake checks. Don’t arrange an in-person meetup at isolated or private locations, and don’t offer rides to new acquaintances.
We are each deserving of love and friendship, but we need to protect our hearts, our bodies, and our wallets, armoring them against those who would take advantage of our caring natures. Love and friendship shouldn’t have dollar signs attached. Stay alert, and stay safe.