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How Home Care Can Protect Seniors from Online Scams
Tech Support

How Home Care Can Protect Seniors from Online Scams

by Richard Bitner
written by Richard Bitner

Today’s seniors are more tech-savvy than most people give them credit for. Unfortunately, the internet still poses safety concerns for elderly users. While many baby boomers are as knowledgeable as anyone about computers and the internet, older seniors and late-adopters are often easily fooled by online tricks and scams. How Home Care Can Protect Seniors from Online Scams
If you’re concerned about an elderly loved one’s safety and security online, solutions are few and far between. You can’t be there every time your loved one is on the computer or using their tablet, and there’s no such thing as a foolproof app for detecting and preventing online scams.
One option you might not have thought about is home care. To help seniors navigate the internet and social media, some home care providers now offer tech-focused home care programs that provide seniors with in-home support for online technologies. These programs can be especially useful in combatting online fraud targeted at seniors.

Online Security Risks for Seniors

If you have an elderly loved one who uses or wants to use online technologies, your concern for their online security isn’t unfounded. Those over 65 are twice as likely to be victims of online fraud as the rest of the population, and that risk is increased in older seniors.
Older adults who use the internet can be susceptible to scams for three main reasons.

  • First, seniors tend to be more susceptible than other age groups to all types of fraud, so many seniors are already at a disadvantage.
  • Second, seniors who started using the internet late in life often aren’t equipped to identify obvious scams. The newer someone is to the internet, the more likely they are to click on a link most people would avoid.
  • Third, and perhaps most disconcertingly, scammers know that seniors are more vulnerable. This has led scammers to target online spaces where seniors are more likely to spend time.

Senior dating websites, for instance, are rife with “sweetheart” scams, a type of catfishing scheme designed specially to target lonely seniors. Fraudsters pretend to be a senior looking for love, target a vulnerable senior, then spend weeks or months developing an online relationship, often moving the relationship offline to avoid detection. Finally, the scammer invents a story where they desperately need funds, convinces the targeted senior to wire them money, and then disappears forever.
Other common scams include impersonation of tax officials, pretending to be grandchildren asking for funds, phishing websites that trick seniors into giving up banking information, or emails that ask seniors to submit sensitive personal information to receive a free prize that doesn’t actually exist.

Senior Home Care & Online Security

Helping protect seniors from obvious online scams is one of the biggest benefits of tech-focused home care services. These programs partner seniors with caregivers who are experienced internet users. Caregivers guide seniors as they use the internet and social media, giving helpful tips and advice.
When caregivers spot a dangerous looking website, email, or instant message, they can warn the senior not to engage with it. If seniors are uncertain about whether or not something is safe, they can ask the caregiver for advice.
For many seniors, having an experienced internet user around can make their online experience much less stressful and much more enjoyable. If you’re worried that your loved one might fall for an online scam, chances are that they’re just as worried as you are. Pairing them with a caregiver who can help them stay safe online will give them peace of mind and allow them to surf without anxiety.
If you think a tech-focused home care program could be beneficial to your loved one, we invite you to contact your local Visiting Angels office to learn more. How Home Care Can Protect Seniors from Online Scams

How Home Care Can Protect Seniors from Online Scams

How Home Care Can Protect Seniors from Online Scams How Home Care Can Protect Seniors from Online Scams How Home Care Can Protect Seniors from Online Scams How Home Care Can Protect Seniors from Online Scams How Home Care Can Protect Seniors from Online Scams
 
 

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Timeshare

6 Timeshare Questionable Practices Targeting Seniors

by Lisa Ann Schreier
written by Lisa Ann Schreier

While timeshares can be good for some people, sadly there are bad guys at every step of the way when it comes to timeshare matters. Unfortunately, seniors fall prey to these practices more often than other consumers. It’s imperative to keep your wits about you when dealing with timeshare matters.

Here are 6 ways that unscrupulous individuals take advantage of seniors:

Lying About How Your Heirs Will Be Stuck With The Timeshare Unless You Do Something

Unless your heirs are actually on the timeshare deed or whatever form of ownership you have, they are under no obligation to accept the timeshare when you die. It’s important to understand that your estate will be required to pay off any debt you still have on the timeshare however. Buying more timeshare or upgrading to some made up ownership level will only increase your debt, but will have zero impact on your heirs being stuck with your timeshare.

Keeping You At A Sales Pitch Longer Than The Required Length Of Time

When you accept the terms of whatever sales presentation you attend, there will be a stated minimum length of time you are required to stay in order to qualify for whatever you’re receiving. This time limit must be in writing. Find it and stick to it. You are under no obligation to stay for anything longer than that. I’ve heard countless stories of hapless seniors who were kept for 4, 5 or more hours, often without food or drink by sales personnel using one ruse or another. Don’t fall for this. Get up and leave at the appropriate time. Remember that you, not the salesperson is in control.

Lying About How You’ll Be Able To Pay Your Maintenance Fees If You Buy More Timeshare

Just not true, or at the very least, not the way they make it sound. Do not ever buy more timeshare for any other reason that you want more vacation time.

Claiming That They Have A Buyer For Your Timeshare And Need Money For Costs Which Will Be Refunded To You Upon Completion Of Sale

If you own a timeshare you may want to sell it. In any event, it’s imperative that you maintain control and do not ever engage with any company or person that initiates contact. 99% of timeshares are worth only a tiny fraction of what you originally paid, and there are millions of timeshares currency for sale on the secondary market. No one has a buyer for your timeshare that you haven’t even advertised yet. You should not ever pay in advance for selling your timeshare.

Lying About The Fact You Have To Attend An Update Or Survey

There are only a few cases where you are obligated to attend a sales presentation. One is if you accept those conditions in exchange for something that you’re receiving such as a discounted stay, theme park tickets, dinner show tickets, etc. Another case is where you previously purchased some sort of trial timeshare and each time you use part of it at a resort, they have another opportunity to sell you on the full program. That’s about it. There is no such thing as a mandatory owner update or customer survey.

Pretending To Be Your Friend

Sadly, I hear this one more than any other story. Remember that the sales person is just that, a sales person. They have no other reason to be nice to you or appear to have your best interests at heart other than to sell you something. However much they might remind you of your children or grandchildren, however many family photos they may show you or however many personal stories they may tell you, it’s all done with only one purpose-to sell you something. These people are very well trained in these tactics because they work so well. Don’t fall prey to them. You’re not being mean to them by not buying anything they’re selling.

Lisa Ann Schreier has been involved in the timeshare community since 1998. After cutting her teeth as a timeshare salesperson and manager at a number of Orlando area resorts, she grew increasingly frustrated with the antiquated marketing and high pressure sales techniques that were (and sadly still are) the norm in the industry.

Seeking to be a catalyst for positive change, she wrote ‘Surviving A Timeshare Presentation…Confessions From The Sales Table’ and ‘Timeshare Vacations For Dummies.’ She is a frequent contributor to major media outlets and a sought after speaker at consumer advocacy groups.

In addition to her articles at SeniorNews.com, she is on the Advisory Board of ConsumerAffairs.com where she ensures that content is unbiased, accurate and helpful for consumers as well serving as the lead timeshare advocate at Elliott.org and a featured blogger on RockStarFinance.com.

Her ‘tell it like it is’ blog (http://www.thetimesharecrusader.blogspot.com) covering timeshare issues is a source of solid information and continues to alert consumers to the myriad of less than reputable companies and practices.

Twitter users can follow her at @LisaLooksAt

Questions? Looking for assistance? Email Lisa at lisaschreier617@gmail.com

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Smart Ride: Go Anywhere with a Phone Call
Fraud & Security

New Scam: Can you Hear Me?

by Rod Spurgeon
written by Rod Spurgeon

In the latest ploy by scammers to steal your hard-earned cash, criminals use the lure of a free vacation to convince targets to hand over their credit card information. What these thieves also obtain is involuntary permission to charge expensive trip features on these credit cards by convincing people to answer “yes” to the question, “Can you hear me okay?” New Scam: Can you Hear Me?
In this scam, a robocall (automated dialing system that plays a pre-recorded message) calls a target to pitch the free vacation. Here’s how an actual call begins: New Scam: Can you Hear Me?
“Hello, this is Josh from customer service. Can you hear me okay?” New Scam: Can you Hear Me?
Pause for several seconds. New Scam: Can you Hear Me?
“Great. You have been preselected for an all-expenses paid vacation which includes tickets and…”
The robocall doesn’t sound automated at this point. It attempts to simulate a live person to get the target to respond to the question, “Can you hear me okay?” A person who hears this and doesn’t know the call is from a robocaller will usually respond by saying “yes” in response to the question. If the target responds to the question with a “yes,” the scammer has what he needs to authorize charges on a credit card the scammer hopes to obtain later in the call.
This call continued with the free trip offer and outlined the many benefits of this windfall. To secure the trip and pay for any incidentals that aren’t included in the free package, all a person has to do is offer a credit card number over the phone. The scammer promises that no charges will be applied to the card unless the person makes additional purchases on the trip. That promise couldn’t be further away from the truth.
If a person provides a credit card number to this scammer, the criminal will make expensive charges on the card associated with the “free” trip. When the victim receives a credit card statement that outlines these expenses charges he didn’t agree to, the person will naturally phone the “company” to complain. The scammer who responds will aggressively tell the target that he agreed to the charges during the call, and that they have his “yes” confirmation to approve the charges.
The “yes” confirmation of course came at the beginning of the call in response to the “Can you hear me okay?” question. That’s how devious these criminals can be in their efforts to steal your money.
You have to arm yourself with the knowledge to protect yourself from these deceitful criminals to avoid becoming a victim. Here’s how you can prevent this deceptive crook from stealing your cash: Can you Hear Me Scam

  • Never answer a phone call unless you know the identity of the caller. This will prevent most telephone scams from connecting with you.
  • If you answer the phone and the person doesn’t say the name of the company he or she is connected with, the person is probably a scammer. In the robocall above, Josh stated he is from “customer service.” What company is that? Customer service is usually the name of a department within a company, not the name of the company itself. Hang up the phone.
  • A business will never call random people with whom they have no established relationship to offer free vacation packages. If a person calls to offer anything for free, hang up immediately, especially if the caller doesn’t know your name. The person is using the pretense of offering something for free to try to take your money.

Nobody can stop these criminals from reaching out to you. Nobody is going to tell you when you’re under attack by one of these criminals. Nobody is going to stop you from giving the criminal what he or she wants. Only you can defend yourself when you come under fire by a criminal. Can you Hear Me Scam on Seniors
Always remain skeptical of anything that seems too good to be true and do your best to update your knowledge frequently with the latest tricks scammers might use to steal from you. Own your defense to stay safe from criminals.
For other tips on avoiding scams click here. New Scam: Can you Hear Me?

New Scam: Can you Hear Me?

New Scam: Can you Hear Me? New Scam: Can you Hear Me? New Scam: Can you Hear Me? New Scam: Can you Hear Me?
New Scam: Can you Hear Me?
 

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How to Avoid Telephone Scams
Fraud & Security

How to Avoid Telephone Scams

by Jeff Dailey
written by Jeff Dailey

How to Avoid Telephone Scams

How to Avoid Telephone ScamsScams work best when a fraudster has real-time contact with a target. People find it far more difficult to say no to a live pitch than an email or mail scam. That’s exactly why telephone scams are highly effective, and why you should learn how to avoid them. How to avoid telephone scammers
Scammers convince their targets to fall for their pitches by controlling a person’s emotions. Most scammers hone their pitches well before they contact you. They’ve learned what works to convince people to hand over their money, and they’ll use those skills to target you. Can you pierce through the veil of a scammer’s lies to avoid becoming a victim? Let’s find out.
Someone calls to tell you that you’ve been selected by the U.S. Government Treasury Claims Department in Washington, D.C., to receive $8,600. According to government records, you pay your bills on time, have no criminal record, haven’t filed for bankruptcy in the last six months, and are a loyal U.S. citizen. Because of this good record, you are among 1,000 citizens selected by the government to receive this money. All you have to do when you receive it is to use it for a good purpose such as paying your bills or taxes, fund your education, or start a business. In order to claim the money, you must first provide proof of your identity by telling the caller your name, address, employment status, marriage status, and age. Once you offer this information, the caller asks for your account information for the bank in which you would like the funds transferred. Do you provide it?
In this example, a scammer I preying on the emotion of hope to sucker a target into coughing up personal information. With it, the scammer can not only clean out someone’s bank account, the fraudster can also steal the victim’s identity.
The best way to avoid telephone scams is to refrain from answering the phone when you don’t know who is calling. When the phone rings, unless you recognize the number, don’t answer it. If the call is important, the caller will leave a message and you can return the call if it’s someone you want or need to talk to. If the caller doesn’t leave a message, then it’s unlikely you would have wanted to talk to that person anyway.
Though a caller may not leave a message, you might still be able to find out who dialed your telephone number. Many people who receive calls from scammers report that contact to various websites. All you have to do find out if the caller is a scammer is to type his or her telephone number into your favorite search engine. Based on the results of your search, if you find out that the number is from a scammer, add that number to your contact list as a Do Not Answer. The next time that phone number calls your phone, you’ll know immediately it’s from a scammer.
Remember, to avoid telephone scammers, never answer the phone unless you know who is calling. If you pick up the phone anyway, never give your personal information to an unsolicited caller. The safety of your personal information is in your hands, so choose your telephone conversations wisely.
Author Rod Spurgeon at http://www.ownyourdefense.net

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