Avoiding scams that target older adults

Common scams

The National Institute on Aging lists these common scams aimed at older adults:

• Government impersonators, such as someone pretending to be from Medicare and asking for account details.
• Fake prize, sweepstakes and lottery scams that ask you to pay to claim winnings.
• Computer tech support scams that say your computer has a problem.
• The grandparent scam, where a caller pretends to be a relative in trouble.

How to protect yourself

• Do not give out your Social Security number, bank details, card numbers, PINs or passwords to anyone who contacts you by phone, email, text or social media.
• Be wary of anyone who pressures you to act immediately. Slow down, end the call, and talk to someone you trust.
• Do not send money to strangers.

If you think it is a scam

Do not feel ashamed: the NIA says scams can happen to anyone. In the US, you can contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline, your local police, or your state attorney general, and report it to the Federal Trade Commission. If it involves Medicare, Medicare.gov says to call Medicare or report the fraud online.