Sunday, October 15, 2017

Equifax breach may mean scammers can target more seniors

(Click on the image for Michelle Singletary's report in The Washington Post)
  • More than two-thirds of caretakers reported that a scammer had targeted their elderly relatives, according to a new survey of more than 1,700 people conducted by the Cooperative Credit Union Association (CCUA), a New England-based trade group. 
  • The survey found that, most often, the attempted fraud was initiated with a telephone call. Nearly 22 percent of scam attempts were made via email or another online contact. 
  • The CCUA also found that caregivers are worried about their elder relative’s ability to spot a fraud. And they’re right to be concerned. More than a quarter of respondents said that the elders under their care had fallen victim to at least one financial scam.
Read the article for what you can do to help protect an elderly relative.