As a caregiver, your duties go beyond the physical and mental support you offer to the person in your care every day. You keep him or her out of harm’s way by creating emergency and back-up caregiver plans for them. We want to talk about another aspect of care that you should provide: protecting the person in your care from falling victim to scam artists.
Scam artists prey on the vulnerable to gain their trust and steal their money (including savings and their homes). The person in your care, who relies on you, can be considered vulnerable. Scam artists can be very cunning and appear to truly care about the person they are targeting. They know that gaining trust takes time and patience.
Pay attention.
Is the person in your care starting to act frazzled, confused, withdrawn, afraid or unkempt? Have they been making unusual long-distance/international calls? While these changes in behavior may be signs of health problems, they could also be signs of scam artist abuse.
Be wary of new “friends.”
If a new “friend” has suddenly appeared, be wary of his or her true intentions. Listen carefully to what this so-called friend is saying to the person in your care and be mindful of their actions. Pay attention to what the person in your care says about their new friend. Has the person in your care told you that he or she gave their new friend a family heirloom? Has the person in your care lent money to this person? Has this person been doing odd jobs like painting and not rehanging artwork or replacing knickknacks on the shelf?
Question how this person interjected themselves into the life of the person in your care. Has this person’s behavior become more demanding? Is this person pressuring the person in your care to lend money, make investments or give away their valuables?
Protect assets.
Scam artists (even family members) can gain access to bank accounts or ask the person in your care to write checks for them. They can easily con passwords and PINs out of the person in your care. To protect against this behavior, set up checking accounts that require two signatures. Ask your financial institution to alert you any time a withdrawal or charge is made that exceeds the designated amount you have set (anything over $50, for instance).
By arranging with the bank for electronic deposits and monthly payments, you can avoid having a checkbook that might fall into the wrong hands.
Arrange for purchases to be made in cash so that expensive items are not given to the scam artist. Whenever possible use a credit card so that you can dispute any charges that were made without permission.
Educate.
You may not necessarily live with the person in your care, or you may be out running errands when someone calls or knocks on the door. Talk to the person in your care about the importance of ensuring that the solicitor isn’t a scam artist. The person in your care should never give out their Social Security number, their bank or credit card account or insurance information, unless they started the conversation.
Let the person in your care know that the IRS does not make phone calls or send emails. This government agency only makes contact through the mail, which means the person in you care should not believe what anyone posing as the IRS tries to tell them about past-due taxes if that imposter has called or emailed.
Anytime you are away from the person in your care for extended periods of time, start up a conversation when you are back together and discuss their activity in your absence.
Report any suspicious behavior.
Call the police, contact your financial institution and reach out to government agencies to report suspicious behavior as soon as you are aware that the person in your care is being scammed. Here are some websites that provide more resources for you and where you can report scams:
Consumer Protection Finance Bureau
Financial Fraud Enforcement Tax Force
National Adult Protective Services Association
National Council for Aging Care's Guide on Elder Abuse
Your diligence in protecting the person in your care from becoming the victim of a scam artist will no doubt help the person in your care live a more meaningful and enjoyable life.
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