The holiday season is one of the best times to spend time with family, friends, and neighbors.  However, as people prepare for gift exchanges and other festivities, the generous mindset of the season can open up opportunities for scammers.

Senior scams have been around for years.  But the holiday season tends to be especially high risk. When people are feeling charitable, scammers know it’s the perfect time to strike.

Watch Out for These Holiday Scams

An effective antidote is to keep yourself and your loved ones informed about current scams. Some of these scams happen year-round, while others are more prevalent during the holidays.

Common holiday scams include:

  • Charity Requests: Phone calls or door-to-door charity requests can tug at a senior’s heartstrings. For example, the scammer might share a story about financial contributions needed in order to provide gifts to a family in need.
  • Fake Shopping: Online shopping is more popular than ever, especially as many seniors avoid busy stores to minimize the risk of COVID exposure. Scammers can steal financial information by sending fake emails or websites that mimic well-known retailers.
  • Disaster Relief: It’s heartbreaking to think about families being displaced during the holiday season. Current natural disasters, such as wildfires, can be a guise for scammers to request money, with the lie that the money will be used to assist families affected by the recent events.

Also, watch for potential signs of financial scams, such as phone calls asking for money, unusual bank withdrawals or credit card charges, or anyone requesting bank account information. It might seem like prying to be checking on an aging parent or family member. Yet it’s an important step to help reduce the likelihood that person will fall victim to fraud.

Share this information with your family in order to better protect them from potential scams. This proactive approach lessens the risk of financial loss, helping you to enjoy a more worry-free holiday season.

More Information About Elder Abuse Prevention

At Senior Safe and Sound, we are working hard to educate seniors and their families to reduce the risk of elder abuse. For additional support and information, you can always reach out by email at info@SeniorSafeAndSound.org or call 858-480-7551.

This information is intended to inform the public at large about this important issue. It is not intended to serve as legal or medical advice.