Grand Haven Department of Public Safety recently issued the following announcement.
What is Elder Fraud?
Elder Fraud is defined as a financial fraud scheme which targets or disproportionately affects seniors. The FBI, including IC3, has worked tirelessly to educate this population on how to take steps to protect themselves from being victimized.
Common Elder Fraud Schemes:
Tech support scam: Criminals pose as technology support representatives and offer to fix non-existent computer issues.
Grandparent scam: Criminals pose as a relative – usually a child or grandchild – claiming to be in immediate financial need.
Government impersonation scam: Criminals pose as government employees and threaten to arrest or prosecute victims unless they agree to pay.
Sweepstakes/charity/lottery scam: Criminals claim to work for a charitable organization to gain victims’ trust, or claim victim has won a foreign lottery or sweepstake, which they can collect for a “fee.”
Home repair scam: Criminals appear in person and charge homeowners in advance for home improvement services they never provide.
REPORT IT!
If you believe you or someone you know may have been a victim of elder fraud, file a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center. www.ic3.gov
Original source can be found here.
Alerts Sign-up