Senior Frauds & Scams

Avoiding the Internet won't protect you from fraud. If you do not set up your online accounts you are enabling an identity thief to do it for you.

Taking steps to declutter your mailbox and protect your phone number(s) can greatly minimize your frustration and reduce your vulnerability to fraud and identity theft.

Data breaches are increasingly common, and it’s likely that your sensitive information has already been exposed at some point. Be proactive and thwart identity thieves by freezing your credit.

The Social Security Administration aimed to make Americans’ lives easier by offering online services, but this improvement also came with risks. Learn how to protect yourself and your loved ones from identity theft with one simple step.

Learn how fraudsters exploit older adults’ emotions to gain access to their wallets, and use these 10 tips to avoid falling victim to senior romance scams.

A new robocall scam preys on a senior's fear of being alone and without help in an emergency to steal their identity.

Family caregivers often struggle with how to help their loved ones manage money. A new debit card offers elders a safer way to pay for purchases by preventing them from falling for common financial scams.

A nationwide scam targeting Medicare beneficiaries is convincing many seniors to hand over their Medicare and Social Security numbers by offering free products and services.

Take these proactive steps to significantly reduce the risk of a home health aide stealing, and learn the proper procedures for reporting theft to the home care company to ensure the situation is rectified quickly and easily.

Identity theft can do more than drain a senior's bank account—it may also impede their ability to access important medical care, says a new government report. Well over a quarter of a million Medicare beneficiaries have had their identities stolen over the past two years.

Elderly people are often looking for ways to increase their net worth, or pay for assisted living or nursing homes. Selling their most valueable asset - the home - can provide a quick cash infusion. But scammers have found ways to conduct real estate fraud targeted at elders.

Election season con artists turn election issues and anxiety into opportunities to steal the money and identities of unsuspecting Americans.

Middle-age and senior Americans have been disproportionately hit by foreclosure rescue scammers. Learn how to avoid becoming a victim if you are having trouble paying your mortgage.

By having personal information like family photos online, elders make themselves easier prey for scams such as the "family member in distress" or "granny scam." Here is how thieves scam seniors by stealing their personal information from social networking sites.

Here is how you can report Medicare Fraud and Abuse and stop it from happening in the future. Fraud costs the Medicare Program millions of dollars every year, which results in higher health care costs for everyone.

Identity theft occurs when thieves steal an elderly parent's financial documents, social security or bank account numbers through a fraud, con or scam.

Elder abuse can be difficult to detect and investigate, so family members must be attentive to their aging loved ones’ financial health. If you believe a senior is being exploited, act quickly and use the proper channels to file an official report.

Identity thieves love to target the elderly because they think they are vulnerable. Protect your elderly parents by teaching them identity theft warning signs.

Health scams and unproven cures have been marketed for years. Sadly, seniors are often the target of such scams. Here are some tips for caregivers to help their aging parents avoid becoming the victim of miracle cures.

Checking your parent's insurance coverage will not be your most exciting caregiver assignment, but it may prove to be one of the most important.