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How to Prevent Scams Aimed at Seniors

From fast-talking people who come to the door offering home repairs to a phone call saying a relative is in trouble and needs money, many scammers target senior citizens. However, police say seniors who have educated themselves on what to watch out for are much less likely to fall prey to such scams.

Officer Rodney Watson of the Summit Police Department will meet with area seniors on Thursday, January 20 to discuss how to prevent scams aimed at seniors. The program will be held at SAGE Eldercare, 290 Broad Street in Summit, from 1:00 – 2:30 p.m. It is free and open to the public.

Officer Watson will discuss different strategies to help seniors prevent becoming victims of a scam. Scams aimed at seniors often include:

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  • People coming to the door offering home repairs. They may offer repairs on a cracked driveway or disturbed roof, especially targeting older folks because they often cannot manage the upkeep themselves.
  • A diversion scam, in which someone will come to a house and claim to be doing work on a neighboring house. They will offer to show the resident the work they’ve done while a second person enters the unattended house.
  • People selling large items like scarves or blankets. One person holds up the item so it obscures the homeowner’s view while a second person enters the house from the back.
  • Telephone or e-mail scams in which someone pretends to be a telemarketer and asks for credit card information; claims to be calling on behalf of a relative who is stranded someplace and needs money; or says the senior has won a prize and needs to send money in order to claim it.

To register for the How to Prevent Scams Aimed at Seniors program, call SAGE Eldercare at 908-598-5529, or register via e-mail at education@sageeldercare.org.

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