According to the National Council on Aging financial scams that target the elderly are extremelyprevalent. These crimes are devastating to seniors and leave them little opportunity to recover theirlosses. In addition, financial scams often go unreported because elderly victims may feel tooembarrassed to come forward. One of the best ways to keep your elderly loved one from falling for afinancial scam is educating them. Below are the most common financial scams that target the elderly,for a full list see ncoa.org. Medicare/ Insurance Scams- Perpetrators may pretend to be a Medicare representative and getan elderly person to give them their personal information or provide a bogus service and thencharge Medicare for it. Ensure that you or your loved one checks Medicare statements in orderto catch these types of scams.  Counterfeit Prescription Drug Scams- When seniors try to save money on medication by buyingmedication online they can fall prey to stores that sell counterfeit drugs. This type of scam canbe hazardous to a individuals wallet and their health so stress the importance of only buyingmedication from reputable sources.  Funeral and Cemetery Scams-Some scam artists go to funerals and demand money from familymembers for fake debts they claim the deceased owes them. In addition, shady funeral homesmay add expensive options to bills even when they are not necessary. If someone claims thedeceased owes them money tell the individual to contact the lawyer handling the estate and make sure to research any expensive additions funeral homes may try to add to your bill.
 Telemarketing Scams- These scammers prey on the elderly and are extremely hard to trace.Three common phone scams are the pigeon drop, where the scammer tells the mark they found money and will split it with the aging adult if they give them a good faith payment, the fake accident ploy, where someone calls an aging adult and tells them to send them money on the premise that a family member is in the hospital and needs it and the charity scam, where money is “collected” for fake charities.
Scams that target the elderly can do a lot of financial and psychological damage to the victims. Just like when it comes to taking care of your aging loved one, it is important to be educated about potential hazards that can threaten their health. At Sprain Brook Manor we understand the importance of knowing that a family can trust the health and care of their loved one to our skilled nursing care staff. We have the best rehab center in the Westchester area and offer several therapies including Cardiac, Speech, Pulmonary and Physical therapy so that your loved one can regain their health and quality of life.
This post is provided by Sprain Brook Manor Rehab which Provides unique opportunity to recover from medical procedures that result in true satisfying results. Getting you stronger and better every day.Contact Us today to receive more information.Disclaimer: The information provided in this post in not intended to be construed as health advice, nor should it be considered a substitute for obtaining individual medical counsel or consulting your physician.