Fighting Senior Fraud

It has become increasingly common for senior citizens to fall victim to fraud. New schemes seem to come from nowhere with increasingly devious ways for criminals to attempt to steal your identity. It’s important that caregivers providing senior home care in Orlando learn how to protect loved ones from falling victim to identity theft or fraud. There are a few simple things that you can do to help defend your loved ones against these crimes. BrightStar Care has compiled this quick reference guide to help:

1. Never give anyone your entire social security number.
2. Only do business over the phone with companies that you know and trust.
3. Get everything in writing. Whether in person, through email, or the U.S. mail, always get a copy of the transaction.
4. Only use secure websites when making purchases online, and be wary of false, look-alike websites. These fake sites look legitimate, and their target is usually large companies that many people use such as Amazon. They scam you by sending an email stating your information has been compromised and ask that you reset your login and password. The best way to protect yourself from this kind of fraud is to verify that the email has come from a legitimate source.
5. Do not be intimidated by callers identifying themselves as representing the IRS or Social Security Administration. Neither of these organizations will ever contact you by phone or email to ask for any personal information or to threaten you with being arrested if you don’t respond immediately.
6. If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Be wary of calls and mail stating that you or your aging loved one has won a prize or been selected as a finalist for a contest. Providers of Senior home care in Orlando have seen a tremendous increase in these types of schemes in recent years. Many scams are perpetrated by the allure of a big win, but the scammers require your social security number or a payment in advance of the prize.
7. Always make sure that any handyman, painter, lawn service, or other home improvement service is licensed and insured. Never hire someone who knocks on the door offering to perform a service like cleaning the gutters or weeding the garden. Use only trusted and reputable businesses.

Unfortunately, there are more deceptive practices to be wary of than can be touched upon in a single article. At BrightStar Care, we believe that helping caregivers remain vigilant in all aspects of senior home care in Orlando is the key to keeping your aging loved one from falling prey to identity theft or fraud. Call us at 407-887-0720 to learn more about how we can help.