Did you know? Older Americans in the United States lose approximately $3 billion a year in financial scams according to the Senate’s Special Committee on Aging.

Today, the DeLand Police Department Community Outreach Team spent time at the Good Samaritan Society Senior Living Center teaching residents about how to avoid financial scams and maintaining situational awareness to protect themselves and their monetary assets. These outreach programs allow officers to proactively educate the public and reduce the likelihood that they will fall victim to a financial scam in the future.

Here are common fraud schemes to look out for according to the FBI:

Romance scam: Criminals pose as interested romantic partners on social media or dating websites to capitalize on their elderly victims’ desire to find companions.

Tech support scam: Criminals pose as technology support representatives and offer to fix non-existent computer issues. The scammers gain remote access to victims’ devices and sensitive information.

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 provide funds or other payments.

Sweepstakes/charity/lottery scam: Criminals claim to work for legitimate charitable organizations to gain victims’ trust. Or they claim their targets have 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 that they never provide.

TV/radio scam: Criminals target potential victims using illegitimate advertisements about legitimate services, such as reverse mortgages or credit repair.

Family/caregiver scam: Relatives or acquaintances of the elderly victims take advantage of them or otherwise get their money.

https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-scams-and-crimes/elder-fraud