Remember last year when Target’s credit card system experienced one of the biggest credit card data breaches, leaving many shoppers with savings stolen? Well, we at A-1 Home Care certainly do and we know that seniors and the elderly are especially at risk of falling under such theft. Fraudsters are like predators, they try to prey on whoever they perceive as weak, and seniors are among their top targets due to their age. Despite their wisdom, seniors can still fall prey to different scams because these activities have gotten sophisticated over the years. For example, some would pretend to be couriers such as FedEx or UPS and send emails about package deliveries, asking you to make a phony call to claim the package, hoping you to reveal personal information as well as charging you for long-distance calls.
Another type of holiday scam can be found via gift cards. Thieves have ways to peel gift cards off the untended display rack and scan for the codes, then return them to themselves as if nothing has happened. Then when it is purchased, they use the gift card balance and leave the actual card useless. If you are to buy gift cards, try to buy them near the cashier counter where workers are more aware of suspicious activities. Lastly, seniors are common targets for travel scams. They have the time for vacations, so fraudsters would try to offer them outrageously low prices to lure them into their scams.
So, if you or your elderly loved ones are approached with these types or similar offers, take caution, and the too-good-to-be-true ones are more than likely a scam.
A-1 Home Care is a non-medical home care agency that provides a variety of in-home care services for seniors, the injured, and the terminally ill. If you or a loved one is suffering from kidney disease, arthritis, Alzheimer’s, or Parkinson’s, or have been recently discharged from the hospital after surgery, we can help provide specialized care and relief from the comfort of your own home. We serve Los Angeles and Orange County. Contact us today at 562-929-8400 or 949-650-3800. You can also find us on Facebook and Twitter!
