Elder Abuse Prevention Tips
Everyone deserves to be safe from harm by those who live with them, care for them, or come in casual contact with them. Here are some tips to reduce the risk of becoming an elder abuse victim.
At Home
- Keep your doors and windows locked.
- Ask strangers coming to your door to give their name and show you I.D.
- Never allow a stranger into your home, even if they appear to be in distress or are with a young child.
- Don’t leave mail in your mailbox for pickup by the mail carrier.
- Keep a current list of expensive items in the home. Take pictures, if possible, and store the items and list in a safe place.
- When walking to and from places outside the home, always be aware of your surroundings and who is around you.
- Don’t leave a purse or handbag dangle from your arm or shoulder.
- When having work done around the home, always obtain at least three written estimates from reputable contractors whose identity and address have been checked before having any work done.
Finances
- Don't keep large amounts of cash in your home.
- Keep your checkbook, credit cards, and spare checks in a safe place.
- Don’t let a stranger talk you into withdrawing money from your bank account.
- Never give your bank account number, credit card numbers, or your Social Security number to any person over the telephone.
- Check your credit card and bank statements carefully for any suspicious activity. Perhaps ask a trusted adult child or friend to look over your statement with you.
- Ask your bank to call you if any check over a certain amount is presented for payment.
- Buy a shredder and shred all confidential paperwork.
- Beware of family members attempting to persuade you to sign deeds or assets over to them.
Scams
- Don’t be afraid to hang up on telemarketers.
- Deals that sound "too good to be true" probably are.
- Beware of offers that ask for money up front and promise sure success. Don’t agree to send money at the request of a telephone solicitor.
- Don't be taken in by miracle cures for health problems.
- Here are some examples of common scams:
Ø You are approached by at least two people (adults, or adults with child) knock on your door and use a ruse to enter the your home, such as a request to use the telephone, to get a glass of water, or even to search for their pet thought to be lost in your back yard. Once inside, one of the individuals keeps you occupied while the other rummages through your personal belongings and steals cash or other valuable items.
Ø You are approached usually by at least two people posing as contractors. You are persuaded that a driveway, roof or other part of the home needs repairs. The strangers pretend to complete the work, which turns out to be a poor or seemingly worthless improvement. You’ve either made a partial payment up front, never to see the ‘contractors’ again, or paid the total amount for a job supposedly well-done.
Ø You are approached either at the door or by telephone, and asked to make a donation to a legitimate-sounding charity. Be very wary of such calls. Many so-called charities are bogus and the money is pocketed by the crooks.
Ø You are approached by telephone either from a foreign country, often Canada, or from another part of the USA. The caller explains that you have won a substantial prize. However, to collect that price, you must first send a ‘good faith’ money order for several thousands of dollars.
Ø You are approached while walking in a public place, such as a mall or supermarket parking lot, by an individual claiming to have a winning lottery ticket but unable to redeem the ticket because of their illegal status. The crook offers you a significant share of the winnings if you give him, or her, a significant amount of ‘good faith’ money up front. The crook drives you to your bank, waits for you to withdraw, takes the money and runs.