Protect our Elderly
I have an elderly neighbor who received one of those phone calls stating that their computer was infected and they could fix it for them. To make a long story short, their credit card number was used and they lost thousands of dollars. The money was eventually recovered by their financial institution but the damage was done.
Unfortunately, this is not a unique story. Many of our trusting, well intentioned elderly are being scammed by these unscrupulous individuals. Whether it be computers that need fixing, car warranties that are expiring, lowering credit card interest rates, or bogus unpaid back taxes, our elderly are being taken advantage of. It even happens with deceitful salespeople who recognize that they can go back to the same person time and again and sell them items that they don’t really need.
What can we do about this? I would like to start a Senior Council that would meet on a regular basis and bring in experts in identifying and preventing these types of scams to educate not only our seniors but their caregivers as well. In addition to financial security, the Council could explore the concerns of our elderly and show them the benefits available to them such as transportation to and from doctor’s appointments or activities, senior discounts, or even scheduling senior excursions.
I would like to see not only free seminars for our elderly but have printed reference material sent to those who cannot attend. There are ways of disseminating information via automated calling systems just like the one used by the Sheriff’s department. Our seniors can register their phone numbers and be apprised of any current ongoing scam or important information.
These people are someone’s parents or grandparents and deserve to be cherished and given every opportunity to enjoy themselves while feeling safe in our community. As a community, we need to watch out for them and help them however we can.
