Over
the past year, more than 1,500 senior citizens in eastern North Carolina benefited
from Better Business Bureau’s Senior Series program. BBB launched the program in April 2011 in an effort to educate seniors
about ways to recognize and avoid common scams.
Nationwide,
criminals steal billions of dollars each year from senior citizens. Seniors are
often targets of scam artists because they generally are more trusting of
others and perceived to be easier to persuade. They also typically have more free
time and tend to make decisions by themselves.
The
most common scams that seniors fall victim to include lottery schemes,
financial fraud and charity scams. According to a June 2010 survey by Investor
Protection Trust, roughly 20% of seniors aged 65 and older already have been
taken advantage of financially, whether through unreasonably high fees for
financial services or outright fraud. Seniors often do not realize they have
fallen victim to a scam or may avoid telling someone for fear of losing their independence
by appearing so vulnerable.
“Knowledge
is the best defense against these crimes,” said Toby Barfield, president and
CEO of BBB serving Eastern North Carolina. “BBB
Senior Series allows seniors to not only learn how to spot and avoid scams, but
also offers resources that seniors can turn to if they do become a victim.”
BBB
Senior Series offers resources to aid seniors in identifying and steering clear
of scams, and makes presentations in eastern North Carolina to groups of seniors and
caregivers to help raise awareness of these dangers. To request materials or to
have someone from BBB speak with your group about marketplace issues, contact mschmidt@raleigh.bbb.org.
For additional
information regarding BBB Senior Series, visit bbbseniors.org.
