New York State Police Warn of Yet More Scams Targeting Older Persons

New York State Police have issued another warning about yet more active scams targeting vulnerable older people.

Get our free mobile app

Scam artists have deployed a few tactics to entice the unsuspecting target to share personal information with them that they likely wouldn't share otherwise. These tactics are used under the guise of family members who are in trouble.

The first scenario that scammers are using is to call older people and then claim that they are a family member and that they either have an illness or have been arrested and that they are in desperate need of funds.

Once the scammer has captured the attention of the older person by convincing them that they are in fact a family member, often times a distant relative who they've not had contact with in some time, the scammer leans on urgency.

Creating a sense of urgency often flusters an older person and the scammer uses this to their advantage and often acts as though they are ashamed and requests the older person not contact other family members or reveal that they've helped the "fake" family member.

The second scenario that scammers are using is to call older people and claim that they belong to a law enforcement agency and claims they are calling to inform the person that their Social Security number or bank account has been compromised and assure the older person that if they just share a bit of information, help will be provided.

New York State Police remind residents that police agencies do not contact family members for bail money and they certainly will not as for money in exchange for foxing Social security issues or compromised bank accounts.

If you or someone you know receives a call such as either mentioned above, you should think before you react, allowing yourself time to process what the caller is saying before reacting. You should also verify the identity of the caller by asking them a question that would be impossible for a stranger to answer.

Additionally, you should not send cash or gift cards to anyone under any circumstance unless you are without a doubt able to verify their identity, and even then, consider transferring money through a method other than through cash or gift cards.

Above all else, do not give out any of your personal information. Remember that even a small bit of information can open you up to being scammed by a thief.