Watch Out for Your Parents and Grandparents

On the FBI website, there are specific warnings for senior citizens: http://www.fbi.gov/scams-safety/fraud/seniors.

Often targeted because they're homeowners or likely to have excellent credit, senior citizens were raised in a different era, where the snake oil peddler scams were in your face, and later in the mail. Today's Internet crimes and telephone scams are increasingly targeting our parents and grandparents.

It's not that they're stupid! They most certainly are not! However, some of our older relatives are simply not accustomed to the variety and sophistication of these scammers. Plus, seniors are likely to be too embarrassed to admit that they were victims of a scam and afraid that you'll think they're losing their marbles.

Look, there are plenty of young people who fall for the BULL DROPPINGS, so we can't blame our seniors for falling into the same traps. Watch out for your older family members and be sure to warn them when there's a new scam going around -- like the VISA scam in my previous post.

We all have to watch out for the BULL DROPPINGS! No one is immune to a scammer, we can only keep our eyes open and when your BS meter is ding-ding-dinging like a smoke alarm after you burnt the cookies, you can pretty much be sure that there's more than just smoke in your eyes!

Watch out for your parents and grandparents, you just never know when the newest scam will blindside you and them. And if they're being taken advantage of by a friend, family member, or new love interest, call your local Adult Protective Services. Sometimes APS can get the money or property back if you report it quickly. Elder abuse, physical, mental and financial, is a crime. Don't let your loved ones be victims!