Protect Your Parents From Fraud

There’s nothing worse than a hysterical phone call from your mom or dad talking about the IRS, or how a grandchild has just called from a police station or hospital emergency room, or that their computer is going to be turned off for not paying Microsoft “software license” fees or that “Microsoft” has detected a virus in your computer and they need remote access to fix it. The scammers are counting on shock and fear to knock your parents off their equilibrium and get them to part with a large sum of cash. Other scams pose as legitimate businesses calling about auto warranties, offer to help lower credit card interest rates, fundraising, travel packages, or a variety of other businesses. Shame at having been taken in by a scam keeps them quiet, even to the point of skipping medications, short-paying bills, or doing cutting other corners to make up for the lost money.

Here are some tips to help scam proof and protect your parents from fraud.

• Caller ID. This is a tool that is invaluable. It shows you who is calling, and most phones keep an incoming call log. If a number has been spoofed, it’s unlikely to be used as a callback number, and they may leave a different number instead of the one on the caller ID. It’s also a federal offense.
• Screening calls. It’s a hard sell to a lot of people who have been accustomed to answering the phone whenever it rings. However, teaching them to look at caller ID and then let the machine pick up will save you some problems.
• Google is your friend. Looking up the telephone number on Google is a snap, and gives you an idea of whether the number is a landline or mobile, and where the user is located. Very often, if that number has been putting out a lot of calls, you’ll find it on sites like www.whocallsme.com – even if it’s a new number, entering a search term can turn up a lot of the same scams like “filing a lawsuit against you” or “need bail” and “software license.”
• Blow it up. Collecting these numbers and entering them as scam callers on sites like this is a public service.
• Have the talk. Stay calm. Hang up if you picked up, let the call record if they were screening. Have them call you or another family member. Do not give out any personal information about yourself or family members, or about bank or credit card accounts. Do not agree to wire money. Do not agree to withdraw and meet the extortionist somewhere.
• Report the scams. The best way to stop scammers is by reporting them six ways to Sunday to the proper authorities. Then you can have a nice wallow in schadenfreude if their arrests make the news.

Your parents protected you when you were growing up, using experience and skills to teach you and keep you safe. Now you can do the same for them, protecting them from crooks and scammers who prey on the elderly.