Seniors Beware of Holiday Scams

ORMOND BEACH, Fla. - Nov. 30, 2023 - PRLog -- Did you know that seniors are the population group most likely to be "scammed?" According to the Federal Trade Commission, American consumers were scammed out of 8.8 billion dollars in 2022. Seniors lost the most money compared to other age groups.

Seniors are often targeted by scammer criminals for several reasons; they are thought to be less web savvy, more gullible, likely to have cash assets, and less likely to take legal actions. Whatever the reason, criminal scams are a major threat to OurSeniors, and the holiday season offers scammers an opportunity to exploit seniors' generosity and good feelings. Who does not love a good Christmas bargain? But BE CAREFUL! Here are some scam frauds that you might encounter during this (and future) holiday seasons-

Bogus Charities- Almost one third of charitable giving is done in December. During the holidays, many seniors contribute to charity. Talented scoundrels can set up fake websites that present very appealing material asking for aid to the homeless, war victims, displaced persons, and other needy groups. Be careful that your generosity does not go to these criminals. As always, during the holiday season, restrict your giving to charities you know to be legitimate. Search online for the charity's name, website, and contact information. Compare them with the information provided by the email sender or online link.

Copycat Websites and 'Phishing' E-mails- Beware of "Super Deals" or "Inventory Clearance" offers you find on social media, e-mail, or through web searches. Following one of these links can lead you to a website that looks very legitimate but is a scam. These websites can look almost exactly like the real thing, owned by well-known businesses like Best Buy or Target. They will sell you goods that never arrive and, in a few weeks or days, the website itself is gone. You cannot trace where your credit card payment went; there is little hope of recovery.

The Act Now To-Do List- Scammers know that the holidays are busy times, and they take advantage of the "act now" urge. Before you act quickly to take advantage of some holiday super bargain, take time to examine it closely, especially if it came from an unsolicited offer or a social media ad. We do not want OurSeniors to fall victim to a holiday scam.

P.S. Don't forget to tune in live to the OurSeniors Radio Show (https://ourseniors.net/radio/) each Saturday at 8:00 AM on WNDB (FM 93.5 and AM 1150). Recorded shows are available on iTunes, Spotify, The Podcast App, Apple Podcasts, Pocket Casts, Overcast, and many other podcast services. It was created with seniors in mind, so don't miss it. You can view it on YouTube at OurSeniors.Net Radio (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxTuN6IUSBg).