GATESVILLE, Texas (KXXV) — “The generation that we're talking about was raised prior to 1950, and they're loyal and they're trusting — scammers know that,” said Administrator at Coryell Health Rehab, Maranda May.
May has over 20 years of experience working with seniors — in a world taken over by technology, she says it is important to educate older generations on scams.
She says it can be a challenge, as many are embarrassed that it has happened to them — but the truth is, it can happen to anyone.
“It will be hard for some of them [seniors] to admit that they may have been scammed,” May said.
“The goal is to help them identify areas that could potentially be a scam,so the goal is to help them identify these scams, but also to know how to prevent them.”
May says the most common scams she sees targeting seniors are medicare and medicaid, social security, and home repairs.
She says some scammers will call to say their grandchild is in jail and needs help.
To avoid falling victim to a scam, the National Institute on Aging advises to never give out personal information online or over the phone, do not transfer money over the phone and change your passwords regularly.
"If someone is trying to scam you, they may threaten you or pressure you to act immediately. If this happens to you, don’t panic. Slow down and think about what the person is saying. If you suspect it’s a scam, end the call and talk to someone you trust," the institute said.
May is working to spread awareness — she says seniors are a vulnerable group, and she wants to protect them as much as possible.
“They grew up in a different time than we are today," she said.
"Millennials know that this is a scam automatically, but grandparents — they touch their heartstrings."
Last year, the FBI reported that scams targeting people over the age of 60, caused over $3.4B in losses.
