As many as 1 in 18 “cognitively intact, community-dwelling” older Americans fall victim to an elder fraud scam every year, according to a 2017 study in the American Journal of Public Health. These are older people who do not have diminished mental states and who live on their own. They are most likely trusting people who simply don’t expect a scam.
Their Elder Fraud guide covers common scams, red flags to look out for and provides step by step instructions on how to protect yourself or a relative.