How to Protect Your Elderly Parents From Scams

Did you know that most crimes committed against the elderly are "transient crimes," meaning that many involve home repairs or diversions where a person requests to come into the home to use the bathroom or ask for a glass of water? Another such crime committed against the elderly is to "check out" an unreported problem. Your elderly parents need your help to protect themselves. They forget because of their age all the important safety tips they taught you as a child. Now it is your turn to help your elderly parents who are particularly vulnerable to be a victim of transient crimes. Read on to learn how to protect your elderly parents from scams.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Know that your parents live alone and due to this they may be eager to socialize. Remind your parents not to speak to strangers. Call or stop in to see your parents more often to give them company. If this is not possible ask a neighbor to stop in once a day just to check on your parents.
2. Because your parents are eager to please and be helpful, they is particularly prone to allowing anyone into the house to check out an undisclosed problem, use the telephone or get a glass of water. Tell your parents that unless they have called someone for a repair, not to open the door. Explain that since they are elderly, once inside the home, a person can easily intimidate and influence them.
3. Pride is another issue with elderly parents. Because they know they can't make needed repairs and fears losing independence, they may think that family members will believe that they are unable to maintain their home. This makes them prone to the transient scam of driveway, roof and other home repairs. Ask neighbors to contact the police immediately if they see something like this happening.
4. Warn your parents not to sign anything. When confronted by someone who wants them to sign a bogus check or contract, tell your parent to say, "I have to ask my son first." If the person trying to get the check signed or contract is in a hurry, point out to your parents that this would be a perfect sign that this is a scam.
5. If you live out of town, ask a trusted neighbor to check on your parents once a day and to keep watch of who stops at the house. Offer to pay this neighbor and give them your home, work and cell phone number. This will connect you with your elderly parents in the event of a scam emergency.

Tips & Warnings

• Go over these tips regularly with your parents. Due to declining memory, they may not remember all of the safety tips at one time.
• The declining memory, eyesight and hearing hinders understanding and identification for prosecution. Therefore it is best to ask your parents to write down everything they remember the moment it happens for later referral.
• Remember now you are the adult in the parent child relationship. Take care of your elderly parents as though they were your child, but don't let him know about it.