Carmel, CA Elder Abuse Alert

A man and woman sitting back to back.


The Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, tracks a wide array of scams which target seniors in affluent areas of the country including Carmel, Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach.  A typical approach is to call you and say they are from a government agency and say that you owe taxes or a fine.  They will typically ask you for a gift card, which is untraceable.  Don’t fall for this, a government agency would never ask for a gift card.  In my opinion, the best way to avoid most of these fraudulent schemes is to use caller ID and if you do not recognize the number don’t pick up the phone.  Scammers are getting more sophisticated so even if it is from an 831 area code this number may have been “spoofed†and the caller can be from anywhere.  For more information, visit the website www.ftc.gov/giftcards

Pacific Grove, CA Elder Abuse Alert

A pile of money sitting next to stacks of cash.


The Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, tracks a wide array of scams which target seniors in affluent areas of the country including Carmel, Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach.  A typical approach is to call you and say they are from a government agency and say that you owe taxes or a fine.  They will typically ask you for a gift card, which is untraceable.  Don’t fall for this, a government agency would never ask for a gift card.  In my opinion, the best way to avoid most of these fraudulent schemes is to use caller ID and if you do not recognize the number don’t pick up the phone.  Scammers are getting more sophisticated so even if it is from an 831 area code this number may have been “spoofed†and the caller can be from anywhere.  For more information, visit the website www.ftc.gov/giftcards

Pebble Beach, CA Elder Abuse Alert, Beware Of Fraudsters Asking You To Use CashApp, Venmo Or Zelle

An old woman with a bruised eye and hand on her face.


AARP has been great about tracking the latest scams tracking senior citizens, but a surprising number of people continue to fall for scams, mostly pitched over the phone.  First, I have a practice of using caller ID and won’t pick up the phone if I don’t recognize the caller.  This can screen out a lot of the potential scammers.  AARP says that historically fraud operators have tried to get your money in one of four ways—gift cards, wire transfers, cyber currency or cash.  These are all untraceable once you send them.  However, AARP says a fifth form of payment is on the rise, peer-to-peer (P2P) money transfer services like CashApp, Venmo or Zelle.  Beware of anyone asking you to send money using these apps.

Pebble Beach, CA Elder Abuse Alert

An older woman with a gray hair sitting in front of trees.


The Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, tracks a wide array of scams which target seniors in affluent areas of the country including Carmel, Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach.  A typical approach is to call you and say they are from a government agency and say that you owe taxes or a fine.  They will typically ask you for a gift card, which is untraceable.  Don’t fall for this, a government agency would never ask for a gift card.  In my opinion, the best way to avoid most of these fraudulent schemes is to use caller ID and if you do not recognize the number don’t pick up the phone.  Scammers are getting more sophisticated so even if it is from an 831 area code this number may have been “spoofed†and the caller can be from anywhere.  For more information, visit the website www.ftc.gov/giftcards

Beware Of Fake Telehealth Companies

A person holding a stethoscope in front of a laptop.


A flurry of start-ups have been advertising on Facebook, Instagram and Tik-Tok touting medications which are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the purpose the advertisement is pushing.  For instance, the Wall Street Journal reported that start-up Home Health ran an ad with a middle-aged man holding a dumbbell and saying testosterone “literally changed my life†restoring his energy and happiness.  The problem is, the man is an actor who has never used the drug and the ad doesn’t mention that testosterone is only approved by the FDA for treating specific disorders and carries with it the risk of heart attacks and stroke.  Beware of these ads,  they have increased significantly since the pandemic began.

Pebble Beach, CA Elder Abuse Alert, Beware Of Fraudsters Asking You To Use CashApp, Venmo Or Zelle

An old woman with a bruised eye and hand on her face.


AARP has been great about tracking the latest scams tracking senior citizens, but a surprising number of people continue to fall for scams, mostly pitched over the phone.  First, I have a practice of using caller ID and won’t pick up the phone if I don’t recognize the caller.  This can screen out a lot of the potential scammers.  AARP says that historically fraud operators have tried to get your money in one of four ways—gift cards, wire transfers, cyber currency or cash.  These are all untraceable once you send them.  However, AARP says a fifth form of payment is on the rise, peer-to-peer (P2P) money transfer services like CashApp, Venmo or Zelle.  Beware of anyone asking you to send money using these apps.

Beware Of Fake Telehealth Companies

A person holding a stethoscope in front of a laptop.


A flurry of start-ups have been advertising on Facebook, Instagram and Tik-Tok touting medications which are not approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the purpose the advertisement is pushing.  For instance, the Wall Street Journal reported that start-up Home Health ran an ad with a middle-aged man holding a dumbbell and saying testosterone “literally changed my life†restoring his energy and happiness.  The problem is, the man is an actor who has never used the drug and the ad doesn’t mention that testosterone is only approved by the FDA for treating specific disorders and carries with it the risk of heart attacks and stroke.  Beware of these ads,  they have increased significantly since the pandemic began.

AARP Fraud Alerts Just Keep Coming

A woman is helping an older man with his shirt off.


AARP has been great at tracking down fraudsters, alerting the public and passing on information to the authorities to make sure that they get permanently shut down.  Six people have pleaded guilty and two are charged but not yet arrested for taking part in a grandparent fraud operation that stole from more than 70 older Americans.  A federal judge called the ringleader Timothy Ingram “heartbreakingly evil.â€Â    He was sentenced to nine years in prison for stealing almost $2 million from grandparents, including 10 people who lost more than $300K.  The gang would call the grandparent and pretend to be their grandson or granddaughter and say they were in jail and needed money wired to get them out.  U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo said during the sentencing hearing that she hoped tough sentences would warn others against participating in what she said was one of the most harmful she had seen in her 17 years on the bench.

Couple Jailed For Medicare Scam

A building with the capitol in the background.


The owners and manager of a string of Houston health companies have been sent to prison for bilking Medicare out of millions of dollars in services.  They would bill Medicare for procedures done for people who were dead or in prison.  Felix Amos, a senior citizen himself at age 72, was given 30 years in prison.  His wife had already been sentenced to six years in prison while an office manager received a 12-year sentence.  The trio improperly billed Medicare for more than $21 million and spent it on things like a $3.5 million home and a small business for the office manager.

AARP Keeping On Top Of Elder Abuse Financial Scams

A red square with the word aarp in white


AARP has been great at tracking down fraudsters, alerting the public and passing on information to the authorities to make sure that they get permanently shut down.  Six people have pleaded guilty and two are charged but not yet arrested for taking part in a grandparent fraud operation that stole from more than 70 older Americans.  A federal judge called the ringleader Timothy Ingram “heartbreakingly evil.â€Â    He was sentenced to nine years in prison for stealing almost $2 million from grandparents, including 10 people who lost more than $300K.  The gang would call the grandparent and pretend to be their grandson or granddaughter and say they were in jail and needed money wired to get them out.  U.S. District Judge Cathy Ann Bencivengo said during the sentencing hearing that she hoped tough sentences would warn others against participating in what she said was one of the most harmful she had seen in her 17 years on the bench.