Pacific Grove, CA How Seniors Can Avoid Elder Abuse Scams

A man and woman sitting back to back.


Carmel, Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach are habitual hotspots for financial elder abuse because residents tend to be high-income.  AARP The Magazine recently had a great article which talked about how to avoid these scams.  Studies have shown that each of us lies several times a day.  They are mostly innocuous—“I’m on my way†is the most common lie that people tell when they are actually watching TV or cleaning the house.  Every scam requires us to believe in a lie—whatever that may be.  The reporter interviews a retired investment advisor who had lost $900,000 to investment scams over five years.  How can this be?  He said that he had spent his entire professional life working with honest folks who routinely told the truth, as he did.  He just assumed everyone was like him and his colleagues and couldn’t imagine there were people who could look you straight in the eye and lie.  How sad, but there are many people out there like that.

Pebble Beach, CA Elder Abuse Alert : Fed Ex And UPS Tracking Alerts Could Be Fake

A woman with grey hair sitting in a chair.


Unfortunately, elder abuse scams continue to abound.  The latest; fake package notifications from Amazon.com, FedEx, UPS and others.  With e-commerce sales hitting an all-time high due to the coronavirus, more and more email delivery alerts are popping up but they may not all be legitimate.  Fake email messages often contain the logo of the shipping company, making them look more legitimate.  Getting you to click on a link is the main objective of these scams.  Others send an attachment with malware in it, so never click on an attachment from an unknown sender.  Most come with a call to action such as purporting there is a problem with the shipping address or the payment method, attempting to get you to click through.  Always go to where you made the purchase to check on the order status.

https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/20283-scam-alert-dont-be-fooled-by-a-fake-package-delivery-scam

Salinas, CA Elder Abuse Alert : Fed Ex And UPS Tracking Alerts Could Be Fake : By Derek Baine

A pile of money sitting next to stacks of cash.


Unfortunately, elder abuse scams continue to abound.  The latest; fake package notifications from Amazon.com, FedEx, UPS and others.  With e-commerce sales hitting an all-time high due to the coronavirus, more and more email delivery alerts are popping up but they may not all be legitimate.  Fake email messages often contain the logo of the shipping company, making them look more legitimate.  Getting you to click on a link is the main objective of these scams.  Others send an attachment with malware in it, so never click on an attachment from an unknown sender.  Most come with a call to action such as purporting there is a problem with the shipping address or the payment method, attempting to get you to click through.  Always go to where you made the purchase to check on the order status.

https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/20283-scam-alert-dont-be-fooled-by-a-fake-package-delivery-scam

Carmel, CA Financial Elder Abuse Hit Record During Pandemic : By Derek Baine

A woman sitting next to an older person.


An FBI report said that Americans were victimized by cybercriminals at a record rate last year, a result of so many people being stuck at home and in front of their consumers.  Total consumer losses to online thieves in 2020 surpassed $4.2 billion, with almost half of that amount lost to those over 50 years old.  Unfortunately, since there is so much wealth in Monterey County—in Carmel, Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach in particular—seniors here are disproportionately targeted.  Be suspicious anytime someone you don’t know calls or emails you. (AARP Bulletin May 21, P6).

Monterey, CA Elder Abuse Alert : By Derek Baine

A pile of money sitting next to stacks of cash.


Monterey, CA  Elder Abuse Alert : Fed Ex And UPS Tracking Alerts Could Be Fake

Unfortunately, elder abuse scams continue to abound.  The latest; fake package notifications from Amazon.com, FedEx, UPS and others.  With e-commerce sales hitting an all-time high due to the coronavirus, more and more email delivery alerts are popping up but they may not all be legitimate.  Fake email messages often contain the logo of the shipping company, making them look more legitimate.  Getting you to click on a link is the main objective of these scams.  Others send an attachment with malware in it, so never click on an attachment from an unknown sender.  Most come with a call to action such as purporting there is a problem with the shipping address or the payment method, attempting to get you to click through.  Always go to where you made the purchase to check on the order status.

https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/20283-scam-alert-dont-be-fooled-by-a-fake-package-delivery-scam

Carmel, CA Elder Abuse Alert : Fed Ex And UPS Tracking Alerts Could Be Fake : By Derek Baine


Unfortunately, elder abuse scams continue to abound.  The latest; fake package notifications from Amazon.com, FedEx, UPS and others.  With e-commerce sales hitting an all-time high due to the coronavirus, more and more email delivery alerts are popping up but they may not all be legitimate.  Fake email messages often contain the logo of the shipping company, making them look more legitimate.  Getting you to click on a link is the main objective of these scams.  Others send an attachment with malware in it, so never click on an attachment from an unknown sender.  Most come with a call to action such as purporting there is a problem with the shipping address or the payment method, attempting to get you to click through.  Always go to where you made the purchase to check on the order status.

https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/20283-scam-alert-dont-be-fooled-by-a-fake-package-delivery-scam

Carmel, CA Elder Abuse Alert : Coronavirus Scams

An older woman holding a pink string in her hand.


Experts warn that the rapid expansion in coronavirus cases is going to result in a big increase in elder abuse scams.  Although new cases of slowed recently, we are still seeing scams that are being developed that promise to deliver you a COVID vaccine—it will be a fake just like Gucci bags that are commonly counterfeited.  Some are posing as being from Medicare or the Social Security Administration.  Neither will ask you for sensitive information.  In fact, I just got one the other day.  I picked up the phone and they asked my name, which I gave to them, then they asked for my date of birth to “verify my identity.â€Â  I asked who was calling and they hung up!

https://www.maa-usa.org/About-Us/News-Article-Display-Copy/scams-likely-to-heat-up-after-covid-19-vaccine-rollout

Pacific Grove, CA Elder Abuse Alert : Fed Ex And UPS Tracking Alerts Could Be Fake : By Derek Baine

A woman helping an older person with a blue object.


Unfortunately, elder abuse scams continue to abound.  The latest; fake package notifications from Amazon.com, FedEx, UPS and others.  With e-commerce sales hitting an all-time high due to the coronavirus, more and more email delivery alerts are popping up but they may not all be legitimate.  Fake email messages often contain the logo of the shipping company, making them look more legitimate.  Getting you to click on a link is the main objective of these scams.  Others send an attachment with malware in it, so never click on an attachment from an unknown sender.  Most come with a call to action such as purporting there is a problem with the shipping address or the payment method, attempting to get you to click through.  Always go to where you made the purchase to check on the order status. 

https://www.bbb.org/article/news-releases/20283-scam-alert-dont-be-fooled-by-a-fake-package-delivery-scam

Pacific Grove, CA Elder Abuse Alert From Citibank

A woman and an old lady smiling at each other.


Citibank just issued a fraud alert regarding fraudsters posing as a Citibank employee by email, text or phone and requesting personal information which would allow them to access your account.  Whenever Citibank calls you they will never ask for your account number, security word, PIN number or online user ID.  If you receive a suspicious communication, do not respond.  Rather, forward it to [email protected].  Unfortunately, these fraud schemes usually focus on wealthy areas like Monterey, Pacific Grove and Pebble Beach.  Always be on the alert!

Monterey, CA Elder Abuse Alert : AARP Focuses On Relatives

A woman with grey hair sitting in a chair.


Due to the significant amount of wealth on the Monterey Peninsula, we are inundated with press stories regarding financial elder abuse.  The amounts stolen from seniors is staggering, and sadly, it’s often done by close friends or family.  AARP The Magazine focused on this recently (April/May 2021, page 82), highlighting its award-winning Podcast The Perfect Scam, which details how con artists work and share tips to better protect you and your loved ones from a scam.  List to it at www.aarp.org/pdcasts/theperfectscam.  .  If you believe that you are witnessing elder abuse, please call Adult Protective Services.  Unfortunately, with the wealth on the Monterey Peninsula residents of Carmel, PG and Pebble Beach are often targeted.

http://mcdss.co.monterey.ca.us/aging/