Uncovered a scam of the elderly today

[marcusindc]

Good catch and way to look out for the elderly!

[AlmostaLEO]

Have you ever had to deal with someone in your family aging? My girlfriend's grandparents got suckered into buying a few thousand dollars of meat off the back of a truck. What would your solution to this be? "Hey grandpa, I know your only 70, but because you were too trusting and got your Alzheimer afflicted behind swindled we are going to move you into the VA and take over your finances?"

Thats just cold.....

How people my age are talked into giving out their SS number or bank routing number over the phone for a quick "credit check" is beyond me and a totally different situation.

Oh wow! A couple of grand worth of frozen meat? I know someone who sells that stuff. But usually a couple hundred bucks at a time. But a couple grand? Wow! If your grandparents live in southern Illinois, Indiana or western Ky. I'm gonna freak.

[JasperST]

You have to also understand that these folks come from a different era when scams targeting the elderly weren't heard of and they typically don't know what's going on in the internet world.

The scammers have gotten increasingly sophisticated and ruthless and anyone paying attention today isn't surprised to see how low they'll go.

Good catch and I hope they can lock up those creeps.

[Citizen85]

How do people fall for scam's i never understood it. Ive always figured if your 80 you should have learned if it sounds to good to be true it always is and money is never free. I dont feel bad for people like this. nor do i understand why its illegal.

Have you ever had to deal with someone in your family aging? My girlfriend's grandparents got suckered into buying a few thousand dollars of meat off the back of a truck. What would your solution to this be? "Hey grandpa, I know your only 70, but because you were too trusting and got your Alzheimer afflicted behind swindled we are going to move you into the VA and take over your finances?"

Thats just cold.....

How people my age are talked into giving out their SS number or bank routing number over the phone for a quick "credit check" is beyond me and a totally different situation.

[RJDSRT05]

I swear, as soon as people reach a certain age they should start getting pamphlets about scams.

Actually a really good idea. There was that one going around where scammers would convince the elderly that they(scammers) were their grandchildren, and they needed money VIA western unoin to get themselves out of a jam. People just have no morals.

[LINY]

I swear, as soon as people reach a certain age they should start getting pamphlets about scams.

[Dingbat]

How do people fall for scam's i never understood it. Ive always figured if your 80 you should have learned if it sounds to good to be true it always is and money is never free. I dont feel bad for people like this. nor do i understand why its illegal.

[mikeymedic]

Reporting to 60 minutes as we speak.

[Futurelaw89]

Good job!

[oneoldcop]

bravo!

[cbr600_kitty]

Good looking out!

[AlmostaLEO]

I was in a clients home this morning preparing their final arrangents. During the course of conversation the gentleman kept telling me when he finally gets his commission check he'll pay off the arrangements.

I didn't think a whole lot of it. Lot's of people still work part time in their 80's. I applauded him for staying active and keeping himself in the workforce. He began to tell me how it only cost him 300 dollars to work for this company out of California. That got my attention.

Has anyone ever heard of the Zaken Corporation? I had not either. I googled it when I got back to my office. Turns out lots of folks have fell for their scam. I called the GM at the assisted living center where my client lives and told her of my findings. She did some investigating of her own and confirmed it is a scam. She later called me to thank me for being alert and taking the time to look out for the elderly. She called the local PD and turned it over to them.

And that is my good deed for the day.