Protecting our older adults from frauds and scams

FRESNO, Calif. (KFSN) -- Millions of aged Americans autumn unfortunate to immoderate benignant of fraud oregon scam each year, with the FBI saying seniors rack up much than $3 cardinal successful losses.

The California Department of Aging wants older adults and their families to lookout for immoderate reddish flags that they mightiness see.

After retiring arsenic the Executive Director from the Valley Caregiver Resource Center, Michelle DiBuduo received messages and calls, congratulating her connected her caller crypto business.

That's erstwhile she knew thing wasn't right. So she went to her Facebook page.

"There was a station that wasn't from me, asking radical to usage 1 connection to place however they knew me," said DiBuduo. "I had astir 160 responses. Now I person respective 100 radical connected Facebook, but I've ne'er gotten 160 responses for posting."

The station said "after months of endless studying and training," she was present a certified "Expert Crypto Trader." It adjacent included pictures of certificates.

"I responded, I was capable to astatine that point, not arsenic myself, saying this is fake and this is not me," said DiBuduo.

It took a portion earlier the station was taken down, but she inactive worries astir those who whitethorn person fallen for the fake post.

"I don't cognize however galore radical responded to the Facebook ad," said DiBuduo, "responded to those people, those hackers and gave them money."

From January 2022 to February 2025, the California Department of Social Services received much than 190,000 reports of alleged fiscal abuse.

"It's been prevalent and it's been an uptick, mostly successful California," said Hillaree Bennett, the Program Director astatine the Fresno-Madera Area Agency connected Aging. "Specifically successful Fresno and Madera, the areas we service astatine the Agency of Aging."

Experts fearfulness determination are much cases that spell unreported.

"That's due to the fact that victims, whether they are older adults oregon individuals successful general, consciousness embarrassed astir becoming a unfortunate of a fraud oregon scam oregon losing a batch of money," said Kue Lee, the Director of Targeted Outreach astatine the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation.

He adds that older adults thin to beryllium much trusting. With evolving exertion and artificial quality developments, scams are becoming much complex.

"Older adults are susceptible and exploited due to the fact that of technology," said Bennett.

But determination are steps we tin instrumentality to support our older adults.

"Do not answer, bash not reply backmost to immoderate telephone calls oregon substance messages oregon emails from individuals you don't know," said Lee. "The adjacent furniture of extortion is to bash your ain research, cheque credentials."

It's important for radical to study these frauds and scams to the authorities. Teaching our loved ones astir changing exertion and limiting our accusation tin besides support our older adults safe.

To find trusted resources to assistance support yourself and loved ones, sojourn the California Department of Aging website.

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