There is no question that elder abuse seems to be on the rise around many parts of the world. When we think of elder abuse, we typically think about physical marks such as bruises. However, it’s important to note that elder abuse isn’t always a physical attack. Sometimes, people are specifically trying to scam the elderly out of money by using underhanded tactics.
Recently, police in Vancouver arrested a man who was trying to scam the elderly out of money using the mail system. When the man was pulled over by police, they found bags and bags of mail in his car. It turns out that the letters in the bags actually included $30 checks from people in three different countries. The alleged scammer was sending out mail to elderly people offering a big cash prize in return for a small payment. It was found that the targets were between the ages of 68 and 94 years old. The man was receiving about 200 letters each day.
It is very difficult to educate senior citizens about the dangers of these mail out scams because many of them are very trusting people. The world has changed over the last many years, but it can be quite hard to explain to a senior citizen who grew up in a very different time. The sad part is that an elderly person will end up on a mailing list where they can be scammed over and over again if they respond to these letters.
If you believe that you know an elderly person who may have been a victim of a scam, an elder law attorney can investigate and help bring things to a resolution. Remind all of the elderly people in your life that they should not respond to any contest that requires them to send money.
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