Scams Can Seem Real – Check Out This Scam Received by a Senior
Scams can seem very real. It’s not surprising that so many people fall for a scam. One senior shares the story of a scam she received. Use this as an example when teaching your parent how to determine if a call, letter, or email is a scam or not.
Senior Care in Philadelphia PA: Senior Scam Risks
The Tax Bill Looked Official
In this scam, the senior received a bill from another state. The logo looked authentic when compared to the town and state’s website. The print quality was exceptional, and it was done on quality letterhead. Plus, the postmark matched the town and state.
The bill said she owed taxes on a boat. The taxes were overdue as they should have been paid in January. It was now June. She didn’t own a boat, so her first fear was of identity theft. As it was a Saturday, she couldn’t do anything until Monday.
She called her son who looked up the number printed on the bill and it matched the town and city. He looked at the address. That was the one issue he found. It was a P.O. box rather than a street address, but that wasn’t enough to convince him this was definitely a scam.
Monday came around and she called the clerk for the town on the bill. That clerk told her it was a scam. The town didn’t use a P.O. box. Had the woman paid the taxes without questioning anything, she would have given the scammer a few hundred dollars. Plus, if she’d paid with a personal check, the scammer would have had her checking account number and routing number.
Help Your Parent Research Every Detail
When your parent gets a call, email, or letter, help them research every detail. Scrutinize the address, phone number, and bill itself. If you’re not sure, don’t call the number on the bill, look up the number for that agency and call the main line. You may need to be transferred, but it’s better than calling the number on a fake bill and getting scammed.
If your parents do get a scam bill or call, have them forward information to the FTC. They should also report it to local authorities. The only way scammers get caught is if people continue to report them and give information that can help authorities find them.
Caregivers can help your parents safely age at home. By hiring a caregiver, you make sure your parents have help with household chores. There’s someone there to bring in and sort the mail, check emails, and answer the phone. Caregivers can come for a few hours a week or every day. Call a home care agency today!
If you or an aging loved-one are considering Senior Care in Philadelphia, PA, please contact the friendly staff at Suma Home Care. Call today: (484) 206-4544
Ibrahim recently completed a Professional Certificate in Management; He is currently pursuing a Masters in Business Administrations (MBA) at a prestigious university in the UK.
With their passion for helping others and a strong background in customer services and clinical care, Ibrahim and his wife started assisting individuals in their homes.
Since started and operating Suma Home Care in 2010 in the basement of their home, Suma Home Care has provided professionals who work endlessly in providing clients with the highest quality of care, while enabling clients to maintain dignity, comfort and safety in their homes.
Suma Home Care, serves four counties in Pennsylvania, Delaware, Chester, Montgomery and Philadelphia. Ibrahim is firmly connected to his local community and is always looking for ways to give back whenever the opportunity presents itself.
Ibrahim enjoys spending time with his wife and children, travelling and enjoys sports.
Mariama Suma-Keita BSN RN
Born in Sierra Leone west Africa, relocated to America in 1999 from a civil war and settled since in the U.S.A as a Naturalized citizen Graduated from National school of nursing with an associate , and completed BSN in Nursing from Immaculata University graduated with Honor roll Alpha Lambda sigma, After escaping the war served as a refugee nurse in Gambia and Guinea to other displaced refugees before coming to America.
In the states started in Homecare then then transition into hospital, worked in Jefferson hospital as a Registered nurse on Tele and general medsurg floor, also worked in Einstein hospital as an oncology transplant nurse , I realized that I enjoy working with patients so much and believe in quality and compassionate care one at a time dealing with an holistic approach in caring for patients and family in a familiar environment called home , I see the impact and progress when they’re home , it makes them feel relax and progress fast with recovering at home. As a nurse and entrepreneur I understand that dedication to meeting people and families needs is a priority, and able to foster relationships with family and patients that is professional and friendly to help them stay and settled home as a desire.
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