COLORADO SPRINGS — Maybe you get suspicious text messages or your family member does. Police say scams are catching more people in part just due to the sheer number coming our way every day. They share solutions in how you can recognize when a senior in your life may be caught in a scam.
We spoke with seniors, who as a group are particularly vulnerable to scams, and learned they consider them an everyday threat. One woman's friend took her own life after she learned the person she considered her fiance was a con man.
Initially, scams can be tough to spot, but soon something starts not to feel right. Oftentimes, financial crimes experts tell us, the person on the
other end of the line wants payment in a non-traditional way, like a gift card, via cryptocurrency, or directly through your bank.
"When I was on the phone with them, I knew. You don't tell somebody to go walk down Walgreens and get this money card and come back here," said Elaine Palmer, who News 5 met at Silver Key Senior Services.
She nearly got scammed and listened to her gut when scammers posing as Microsoft techs tried to hack into her computer. But she believes the loneliness many seniors experience contributes to how often they fall for these cons.
"All of these people that are alone and isolated. You're very vulnerable. And you're so grateful to have somebody to talk to you and believe some of the things ... they play on your vulnerability," Palmer said.
Investigators say it's an emotional scheme to get seniors to give over their trust.
"They're very trusting. I've even asked my parents this, ‘Why do you think this is happening?’ And seniors, they were raised in a generation where you respect authority. You do what people tell you to do. You don't ask any questions. If law enforcement asks for something, you comply,” said Detective Tamara Tadlock, who works in financial crimes for the El Paso County Sheriff's Office.
Which is why when scammers call posing as law enforcement, or the bank, or even Amazon requesting you update your membership, seniors tend to get caught in scams more often than other groups, Tadlock said.
We asked how much money seniors are losing in these scams.
"Could be anywhere from a few hundred dollars to a few thousand, to hundreds of thousands or their entire retirement," Tadlock said.
Why are seniors a scammers' perfect target? Experts say, to start with, most seniors have more time on their hands and are willing to engage in conversation with strangers, seeking connection. It’s also likely they have money, as most residents over 65 have some kind of income coming in, whether it be social security, retirement, or a pension.
And experts say seniors are especially vulnerable to romance scams.
"A dear friend of mine, she had been scammed for couple of years. And she needed $285 to get ... a prepaid card,” Pamila Susanj shared with News 5.
Susanj gave her friend, Mary, the cash she was so desperate for. It turned out she was caught in an elaborate scam run by a man who she called her fiance, she later learned was pretending to care for her. It cost Mary her life.
"She had been sending this man, apparently her fiance, thousands of dollars a month. And she had been doing it for years. I kept telling her it was a scam. She would not believe me... She was extremely depressed. That very night she committed suicide. That was horrible for me because she was a very, very good friend. And for her to be scammed in that way, it hurts. It hurts a lot," Susanj said.
Whether or not the intention is legitimate, experts say the relationships between the scammer and the victim are real, with some communicating multiple times a day and establishing a confidence that is often lacking in the senior's life.
"These scenarios are really devastating and heartbreaking because these scammers target a part of us that is human. These perpetrators wormed their way into people's hearts. And as human beings, we want to connect, we want to engage, we want to build relationships. However, older adults are not as protective of their information as they should be," said Rodnee Warr, manager of the Elder Clients Initiatives Team for Wells Fargo Advisors.
Data from a recent Federal Trade Commission report found of the $10 billion scammers stole from Americans in 2023, $3 billion of that was out of the pockets of people over 60. And experts on financial scams suggest watching out for the seniors in our lives to ensure they aren’t being taken advantage of.
"Some of the red flags are: reluctance to discuss financial matters with you, unexplained withdrawals, not paying their utility bills, some new best friends that they've met, or individuals that they've met online that you haven't. Or they are secretive about the things that are going on within their finances. Those are things to really be aware of, to engage and have a conversation with the older adult about,” Warr said.
Anyone can get caught in a scam, but experts make a good case for staying connected to the older adults in our lives, making sure they know you’re there to talk through what to do when confusing calls or texts inevitably come in from someone looking to take their livelihood.
As part of its commitment to support seniors, Silver Key Senior Services offers technology education classes and symposiums with sessions about identity theft and scams. It also partners with the Pikes Peak Elder Justice Center to connect those who have been scammed with the resources they need.
If you or someone you know is in crisis, remember you are not alone. The State of Colorado offers the following crisis resources:
- Call 844-493-TALK (8255)
- Text TALK to 38255
To access 988, the nationwide mental health and substance use helpline:
- Call or text: 988
- Chat: 988lifeline.org
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