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Financial Scams

As financial scams get more common and devious, Bob Carlson shares his expertise to help subscribers stay up to date

Found 64 Articles.
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Protecting Your Social Security Benefits from ID Thieves

June 4, 2018

Identity theft continues to grow, and your Social Security benefits are a favorite target of the identity thieves. After the thieves obtain your Social Security number and other personal information, they apply for benefits in your name, if you aren’t already receiving benefits, and have the money deposited in their own accounts. If you’re already […]

Government Acts Against Those Scamming Seniors

February 23, 2018

Governments at all levels have been warning about frauds against seniors for years. On Thursday, the Department of Justice announced that a group of agencies had been working together and was taking big action. It filed charges against more than 250 alleged perpetrators of financial frauds against seniors. The charges also described the scams used […]

The Fight Against Senior Scams

October 2, 2017

Scams against seniors have been around for a long time, but efforts to combat them and protect seniors have been meager. That’s changed in the last few years. One act that accelerated protection for seniors was the Center for Disease Control declaring that financial abuse is a hazard to seniors. The CDC defined senior financial […]

how-to-build-a-firewall-against-financial-scams-abuse-5-action-steps

How to Build a Firewall Against Financial Scams & Abuse: 5 Action Steps

September 28, 2017

Everyone knows it’s older Americans who are the most likely targets and victims of financial abuse and scams. But it’s not just older people who fall victim. The crooks look for vulnerable people. By the time you’re vulnerable, it’s often too late to create real protection. Take action now, so that in the future you […]

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Profiling Scam Victims: Who’s in Jeopardy?

April 26, 2017

Anyone can be caught in a financial scam, but some people are in greater peril than others. Importantly, the most vulnerable are not who most people would expect, especially the potential targets. A clear profile of the most likely financial fraud victims emerges from research over the last few years, including two recent projects conducted […]

Seniors and Scams

April 21, 2017

New research from Cornell University indicates why some seniors are scam victims. The study found that victims and non-victims have many similar traits. Their personalities are normal and they can do arithmetic just fine. But the study found that their brains are different, with the scam victims showing atrophy in certain parts of the brain. […]

Insights on Thefts from Seniors

April 7, 2017

Financial advisors are becoming more aggressive about protecting senior citizens from financial fraud and abuse. They’re being trained to recognize the warning signs and are urged to be proactive when they see something wrong. The larger financial firms train their financial advisors on the issue and have some staff members dedicated to following up and […]

How Even Sophisticated People Are Scammed

October 13, 2016

People who never expected to be victims of scams and frauds often are victimized. The stereotype is that older people with reduced cognitive abilities are the most likely to be scammed. But many other people are vulnerable, and those who don’t fit the stereotype need to stay alert for potential scams. Self-confidence is one factor […]

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