Consumer Alert
Use Pass It On to talk about fraud this Older Americans Month
This month, we join the nation to celebrate Older Americans Month. It’s also the 10th anniversary of Pass It On, the FTC’s fraud education campaign for older adults. As Older Americans Month recognizes the power of social connections, we recognize the many thousands of people who’ve connected through Pass It On, starting conversations to help others avoid scams.
When the FTC first developed Pass It On, we asked older adults what they wanted from fraud education. They told us: clear language, direct advice, and easy readability. In response, we created plain language materials that respect readers and their life experience. At the start, Pass It On covered the seven most relevant topics. But as scams and scam tactics changed, the topics covered nearly doubled, including topics from Grandkid and Family Scams to Unwanted Calls and Text Messages. You can read articles online, or order print copies to share, in English and Spanish.
While older adults represent a variety of cultures, ages, and learning styles, they all may experience scams. Recently, a group of government partners, consumer advocates, and industry representatives released principles to help guide any organization that wants to reach older adults. Pass It On is grounded in these principles, and did we mention it’s free to use or share?
Over the past ten years, thousands of trusted community partners have delivered Pass It On messages to their clients, neighbors, and wider communities. Dedicated folks in aging services, consumer protection civic groups, financial services, law enforcement and more have given presentations, led calls, and shared information with friends and family. We even heard that Pass It On ideas have been added to fraud Bingo games in New York and community theater presentations in Florida. Want to join our network? Start at ftc.gov/PassItOn.
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I have been fooled into giving my information to websites that looked amazingly like my bank site sent to me in emails. I put in my info and then it went to the site . When I put my password in it just went dead and I realized that I had been hit by a phishing email. I changed my password quickly and I don't go to my accounts through emails anymore. I always look at the url up at the top and then I report the email if it is bad. It is daunting!! Banks and financial institutions should never have links to your account, it is not a good thing. I don't go anywhere from email anymore.
In reply to I have been fooled into… by Tyanne Goltz
They need to prosecute the webcams and go after them to lock them up to close them down for ever.
Always look at where the mail is coming from. Banks normal don't request anything or write to you.
I am getting DAILY calls from people claiming to be "Medicare Providers".
I tell them that I know Medicare does not call people, they argue and /or hang up.
I ask to be put on their DO NOT CALL list, but they clearly do not do so.
This is a daily annoying occurance.
I do not have caller ID or voicemail on my landline phone, so I cant avoid picking up.
What can be done to stop this?
In reply to I am getting DAILY calls… by a senior citizen
When you have a landline, you can add a separate call-blocking or call-labeling device to help you with unwanted calls. Ask your phone carrier for more information about the devices.
In reply to When you have a landline,… by FTC Staff
Report them to FTC, get there phone number and tell them you call them back and report the number and name to FTC.
In reply to I am getting DAILY calls… by a senior citizen
I have gotten phone calls saying they are from Medicare, then they ask for my Medicare number. I have reported it to Medicare before and they said they will never call me. So beware and do not give them your Medicare number.
In reply to I am getting DAILY calls… by a senior citizen
buy an inexpensive answering machine and use answer message : "you have reached the (your last name) answering machine, please leave a message"
you can hear the caller if they leave a message, you can either ignore or pick up and answer.
I will send you my experience with "Guardio" and "McAfee"recently that involves both scare tactics and avoiding calls to "support number" by directing it to a "Free medical device"operator but first I am waiting for my I.T. guy to help me with the
Fraud aimed at seniors is prime meat. From The technology which we don't know and cannot keep up with, till the day we (and you) die from the funeral people.
No soliciting and opt out on my mailbox should be on my phone, computer and all communications to me. So far no soliciting has not discouraged any marketing and advertising. We waste more valuable time throwing unwanted mail than trying to find legit mail and bills. I have thrown away real checks (rebates) and bills that we don't recognize. ID theft and false ID mail has never been effectively made illegal.
My wife and I moved from Hohenwald, Tennessee to Campbellsville, Kentucky. I did most of the moving. I boxed up everything but the large furniture, a washer and dryer and left those items for movers. I was 80 years old at the time. I contracted with Purple Heart Moving Group in Nashville, Tenn. to do the move. They claimed to be veteran owned; and the name gave the impression of worthiness. It was all a ploy. I had never personally dealt with a mover and didn't know that Purple Heart Moving Group was a moving broker, not a mover, even though they claim to be "Cross Country Movers." I paid $1,300, a reasonable price, for moving the remaining two beds, three chests-of-drawers, a sewing machine, an entertainment center, a washer and dryer, a dining room table, and chairs, a loveseat and two padded rockers rockers. Oh, and a hutch and a China cabinet. I took the beds and dining room table apart and put mattresses in mattress bags. When the moving van arrived, I had to pay another bill for them to load the few large items. In Campbellsville, I got a call from movers for the delivery. A different mover arrived, and I had to pay a third bill before they would unload my furniture. I ended up paying almost $5,000 to move what I could have moved with the help of a few high school kids for $150 apiece plus a U-Haul rental. I learned my lesson. Don't deal with a moving broker. Make sure you are dealing with the actual mover who will pick up your furniture and be the company that delivers it. I felt very taken and stupid for not knowing this.
To add to that feeling, I had missing items, several broken items -- the China cabinet, a TV table and one of the padded rockers. The sewing machine had been turned upside down. When I paid the final bill, I signed a paper listing the damages. I didn't notice that the copy that was handed to me folded was illegible, too faint to read. I ended up fixing the damages. But, again, I felt taken... and was, very much so, by Purple Heart Moving Group of Nashville, Tennessee.
Please continue to keep us aware of the scams, since we do not socialize as often as we used to. Moreover, not everyone has accurate information.,
I was told this article provided a way to sign up for email alerts? Does that exist?
In reply to I was told this article… by Laura Marello
Hi Laura,
Sign up for email alerts at www.ftc.gov/ConsumerAlerts.
Read more about Pass It On at www.ftc.gov/PassItOn, and order free print fact sheets, bookmarks, and brochures about fraud, scams, identity theft, credit and many other topics at www.ftc.gov/Bulkorder.
Thanks,
FTC Staff
I've been getting pop ups on my laptop with loud noices telling me not to turn of my computer. They claim to be Microsoft. I have had many of these and once I fell for it but now I've learned to turn off my laptop and unplug it for 1 day until it goes away. Do not fall for this scam because they can take control of your computer and see everything that you have on it, including your bank account. This happens about once a month.
The robo Calls don't stop. You tell caller not to call remove your phone number from there list, actual you get more calls after that as you number get shared with new callers.
Beware of a company that claims to reverse diabetes and you don't need to talk to your doctor first. They offer dangerous menu plans and charge $5000.
Was scammed by what I thought was my bank fraud division into making a bitcoin deposit to protect my cash after I was notified about a computer hack. I followed the instructions. was told not to talk to anyone as they may be involved in the hack. I made a deposit in a bitcoin ATM using all my information and a QR code I thought came from the ATM machine. I got transaction receipts from the machine which I thought were for my account but as it turned out the QR code and BTC address went to the scammers not me. I made a report to local FBI with no feedback . I filed a police report with my local police dept. but they were unable to follow the trail of information I gave them as it all went to a dead end. I contacted Bitcoin Depot out of Atlanta, Ga from a support number that was on the receipt. They told me they got the information and their people were checking on it however they failed to tell me that I should be working with Bitcoin Fraud Dept. When I finally was connected with the Bitcoin Fraud people I submitted all the information they requested. I was then told that I did not file this report according to their time schedule even thought I had have a history of talking to the wrong Bitcoin people.
In conclusion I made the wrong moves based on thinking I was getting assistance from my bank fraud dept, next never use a Bitcoin ATM as their security system can allow your information to set up an account but there is no security between this information and their QR Id or Bitcoin deposit address system. I have also ask Bitcoin to confirm how much of my information in in their system with more than one email but as of this date I have nothing from them.
If you ever get hacked never followup information form people who say they are with your computer system and can connect you with someone who can help solve the problem, if your bank is involved you connect with them direct. They have a Fraud Dept and contact them direct, not with outside help. I believe that Bitcoin has major security problems at least with their ATM system. Don't trust anyone you don't know when ask about your business, your money, your family or anything untill you check them out yourself, wish I had.