Con artists and fraudulent businesses often target senior citizens, believing them to be naïve, trusting and uninformed. Seniors living in California need certain information to protect themselves from all forms of fraud.
Identify common scam attempts
There are numerous legal fraud scams that are common. There are basic, unsolicited offers of legal services sent in the mail, through email or by phone. Most seniors know to avoid offers that they do not request or need.
More sophisticated scams include personalized emails that contain an individual’s name, address and other details. These emails may request the person to fill out a form with personal information. More aggressive emails include threats of taking legal action if certain payments are not made, threatening to take one’s property or assets, etc.
Review bank charges and statements
All seniors must review the charges, deposits, and withdrawals on their bank accounts regularly. They can set up alerts to their email or phone whenever a certain activity occurs on the account.
Fraud in estate planning
Fraud is often overlooked in the process of estate and trust planning. Seniors are frequent targets for fraud and must be highly cautious of the issue as they plan their estates. They have to choose individuals who they can trust to manage their money, health, property, and personal belongings.
Taking action against legal fraud
As a result of declining mental health and increased dependence on others, elderly people are frequent targets for fraud. Fraud takes on many forms, and con artists can pretend to be professionals from any industry. As seniors and their family members plan their estates, they should be aware of the different types of fraud to protect their assets.