RICHMOND, Va. (WWBT) – Criminals targeting older adults are exploiting trust, fear, grief and loneliness rather than a lack of technical skill, according to the FBI.
FBI Richmond Intelligence Analyst Heather Harris said the common image of an elder fraud victim as frail, isolated or unfamiliar with technology does not reflect the reality of these crimes.
“The fraudsters are pretty skilled, and they’re using tactics that work,” Harris said. “And honestly, it’s just being human. It’s not about the age.”
Elder fraud includes any victim age 60 or older, including many members of the baby boomer generation.
“They are from a generation of rule followers,” Harris said. “They’re polite and they’re…
Set up a “Google Alert” for your own name to monitor if your personal details appear on public forums or paste-sites associated with recent data breaches.