Why Seniors Are Targeted

The FBI recently posted new information about fraud and senior citizens:

Why are the elderly such an attractive target for con artists?

Many seniors have a "nest egg."

They're less likely to report a fraud because they don't know where to go or they're too embarrassed to talk about it.

If they do report the crime, it's sometimes hard for them to remember exact details.

Many of the products/services being hawked by con artists appeal to individuals of a certain age—i.e., antiaging and other healthcare products, healthcare services, and investments related to retirement savings.

The threat to seniors is growing...and changing. Baby boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) are now the largest segment of our population—about 78 million people. That means that the number of senior citizens is rising. Many younger boomers also have considerable computer skills, so criminals are modifying their targeting techniques—using not only traditional telephone calls and mass mailings but also online scams like phishing and e-mail spamming.

Another trend: Criminals targeting the elderly are increasingly located outside the U.S., making it difficult for American law enforcement to track them down.

Full post here.