Dementia is a heartbreaking condition, and it can be even more difficult when individuals living with dementia become vulnerable to scammers. The elderly are often the most targeted by those looking to take advantage of people who may not recognize or understand potentially suspicious behavior. Thankfully, there are steps we can take to protect ourselves—or our loved ones—from such frauds. Let’s dive into some of the best ways to protect against dementia-related scams.
Educate Yourself About Common Scams
One of the best ways to protect yourself or a loved one from becoming a victim of fraud is to educate yourself on common scams, so you know what to look out for and how best to avoid them. Common scams targeting seniors include phony sweepstakes and lottery schemes, fake charities, bogus investments, identity theft, and more. Knowing what these types of scams look like can help you protect yourself or your loved one from becoming a victim.
Monitor Financial Transactions
Another way you can help protect yourself or your loved one from falling prey to scammers is by monitoring their financial transactions closely. You should check in periodically with your bank or credit card provider and make sure that all transactions are legitimate and as expected. This will allow you to quickly identify any suspicious activity and take action if necessary. Additionally, setting up alerts for large purchases can alert you when something out of the ordinary happens with a debit or credit card account so that you can act quickly if necessary.
Set Up Safeguards
Place safeguards on accounts belonging to elderly people who may be particularly vulnerable to scam attempts, such as those living with dementia or other cognitive impairments. This includes setting up additional layers of security such as PIN numbers, passwords, two-factor authentication systems, etc., which will make it much more difficult for someone else—especially an unfamiliar scammer—to gain access to sensitive information or financial accounts without permission.
Living with dementia can be an overwhelming experience at times; it’s heartbreaking to think that individuals living with this chronic condition may also be victims of scams. Thankfully, there are steps we can take—educating ourselves about common scams; monitoring financial transactions closely; placing safeguards on accounts—to help protect ourselves—or our loved ones—from becoming victims of fraudsters looking to exploit those living with dementia. It is important that we remain vigilant in order to ensure that our family members are safe from exploitation due to their vulnerability caused by dementia-related issues.
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