Police in Norwalk, Connecticut reported on November 21, 2009 that an 86 year-old man was bilked out of $14,000 by thieves using one of the oldest scams. They convinced him that he was about to win a magazine sweepstakes, and all he had to do was wire money to pay for the “taxes and processing fees”.
The scammers originally began to talk with the man after he filled out a postcard from a magazine and told him that he had to send the money by wire transfer to various addresses in foreign countries. In each circumstance the man was lead to believe that he had won large sums of money, but that he had to pay the fees before he could receive his winnings. The police indicated that the fraud was one of the largest that they had seen in the area.
Family members often discover that their loved ones have sent funds for lotteries, sweepstakes, or other contests after they discover that bills aren’t being paid or that bank accounts have been drained. Older adults often see these potential winnings as a way to leave an inheritance for their children, so they are eager to follow directions to collect the winnings. The scammers might telephone isolated seniors daily in an attempt to build trust and encourage the seniors to keep sending funds. It is often hard to discourage the victims from sending the money because they become emotionally trapped in the fantasy of finally becoming rich.
For tips on how to help your loved one avoid becoming a victim in this type of scam, click on the Caregiver’s Corner link on the left. Posted December 10, 2009.
