We are witnessing an alarming increase in crimes against seniors, with a significant uptick in financial scams. One victim, Janet Gonzalez Gaspar, shares her harrowing experience in a recent interview.
Janet, an 89-year-old senior, believed she was speaking to a friendly Amazon representative over the phone. Little did she know, she was being duped into sharing her personal information, including her social security number and credit card details.
As if that's not enough, the number of scams targeting seniors is on the rise, according to reports. Janet's daughter, Katari, who's also a retired assistant DA and a volunteer with Gray Panthers NYC, highlights the increased vulnerability of seniors during the pandemic. The scams not only increased during that time but continue to pose a significant threat.
It's not just financial scams, but assaults on the elderly have also surged this year, leaving many seniors traumatized and financially devastated. The grand larceny cases, which encompass financial scams, have soared to over 3,700 compared to about 3,500 last year, and the nationwide losses amount to a staggering $3.1 billion!
Attorney Mike Zaccari from the Jewish Association, Serving the Aging, underscores that many seniors, out of embarrassment, refrain from reporting such scams to the police, with close to half of these incidents going unreported.
The scammers are skilled, and their tactics are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Janet's experience serves as a stark warning for us all.
Watch the full video to learn more about Janet's story and how we can protect seniors from falling victim to these scams.