Officer Wiechman shares his message with residents
Today’s topic is about scams. Wait! Don’t move on because you are sick of hearing about it. There is a reason this is a hot topic: it is happening a lot.
If you listen to the news, you keep hearing about seniors who have been scammed, this is partially because you hear what is relevant to you.
To learn more about it, I talked to Officer Dan Wiechman from the Fox Crossing Police. The first thing he wants you to know is that scammers target everyone – from teens and young adults to older generations – yes, even your adult children. Different scams are tailored to different groups, such as college tuition scams for younger people and Social Security scams for seniors.
Officer Wiechman said, “Con artists will play on the heartstrings of anyone.” He noted, “The current older generation comes from a time when deals were done with a handshake, and honesty meant something. People will exploit that. Another reason that older folks are a target is that they have more financial resources. Instead of getting $200 from the younger generation, we take calls from older people who have given away tens of thousands of dollars.”
We talked about “grandma scams,” where scammers pretend to be family member in a crisis looking for money. Wiechman said that with advances in artificial intelligence, they can even mimic your voice. That makes it even more challenging to know if it is your loved one.
I asked what we can do to protect ourselves, mentioning that when my kids were little, we had a secret word so they would know any message really was from me. Officer Wiechman agreed that a special code is a good start. Better yet, hang up the phone and call your loved one yourself.
Another suggestion is to have a trusted person. He said, “Have someone you can call to help you if you are unsure. Before you proceed with something, call your trusted person and run it past them.”
A plus is that it gets you off the phone. Studies show that the longer you stay on the phone, the more likely you are to get in deeper. Hang up the phone!
Older folks may be isolated and lonely, which can make them vulnerable to romance scams. We really all want someone to talk to and to care. The longer you engage, the more they manipulate your trust.
Wiechman said that not only do these criminals take your money, but they also steal your self-esteem. He observed that people may be embarrassed and reluctant to report the crime, thinking their pride is worth more than the money they lost.
He explained, “I try to look at it through a different lens. I remind people that they are victims. By reporting it to us, we can try to help you. Also, by sharing your story, you can potentially help someone else from becoming a target.”
“It is pretty scary times,” he sighed. “Scammers are good at what they do. If only they would use their powers for good.”
Jean Long Manteufel writes a column each month about life changes associated with aging. Send your questions to Jean@TransitionsWithJean.com or call 920-585-7769.