Scams & Fraud

Scammers follow the news. They have noticed that as a result of the pandemic many Americans have lost their job and had to file for unemployment insurance. Because of this trend scammers have been using the personal information of millions of Americans to fraudulently file for unemployment benefits in their name. Thousands of retired Coloradans have been notified that benefits have been filed for in their name, despite not having worked in many years. If you received this notification, don’t panic! Follow a few important steps:

Have you received a phone call offering you an updated Medicare card, a back brace or knee brace? Or have you received an offer for a free DNA test kit? It is not uncommon for Medicare beneficiaries to receive these types of fraudulent solicitations. Any medical equipment or test paid for my Medicare must be ordered by your physician. If you receive one of these solicitations here a few tips to keep in mind:

Scammers and criminals don’t take a break during the holidays, in fact they might get busier. An ElderWatch survey of Coloradans 50+ found a lack of knowledge about some holiday-related scams. Be vigilant this holiday season and take extra precautions to ensure your hard-earned money does not end up in the hands of scammers:

Social Security imposter scam calls have turned into the most common scam of 2020.

Scammers follow headlines and trends. That is why it is no surprise that they are now posing as representatives from Amazon. With more people staying home and shopping from home than ever before, many consumers rely on delivery services like Amazon for some of the products they used to buy at a store. Reports of scams invoking the Amazon name have skyrocketed in recent months. Here are some tips for avoiding Amazon imposter scams:

Peer-to-peer (P2P) payment platforms like Venmo, PayPal, Cash App, Apple Pay and Zelle allow consumers to transfer funds online or through an app quickly from their bank account to other people or businesses. In a recent ElderWatch survey 43 percent of Coloradans 50+ indicated that they use these apps for the recommended purpose, transferring funds to friends and family. But beware, scammers are requesting payment via P2P apps more and more. Here are some tips to help stay safe:

Because of the Coronavirus global pandemic, scammers are using different ways to approach their victims. Often times they will use the guise of a government agency or reputable business to try and obtain personal or financial information. The following are a few of the imposter scams to watch out for during this time:

With more Coloradans staying home than ever during the global Coronavirus pandemic, it is important that we review some the ways that scammers might try and take advantage of isolated, financially strapped or bored people:

Every 10 years the United States conducts a census to count all of the people living in our country. Because the Census attempts to contact all people, it is reasonable to believe that scammers might try and take advantage of this opportunity to attempt to collect personal and financial information. Knowing how the Census works will help you avoid potential Census scams. Here are a few things you should know: