TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WCTV) – Growing up, the police always taught us to be wary of voices we haven\u2019t heard from, and understand that there\u2019s no foreign prince or someone who needs money getting home.<\/p>\n
But now, people are dealing with much more realistic scammers who go as far as to read through obituaries to make a quick buck.<\/p>\n
An article from two FSU professors found scammers are targeting seniors for an interesting reason, partially understanding of technology, but also because they have more disposable income than the younger generation.<\/p>\n
The professors said that stress and grief can contribute to an earlier death.<\/p>\n
\u201cTime and time again, the older adults who did experience fraud were fearful of telling their children or their siblings because they might lose that independent living situation that they would be forced out of their home to come live with family or put into an assisted living facility,\u201d Julie Brancale, an assistant professor at the College of Criminology and Criminal Justice, said.<\/p>\n
Scams are so sophisticated now, it\u2019s less about age. Videos look realistic, and voices on the phone are almost indistinguishable. <\/p>\n
\u201cAnd some of the research has even shown that they pass away much earlier than someone who had not experienced financial exploitation. So the consequences were far-reaching beyond just the money lost,\u201d Brancale said.<\/p>\n
In the Big Bend, the Hamilton County Sheriff\u2019s Office no longer posts its jail log because scammers have been using it to call unsuspecting family members.<\/p>\n
BitCoin ATMs now quickly whisk away money. Scams are evolving quickly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThey\u2019re growing, their wealth is accumulating… They\u2019re a bigger target and therefore what we know about the criminal enterprise, if there\u2019s an opportunity, people are going to figure out different ways, unfortunately, to get access to that money,\u201d said Thomas Blomberg, the Dean of Florida State University\u2019s College of Criminology and Criminal Justice.<\/p>\n
There are a few things you can do to protect yourself from scams. Be skeptical, call your bank on your own time. Report fraud right away; the same technologies are slowly making it easier to get your money back. <\/p>\n
Most importantly, don\u2019t feel shame or guilt. This can happen to anyone, and a good support network can make all the difference.<\/p>\n
The professors also shared that they are taking their article and working with other colleges at FSU, like those focusing on health or cyber technologies, because they say it\u2019s one thing to know this stuff is happening, but it\u2019s another to combat it when the tech seems to evolve so quickly.<\/p>\n
The professors said elderly Americans are not only being targeted because of technology, but also because they control so much of the wealth.<\/p>\n
\u201cBy 2050, 90 million Americans will be 65 or older… they control somewhere between 65 and 70% of all the invested wealth… they\u2019re a target,\u201d Blomberg said.<\/p>\n
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