Q. I have owned my home for 20 years and am well on my way to paying off my mortgage. I have enough money to make my monthly payments, buy groceries, pay utility bills, and save a little for retirement. The same was true for my … [Read more...]
Deed Fraud May Be on the Rise – Learn How to Spot if You’re a Victim of House Theft
Deed Scams and Title Scams – Protect Your Senior Loved Ones
Q. My brother, Alexander, recently transferred his residence to a Living Trust Plus®. Shortly after, he received a "Deed Processing Notice" in the mail that looks a lot like an official government bill. It indicated that he and … [Read more...]
Been the Victim of a Scam? The ReST Program Can Help!
You get a new text message from a number you've never seen before. It reads something like, “Hey is this Bonnie? It’s Steve. We chatted on a silver seniors dating site before when I came to visit my granddaughter, but we never met … [Read more...]
How to Scam-Proof Your Life During the COVID-19 Pandemic and the Holiday Season
Q. My neighbor, Kathryn, was the victim of a COVID-19 grandparent scam recently. She was contacted by a criminal who posed as her panicked grandson in need of thousands of dollars quickly for an emergency hospital bill. Of course, … [Read more...]
How to Avoid Three Scams Following the Massive Equifax Data Breach
Wayne was planning on taking out a home equity loan last year to make his home more accessible for his mother, who was moving in with his family. One of the first things he did was order a credit report from Equifax, Experian, and … [Read more...]
When They Ask if You Can Hear Them, Say “No!”
Q. I think my mother was the victim of a scam. She had some suspect charges on her credit card last month for more than $500 and was quite upset when the bank called and told her that her bank card was compromised, as well. I … [Read more...]
Massive Amount of Romance Scams Target Older Victims
Q. My brother is a disabled older adult living in a group home. He has no assets that he can access himself but does have significant assets in a special needs trust with me as the trustee. Recently, he has been asking me for … [Read more...]
One Typo Could Cost You Your Computer
Q. My sister-in-law Janet is always on Facebook. She loves seeing what her children and grandchildren are up to, catching up with old friends, and playing Scrabble. She is a quick typist, and one day, in her haste, she recalls … [Read more...]
Critter Corner: Scams to Watch Out For
Dear Angel, As my father is getting older and his dementia is getting worse, I am concerned that he is more susceptible to getting taken advantage of by scammers and con artists. Can you tell me about some of the more recent … [Read more...]
Critter Corner: A New Scam Targeting Victims of Scams
Dear Commander Bun Bun, On Tuesday, I read Mr. Farr's article about the marriage scam, and was upset to see this is happening. I wanted to tell you about another instance in which my grandmother was scammed out of her money, … [Read more...]