I’m not sure who to be more pissed off at, scammers or the people they prey on, especially old people! In this case, the old people being my very gullible in-laws!!!

My mother-in-law was on the computer yesterday and a pop-up came up saying her computer was infected or corrupted or something to that effect, and to click on the button to fix the problem. Of course, that immediately locked the computer down and required she call a number to “get it fixed”, which she did. They demanded $300.00 via credit card to fix it and said that would include a 9-year warranty. When she said was 80 years old and didn’t need the warranty, they said it would still be $200.00.

She gave them her CC number... big mistake! They claimed the card wouldn’t work so she them gave them her checking account number and routing number!!! Un frikkin believable!!! By the time the bank opens Monday and she swallows her pride enough to call and try to put a stop to her screw-up, her account will likely be cleaned out, and that’s all the money they have... with no other sources of income! She is a real hardheaded dumbass, and getting worse as she ages, and my father-in-law is even worse, so it’s sorta hard to feel sorry for them. We have preached and preached about this kind of thing, but naturally neither one will listen! It is just sooo frustrating...

And the scammers... well, they need their balls cut off and shoved down their throats!!!

That is all.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: bronicabill,

Call the CC company and the bank as fast as possible and close both accounts. Even though it is after banking hours, they should have an active phone service.

Wow. Maybe it’s time to start taking an active role in managing their finances, if there are any left after this booboo.

The "kids" repeatedly tell Mom (age 91) about the latest scams, to be wary of everyone and everything, and don't give out any information. She is more cautious now, but still feels she has to answer every phone call and lets them begin their spiel before hanging up. She feels she has to be polite.

This is why I accept calls from scammers. Every minute I keep them on the phone wasting their time is one less minute they have available to scam somebody who doesn't know any better.

My banker says she gets at least two older people a week coming into the bank wanting to wire money out to a scammer of some sort. Even when they have a police officer explain that it is a scam they are still not 100% convinced.

quote:

Originally posted by arfmel:
Wow. Maybe it’s time to start taking an active role in managing their finances, if there are any left after this booboo.

My wife and her two sisters have been trying to take an “active role” for several years now, with little result. If anything it’s only getting worse; trying to discuss anything financial with them lately is like talking to a brick wall. Either you get nowhere with them, or mother-in-law will change the subject! I assure you, all 3 sisters have been attacking this problem for quite awhile now, but it’s only getting worse!

quote:

Originally posted by mcrimm:
Call the CC company and the bank as fast as possible and close both accounts. Even though it is after banking hours, they should have an active phone service.

Mother-in-law has to do that as I have no control over it, and convincing her that she’s been scammed is the first hurdle. The second of course is convincing her of the urgency!

Her oldest daughter who carries the most “clout” has already been trying, but with little luck so far. She just refuses to listen as her pride gets in the way...

quote:

Originally posted by bronicabill:

quote:

Originally posted by mcrimm:
Call the CC company and the bank as fast as possible and close both accounts. Even though it is after banking hours, they should have an active phone service.

Mother-in-law has to do that as I have no control over it, and convincing her that she’s been scammed is the first hurdle. The second of course is convincing her of the urgency!

Her oldest daughter who carries the most “clout” has already been trying, but with little luck so far. She just refuses to listen as her pride gets in the way...

Banks and CC companies aren't ignorant or inconsiderate of situations as what happened. Have one of the sisters call with the mother present, prep the call taker about the situation and the mother's condition, then hand the phone to the mother to talk.

I hate to be that dick, but for their own health and safety, you might be able to get POA forced. Care for a loved one who is older isnt easy, but at the same time, you have to do it. Sometimes they need to be shown either they listen, or you will have to make a tough call.

I'm not saying this out of spite or a hatred of old people, trust me, its more the fact I have a grandfather who has Alzheimers, and if my grandmother passed, who knows how he would be off.

A good friend of ours older gentleman was scammed via his Facebook page. He gets a call from "granddaughter" says she's in some state down south and has been arrested and needs bail money. Because of the info on his Facebook page, she knows what his real granddaughter's pet name for him and of course the scammer uses it a number of times. Longer story short several thousand dollars later his real granddaughter was here in Maryland the whole time. He never thought to call to find out if she was out of state. So if your aging parents have too much info on their social media just give them FYI. Chris

I get them all the time. Last week it was "Miguel from the pharmacy" about my prescriptions. I do use two pharmacies as one gives me my Lipitor free as a promotional (they do the same with neonatal vitamins and antibiotics as a promotional)and the one has a Miguel there.

I said "which pharmacy?" to which he replied "the pharmacy." OK, no name, red flag, and a lousy phone connection that sounds like an overseas call. Again I ask "Which pharmacy?" Again, "the pharmacy." Third time I said "What pharmacy are you calling from?" To that he replied "It depends on what insurance you have."

To which I replied "Bull**** scamming b******". I know it really didn't matter to him but it made me feel better. I get the Medicare insurance calls all the time, just hang up on them but once in a while I decide it time to screw with them.

I dealt with the aftermath of one of the energy supplier ones about twenty years ago for my late father in law. It's sad how these soulless bastards prey on the elderly. Now I am one of the demographics that they prey on but I'm not going to be an easy one to screw over.

I get several scam calls a day in house phone.
The cell I keep turned off unless I plan a call.
Does no good to block them,they just call from a phone bank mill.
When a # I don't recognize I say hello and place phone at the radio and let them talk to it.

quote:

Scammers and Old People!

Scammers, period. But old people came from a time when (at least in their memory) people were more trustworthy, as well as their bullshit filters diminishing with age. And even I went for the ransomware popup once, but I was at least smart enough to have a computer repair place "delouse" it. But, already a "bottom-feeder" computer - the cheapest one Dell made in 2004 - it never worked as well after that.

I never fully understood this. If you've been around that long, you should know how shitty people can be. I understand having lived in a time when it may not have been so bad, but it has been bad for quite a while.

I'd figure you'd be so jaded that people could rarely pull one over on you.

quote:

I'd figure you'd be so jaded that people could rarely pull one over on you.

You must know the same old people I do.

A local lady, a widow living on SS, got scammed out of her life savings by some of those bastards over the phone, money she needed to repair, repaint and reroof her house . One of those you won this money but you must first send us money to cover processing etc... Those bastards got three paymants from her before a bank teller noticed that she was being scammed. About 26k total as I recall.

When it hit the newspaper front page the people and businesses in our community volunteered the materials and labor and did the work for her all in one weekend. Local restaurants fed the volunteers.

Talk about people from complete opposite ends on the humanity scale... I have to believe there is a much different fate awaiting them at life's end.

quote:

Originally posted by flesheatingvirus:
I never fully understood this. If you've been around that long, you should know how shitty people can be. I understand having lived in a time when it may not have been so bad, but it has been bad for quite a while.

I'd figure you'd be so jaded that people could rarely pull one over on you.

I'm happy for you that you've never had to directly deal in protecting an elderly soul with dementia. The most common is Alzheimers, but equally destructive is the dementia which is sometimes a component of advanced Parkinson's Disease.

I am responsible for a lady, soon to be eighty, with advanced PD dementia. This women earned a full ride scholarship to Northwestern University, graduating with honors. Went on to earn her Teaching Credential and Masters from UC Berkeley, and a second masters a few years later in School Administration...

After forty years in the school system, she retired and began serving as a court appointed Guardian Ad Litem, representing the interests of abandoned and abused children who were in the County Juvenile system. Never accepted a dime for years of work in the child's behalf, other than reimbursement for her vehicle operating expenses. In other words, she was a tremendously capable and remarkably well educated person who was very successful at most anything that interested her, including investing.

Now, as a result of the dementia, she cannot recall how to put her Apple iMAC computer to sleep, nor how to awaken it when wanted. We go over this every day. It and all the other negatives of "losing the Executive Function" as neurologists like to describe are tremendously debilitating for her, because even though she is unable to understand the most fundamental of concepts or logic, there is still just enough of a "glimmer" of that native intelligence still "in there" somewhere so she knows, or at least suspects she is losing her mind.

Speaking as one who loves her and is trying to make sure her remaining life in an assisted living facility is as good as possible, it is the constant knowledge that things will never get better, only the continuing spiral of deterioration. That is a difficult reality to face each day.

Don't be cavalier in your judgement of those who may have lost their abilities to protect themselves.

Don

I have rescued my mom from "water purifier" scams that were nothing more than a small water softener sold on a payment plant for about 4x what it was worth, and from a corrupt middle eastern carpet salesmen (EMPIRE, COUGH, COUGH) that wanted $5000 for $1500 with of carpet.

The thing I CANNOT understand is how old people trust the salesmen and charlatans, but FAIL to call their children and trust them to handle this kind to thing.

My mom agreed with me, 3 quotes first, then decide after, so I THOUGHT we were OK. And the empire ARAB gave her the "sale is ending today" BS and she fell for it. Thank god for 72 hour contract cancellations....

Trust liars and thieves and fail to call the only people you CAN trust! Apparently this is common, but I'd like to know why?

The sales liar know exactly what buttons to push. And despite all the efforts of loved ones to protect their elderly parents or relatives, they ignore our help and side with the liars. Can anyone explain this? Please!!???

Right before my dad died, he lost money to some phone scammer. He was told he was helping poor children. You need to watch the elderly and I am soon going to be there.

quote:

Originally posted by dsmack:
Don't be cavalier in your judgement of those who may have lost their abilities to protect themselves.

Don

Thank you for posting that. It really gives us something to think about.