SYRACUSE -- Syracuse Police are warning seniors to be on the lookout for scam artists trying to take their money.
Americans lose $25 million each year to scams. Syracuse Police Officer Tom Williams says seniors are often the target. "They exploit people's weaknesses. Trust your instincts, nobody is going to give you anything for free," he says.
Helping seniors avoid scams was the focus of a seminar at St. Joseph's Hospital Health Center Thursday morning. The seminar, sponsored by the Franciscan Companies, seeks to give seniors the tips they need to avoid getting ripped off.
Officer Williams says one common scam is a senior getting a call from a someone claiming to be a relative who is overseas, in trouble and in need of money. "One gentlemen whose wife had just died, got a call from someone claiming to be his grandchild. The individual said that he was in jail in Toronto and needed money for bail. This fellow was about to send the money but thankfully someone suggested he check it out. He did and it turned out it was a scam," he says.
Williams says there are 3 tips everyone should follow in order to protect themselves from being the victim of a scam. "Never give out personal information, don't give out your credit card number and don't send money without finding out where it is going," he says.
Anne Burghardt was almost the victim of a scam but she waited before sending her money and as a result avoided losing more than $4,000. She says when in doubt, check it out. "The thing I came away thinking about is take your time, really think it over, assess it," she says.
The FBI also has some tips, specifically for seniors. Click here to see the FBI's list.
