Scammers who incessantly try to defraud seniors pay attention to headlines. News items describing scarcity of vaccines, long lines of seniors camped out, waiting to get Covid vaccines, fear of contracting a new variant—all are like invitations to scammers. They adapt quickly and invent ways to capitalize on fear. Fear is around us, particularly among aging loved ones, who are always the most vulnerable to serious infection and death from Covid 19. What’s the latest?
Elders anxious to get vaccines are targets for vaccine scams on the net and phone.
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Scammers contact elders on their lists and offer ways to “beat the system”. Pay money and we’ll get you a vaccine ahead of everyone else. Pay money and come to this place and you can get it without anyone knowing about it but you. You MUST get a vaccine, we’re from the government and you had better comply. Do it here. Or, pay money and we’ll ensure you a vaccine reservation. Or, give us your personal information and credit card and we’ll give you a reservation. They are relentless.
These are the typical come-ons. And people fall for them every day. Even if you’re not worried because your aging parent doesn’t use the internet, or social media, they are still on the hunt for those who will pick up the phone. Many seniors are in the habit of answering their home phones when they ring without looking at or having caller ID. Even with caller ID, thieves have found ways to “spoof” the ID to make it look like a government office, Medicare or an insurer.
According to a warning put out by the FBI you need to alert anyone, especially your aging parents about these emerging scams. The FBI warning describes numerous thieves’ methods, including these:
- “Unsolicited emails, telephone calls, or personal contact from someone claiming to be from a medical office, insurance company, or COVID-19 vaccine center requesting personal and/or medical information to determine recipients’ eligibility to participate in clinical vaccine trials or obtain the vaccine
- Individuals contacting you in person, by phone, or by email to tell you the government or government officials require you to receive a COVID-19 vaccine”
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Most of us find it revolting that anyone would take advantage of vulnerable elders during a pandemic but clearly these scammers will stop at nothing. You can alert the ones you love to pay attention to the joint warnings by our Centers For Medicare & Medicaid Services, and the FBI and wait their turn for getting vaccinated in their county. We do know that people over 75 are a priority for getting their shots and that close behind them in many places are those over 65.
What you can do to help ensure that your aging parents don’t fall for schemes to rip them off about vaccines is to check into what your loved ones’ county posts on its website about vaccine availability. If your aging parent has difficulty using the internet or website to sign up for a vaccine appointment, that’s something you can do to help—make the appointment and be sure they remember and have a way to get there.
I got my vaccine today, as I’m a senior and my county has availability for some of us. I saw wheelchairs in front of the site, showing that if anyone has trouble standing in line, they will accommodate those who can’t stand or walk as needed. That was encouraging. Think about the logistics of your loved one getting to a vaccine center and waiting as needed. If you can help, good. If not, someone you know may be able to do so. Ask. Working together in our communities, we can get all our aging loved ones vaccinated without falling for scams.
Advice about how to manage resistance or family conflicts about vaccines is available at AgingParents.com,