Predators

One of the rock-bottom scams facing seniors? Kids (set up by unscrupulous adults) who pose as grandkids who have gotten into trouble and need instant cash. They can be clever and ruthless arguing "Please don't tell Mom, she'd kill me." Too many seniors have fallen for this, sad to say. If a call comes like this, ask questions only your family would know. If they say through fake sobs "I'm your granddaughter," ask which one. Ask for her birth date, what school she attends, the name of her pet.

More and more children and youth are involved in things we seniors have never experienced (and may never experience). They possess cell phones which take pictures and go online. They have their own computers (often in the privacy of their own rooms). They set up their own web pages or post their stories on places like YouTube (Broadcast Yourself), Google Talk, Google Video, Gootube (nickname for YouTube when Google bought it), Vimeo, Myspace, Facebook, . . . They understand to a degree Voice over IP, instant messaging (IM), texting, blogging, Jingle protocol, XMPP and on and on.

Our senior moment is not only understanding only a little of this, but coping with it when the occasion arises. Now, when some of these personal pages hit the Internet, some are well-protected, suitable only for chosen friends and possibly family (however, you'd be surprised how many parents have no idea what their children are putting on the web). Even if protected, there are those ingenious enough to accumulate information they should not have. Imagine the scenario of scammers knowing things about your family which can be used against you.

Predators and scammers lurk in the dark, seeking whom they may devour. What once seemed quite sheltered rises to consume the innocent. Names, dates, phone numbers, email addresses, pictures (some rather provocative) and even come-ons become fodder for the predator. When that predator child calls Grandma seeking money, it could be even more insidious than a blind shot in the dark. These scammers often have more information than imagined.

Scams are almost too numerous to classify. A good place to begin is to go to the web at consummersaffairs.com. and check out scam alerts. Here are a few current pitches (remember there aren't many new ideas and most new scams are just variations of the classics).

Earn big money stuffing envelopes
Big senior savings on prescription drugs
Send in baby's birth certificate to get a savings bond from Gerbers
Burn fat while you sleep
You have a large cash settlement in Canada (or elsewhere)
Bad Credit? We'll find you a lender
It's your lucky day. You won
We're checking out your husband's credit card
Get fast cash—real estate with no money down

This is a no-fun senior moment: falling victim to a scam. Unfortunately, it happens every day. Scammers can be charming, polite, well-mannered and convincing. Even the most wary and sophisticated person can be duped by strangers and even friends, neighbors, and worse, family.