12 November 2016
PRIME TIME
Senior ID Theft Is
On the Rise
By Barb Armijo
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A
lthough most anyone
can be a target of fraud
and identity theft, senior
identity theft is on the rise and
those ages 50+ are often in the
cross-hairs of scammers.
The New Mexico Department of
Public Safety recommends that citizens
find out as much as possible how to
prevent ID theft and how to battle
back if you are a victim of this type of
crime. The department recommends
the Albuquerque-based non-profit
ID Theft Resolutions website as one
resource.
Mark Medley, president and founder
of ID Theft Resolutions, Ltd, said his
organization is dedicated to educating
the public, officials and legislators
about the challenges presented by
identify theft. The organization has
resources on how to recover identities
and protect credit.
“The at-risk population is seniors
and the elderly,” Medley said.
“They are often the ones who may
get confused and give out more
information than is necessary over the
phone or online, not realizing how
dangerous that could be. It’s important
for families to get an identity
‘checkup’ just to make sure everything
is protected.”
The checkup may include family
members going over a loved one’s
bank statements, credit card statements
and credit reports. He said his
organization has consulting services
and hosts workshops throughout the
year to help people.
He knows firsthand how difficult
it might be for people who have
been victims of ID theft. In 2001,
The New Mexico
Department of Public Safety
suggests the following steps in
case of identity theft:
1. File a police report. Make sure
to get a copy of the report.
2. Close any accounts that may
have been tampered with or
opened without your knowledge.
3. Call the three credit reporting
bureaus and place a security
freeze on your credit file.
• EQUIFAX: www.equifax.com;
1-800-525-6285
• EXPERIAN: www.experian.com;
1-888-397-3742
• TRANSUNION: www.
transunion.com; 1-800-680-7289
4. Review your credit report for:
• Accounts you didn’t open;
• Debits on your account that you
didn’t know about;
• Inquiries from companies you
don’t know;
• Inaccurate information.
5. File a complaint with the
Federal Trade Commission.
his identity was stolen and he said
he spent the next several years
frustratingly struggling to get back his
good name.
“No one should have to go through
what I did just because someone stole
their identity,” he said. “There are a
number of things people can do now in
the name of prevention.”
Medley said his preventative care
plan for seniors includes:
1. Make sure their caregivers are
trustworthy. Sadly, an awful lot of
identity theft is not committed by
strangers; this is especially the case
when it comes to seniors, who are
more likely to have caregivers of
some capacity who have access to
their homes and personal property.
If you are the adult child of a senior
who needs care, be on the lookout
for suspicious behavior and conduct
a background search if necessary (or
use a reputable company that performs
background checks). Make sure
documents and other items containing
personal and financial information
are locked away where they cannot
be easily accessed, such as a home
safe or a safe deposit box at your local
bank. This is also helpful in case a
scammer going door-to-door manages
to get inside the home. Leaving mail
or a checkbook visible on counter tops
increases the risk of theft that could
lead to fraud or identity theft.
2. Talk to them about common
scams. The IRS publishes a “Dirty
Dozen” list every year that details
the most common scams people have
reported in that time period. This past
year, the top spot surprisingly went
to phone scams. Since senior citizens
are more likely to have landline
phones in their homes than people in
other generations, it’s very important
that they know to be on the alert for
potential scams and how to tell if
someone is trying to trick them. Some
seniors may be reluctant to talk about
fraud because they don’t believe it’s
possible for them to become victims,
but don’t let that stop you.
3. Keep an eye on their financial
activity. Older people are great targets
for scammers, especially their money
and other assets. With more and more
seniors getting online, not only are
they at risk for mail and telemarketing
scams, but they are also targets for
email scams. Many of these scams
involve sending money or providing
credit card information, so keeping
tabs on your relative’s financials can
help you spot any potential fraud as it
happens. Some scammers that target
the elderly will offer medical tests or
equipment for free or a reduced cost,
asking for credit card or bank account
information in order for the product
to be received. Make sure your senior
understands that the old adage of, “If
it’s too good to be true, it probably is,”
still applies in this day and age.
(continued on Page 17)