SENIOR'S SAFETY WEEK 2007

Seniors living alone can be victims of fraud

During National Seniors’ Safety Week, the Canada Safety Council reminds Canadian seniors living on their own to be careful to avoid telemarketing and other scams.

Seniors can be a victim of a fraud or get-rich-quick scheme. PhoneBusters, a Canadian anti-fraud centre, estimates that 84% of the money lost to bogus prize and lottery telephone scams was from people aged 60 and over.

Protect yourself from fraud!

Be very wary about information that you give out over the telephone. Some warning signs of fraud are when the person contacting you:

- asks for your credit card number
- wants you to pay for a prize they say you have already won
pressures you into deciding quickly
- seems extremely excited about the opportunity they are offering
is overly friendly
- wants to give you money in exchange for letting them use your bank account to transfer a large amount of money.

To find out more about the financial abuse of seniors, read the Canadian Health Network article Stolen money and stolen health, or visit the website for National Seniors' Safety Week.