Scams

This post is hot off the "press." We just had a visit from our neighbor across the street telling us that she has been the victim of a scam artist this week. This person obviously had found information about her by reading the obituary of her husband who had died a few weeks ago.

Our neighbor is 85 years old and is quite active. She walks for exercise every day she can, goes to her church in Newton regularly, and attends other activities here in the community. She is not out of touch with the world and was quite aware of the scams that have been done to other older persons. And still she fell victim to one herself.

Fortunately she was able to get back the $1000 she had attempted to send this caller, who had identified himself as her grandson. She sent the money via Western Union, but found out after sending it that is was a scam and in checking found out the money had not been picked up by the caller, making it possible for her to stop payment and eventually to get all her money back.

We who are older seem to be targets of so many kinds of scams. We have had some done in person by unknown individuals here at the Villa. It seems also that persons who have lost a loved one triggering a public obituary are especially targeted. While most folks, including me, say they would never fall into a trap by a scam artist, we all need to be aware of just how tricky and beguiling these people can be. And for many older folks, it is hard to think fast enough to know what to say or ask while speaking to these people, whether by phone or in person at the door.

What we're glad for is that our neighbor was smart enough to call her grandson and find out the truth. In looking back she sees all of the clues she had along the way that raised questions in her mind about the veracity of what the caller told her, but which she basically ignored when she made the decision to do what she was asked to do . We encouraged her to think mostly about the good things she did which made it possible for her to get her money back.

We thanked her for telling us her story, which she wants to tell the other neighbors around here as well. Schowalter Villa administrators will be informed, and they in turn will no doubt publicize this information to all residents here. Hopefully our neighbor's story will help us all be more diligent if we are confronted with something of this nature.

Pilgrim on the way