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Elder Services Protective Services
Department can help with scams
Berkshire elders benefit from state programs
during past 4 years
Elder Services Protective Services Department can help with scams
By Susan Geary, Protective Services Supervisor
Pittsfield resident loses $11,000 in phone scam; Driveway paving scam targets elders in region; Police issue warning about telephone scam. These are a few of the headlines about scams found in local papers in the last month and are of growing concern across the country.
Scams can be done by contractors, telephone sales, mail, and the internet in an attempt to target unsuspecting elders into spending their money for things they do not need or want.
It’s hard to know if a sales pitch in person, on the telephone, in the mail, or on the internet is legitimate or fraudulent. Sales people are trained to be very convincing in the product they sell. It is likely a scam if:
You get a call from someone telling you that you have won a prize and they are requesting payment to process the prize, pay sales tax, or some other administrative fee.
The caller refuses to send you written information without commitment.
The caller claims you can make high profits through a business opportunity with little or no effort on your own,
The caller is asking for a donation, but does not describe how the money will be spent or how you can verify if the charity is legitimate.
The company asks for cash, asks for your social security number, bank account numbers, credit card numbers, or asks you to wire money immediately.
If you feel that you are a victim of a scam call Elder Services immediately at 499-0524 or 1-800-544-5242 to report your concerns to the Protective Department. After a report has been made a Protective Services Worker will be assigned to assist with protecting your remaining assets. The worker will collaborate with police, banks, credit card companies, and the District Attorney’s office to pursue restitution and prosecution.
The Attorney General’s office and the Better Business Bureau keep a record of complaints made and can be contacted by consumers prior to making a commitment to hire a contractor or to use a particular business. The best rule of thumb to avoid being the victim of a scam is to never give out personal information, if a sales pitch sounds to good to be true it probably is, always reconcile your bank statements, and credit card statements for unauthorized charges.