New LifeStyles - San Diego

97 Phone Calls Scammers are asking for people's credit card numbers over the phone. Sometimes, seniors get scared or confused by such calls and forget that they should not give out their credit card number unless they initiated the phone call. Swiping Credit Cards This can occur anywhere, to anyone, without even knowing it because of how it is connected to an ATM or credit card machine you are using. Knowing how this occurs is only half the battle. It is also important to take steps to prevent this from happening to your loved ones. As a senior caregiver, there are some tips you should have your loved ones heed, including: – Make sure your loved one's caregivers are trustworthy because unfortunately, you see it on the news a lot where a caregiver has taken advantage of someone by draining their bank account. For this reason, regardless how much you trust the person, you should always lock up any mail or personal documents while your loved one's caregivers are in their home. – Talk to your loved ones and warn them about the many scams that are circulating today. – Be aware of their personal finances. You will also want to go so far as to pull their credit statement every year just to make sure they are safe. Make sure nobody has access to your loves one's card, license or social security information. It is also a good idea to remind them to never carry any documents with them that are not essential. Since their Medicare card has their Social Security number written on it, make a photocopy of it so you can black out all but the last four digits of their Social Security number. In addition, try to shred all banking and credit card statements once you are done with them. Overall, if you are ever in doubt, the federal government has published recommendations for how long you should keep each type of document. If your loved one uses the computer, make sure their anti-spyware, antivirus and firewall software are up to date. Also, make sure their passwords are safe and also kept secure.

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