Last week Detective David Hale and Officer Kennith Frascella met with the West Chester YMCA Senior Social Club to discuss frauds and scams. The group learned about the types of scams most commonly reported to the police so they can avoid becoming a victim. The most common scams that target the elderly are Social Security and IRS scams, fake computer virus scams, romance and dating scams, lottery and sweepstakes scams, and the grandparent scams. 

Did you know?

• Scams targeting the elderly cost them over $3 billion dollars every year
• Many victims do not make a police report 
• The elderly are a common target due to their trusting nature and easy access to liquid assets

Look for red flags!

• The IRS and Social Security Administration will not call you demanding payment in gift cards
• Is it too good to be true? Did you receive a check for $5,000 by mistake and now you are being told to keep $500 for yourself and send back $4,500?
• Is someone demanding that you act now and pay in gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency?

We encourage anyone in a situation where they believe they may be getting scammed to STOP, THINK, and VERIFY the information before taking action.