Truth 13 No respect for their elders
It should be clear by now that a social security number (SSN) is the key to your information security. From health care to car purchases, your SSN is what makes you who you are—at least in the eyes of the government, banking institutions, credit card companies, and the like. But often forgotten is the whole point of the SSN.
If you are old enough, you probably remember the plan for every American over the age of 64 to be guaranteed a secure retirement. Well, the age has been changed to 67, and by the time I’m old enough to collect, all the baby boomers will have drained the system dry. But for now, it’s working as planned. Each month, my parents collect their social security check and spend it on lawn gnomes and bad sweaters.
Unfortunately, there are some who feel that the retired are already living the good life and might be better off penniless and confused. Just when you think they couldn’t sink any lower, identity thieves make prime targets out of the elderly, who often can barely survive through their social security checks.
Identity thieves often seek out the elderly for a number of reasons.
The elderly often live alone and have fewer family members and friends looking out for them every day. This can often isolate them and make them a primary target to a thief.
They are also less likely to realize they have become a victim and, if they do discover it, they are less likely to report the crime.
The elderly tend to be far more trusting and in many cases lonely, which gives the benefit of the doubt to strangers who are kind to them.
Elderly people often have a large amount of disposable income and an excellent credit rating.
Whether or not all of these stereotypes are true, the point is that people who are 70 years or older are primary targets of identity thieves.
In a common ruse, identity thieves call an elderly person claiming to be performing a survey. The survey might be on anything from television shows to the types of food the victim eats. While many younger people simply explain they do not have the time to waste on such calls, often the elderly are happy to give their opinions. During the call, the thief attempts to strike up conversations outside of the “survey” questions. This allows them to gain more and more personal information under the guise that they are simply enjoying talking with the victim.
Thieves will attempt to harvest personal Information, such as
Name and home address
Primary physician’s name
Insurance provider
Names of relatives and what towns they live in
Do you live alone?
Do you receive a pension?
Do you have any pets? What are their names?
Do you own your home? How long have you lived there?
Do you own a car? What kind is it?
While most of these questions may seem benign in nature, all of the information gathered can be used later by the skilled identity thief. Upon completion of “the survey,” the thief may even go so far as to explain how much he enjoyed the call and ask if he can call again another time just to talk more. Establishing a relationship with the victim often opens the door to long-term compromise.
Starting with those earlier questions, the identity thief has many options for performing his attack. In some cases, he simply waits a week or two and then calls back, this time pretending to be from the insurance company. During the second call, the thief might explain that he is following up on a medical claim that the victim made several months earlier. The thief uses the victim’s name and explains that the claim relates back to the victim’s physician. Since the thief is initially giving information and not asking for any information, he immediately has credibility with the victim. The thief then tells the victim he has been overpaid and has been attempting to send the victim a reimbursement check. However, the address that the insurance has on record must be incorrect since the check was returned in the mail.
As the thief reads the address back to the victim, he intentionally reverses part of the street number. The victim spots the error and points it out. The thief thanks the victim and then explains for security purposes that he needs to make sure he has truly been talking to the victim and not someone just pretending to be the victim. To do this, the thief needs the victim to verify his SSN. Of course, by now the victim is 100% convinced that this truly is the insurance company and gives the number without a second thought. In some cases, the thief also offers to do a direct deposit if the victim would like. Since often the elderly have a hard time getting out, this is a great service. The victim simply needs to supply his bank account number, and the money will be deposited within 24 hours.
While I have some basic suggestions to prevent the elderly from becoming identity theft victims, often it takes other family members and friends to protect those who are most vulnerable.
Never agree to take phone surveys or carry on conversations with people you do not know, whether on the phone or in person.
If you receive a call from someone claiming to be with a government agency or other trusted entity, do not give the caller any personal information. Ask for a case number and contact name, and then call directory assistance to obtain the phone number for the agency and call the person back.
Sometimes the elderly get into a position where they can no longer manage their finances on their own. This is when a trusted family member needs to step in and help. If there are no family members available, contact the AARP for guidance.
Never make purchases when a telemarketer calls, when you get an email, or when a salesperson comes to the door.
If you are taking care of an elderly person, visit often, check the relative’s mail, and ask questions. Does the mail contain large amounts of promotional items? If so, your relative may be making questionable purchases and ending up on “suckers” mailing lists. Has your relative made friends with people on the phone? If so, get involved quickly to find out more.