When seniors think about the scammers that target them, they usually think about phone scams or online scams. But seniors are also vulnerable when they are out running errands and shopping because often they keep things in their wallets and purses that can be tempting for thieves. Seniors that are aging in place should consider having home care. When seniors have home care their home care provider can shop with them and help them stay safe when they’re running errands. When seniors are out and about there are some things that they should never carry in their purses or wallets like:
Cash
Seniors should not carry cash when them when they shop. It’s very easy for someone to steal cash when seniors are distracted. And seniors may lose cash or have it fall out of their wallets when they are trying to get out their keys, a grocery list, or other items. Since there is no way to recover cash once it’s gone it’s not safe for seniors to carry more than a few dollars in cash. It’s better for seniors to use a credit card to pay for their shopping, especially a pre-paid credit card that isn’t connected to their bank account.
Social Security Card
Many seniors carry their Social Security card with them so that they have it if they need it at the doctor’s office or the hospital but that’s not very safe. Identity thieves can steal that Social Security sell and sell fake documents using that senior’s identity if they have an original Social Security card with a senior’s active Social Security number on it. Seniors should instead put a copy of their Social Security card or a sheet with the number on it on file with their doctor’s office so that they don’t need to carry the card with them.
Checks
Many seniors still use checks to pay for purchases, but checks can be very tempting to thieves. Checks lack the modern security that is used to protect credit card transactions so thieves can still a blank check or a checkbook from a senior and write themselves checks or write checks made out to cash that they can use to steal money from seniors. And if the check is cashed seniors can lose a lot of money. If your senior parent wants to carry a check or a checkbook for emergencies they should tuck it into a secret compartment in their purse or better yet leave a checkbook with a friend or family member for emergencies instead.
Credit Card Receipts
Seniors might be surprised at how much of their personal and financial information a thief can get from a credit card receipt. Most of the time when seniors are checking out from shopping they take their receipt and shove it in their wallet or pocket. But if they drop those receipts or don’t keep track of them a thief could use them to get personal information. Take receipts home and shred them so that no one can use them for identity theft.
