Scammers are targeting some of the state's most vulnerable residents—the elderly.
It may come as no surprise that nearly a quarter of Florida’s population is made up of seniors aged 65 and older. Unfortunately, these older adults are often the victims of con artists and scams because they tend to have retirement savings readily accessible and are at home more often.
Seniors also tend to be more trusting, having lived in a society where private information was truly private and not so readily available on the Internet.
It’s estimated that almost $700,000,000 have been taken from Florida seniors through financial scams. Luckily, there are groups working to protect seniors, and make sure that they are better informed to protect themselves from financial predators.
Jacqueline Chiodo is president and CEO of Palm Beach County life management group Elderly Services of Florida. She joined Dan Leveton on First Coast Connect to discuss how to protect seniors from these scams.
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