District Attorney Warns of Senior Scams

By David Alger

District Attorney Robert Tendy has been making the rounds across Putnam County speaking on the insurgence and sophistication of different kinds of scams that have been targeting seniors lately.

During the July 15 Putnam Valley Town Board meeting he highlighted the importance of common sense and vigilance against scammers. Tendy said the only way to fight these entities is to not give any personal information to anyone over any kind of communication devices.

The district attorney stated that, across the country, more than $3 billion is scammed from individuals every year – primarily from seniors. Usually it’s done via email, text message, snail mail, and phone call, but with the constant upgrades and sophistication of artificial intelligence, scammers are getting deeper and deeper into the bank accounts of unsuspecting victims. 

Tendy advised loved ones to be aware and watchful over their older family members to help them stay safe.

Nowadays, scammers can record someone’s voice over the phone, and every second a person spends on the line with someone they don’t know can be detrimental to their financial health. Scammers use those voice recordings to contact banks, open up saving accounts, apply for mortgages, and purchase big-ticket items. 

Tendy asked parents to educate their children on the importance of not speaking to strangers on the phone, advising them not pick up a call when they don’t recognize the number it’s coming from.

A popular scam happening across the country is the “grandparent scam,” in which scammers are using voice recordings of grandchildren to contact their unsuspecting grandparents. Once contacted, they are using these recordings to falsely explain to the grandparent that their grandchildren are in some sort of financial trouble, where their parents couldn’t be reached, and their help (financially) is needed immediately. 

While it might sound silly, this kind of scam is sophisticated and has affected thousands of grandparents across the U.S., according to Tendy.

The biggest piece of advice the district attorney shared was to keep information close to the vest: do not give out information to just anyone, and do not give information out over the use of technology. In addition, he advised residents to try not to pay bills with checks sent through the mail. Instead, pay them using secure means so that checks and other important personal bank statements are kept private.

Most importantly, Tendy reminded the public to use common sense, and to not post personal information on social media; do not share with others that you are away on vacation, or out of town. Scammers and other criminals target senior “snowbirds” by knowing what times throughout the year people might be away at a second residence. 

“If you don’t give them information, they can’t scam you,” said Tendy. “Do your part to keep your finances safe by keeping your private information safe first.”