Getting old carries with it many things that aren't good, and one of them is loss of common sense.  People who've gone through life with a good grasp of what's going on around them, which means they used their heads in a common sense way to make sound judgments, suddenly end up doing some of the most scatter-brained things imaginable.  We tend to forget more things as we get older, and maybe that's part of the problem - we even forget to use good sense sometimes.  The world is full of people who know this, and that's why lots of old folks get scammed and bilked out of tons of money each year. 

We can't talk about all the scams at work out there, but we can focus on a few of them.  Charity scams are everywhere, and it's easy to be taken in by these con operators . . . if you don't do a little homework.  Telephones and computers are the most useful weapons these scam artists have . . . and it works wonderfully well for them.  But the same is true of each of us, our best weapons against scams are the same two things.  If in doubt about a request for money from you, pick up the phone and call people like the Better Business Bureau and ask about the organization in question.  You can find any number of numbers to do this available in a phone book . . . and if you can't, then call somebody local and ask them where to go for help.  Call the police, or the local Chamber of Commerce, or even a local newspaper - but ask somebody before you give in to a request for money.  Get on the computer and check them out.  You'll find a lot of websites that alert people to the scams out there

First off, you should be suspicious of anyone who asks you for money.  They've all got good stories.  Remember, they are professional con operators, scam artists who're damn good at what they do.  Be especially leary of charities because they're the worst.  Ask questions.  If they get defensive, hang up and forget them.  You're not dealing with honorable people, so don't worry about your manners.  And even if they are supposedly legity, like all these support organizations for cops, be on guard.  Most of these outfits are scams, even though they are legal, because most of the money you give to them never gets to the source they supposedly raise money for.  If you press them for specifics, you'll probably find this out.
Are you a police officer yourself? Do you work directly with the police?  How much of the money you collect really goes to injured police officers, or to drug programs? 

I checked carefully on an organization here in Texas, even after giving them some money a few years ago, and found that less than ten percent of the funds raised by them actually went where they said it would go.  And if you think the government protects you from these people, think again.  They are often in partnership with the con artists themselves. 

Millions of americans bought insurance policies when they turned 65 as supplementary to their medicare.  One such plan, highly advertised, was called an advantage plan.  They're ridiculously cheap, and they're very careful to never tell  you that if you opt for this plan, you're medicare will no longer pay anything - nothing, diddly/squat.  And then you get sick or injured, and find that your advantage plan won't even pay for half of it.  At this very moment, these guys are out there selling advantage plans to people who're going to get screwed big time - and government set this whole deal up. 

All scam operations, especially the charities, work around emotional issues like orphaned children, saving animals, saving the environment, and the like.  Many of them are legitimate, but a big number of them aren't.  And never forget the old saying: If it seems to good to be true, it probably is.  My suggestions as to how to deal with scam operators, telemarketers, computer marketers, etc., is to block their avenues of reaching you.  You can get a phone service that screens calls, and you can get computer programs that blocks most spams, popups, etc.  Or . . . you can do like me and just never answer the phone.  If someone calls I want to talk to, I'll pick up or call them back.

The thing is, use your head some.  If you are confused as to what's legit and what isn't, ask around.  Do some checking.  Better safe than sorry, right?

D. Paz, 1/17/08