Whether it pertains to stairlifts or not, when Acorn Stairlifts says that we care about our customers and their well-being, only wanting to give them the best, we mean it.
This also applies to our customers’ overall quality of life.
We want you to lead the healthiest, happiest, and most fulfilling lives possible. We want to see you succeed and reach new heights not only in mobility and independence but in all areas of their lives.
Without further ado, welcome back to “Acorn Stairlifts Tip of the Week,” a series in which we will equip seniors with all the knowledge, tools, and helpful advice that they need to succeed in their lives—ranging anywhere from physical health, to saving money with senior discounts, and just about everything in between.
Read on to learn why seniors have to be even more careful about avoiding being swindled or scammed.
The Acorn Stairlifts Senior Tip of the Week
Stay safe from both internet and door-to-door scams by learning some safety precautions to take.
With the constant evolution of the internet, technology, intricacy of scams, and craftiness of hackers and scammers, more now than ever, it is important to be educated on how to protect yourself, property, and personal information.
Sadly, seniors are one of the demographics most targeted by scammers, as older people often have more money or assets than younger people and are assumed to be more trusting, gullible, and unfamiliar with technology.
In a scammer’s eyes, seniors are the perfect, easy target, and unfortunately, these seniors often end up becoming victims of fraud.
Make sure that you’re not one of them.
What are Internet Scams?
Internet scams are fraudulent schemes or deceptive practices conducted online with the intention of tricking individuals or organizations into providing sensitive information, money, or valuable assets.
These scams often prey on people's trust, ignorance, or emotions to achieve their malicious objectives.
Signs That You’re Being Scammed on the Internet
First of all, it is important that you are able to pick up on the signs that you are being scammed when something doesn’t feel quite right.
Here are some of the tell-tale signs that someone is trying to scam you that you need to look out for:
- A high sense of urgency
- Probing for personal or private information like your SSN or bank account information
- Coming across as aggressive or overly persistent
- The email or number looks suspicious
- Are emotionally manipulative
- Trying to scare or threaten you
- The offer seems too good to be true
- Something feels off/ the site looks suspicious
- Person seemingly trying hard to convince you of their identity/ cause/ situation/product
- Requesting money
Basic Internet Safety Tips—How to Protect Yourself from Online Hackers
Though you may not be able to rid the world of scammers, something that you can do is educate yourself on signs that you’re being scammed to look out for and take safety precautions to lower your likelihood of being scammed.
These are some things that you can do to better protect yourself from online scams:
- Make sure all of your passwords are strong
- Always opt for two-factor authentication
- Never give out personal information to people who contact you
- Research and verify the legitimacy of people, charities, companies, or organizations before taking any action
- Never click on random links that are sent to you
If you would like to learn a more in-depth version of how you can protect yourself from online scams, as well as common internet scams to avoid, click here.
What Are Door-to-Door Scams?
Door-to-door scams, also known as doorstep scams, involve fraudulent individuals or groups visiting people's homes in person to deceive and defraud them.
These scammers use various tactics to gain the trust of residents, often exploiting vulnerabilities, collecting personal information about them, or creating a false sense of urgency.
Signs That You’re Being Scammed in Person
Knock. Knock.
Who’s there?
Don’t worry—It’s just me, and I’m here to provide you with valuable advice on how to detect door-to-door scams.
Here are some of the tell-tale signs that someone is trying to scam you in person that you need to look out for:
- A high sense of urgency
- Coming across as aggressive or overly persistent
- Are emotionally manipulative
- Trying to scare or threaten you
- Utilizing incentives such as prizes, money, or raffles
- The offer seeming too good to be true
- Probing you for personal and private information
- Sharing intensely sad or grandiose stories
- Requesting money
- Unscheduled visits from “companies” or “authoritative figures” they are impersonating
- Person seemingly trying hard to convince you of their identity/ cause/ situation/product
- They come across as suspicious
- Something feels off to you
Basic Door-to-Door Safety Tips—How to Protect Your Property and Personal Information from Strangers
Here are some examples of safety measures you can take to better protect yourself, your residence, and your personal information from scammers trying to take advantage of you:
- Do not engage with strangers
- Do not open the door to strangers
- Do not allow strangers to come into your home
- Educate Yourself on how to identify scams
- Research and verify the legitimacy of people, charities, companies, or organizations before taking any action
- Trust your instincts and always have some skepticism with strangers
- Question sudden, unscheduled visits from “companies” and “authoritative figures”
- Always protect your personal and financial information
- Never give out personal or financial information until you verify the legitimacy
- Report suspicious activity when you see it
- Never make a rash, on-the-spot decision
If you would like to learn a more in-depth version of how you can protect yourself from being scammed in person, click here.
