3 ms·
Ask HN: How do you keep elderly parents from getting scammed?
I'm thinking specifically about phone scams -- is there any technology you use to keep the scammers at bay?
But also more generally: What methods do you use to keep elderly parents/relatives from being taken advantage of?
Are there any tech companies that are trying to address this issue?
- quadrature 11y agoThere's a YC for thathttp://techcrunch.com/2013/08/01/yc-start-up-true-link-financial-is-out-to-help-the-elderly-avoid-scammers-with-pre-paid-visa-cards/ http://techcrunch.com/2013/08/01/yc-start-up-true-link-finan... Personally I find online scams more difficult to deal with. I've installed ad block plus and malwarrbytes, but blog spam inevitably gets to my parents.
- codingdave 11y agoThey can do the same thing I do with phone calls - "I do not conduct business over the phone. Please send me a letter." Legit businesses will send you a letter, as well as legit financial or legal matters. Scams, telemarketers, and most sales folk will just not contact you again. Once your parents do get letters, they can have someone help to look things over.
- brudgers 11y agoShort of taking control of their finances, you can't. Scammers are professionals and in the field of scams everyone else is an amateur. Technology can't address the issue that the skills of scammers are primarily social [1]. That's why scammers say they are Nigerian princes. [2] The best you can do is to maintain a good open relationship. Maybe calling your mom today will help. Good luck. [1] the big boys like Google and Microsoft and Facebook etc. are handling a lot of potential technical online scamming. [2] http://research.microsoft.com/apps/pubs/default.aspx?id=167713 http://research.microsoft.com/apps/pubs/default.aspx?id=1677...
- gesman 11y agoMy dad just told me his computer is running awfully slow. I bet he clicked on every single attachment that comes via email. He is in another country - but luckily he does not do any online banking.
- talub 11y agoYou also have to watch out for your parent's alma maters. My Mom, 85 years old and cognitively impaired, gets multiple calls during the year asking for donations. They know she's old when they ask for her by name and class year.