Just Hang Up - Scams Against Seniors, Part 1

It all starts with a simple phone call or a piece of mail telling you that it's your lucky day. You've won the lottery! But there's a catch- to get your prize you need to send the caller a few small fees. And then a few more. Through incremental and persistent requests for money, con artists squeeze their victims out of funds they don't have, all the while promising that the prize winnings are just around the corner.

"Dan Rather Reports" investigates a scam that targets American seniors, bilking them out of hundreds of millions of dollars. But a few victims are fighting back and working with police to help trap their would-be tormentors. The trail leads to Jamaica where con artists have built a thriving organized crime network to prey on unsuspecting Americans.

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[marciathehooligan]

I'm 53 and I'm on Medicare (I'm a cancer survivor).
2 weeks ago, a young woman "from Medicare" called me & was asking me a bunch of questions. She had a thick Indian accent.
I told her, "if you are indeed from Medicare you should know this stuff. Just mail me some info if you're wanting to give me a service. Explain it in writing".
She said I would need to talk to her "supervisor" which I knew was a translation for "ok this woman is sharp. I better go get the big gun".
So this Indian guy gets on the phone & starts asking me how much I get on my HEALTHY FOODS card.
And again, I said, "gee if you are indeed from Medicare you should have all of my information. Just mail me some paper"..
He HUNG UP ON ME!
These criminals thought they were gonna get all of my information so they could use it for Lord knows what!
ALWAYS just tell them to mail the information

[rolo]

One big red flag is when the strange voice on the other end warns you about telling the clerk behind the counter what you are doing!

[TrixieTricks]

10 Years have passed since this wonderful series and scammers are still thriving. Educate yourself and your family members. It's our only defense.

[stephanielaurenbounds]

HANG UP THE PHONE!!! IGNORE THE CALLS!!!!

[mejustme]

My Father always told us, there is no such thing as a free lunch. Meaning if it sounds too good to be true you cannot count on it or believe it.

[philipthomson]

Unsolicited phone calls = hang up
Unsolicited mail = bin
Unsolicited messages = delete
Unsolicited visit = call the cops.

[anishabale]

This is the saddest thing I've watched. Really broke me to tears watching how these poor elderly people are treated. We need to find these scam centers and make them pay for the lives they've ruined. We also need to provide counselling services for these elderly people who had to go through the trauma from being scammed. We really need to do better for the elderly.

[brookem]

Absolutely DISGUSTING robbing an elderly person. This makes me sick and breaks my heart.

[summerslake]

My friend got a call from a scammer telling her she won 2M dollars but can only receive it if she paid a certain fine. She responded: "OK take it out of the winning and send the balance for me." She NEVER got another call from them again! I spend what I earn.

[Lambert]

When they mention :God-fearing, " you know it's a scam. They're looking for the most gullible victims.

[barbaramatthews]

I am a Senior . I simply do not pick up my phone to unknown numbers. Also I do not get involved in any suspicious mail

[ainvencivel]

I love this anchor's voice. I could listen to him for hours, literally.
So peacefull, calm…

[moonkissed]

I wish I had the money to reimburse Norman for ALL his losses! I am so very very SORRY NORMAN!!!!

[jaelynnzee]

Someone called a relative of mine and said I was in jail in Canada and they wanted my family member to wire money for my release!! Thankfully they called my mom and were able to confirm I was home and just fine. It's pathetic. Don't listen to callers.

[wallacegeller]

Lock up these scammers for long periods of time behind bars.

[FrancesHart]

These elderly come from an era when people were decent and there was no exposure to the global cesspool of despicables. We do need to find ways to protect them using technology, law and software.

[OCDTraci]

This is probably going to fall on deaf ears, but I have to say something here. To the commenters calling the victims "stupid" or "greedy" try, "gullible" or "desperate." Many senior citizens live paycheck to paycheck, and I'm talking a social security check. They have no one to care for them and no means to return to work. Keeping this in mind, one can start to understand how the promise of money becomes enticing. The technological world we younger folks live in is not the same world as our grandparents once knew. How dare any of you chastise them for becoming a victim. It is this same heartless attitude that the scammers have when they swindle our elderly out of money. One of these days, if we live long enough, we will be old too. I guarantee in 50 years, the world will again have changed into something wholly unfamiliar to us. I don't think any of us would appreciate the young people at that time saying we somehow to deserved to have our lives destroyed. So next time, before you open your uninformed, hateful mouths, think about what the fuck you are saying. It could be you or someone you love one day. My opinion has been stated and I will not discuss it further with any of you hateful bastards.

[mikepech]

I'm a 77 year old senior and love scammers. When they call, I have a problems processing what I hear and speech problem because of a stroke. I have them repeat things 3 or 4 times and when I talk with a stutter. Then talk about my hobby collecting coins that I have been doing for 50 years. That usually keeps them talking for quite a bit longer. Then when they are through with what their scam all all about, in perfect english tell them thankyou for my entertainment and have a good day.. You wouldn't believe the language and the things I've been called.

[Pimpishone]

I'm a Army Veteran and even young soldiers as well as civilians become gullible, desperate and needy as long as blood flows through your veins guess what you have emotions, moods, feelings, needs and need comfort whether financial, emotional or sexual. Our logic is only clear when we tend to behave like robots instead of human beings.

[jimmyhoffa]

My dad who was in his late 80's and stroke received a phone
call saying he had won a lot of money and to receive it
he needed to send a certain amount of money to get what
he had won.
Of course I panicked and asked my dad what he did.
His answer: Told them to take what I owe to receive the money I won and subtract it from my winnings and send the rest to me.
I asked my dad what happened and he said they hung up
on him!