Why Do People Target the Elderly?

It’s an unfortunate part of life that the older we get, the more likely we are to be taken advantage of. But why is that? Why is it that the elderly are so often victims of different scams and fraud, and why are they sometimes treated so poorly in general? The answer is a simple one: they were brought up in a different time. Most elderly people living today were raised in a time where it was expected of them to be polite and welcoming to most anyone they met. Of course, these days we know the world no longer operates like that, but back then, kindness and respect were the normal way of living.

Unfortunately for the elders in our society, that same way of living cannot be expected of some people in the world today. There are those who view their kindness and generosity as a sign of an easy mark, someone that can be duped into parting with money or possessions with very little effort. Again, it goes back to the way that older people were raised. Back then, they would never have thought to take advantage of someone financially, emotionally, or otherwise, and so some of them don’t think anything about sending money to help get a scammer’s loved one out of jail or something of that nature.

That’s why it is so important for us as family members and friends of elderly individuals in our lives to make sure and speak with them if anything seems out of the ordinary, or if they’ve been receiving many strange phone calls recently.

We want the best for them, and we want to keep the ones we love safe from every kind of harm, and it’s important to realize that because they grew up in a different era, they aren’t necessarily going to be as keen to notice when someone is taking advantage of them. This is especially true it the fraud is happening over an extended period of time.

If you suspect that a friend or family member is being taken advantage of, be sure to speak with them about it. Don’t be afraid to voice your concerns, and ask questions. Again, if things don’t seem right to you, it’s likely that they aren’t, and when you’ve figured that out, you can start the process of making sure that your loved one is safe and protected, and that he or she knows more about what to watch out for so that someone cannot take advantage of him or her in the future. As always, once you know about what’s happening, you can better keep an eye on them and be ready to help should the need arise.