Medical Scams May Target Elders

One of the most common and insidious forms of elder abuse is financial. Unfortunately, many con artists prey on older people, including residents of nursing homes and elder care facilities In 2010, for example, older Americans lost $2.9 billion to financial abuse — about half of it to members of their own family. This marks a 12 percent increase over 2008. 

Many factors leave elder Americans more vulnerable to fraud and financial abuse. In some cases, they may suffer from lost financial abilities or degenerative cognitive diseases. Other people may have left financial decisions to their spouse and now find themselves widowed and unequipped to discern scams. In addition, elderly people are less likely to be familiar with the modern technology that many of these scams rely on. 

The elderly are more likely to suffer illnesses and ailments, making them especially susceptible to plans that involve medicine and medical treatment. Here are three medically related ways in which scammers may try to defraud the elderly: 

1. Health Care, Medicare and Health Insurance Fraud – All Americans over the age of 65 are eligible for Medicare. Some scammers may call and pose as a Medicare representative in order to obtain personal information, which they later use to fraudulently open credit card or other accounts in that name. Another strategy is to offer fake services at makeshift mobile clinics and then use the patient’s personal information to bill Medicare for treatments that were never provided.  
2. Counterfeit Prescription Drugs ­– Many elderly people live on a fixed income. Since drug prescriptions can be very costly, they may search online for less expensive drugs. Unfortunately, this can make them susceptible to buying counterfeit prescription drugs. In many cases, these drugs are simply an ineffective way to treat medical problems. Sometimes, however, it’s even worse – the drugs may actually cause harm. Authorities say that counterfeit prescription drug scams are growing. Since 2000, the FBI has investigated an average of 20 cases every year. 
3. Fraudulent Anti-Aging Products – In a society obsessed with youth, anti-aging products do a brisk business. They also offer opportunities for con artists to try to defraud seniors. Like prescription drug scams, fraudulent anti-aging products carry a risk even greater than financial loss — they may be dangerous. Fake Botox scams are not uncommon. In 2006, for example, a fake Botox ring in Arizona pulled in $1.5 million before its perpetrators were convicted and jailed. The key ingredient of Botox is botulism neurotoxin, an extremely toxic substance. Any fake remedy using this ingredient could be extremely dangerous.

If you suspect fraud or a medical scam, you can protect your elderly loved ones by immediately alerting nursing home officials and Kentucky law enforcement officials.