Top Tips to Help Seniors Avoid Scams – Tip Sheet by AlarmSystemReport.com

Naples, Florida (PRWEB) October 01, 2013

The American population continues to age, and more scammers are finding ways to target senior adults. The scams that target the elderly range, and while they come in many different forms, there are some universal steps that seniors and their families can take to help them avoid being targeted by a scam.

The security and safety professionals at http://www.alarmsystemreport.com, a site that provides information to help consumers find the best alarm system for home use, have created a valuable list of tips to help seniors avoid scams.

1.    Don’t have checks mailed to a home address. Seniors often receive checks from various institutions, such as the federal government, but scammers can steal these checks from the mail. It’s best to instead have checks directly deposited into bank accounts, which is offered by most organizations, including the federal government the Department of Veterans Affairs.

2.    Seniors should sign up for the “Do Not Call” registry, which can help in the prevention of telemarketing scams.

3.    Before taking advantage of any offer that arrives by mail or email, seniors or their caregivers should carefully read the fine print. If an offer seems “too good to be true” it probably is. Examples of scams involving direct mail include notifications saying the person has won a cruise or a prize of some type.

4.    Many scammers take advantage of seniors by selling fraudulent Medicare discount cards. Before purchasing this type of card, Medicare recipients should contact Medicare directly to obtain a list of official companies that are eligible to sell these cards. Seniors should also note that these cards are not sold door-to-door or over the phone.

5.    Door-to-door scams are a common way to target seniors. For example, individuals will pose as employees of a home alarm system company and offer an unbeatable deal on alarm systems, at which point seniors sign long-term, and often expensive contracts. Senior should either avoid answering the door unless they know who is on the other side, or should avoid making any commitments until they’ve thoroughly read over the contract being offered.

6.    Seniors shouldn’t provide their personal or financial information to anyone unless they’re sure it’s legitimate. This includes over the phone, or via email.

7.    If something is offered for free, there should never be a cost associated with it, such as taxes. This violates federal law. For example, many seniors are offered “free” medical monitoring devices, and then their insurance is charged, and scammers are able to obtain their Medicare information in the process.

About AlarmSystemReport.com

AlarmSystemReport.com is a third-party resource with information pertaining to the home alarm industry, including reviews of the top DIY alarm systems, cellular alarm systems and wireless alarm systems. The company also provides consumers with valuable coupons and discount codes to save money on the purchase of an alarm system.

Read the full story at http://www.prweb.com/releases/senior-citizen-security/security-tips-for-seniors/prweb11013442.htm