Staying Safe as a Retiree
District Attorney Anita Howard Macon Judicial Circuit
Presentation to: Bibb County Retired Educators Association
January 10, 2024
View the entire presentation here: Retiree Safety
- Take Care of Your Assets
- Be Aware of Scams
- Don’t Be Afraid to Ask Questions
- Know Your Legal Protections
- Stay Connected and In Community
Take Care of Your Assets
- NEVER give out sensitive personal information over the phone or electronically unless you have verified and are expecting the request.
- Check all incoming bills, including utility bills and credit card statements, for charges that you didn’t authorize.
- Don’t transfer money or gift cards to strangers or to someone over the phone.
Be Aware of Scams
- Government impersonator scams
- Fake prize, sweepstakes, and lottery scams
- Computer tech support scams
- The grandparent scam
Don’t be Afraid to Ask Questions
- Government Impersonation Scams
- Why are they asking for YOUR account information if they called YOU?
- Prize, Lottery, & Sweepstake Scams
- Did they actually address it to your name or is it a generic message?
- Why are they pressuring you to act quickly?
- Computer Tech Support Scam
- Why would a legitimate tech company be contacting you randomly, in a way that seems suspicious? Wouldn’t they earn your trust?
- The Grandparent Scam
- Are they asking for a form of payment that doesn’t make sense, like a gift card, wire transfers, or reloadable prepaid credit cards?
It’s ok to appear rude and ask questions!
Don’t be quick to act, be quick to think!
– USPIS Article on Grandparent Scams
Know your Legal Protections
- Elder Abuse is real.
- At least 10% of adults age 60 and older will experience some form of elder abuse this year.
- Don’t be silent.
- Only 1 in 24 cases of elder abuse is reported to adult protective services or law enforcement.
- The intimate nature of many of these victimizations means that older victims are less likely to report offenses committed by someone they know.
- Tell someone if you have been harmed!
Stay Connected and In Community
- Build strong social connections.
- Participate in local senior programs.
- Stay engaged and informed about community events.
View the entire presentation here: Retiree Safety
