Reader comments
Scammers see 'bull's-eyes' on seniors, state official warns

The question that really upsets me is WHY can't something be done to stop the scams from being sent to our mail? Why doesn't someone at Yahoo invent e-mail that is scams proof? Why hasn't someone invented private e-mail so we don't have to look at things that are disgusting to us? Is it that they are not smart enough or just don't want to stop these intruding messages that are trash? Are they getting paid not to try to stop spam? Someone invented e-mail to start with, now fix it to control spam!

Respecting 32 but machines, they were designed to communicate with other machines and spam is a communication. Spam is identifiable and sent to junk mail when detected, but so too are legitimate e-mails sent to junk mail.

It frustrates me just a little that someone would warn seniors with enough good information to just anxiously "scare" them, but not sufficiently to help them really be safe or even to continue functioning with "others" confidently. "Don't trust anybody," just doesn't seem to give any assurance, because seniors cannot just stop functionaing.

I recently witnessed a senior woman being subjected to "elderly abuse" by a local debt collector attorney. I am an In-Service Missionary forthe LDS Church and I was assigend to care for this elderly "shut-in" woman. An attorney was "abusing" her. I appeared in court in her behalf before this attorney and confronted him. I madeit very clear that he might be looking at elderly abuse charges if he didn't cease and desist. His firm has not contacted her since.

Make it a very serious crime with heavy jail time penalties to scam or abuse the elderly.

I always avoided Direct Marketing to People who I felt I might be taking advantage of. There is enough money out there to avoid Seniors, and Retarded and People with Mental Illness.

To do other wise is shameful. I am a Senior now and someone called and pitched me somthing the other day and I had to look real close to see the scam. Then I asked my Daughter for a 2nd Opnion, she said I was right but was a little concerned that I took so long to nail it.

I rarely buy anything from people I do not contact first, or cannot call back, or from 3rd party call centers or from India.

No! The last time I checked still works. As does hanging up the phone.

I love getting the Supervisor on the phone and reviewing the callers presention. Sometimes I tell the supervisor that he/she is wasting their money on him/her.

If they ask for a reason I say, The fact that they handed the phone or went and got you.

Sometimes I ask, what is it that your caller is trying to sell. As I can't understand them.

#1 - if they contact YOU first, it's a scam.
#2 - if they are a friend, relative or church friend - it's a scam.
#3 - repeat the above.

ANYONE who gets scammed in their old age, is likely a gullible person who has been scammed all their lives. Publisher's Clearing House, pyramid schemes, chain letters, "get rich quick", quick-money anything, MLM. ALL of those things use the gullible to make money.

Yes they do, and it is legal, very legal, if they are over 18, (21 for some items) and of a sound mind then they are fair came. Why do you think they have Weight Loss (with out exercise) Commercials.

My wife bought every Richard Simmons Tape there is, and used 1 Once. I draw the line at hanging cloths on the thread mill.

She wanted to buy the tapes. She does very well so I do not argue when she wants something. I just buy it or order it.

I bought a machine on sale (had to have it right then) that allows me to convert my large LP Collection to CD's (Basically a Record Player with a USB Cord) 2 years later it is still in the Box and I have since bought a New Computer, this wonderful Windows Vista, HP I have now with Movie Maker and otheto me useless dings and Whistles.

However also Chess Titans, which I truly love. I will never be a Master again but I will do have fun, and the Cats can't steal the pieces.

Now Spray on my keyboard, that�s another issue.

Avoid Scams, don't speak to Strangers.

We made a decision several years ago that we accept no solicitation via the telephone and certainly not via the e-mail.
I also do not participate in any telephone questionaires for anyone..
When there is a charity that we know about we ask that they send their literature to the house so we can discuss whether we will contribute or not..
In this day one has to be very careful..and for heaven's sake do not purchase any of those magazines so someone (who showed up at your house) can win a contest!!!

I am not easily fooled, but was deceived by a website that offered to help me find documents I needed to do genealogy. After I paid the $39 and got to the website it was a dummy, and all they offered was a chance to buy more "search points" even though I had already been awarded 16 points. I suggest researching website names before taking their offers. By the way--where and to whom can you protest such a scam?