Many seniors may not know they could be one phone call away from a scam, according to Lisa LeGrand of Home Instead Senior Care.
"Someone calls and pretends to be a loved one, and tells the senior, I'm in trouble, I'm in jail, if you can send me this money, and they give instructions on how to do it. People are falling for this."
Statistics show elder abuse costs nearly 3 billion dollars ever year.
According to the experts, the top three crimes targeting seniors are: Identity Theft; Medicaid, Medicare and Medication Fraud and Financial Exploitation.
Mary Griscom has received some strange e-mails in the past.
"I've gotten things from they call it a barrister, but it's a lawyer, and they'll say, oh, somebody has died, and we found you, and you're the inheritor, and I know it's a scam, because I've taken it to the police, and Regents Bank before."
That's why Home Instead Senior Care has put together a senior fraud protection kit.
The company helps seniors live independently.
But you can get the kit for free even if you're not a client.
The phone number to call for the free kit is: 423-893-9993.
Lisa LeGrand says it's crucial to get the information out to families.
"There are only like 25 percent of the 55 and older range that have had something happen to them that have been victimized like this that actually report it, because they're afraid that their family will say, well you're not fit to live alone if this is happening to you."
