• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
(914) 220-1086

Law Offices of Thomas L. Gallivan, PLLC

Just another WordPress site

  • Home
  • About
    • Attorney Profiles
      • Daniel F. Gallivan
      • Thomas L. Gallivan
      • James C. Freeman
      • Andrew J. Gilbride
    • Testimonials
  • Practice Areas
    • Personal Injury
      • Car Accident Lawyers
      • Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
      • Slip & Fall Lawyers
      • Truck Accident Lawyers
      • Wrongful Death Lawyers
      • Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
    • Nursing Home Abuse
    • Criminal Defense
    • Medical Malpractice
  • Blog
  • Resources
    • Videos
    • Notable Cases
  • Contact Us
  • Home
  • About
    • Attorney Profiles
      • Daniel F. Gallivan
      • Thomas L. Gallivan
      • James C. Freeman
      • Andrew J. Gilbride
    • Testimonials
  • Practice Areas
    • Personal Injury
      • Car Accident Lawyers
      • Pedestrian Accident Lawyers
      • Slip & Fall Lawyers
      • Truck Accident Lawyers
      • Wrongful Death Lawyers
      • Motorcycle Accident Lawyers
    • Nursing Home Abuse
    • Criminal Defense
    • Medical Malpractice
  • Blog
  • Resources
    • Videos
    • Notable Cases
  • Contact Us
Call
Contact
Blog
Home  /  Fraud  /  NYS Officials Warn the Elderly to Beware of Phone Scams that Spike During the Summer Months

NYS Officials Warn the Elderly to Beware of Phone Scams that Spike During the Summer Months

by Law Offices of Thomas L. Gallivan, PLLC 11 Jul2014

According to the National Council on Aging, phone scams targeting elderly victims have become so prevalent that they are now considered the “crime of the 21st Century.” The scams are often difficult to trace and are considered a “low risk” crime by fraudsters. Beth Finkel, Director of the AARP in New York, remarked, “It’s estimated that fraud cost older Americans $2.9 billion in 2011 alone, and as society ages and people live longer this problem threatens to get worse.”

To combat these phone scams, which usually spike during the summer months, Attorney General Eric Schneiderman warned potential elderly victims to beware of five common fraudulent phone calls. The first such scam involves a person who calls an elderly person and claims to be the victim’s grandson or granddaughter. In some cases, the scammer will have obtained the grandchild’s name from social media sites. In other cases, the scammer will trick the elderly person into giving the grandchild’s name by saving, “Hey! It’s me. You know who this is?” Once the elderly victim believes that the caller is his or her grandchild, the scammer will then state that he or she is in trouble and needs money immediately. The caller may say that he or she is going to be evicted or needs money to be bailed out of jail.

Another scam involves a caller who claims to be an officer of the court. The caller will tell the elderly person that there is a warrant out for their arrest for failing to report to jury duty. To avoid arrest, the scammer will tell the elderly victim to send money via services such as Western Union. In one case, investigators were able to trace such a call to a Georgia prison.

Fraudsters may also claim to be with a governmental agency that assists people in claiming lottery winnings. The caller will state that in order to claim the prize, the “winner” must send money to cover taxes and administrative fees. In some instances, the caller will ask the elderly person for personal banking information in order to deposit the “winnings” into his or her account. The scammer will then use this information to make fraudulent purchases or withdrawals.

Scammers will often use electronic devices that will “spoof” their caller-ID information. For instance, their calls may come up on caller-ID as “Internal Revenue Service.” In such cases, scammers will claim to be with the IRS. They will tell the elderly victim that he or she owes back taxes and must pay immediately to avoid being arrested. In a similar type of scam, callers will claim to be with a local utility company. The caller will state that the elderly person is behind on his or her utility bill and must send money immediately to avoid a service disruption.

Schneiderman advised senior citizens to hang up the phone immediately if they receive fraudulent calls.

Posted in: Fraud, Nursing Home Abuse

Primary Sidebar

Get In Touch

Practice Areas

Personal Injury

  • Wrongful Death
  • Motor Vehicle Accidents
  • Trucking Accidents
  • Pedestrian Accidents
  • Construction Accidents
  • Scaffolding Accidents
  • Slip, Trip & Falls (Premises Liability)
  • Negligent Supervision at a School or Day Care
  • Sidewalk Falls
  • Elevator Accidents
  • Train and Subway Accidents

Nursing Home Neglect & Abuse

  • Bedsores (Pressure Ulcers)
  • Falls & Fractures
  • Malnutrition and Dehydration
  • Physical and Sexual Abuse
  • Wandering & Elopement
  • Unexplained Bruises and Cuts
  • Infection
  • Choking Incidents
  • Medication Errors
  • Group Homes
  • Assisted Living Facilities

Criminal/DWI Defense

  • DWI (Driving While Intoxicated)
  • Criminal Defense
  • Traffic Violations
  • DMV Refusal Hearings
  • Sex Crimes
  • Shoplifting & Larceny
  • Assault & Vehicular Assault
  • Drug Possession
  • Drug Sales
  • Weapons Charges
  • Domestic Violence
  • How is a DWI Defined in New York?
  • Is the Driver’s License Confiscated Immediately Upon a DWI Arrest?

Medical Malpractice

  • Failure to Diagnose Cancer
  • Birth Injuries (Gynecological, Obstetrical)
  • Medication Errors
  • Surgical Errors
  • Gastric Bypass Surgery Errors
  • Emergency Room Errors
  • Failure to Diagnose Heart Attack or Stroke
  • Cerebral Palsy
  • Erbs Palsy Birth Injury

Trusts + Estates

  • Wills & Trusts
  • Divorce, Child Support, Custody Issues
  • Elder Law
  • Estate Planning
  • Guardianships
  • Medicaid-Planning
  • Power of Attorney / Health Care Proxy
  • Probate and Estate Administration
  • Surrogate Court Litigation
  • Real Estate
  • Business Formation
  • Wills
  • Will Contests

View All Practice Areas

View All Blogs

CLIENT TESTIMONIALS

" Last year I was injured in an accident, and for the first time, needed the advice of an attorney regarding how to proceed. I was referred to Thomas Gallivan through a family member who is a lawyer in Massachusetts. I am beyond pleased with how Thomas handled my case. He was knowledgeable, professional, and although the case was not as straightforward as some, he used every resource to ensure a positive outcome. Thomas communicated with me regularly and I felt completely informed and confident in his ability. He expertly negotiated a fair settlement that I was very happy with. The entire experience was extremely positive, during a stressful time for me. Thank you Thomas. "

Melanie

" Attorney Thomas Gallivan is a wonderful attorney!! I particularly liked his professionalism, consistency, always kept us updated on the case, and available upon request. He worked extremely hard and was persistent on getting the best settlement in a timely matter. I truly appreciated his prompt responsiveness to emails and phone calls. The office staff was very pleasant and made sure to get messages to him asap. Glad we chose this law firm, would highly recommend and in the event that we ever need an attorney again, Gallivan & Gallivan would be my primary choice. "

Katherine R.

" I was a passenger on a motorcycle and ended up falling off the back of the bike due to the driver acting like an idiot. I fell off at a high rate of speed and was very banged up. Fractured wrist and road rash down my back and elbows. I am lucky I didnt die. Not knowing what to do I contacted Thomas and he could not have been anymore helpful!! He went out of his way to meet with me. He actually came to my house for the initial consultation. I know nothing about law or what my options even were. He took me through everything step by step. "

Colin W.

View All Testimonials

245 Main St Suite 450 White Plains, NY 10601

Phone:
(914) 220-1086

Fax:
(516) 394-4229

555 5th Ave 14th Floor
New York, NY 10017

Toll Free:
(855) 228-7369

(By Appointment Only)

1370 RXR Plaza
Uniondale, NY 11556

Phone:
(914) 594-6820

Fax:
(516) 394-4229

12 1st St
Riverhead, NY 11901

Phone:
(914) 825-5855

Fax:
(516) 394-4229

Footer

  • Home
  • About
  • Practice Areas
  • Blog
  • Resources
  • Contact Us

ATTORNEY ADVERTISING

Copyright © 2022, Law Offices of Thomas L. Gallivan, PLLC