Page 22 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, NOVEmbER 11, 2022 S y Senior Top Financial Scams Sa a a Dear Savvy Senior, What are the most common scams today that target elderly seniors? My 75-yearold mother has been swindled several times over the past year, so I’m being extra cautious. Paranoid Patty Dear Patty, Great question! While many scams today are universal, there are certain types of fraud that specifi - cally target older adults or aff ects them disproportionately. And unfortunately, these senior targeted scams are on the rise. According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), in 2021 there were 92,371 older victims of fraud resulting in $1.7 billion in losses. This was a 74 percent increase in losses compared to 2020. Here are fi ve of the most common senior scams that were reported last year, that both you and your mom should be aware of. Government imposter scams: These are fraudulent telephone calls from people claiming to be from the Internal Revenue Service, Social Security Administration or Medicare. These scammers may falsely tell you that you have unpaid taxes and threaten arrest or deportation if you don’t pay up immediately. Or they may say your Social Security or Medicare benefi ts are in danger of being cut off if you don’t provide personal identifying information. They may even “spoof” your caller ID to make it look like the government is actually calling. Sweepstakes and lottery scams: These scams may contact you by phone, mail or email. They tell you that you’ve won or have the potential to win a jackpot. But you need to pay a fee, or cover taxes and processing fees to receive your prize, perhaps by prepaid debit card, wire transfer, money order or cash. Scammers may even impersonate wellknown sweepstakes organizations, like Publishers Clearing House, to fool you. Robocalls and phone scam: Robocalls take advantage of sophisticated, automated phone technology to carry out a variety of scams on trusting older adults who answer the phone. Some robocalls may claim that a warranty is expiring on their car or electronic device, and by Jim Miller Fiil S Targeting Seniors Today payment is needed to renew it. These scammers may also “spoof” the number to make the call look authentic. One common robocall is the “Can you hear me?” call. When the older person says “yes,” the scammer records their voice and hangs up. The criminal then has a voice signature to authorize unwanted charges on items like stolen credit cards. Computer tech support scams: Theses scams prey on senior’s lack of knowledge about computers and cybersecurity. A pop-up message or blank screen usually appears on a computer or phone, telling you that your device is compromised and needs fi xing. When you call the support number for help, the scammer may either request remote access to your computer and/or that you pay a fee to have it repaired. Grandparent scam: The grandparent scam has been around for several years now. A scammer will call and say something along the lines of: “Hi Grandma, do you know who this is?” When the unsuspecting grandparent guesses the name of the grandchild the scammer most sounds like, the scammer has established a fake identity. The fake grandchild will then ask for money to solve some unexpected fi nancial problem (legal trouble, overdue rent, car repairs, etc.), to be paid via gift cards or money transfers, which don’t always require identifi cation to collect. Other Scams Some other popular scams targeting older adults right now are romance scams through social media and online dating sites, COVID-19 scams, investment scams, Medicare and health insurance scams, and Internet and email fraud. For more information on the different types senior scams to watch out for, along with tips to help your mom protect herself, visit the National Council on Aging website at NCOA.org, and type in “the top 5 fi nancial scams targeting older adults” in the search bar. Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book. Seni nior n r ior OBITUARIES | FROM PAGE 21 and graduated from Everett High School, Class of 1979. She continued her education taking classes at Bunker Hill College. Brenda went on to join the Carmans Union and worked as a mechanic for Amtrack & the MBTA Commuter Rail. She was a woman who took great pride in her job. Brenda married her first love, Henry A. Lewis, in June of 1989. They settled down in Chelsea where they raised their three children. They shared 33 years of marriage together. Brenda was a loving person full of life, making friends wherever she went. She had a strong work ethic surpassed only by her love & dedication to her family & friends. She is survived by her husband Henry A. Lewis, her children, Kenneth T. Lewis of Chelsea, Kristy M. Lewis of Chelsea, and Ronnie C. Lewis of Chelsea, her siblings, Robert J. Kaczorowski of Somerville, Christine A. Kaczorowski of Lynn, Deborah M. Jenner of Melrose, and her grandchildren, Nataliah, Alinah, and Hannah. She was preceded in death by her sisters Roberta A. Kaczorowski, Donna M. Kaczorowski, her brother Ronnie C. Kaczorowski. And dedicated friend Elizabeth E. Calabro. Visitation will be held on Sunday, November 13th, OBITUARIES | SEE PAGE 25 CITY OF EVERETT - LEGAL NOTICE - ZONING BOARD OF APPEALS 484 BROADWAY EVERETT, MASSACHUSETTS 02149 To Whom It May Concern: This notice is to inform you that, the matter referenced below, originally scheduled to be heard on November 21, 2022, will instead be heard at a Special Meeting on November 28, 2022 at 6: 00 P.M, Everett City Hall, 3rd Floor in the George Keverian Hearing Room. All interested parties may attend and opinions will be heard regarding the following petition. The matter will be called at the Board’s November 21, 2022 meeting solely for the purposed of immediately continuing the matter to November 28, 2022. No testimony or evidence will be taken in this matter at the November 21, 2022 meeting. Whereas a petition has been presented by: Property Address: Person Requesting: 17 Albert Park Map/Lot: A0-05-000047 Harcharan Singh and Jagtar Singh 17 Albert Park Everett, MA 02149 Owners Representative: John Mackey 14 Norwood Street Everett, MA 02149 PROPOSAL: To alter the existing single family residential house into a two (2) Family residential house Reason for Denial: The lot size is too small at 4657 square feet in area, and no parking was indicated on the supplied plot plan. Permit was denied in accordance with the City of Everett Zoning Ordinance Appendix A as follows: Violations: • The existing lot does not have the required size of 7,000 square feet • The supplied plot plan does not indicate any proposed parking for the required four (4) required spaces Zoning Ordiance: Section 4 Dwelling Districts b Dimensional Requirements line 2 Lot Area which states: b. Two Family Dwelling------7000 Square Feet Section 17 Off-street Parking line 2 (A) Off-street parking facilities shall be provided in accordance with the requirements as outlined below. Where the Term “gross square feet” is used, it shall mean the total occupiable floor area measured within the exterior walls of the building. (Original Ord. Of 2-26-1965, 6-29-87) 2. Multifamily dwellings--------------------------------2 spaces per dwelling unit MARY GERACE - Chairman Roberta Suppa - Clerk of the Board of Appeals November 11, 18, 2022
23 Publizr Home