Identity theft and the elderly2
Identity theft and the elderly2
The elderly have not been spared from the rising crime of identity thefts. In fact, they have become an easy target for ID theft criminals. This population has been left out in the fight against identity theft, due to the complex terms that are given relating to this crime. Other factors that make this population more susceptible to falling victim to identity theft include their inexperience with using the internet, their trusting nature and the possession of lifetime savings or government assistances. Criminals have found the elderly citizens to be a ripe field for identity theft, because many of the elderly citizens are on their pensions or receive assistance from the Federal government. Some of the solutions that should be put in place include proposing additional laws that will protect the information on the elderly, implementation of mitigation programs that are directed at the elderly, and enacting the proposed Seniors Safety Act and Social Security Number Misuses Prevention Act of 2003. The elderly population should be educated more on identity theft. Some of the factors that make them easily defrauded is because they are mostly lonely and isolated. They spend most of their time with family members or caregivers who can easily defraud them. Most of the identity theft crimes that are committed against the elderly are done by people who are close to the elder person. These may be relatives at home or caregivers in the hospitals or at care centers. Most elderly do not accept that they have been defrauded by these people, due to their caring and trusting nature. Identity thieves can also use the information that they get from elderly persons to borrow credit from financial institutions. Since the elderly usually have a good track record on their credit worthiness, banks are always ready to lend them money. However, most elderly people do not borrow money since they are depending on their savings, and the fraudsters take advantage of this fact. In the end, there may be many accounts that were opened in the elderly person’s name and he is left to cater for all the bills that have accumulated. Most elderly people do not report when identity theft crimes are committed against them. It is important to educate them on the benefits of reporting this crime. A study showed that identity theft is one of the major concerns among the elderly people. It is therefore necessary to put up legislation that safeguards this population. Also, the population should be educated on identity theft and be made aware on how to protect themselves.
