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Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsScientists Discovered Why It's So Easy To Scam Old People
Forget being lonely or too patrioticthe real reason it's so easy to scam old people is that they become more gullible with age.
That's according to researchers at the University of Iowa, who studied a part of our brains that controls belief and doubt called the ventromedial prefrontal cortex (via ScienceDaily).
The softball-sized area sits in our heads above the eyes and deteriorates rapidly with age, making it harder to spot a scam, even it's an obvious one.
Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/why-its-so-easy-to-scam-old-people-2012-8
H2O Man
(73,505 posts)used to believe this, I do now.
Voice for Peace
(13,141 posts)you've been testing out this research on DU, too.. now I get it.
H2O Man
(73,505 posts)the oldest member of the DU community.
Lone_Star_Dem
(28,158 posts)Oh, and hate radio. Definitely hate radio should be considered a crime against the elderly.
flamingdem
(39,308 posts)my parental units are perfectly suspicious of scams .. moreso as they age.
The implication here is ageist.
Lone_Star_Dem
(28,158 posts)More so now than she was when I was a kid, actually.
However, since there is specific legislation protecting the elderly from scammers, I'm not sure it's ageist to say some are more susceptible. Financial crimes against the elderly are a very real, and growing problem.
In my personal experience it's a bit like dementia. Some elderly are not effected, while others are.
The only reason I mentioned the spin and hate radio, is because I know person who recently had to take over her mother's financial accounts. Her mother was donating money she couldn't afford, time and time again, to specific politicians. She told me her mother was influenced by the radio programs she listens to everyday. Her mother believed the world as we know it was about to end if things weren't changed in this election. Which in all fairness doesn't even mean it was hate radio, it could have been commercials for all I know. I made that assumption, and I honestly don't have any grounds to have done so.
flamingdem
(39,308 posts)to donate, especially if those asking understand senior vulnerabilities.
The study could be useful if more research was conducted in that area.
Rambis
(7,774 posts)fake ministries, scam vets groups and bloody publishers clearinghouse ought to be sued!
hollysmom
(5,946 posts)I am going to die a cynical old bitch.
Cleita
(75,480 posts)I'm far more cynical than I was at twenty.
AngryOldDem
(14,061 posts)I don't think my general attitudes are going to soften with age. My bullshit detector is pretty much age-proof.
I can't imagine being so gullible as to fall for some of the stuff that some seniors fall for -- like going to the bank and withdrawing one's life savings because two guys in suits show up at their door and tell them to do so.
RebelOne
(30,947 posts)I am 73 and I think we become wiser the older we get.
If I was as gullible as those scientists say we are, I would be losing thousands to all those Nigerian e-mails I get.
hollysmom
(5,946 posts)I play games (sorry) and one of my fellow gamers got a PM from a man who's father was dying in Nigeria - and she felt she had to help him to be a good Christian - it took me hours to talk her out of it, if she was not just pulling my leg, and I don't think she was. They are out there, they are just not me.
I will admit finally allowing some workmen to take advantage of me, just to get some work done. Like paying about 500 too much to get my stairs repaired after I negotiated a good amount and the workmen never showed, probably got more money. These guys showed up the next day did an excellent job and got paid real quick,just happy to have it done! I am cutting back on my negotiating for lower amounts.
nc4bo
(17,651 posts)Phone, emails, those "odd" mailings that come in via USPS asking for bank account #'s, checking account #'s, credit card #'s, social security numbers, shady businesses offering warranties or extended warranties - love older folks.
I always keep a close eye on my mom or anyone wanting info from my mother just for that reason.
Republicans also know this as does Fox News.
cali
(114,904 posts)Good luck trying to scam my battle axe 93 year old grand dame mother.
jberryhill
(62,444 posts)Does this even need to be pointed out?
People don't wear seatbelts and survive auto accidents.
People have unprotected sex, and don't get STD's.
People smoke cigarettes into their 90's and don't get lung disease.
The fact of the matter is that there are scammers who make it their business to target older people. Do they successfully scam every old person they encounter? No. But there is a reason why they prefer older people, and it is because their hit rate is higher across the population.
Adenoid_Hynkel
(14,093 posts)"What you do is, see, you give them all your credit card numbers, and if one of them is lucky, you win a prize!"
unblock
(52,112 posts)Ichingcarpenter
(36,988 posts)all others pay cash.
Now get off my lawn I have to answer this Nigerian e-mail and my republican newsletter.
Ikonoklast
(23,973 posts)My Grandma used to say "Old fools were usually born fools".
Egalitarian Thug
(12,448 posts)It can be overcome, but it's hard and most people don't do hard voluntarily.
Ikonoklast
(23,973 posts)Hard to learn that way, but, still better than never learning at all, I suppose.
nc4bo
(17,651 posts)It doesn't all have to be due to "limited intellect". Some people are naturally more trusting than others. They could be the fortunate ones who've never had a bad experience with a conman or rip-off artist.
Egalitarian Thug
(12,448 posts)the dealership makes all that money by convincing the gullible that they got a deal. Everybody that bought a new car that isn't related or a good friend of the owner, or who works for the manufacturer, paid more than they had to. But ask any of them and they will tell you what a great deal they got and then go into how they brilliantly forced the sales manager to surrender the car at below cost (and left them crying in the showroom).
Yeah, these guys make millions doing this all day every day year after year, but your negotiating skills were such that they just crumbled.
nc4bo
(17,651 posts)Good friend of ours sold used cars for a living and invited dh to go with him the the auction one day and shock and awe doesn't do it justice. So I know what you mean, biggest rip off ever, if you're not a dealer or buds with them.
valerief
(53,235 posts)valerief
(53,235 posts)trackfan
(3,650 posts)that comes in an envelope saying "OPEN IMMEDIATELY: IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS ENCLOSED"?
Did you ever notice that junk ads and scams always come in an envelope like that - often with a logo that makes it look vaguely like it's a government document - an eagle or something, usually; but when you get a check, it comes in a junky looking envelope that you might just throw out because it looks so unimportant.
graywarrior
(59,440 posts)because their sales people were quoting different prices to everyone.
Ikonoklast
(23,973 posts)Easy to confuse the two.
graywarrior
(59,440 posts)AnotherMcIntosh
(11,064 posts)flamingdem
(39,308 posts)Nuclear Unicorn
(19,497 posts)But then again I'm only 24.
HiPointDem
(20,729 posts)aquart
(69,014 posts)That they know when the old soul is going to be in Florida or in the hospital? Because they want to make sure the mail showing, say, the stock churning, is going to the address where the victim isn't.
Trillo
(9,154 posts)Could a synthesis of these two explain so many of our "civilizations" problems?
CTyankee
(63,883 posts)I procrastinate on making some decisions I should have made more quickly because of my caution. I am less likely to take a chance on something that sounds good. I fear the odd quirks of fate more than I do actually being scammed.
It takes a LOT to convince me to do something new or different, because I fear everything that "could go wrong"...
lumpy
(13,704 posts)Or for that matter over 20/30/50 year olds.
Love these scientific investigations.
Avalux
(35,015 posts)He must have been really bad when he was young!!