According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), con artists are more likely to target seniors than other age groups. Seniors are more susceptible to such scams because they are polite and trusting and often have good credit and own their own home and/or have other financial assets. The FTC reports that fraudulent telemarketers direct up to 80 percent of their calls at senior citizens. Seniors citizens continue to be a rapidly increasing segment of the population, and that makes them a prime target for con artists and thieves. Education and awareness are the first steps to help protect seniors from becoming a victim of crime and fraud.

ANNUITIES:

For information concerning scams in the sale of annuities, view the "Annuities: It's Your Choice" video from the Department of Insurance.

COMMON SCAMS:

Learn how to recognize common scams and what you can do to avoid them, including spam, phishing, and identity theft.

Learn what seniors should know before hiring a contractor.

Senior alerts warning of deceptive practices in the marketplace can be found from the Department of Insurance.