Criminal scammers like to target seniors because they are often easier for them to fool.
Most people have probably been the victim of a scam of some sort. Even if it was a benign scam, like someone tricking us into believing something that is false, it still counts as being scammed. Anyone can be the victim of a scam.
However, when unscrupulous people try to scam others with criminal intent, usually out of money, then such criminals prefer to take the path of least resistance to make their schemes successful. That means many scammers prefer to target the elderly, whenever possible. This is because the elderly are more likely to suffer from cognitive decline and live alone as the Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog points out in "Top 10 Scams That Target Seniors."{: target="_blank"}
The many different types of scams targeting the elderly. Popular scams include Medicare supplemental insurance fraud, tricking someone into thinking a relative is in trouble and in need of bail, making someone think they owe money to the IRS and fake funeral pre-payment schemes.
The important thing for seniors to keep in mind to avoid getting scammed, is to never give out any personal or financial information to someone right away. They should always avoid making rash decisions, take time to think about it and ask someone else about it.
When a senior does fall victim to a scam, it is important not to be embarrassed about it. It is not a personal failing.
Instead of just feeling bad, seniors need to report what happened to the police and they should contact elder law attorneys to see if anything else can be done.
Reference: Wills, Trusts & Estates Prof Blog(March 21, 2018) "Top 10 Scams That Target Seniors."{: target="_blank"}