CRIS Healthy Aging helps seniors avoid scam callers

DANVILLE, Ill. (WAND) — CRIS Healthy Aging along with the Attorney General's Office, and Carle Health have provided a few tips on how senior citizens can keep their personal information safe.

CRIS Healthy Aging is part of the Carle Health system where they work with individuals over 60 to help them live healthy and active lifestyles. Today's seminar taught attendees how easy it is for scam callers to gather important information through a simple phone call.

“Keep in mind when they’re being asked personal questions, birthdays, social security numbers, to hold on back, and not give that information. If it’s a doctor’s office and they need your medical card, your insurance card, just tell them you’re going to bring it with you when you come to your appointment,” said Executive Director of CRIS Healthy Aging, Lisa Miller.

Participants took important tips like setting up voicemail, checking caller ID before answering, or simply not answering at all if the number isn't familiar. But sometimes that isn't enough.

“Usually if someone is trying to scam you and you answer the phone, they’re going to try to get your attention with something horrible happened to a grandchild or something like that to try to get information out of you,” said Miller.

These tips weren't just for senior citizens, they're for everyone that receives scam callers daily.

“Senior fraud is not just seniors, it's everyone," said Miller. "Just avoiding any attempts of fraud, we all get them daily, I receive phone calls daily. Luckily I have an iPhone, so it blocks potential spam but there's still some that get through."