For Halloween, Tips That May Help Prevent Tricky Fraudsters By Sondra Forsyth Scammers cheat seniors out of approximately $2.9 billion annually, according to the Senate Special Committee on Aging. Now, that’s a SPOOKY statistic!  No one is safe from being a potential target of a scammer—but the elderly are particularly vulnerable. Beware of Trick or Treat callers – Don’t pick up calls from unknown numbers. The IRS and other government or financial institutions rarely make outbound calls and never ask you to provide personal information. Don’t be ghosted by a money mule scam – Avoid helping strangers with cashing checks, delivering packages, or receiving goods. Beware of calls from tricksters claiming to be a family member in urgent need of money – Hang up immediately to avoid falling for this common trick. Family skeletons may bring out the worst this time of year – Ghoulish actors are everywhere today, including on your internet searches, emails, and texts – Don’t click on unsecure links that could expose your personal information and log in credentials. “One of the best things you can do is to keep an open dialogue with your family and loved ones about recognizing potential scams. Encourage each other to share if something sounds suspect,” says Lauree Peterson-Sakai, strategy leader for Wells Fargo Aging Client Services.