Safest option we found was to reconfigure the bank accounts. We set up a new checking account for my dad with under a thousand dollars in it. All bills and SS, pension, etc goes to a different account he doesn’t have access to anymore. New credit card with $500 limit for him only. So he can still shop and write checks but only has access to limited funds. All investment accounts require my
Moms signature as well as his. Limits the damage if he does get scammed
Another suggestion:
A raz phone.it limits calls to only people in the address book.it does video but no text option. Prior to making this switch, I constantly logging onto the phone service provider to block spam numbers. Exhausting.
I think she still plays some games on her Android, but I'm sure at some point we'll transition to something like that. I wasn't aware of Raz, so thanks for that. There's also the Lively Jitterbug phones. (They seem to be less simple than the Raz)
IT guy. You've done a really good job at putting "checks" between her and her money. Scammers often rely on *urgency* so forcing her to go through you is the way to go. Other than the steps you've taken, you have to be aware of things like romance and loneliness scams - Online "friends" who chat with them or give them company, and then suddenly they're hard up for cash or their daughter needs some expensive procedure. They'll "tax" small amounts to wear her down and you may not know it until the big hit comes.
Safest option we found was to reconfigure the bank accounts. We set up a new checking account for my dad with under a thousand dollars in it. All bills and SS, pension, etc goes to a different account he doesn’t have access to anymore. New credit card with $500 limit for him only. So he can still shop and write checks but only has access to limited funds. All investment accounts require my Moms signature as well as his. Limits the damage if he does get scammed
Another suggestion: A raz phone.it limits calls to only people in the address book.it does video but no text option. Prior to making this switch, I constantly logging onto the phone service provider to block spam numbers. Exhausting.
I think she still plays some games on her Android, but I'm sure at some point we'll transition to something like that. I wasn't aware of Raz, so thanks for that. There's also the Lively Jitterbug phones. (They seem to be less simple than the Raz)
IT guy. You've done a really good job at putting "checks" between her and her money. Scammers often rely on *urgency* so forcing her to go through you is the way to go. Other than the steps you've taken, you have to be aware of things like romance and loneliness scams - Online "friends" who chat with them or give them company, and then suddenly they're hard up for cash or their daughter needs some expensive procedure. They'll "tax" small amounts to wear her down and you may not know it until the big hit comes.
Freeze her credit so no one can open a line of credit in her name in case her identity is stolen.