A new "friend" who asks for funds to be wired to an unknown third party or to a country other than where the friend is located
An urgent or outrageous reason for needing cash – for example, "I need money to get gold or my inheritance through customs" or "pay for a broken part on an oil rig"
Requests for cash-only donations or unfamiliar charities that spring up after a natural disaster
A request to pay for anything via bitcoin or gift cards
A check made out for more than you were expecting, especially if the payer then asks you to wire back a portion of the proceeds
A request to pay money to get money or a required upfront payment of fees or maintenance costs, including when selling a timeshare
High paying work from home jobs that require up-front payment for a computer, software or training
Your correspondence
A letter indicating you are a "winner" of a sweepstakes when you didn’t enter a contest
Notification from an overseas bank or law firm of an inheritance from an unknown relative
Telephone calls from the IRS or other government agencies requesting a payment
An email containing spelling errors, bad grammar or a link that appears unrelated to the sender
Calls from purported computer technicians alleging they’ve detected a virus or other problems on your home computer. These notifications could also include emails, attachments or pop up screens on your computer
Your identity
Statements that don’t arrive as expected
The Social Security Administration contacting you to advise your Social Security number was used in a crime, has been frozen, or will be deleted
Unexpected credit cards or account statements, or collection calls or letters about purchases you didn’t make
Denials of credit for no apparent reason or significant, unexplained changes in your credit score
Requests for personal information in a situation that usually wouldn’t require this disclosure
For older adults
Concern or confusion about missing funds from an account
Unexplained changes in beneficiary designations
A caregiver who isolates the older person from family, friends, community and other stable relationships
Acquaintances or family members who seem overly interested in the older adult’s finances