Elder Abuse Awareness Day was June 15, and Social Security is imploring families and communities to step up and help protect this vulnerable population from a quiet form of abuse - scams.

Jack Myers with Social Security indicates elder abuse can take many forms: physical harm, emotional abuse, neglect, financial exploitation, or scams. Abuse can happen to anyone; signs may be obvious or hard to spot.

Scammers often impersonate government employees to target seniors. Myers indicates common scam tactics include calls, texts, emails, or messages claiming issues with Social Security numbers or benefits. Scams create fear and urgency, pressuring individuals to share personal information or send money.

According to Myers, Social Security is partnering with other federal agencies on the new national “Never Ever” campaign to raise awareness about government imposter scams. Key reminders include never ever will a government employee say: “Your money isn’t safe. Move it to protect it.” Never ever will a government employee threaten to suspend benefits if you don’t pay immediately. Never ever will a government employee demand payment via apps, cryptocurrency, wire transfer, or gift cards.

Myers has more information about elder abuse and scams, and we'll have more on that with him next week from the Hart Media Group.

To protect yourself from Social Security-related scams, get up-to-date scam information and reporting guidance at www.ssa.gov/scams. You can also visit www.eldercare.acl.gov/home to connect older adults and caregivers with local resources.