The Distillation of National Crime Data into A Plan for Elderly Fraud Prevention: A Quantitative and Qualitative Analysis of U.S. Postal Inspection Service Cases of Fraud against the Elderly

Consumer Fraud against Older Adults in Digital Society: Examining Victimization and Its Impact

“…However, it should be noted that the basic percentage rates were inconclusive. It has been suggested that offenders specifically design these types of attacks for older victims, for example, to take advantage of insecurities regarding technology or a greater willingness to trust authorities [ 11 ]. This type of finding about specific fraud typologies can be informative for the design of awareness-raising and prevention campaigns targeted at senior citizens.…”

“…Firstly, with regards to physical elements, a reduction in cognitive capacities due to deterioration of the prefrontal cortex has been linked to excessive credulousness and diminished financial decision making, thereby increasing vulnerability to fraud [ 4 , 12 , 13 , 14 ]. It is also commonly accepted that older generations are less technologically adept than their younger counterparts, and their lack of technological knowledge has been associated with increased risk of cyber fraud victimization [ 11 ]. Secondly, from an economic perspective, the wealth and assets of older people mean that they are attractive targets for fraudsters [ 3 , 15 ].…”

“…Despite the prevalence of fraud within the oldest demographic groups, it is still unclear whether they are at greater risk compared to other age groups. On the one hand, some research has found increased vulnerability due to a combination of physical, economic, and social factors [9][10][11][12]. Firstly, with regards to physical elements, a reduction in cognitive capacities due to deterioration of the prefrontal cortex has been linked to excessive credulousness and diminished financial decision making, thereby increasing vulnerability to fraud [4,[12][13][14].…”