Scams cheat older adults out of nearly 3 billion dollars per year.
From online romance scams to mail-in lottery scams, there are so many ways for unsavory individuals to trick someone into giving up their hard-earned money. The emotional impact of scams on the individual and their family can also be devastating. Since scammers use highly effective marketing techniques, any person could fall for their schemes. However, as we age we are at increased risk of falling prey to scams, which is why older adults have become the most targeted population for scammers across the world.
The aging process increases vulnerability.
As we age, our brains change. This is a normal process that we all go through. These changes in thinking style are the very changes that scammers exploit. Even if an older adult does not have dementia or other significant memory problems, they are still at higher risk due to these normal changes that happen with aging.
Knowledge is power.
The first step to taking power back from scammers is to learn about the brain and how they use techniques to tap into the emotional centers of the brain to take advantage of us as we age. In this course, we break down some of the most common scams and discuss the structure of the brain to help you understand why people fall for them.
You will learn:
- How scams work.
- The parts of the brain involved in emotions and decision making.
- How the normal aging process makes people more vulnerable.
- Types of brain disorders associated with aging that can put us even more at risk.
- What to do if you suspect that yourself or someone else has been scammed.
- How to work with older adults to prevent scams.
Course Curriculum
Hi, I’m Dr. Erik Lande.
I'm the owner and head psychologist over at Insight Neuropsychology in Camarillo, CA.
As a neuropsychologist, my job is to understand how the structure of the brain impacts emotions and behavior. Much of my work focuses on testing for difficulties such as brain injuries, dementia conditions, or the impact of strokes.
I have also worked with a variety of organizations such as Adult Protective Services, police departments, and the FBI to instruct them on ways to better understand the aging brain and assist seniors.
If you would like to see more of my work, you can check out my book, Does My Mom Have Dementia or read a recent paper that I co-authored with an FBI victim specialist for the Department of Justice Journal of Federal Law and Practice.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Who is this course for?
- This course is for anyone interested in learning more about how scams work and the vulnerabilities caused by the aging process. This would be an appropriate course for an older adult looking to protect themselves, for a family member concerned about a loved one, or for care professionals that work with older adults.
Will this course help me care for my aging family member?
- While specific caregiving strategies are not discussed in this course, we do teach you how to identify red flags and give you the resources that you need to intervene if necessary.
Does this course contain brain training strategies?
- This course does not contain brain training strategies. If you would like to learn more about cognitive training, please see our website.
Do I have to go through the course all at once?
- No! Once you purchase the course, you have lifetime access to the content. You can go through it at your leisure. You also don't have to complete each lesson entirely before moving onto the next. Feel free to jump around, you can always come back and review anything that you missed.
How long is the course?
- Everyone goes through the course at a different pace. There is nearly 45 minutes of video content in addition to the extra resources that we have included.