It can happen to the best of us- one enticing phone call promising easy money for a little bit of info, or one sad story that tugs at our heartstrings, and just like that, we’ve been swindled. And perhaps most galling: it may be people we most trust, or most depend on, that can be the perpetrators of such scams. In a recent post on her excellent website Better Health While Aging, Dr. Leslie Kernisan provides a comprehensive overview of financial exploitation of the aging- from defining key terms to describing who’s most at risk, carefully taking you through the ins and outs of what is essentially a form of elder abuse. Read her insights and advice Here.

And for examples of some of the latest scams that may ensnare you, take a look at the following: First, if you regularly receive phone calls claiming the IRS is after you for money owed, check out this recent New York Times article on how to fight back. Of, if you’re thinking about a reverse mortgage, or shopping online for cheaper prescription drugs, these money-saving attempts may end up costing you a financial fortune or worse, imperil your health. Take a look at the advice to avoid these scams in this recent Daily Caring post. Finally, for those of you hoping to capture a bargain for a last-minute summer vacation rental, if it seems to good to be true, it may be a scam. Before you send in your money, read about how to avoid getting scammed Here.