Gullibility and the Elderly

This past month our local paper has reported on a number of scams in which the common denominator was that the victims were all elderly.

The scams varied in method, but in all cases the victims were taken for substantial sums of money. None of them involved the Internet or mail, but rather some form of personal contact with the perpetrator/s.

Are the elderly more statistically likely to fall for these kinds of things, and if so, why? Would these same people have fallen for the same ruse, say, when they were thirty years younger? Is this the product of being raised in an era when people could get away with being more trusting?

In reading these accounts of how the victims were taken, I know red flags would have been raised instantly in my mind. I can't figure out why these victims would not have been able to see through the nefarious intent of these individuals. Clearly the elderly were targeted in all cases. so there must be a reason.

reply to post by GoneGrey


One reason may be that those older, who were raised and thrived in a time when most people were honest, simply cannot conceive of the kind of horrible society we have now become.

Trusting anyone for anything anymore is a fool's errand that can and often will leave you broke, if not battered.

It's a tough lesson to learn and one that is not the fault of the innocent victims.

I believe you answered your own question in your beginning post.

From my experience, unless the elderly person is mentally impaired he would make the same choices when he was 30 years younger.

I find it very difficult to 'pull the wool' over an older person. The sweet smile or quiet tone of voice does not indicate gullibility.

It gets very old having younger people pander to me because I'm older. It's like they think I haven't experienced life and are ripe for anything.

Nothing could be further from the truth. I smile and don't say much because deep inside I want to tell these folks that there is nothing new under the sun and I've already played their games and been there and done that. I wasn't always old and innocent looking. No I'm not going to pay you before the job is finished. And no I don't need what you say I need as I've been this road before when you were in diapers.

What is disgusting to me is the elderly people who scam the very young into doing work for them for free or for very little pay.

You don't get more dumb as you experience life unless you were already stupid or suffer from a mental disease.

reply to post by GoneGrey


Well you may not be gray enough.
Not actually.
There must be a hard core physiological predictability to these things.
You must remember, history repeats it self?
Or there is a depression every fifty years?
The difference is we live longer these days. So they waited till all those folks with big holdings
were near death before they attempted to or pilfered it all.
Parasites and predators need some kind of weakness in their prey.
Our elders are victims of drugs, divorce, abortion, nursing homes
and a myriad of created national disasters.
Not to mention the ease of computer explotation.
Worst thing is they wouldn't have it any other way. God bless us all.

BTW
I gave you a star and flag. I will also star any post on this thread.
The eldery are the the reason we old farts can even participate.

reply to post by GoneGrey


I've often wondered this myself. I've witnessed my Nana get increasingly gullible, as well as my mother, and she isn't even 50 yet.

That's why whenever I hear them start to fall for these types of things, I almost make them feel stupid for it...not on purpose..but I just get blown away, especially when my mother does it. (I always feel bad after though..I hate talking to them like that)

but i guess the answer is educate educate educate.