Senior citizens in the Acadiana area are being targeted by a group scammers who are tricking our elderly citizens into giving them personal account information.

Sharane Gott, President of the Acadiana Better Business Bureau, tells KPEL, "you should never give out your personal information to someone you don't know."

She says the way the scam works is that someone calls from the phone number 318-239-1471 and works to convince the elderly person that their son or daughter has purchased a medic alert device for them, and all they need to do is pay for the shipping and monitoring fee.

Gott says the scammer will then ask for the elderly person's bank account information.

She says,

"many elderly people become scared because after they realize their money has been taken they have to change their account, are out some money, and they are confused."

Gott says the pitch sounds like this, "This is Senior Medical Alert. Your alert system has been paid for and we need to deliver it. All you have to do is pay for the shipping or all you have to pay for is the monitoring fee".

If you know of someone who has fallen victim to this scam, inform them to contact their financial institution immediately and the Better Business Bureau of Acadiana at 337 981 3497.

Normally their bank account should be closed and another account opened.

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