May is Older Americans Month, a time to highlight issues affecting this population, including elder scams. Committed to raising awareness of the increasing prevalence of fraud against senior citizens, Members Choice Credit Union (MCCU) announced May 13 some essential tips to protect elderly family members from falling victim to these deceptive schemes. The credit union, which has served the area for over 80 years, is headquartered in the greater Katy region at 18211 Katy Freeway, Houston and has four branches across the local area, with additional locations in West Houston and CyFair.

Here are some of the most common scams targeted at older people and ways to steer clear:

Grandparent scam: Scammers pretend to be a grandchild or another young relative in urgent need of money because they are in jail or in similar trouble.

How to avoid: Consider setting up a family password for emergencies, verifying the caller's identity by asking questions only the real grandchild would know, and making it a rule to confirm such emergency requests directly with another family member through a separate communication channel.

Intimidation scam: Scammers like to impersonate authorities, posing to be from entities such as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or utility companies, and threaten legal action or service cut-offs until a payment is made.

How to avoid: Instruct elderly family members to hang up and contact the organization directly using official phone numbers noted on the website or documents. Emphasize that legitimate organizations would never demand immediate payment over the phone, primarily via gift cards or wire transfers.

Text message scam: Scammers will mimic banks or delivery services, seeking personal information or urging seniors to click malicious links.

How to avoid: Advise seniors to verify any alarming information by calling the institution's official number and not replying to the text. Also, explain to them that sharing personal information over text or clicking links from unknown senders is never a good idea.

Freebie scam: Scammers offer something for free, but it's just a trick to obtain personal information or money.

How to avoid: Encourage seniors to be skeptical toward any "free" offers and remind them that legitimate contests do not require payment or personal banking information to claim prizes.

Romance scam: Scammers will create fake online profiles to form romantic relationships with older adults and gain their trust before requesting money for medical emergencies or travel expenses.

How to avoid: Recommend that seniors verify the authenticity of online profiles and remind them to only send money to people they have met in person.

"Unfortunately, scammers are constantly finding new ways to trick vulnerable individuals out of their money or personal information. That is why it's essential to educate our loved ones about these scams and how best to avoid them," said Robin Tooms, chief marketing officer for MCCU.

In addition, MCCU suggests the following actions for family members to help protect their elderly loved ones:

• Monitor financial activity for any unusual activity for any unusual patterns, such as increased spending

• Set up fraud alerts and be on the lookout for large, unfamiliar deposits

• Encourage seniors to change their passwords frequently

• Take advantage of available resources such as the Association of Retired People’s (AARP) elder fraud guidelines

If you suspect an elderly family member has fallen victim to a scam, MCCU advises contacting Adult Protective Services and taking immediate action to safeguard their finances. For more information and resources on protecting elderly family members from scams, visit mccu.com