What seniors should not do—and warning signs of scams

Medical-debt relief drew scammers looking to take advantage of people desperate for help. Red flags include:

• Upfront fees for “guaranteed” forgiveness—legitimate government or nonprofit programs do not charge seniors an advance fee to enroll.
• Pressure to sign over information immediately. Take your time; verify the program through the official state or city website.
• Requests to wire money or buy gift cards. That’s a classic scam signal.

If in doubt, call your state’s Area Agency on Aging or dial 211 for local assistance before providing personal information or money.