Help older parents avoid financial ‘scams’

Here’s a disturbing statistic: One out of every five Americans over the age of 65 has been victimized by a financial scheme, according to the Investor Protection Trust, a nonprofit organization devoted to investor education. If your parents are in this age group, should you be concerned? And can you help them avoid being “scammed” so that they maintain control over their finances?

The answer to the first question is “yes” – you should be concerned. Of course, as the numbers above show, most aging Americans are not being swindled, which suggests they can take care of themselves quite well. Stil...