Lots of senior citizens need their own Tracy Miller.
Miller, a homemaker aide for the Grand Traverse County Commission on Aging, arrived at Betty Hubbell's house one day last June to find Hubbell upset and ready to fork over every dime she had to get her daughter-in-law out of jail in Canada.
Earlier that day a man claiming to be an attorney had called and said Hubbell needed to come up with $3,500 or her daughter-in-law, Becky, could be held in Canada indefinitely on a drunken driving charge. To prove his point, he put "Becky" on the phone; the woman -- who Hubbell said sounded just like the real Becky -- begged for her help.
When Miller heard what had happened, she immediately became suspicious and urged Hubbell to call her son -- even though the fake "Becky" had urged her not to in order to avoid "embarrassment." When Hubbell eventually spoke with the real Becky, the scam fell apart.
If Miller hadn't been there, however, and hadn't voiced her doubts about the situation, Hubbell would have done what she was told -- and, in her own words, "would have been broke."
Unfortunately, way too many older folks don't have someone like Miller to turn to when faced with difficult decisions or situations, legal or otherwise.
Police said they're fielding a growing number of complaints about scam artists who target the elderly over the phone or through the mail. Traverse City Police Capt. Brian Heffner said police hear the Canada story "maybe twice a week."
Commission on Aging director Georgia Durga said older residents must always be wary of people who call and ask for money or personal information. Her office advises seniors to ask for a name and callback number when someone solicits money or information.
"If it's legitimate, they will give you a name and phone number. If it's not, they'll just hang up," she said.
Heffner said residents must be extremely careful about giving out information over the phone, particularly account numbers and personal data.
The best protection, of course, is having someone like Tracy Miller. Elderly residents who live alone need a support system of friends and family they can turn to in a crisis; having daily contact with someone else, even a short phone call, can be a life-saver.
For her part, Hubbell now realizes there were red flags she missed: the scammers never used her son's name, and they weren't specific about where they were.
But it's hard to think clearly when a loved one may be in trouble, she said.
"It's amazing how easily you can be pulled in. When it's your family, it can happen," Hubbell said.
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