Protecting Parents with Terri Proctor

Sometimes people only share their stories after they’ve gone
through a challenging time. But it’s also important to learn from
those in the middle of a scam to learn how people are manipulated
and how vulnerable our loved ones can really be.


Today’s guest is Terri Proctor. Terri’s elderly mother has been
scammed by romance scammers over the last three years. In trying
to get help from different recommended services, she realized
that no one was really interested in helping. She started the
non-profit Stop Elderly Scams to educate and bring awareness to
the community. 
Show Notes:

[0:53] - Terri shares her background and how she was thrown
into her situation. Her experience led her to founding a
non-profit.

[2:28] - Over the course of a year, Terri’s mother lost about
$100,000 to a romance scammer.

[3:30] - Terri’s mother was not treated like a victim. She
was treated as a willing participant.

[6:01] - There were many reasons why Terri’s mother was
vulnerable to manipulation, including loneliness.

[8:23] - It is sad to see the comments online about victims
of scams.

[10:23] - The shame and embarrassment a lot of victims feel
causes them to not talk about the problem or seek help.

[11:57] - In the beginning, Terri admits that she had a lot
of anger and frustration that was also focused on her mother. It
is better to listen and try to reason.

[14:54] - Terri’s mother was stopped by a store manager from
buying more gift cards. The manager has expressed concern that
she is not the only one.

[16:51] - Part of the vulnerability of Terri’s mother is
loneliness.

[18:47] - Other types of scams tend to target the elderly. It
is hard to keep up.

[24:08] - How can we help our loved ones without taking away
their independence?

[26:21] - People should feel free to talk about these issues.
Terri shares how her non-profit is helping educate and make a
difference.

[28:46] - It is challenging to find the balance in helping
loved ones and making sure they have their autonomy.

[29:59] - When you think you’ve learned about one thing or
one scam, another problem pops up.



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Stop Elderly Scams Website