Senior Citizen Alerts

Senior Citizens Can Expect to be Targets of Tax Rebate Scammers

Fake emails, phone calls supposedly from IRS will want your personal financial info.

April 18, 2008 - The Internet thieves are having a field day with the economic stimulus refunds that will soon be sent to taxpayers in an effort to bolster the sagging economy. But, they have also started their usual barrage of fake IRS refund emails, like the one pictured on this page. Senior citizens, in particular, are targets of a number of scams using the stimulus payments and IRS refunds as ways to steal personal financial information. The email pictured on this page was recently received be the editor of SeniorJournal.com. Read more...

Shady Sales Tactics Pushing Indexed Annuities on Seniors Exposed by Dateline

'When those agents go into the seniors' homes, it is literally the wolf among the lambs'

April 15, 2008 - With an estimated 15 trillion dollars under their control American senior citizens have become more of a sales target than ever for insurance agents seeking to sell them annuities. Last Sunday, April 13, NBC's Dateline went undercover in "Tricks of the Trade" - a hidden camera investigation revealing what some insurance agents say, and what they don't say, when they think they are alone with a senior. In his signature style, Chris Hansen then confronts agents about their questionable sales pitches. Read more...

Senior Citizen Health & Medicine

New CPR Recommendation Takes Little Training – Just Push Hard and Fast

Mouth-to-mouth no longer recommended for bystanders trying to save lives

March 31, 2008 - Chest compressions alone, or Hands-Only Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), can save lives and can be used to help an adult who suddenly collapses, according to a new American Heart Association scientific statement posted on the Web site today. Read more...

 

Older Men Should Not Use Blue Steel or Hero for Erectile Dysfunction

FDA says products are illegal drugs and pose serious health risks

March 27, 2008 – Older men, the Americans most likely to be interested in products marketed for the treatment of erectile dysfunction (ED) and sexual enhancement, are being warned by the Food and Drug Administration not to purchase or use "Blue Steel" or "Hero" products marketed as dietary supplements. The FDA says they are considered unapproved drugs and have not been proven to be safe or effective. Read more....

Free Eye Exams Available to Senior Citizens in March to Fight AMD

National campaign to raise awareness about Age-related Macular Degeneration

March 3, 2008 – Promoting free eye exams for senior citizens during March, the Macular Degeneration Partnership is asking, "Do You See What I See?" For seniors who suffer with an eye disease known as Age-related Macular Degeneration (AMD) the answer is always, "No." Read more...

IRS Helps Low-Income Senior Citizens Qualify for Economic Stimulus Payments

A special version of a Form 1040A highlights the simple, specific sections to be filled out by low-income seniors, veterans

Seniors Must File Tax Return to Get Stimulus Check

Feb. 19, 2008 – For many Americans the few hundreds bucks they get as an economic stimulus payment from the government in May is nothing to get excited about. But for millions of lower-income senior citizens and veterans it is a substantial windfall. The problem is that it is not going to “just happen” for many of these seniors. They must file a tax return for 2007 are they will not be included. Read more...

Senior Citizens Most Likely to be Targeted by Foreclosure Rescue Scams

Senate Special Committee on Aging hears testimony on sub-prime crisis

Feb. 13, 2008 – It should be no surprise that senior citizens are the target of the latest financial scam – foreclosure rescue scams. At a hearing yesterday of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, Chairman Herb Kohl said seniors are three times more likely to have sub-prime mortgage loans than younger borrowers and these loans have driven the large increase in foreclosures. Read more...

Senior Citizens Are Primary Target of U.S. Information Blitz About Digital TV

TV broadcasters alert Americans all broadcast to be digital in 2009

Feb. 12, 2008 – An extraordinary effort kicked off yesterday to alert all Americans – but senior citizens in particular – that this country will transition all television broadcasting to digital on February 17, 2009. Those who rely on a broadcast signal will no longer be able to receive programming with a digital television set. Read more...

FDA Notifies Public of Adverse Reactions, Deaths Linked to Botox Use

Ongoing safety review of Botox, Botox Cosmetic and Myobloc taking place

Feb. 8, 2008 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today said that Botox and Botox Cosmetic (Botulinum toxin Type A) and Myobloc (Botulinum toxin Type B) have been linked in some cases to adverse reactions, including respiratory failure and death, following treatment of a variety of conditions using a wide range of doses. Read more...

Senior Citizens Should Be On Alert for Email Scam Offering IRS Refund

Scammers may try to take advantage of economic stimulus program

Jan. 29, 2008 – Senior citizens should be on the alert for an email scam back on the Internet that claims to be from the Internal Revenue Service and promises a tax refund check, if you will just submit the tax refund request. Some may confuse this to be a part of the government’s economic stimulus program, which may be why it has emerged again. Part of the economic plan's discussion includes checks to senior citizens on Social Security. Read more...

FDA Launches Free E-mail Alert Service Providing Updated Information

Alerts and warnings from FDA can drop right into your email box

Dec. 5, 2007 - The Food and Drug Administration has announced a new e-mail service that alerts subscribers whenever information is updated on certain FDA Web pages. An example is the MedWatch Saftery Alerts featuring medical product safety alerts, Class I recalls, market withdrawals, and public health advisories. Read more...

Medicare Drug Program News

Senior Citizens Not Reviewing Medicare Drug Plans May Get Shock in 2008

Medicare has cut 1,500 drugs from last year’s list eligible for formularies

"Changes are occurring at all levels of the Medicare drug benefit – from significant movements in monthly premiums, to the composition and copayment structure of formularies."

Dec. 5, 2007 – The evidence continues to be exposed showing senior citizens are facing major changes in the Medicare drug plans for 2008, including news that the largest stand-alone plans will reduce the drugs they cover by the hundreds. A major reason, says consulting company Avalere Health, is that the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services decided to drop more than 1,500 drug codes from last year’s list of formulary-approvable drugs, including some that lack FDA approval. Read more...

Medicare Drug Program News

Senior Citizens Seeking New Medicare Drug Plan Finding Fewer Drugs Covered

Size of the formulary is becoming more aligned with utilization patterns, consumer preferences, health outcomes and value for consumers, says Humana

Dec. 4, 2007 – While shopping around for a new Medicare drug plan, many senior citizens may be getting a shock to find many drugs no longer covered. A new analysis finds a gigantic drop in the number of drugs covered in 2008. What is called the “Open Enrollment” period, a time when seniors can change drug plans, opened on Nov. 15 and closes on Dec. 31. Seniors are advised to also check their existing plan to see if drugs they need have been dropped. Read more...

Senior Citizen Health & Medicine

Senior Citizens Must Join Campaign to Require Hospitals Report Staph Infections

Consumers Union urges Congress to enact HR 1174 (Murphy) to spur hospitals to reduce deadly infections

By Tucker Sutherland, Editor & Publisher

“Every day, fifty Americans die from MRSA because hospitals aren’t doing enough to protect patients from these deadly infections,” - Lisa McGiffert, Director of Consumers Union’s Stop Hospital Infections campaign

Nov. 8, 2007 – The news that nearly 19,000 Americans died in 2005 from antibiotic-resistant staph infections – mostly acquired in health care facilities – and that it has increased 10 fold since 1995, should be shocking and extremely alarming to senior citizens, the most frequent visitors to healthcare settings. What is even more shocking is that most states allow hospitals to keep information about these infections secret, which has allowed the infection to spread rapidly with little public notice or protection. Seniors need to demand changes. Read more...

FDA Asks Recall of True Man, Energy Max 'Alternatives' for Erectile Dysfunction

Those with either product should stop using it immediately

Nov. 5, 2007 – Products that are often billed as ``all natural'' alternatives to approved erectile dysfunction drugs, could interact with medications and cause dangerously low blood pressure, says the Food and Drug Administration. The agency has requested a recall of True Man Sexual Energy Nutrient Capsules and Energy Max Energy Supplement Men's Formula Capsules, illegal drug products that contain potentially harmful, undeclared ingredients. Read more...

FTC Will Not Drop Numbers from Do Not Call Registry Until Congress Decides if Renewals Necessary

Original plan called for a five-year re-registration to clean list, which now has over 145 million phone numbers

Oct. 23, 2007 – If your telephone number is about to reach the limit of the five years that it can be on the National Do Not Call Registry (DNC), don’t worry about it. Federal Trade Commission Director Lydia Parnes, director of the Federal Trade Commission’s Bureau of Consumer Protection, said today that no numbers will be dropped from the list until Congress decides if they want to make registration permanent, rather than require renewal every five years. Read more...

FDA Has More Dietary Supplements Seized in Florida: Charantea Targeted

Products said to violate new drug and misbranding provisions of Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act

Oct. 13, 2007 - At the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), U.S. Marshals seized on Tuesday approximately $71,000 of goods from FulLife Natural Options, Inc., of Boca Raton, Fla., which marketed and distributed Charantea Ampalaya Capsules and Charantea Ampalaya Tea. This follows a seizure in August of capsules by Charron Nutrition of Tallahassee, Fla., promoted  for use in treating diabetes, arthritis, and other serious health conditions. Read more...

FTC Wants All to Know the Truth About Cell Phones and Do Not Call Registry

You do not need to register cell phone in do not call registry

Oct. 12, 2007 - The Federal Trade Commission today reiterated that despite the claims made in e-mails circulating on the Internet, consumers should not be concerned that their cell phone numbers will be released to telemarketers in the near future, and that it is not necessary to register cell phone numbers on the National Do Not Call (DNC) Registry to be protected from most telemarketing calls to cell phones. Read more...

Senior Citizen and Internet

iGuard Drug Safety Alert is Newest Reason Senior Citizens, Caregivers Must Use Web

Provides patients & physicians with immediate, personalized, free drug safety information

Oct. 9, 2007 – Almost weekly there is a new and compelling reason why senior citizens or their caregivers should be active on the Internet. One significant new tool to launch on the Web, which promises potentially life-saving help to seniors, is iGuard. This is a free service to access current information about the risk profile of their medications and receive personal drug safety alerts. Read more...

Recall of Topps Ground Beef Due to E Coli Now Includes 21.7 Million Pounds

 Currently 25 people are presumed ill from contamination

Oct. 1, 2007 – A voluntary recall of ground beef was expanded on Saturday to include 21.7 million pounds of products from the Topps Meat Company that may be contaminated with E. coli O157:H7. The original recall by Topps on Sept. 25 is being expanded due to additional positive product sample reported by the New York Health Department, reported illnesses and findings from a food safety assessment conducted by the Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Service at the establishment. (See complete recall list below.) Read more...

Fentora Cancer Pain Drug Draws FDA Warning of Potential Serious Side Effects

Concern due to reports of deaths, other adverse events from fentanyl buccal

Sept. 26, 2007 - The Food and Drug Administration is alerting health care professionals and consumers to concerns over the use of Fentora (fentanyl buccal) tablets after recent reports of deaths and other adverse events. Read more...

Senior Citizens May See National Do Not Call List Drop Their Number Next Year

Seniors need to be aware registrations are just for five years

Sept. 22, 2007 – Most senior citizens – well, probably most Americans – are not aware that to stay on the National Do Not Call list you have to re-register every five years. Those who jumped onboard in the first months of the Federal Trade Commission program will see their name drop off next year – unless they sign-up again, or a new bill passes to make registration permanent. Read more...

	Darrell Stoddard –  inventor of Biotape

Senior Citizens Scammed by Fake Pain Relief Tape May Get Money Back

FTC gets settlement of $2.5 million in consumer refunds

Sept. 20, 2007 – Senior citizens who fell for the Biotape scam, an adhesive tape sold as a pain relief product, may be getting their money back. The Federal Trade Commission reached a settlement with the promoters that will provide up to $2.5 million in consumer refunds. Read more...

What Senior Citizens Need to Know About Transition to Digital TV to be Presented Next Week

Two government agencies will present programs about this major change in U.S.

Sept. 20, 2007 – A hearing yesterday by the Senate aging committee focused on the lack of information available to senior citizens pertaining to the mandatory transition from analog television broadcast to digital. A highlight of the hearing was the apparent confusion among federal agencies about who is responsible for educating the public. A good example is that there will be two major public meetings in Washington next week to explore all aspects of this major change in American life, but they are sponsored by different agencies. Read more...

Money, Insurance & Investments for Seniors

Dubious Credentials May Scam Seniors Out of Retirement Savings: Aging Committee

Senate aging committee looking at senior financial advisor titles

Aug. 31, 2007 – There seems to be reasonable doubt that some of the titles being used by people to show they are qualified to help senior citizens with their financial decisions are of little value. The chairman of the Senate’s aging committee will conduct a hearing on Wednesday, September 5, to examine some of the “questionable practices used by so-called financial investment specialists.” Read more...

Senior Citizen Alerts

Spammers Hit for Peddling HGH as Anti-Aging, Hoodia for Weight Loss

FTC says e-mails falsely claim HGH products reverse aging process

Aug. 24, 2007 – Once again the Federal Trade Commission is clamping down on a company selling human growth hormone (HGH) as an anti-aging product. This time, they are also halting the same spammers from sending "unwanted and illegal" e-mails about hoodia weight-loss products. A district court judge ordered a halt to the e-mails and to the claims that the FTC says are false and unsubstantiated. Read more...

Seniors Warned to Avoid Red Yeast Rice Sold Online to Treat High Cholesterol

FDA says tested products contain unauthorized drug, lovastatin

Aug. 10, 2007 – The millions of senior citizens battling against high cholesterol are warned by the Food and Drug Administration to stay away from three red yeast rice products promoted and sold on Websites as dietary supplements for treating high cholesterol. The products may contain an unauthorized drug, lovastatin, that could be harmful to health. Read more...

Senior Citizens Should be Wary of Prepaid Credit Cards Sold Online

FTC gets judge to shut down operation for unauthorized debiting bank accounts

Aug. 7, 2007 – Senior citizens should by wary of operations marketing prepaid Visa and MasterCard, primarily on the Internet. At the request of the Federal Trade Commission, a federal judge has halted the operations of at least one of these companies that was making unauthorized debits from consumers’ bank accounts. Read more...

Tips for Senior Citizens to Make Backyard Grilling Safer from Cancer

Only meat cooked on grill form cancer-causing chemicals - other foods pose no risk

Aug. 3, 2007 – It is those in the senior citizen generation that are probably the most accustomed to grilling hamburgers, hot dogs and chicken over a gray charcoal fire. No one told us as young adults fixing these backyard feasts that we were increasing the risk of cancer for our families. But, we were. There are, however, ways to make grilling safer. Read more...

Consumers Endangered by Confusing Food Safety Regulation, Communications

All recalled Castleberry’s products here from combining FDA, USDA and company recalls

By Tucker Sutherland, editor & publisher
SeniorJournal.com

July 25, 2007 - SeniorJournal.com has attempted to keep senior citizens well informed about the serious threat of botulism from canned food products manufactured by Castleberry’s Food Company, but the U.S. government’s system of monitoring food safety has made it difficult. Different recall lists have been issued by the Food and Drug Administration, Department of Agriculture and the company. It highlights what many see as a major weakness in the government’s responsibility to protect consumers from dangerous food products, and to keep them informed. Read more...

FDA Expands Castleberry’s Food Warning about Botulism - Adds Dog Food

Castleberry's Food canned meat recall grows to 90 products

July 23, 2007 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today revised its warning to consumers about possible botulism contamination in meat products canned by Castleberry’s Food Company to include more products in the recall, including dog foods. The number of products being recalled has reached 90, including some dog foods. Read more...

More Canned Meat Products Added to Botulism Alert by Castleberry’s Food

USDA says it’s a CLASS I RECALL - HIGH HEALTH RISK; CDC joins investigation

July 23, 2007 – Last week a “Senior Alert” in SeniorJournal.com notified senior citizens of an FDA recall of three chili sauce products distributed by Castleberry's Food Company, and the company's recall of seven additional products. The company has now expanding its July 19 recall of canned meat products that may contain Clostridium botulinum that causes botulism -a rare but serious paralytic illness. The Centers for Disease Control has also joined the investigation. Read more...

Senior Citizens, Others Warned of Botulism Risk in Hot Dog Chili Sauce

Chili sauce, chili with beans, corned beef hash under several brands recalled after FDA alert

July 19, 2007 - The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a warning yesterday for consumers not to eat 10 ounce cans of hot dog chili sauce marketed under three brand names and the manufacturer immediately issued a recall and added cans of corned beef hash and chili with beans to the list. The FDA says there is possible botulism contamination, which can be fatal, especially for senior citizens. Read more...

Fraud of Senior Citizens by Home Health Agencies is Target for Government Initiative

Initial efforts to focus on Greater Los Angeles and Houston areas

July 17, 2007 – An alarm about fraud of senior citizens by home health care providers was raised today by an announcement that Health and Human Services will begin an initiative designed to protect Medicare beneficiaries from fraudulent Home Health Agency (HHA) providers. Read more...

FDA Says Foreign Drugs Bought on Internet May Be More Expensive, Risky

Some buying foreign drugs to avoid getting a prescription from their doctor

July 13, 2007 - The Food and Drug Administration continues to warn the American public about the dangers of buying medications over the Internet. New FDA data show that consumers who are trying to save money on prescription drugs don’t need to take chances by buying prescription drugs from foreign Internet sites, because low-cost generic versions are available in the United States, according to an FDA press release. Read more...

Senior Citizen Investors Being Fooled by Titles Easily Obtained: New York Times

Fourth article in series by New York Times on how companies, people are trying to profit on wealthy elderly in America

July 9, 2007 – Every senior citizen that has money invested, or is considering investment, needs to read an article in the New York Times online. The primary warning in this article is that seniors should not be fooled by fancy sounding titles, like “Certified Senior Adviser.” Many are easily obtained by people who want to take advantage of the elderly in America, who own $15 trillion in assets. Read more...

Many Senior Citizens May Not Know What Is NOT Covered by Homeowners Insurance

Survey shows lack of awareness among consumers when it comes to their homeowners policies

June 13, 2007 - A large percentage of U.S. homeowners mistakenly believe that standard homeowners insurance protects them from a wide array of perils, according to new research by the National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC). In fact, typical property and liability policies don’t cover home damage from floods, earthquakes, water line breaks, termites, mold and several other perils, large and small. Read more...

SEC Chair Uses Parents' Experience to Warn Senior Citizens about Scams

Christopher Cox says elderly parents barraged with sales ploys

April 23, 2007 - Christopher Cox, Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Commission, understands firsthand the issues seniors and their family members face in separating investing opportunities from investing scams. In this exclusive interview he explains how his elderly parents were barraged with sales ploys. Read more...

Anti-Wrinkle Compound Found to Cause Pathological Reaction in Skin Cells

Researchers call for more study to see if DMAE is safe

April 11, 2007 – Before you rub that next treatment of anti-wrinkle cream on your face, you may want to check the label to see if it contains DMAE. In a report on the study of how this compound commonly used in many anti-wrinkle products works, researchers have found a pathological reaction in skin cells and call for “serious research” to determine if it poses a health risk. Their conclusion about the mode of action of DMAE appears in the latest edition of the British Journal of Dermatology. Read more...

Zelnorm – Popular GI Drug – Stops Marketing, Says FDA

Company agrees to voluntary suspension due to heart risks but hopes for comeback

March 30, 2007 – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced today it has requested, and Novartis Pharmaceuticals agreed, that marketing of Zelnorm (tegaserod) should be discontinued. Novartis said it would suspend marketing of the drug in the U.S. based on the recently identified finding of an increased risk of serious cardiovascular adverse events (heart problems) associated with use of the drug. Read more...

Parkinson's Treatment Drugs Being Withdrawn, Says FDA

Permax (pergolide) and two generic versions may damage heart valves

March 29, 2007 – Pergolide products used to treat Parkinson's disease is being withdrawn from the market, according to an announcement today from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The FDA said that manufacturers of pergolide drug products, which are used to treat Parkinson’s disease, will voluntarily remove these drugs from the market because of the risk of serious damage to patients’ heart valves. Read more...

Senior Citizens' Memory Problems May Be Due to Their Sleeping Pills

FDA wants stronger warnings on drugs for sleep disorders

March 16, 2007 – Senior citizens with memory problems may find it is not dementia, but the medicine they are taking for a sleep disorder that is causing them to forget. "Sleep-driving" - driving not fully awake after taking a sedative-hypnotic drug and then having no memory of the trip – is one of problems highlighted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in requesting manufacturers of these drugs add new warnings to their labels. Read more...

Senior Citizen Politics

Seniors Citizens Warned of Dangerous Drug Shipped to Online Buyers

FDA suspects powerful anti-psychotic substituted for order

Feb. 20, 2007 – Some Americans who ordered Ambien, Xanax, Lexapro, and Ativan over the Internet have received instead what appears to be the drug haloperidol, a powerful anti-psychotic drug, according to a warning for senior citizens and other consumers from the Food and Drug Administration. Read more...

Seniors Falling Prey to Aggressive Tactics of Private Insurers Says Report

Consumer advocates say lack of government oversight increases risk of losing access, paying more for health care

Feb. 6, 2007 - Insurance agents are pushing people with Medicare into private health plans that do not meet their health care or financial needs, according to a new report by consumer groups.  In its study, California Health Advocates and the Medicare Rights Center detail the "unscrupulous sales practices of insurers" and call for heightened government oversight of private insurers selling Medicare health and drug plans. Read more...

Great Ideas for Senior Citizens on Preventing Identity Theft

Limiting exposure of personal information is the best way to protect yourself from fraud

By Robert Valentine

October 5, 2006 - For the sixth consecutive year, identity theft surpassed construction, credit card and debt collection fraud as the most prevalent form of consumer fraud, according to the Federal Trade Commission, which received 255,000 identity theft complaints last year. Read more...