A Critical Analysis of Telemarketing Fraud in a Gated Senior Community

Fraudulent telemarketers have increasingly victimized older citizens (in this study, age 56 and older). This study tested key variables reported in the literature as being related to elderly telemarketing victimization. Data were collected from a large (n = 8,197), gated, middle-class community reported to be highly targeted by telemarketing scammers. Using a probability sample of 374 residents and rigorous follow-up techniques, the researchers found very few victims (n = 25) and were not able to ascertain a cohesive victim profile. Only one variable (believing what a salesperson tells you over the phone is true) affected victimization. Respondents who believed what telemarketers told them was true were significantly more likely to be victimized.