It took Nesquehoning Police Chief Sean Smith more than an hour to calm the distraught older woman who had come to the station to report an upsetting phone call.

The woman had gotten the call from someone claiming to be an Internal Revenue Service agent, and who had threatened her with imprisonment if she failed to immediately send a specific amount of money he said she owed to an address he gave.He managed to calm the woman, explaining to her that the IRS never calls people to demand payment of taxes.Smith said he's gotten several complaints recently from older residents reporting similar calls."They're terrified. These people are very nasty and very aggressive," he said.The woman who reported the scary call isn't alone.$5 million lostThe Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration says 1,100 people have lost a total of about $5 million from IRS phone scams.Recently caregivers of the elderly gathered at the Lehighton Recreation Center to learn how criminals financially exploit older people, and what they can do to protect the potential victims.David P. Shallcross of the state Office of the Attorney General's Elder Abuse Unit described various types of scams and financial abuse.He advised people to be wary of callers asking for any type of financial or personal information."Don't ever give out information to an incoming caller," he said. "If it's ringing, don't go singing."In charitable giving scams, Shallcross said the victim is solicited to donate money to what turns out to be a bogus charity.One donation elicits pleas for more, or triggers solicitations from other fake charities.He also talked about sweepstakes scams, in which the victim is told they've won a large amount of money, most often in a contest they did not even enter. But to claim their prize, they must first ante up a portion of money for taxes or fees.The money must be paid immediately, by wire, prepaid money cards like Green Dot or MoneyPak, or credit card, Shallcross said.The elderly victim complies, excited to soon be getting a big check. But as they wait, they no longer have money to buy food or prescriptions, or pay the rent, he said.No free lunchShallcross said in estate planning scams people are sent cards inviting them to a free dinner and to learn about estate planning. But the sessions are aimed at selling financial products that may not be in the victim's best interests, Shallcross said."It's a sales meeting, not an educational seminar. Don't go to these free meal deals," he said.He also warned the caregivers to encourage the elderly to be careful when shopping or selling online or by phone. Scammers will send a check for more than the victim is asking for an item, saying the extra amount is for shipping. But when the victim deposits the check and sends the money for shipping to the specified address (and the scammers almost always insist it be by credit card or prepaid money card), the check turns out to be worthless.Beware of people who show up unannounced claiming to be contractors who offer to do home improvements for deep discounts, then take the victim's money and run.Or, a criminal calls asking for verification of a credit card purchase and the three-digit security code on the back of the card.Power of attorneyHe warned the caregivers to watch for abuse of power of attorney status, saying that sometimes criminals will befriend older people, doing more and more for them to gain their trust. They talk the victim into giving them power of attorney, and then siphon the victim's financial resources.Sadly, Shallcross said, family members may do the same thing. The elderly victims are reluctant to report the crime, believing it's their own fault or not wanting to anger a relative.Jay Miller, senior vice president of Jim Thorpe Neighborhood Bank, said the industry now uses "behavioral software" to alert bankers to unusual activity in accounts that may indicate fraud or that a person is being bilked. Bankers are required to report suspicious account activity, he said.Brian McAdarra, supervisor of Luzerne County Area Agency on Aging Protective Services, discussed a 94-year-old woman and her 68-year-old daughter who lost $2 million through a friend who gained power of attorney and had a gambling addiction.So, how can someone tell if a call is a scam attempt?"Remember the word 'scam,' " Shallcross said. "S is for sudden; C is for contact; A is for action which is demanded immediately; and M is a demand for money or personal information."