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Old people's brains are hardwired to get scammed

livescience.com — New research reveals that everyone has similar levels of brain activity when anticipating rewards, but certain brain regions in older adults didn ’t activate when responding to a potential financial loss. In other words, the possibility of losing money stresses young adults out, but it doesn’t faze the elderly.

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  • moojj, on 10/12/2007, -1/+8I worked door-to-door marketing for a day or two. One thing that I found interesting was that it is illegal to sell any products to anyone over the age of 70 (atleast here in Australia anyway). So it's interesting to see that perhaps this could be the reason why. And here I am thinking that old people probably would have bought anything, just to have the salesperson stay a few extra moments to talk to them.
    • Yorn, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5While I disagree with the story's premise (that the elderly are hardwired to be scammed) I dugg it because it opens up something worthy of debate. There are a large number of elderly that are targetted by casinos and are literally gambling away our inheritances, or even their social security checks, without even considering the consequences. A friend of mine found out recently that his father had accumulated so much debt even his house wasn't his own anymore. And it's not just gambling, it's all the other marketing that gets done, the various requests from the AARP to donate or we'll see the gov't turning into the one in Logan's Run, and etc.

      It seems the elderly are entirely driven by fear to doing thing that they should really be scared of having done. I'm curious if the younger generations are going to learn this or not. I think there was a lot of indoctrination that the government was going to "take care of everything" for our grandparents and parents, and that has not boded well in the long run. Will we learn from our mistakes or, at least, those of our parents and grandparents?
    • CogitatorX, on 10/12/2007, -4/+1You must be about 12. The Man is taking your inheritance and the AARP is scamming us all. L7, man.
      Hell if you were my kid I'd make your snotty ass watch while I blew your "inheritance" on booze and whores.
    • TheElusiveTool, on 10/12/2007, -1/+4Old people are weird.
    • FallenOmen, on 10/12/2007, -3/+1@mooji

      I worked door-to-door marketing for a day or tw


      Gee all that experience in only working 2 days...You must be the rain man scammers by now huh !!

      A regular Grifter !!

      Whatever you a MESS !!!!!
  • kenvsryu, on 10/12/2007, -0/+26Dear John McCain,
    Confidential Business Proposal
    You have been named as the President of the USA. We are now ready to transfer the title to you.
    I am an accountant with the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. If you find this proposal acceptable, we shall require the following documents:
    (a) your banker's name, telephone, account and fax numbers.
    (b) your private telephone and fax numbers — for confidentiality and easy communication.
    (c) your letter-headed paper stamped and signed.
    Please reply urgently.
    Best regards
    Howgul Abul Arhu
    • SJkiteboarder, on 10/12/2007, -0/+15@ken

      Hilarious. I'll buy his info from you for $12.00.
  • laserblazer, on 10/12/2007, -4/+28Old people can't remember the number 09 F9 11 02 9D 74 E3 5B D8 41 56 C5 63 56 88 C0.
    • infradead, on 10/12/2007, -1/+2OMFG! You made my brain contravene the DMCA!! You bastard!!!
  • HolyCrapYo, on 10/12/2007, -1/+1Makes sense. That whole generation is all wacked out. Married for 40 years, Not worrying about money? Get a grip!

    /sarcasm
  • Raz4Life, on 10/12/2007, -0/+6Working at a grocery store (part time job ftw!), I'd say old people are the most concerned about losing money. (Those eggs DID NOT say $2.43 where I found them!!! I demand you have someone check while the line builds with other customers!)
    • trogdor282, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3True, but luckily for everybody else, every old person on Earth is always in line in front of ME.
    • Tiggi, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Yes, basically because they do fear misery much more than the younger, I guess.
    • ff89, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I hate it when people do this; if the price is just completely ludicrous, it's one thing, but if it's within the realm of reason, buy the ***** product and get out of the way.

      These are the same kind of people who bring back a hamburger because someone "forgot to leave off the tomatoes." Throw away the damned tomatoes and get on with your life. *****, let ME buy you a new burger as long as you quit whining.
  • sofaKing812, on 10/12/2007, -2/+3I hear cheering in Nigeria upon this finding.
  • Urusai, on 10/12/2007, -3/+2Old people are a sad reminder that death can never come soon enough--for other people.
  • Neem, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Time = money
    The older you are the less time you have to live, so the risk Vs reward comparison is incredibly skewed towards reward.
    Old people are not impaired, they are just greedy. ( I cannot believe I just said that )
  • emansxt, on 10/12/2007, -0/+4So that explaines why so many old people are in casinos
  • mtrip, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2Note to self: Befriend some rich old people...
  • ReptileKing234, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1I'm old and I own Enron stock, lolz
  • Splitt3rxx, on 10/12/2007, -0/+3So this is why Nintendo is trying to attract an older audience... they will get all the old people hooked, release a wii 2.0 for $599, and make billions!
  • sjaxso, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0I work in foreign exchange and can vouch for this (or at least, the effect): Old people will hand over 10's of thousands of dollars without a thought about where it is going when I ask them to pay in advance. Younger people want guarantees, references, blood, before they will hand over any. I've always thought it strange.
  • sansalvation, on 10/12/2007, -0/+5You ever think maybe old people just don't give a damn since they know their time is growing short? If I live another 40 years and want to blow all my money I sure as hell hope no whippersnappers try to "save" me from spending my money!
  • Calabahn, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Bull *****. Old people that have already been conned by every get rich quick scheme, maybe. Old people that have money and were raised on the premise of (Don't touch the principle) no way in hell.
  • FallenOmen, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Really ?? This has to be the dumbest ***** ***** i have ever seen i DIGG !!

    I suppose thats why House wives ranging from 25 to 40 get phone scammed all the time !!

    Or anyone or any age as a matter of fact @@ Being scammed has no number of age on it !!
    • airquotes, on 10/12/2007, -0/+0nah its cuz those lazy kuntz are home all day doing nothing and have time to daydream and ***** around on the phone while us men actually work.
  • xtraa, on 10/12/2007, -0/+2'..the possibility of losing money stresses young adults out, but it doesn’t faze the elderly..'

    Huh. Never let granny play at the stock market!
  • BigSlacker, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Old? Young kids are the one buying Civics and thinking they're race cars.
  • phillydrifter, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1Give me a ***** break. It has to do with the issue of trusting random strangers. People get scammed because they believe the person scamming them is being honest.
  • RobotCitizen, on 10/12/2007, -0/+1It's called dementia, is it not?
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