TELEPHONE FRAUD AGAINST OLDER ADULTS IN CHINA: EVIDENCE FROM THE CHINA HEALTH AND RETIREMENT LONGITUDINAL STUDY

Abstract

Abstract Background Falling victim to telephone fraud is a devastating crisis for older adults because they can lose their life savings, adversely affecting their well-being. This study aimed to identify risk factors associated with telephone fraud among Chinese older adults. Method: A case-control study was conducted using the fourth wave of the 2018 China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study data on older adults 60 years and above (N = 445 with telephone fraud experience; 9,994 with no fraud and other fraud experience). Control variables for the logistic regression analysis included the individual’s demographics of gender, residential location, marital status, and educational level. Results Older adult males (OR = 1.424, 95% CI = 1.156-1.755, p = 0.001), urban residence (OR = 2.257, 95% CI = 1.706-2.986, p < 0.001), urban-rural integration zone (OR = 2.322, 95% CI = 1.654-3.260, p < 0.001), received higher education [OR = 1.704, 95% CI = 1.211-2.397, p = 0.007]), and higher pension classification (OR = 1.352, 95% CI = 1.220-1.500, p < 0.001) were associated with increased risks of telephone fraud. Conclusion Telephone fraud affects older adults in China at the upper rather than lower end of the socio-economic gradient, suggesting vulnerability from their use of digital technologies compared to those on the lower ladder of the socio-economic gradient. Findings highlight the need for fraud education of older adults with access to the digital broad band to reduce their risk for telephone fraud.