Senior Fraud Prevention Workshop Friday

Submitted by the City of Portsmouth:

On Friday, February 28 from 11:00am to 1:00pm, the City of Portsmouth Senior Services is proud to host AARP, ServiceLink and the Portsmouth Police for a senior fraud prevention workshop designed to educate senior citizens, their caregivers and providers about fraud and scams aimed at this vulnerable population. A recent MetLife study titled "The MetLife Study of Elder Financial Abuse" revealed that the financial loss by victims of elder financial abuse is estimated to be at least $2.9 billion annually.

Seniors are especially targeted and attractive to con artists for a variety of reasons; they are most likely to have a nest-egg, to own their home, and to have excellent credit. Additionally, people who grew up in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s were generally raised to be polite and trusting. Con artists exploit these traits, knowing that it is difficult or impossible for these individuals to say “no” or just hang up the telephone. Older Americans are less likely to report a fraud because they don’t know who to report it to, are too ashamed at having been scammed, or don’t know they have been scammed. Elderly victims may not report crimes, for example, because they are concerned that relatives may think the victims no longer have the mental capacity to take care of their own financial affairs.

“Education is the name of the game. These con artists are good at their job and if they weren’t successful, they wouldn’t keep doing it” says Brinn Chute, Senior Services Coordinator. “I am thrilled that AARP, ServiceLink and the Portsmouth Police have come together to help educate our community and help prevent further crimes against seniors.” Participants will learn the necessary information to spot fraud and important tips on how to protect themselves from getting scammed. There are many types of fraud including identity theft, Medicare overbilling, charity scams, the “grandparent” scam, investment schemes, reverse mortgage scams and more. Chute adds “If you are asked to wire cash to a foreign country that is a red flag that requires further investigation.”

Seniors, caregivers and providers are encouraged to attend. This event is free and open to the public at the Portsmouth Library Levenson Room located at 175 Parrott Avenue. For more information about this event, please contact Brinn Chute, Senior Services Coordinator at 603-610-4433 or bchute@cityofportsmouth.com.