Scam Prevention Seminar Comes To Levittown Library

LEVITTOWN, NY. — Nassau County residents will have the chance to learn about scams next month, thanks to a joint initiative from State Senator Steve Rhoads, County Legislators Tom McKevitt and Kayla Knight and multiple community groups.

The scam prevention seminar will take place Monday, Feb. 9 at 7 p.m. in the Levittown Public Library. The seminar seeks to educate residents on "emerging scams, identity theft prevention, how to identify red flags, and how to report and recover from fraud," an event listing said. According to Rhoads, the education is only becoming more important as fraudsters start employing more complicated schemes.

"Scammers are becoming more sophisticated, but an informed community is our strongest defense," Rhoads told Patch Wednesday. "This proactive and engaging seminar gives residents the tools they need to protect their finances, their identities, and their peace of mind."

In a release announcing the event, Rhoads' office said it would feature Nassau County police, as well as representatives from the Family & Children's Association and the Nassau County Office of Crime Victim Advocate.

The scam prevention seminar comes just six months after the Pew Research Center reported almost three-quarters of American adults surveyed had received some sort of scam call or text. In the same survey, Pew reported that almost half of the adults responding had seen their credit or debit card information stolen and used to record fraudulent charges.

Wednesday, the Federal Trade Commission published a consumer alert urging readers to take caution against potential scams when seeking to better their credit scores.

For Rhoads' office, the Feb. 9 seminar is a valuable preventative course for Long Islanders looking to avoid being conned.

"Taking the time to learn how these scams work today can prevent devastating losses tomorrow," Rhoads' office said.

Attendance is free, but prospective attendees are encouraged to RSVP to the event by calling Rhoads' office at 516-882-0630.