Chesco Holds Workshop On Senior Fraud: 'Protect Your Loved Ones'

WEST CHESTER, PA — To help prevent senior fraud, the Chester County Sheriff’s Office is collaborating with the Senior Law Center of Chester County and local senior centers on a workshop entitled “Senior Fraud: Protect Yourself and Your Loved Ones.”

The hour-long program is scheduled at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 14, 10:30 a.m. at Brandywine Valley Active Aging Downingtown Senior Center and 10:30 a.m. and June 21 online at BVAA Coatesville Senior Center.

World Abuse Awareness Day is Wednesday, June 15.

Approximately one in 10 elders in Pennsylvania and the United States has fallen victim to senior fraud.

The average amount of an elder’s financial loss was $34,200, with the greatest losses coming from checking or savings accounts, according to the office of Financial Protection for Older Americans.

“Every year the Chester County sheriff’s office receives phone calls from members of the public who report fraudulent calls,” Fredda Maddox, county sheriff, said. “Some people impersonate or pose as law enforcement officers or Good Samaritans to swindle unsuspecting victims.”

The sheriff said the calls are about calls they’ve received about providing money or gift cards to help a relative who a caller claims has been incarcerated or to avoid incarceration for supposed failure to appear for jury duty.

Victoria Long, legal advocate at the Senior Law Center Chester County, provided these tips to help prevent fraud:

• Don’t record your name on your voicemail greeting so that a scammer cannot save it on a computer system.
• Beware of false urgency
• A scammer may try to create a sense of emergency.
• Get help if you suspect that someone is trying to deceive you.
• Report fraud

For additional preventative action, sign up for free Fraud Guard with the Chester County Recorder of Deeds to receive an early warning email notification when a land document is recorded under a name you registered.

The Recorder of Deeds and Register of Wills also partner on a prevention program that helps prevent illegal property transfer that could harm incapacitated persons including senior citizens.

Register at www.chesco.org/recorder and click Fraud Prevention Initiatives on the left menu.