by Dennis Dalman
editor@thenewsleaders.com
A free “Scam Jam” seminar will take place from 8:30 a.m.-noon Wednesday, Dec. 7 at the The Grands at Mulligans in Sartell.
The session, open to the public, is designed mainly for senior citizens and caregivers for the elderly. It is co-sponsored by the Better Business Bureau of Minnesota/North Dakota and the American Association of Retired People.
Although the event is free, people who plan to attend are asked to register at: AARP.cvent.com/CentraMNScamJam. Or call 1-877-926-8300.
A continental breakfast and refreshments will be served.
Scam Jam is an interactive event pointing out the kinds of past and current scams aimed at seniors and others, and how cons ingeniously use subterfuge to get personal information and to bilk money out of the unsuspecting.
Seniors lose almost $37 billion every year because of fraud, exploitation and financial abuse, according to True Link Financial. Seniors are particularly vulnerable because scammers know many of them are trusting, have money put away and are easily accessible by telephone.
Typically, scammers befriend the elderly, then request money, usually for bogus reasons such as a family member is in trouble or for emergencies. Other scams include phony sweepstakes wins or investment ruses in which the so-called “investor” pockets all the money, never to be seen again.
More “modern” con artists are now proposing computer fix-it help to the elderly, calls claiming the victim owes money immediately to the Internal Revenue Service, impersonation schemes by callers claiming to be officials of the Social Security or Medicare administrations, and calls from “grandchildren” claiming to be in trouble and requiring money immediately.
The line-up for Scam Jam is as follows: 8 a.m. Continental breakfast served; 8:30 a.m. Registration and resources table; 9 a.m. Welcome; 9:15 a.m. Trends in fraud and identity theft; 10 a.m. Victim profiling and how to scam-proof your life; 10:45 a.m. Break and visit resource tables; 11:15 a.m. Financial exploitation within families; and noon: Closing comments.
