County Wide Team Fights Senior Fraud Scams

Scams that target the elderly are on the rise, and a team of community leaders is working to raise awareness of how you can keep yourself or a loved one safe from fraud.
The Adult Protective Services Team consists of representatives from local law enforcement, senior centers, banks, and others who are working to protect senior citizens from elder financial exploitation.
Officer Matt Brilakis from the Powell Police Department says that people over the age of 55 are lucrative targets for scammers, who are very persuasive, using either the threat of persecution or the promise of financial gain.

Powell Police Chief Roy Eckerdt also points out that there are no legitimate organizations that will ask for payments in gift cards or other alternative forms of payment through a phone call.

Eckerdt and Brilakis say some of the most important ways to protect yourself from fraud are to never give your social security number, drivers license number or other confidential information over the phone, and always ask for confirmation in writing from the caller. Eckerdt also pointed out that in cases of lottery or other award scams, remember, if you didn’t enter, you can’t win.