Financial scams against seniors are a large and rapidly growing problem. We have posted blog entries and often speak to groups on this subject. These scams often produce financially devastated seniors and strained or even irreparably damaged relationships within families. They can take the form of phony investments, bogus lotteries, identity theft, and Social Security fraud. The Senate Special Committee on Aging has created a new hotline, in recognition of this problem, that seniors and family members can call to report this activity. A toll-free call to 1-855-303-9470 between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. Eastern time will put you in touch with committee investigators, who will funnel complaints to the proper state or federal authorities. You can also contact the investigators through the committee’s website: www.aging.senate.gov/fraud-hotline.
We found out about this hotline in an article on the New York Times New Old Age Blog. The full article can be found here:
http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/11/26/a-new-way-to-report-fraud/?_r=0#more-16221
Also from the New Old Age Blog there is a new movie “Nebraska” about a 77 year old man who falls victim to a fake lottery scam. His son cannot talk him out of traveling to Lincoln, Nebraska to pick up his prize and agrees to drive him there.
http://newoldage.blogs.nytimes.com/2013/12/10/in-search-of-what-hes-owed/
