The Ohio Department of Aging (AGE) is recognizing April as Fraud Prevention Month. Every older Ohioan deserves to live and age with dignity and without the fear of fraud, intimidation or exploitation.
Ohio is home to more than 2.8 million older adults, and they can be vulnerable to financial fraud. As scams become more sophisticated, today’s technology makes it easier for criminals to steal personal information, drain accounts, or trick them into unwillingly committing fraud. Examples of scams include:
- Phishing emails and unsolicited texts or phone calls asking for banking, credit card or other financial information.
- Fraudsters trying to get older adults to convert retirement assets into so-called “safer, guaranteed investments.”
- Imposters or hackers posing as friends or family members, asking older adults to send money immediately, usually by email or social media.
AGE recently alerted Ohioans to reports of a phone scam involving individuals falsely claiming to represent the Golden Buckeye program. Residents reported receiving unsolicited calls from scammers attempting to obtain personal information, including protected data such as Social Security numbers. These calls are not from the Ohio Department of Aging.
Ohioans can report scam attempts to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov or the Ohio Attorney General’s Office at inquiries.ohioattorneygeneral.gov. Anyone who believes they may have been a victim of a scam should contact their local law enforcement agency.
The Ohio Department of Commerce is also a great resource for information and tips about how to avoid fraud. Go to aging.ohio.gov.
