By Khalida Sarwari
Santa Clara County officials held a news conference in San Jose this afternoon to highlight the elder community’s vulnerability to financial scams.
At the event, held in commemoration of National Crime Victims Week, District Attorney Dolores Carr said elder fraud, which is defined as the illegal or improper use of an elder’s funds, property or assets, is a fast-growing area of concern in the county especially during poor economic times.
Sunnyvale Department of Public Safety Chief Don Johnson said the problem may be prevalent, but that only one in every 100 financial scams is reported annually. In Sunnyvale, about 20 to 30 scams are reported each year, he said.
Carr said the latest scams involve people who go door-to-door pretending to be census employees and dupe residents into revealing personal information, such as their birthdays, social security numbers, bank account numbers and secret pin codes.
Another scam is the “Canadian lottery,” where victims receive notification by e-mail or a letter stating they have won prize money but are required to send a fee.
The “sweetheart swindle” is another form of scam wherein a female stranger befriends an elderly person for the purpose of asking money from them, Carr said.
She advised elderly citizens to refrain from releasing their personal information over the phone and via mail or e-mail to unknown solicitors. Residents should always check the references of solicitors, have others present when making financial transactions, and to ask for everything in written form, Carr said.
Carr encouraged victims of financial scams to seek help from a financial abuse specialist team, composed of representatives from the district attorney’s office, Adult Protective Services, the Office of the Public Guardian, and County Counsel’s Office.
Members of the group work to identify, investigate and help prevent financial abuse of elders and dependent adults in Santa Clara County. Since its implementation in May 1999, the team has prevented the loss and recovery of about $194.4 million in assets for seniors.
Lee Pullen, a director of aging and adult services, said his office provides services to help residents obtain restraining orders and secure their bank accounts.
To report financial scams, residents can call (800) 414-2002.