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Although surveys consistently show that older
Americans are victims of crime far less frequently
than young people, there are certain crimes to which
seniors are more susceptible than other segments of
society.
Crimes frequently
committed include:
- Home burglary
- Purse snatching
- Financial
exploitation
- Legal
exploitation
- Caregiver
exploitation
- Predatory
lending
- Telemarketing
fraud
- Fraudulent
charities
- Pyramid and
Ponzi fraud
- Repair fraud
- Health fraud
- Identity theft
- Staged auto
accidents
- Real estate
fraud
- Kits for
moneymaking, good jobs
- Lotto and prize
winning
- Time shares
misrepresentation
Free Legal
Resource for Michigan Seniors
-
1-800-347-5297
The Legal Hotline
for Michigan Seniors has been in operation for
13 years giving free legal advice and
information to Michigan residents who are age 60
and older. Located in Lansing, the Hotline’s
attorneys talk with callers on the telephone
about their legal problems and questions.
The Hotline was
conceived as a way to address the legal needs of
seniors by filling the gap of poverty, illness,
geographic isolation and social need.
Hours of the Hotline
are weekdays from 9 to 5. A receptionist will
ask for some general information, including name
and phone number. All information is kept
strictly confidential.
Local residents allege elder-scam
North County Times
Sat, 09 Jul 2005 8:53 PM PDT
An elderly Temecula woman said she lost her home
because of bad investment advice she received
from a man who sold her costly and inappropriate
annuities while acting as an investment adviser
for a local bank.
Extortionists are Using BBB Name to Scam Online
Buyers
[Arlington, VA, June 23, 2005] – Better Business
Bureaus have issued an international alert to
warn about individuals who are fraudulently
using the BBB name to extort money from online
shoppers seeking to purchase "big-ticket" items
advertised at "low ball" prices.
Ways to avoid charity scams 06/30/04
Con-artists will run
schemes that cheat seniors who think they are giving
to charities and good causes. Here are some tips to
avoid scams:
Continued)
Stock
Tip Scam Alert
The Securities and
Exchange Commission (SEC) recently issued an
investor alert to warn Americans about a new
scam sweeping the country -- answering machine
"wrong number" stock tips. The following
information is an excerpt from the SEC press
release:
Continued
DEBTOR AND
CONSOLIDATION SCAMS
If an
Internet site or other advertisement offers to sell
you a document you can use to "legally" eliminate an
outstanding credit card balance or other debt, don't
believe it.
U.S. government and banking industry reports
indicate a variety of schemes on the Internet and
elsewhere promoting programs that, for a significant
fee (sometimes thousands of dollars), fraudulently
claim to enable borrowers to stop payments on a debt
simply by giving the lender a specially-prepared
document. Many of these offers also cite false
claims about the Federal Reserve System, U.S.
currency or other federal or state government
programs as the legal justification for their debt
elimination program.
The bottom line: These documents are bogus and a
waste of money. If you come across this scam on the
Internet or elsewhere, consider reporting the
details to the FBI by calling the regional office
listed in your phone book or contacting the Internet
Crime Complaint Center at
www.ifccfbi.gov.
If you want more information about legitimate ways
to get out of debt safely and avoid debt-related
scams, see "Weathering a Financial Storm" in the
Winter 2001/2002 issue of FDIC Consumer News,
online at
www.fdic.gov/consumers/consumer/news/cnwin0102/cvrstry.html.
See also this letter from the
Federal Reserve
EASY MONEY IS A FAIRY TALE |
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some form of
financial exploitation, losing at least a
third of their
Michigan Attorney General Cox Charges
Lansing-Area Nurse With Abuse of 95-Year-Old
Nursing Home Patient
"More
than 100,000 Michigan citizens reside in nursing
homes around the state and my office is
committed to protecting those residents," said
Cox.
Man Who Preyed on Christians Gets 14 Years in
Investment Scheme
A man who preyed on hundreds of Christians in a
$26 million-plus investment scheme promising a
4,000 percent return on their money was
sentenced to 14 years in federal prison and
ordered to repay his victims.
Identity Theft Scam targeted seniors, recently
widowed 09/29/04
SOUTH BEND, Ind. -- Three Indiana State Prison
inmates and 17 other people have been charged
and accused of taking part in an identity theft
scheme that targeted elderly widows and
widowers, authorities said Monday
(continued)
WARNING: New counterfeit cashier check scam
2/01/05
This scam involves cashiers checks being mailed
to potential victims, and claims of lottery
winnings
Selling
your Time Shares
Recently we learned of some seniors who had
pre-paid a broker for the sale of their time
share. Is there a motive is for a broker to
invest time and effort into the sale of your
property if he has already collected the
premium? Consider that every penny spent after
collecting the premium is a cost to him.
NEVER pay any form of
advance payment to a reseller
- even if they say that they have already
made a sale. Allow them to deduct their profit
after they have actually made a sale. This is
the advise from the Time Share Consumer
Association.
Funerals: A Consumer Guide
Planning ahead is difficult, especially when
making arrangements for your funeral. But with
the cost of funerals increasing each year, many
people are thinking ahead and doing pre-need
planning. Learn how you can make a wise and
well-informed decision with "Funerals: A
Consumer Guide" from the Federal Trade
Commission. Find out about choosing services,
the involved costs, and questions you should
ask. This publication costs $1.00. For your
copy, call toll-free 1 (888) 8 PUEBLO, that's 1
(888) 878-3256
and ask for Item 352M. Have your credit card
handy. Or send your name, address, and a check
or money order for $1.00 to the Federal Citizen
Information Center, Dept. 352M, Pueblo, CO
81009. And visit
http://www.pueblo.gsa.gov/ to place your
order online or to read or print out this and
hundreds of other FCIC publications for free.
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