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Ellington State Representative Round-up
Protecting seniors from scams and fraud HARTFORD — This year, the Banking Committee passed “An Act Concerning Virtual Currency and Money Transmission.” Jaime Foster The bill requires seniors to be notified of common scams out there when they use crypto ATMs. The bill also creates minimum data standards that need to be tracked when money is exchanged through a crypto ATM. Bottom line: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. But seniors fall victim to crimes like this, even in our communities. The best protection is education. Some of the most well-known scams targeting seniors according to The National Council on Aging are: Government Impersonation Scams: Scammers call unsuspecting older adults and pretend to be from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Social Security Administration, or Medicare. The scammers may tell the target that they have unpaid taxes and threaten arrest or deportation if the “debt” isn’t paid, or they threaten benefits will be cut off. Sweepstakes and Lottery Scams:
Scammers call an older adult to tell them they have won a lottery or prize. To claim the prize, the “winner” must send money, cash, or gift cards — to cover supposed taxes and processing fees upfront. Scammers may impersonate sweepstakes organizations like Publishers Clearing House to build trust among their targets Computer Tech Support Scams: This scam preys on older people’s lack of knowledge about computers and cybersecurity. A pop-up message or blank screen usually appears on a computer or phone, telling the user their device is damaged and needs fixing. When they call the support number for help, the scammer may either request remote access to the older person’s computer or demand that the person pay a fee to have the device repaired. Grandparent Scam: This scam plays on an individual’s heart. Scammers call and say something like: “Hi, Grandma, do you know who this is?” When the unaware grandparent guesses the name of the grandchild the scammer sounds like, the scammer can instantly secure their trust. The person then asks for money to solve a financial problem.
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On Aug. 5, I welcome seniors from East Windsor, Ellington, and Vernon to the East Windsor Senior Center for lunch and a presentation with East Windsor Police Chief Matt Carl and Detective Matt Hogan of State Police Troop C in Tolland, focusing on senior-targeted scams and how seniors can protect themselves.
Lunch is at noon and the presentation starts at 12:30 p.m. Please RSVP to 860292-8279. The East Windsor Senior Center is at 125 Main St. in East Windsor. As always, if you have questions or concerns, please contact my office at jaime.foster@cga.ct.gov or call 860240-8585.
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