(Long Island, NY) Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone joined Brookhaven Town Supervisor Edward Romaine, Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker, AARP Long Island and local officials to alert senior citizens of recent phone scams across the county. Senior citizens have reported receiving financial scam calls from entities posing as the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Attorney General’s office and other government agencies. The alert coincides with national Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), which takes place March 6-12.
“Tax day is fast approaching, and unfortunately, this is the time that scam artists are working overtime to get ahold of your hard earned money,” said Suffolk County Executive Steve Bellone. “Scammers use this as an opportunity to pose as the IRS or other collection agencies to demand that you pass on money or provide vital accounting information to them. We are here to make sure that all of our citizens, particularly our seniors, are provided with the necessary information that they need to protect themselves and their families.”
Brookhaven Town Supervisor Ed Romaine said, “I am happy to join with the County Executive and AARP to fight against unscrupulous people who want to take advantage of the elderly. Scam artists always prey on the most vulnerable and seniors are considered an easy target. The best advice is if something doesn’t sound right, it probably isn’t, so don’t give anyone your personal information unless you are absolutely sure of who they are. ”
“We are here to create advocacy for our senior citizens,” said Suffolk County Legislator Sarah Anker. “What I recommend is for our residents who feel endangered, threatened or scammed is to call the Suffolk County Police Department and report this as a crime. We have to protect those who are more vulnerable in our communities.”
In 2015, the total cost of financial fraud against senior citizens across the country was $36.5 billion. The Suffolk County Department of Labor, Licensing and Consumer Affairs has recovered more than $534,000 through investigations into scams on behalf of Suffolk County residents.
“Fraud and identify theft is a growing problem, and adults aged 50 and over are more likely to become victims,” said Bernard Macias, Associate State Director for AARP Long Island. “Thieves are constantly devising new themes and schemes that are becoming more difficult to protect, and thousands of incidents are being reported. Three important facts to remember are that the IRS does not first contact you over the phone, the IRS does not ask for credit card or debit information over the phone, and the IRS does not threaten the presence of police and law enforcement to your home.”
Officials also noted residents to be wary of scams related to charitable donations, investments, magazine subscriptions, television shopping, sweepstakes, obituaries and scammers posing as friends of family members.
The County and AARP Long Island additionally provided residents with the following tips to prevent financial fraud:
- Never give out financial information – including social security number – over the phone unless you initiated the call.
- Medicare employees will never ask for your full social security or Medicare number.
- Consult a family member or loved one if you’re feeling uncertain about requests for money or personal information.
- Never send money today for the promise of more money later.
- Beware of pushy marketers or solicitors, do not hesitate to take down their contact information and follow up with due diligence.
National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) is a coordinated campaign that encourages consumers nationwide to take full advantage of their consumer rights and to make better-informed decisions.
For more information on National Consumer Protection Week and Suffolk County’s initiative to prevent phone scams, log on to www.suffolkcountyny.gov or www.facebook.com/stevebellone.
