Most people have heard of financial fraud, sometimes referred to as “a scam.” Financial fraud is rampant and affects people of all ages. But it can be particularly devastating to older adults who are oftentimes retired and have no way to bring in new sources of income. Older adults lose billions annually to financial fraud, and the consequences are profound for older adults and their loved ones. That is why there is a focus on elder fraud prevention. There are things you can do to guard against financial fraud.  One of the greatest challenges in fraud prevention is simply knowing the various types of fraud because there are so many different types. However, if you are familiar with the various types of financial fraud out there, you are more likely to recognize fraud and resist. Here are three simple things to help you prevent financial fraud. 1) Know the scams . As mentioned, the best way to prevent financial fraud is to be familiar with fraud types so you “know one when you see one”. Although there are many different types of scams, there are some scams that disproportionately affect older adults. Learn about the top five scams affecting older adults. You can also sign up for the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Alerts to receive emails describing trending financial scams. 2) Take a breath. Fraudsters often create artificial time pressures to confuse people. Before you decide to give your money away, including wiring funds or buying gift cards, slow down and take a breath first. This short pause can help you resist fraud. 3) Share what you know with others . The Pass it on! campaign has materials that enable you to readily share what you know about scams with friends and family to ensure that everyone knows about scams. We are stronger together. Fraud prevention is the best approach. And yet fraudsters are frequently successful. Young and old alike are taken advantage of by these fraudsters. If you have been scammed, you are not alone. It is important to let others know what happened to you. Call the Elder Fraud Hotline to report financial fraud: 833–372–8311 Monday–Friday, 10:00 a.m.–6:00 p.m. eastern time English/Español/Other languages available This free resource is staffed by experienced case managers who provide personalized support to callers. The Hotline does not have the authority to investigate cases, but can provide information and resources to callers, and can assist callers in reporting fraud or suspected fraud.

The elder justice legislation found in this document was elicited and finalized from the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) Listserv and independent websites in February 2021. The compilation is intended to reflect highlights across the nation and does not include all legislation related to elder justice. However, updates will be sent biannually and states are encouraged to send updates on significant legislative action to Ageless Alliance. This document reflects activity in 15 states and highlights at the federal level.

Judy is 79 but reads as 15 years younger. She hops the high step into her mid-sized SUV, hits the button for public radio (not just for my sake) and expertly pilots through the streets of her seaside town.

PRESS RELEASE   Internal Revenue Service - Criminal  Investigation Washington D.C. Field Office  Special Agent in Charge Kelly R. Jackson   FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, July 17, 2020 Contact: Veronica Kyriakides – (703) 336-4014       The Internal Revenue Service announced its annual "Dirty Dozen" list of tax scams with a special emphasis on aggressive and evolving schemes related to coronavirus tax relief, including Economic Impact Payments. This year, the Dirty Dozen focuses on scams that target taxpayers. The criminals behind these bogus schemes view everyone as potentially easy prey. The IRS urges everyone to be on guard all the time and look out for others in their lives. "Tax scams tend to rise during tax season or during times of crisis, and scam artists are using pandemic to try stealing money and information from honest taxpayers,” said IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig. “The IRS provides the Dirty Dozen list to help raise awareness about common scams that fraudsters use to target people. We urge people to watch out for these scams. The IRS is doing its part to protect Americans. We will relentlessly pursue criminals trying to steal your money or sensitive personal financial information." Taxpayers are encouraged to review the list in a special section on IRS.gov and be on the lookout for these scams throughout the year. Taxpayers should also remember that they are legally responsible for what is on their tax return even if it is prepared by someone else. Consumers can help protect themselves by choosing a reputable tax preparer. The IRS urges taxpayers to refrain from engaging potential scammers online or on the phone. The IRS plans to unveil a similar list of enforcement and compliance priorities this year as well. “Americans are already experiencing so many challenges; the last thing taxpayers need is to be victimized by one of these scams,” said IRS-CI Special Agent in Charge Kelly R. Jackson. “We are hoping that by raising the public’s awareness to these tax scams, less people will fall prey.” An upcoming series of press releases will emphasize the illegal schemes and techniques businesses and individuals use to avoid paying their lawful tax liability. Topics will include such scams as abusive micro captives and fraudulent conservation easements. Here are this year's ‘Dirty Dozen’ scams: Phishing: Taxpayers should be alert to potential fake emails or websites looking to steal personal information. IRS Criminal Investigation has seen a tremendous increase in phishing schemes utilizing emails, letters, texts and links. These phishing schemes are using keywords such as "coronavirus," "COVID-19" and "Stimulus" in various ways. Fake Charities: Criminals frequently exploit natural disasters such as the current COVID-19 pandemic by setting up fake charities to steal from well-intentioned people trying to help in times of need. Fake charity scams generally rise during times like these. Threatening Impersonator Phone Calls: IRS impersonation scams come in many forms. A common one remains bogus threatening phone calls from a criminal claiming to be with the IRS. The scammer attempts to instill fear and urgency in the potential victim. In fact, the IRS will never threaten a taxpayer or surprise him or her with a demand for immediate payment. Social Media Scams: Taxpayers need to protect themselves against social media scams, which frequently use events like COVID-19 to try tricking people. Social media enables anyone to share information with anyone else on the Internet. Scammers use that information as ammunition for a wide variety of scams. These include emails where scammers impersonate someone’s family, friends or co-workers. EIP or Refund Theft: The IRS has made great strides against refund fraud and theft in recent years, but they remain an ongoing threat. Criminals this year also turned their attention to stealing Economic Impact Payments as provided by the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. Senior Fraud: Senior citizens and those who care about them need to be on alert for tax scams targeting older Americans. The IRS recognizes the pervasiveness of fraud targeting older Americans along with the Department of Justice and FBI, the Federal Trade Commission, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB), among others. Seniors are more likely to be targeted and victimized by scammers than other segments of society. Scams targeting non-English speakers: IRS impersonators and other scammers also target groups with limited English proficiency. These scams are often threatening in nature. Some scams also target those potentially receiving an Economic Impact Payment and request personal or financial information from the taxpayer. Phone scams pose a major threat to people with limited access to information, including individuals not entirely comfortable with the English language. Unscrupulous Return Preparers: Selecting the right return preparer is important. They are entrusted with a taxpayer's sensitive personal data. Most tax professionals provide honest, high-quality service, but dishonest preparers pop up every filing season committing fraud, harming innocent taxpayers or talking taxpayers into doing illegal things they regret later. Offer in Compromise Mills: Taxpayers need to wary of misleading tax debt resolution companies that can exaggerate chances to settle tax debts for “pennies on the dollar” through an Offer in Compromise (OIC). These offers are available for taxpayers who meet very specific criteria under law to qualify for reducing their tax bill. But unscrupulous companies oversell the program to unqualified candidates so they can collect a hefty fee from taxpayers already struggling with debt. Fake Payments with Repayment Demands: Criminals are always finding new ways to trick taxpayers into believing their scam including putting a bogus refund into the taxpayer's actual bank account. The IRS will never demand payment by a specific method. Payroll and HR Scams: Tax professionals, employers and taxpayers need to be on guard against phishing designed to steal Form W-2s and other tax information. These are Business Email Compromise (BEC) or Business Email Spoofing (BES). This is particularly true with many businesses closed and their employees working from home due to COVID-19. Ransomware: This is a growing cybercrime. Ransomware is malware targeting human and technical weaknesses to infect a potential victim's computer, network or server. Malware is a form of invasive software that is often frequently inadvertently downloaded by the user. Once downloaded, it tracks keystrokes and other computer activity. Once infected, ransomware looks for and locks critical or sensitive data with its own encryption. In some cases, entire computer networks can be adversely impacted. Visit www.IRS.gov/newsroom for additional information on these scams and the latest news releases from IRS.   

Many terms have been utilized to describe the whiplash effect of COVID-19 sequestering the world. Unprecedented, twilight zone and surreal seem to resonate most in daily conversation. While we are required to “shelter in place” we can take this opportunity to evaluate how we got here and what needs to happen next. Older adults are able to manage a more nuanced perspective due to world life experience. At the same time, the most vulnerable of older adults are at risk due to underlying chronic medical conditions and compromised immune systems. Rebuilding with a sense of resilience has sustained us through a social revolution, an imploding housing market, terrorist attacks of 911, and the swift impact of technology. Those leapfrog experiences created setbacks and opportunities.   The “shelter in place” period has downshifted our hectic routines and given us time to examine long standing inequities in health, education, housing and economic opportunities which are the fundamentals of a strong society. We have a newfound appreciation of once hidden “essential workers” and “new heroes”. Now more than ever there is an awareness of the delicate balance of global inter-dependency for food, medical supplies, commerce and supply trains. As we embrace this time of critical thinking and reflection, we can influence what happens next to climate change, global relations, healthy life requirements and historic racial and economic inequalities. Rebuilding with resilience requires being aware, engaged and involved on all levels. Now is the time to reach across the aisle and remove old boundaries to build our new future together.    S. Orlene Grant, RN MSN President and CEO JCGF

TIPS From The IRS While scams continue all year long, the novel coronavirus crisis has spawned a new string to scams targeting older adults. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) notes that since 2014, Americans have lost over $450 million to government impostor scams, with those aged 80 and over losing the most—a median $2,700. REMEMBER THE INTERNAL REVENUE SERVICE AND SOCIAL SECURITY ADMINISTRATION DO NOT CALL. BOTH FEDERAL AGENCIES COMMUNICATE BY OFFICIAL MAIL SERVICE. Protect your identity-Do not reveal or share your Social Security number. Pass on “Unknown caller”. You can listen to the message.  HANG UP ON GOVERNMENT IMPOSTERS Threatening legal action for fraudulent activities utilizing your Social Security account and requesting your Social Security number to verify the account. Threatening arrest or stating US Marshalls will be coming to your door due to non-payment of IRS bills if you do not buy and send gift cards to a specific address. Impersonating IRS Taxpayer Assistance Centers (TACs) requesting money for an unpaid tax bill. BEWARE OF ADVERTISEMENTS OR SOLICITATIONS FOR COVID-19 REMEDIES Exotic oils or elixirs that protect against or cure COVID-19 Respirators for sale Claims of COVID-19 vaccine Offers of “free” medical equipment or tests- Medicare covers a range of preventive services and durable medical equipment (DME) at no/low cost to beneficiaries. But it’s important to remember that there are rules for receiving these services, and you should only accept them from trusted providers