Stay Safe During the Holidays - Take A Few Precautions
Orlene Grant • December 19, 2023
The Juanita C. Grant Foundation is committed to delivering the Elder Abuse and Fraud Prevention Training Series to all 9 Districts in Prince George’s County. We have accomplished that goal in 2023. It has been quite a journey.
Engaging with the community grounds us as an organization. It allows us to “listen” and “learn” what is important in the community. While we usually conduct preventive elder abuse training in senior activity centers, we have extended our reach by partnering with The Skybridge at Town Center in Largo, Maryland.
The Juanita C. Grant Foundation presented the Elder Abuse and Fraud Prevention Training on November 1st, 2023 at The Skybridge. Our keynote speaker was the Honorable Kym Taylor, Maryland State Senator for District 22. Ms. Taylor’s message stressed the importance of staying informed about current scams, recognizing signs of elder abuse, and being proactive in reporting suspected scams to authorities.
Here are some basic precautions I take and urge you to as well during the holiday season:
- Place shopping bags in the trunk…out of sight. Be aware if someone may be watching or trailing you to your car. Trust your gut instinct to return to the store.
- Avoid walking to the car alone. Go out with others or have security accompany you.
- Resist answering unknown phone numbers and restricted numbers. Let them roll over to voicemail. If you do, do not say "yes" or your name, which may be recorded and used by scammers.
- Do not open “track your purchase” emails if you are not expecting a delivery from that delivery service.
- Avoid using a debit card when shopping. Use a credit card with features to stop a transaction, and dispute unknown charges.
Be safe and do enjoy the holiday season!
S. Orlene Grant
President & CEO, JCGF
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