By Krystal Smalley
ksmalley@wbcowqel.com
Scams against senior citizens are nothing new but as more cases are reported HomeCare Matters Home Health and Hospice decided to take a proactive approach in educating residents.
HomeCare Matters, along with WBCO AM1540, WQEL92.7 FM, and Crawford County Now, is presenting a community education series on senior scams. The hour-long seminar will take place at 9 a.m. this Thursday morning in the A/B room at the Bucyrus Public Library. Refreshments will be provided by Morning Glory Bakery.
“It is to protect seniors from scammers,” explained Dean Heid, Development and Marketing Coordinator at HomeCare Matters.
Heid said HomeCare Matters focuses on treating patients holistically but the agency saw the prevention of senior scams as something that had been underserved in the community.
“We’ve seen a few patients get scammed before,” Heid said. Family members were able to spot the scam and reported it.
Ryan Lippe, a consumer educator from the Consumer Protection Section of the Ohio Attorney General’s Office will talk about elder fraud and scams, from fake IRS calls to scammers attempting to get credit card information. He will also discuss steps to take to make sure seniors do not become victims of scams. Additional information about elder fraud can be found on the Ohio Attorney General’s website at http://www.ohioattorneygeneral.gov/individuals-and-families/victims/seniors/elder-fraud.aspx.