Attorney General Terry Goddard today announced plans for his office to
host a series of Senior Anti-Crime Universities, designed to teach
attendees to detect scams against seniors and help others avoid frauds,
scams and abuse.
Each university will offer a half-day of classes in consumer fraud and
scams, identity theft, life care planning/health care directives,
Medicare/Medicaid fraud, financial exploitation, elder abuse and
neglect, Internet safety and charitable giving. Local police will also
teach a course in personal safety.
"Keeping Arizona seniors well-informed provides the best defense
against frauds and scams," Goddard said. "The Anti-Crime University
will present a wealth of useful information to identify and prevent all
manner of schemes and ripoffs. Protecting seniors has long ranked as a
top priority for the Attorney General's Office, and this program moves
our efforts up another notch."
The first Senior Anti-Crime University will be held Sept. 29 at
Friendship Village in Tempe. Others will be held Oct. 15 at the
Beatitudes in Phoenix; Oct. 27 at Prescott College in Prescott and Nov.
20 at Pima Community College in Tucson. More Senior Anti-Crime
Universities are being planned statewide in 2010.
The Senior Anti-Crime University is part of the Attorney General’s
Senior Sleuths project. Senior Sleuths is a volunteer program to help
Arizona seniors protect themselves and prevent others from becoming
victims of fraud and abuse. The Attorney General’s Office is recruiting
senior volunteers and will be training them to identify and report
scams and fraud and to use their knowledge to educate other seniors.
Tasks that can be undertaken by Senior Sleuths include collecting
suspicious “junk” mail, keeping a log of telemarketing phone calls
received at home, and attending “free” presentations and making reports
to the Attorney General's Office.
With additional training, they can answer calls on the AG Elder Help
phone line, work in the Attorney General’s satellite offices, staff AG
booths at community events or make presentations to community groups.
“Senior Sleuths offers a great opportunity for active, involved seniors
to work with the Attorney General’s office to help prevent and detect
scams against seniors," Goddard said. "Because so many crooks and con
artists take aim at seniors, I want all Arizonans to be armed with the
knowledge they need to stay safe and stop crimes before they
happen.”
The Senior Anti-Crime University and Senior Sleuths project are
partnering with AARP, DES Division of Aging & Adult Services, SMP
(Senior Medicare Patrol), Arizona Area Agencies on Aging, Beatitudes
Center DOAR, All Arizona School Retiree Association, local police
departments and other retiree and senior organizations.
These universities classes are free to the public, but space is limited
so advance registration is required. To register online or get more
information, go to the SENIORS tab at the Attorney General's Web site:
www.azag.gov or email SeniorSleuths@azag.gov.
http://www.azag.gov/senior..s/sleuths/sacu.html
ONLINE REGISTRATION:
http://www.azag.gov/senior..s/sleuths/sacureg.html