True or false? Older adults are deliberately targeted for telemarketing fraud.

With at least one story a day on the news dealing with “senior scams,” little doubt can be had that the above statement is undeniably true.

While scams don’t have an age limit, seniors were the focus of the Safe, Sound and Secure program Thursday at the MISD.

Hosted by Macomb County Senior Citizen Services, the program featured local officials such as County Executive Mark Hackel and Sheriff Anthony Wickersham, as well as those who deal with crimes against seniors on a daily basis, such as Macomb County Prosecutor Eric Smith, Assistant Prosecuting Attorney in the Chief Senior Crime Unit Suzanne Faunce and victim advocate Chris Misuraca.

The purpose of Thursday’s program wasn’t so much a focus on the scams themselves, but rather an introduction to the local offices seniors can use to report or prosecute these crimes.

“When in doubt, let us check it out,” said Rhonda M. Powell, director of MCSCS. “Let us call before you respond. Let the experts check. No. 1, it avoids problems for (seniors), and No. 2, it helps law enforcement put an end to that scam.”

Don McNeil of Clinton Township already takes numerous precautions against “swindles,” but he said he attended the program in an effort to “play it safe” and stay ahead of the scams.

“We’re senior citizens,” he said. “We need to know all about these things.”

Sharron Farrell of St. Clair Shores said she attended the program not only to educate herself, but also to pass the information on to her father.

“I’ve attended a lot of these functions for seniors,” she said. “They give you a lot of information. It’s good to be updated. My father is 89 years old and I try to pass this information on to him to protect him.”

While each speaker detailed the senior services for their respective office, all echoed Powell’s credo: When in doubt, let someone check it out.

I think it's a scam, whom do I call?

Macomb County Prosecutor’s Toll-Free Fraud Hotline: 866-498-8501

Consumer Protection–Office of the Attorney General: 877-765-8388 or www.michigan.gov/ag

How often should I check my credit? What agencies can I trust?

The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office recognized Annual Credit Report (877-322-8228) as a legitimate credit-reporting agency.

The prosecutor's office recommends everyone get a credit report three times a year to help ensure there is no inaccurate information or unusual activity.

www.annualcreditreport.com

A copy of the Annual Credit Request Form can also be downloaded from the website and mailed to:

Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281

I think someone else has been using my credit card. How do I place a "fraud alert" on my file?

Contact one of these three nationwide consumer credit reporting companies. Once the fraud alert is processed by one, it will alert the other two. 

Equifax 800-525-6285 www.equifax.com

Experian 888-397-3742 www.experian.com

Trans Union 800-680-7289 www.transunion.com

Recommendations from Suzanne Faunce, Chief of the Senior Crime Unit in the Macomb County Prosecutor's Office:

• Before hiring a caregiver: “Do a background check.” A background check can be done for as little as $10. A reputable agency will do the background check for you.
• Power of Attorney: If and when you draft such a document, make sure you have an uninterested party, a friend or attorney checking your accounting. “If someone is offended you are doing this, you don’t want them as your power of attorney,” she said.
• Safety: There has been a rise in home invasions and armed robberies in the past year. Always be aware of your surroundings.
• Family members do steal from other family members. It's not always unknown individuals who perpetrate crimes.