NCJ Number
120795
Date Published
1988
Length
13 pages
Annotation
A recent national study indicates that citizens over 65 years of age comprise 65 percent of the U.S. population but that people in this age group represent 30 percent of all con game victims.
Abstract
To attack the growing problem of elderly victimization by con artists, the Washington State Attorney General's Office has established two task forces that travel throughout the State to conduct informational workshops. Most of these presentations are given at senior citizen centers to warn people of con games they may encounter. The most common con games targeting the elderly include telephone solicitation, home improvement, equity skimming, investment, and work at home schemes. The bank examiner scheme is also noted in which a con artist calls senior citizens to request that they withdraw a certain sum of money from their bank account to help the bank catch a teller who is involved in counterfeiting. Information in the booklet is intended to help build a partnership between law enforcement and the business community, with the end goal of helping senior citizen service caseworkers. Sources of additional information on fraudulent activities targeting the elderly are noted.