KALISPELL – Senator Jon Tester was in Kalispell on Friday to talk to elders about how to avoid scams targeted at senior citizens.
Experts say older folks are targeted because they have built up wealth and are less likely to question a suspicious situation.
The FBI reports that many seniors may not report crimes because they are worried family members will think their mental capacities are decreasing.
Right now, Sen. Tester is working on a senior fraud bill to protect seniors and says how that bill will help the elderly.
“We have a senior fraud bill right now that should help educate seniors and senior fraud happenings because it happens way too much, by the way, it’s a commonly occurring situation,” the Democrat said.
“So, (we’re) educate (ing) seniors on what to look for and educate law enforcement on how we can find these folks doing these fraud/scams,” Tester added.
The FBI suggests for people over the age of 60 to be on the lookout for telemarketers offering free prizes, low-cost vitamins, and inexpensive vacations. Any or all of these could be scams.
Story by Maren Siu, MTN News
