IRVINE – On Thursday, September 9, Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris and the Contractors State License Board hosted the Senior Scam Stopper Seminar at the Rancho Senior Center. The event was attended by 70 seniors who learned how to protect themselves from fraud and scams concerning home improvement, auto repair, insurance, telemarketing and real estate.
The panel of experts included Giovanni Nepomuceno from the Contractors State License Board, Jackie Wiley from the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation and Dystanie Flores from the California Department of Insurance. The experts shed light on the different ways seniors become susceptible to scams whether it is through the phone or on the internet. They also informed the attendees about the resources available to them, that their respective agencies provide in the case that someone became a victim of fraud.
“Seniors are the most targeted population by scams. Last year, cybercrime cost Americans age 50 and older nearly $3 billion,” said Assemblywoman Cottie Petrie-Norris (D-Irvine). “Thank you to our partner agencies and organizations who joined us to educate our senior community about the resources available in case they become victims of fraud.”
“Alzheimer’s Orange County was very pleased to collaborate with Assemblymember Cottie Petrie-Norris on the Senior Scam Stopper event in Irvine,” said Patty Barnett Mouton, VP of Outreach and Advocacy at Alzheimer’s OC. “Older adults are too often targets of unscrupulous scam artists, who use increasingly sophisticated criminal tactics to take advantage of people. We appreciate Assemblymember Petrie-Norris’ attention to this important issue of protecting our seniors.”
California is also preparing for an aging and changing population as the state’s over-60 population is projected to diversify and grow faster than any other age group. Last year, the state released a Master Plan on Aging – a blueprint for state government, local government, the private sector and philanthropy to prepare the state for the coming demographic changes.
In the Legislature, the Assemblywoman has been an advocate of expanding and creating easier access to the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly or PACE, which allows seniors to reside in their homes and receive essential services that improve their independence and quality of life.
Resources can be found on the CSLB and the Department of Insurance websites.