The Senate Special Committee on Aging recently established a toll-free hotline to assist seniors who feel they have been the victim of a scam or fraud.
“Ensuring that seniors are as equipped as possible to avoid becoming victims of fraud and other scams is among our committee’s top priorities,” Senate Special Committee on Aging Ranking Member Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) said. “This new hotline offered by the Senate Special Committee on Aging will help to identify and put a stop to the cruel scams that hurt seniors and their families.”
Investigators who have experience with investment scams, identity theft, lottery schemes and Medicare and Social Security fraud will staff the hotline. An investigator will examine each case and refer them to authorities when appropriate.
Collins and Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) have made prevention of senior fraud and consumer protection a main focus of the committee’s work.
“If you’re contacted about an offer that sounds too good to be true, then it probably is,” Nelson said. “This new hotline will give seniors a resource to turn to for assistance if they think they’ve been victimized or have questions about fraudulent activities.”
The Special Committee on Aging also recently revamped its website to make it more user-friendly for seniors. New features include larger print, simplified navigation tools and a clean layout that allows older people to locate the information they need.