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| August 2011 |
| | | | SAVE THE DATE!
The 2011 National Triad Conference will take place in Chicago, IL on October 3-5, 2011.
This year's mission: Law Enforcement & Aging: Building Safety Nets for Older Adults
Please join us in sharing new ways to educate and protect older adults in our communities, network, and discover the latest challenges, threats, scams, and abuse issues for older adults and what law enforcement can do about it. |
REDLANDS: Police collect used phones for seniors, victims
Submitted to The Press-Enterprise
The Redlands Police Department's Community Policing Division has joined in a national partnership program to collect used cell phones, which are then provided to senior citizens and victims of abuse for emergency communications.
The RPD will collect donated cell phones and send them to the 911 Cell Phone Bank where they are processed and valued. In addition to receiving the cash value of the donated cell phones, emergency cell phones are made available to needy seniors and abuse victims on an as-needed basis.
More than 11 million cell phones are retired each month in the United States and many enter the local waste stream. As millions of people upgrade their old cell phones or receive new ones, donating them to the police department can help local residents and the local environment.
The National Association of Triads, a subsidiary of the National Sheriffs' Association, is a national partner of the 911 Cell Phone Bank. They encourage all law enforcement and victim services agencies to get involved with the 911 Cell Phone Bank.
"The 911 Cell Phone Bank has been a great partner," said Edward Hutchison the executive director of NAT. "Having this resource available enables law enforcement to focus on serving the community and lets communities give back in a small but meaningful way."
Residents are encouraged to donate their used cell phones at a local donation center.
Redlands Police Department, 1270 W. Park Ave.
North Sub Police Station, 1560 N. Orange St.
AK Smiley Library, 125 W. Vine St.
Redlands Community Center, 111 W. Lugonia Ave.
Joslyn Senior Center, 21 Grant St.
Second Baptist Church, 420 E. Stuart Ave.
The National Association of Triads is a partnership of law enforcement, senior citizens, and community groups that exists to promote senior safety and reduce the unwarranted fear of crime that seniors often experience. The National Association of Triads, Inc. assists law enforcement in organizing local Triad programs by providing ideas, programs, and training materials to implement in communities nationwide.
The 911 Cell Phone Bank is an initiative of The RMS Foundation, a 501c3 organization.
It was created to provide an ongoing and readily available source of 911 cell phones and funds to meet unexpected and urgent needs of participating law enforcement and affiliated victim services agencies. Since its inception, the 911 Cell Phone Bank has generated hundreds of thousands of dollars and tens of thousands of cell phones for victim services organizations nationwide.
It is a nationwide program designed to maximize community cell phone donations. To learn more visit http://www.911 CellPhoneBank.com. |
Submit your nominations online for the 2012 National Crime Victims' Service Awards! At the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC), we rely on people in the victim services field to share stories of great accomplishments, and we want to acknowledge the individuals, organizations, programs, and teams that are doing innovative and remarkable work for victims. The 2012 National Crime Victims' Service Awards are a way to celebrate these achievements. Use our convenient Online Nomination Form to nominate outstanding victim service providers, allied professionals, and crime victims and survivors for the 2012 National Crime Victims' Service Awards. Review the Submission Guidelines for step-by-step instructions on how to complete your nomination form. The nine award categories are- The award recipients will be honored at the National Crime Victims' Service Awards Ceremony on April 20, 2012, a prelude event to National Crime Victims' Rights Week, April 22-28, 2012. Submit your nomination today! |
FRAUD ADVISORY
Since the passage of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2009, there have been reports of door-to-door and phone scammers using the new health care law to take advantage of people. The scams have occurred across the country and usually work in one of two ways. - Criminals sometimes present themselves as representatives from state or local government who are calling or visiting to "sign-up" people for new benefits. They obtain personal information, (such as social security numbers and birth dates), and use that information to steal the victims' identities.
- In other cases, suspects have claimed to represent an approved health provider. In these cases, victims are tricked into paying for fake health insurance that is worthless
The scammers often target older individuals and usually show some sort of counterfeit ID.
The problem with scammers prompted federal officials to release statements warning consumers of the frauds.
The public is reminded that personal information should only be shared when consumers are certain they know the person or company they are dealing with. If there is any doubt or any reason so be suspicious, withhold information until you can verify that you are dealing with a legitimate offer.
Also, when dealing with insurance questions, residents may wish to call their insurance agent or provider at a phone number they already have in their possession or look up to check the legitimacy of offers before signing up for additional products or services.
As always, anyone who sees suspicious activity is asked to call 911 immediately.
This advisory produced by the Raleigh (NC) Police Department Public Affairs Office |
Your Medicine: Be Smart, Be Safe
I am pleased to share a new consumer and caregiver educational resource, Your Medicine: Be Smart. Be Safe.
NCPIE collaborated with the Agency for Healthcare Quality and Research (AHRQ) to produce this new booklet and embedded medication wallet card. A PDF preview of the booklet, along with ordering information (quantity orders) is posted on NCPIE's web site at: http://www.talkaboutrx.org/educational_resources.jsp. For up to 10 free copies of the booklet, e-mail the AHRQ Publications Clearinghouse at AHRQPubs@ahrq.hhs.gov or call 800-358-9295.
Your Medicine: Be Smart, Be Safe, is a solid educational hand out for consumers participating in prescription drug take-back programs. |
Traffic stop exposes multimillion dollar mail scam
By Byron Chu, QMI Agency VANCOUVER - A routine police traffic stop has exposed a multimillion-dollar international mail fraud scam.
The elaborate fraud has roots in Florida with thousands of victims in 10 countries - stretching from Europe to Australia and New Zealand. One Canadian was also victimized, according to police. The investigation unfolded after officers pulled over a rental car on June 11 for making a wrong turn, and the driver didn't have a license. "When officers looked inside the vehicle on the front seat, they saw bags and bags of mail," said Det. Rick Stewart. "As it turned out, they were remittances from this mass mailout marketing fraud." Juan Hernandez, 28, a Columbian national who was residing in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., had just arrived in Vancouver three weeks earlier. He set up four postal boxes here with false identification to collect the cash and cheques mailed from elderly victims, aged 68 to 94. They had received letters from Florida saying they'd just won $2 million or more, but they had to mail a $30 processing fee to Vancouver to claim the prize. When police searched the mailboxes, one held 200 remittances. A total of $20,000 in cash was seized in the investigation, and 5,000 victims were identified.
"In the last seven years, this is the largest take we've ever had involving a telemarketing or mass marketing fraud," said Stewart, adding that Vancouver police are now looking to help U.S. authorities to uncover the Florida criminals behind the scam. Hernandez has already pleaded guilty and was recently sentenced to six months in jail for fraud over $5,000. Major international mail scams may be active in many of Canada's major cities, said Stewart, as criminal groups spread their operations across borders to avoid detection. "Secrecy is of the utmost importance. If I'm running a mass mailing scam I might do it out of Vancouver, but my mailboxes would be somewhere in the United States, maybe Texas, and my victims would probably be in England," said Stewart. He said uncovering and prosecuting such criminals is difficult, "so to have this guy pulled over by patrol and he's got a bag of evidence sitting on his front seat, it's like Christmas." |
Creating a Fan Club - Donating Fans to Older Adults
Angela DeLeon of the Office of Community Services, through People's United Bank had the idea to create a "Fan Club" that provides new and used fans to older adults. Utilizing volunteers and law enforcement, fans were collected, tested, and distributed to older adults in the Triad area through her work with People's United Bank.
Citizens were encouraged to Drop off at any of the following People's United Bank Fairfield branches:
· 411 Old Post Rd.
· 1940 Black Rock Tpk.
· 1055 Post Rd.
· 1237 Stratfield Rd.
Or anytime at the Ffld. Police Dept.
Senior Citizens in need of a fan could pick one up for FREE at the Fairfield Police Dept. · l00 Reef Road on Saturday, July 16 · 9 am -1 pm.
"This program worked so well for us and we put it together so quickly. We had the police explorers working with us. They cleaned and tested the fans that were donated and helped distribute them in front of the PD on Saturday. It will really help lots of folks throughout the country with this heat wave. It will "save lives"....and the law enforcers and whatever private businesses want to help will look like heroes.. Home Depot donated to our fan club and hardware stores along with the community giving used fans.. the older folks loved it.. as with the price of AC.. some folks won't turn it on..because they are afraid they are not going to get their social security checks next month." says Angela DeLeon, Triad Program Director in Connecticut. To learn more about the program, contact Sgt. Lussier Office of Public Affairs Fairfield Police Department 203-254-4829. |
Identity Theft Doesn't Take Vacations A survey was recently commissioned by Experian's ProtectMyID to understand if summer travelers will be taking the necessary steps to protect their identities before heading on vacation. The results showed that many people are still vulnerable to identity theft. "The survey results were very telling about the many ways your identity can be exposed when you travel," said Jennifer Leuer, senior vice president of Experian Consumer Direct, which owns ProtectMyID. "What people don't realize is that thieves wait for summer vacation, too not to take in some beautiful sights, but to take unsuspecting travelers' information." Identity theft is a real risk and one that is amplified during the summer months. Survey results indicated that, whether booking flights at home, logging on at a Wi-Fi hotspot in the airport or surfing the Web in a hotel room, people can put their information at risk if their connection is not secure. Other findings indicated that an alarming number of people are not protecting their sensitive documents before leaving on vacation. In fact, 76 percent of consumers do not place personal items in a safe or safety deposit box when they depart for their trip. "Many identity thieves know peak travel times and simply break into empty homes in search of information," said Linda Foley, founder of the Identity Theft Resource Center. "Think about where your bank statements, Social Security cards, and other important documents are right now. If they're not secure, you're at a higher risk for identity theft." Additional results indicated that enterprising identity thieves who monitor social networks or online activity will find plenty of victims. About one-fifth of all survey respondents post their travel plans to social networking sites, and the number increases in the 18-to-34 demographic. Survey trends also showed the bulk of travelers staying connected while on vacation, with a disturbing number accessing public Wi-Fi, increasing their personal data's vulnerability. "The summer months are traditionally peak travel times," said Wendy Sabins, senior vice president of the Automobile Club of Southern California, which offers a ProtectMyID membership benefit. "We all should relax while we're on vacation, but planning ahead is the key to enjoying a trip. That should include safeguarding your identity before you leave and taking steps on vacation to ensure you have a monitoring service in place that will notify you if something does happen." Whether on a staycation or a far away vacation, following are ProtectMyID summer travel tips that people can do themselves as way to better protect their identities: Wi-Fi hotspots are a hotbed for identity thieves. Nearly 60 percent of survey respondents use public Wi-Fi in some capacity while traveling. - When available, use a hard-wired connection or a personal Wi-Fi hotspot rather than public Wi-Fi. A DSL connection is typically more secure than any free Wi-Fi network you may find in a hotel business center or lobby.
- A weak password, while using free Wi-Fi can make your computer more susceptible to invasion. Strengthen your password by making it longer and including an array of symbols, letters and numbers.
- If you plan on using Wi-Fi provided by your hotel, ask what security measures are taken to protect guests' information.
Beware of broadcasting travel plans. Almost 50 percent of survey respondents between the ages of 18 to 34 post to their social media pages with updates on their travel whereabouts. - While managing privacy settings is a great way to control who views your page, you can never be certain who is reading about your whereabouts.
- Postpone posting pictures of your adventures until you return home. Posting photos in real time are an indicator that your home is vacant, welcoming intruders.
Lighten your load before hitting the road. - Cash or credit cards are the best forms of payment while traveling. Go through your wallet, purse and/or briefcase and remove any unnecessary personal items such as Social Security card, bills, extra credit cards, library card and check book.
- Protect these items from home intruders by locking them in a personal safe or a safety deposit box.
Book travel on secure sites. Fifty-two percent of survey respondents aged 18 to 34 usually book travel via online third party sites. - While third-party sites may offer better prices, some deals are too good to be true. If it is a boutique travel site, be sure to do your research. Check for any feedback on the site, such as in online forums, blogs or groups.
- When you click on the page to pay, ensure that it's a secure site. The URL should begin with "https."
Identity Theft Resource Center: Toll-Free Victim Assistance 888-400-5530 |
State Police, Honesdale, investigating phone scam
By Staff reports
Wayne Independent
Honesdale, Pa. - State Police, Honesdale, are investigating a telephone scam wherein the victim will receive a telephone call from someone purporting to be an agent of the "Gaming Division" of the Federal Trade Commission. (FTC).
This individual will then provide a supposed telephone number for the "Publishers Clearing House" (PCH), telling the victim that they have legitimately won a cash prize and instructing them to call the PCH and provide their information in order to claim it.
The FTC is aware of this fraud and is investigating the matter.
Wayne County citizens are reminded to never provide personal information over the telephone unless they can positively identify the caller and the reason for the call.
Copyright 2011 Wayne Independent. Some rights reserved |
Senior Abuse: An "Invisible and Silent" Crime
Senior abuse can be both physical and financial.
I was moved by an article in Saturday's Boston Globe; Galvin Moves to Protect Elders™ Interests and thought that Patch readers might benefit from knowing more about this invisible, silent crime against elders.
Knowing that Secretary of State William Galvin took a first step towards rectifying the growing financial abuse against seniors by submitting a bill to the Massachusetts Legislature - a bill that would bar people with power of attorney from enriching themselves or otherwise abusing their authority - was satisfying, to say the least.
Better still is knowing that the legislation, filed earlier this year, states that those holding a power of attorney position must act in good faith. More importantly, it establishes that those holding power of attorney have a fiduciary duty to the people they represent - any action by them MUST benefit that person's best interest.
Unfortunately, statistics are showing that the number and percentage of senior abuse cases has seen huge growth as the first wave of Boomers hit 65 years old.
Every year, thousands of older Americans are abused in their own homes by their adult children, grandchildren, spouses/partners, outside caregivers and those responsible for their finances. Around 20,000 senior abuse cases are reported yearly in Massachusetts alone! These are sad statistics for a society that claims to care about its aging population. Just in case you're thinking, 'Well at least it's being reported,' it's actually not being reported often enough.
According to the Administration on Aging for every one reported incident of domestic elder abuse or neglect, approximately five go unreported. That, my friends, tallies up to an estimated 100,000 possible cases of senior abuse annually just here in Massachusetts!
Do not think for a moment that it can't happen to those you care about. Abuse can and does also occur in relatives' homes, friends' homes and sometimes (sadly) even in the facilities responsible for senior-care.
Although the magnitude of senior abuse is hard for many of us to fathom, it is even more difficult to determine if it is happening, especially if those persons who think it may be decide to chalk it up to senior frailty, dementia or someone just getting older. Take the time to learn the signs and symptoms of elder abuse (listed below) so that if you suspect that a senior is being abused physically, emotionally and/or financially you'll be prepared to act on their behalf.
These seven categories can be reviewed in greater detail at the National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) website 1. Physical abuse - Any act of violence that causes pain, injury, impairment, or disease, including striking, pushing, force-feeding and improper use of physical restraints or medication 2. Emotional or psychological abuse - Conduct that causes mental anguish including threats, verbal or nonverbal insults, isolation, and humiliation. Some legal definitions require identification of at least 10 episodes of this type of behavior within a single year to constitute abuse. 3. Financial or material exploitation - Misuse of an elderly person's money or assets for personal gain. Acts such as stealing (money, social security checks, possessions) or coercion (changing a will, assuming power of attorney) constitute financial abuse. 4. Neglect - Failure of a caretaker to provide for the patient's basic needs. As in the previous examples of abuse, neglect can be physical, emotional or financial. Physical neglect is failure to provide eyeglasses, dentures, preventive health care, safety precautions or hygiene. Emotional neglect includes failure to provide social stimulation (leaving an older person alone for extended periods). Financial neglect involves failure to use the resources available to restore or maintain the well-being of the aging adult. 5. Sexual abuse - Nonconsensual intimate contact or exposure or any similar activity when the patient is incapable of giving consent. Family members, friends, institutional employees and fellow patients can commit sexual abuse 6. Self-neglect - Behavior in which seniors compromise their own health and safety, as when an aging adult refuses needed help with various daily activities. When the patient is deemed competent, many ethical questions arise regarding the patient's right of autonomy and the physician's oath of beneficence. 7. Abandonment - The desertion of an elderly person by an individual who has assumed responsibility for providing care for an elder, or by a person with physical custody of an elder. When you have 15-20 minutes take a look a this video presentation to see firsthand the destruction elder abuse leaves in its wake: YouTube - An Age for Justice: Confronting Elder Abuse in America.
In an emergency or if you suspect a senior is in immediate danger, call 911. For all other abuse concerns, call the Massachusetts Elder Abuse Hot Line at 1-800-922-2275. |
AARP Foundation National Fraud Victim Study
by Karla Pak and Doug Shadel, AARP Washington State Office
The AARP Foundation recently commissioned a nationwide survey to examine the demographic and behavioral differences between victims of various types of consumer fraud and the general population. The survey findings indicate that victims are more likely to engage in behaviors that expose them to sales situations, are less likely to take prevention actions and are more interested in sales pitches than the general population. While all victims reported some similar behaviors, victims of different types of frauds were found to have divergent demographic profiles. |
Sheriff Teaches Senior Citizens Scam Protection
An increase in home repair fraud among the elderly is prompting sheriff to offer a free presentation.
By Erin Gallagher
Senior citizens who hear a knock at the door should beware. They are being targeted by scam artists and robbers. During these summer months, the amount of home repair fraud is increasing.
The Will County Sheriff's Office is taking action. They are hosting a free presentation on home repair frauds, Monday July 18 (Call for future presentations).
Criminals are targeting seniors living at home. For example, one scam involves an invader posing as a handyman. First, he lures the homeowner outside to point out needed repairs. Then, a second invader sneaks inside to raid the home for money, jewelry, antiques and other valuables.
Under a new law introduced by State Senator A.J. Wilhelmi, these types of crimes are considered home invasion and residential burglary, even if the homeowner invites the criminal in under false pretenses, according to the Illinois Senate Democrats website.
Both crimes are considered felonies, with maximum penalties ranging from 4-30 years in prison. Each holds a $25,000 fine.
Whereas prior to this new law, force was required in order to be convicted of either crime.
Monday's presentation will be conducted by Sergeant Teri Ellingham. She will be focusing on educating attendees about the various ways people are taking advantage of senior citizens, including effective ways for seniors to protect themselves.
The event will also be hosted by Joliet Township TRIAD in conjunction with Essington Place. TRIAD is a group of senior citizens and law enforcement agencies whose focus is safety and crime prevention, a Will County Sheriff's Office press release said.
The event will take place at 901 Essington Road in Joliet from 10 a.m. for an hour.
Senior citizens, their family members and caretakers are invited. Attendees are asked to RSVP by calling 815-744-4488. |
| When You Call A Locksmith, Will A Con Man Answer?
by Sandy Hausman from WVTF
Hard economic times often give rise to swindlers - people hoping to make a quick buck by misleading hapless consumers. It's not easy to catch these con men, who often go door to door. But there's one scam out there that has mobilized an army of angry people. The scam has locksmiths up in arms.
Bill Roberts has been a locksmith serving small cities in central Virginia for seven years.
Out on a recent service call, he said he has a good, steady business - "if you don't mind working long hours and being on call seven days a week, 24 hours a day."
"It makes it a little hard on family life at times," he says, "but, yes, it's not a bad business to get into."
But 100 miles to the north, in a suburb of Washington, D.C., locksmith Mark Baldino is worried. From his office, he does a computer search for locksmiths in Reston, Va.
Pointing to the results, he says, " 'B' is our red dot, but within a half-mile, you see one, two, three, four, five other locksmiths. And if you scan out on the map a little bit further, you'll see about 10 locations, maybe 20."
The problem is that few of those listings are legitimate locksmiths. Most ring to an out-of-state call bank that quotes a low rate - then dispatches a con man who is not trained to pick locks.
Joanne Grimes, a retired teacher who owns rental property in Alexandria, Va., says her tenants were told a service call would cost $185, but the bill came to $586.
"You know, I can go to Home Depot and buy a lock and a door for $600," she says.
Grimes contacted the Better Business Bureau, where president Edward Johnson has been trying for five years to get something done about phony locksmiths.
"One of the larger ones that the BBB has identified is a company that poses as a local locksmith in cities across the country. And indeed, they advertise in the Yellow Pages using local phone numbers and fake local addresses," Johnson says. "A consumer might think they're dealing with a local locksmith, but the phone call is actually routed to a call center located in the Bronx of New York City."
But stopping these scammers has been difficult. In Richmond, Va., locksmith Jeff Musser, who founded a company called 1-800-UNLOCKS, says consumers rarely dispute the bill.
"They've got a kid to pick up from school. Their husband is at work. They've got to get that key made," he says. "When they give a credit card, sky's the limit with the credit card."
And his partner, Barry Wilson, says some victims are afraid to complain. He recently got a call from a woman who said she was overcharged and left with a broken lock.
"Her door lock was drilled open, and she was pretty petrified," Wilson says. "I tried to get her to talk to the investigator with the department of criminal justice, and she just wouldn't. She just said, 'Please come and fix it, and I'll pay you whatever.' "
Asked if the scammers got any money from the woman, Wilson says, "Oh, yeah. He made her get it out of the debit machine that night."
In response to this situation, locksmiths have been joining a Texas-based trade group - the Associated Locksmiths of America. Their dues help pay for a series of public service announcements - something attorneys general have also tried.
In one such spot, Macie Pridgen of the Virginia Beach Commonwealth Attorney's Office warns the public "to beware of untrustworthy locksmith companies who are ripping off consumers across the country."
The message urges customers to be cautious, noting that most of the locksmiths use an unmarked vehicle and only accept cash.
The locksmiths' group has also hired a lobbyist to promote stricter laws. Fifteen states now regulate locksmiths, and a few have taken con artists to court. The locksmith scam has even caught the attention of the FBI - but so far, the bureau says it's not dangerous or costly enough to warrant a national investigation. |
Lax Hotel Network Security Leads to Credit Fraud Have you ever wondered what happens to your credit card information after it's swiped at the hotel front desk? New York Times reporter Joe Sharkey knows. Sharkey told petergreenberg.com that he discovered a small, unauthorized merchant charge on his credit card the same day he checked out of the Arizona Biltmore in Phoenix. It wasn't the first time. Earlier, Sharkey reported in The New York Times that he and his wife had their credit card accounts compromised following hotel stays. In both cases, hackers made multiple small, unauthorized purchases. Why were the charges small, you might ask? That's how hackers check whether cardholders are paying attention and whether credit card accounts are vulnerable. Hackers Are the Hotel Industry's Frequent Uninvited Guests According to a 2011 Global Survey Report released by Trustwave SpiderLabs, Sharkey has plenty of company. The report shows that one in ten of the data breaches that Trustwave investigated in 2010 happened in the hotel industry. If you're a frequent hotel guest, that's not good news. Hotel hacking that leads to credit fraud seems to be as easy as shooting ducks in a barrel. The reasons: Point of sale devices are vulnerable; there's huge volume of credit card transactions; and credit card information is retained for reservations and loyalty programs. Unsecured hotel wireless networks at hotels have also proven to be an ideal place for hackers to commit a variety of other crimes. At the luxury Thompson Hotel chain, a hacker captured embarrassing emails belonging to guests and staff members that were transmitted over its wireless network and threatened to make them public. In many states across the country, hackers staying at hotels or parked nearby have used the anonymity of hotel wireless networks to download kiddie porn. Guests looking to use their hotel's wireless Internet may face another security threat. In 2010, The CBS Early Show had an ethical hacker set up a fake WiFi access point at a New York City hotel, calling it "Best Free Public WiFi." Before long, dozens of unsuspecting wireless device users tried to log on. When an unsuspecting hotel guest connects to a rogue WiFi access point like that, his sensitive financial information can be harvested by a hacker. How to Hide From Hotel Hackers Remember, staying at a nice hotel with good security doesn't guarantee that your financial information will be safe from hackers. Here's what you can do to protect your most valuable possession - your identity. - Find out what your hotel is doing to protect your credit card information. Ask whether its wireless network uses WPA (WiFi Protected Access) encryption. It requires a password to get onto the network and encrypts all the information transmitted on it. This prevents eavesdropping over wireless. But it may not stop other guests connected to the same hotspot from stealing your information.
- Watch out for Evin Twins. Some WiFi networks you spot at hotels may look like the real thing. They may even contain your hotel's name. But they can still be rogue access points created by hackers to steal your data. Check with the establishment to make sure which network is the real one.
- Always assume you're not alone on any public WiFi network. Disable file sharing; and never send Social Security numbers or financial information when over a wireless connection.
- Use a credit card instead of a debit card at hotels so your bank account will be protected.
- Use a VPN (virtual private network) like Private WiFi to ensure that the information transmitted over your WiFi connection is invisible to hackers.
Jan Legnitto is an investigative journalist and documentary producer who writes about criminal justice and intelligence issues. Jan is also a frequent contributor to the Private-i blogs. Identity Theft Resource Center: Toll-Free Victim Assistance 888-400-5530 |
Mature motorists pose dilemmas and opportunities
Senior population needs mobility options
By SHANTEE WOODARDS, Staff Writer
Capital Gazette Communications
Getting around later in life - The county Department of Aging and Disabilities provides a van service at 410-222-4826 that requires a two-day notice for reservations. The agency also sells vouchers that can be used for a reduced fare at participating taxicab companies. The voucher program can be reached at 410-222-4464.
- Partners in Care has about 300 volunteers who drive seniors around the region. Call 410-544-4800.
- The AARP provides an online driver safety course that teaches defensive driving. The program is available at www.aarpdriversafety.org.
- The AARP's website also provides guidelines for caregivers who have to talk to an older adult about giving up driving. Visit www.aarp.org/home-garden/transportation/we_need_to_talk/.
The 77-year-old is legally blind and depends on public transportation and a volunteer organization to take her to doctors' appointments and shopping trips. On weekends, friends take her to social gatherings and church. The Glen Burnie resident's creative traveling solutions are a reflection of life beyond the steering wheel, a situation that many seniors try to avoid as long as possible.
But as the population continues to age, and more people become wheel-free, experts are encouraging officials to find ways to meet seniors' needs, particularly regarding mobility.
"I do miss the freedom (of driving) and being able to go when I want to go," Palmer said, though she quickly added that she has gotten used to her alternative means of transport. "I go everywhere I want to go. I go to the store myself. They can't believe all the things I do myself. I'm very independent."
In 2000, Maryland had nearly 600,000 residents aged 65 and older, a figure that is expected to reach more than 1.2 million by 2030. The AARP projects that one in every five drivers will be 65 or older by 2025.
Studies have shown that this group drives less and is also increasingly turning to public transportation and walking to get around.
But studies also show that those who cling to their keys are more likely to cause an accident than younger adults and are much more vulnerable to fatal injury.
Yet there are many older drivers who thrive on the road. For example, Meals on Wheels had a 90-year-old volunteer who drove for the organization until her death.
Experts on seniors said the issue is not whether they can drive, but whether changes can be made so that they are able to do so successfully. Roadways are not illuminated well enough for older eyes and cars are designed for a younger buying public that can enter and exit them easily, said Judah Ronch, dean of the University of Maryland, Baltimore County's Erickson School of Aging.
Still, that doesn't mean giving up the car keys is easy for seniors.
"We're an automobile culture and automobiles provide the independence that we value so much as a society," said Ronch, an Edgewater resident. "Now you're getting the boomers who are starting to grow older, and we were the first to get a car when we were teenagers. (Driving) is very central to our identity as adults."
Look for the signs
A study by the Rand Institute for Civil Justice found older drivers are 16 percent likelier than motorists aged 25 to 64 to cause an accident. Still, they pose less risk than drivers younger than 25, who are 188 percent more likely to cause a crash.
Giving up one's keys is often the result of the not-so-gentle prodding of a concerned relative rather than state officials.
Maryland does not have any specific requirements for senior citizen drivers, other than the vision test that is required at each renewal period for motorists once they reach 40.
The AARP warns caregivers to look out for signs that it may be time for an older adult to stop driving - getting distracted while driving, hitting curbs, having trouble merging lanes and difficulty making left turns, for instance.
Officials said caregivers should also talk to a doctor about whether someone should give up driving, and then consider providing other transportation solutions for seniors whose diving skills are fading.
"We do not want the older adult to feel like they're housebound at all," said Sarah Shepard-Kneip, communication program specialist for AARP. "Just be supportive. We all know the transition of being driver to passenger is not always easy or smooth. The more understanding (you are) the better."
Seniors cannot adopt to every form of transportation, Ronch said. Buses are challenging because routes maybe long and the stops do not always come with shelters for protection against bad weather. Walking is not ideal either because it makes older adults vulnerable to crime and it takes them twice as long to cross the street as younger people.
Providing options
The county Department of Aging and Disabilities has two different services available for seniors. The agency provides 700 trips daily to 4,200 seniors who call for rides to hospitals in the Baltimore area and to run personal errands. The service is free, but requires a two-day notice.
The department also offers a taxi voucher program to 1,700 people. Participating taxi companies offer a lower-cost ride to seniors who submit a voucher that has been purchased from the department, spokeswoman Mary Felter said.
Pasadena-based Partners in Care provides services designed to help older adults remain independent.
The volunteer organization is made up of roughly 2,400 seniors who pool their resources to help other members. Roughly 300 members volunteer to drive seniors around the area to get to their doctors' appointments and other activities. Travel goes from around the county and surrounding region; riders pay on a sliding scale.
"There are people who often volunteer with us and, at some point, they're no longer able to drive and at that point they request service," said Linda Figallo, the organization's transportation coordinator. "It's lifelong for people who can no longer drive. They rely on us to get them to their appointments. It's often people who really don't have a support system - no family in the area - so they really rely on us."
Not every aging driver has to give up life on the road.
Meals on Wheels utilizes senior drivers like Annapolis resident John Dirks. At 73, Dirks has been driving for the organization for 15 years. Twice a week, he delivers meals to Crofton and Davidsonville or goes to different locations to pack the food for delivery. He has taken the AARP defensive driving course and feels he's a safe driver. If he had his keys taken away, Dirks knows he can rely on Heritage Harbour's van service that takes residents around town.
The mobility issue for many seniors are health problems, he said.
"The limiting factor is probably not driving; the limiting factor will probably be health issues of some kind," Dirks said. "We have people driving who are in their 80s and they do fine, until they have a heart attack or something. Usually, it's some sort of illness or sickness that stops someone" from driving.
Getting around
In Glen Burnie, Partners in Care arranges for volunteer Judy Litke to take Palmer to a nearby appointment with a doctor. This is Palmer's preferred mode of transportation, since the volunteers take her to her destination and wait for her task to be completed instead of just dropping her off.
Litke, 61, also a Glen Burnie resident, began working with the organization after she retired six years ago. She arranges her driving schedule around her other activities. She took some time off last year for a knee replacement, but depended on her friends to get around instead of using another Partners in Care driving volunteer.
During a recent drive, Palmer talked about growing up outside Washington, D.C., and working as a budget analyst until a car accident forced her to retire. She continued to drive until her eyesight worsened to the point that she couldn't make out faces.
She stopped driving eight years ago and has made her way around the county with the help of friends, roommates, volunteers and other services. A doctor suggested she should move into an assisted living facility, but she wouldn't go.
"I told you I'm very independent," Palmer tells Litke when she reaches to pick up an object for her. "I'm not one of these older people that likes everybody waiting on them."
Palmer uses a walker, but most of Litke's clients need more help getting around. Many of them don't drive because they can't afford a car, but she still comes across those who have a car and can no longer drive.
"I pray to God I have the good common sense to stop driving when my driving is not up to par," Litke said. "A lot of the baby boomers are doing the (volunteer) driving. I'm not sure what the generation behind us will be doing. I hope they'll want to volunteer also."
swoodards@capitalgazette.com |
ELGIN POLICE DEPARTMENT
Community Relations/Crime Prevention
Over the Summer, several seniors were victims of gypsy scams. This is where a person, who you do not know, approaches you either in your yard, garage or comes to your door and tells you that they would like to help you with yard work, say they just moved into house next door and wants to look at your lot line, they are in the area trimming trees and need to take you to the backyard to look. Or maybe they are in area and broke a water line and needs to come in and check your water pressure. There are a million reasons of why they need you to go to backyard, or go the basement. That way they can distract you while their accomplices go into your house, go to your bedroom and look for cash, jewelry and prescription medicines. When their accomplices have your items, they will telephone or use a walkie talkie to alert the man with you and let them know they are leaving. You may not even discover your items are gone for several hours or days. This is what we are asking you to do: If someone comes to your door, approaches you in the yard or garage, that you DO NOT KNOW, and wants you to go with them to the backyard, or basement, recognize this as a RED FLAG. Go into your home, lock the doors, call the police and tell them of your suspicious incident and try and get good descriptions of these individuals and their vehicle with plate number. You are NOT bothering the police. We need your help to catch these individuals. Be alert and watch out for your neighbors too. |
Manpower woes will stop calls to elderly
Written by Sheila McLaughlin
HAMILTON - The daily phone call that 70 senior citizens in Butler County receive to check on their well being will go silent on July 31.
Sheriff's officials said they can no longer afford the manpower for the automated "Are You OK?" call program.
The equipment also has outlived its usefulness, said Chief Deputy Tony Dwyer.
"The work is pretty labor intensive," Dwyer said Monday. "It was a good program but it ran its course over the years."
The well check program was started 13 years ago with a $5,500 state grant for the computer and software. The call program was developed by Butler County Triad, an association of senior citizens, the sheriff's office, and community groups that work with the elderly.
The system sends calls out daily to senior citizens who have signed up for the program. Alerts are generated when a senior doesn't answer the call and punch in a special number to signify that they are OK.
A sheriff's clerk who coordinates the program and has other duties goes through the alerts daily to determine what action needs to be taken. If no one can reach the senior's emergency contacts, a deputy is sent out to check on them.
"A lot of the alerts were false alarms - a significant number," Dwyer said.
Participation in the program lately is only half of what it was only two years ago.
Dwyer chalks that up to the fact that the sheriff's department purposely hasn't publicized the program and because newer technology - such as computer video chats, cell phones and medical alert devices - has made the call system almost obsolete.
Steve Schnabl, chief executive officer of the non-profit organization Partners in Prime, said the sheriff's calls are important to those who rely on them. However, the fact that many of those seniors receive Meals on Wheels deliveries may provide a safety net for safety checks.
Partners in Prime provides Meals on Wheels, other support services and advocacy for senior citizens in Fairfield, West Chester Township and Hamilton.
"It's so unfortunate that that the sheriff and the rest of us are being hit by budget cuts that are forcing them to make this choice," Schnabl said. "I wish there were a way to re-establish something of that nature. The personal contact is really the humane way to watch over isolated older adults."
Butler County isn't the only sheriff's office to drop out of the Triad program because of budgetary constraints.
"It's not a huge trend. It's not a tsunami," said Fred Wilson, director of operations for the National Sheriff's Association which founded Triad. "But it's happening here and there. It runs on a shoestring budget everywhere."
According to the association's website, six counties have Triad programs in Ohio. Butler is the only one locally. |
INFORMATION ON PROTECT YOUR IDENTITY WEEK (PYIW)
It's time to start preparing for PYIW 2011, so please mark your calendars for October 16-22. It's going to be hard to top last year's campaign, but we can always try!
Your support was instrumental to the success of PYIW in 2010, and we hope we can count on you again this year. I've attached a sheet outlining the benefits to participation, as well as ways in which you can help promote the initiative. Please review it and let me know if you have any questions.
Cintas is once again on board, providing their shredding trucks free of charge at events. Last year, more than 24,000 consumers were reached through such events.
Also know that this year the National Sheriffs' Association and the National Association of Triads has come on board as a co-host. Having law enforcement involved brings an additional level of integrity to the campaign, and since they are on the ground in communities across the country, they provide a built-in partner for workshops and shred events.
Mission of Protect Your Identity Week: To create awareness and educate consumers around the negative impact identity theft can have on a person's life, and provide them with concrete prevention tips.
Participation Benefits to Coalition Members: - All National Coalition Members (CM) will be listed on the home page of the website created specifically for this initiative (www.ProtectYourIDNow.org) with a link back to their website homepage or designated web page
- All identity theft related events hosted by a CM, or those in which they participate, will be eligible for listing on the website map
- Coalition Members will be included within all national news releases, and other promotions as appropriate, relating to the event
- PYIW promotional tools provided to CM for their promotional use with their members/stakeholders include articles on ID theft, PYIW Coalition Member logo, template news releases, and other tools
- Mention in NFCC newsletter publications, both internal and external
Coalition Member Responsibilities: - Mention or link to PYIW website on Coalition Member site (if allowed)
- Promote the campaign to CM members and/or stakeholders
- Utilize above tools to promote the initiative
- If hosting ID theft events, post event information on PYIW website map
- Include PYIW poll questions on Coalition Member site (if allowed)
- Provide leadership through participation on PYIW Coalition Member calls
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Avoiding ID and Credit Fraud
Imagine your reaction if you applied for a car loan or credit card and were declined because of an unpaid loan that you were not aware existed? Or, if you used your debit or ATM card and you were declined because money was not in your account? Most people would feel that situations such as these are there worst nightmares coming true. Unfortunately situations such as these happen every day as a result of identity theft and credit fraud. And unless you take proper precautions, you can also be a victim of one of the fastest growing crimes.
Identity Theft
Identity Theft is one of the fastest growing criminal activities and the results can cost consumers billions of dollars every year. Identity Theft is the act of stealing personal information that can be used for fraudulent purposes. Information such as name, address, date of birth, social security number, account numbers and personal identification numbers if in the hands of criminals can result in criminals taking out loans, withdrawing money and making other illegal transactions that can drain individuals savings and potentially ruin consumers credit ranking. Prevention
Once a criminal has obtained personal financial information, it is too late. Criminals if undetected can apply for credit, obtain new credit cards and withdraw money in a short period of time before it is detected. However, the best way to combat Identity Theft is to prevent it. Some of the best ways to prevent Identity Theft is to monitor your accounts and credit report, never leave account numbers and other information in plain site, watch for missing statements and protecting your personal identification number. These are just a few ways to prevent being a victim of ID Theft. Reporting ID Theft
You have found out that you have been a victim of Identity Theft - now what do you do? Depending on the extent and scope of the theft, it could be a local crime that can be handled by the local police. However, if fraud was committed or if the Internet was part of the ID Theft it could be a national or international criminal investigation. However, the most important thing is that once you have discovered that you have been a victim of a theft, to report it immediately. Uses of Stolen IDs
If you have left personal financial information in an accessible spot, or if your information was hacked or stolen form a third party, your financial future could be in jeopardy. Once your information has been stolen by criminals, they can have dozens of uses of the information. These uses range from applying for credit cards using your name and financial information to using existing credit cards to purchase items. If the criminals have access to your banking information, you may be at risk of having money transferred from your account to unknown recipients. Credit Fraud
Another growing problem along with Identity Theft is that of credit fraud. Credit fraud can occur when information such as name, address, date of birth and social security number is stolen. From this information, criminals can use your identity to get credit which can be used for criminal activity. Another case of credit fraud can occur when your credit card account number is stolen. From this information, criminals can create new cards or use them for online transactions, all without the victims knowledge. Identity Theft Resources
There are a number of helpful resources available to understand more about Identity Theft and Credit Fraud. With information and resources provided in this page you can learn more about the dangers of Identity Theft, how to prevent being a victim and what to do in the event of becoming a victim. |
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