Niagara Elder Abuse Prevention Network (NEAPN) in partnership with Crime Stoppers of Niagara presents “Be Aware…Take Care: A Safety Guide for Our Community”.

Ernie Sibbett warns of scams, threats directed at seniors

Duncan McLaren introduced speaker Ernie Sibbett, chair of the board of Crimestoppers Niagara, who was accompanied by Dorothy Nugent and Carolyn Robinson from Crimestoppers.

Ernie talked about the Niagara Elder Abuse Prevention Network and its safety guide called “Be Aware…Take Care.” Ernie said that Crime Stoppers, which receives a yearly grant of $50,000 from Niagara Region, fields 60 to 70 calls per day related to elder abuse.

The program’s aim is to provide information on fraud, scams, and threats to elders and to assist them if they are victims. He reviewed some of the scams directed at seniors such as telemarketing, mail or newspaper marketing, cyber scams, thefts by deception or distraction, bank related scams and identity theft.

Ernie offered examples of scams such as someone calling claiming to be from your bank or from the CRA demanding immediate payment; someone calling to warn that your computer has been infected with a virus but they can fix it if you give them access to your computer. A common one is someone calling pretending to be a friend or relative in an emergency and in need of money.

He warned of two red flags related to such calls: an immediate request for money or a request for personal information. He advised that in such cases, you should hang up immediately. He noted that many people fail to do so but recommended that if potential victims have concerns, they should notify the police.

Ernie also warned about door-to-door sales. Provincial laws ban door-to-door sales for certain household appliances, but he said you shouldn’t feel pressured and should never allow strangers into your home. As a rule, don’t enter into any contract with someone that you didn’t initiate contact with.

Ernie recommended signing up with the National Do Not Call List. Although this won’t eliminate all unsolicited calls, it can reduce the number and type of calls you receive.

Ernie also spoke about the Niagara Community Information Database which can be reached by calling 211 to receive information about a wide variety of government and other service providers. Ernie mentioned the importance of having a legal Power of Attorney for both personal care and for property to designate someone to make important decisions if you become incapable.

Further information is available at www.crimestoppersniagara.com and a complete list of contact information for Niagara community resources is available in the safety guide booklet.

Duncan thanked Ernie for his important and informative presentation and presented him with a gift certificate.