AARP Oregon hosted a Scam Jam October 22, 2013 at the Oregon Convention Center, to help all age groups learn when to hang up the phone or shut the door on con artists. Scam Jam is an educational and entertaining program where you can learn about today’s scams and schemes, such as Medicare fraud, insurance and investment fraud, online and door-to-door scams, identity theft, and other scams targeting consumers.
Scammers Target All Age Groups
Although, the Federal Trade Commission estimates that Americans age 55 and older account for 23 percent of the nation’s fraud victims, anyone can be a target. Nearly 11 percent of American adults—or 25.6 million people—were victims of fraud in 2011, according to a Federal Trade Commission survey. “This is always about finding people who are vulnerable,” said Doug Shadel, AARP Washington state director and author of the book, Outsmarting the Scam Artists: How to Protect Yourself from the Most Clever Cons.
Older people often have more assets than younger people, making them lucrative targets. They’re more likely to have suffered a difficult life event, such as illness or a family death, making them susceptible to a sales pitch or an investment that promises fantastic returns. Also, some older people have cognitive impairment and may no longer have the ability to be skeptical and ask questions to protect themselves.
Agency Experts to Speak at Event
Sponsored by AARP Oregon, Oregon Department of Justice and Oregon Department of Consumer and Business Services, the 2013 Scam Jam featured experts from the state Office of the Attorney General, the FBI and other agencies.
Oregon Convention Center
777 Northeast Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard
Portland, OR 97232
(503) 235-7575
The event is free, but registration is required. For future events, call 877-926-8300 toll-free or visit http://bit.ly/ScamJam
