‘No one reputable will rush you’: Geneva police share tips on how seniors can protect themselves from scams
In the movie “Equalizer 3,” a rogue CIA agent, played by actor Denzel Washington, wipes out an Italian crime family — all to be able to return the life savings of a senior couple in New Jersey he did not even know. They were the last seniors this particular mob would prey upon through cyber scams.
But senior citizens can’t count on this sort of action-movie justice. Knowing how to defend yourself against elaborate online or telephone scams seeking money or personal credentials would be better.
Operation Senior Care, a program through the Geneva Police Department, seeks to become a more likely equalizer for seniors by teaching them what to watch for, how to avoid getting ripped off, and what to do if they think they’ve been scammed.
Those are essential skills to have in 2024, and it is exactly what Geneva police officers Kaley Smith and Tony Duncan stressed during a recent scam prevention session at the Geneva Public Library.
Duncan encouraged seniors to slow down when unwittingly engaged in a scam email or phone call. “It is the most important advice I can give you today,” Duncan said. “No one reputable will rush you (into a decision).”
Before retiring from full-time work, I spent the past decade covering bank and payments technology and data security. That background didn’t stop me from being tricked by scammers twice — mainly because I did not slow down and think.
The senior care officers provided fraud figures from 2021, showing that people older than 60 were favorite targets, with 92,371 victims in the U.S. My own quick check revealed that it’s only getting worse, as cybercrime data from Statista for 2023 showed that age group remains the favorite, with 104,068 victims.
The officers outlined popular scamming tricks: romance scams in which sweet talk gets you in an emotional state, and requests for money follow; Facebook “friends” who show up out of the blue and tell you how wonderful you sound in your posts and profile, and they’d love to communicate and be friends; or Facebook friends you know but are unaware their account has been hacked.
“These things are not based on reality. It is all a fantasy,” Duncan said.
When discussing the prolific number of fake social media profiles, Smith warned that engaging with someone you don’t know rarely has a good ending.
“They get what they want — your money — and then they disappear,” she said.
Criminals pretend to be lawyers or lottery representatives when they tell you you’ve won a sweepstakes contest. “Remember, slow down, and ask yourself, did I enter a sweepstakes contest?” Smith said. “The answer is probably no.”
The same reaction should hold true when a scammer calls and pretends to be from the IRS, saying you owe money and could go to jail if you don’t turn over your Social Security number or other account information.
“The IRS is not going to call you over the phone,” Duncan noted. “The scammer will say, ‘If you hang up, you’ll be arrested.’ Just hang up.”
Another favorite ploy is a fake email supposedly from a boss or co-worker asking for a quick favor, like purchasing gift cards for some reason.
Smith illustrated what to look for to determine the source of such an email by clicking on the name in the “from” line.
Also, it is common for someone to call pretending to be a grandchild in need of money to get bailed out of a problem. As the presenters noted, cash bail is no longer available in the state of Illinois, so that’s an immediate red flag.
Facebook can be a dangerous playground where scammers get information about you and your family, from kids’ names and hair colors to knowing when you might not be home because a vacation photo was posted.
In the future, you can expect to see the world of artificial intelligence added to these types of presentations, as criminals are using that tech to advance their schemes.
Mostly, the officers stressed that Operation Senior Care is available to take any calls or questions when a senior feels they are being bamboozled by a scammer.
In Geneva, that phone number is (630) 232-4736, asking for officers Smith or Duncan.
In St. Charles, a call to (630) 377-4435 can connect one to officers designated to help prevent crimes against seniors.
Batavia police also offer presentations on avoiding financial scams and identity theft. Information about those is available at (630) 454-2500. The same number can be used to question police about any problems or strange emails you may be encountering.
That Oie legacy
The outpouring on social media for Sharon Oie of St. Charles this week after her passing tells us a simple truth: People saw how she combined her love of the arts and St. Charles into a life’s passion.
We all benefited from the work she and her husband Vern, who passed away four years ago, did to make the Norris Cultural Arts Center a “place to be” in town, their efforts for the fine arts show and other countless hours working to make downtown St. Charles a destination.
Sharon did that by founding the St. Charles Downtown Partnership (now the St. Charles Business Alliance) putting into action the concept of businesses working together and supporting each other with common goals and ideas.
And, oh, did she and her husband love show tunes and the arts. We remember the Oies breaking out in song about friendships at the Charlemagne Award dinner night in 1998. It just so happened they won the award that night and gave back a message of love with “Old Friends, New Friends.”
It made sense for them to sing that. They were all about making friends, and they had many of them.
Some changes at Hawk
The members at Hawk Country Club on Burr Road in St. Charles may know what all of the construction work unfolding there is all about, but nearby residents and those of us who maybe haven’t been on the property for many years wouldn’t know when driving past the course.
The club has undergone many changes in the past two years since new owner Nehang Anand took over. Anand owns some courses in Wisconsin, including Evergreen Country Club in Elkhorn, which I mention only because I have played it a few times.
Hawk has undergone a renovation of the driving range with some new technology added. Construction is taking place this year for a new short game area and another putting green. Behind the clubhouse, a new banquet facility is going up.
In addition, nearby residents surely have noticed that an abandoned farmhouse on the property has been torn down and a small pool taken out.
“What people are seeing going on is that the building on the property that was not ours, but our owner purchased that at the end of the year and demolished it,” said Brian Carroll, general manager and head pro at Hawk Country Club. “It had been abandoned for about five years. We will probably do something with that area, but we don’t have plans for that right now.”
As for the pool, the country club never owned it and never had a pool. “A lot of people are confused about that,” Carroll noted.“ A neighborhood building had a small pool that would be open for the neighborhood, but it was not a homeowner’s association or anything like that, it was a different kind of arrangement. But it hasn’t been opened since 2019.
“We have a lot of good things going on,” Carroll added.“ The owner is looking to make improvements and when it is all done, it will be a very different look.”
A mental health lesson
Agencies addressing mental health aren’t likely to enjoy the widespread support that one fighting cancer, heart disease, or disabilities would attract.
But a shift in that sort of thinking may be unfolding, considering how mental health issues and the country’s violence epidemic go hand-in-hand.
More health professionals and the general public are interested in learning more about how to address these problems.
TriCity Family Services is hosting “Room for Growth,” a lunch-and-learn event for Mental Health Awareness Month from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Friday, May 17, at Eagle Brook Country Club in Geneva.
Amy Morin, an Internationally known author and psychotherapist, will be the featured speaker. She will offer tips for tapping into mental strength during challenging times.
After the event, copies of her bestselling book, “13 Things Mentally Strong People Don’t Do,” will be available for purchase and signing.
Preregistration for the presentation and lunch, at $40, is required by May 7 at room4growth.givesmart.com.
“Our goal with Room for Growth is to provide a day of rest, reflection and connection to our partners, supporters and other champions of emotional wellness in the community,” Sarah Russe, TCFS development director, said in a news release. “We hope to establish this as a yearly event that highlights the dedication that the Tri-Cities area has in providing quality, accessible mental health care to all neighbors in need.”
dheun@sbcglobal.net