Published Saturday, February 8, 2003
prey on elderly
Herald Staff Writer
Norma Anderton learned the hard way that there are people out there who will scam a senior citizen.
Mrs. Anderton, 81, of Greenville, needed a new roof on her garage a couple of years ago, and called a man who advertised in an area shopper.
"He sounded so honest," she recalled.
What Mrs. Anderton said she ended up with was a shoddy $900 roof that blew off as soon as a good wind came along.
"That's how I learned a good lesson," she said. She said she no longer answers print ads.
Mrs. Anderton was one of about 35 senior citizens who attended a talk Friday at the Greenville Area Senior Community Center, West Salem Township, about crime prevention for senior citizens.
Emily Watson, an agent with the state Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection, spoke to the seniors about scam artists.
She showed the group a videotape containing scenarios with home improvement contractors, telemarketers, sweepstakes and establishing living trusts. After each scenario the tape was paused to give the viewers time to say whether or not they thought it was a scam.
Anna Breitenbach, 78, of Greenville, said she could guess right away who was lying. She said she thought the scenarios were good and she liked that it was interactive.
Carmella Ansinger, director of the Greenville Area Senior Community Center, said seniors are more mobile and that, coupled with advertising, opens them up to fraud.
The seniors were taught to ask questions of telemarketers or people going door-to-door claiming to collect for an organization. For example, if someone comes to your door to collect for the Fraternal Order of Police, you could ask if they like the way the new police station was remodeled though it wasn't actually remodeled, Mrs. Ansinger said. You can use their answer to know if they're legitimate or not, she said.
Margerite Hassel, 82, of West Salem Township, said the program was good but she feels safe living in Cottage Colony apartments at St. Paul Homes. She said there aren't door-to-door solicitors and she hangs up on all telemarketers.
Mrs. Ansinger said there are more senior crime seminars planned for the near future including a self-defense class.
Nancy Loughry, consumer caseworker from the Mercer County Community Action Agency, was also at the seminar to help answer senior citizen questions about fraud.
Seniors had questions about how to stop telemarketers from calling, how to stop junk mail from arriving at their homes and how to cancel a credit card.
You can e-mail Herald Staff Writer Kristen Garrett at kgarrett@sharonherald.com