Protecting savings and assets becomes increasingly important as people age. Older adults can be attractive targets for fraudsters. Studies have suggested that older Americans lost at least $2.9 billion to financial exploitation in 2010 by a broad spectrum of perpetrators, including persons they know and trust, as well as strangers. Financial education practitioners can help to prevent, recognize, and report financial exploitation.

Stay Independent: Spot, Stop & Avoid Fraud is a specialist-led workshop developed by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach designed to raise awareness among older adults and their caregivers on how to prevent elder financial exploitation. The fraud prevention public awareness program has been recently updated to include new information on frauds and scams, and how to prevent them.

On Thursday, October 10, 2019 ‘Stay Independent: Spot, Stop & Avoid Fraud ‘ is coming to Harlan, Iowa at the Senior Center from 12:00 pm (Noon) to 1:00 pm. Presented by ISU Extension and Outreach Family Finance Specialist, Carol Ehlers, “Stay Independent: Spot, Stop & Avoid Fraud” educational event teaches up-to-date strategies to protect financial and personal information.

To find out more contact the Shelby County Extension office at 755-3104.