LIVINGSTON COUNTY — Police and senior citizens are sending the message that they have had enough of phone scams.
Multiple law enforcement agencies have warned Livingston County residents of rashes of scam calls this year. Scammers are known to especially take advantage of the elderly, and the Livingston County Sheriff’s Office’s partnership with senior citizens is one way for potential targets to fight back.
“TRIAD is a great program for seniors to stay up to date on recent crime trends, scams targeting our residents, Sheriff’s Office initiatives and programs,” said Dougherty. “Deputy Mike Didas does an outstanding job building on our partnership with our senior residents through monthly TRIAD meetings.”
Didas gave a presentation to members of TRIAD, seniors who partner with the Sheriff’s Office, on recent scams. TRIAD meets monthly to let seniors and the Sheriff’s Office share safety information.
The Livingston County TRIAD program is used to mobilize community resources to enhance the quality of life for seniors, protecting them from criminal victimization. The program offers a variety of crime awareness presentations topics, including presentations regarding telemarketers, credit card scams, mail fraud, home safety, 911 protocols, strangers at the door, and auto theft.
TRIAD and SALT (Senior and Law Enforcement Together) programs can be found in many counties around the nation. The organizations that form the Triad are the AARP, the IACP (International Association of Chiefs of Police), and the NSA (National Sheriffs’ Association).
Increased phone scams have also been reported this year by the Geneseo and Caledonia Police Departments and New York State Police (NYSP).
“Scammers have been annoying people for years with their illegal robocalls,” said Geneseo Police Chief Eric Osganian.“The Federal Trade Commission and the Geneseo Police Department are working hard to stop them.”
“One resident was even told a warrant for her arrest had been issued,” posted Caledonia Police to Facebook. “PLEASE understand that this is a SCAM.”
NYSP said in a September scam alert that anyone who receives such a call should ask questions that an impostor would not be able to answer correctly, such as the date of their loved one’s birthday who was allegedly involved in the accident or the city they were born in and also to call the family of the person who is allegedly seeking assistance to check on the legitimacy of the request.
You can report scam calls to the Federal Trade Commission by visiting complaints.donotcall.gov or calling 1-888-382-1222.