The Ohio Department of Aging is recognizing April as Fraud Prevention Month and urging older Ohioans, families, and caregivers to stay alert to common scams. The department said Ohio’s more than 2.8 million older adults can be targets for phishing emails, unsolicited calls or texts seeking financial information, fake investment pitches, and imposters posing as friends or family members asking for money. The agency also pointed to recent reports of a phone scam involving callers falsely claiming to represent the Golden Buckeye program and seeking personal information.
In announcing the campaign, Director Ursel McElroy said fraud aimed at older adults threatens both financial security and peace of mind. The Ohio Department of Aging encourages Ohioans to report scam attempts to the Federal Trade Commission or the Ohio Attorney General’s Office and to contact local law enforcement if they believe they have been victimized. The Ohio Department of Commerce also offers fraud prevention information and tips.