U.S. Attorney's Office Recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day

OXFORD, MS - United States Attorney Scott F. Leary announced that the Northern District of Mississippi, recognizes World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15, 2026. The Department of Justice joins the Elder Justice Council and other government agencies and organizations across America to spread the word about government and business imposter scams.

These imposter scammers lie and pretend to be someone they're not. Their goal? Trick you into giving them money, access to your financial accounts, or your personal information. They make up complicated stories about so-called emergencies so you'll panic and act quickly before you have time to think about what to do or talk to someone you trust.

One common scam starts with an unexpected call from someone who says they're from a well-known business, saying there's suspicious activity on your account.

To "help" you, they transfer you to someone who says they're from the government. This so-called helper, who claims to be from the FBI, the FTC, or some other law enforcement agency, urges you to move your money to "protect it" - maybe by transferring it to an account they give you, depositing it in a "government account" or crypto ATM for "safekeeping," or getting cash or gold and giving it to a courier. But it's all a lie. No one from the government will ever ask you to do these things. Only scammers will.

Other lies might involve a "suspended Social Security number" or supposed eligibility for government benefits. In all cases, that scammer will go to great lengths to convince you they're with the government: fake caller ID or official-looking letters, for example. The agency name might be real or made up (but real-sounding), and some scammers might show you an employee ID or badge - all to seem more real. But they're not.

United States Attorney Scott Leary points out that "even with the collective resources of State and Federal law enforcement, we don't have enough officers to prevent every scam. Criminals are creative and relentless. We need our community. If you see something, say something. Come forward when you notice something suspicious, and we will work aggressively make sure that our community is a safer place to live."

To recognize and avoid a government imposter, keep these things in mind:

• Never ever will someone from the government say: "Your money isn't safe. Move it to protect it." Only a scammer will.
• Never ever will someone from the government threaten to suspend your government benefits if you don't pay immediately. Only a scammer will.
• Never ever will someone from the government demand that you pay with a payment app, cryptocurrency, wire transfer, or gift cards.

Talk to someone you trust if you're worried about a problem with your account or identity - especially if the stranger says they're from the government or the situation is serious or involves a crime. If you spot an imposter scam - or any other type of scam - report it at ReportFraud.ftc.govLinks to other government and non-government sites will typically appear with the "external link" icon to indicate that you are leaving the Department of Justice website when you click the link.