06/11/2025 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 06/11/2025 07:51
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 11, 2025Contact: Caleb Kulich, Public Information Officer, (608) 621-1290, caleb.kulich@wisconsin.gov
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MADISON, Wis. - Ahead of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15, the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection (DATCP) calls on consumers of all ages to be aware of how scammers try to take advantage of older adults, and take action to protect their friends, families, neighbors, and community members from senior-targeting scams. Learning and talking with others about scam awareness keeps everyone safer.
Scammers try to steal from all consumers, but seniors lose the largest sums of money to scams. According to the Federal Trade Commission, of those who lost money to fraud in 2024, the median amount for consumers over age 70 was more than $1,000, while the median amount lost for consumers younger than 60 was less than $500. Although scammers will steal as much money and information as they can from anyone, they specifically target older consumers who often have more money in savings, may be less familiar with the latest technologies, could be isolated from family and friends, or could experience confusion resulting from medications and ailments - making them more vulnerable.
In addition, scams can be sophisticated and convincing. Some consumers have reported losing hundreds of thousands of dollars to different scams, including investment, romance, and government imposter scams. DATCP is always at the ready to help victims, but prevention is the best way to deal with scams and fraud. Consumers of all ages can do their part to protect seniors against devastating scams by following these five tips:
For more information and consumer protection resources, or to file a complaint, visit DATCP's Consumer Protection webpage at ConsumerProtection.wi.gov. DATCP's Consumer Protection Hotline can be contacted at (800) 422-7128 or DATCPHotline@wisconsin.gov.
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