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Lieutenant Governor André Bauer's
Task Force on Senior Fraud

“Closing SC borders to senior fraud”

A Message from
Lt. Governor André Bauer

I created the Lt. Governor’s Task Force on Senior Fraud with the goal of protecting South Carolina’s senior citizens by closing the border to those who seek to scam and defraud the elderly. Working with our friends in the General Assembly and our Task Force members, we are undertaking this endeavor to protect South Carolina’s seniors.

Magazine subscription scams, high-priced loans, the Nigerian letter scam, variations of the international lottery winner notice, and “Phishing” schemes have victimized far too many South Carolina senior citizens.

Working with members of the Lt. Governor’s Task Force on Senior Fraud, I want to help all consumers, especially our senior citizens stop scam artists before they strike. With greater public awareness of consumer fraud, more South Carolinians will be able to spot potential red flags to protect themselves and their families.

If you believe that you have been a target of a senior scam or fraud, or know of a senior citizen who has been victimized, please call the Department of Consumer Affairs at 1-800- 922-1594 or the Lt. Governor’s Office on Aging at 1-800-868-9095. It is also important that you report any and all senior crimes to your local law enforcement agency.

Andre Bauer
Lt. Governor of South Carolina

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Read the South Carolina General Assembly Concurrent Resolution H. 5025 about scams. (small 40K pdf)

Lt. Governor André Bauer’s Task Force on Senior Fraud Members

Lt. Governor André Bauer
State of South Carolina
Mr. Tony Kester, Interim Director
Lieutenant Governor's Office on Aging
Mr. Curtis M. Loftis, Jr.
Saluda Charitable Foundation
The Honorable Denny Neilson, Chairwoman
Joint Legislative Committee on Aging
SC Department of Consumer Affairs
Brandolyn T. Pinkston, Director
Alice J. Brooks, Public Relations
Mr. Jeffrey Moore, Executive Director
South Carolina Sheriff’s Association
Howard Duvall, Executive Director
South Carolina Municipal Association
Mr. John DeLoache, Counsel
South Carolina Association of Counties
Mr. William D. Bilton, Executive Director
SC Commission on Prosecution Coordination
Ms. Joan Bainer, Administrator
SC Board of Nursing
Ms. Gloria Prevost, Executive Director
Protection & Advocacy for People with Disabilities
Darlynn Thomas
SC Department of Disabilities and Special Needs
Alice Hughes
SC Association for Home and Hospice Care
Palmetto Health Home Care
Heather Jones
SC Home Care Association
Ms. Jane Wiley, AARP-SC
The Honorable Scarlett Wilson, Solicitor
Ms. Elizabeth S. Gordon, Assistant Solicitor
9th Circuit Solicitor's Office
Charleston, SC
Ms. Janet Clayton
SC Department of Health and Human Services
Lt. Howell “Holly” Siniard
SLED
Tom Hudson
Wachovia Fraud Division
Adrienne Fairwell
Department of Revenue
Mildred Washington
Department of Social Services
Cayce Public Safety
Mount Pleasant Police Dept.
Saluda Police Department
Folly Beach Public Safety Department
Town of Olar Police Department
Walterboro Public Safety
South Carolina State Retirees Association
Central Midlands Area Agency on Aging
York County Council on Aging
Waccamaw Area Agencies on Aging
Appalachia Area Agencies on Aging
Dillon County Council on Aging
Marion County Council on Aging
Senior Action of Greenville
Forest Acres Police Department
West Columbia Police Department
Santee-Lynches Council of Governments (Sumter)
Senior Centers of Cherokee County
Assistant Attorney General Sara Trickey
The Attorney General’s Office
Shirley A. McKnight
Chief of Police for Lane
Frank Johnson
Interim Executive Director
Generations Unlimited
Barnwell, SC
Lt. Mike Hudson
Greenville Police Department
Lower Savannah Council on Governments (COG)
Mary Katherine Bagnal
Senior Matters, Inc.
Linda Christison
Lexington County Recreation and Aging Commission
Kathy W. Barrett, President
Better Business Bureau of Upstate South Carolina
Chrissy Adams, Solicitor
10th Circuit, Anderson/Oconee Counties
Richland County Court Appointed Special Advocates
Better Business Bureau of Coastal Carolina (Conway)
Bishopville Police Department
Cowpens Police Department
Clinton Dept of Public Safety
Tow of Briarcliff Acres Police Department
Myrtle Beach Police Department
Olanta Police Department
North Myrtle Beach Public Safety
Solicitor Donnie Myers, 11th Circuit
Solicitor Kevin Brackett, 16th Circuit
North Charleston Police Department
Det. David Hanocak and Det. Matt Crawford of the Rock Hill Police Department
Bill Floyd
SC Criminal Justice Academy
Allan H. Davis, Chief of Security
Palmetto Dunes - Hilton Head Island
Andy Christenson
Public Safety Director
Surfside Beach
Franchelle Millender
SC Bar Association
Officer Grady Epps
City of Anderson Police Department
Lt. McDorman
City of Beaufort Police Department
Chief Joseph Avinger
Elloree Police Department

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Important Information on Senior Fraud and Scams

Every day senior citizens in South Carolina fall prey to unscrupulous individuals who seek to defraud and scam the elderly. In order to combat this growing problem, the Lieutenant Governor’s Office on Aging has aggressively targeted those who victimize senior citizens.

Consumer fraud is defined as any deception, pretense, false statement, false promise or misrepresentation made by a seller or advertiser of merchandise. Concealment, suppression, or failure to disclose a material fact may also be considered consumer fraud in certain instances. Merchandise is broadly defined to include any objects, wares, goods, commodities, real estate or services.

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Examples of Scams Targeting Senior Citizens

Medicare Discount Card Scams

The Medicare discount drug card is available to people enrolled in Medicare, but not everyone on Medicare is eligible. If you are in a state Medicare program that provides drug coverage, you cannot get a Medicare discount drug card.

Often scam-artists will call, email, or knock at your door to sell you this card. If they do so, it is a scam. Under the program, companies are allowed to advertise their cards by mail, TV, radio and newspapers or other print media. They, however, are not allowed to call, send emails, or do home visits unless YOU ask them.

You can protect yourself and your loved ones from such scams by visiting the Medicare Web site, www.medicare.gov, to access a list of approved cards and other information or call toll-free, 800-633-4227. AARP also has helpful information at www.aarp.org/legislative/prescriptiondrugs/rxcards/.

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Charity Scams

Older Americans are very generous in helping others. However, there are many people looking to exploit the senior citizens’ good nature. The elderly are often asked by professional con-artists to supply credit card information to help the victims of a recent natural disaster. In addition to credit card fraud, senior citizens also are asked to provide their sensitive personal financial information including bank account numbers and Social Security numbers.

Most states require charities to register with the state, which reports how they use donations. The SC Secretary of State offers information available at http://www.scsos.com/ or call 803- 734-2170 for more information.

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Prizes & Sweepstakes Scams

Senior citizens are the “high value” targets in this scheme. Many times scam artists will ask that seniors put down an advance payment to guarantee prize “winnings.” Others will ask that the senior citizen provide personal information before receiving “winnings.” These should be signs to avoid the questionable businesses or persons. The bottom line is, if the offer sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

To find more information on safeguarding yourself against prizes and sweepstakes scams, visit the National Consumers League at www.nclnet.org/.

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Counterfeit Drug Scams

Due to the nature of aging, seniors are again the main target for these types of scams. The biggest potential these types of senior drug scams offer is through online “pharmacies.” Many of these online pharmacies will advertise cheaper, yet more effective, medications than the reputable pharmacy provides you. When the drugs arrive they are often useless knockoffs. The seniors lose the money, and their health is jeopardized.

In order to prevent this from happening to you, senior citizens can check out the South Carolina Board of Pharmacy at http://www.llronline.com/POL/pharmacy/ to find if the online pharmacy is officially licensed. If not, stay clear.

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Funeral & Cemetery Fraud

Unfortunately, death is a part of life and often on the minds of senior citizens. It is also on the minds of those who seek to target the senior citizens’ money through scams. This may come from vendors who insist that embalming or having a casket is part of the cremation process. It is often a result of vendors selling expensive and unnecessary funeral services.

In this difficult time it is important to be aware of the types of funeral and cemetery costs. More information can be accessed at www.fbi.gov/majcases/fraud/seniorsfam.htm

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Telemarketing Fraud

According to the FBI, individuals 60 years or older are prime targets for telemarketing fraud. Predators will often offer senior citizens a “free” or “low cost” vacation as long as you “act now.” If you hear such lines as the ones above, hang up. There are numerous other examples of telemarketing fraud that target the elderly.

For more information on telemarketing fraud go online to www.nclnet.org/fraud/ or www.fraud.org/telemarketing/teleset.htm.

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Magazine Subscription Scams

Seniors are often the targets of magazine subscription scams. Beware of telephone calls from people who offer “free” or “special” deals on particular magazines. These magazine scam artists may offer seniors a subscription for “dollars a day” that last for multiple years without telling them the important details.

In order to prevent this from happening to you go to www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/tmarkg/magzn.shtm for more information.

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Nigerian Letter or “419” Fraud

Nigerian letter frauds target seniors due to the trusting nature of the aging population. These letters offer the “opportunity” to share some percentage of millions of dollars which the author, usually some sort of government official, is trying to transfer to America and to you and your bank account specifically.

Never give such personal information away. For more information on how to prevent “419” fraud visit www.fraud.org/tips/internet/nigerian.htm.

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Identity Theft

Identity theft occurs when someone assumes your identity in order to use your name or other personal information to perform a fraud or other criminal act.

Criminals can receive personal information through your wallet, trash, or from your credit cards or bank account numbers. Your Personal information is so abundant that you may not be able to prevent the theft of your identity. But you can take steps to minimize your risk.

You can visit www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/ for more information and how to file a complaint if you believe you have been a victim of identity theft. Additional instructions are also available on the web site.

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Jury Duty Scam

This has been verified by the FBI (see FBI article). Please pass this on to everyone in your email address book. It is spreading fast so be prepared should you get this call. Most of us take those summonses for jury duty seriously, but enough people skip out on their civic duty, that a new and ominous kind of fraud has surfaced.

The caller claims to be a jury coordinator. If you protest that you never received a summons for jury duty, the scammer asks you for your Social Security number and date of birth so he or she can verify the information and cancel the arrest warrant. Give out any of this information and bingo; your identity was just stolen .

The fraud has been reported so far in 11 states, including Oklahoma , Illinois , and Colorado . This (swindle) is particularly insidious because they use intimidation over the phone to try to bully people into giving information by pretending they are with the court system. The FBI and the federal court system have issued nationwide alerts on their web sites, warning consumers about the fraud.

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Cell Phone Kiosk Scam

Cell Phone kiosks in malls offer a variety of products and services for many of the national cell phone services. However, not all of these kiosks are actually company owned. Many of them are “authorized resellers” of national product lines. This means that while they can use the trademark names, advertising, and offer the services and products of a nationally known company, they are not a company store.

While company stores often offer discounts and special incentives, resellers do not have to extend the same pricing to their customers. For example, a reseller may offer a phone for several hundred dollars and suggest that this is a great price, with rebates that the customer must file and then wait for payment. The national chain store may offer the same service contract pricing and sell the same phone for several hundred dollars less.

Often, kiosks are operated by high pressure salesmen who make their offers sound very attractive and pressure the consumer to make a decision “now.” They depend on people buying on impulse. Once the customer signs the contract and learns that they have paid more than the company rate, they cannot terminate the contract without paying a high non-refundable penalty.

If you are considering purchasing a product like a cell phone that requires a contract, do your research first. Visit a national dealership/permanent location to view products and you may also want to check on-line to see what products and services are offered and what the prices are. Before you sign on the dotted line, be sure to read the contract thoroughly and look for penalties. Don’t let anyone push you into making a decision before you have done your homework.

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Scams and Fraud Links

Police: Scam Alerts
http://www.ci.sat.tx.us/sapd/SCAMS.asp?res=1152&ver=true

Arizona Attorney General Top Ten Scams http://www.azag.gov/consumer/

SC Department of Consumer Affairs
http://www.scconsumer.gov/

US Administration on Aging
http://www.aoa.gov/eldfam/Elder_Rights/Preventing_Fraud/Preventing_Fraud.ap
and/or http://www.aoa.gov/eldfam/Elder_Rights/Legal_Assistance/Legal_Services.asp

Partnership toolkit to protect seniors http://www.bitsinfo.org/downloads/Publications%20Page/bitstoolfeb06.pdf

AoA Funded Stop Senior Scams Project ( Stetson University)
http://elder.law.stetson.edu/solicitors.php
and/or
http://elder.law.stetson.edu/helpful_links.php

Consumer Scam Checklists
http://elder.law.stetson.edu/checklists.php
and/or
http://elder.law.stetson.edu/consumer.php

AoA senior fraud page
http://www.aoa.gov/eldfam/Elder_Rights/Preventing_Fraud/Preventing_Fraud.asp
and/or
http://www.fraud.org/

National Crime Prevention
http://www.ncpc.org/mcgruff/safer-with-mcgruff/seniors

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