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Congressman Bob Latta (R-Bowling Green) hosted a Stopping Senior Scams Workshop at the Penta Career Center in Perrysburg Township. Latta was joined by representatives from the FTC and the IRS’s Taxpayer Advocate Service, and advocates for aging populations from multiple Ohio counties were in attendance.

The workshop focused on common scams targeting America’s seniors, including robocalls, internet pop-ups, mail schemes, and family financial abuse and neglect. In 2018, criminals stole more than $37 billion from senior citizens. The FTC and Taxpayer Advocate Service representatives highlighted resources available to seniors and their advocates to prevent scams and report them when they occur. Several times during the Q/A portion, attendees touched on not previously knowing that these resources were available to them. Congressman Latta also discussed legislation he’s working on, the STOP Robocalls Act, which will make robocall blocking technology more accessible to the masses.

“It’s heartbreaking to see the financial and emotional toll that scams take on Ohio’s seniors and their families,” said Latta. “It’s my hope that the information shared today will help people avoid becoming victims, and that they’ll share the tips and tricks they learned with their friends and neighbors. We want to protect people from abuse, and that starts with education. It was encouraging to have so many intentional and motivated people in the audience - I know they’ll help pass it on and become advocates.”