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Fighting Fraud: U.S. Senate Aging Com- Mittee Identifies Top 10 Scams Tar- Geting Our Nation's Seniors R E P O R T Special

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1 114TH CONGRESS " ! REPORT 2d Session SENATE 114–208 FIGHTING FRAUD: U.S. SENATE AGING COM- MITTEE IDENTIFIES TOP 10 SCAMS TAR- GETING OUR NATION’S SENIORS R E P O R T OF THE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON AGING UNITED STATES SENATE February 11, 2016.—Ordered to the printed U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 98–492 WASHINGTON : 2016 VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:52 Feb 12, 2016 Jkt 098492 PO 00000 Frm 00001 Fmt 4012 Sfmt 4012 E:\HR\OC\SR208.XXX SR208 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with REPORTS-SEN E:\Seals\Congress.#13 SENATE SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON AGING SUSAN M. COLLINS, Maine CLAIRE MCCASKILL, Missouri ORRIN HATCH, Utah BILL NELSON, Florida MARK KIRK, Illinois BOB CASEY, Pennsylvania JEFF FLAKE, Arizona SHELDON WHITEHOUSE, Rhode Island BOB CORKER, Tennessee KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND, New York DEAN HELLER, Nevada RICHARD BLUMENTHAL, Connecticut TIM SCOTT, South Carolina JOE DONNELLY, Indiana TOM COTTON, Arkansas ELIZABETH WARREN, Massachusetts DAVID PERDUE, Georgia TIM KAINE, Virginia THOM TILLIS, North Carolina BEN SASSE, Nebraska PRISCILLA HOBSON HANLEY, Majority Staff Director DERRON PARKS, Minority Staff Director (II) VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:52 Feb 12, 2016 Jkt 098492 PO 00000 Frm 00002 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 5904 E:\HR\OC\SR208.XXX SR208 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with REPORTS-SEN C O N T E N T S Page Executive Summary ................................................................................................. 1 Key Figures .............................................................................................................. 3 Top Ten Scams Reported to the Fraud Hotline .................................................... 4 1. IRS Impersonation Scams ........................................................................... 4 2. Sweepstakes Scams ...................................................................................... 6 3. Robocalls/Unwanted Phone Calls ................................................................ 7 4. Computer Scams ........................................................................................... 9 5. Identity Theft ................................................................................................ 12 6. Grandparent Scams ...................................................................................... 14 7. Elder Financial Abuse .................................................................................. 15 8. Grant Scams ................................................................................................. 17 9. Romance Scams/Confidence Fraud ............................................................. 18 10. Home Improvement Scams ........................................................................ 20 Conclusion ................................................................................................................ 22 Appendix 1: Fraud Hotline Statistics ..................................................................... 22 1. By Scam Type ............................................................................................... 22 2. By Origin of Call to the Hotline .................................................................. 23 Appendix 2: Resources for Reporting Fraud .......................................................... 23 (III) VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:52 Feb 12, 2016 Jkt 098492 PO 00000 Frm 00003 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 0483 E:\HR\OC\SR208.XXX SR208 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with REPORTS-SEN VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:52 Feb 12, 2016 Jkt 098492 PO 00000 Frm 00004 Fmt 5904 Sfmt 0483 E:\HR\OC\SR208.XXX SR208 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with REPORTS-SEN LETTER OF SUBMITTAL U.S. STATES SENATE, SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON AGING, Washington, DC, February 11, 2016. Hon. JOE BIDEN, President, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC. DEAR MR. PRESIDENT: Under authority of Senate Resolution 73 agreed to on February 12, 2015, I am submitting to you a report of the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging entitled: Stopping Senior Scams: The Top 10 Scams Reported to the U.S. Senate Spe- cial Committee on Aging’s Fraud Hotline in 2015. Senate Resolution 4, the Committee Systems Reorganization Amendments of 1977, authorizes the Special Committee on Aging ‘‘to conduct a continuing study of any and all matters pertaining to problems and opportunities of older people, including but not limited to, problems and opportunities of maintaining health, of as- suring adequate income, of finding employment, of engaging in pro- ductive and rewarding activity, of securing proper housing and, when necessary, of obtaining care and assistance.’’ Senate Resolu- tion 4 also requires that the result of these studies and rec- ommendations be reported to the Senate annually. I am pleased to transmit this report to you. Sincerely, SUSAN M. COLLINS, Chairman. (V) VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:52 Feb 12, 2016 Jkt 098492 PO 00000 Frm 00005 Fmt 7633 Sfmt 7633 E:\HR\OC\SR208.XXX SR208 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with REPORTS-SEN VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:52 Feb 12, 2016 Jkt 098492 PO 00000 Frm 00006 Fmt 7633 Sfmt 7633 E:\HR\OC\SR208.XXX SR208 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with REPORTS-SEN LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL DEAR FRIENDS: Our nation’s seniors worked hard their entire lives and saved for retirement. Unfortunately, there are many criminals who target them and seek to rob them of their hard- earned savings. Far too many older Americans are being financially exploited by strangers over the telephone, through the mail, and, increasingly, online. Worse yet, these seniors may also be targeted by family members or by people they trust. Many of these crimes are not reported because the victims are afraid that the perpetrator may retaliate, the victims are embarrassed that they have been scammed, or sometimes simply because victims are unsure about which law enforcement or consumer protection agency they should contact. Additionally, some seniors do not realize they have been the victims of fraud. The U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging has made con- sumer protection and fraud prevention a major focus of its work. In recent years, the Committee has held hearings examining tele- phone scams, tax-related schemes, Social Security fraud, and the implications of payday loans and pension advances for seniors, among other issues. The Committee launched a toll-free Fraud Hot- line: 1–855–303–9470. By serving as a resource for seniors and oth- ers affected by scams, the Hotline has helped increase reporting and awareness of consumer fraud. As the Chairman and Ranking Member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, we remain committed to protecting older Americans against fraud and to bringing greater awareness of this pervasive problem. The Fraud Hotline has been successful in meet- ing both of those goals, assisting individuals who contacted the Committee over the telephone or through the online form on the Committee’s website. The Fraud Hotline allows the Committee to maintain a detailed record of common fraud schemes targeting sen- iors. This record informs the efforts of the Committee and, ulti- mately, the work of Congress. Additionally, the Fraud Hotline offers real help to victims and to those targeted by scammers. Committee staff and investigators who have experience dealing with a variety of scams and fraud speak directly with callers and can assist callers by providing them with important information regarding steps they can take, includ- ing where to report the fraud and ways to reduce the likelihood that the senior will become a victim or a repeat victim. Seniors are typically referred by investigators to the relevant local, state, and/or federal law enforcement entities with jurisdic- tion over the particular scam. In addition to law enforcement, Fraud Hotline investigators may also direct seniors to other re- sources, such as consumer protection groups, legal aid clinics, con- (VII) VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:52 Feb 12, 2016 Jkt 098492 PO 00000 Frm 00007 Fmt 7633 Sfmt 7633 E:\HR\OC\SR208.XXX SR208 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with REPORTS-SEN VIII gressional caseworkers, or local nonprofits that provide assistance to seniors. Over the past year the Fraud Hotline has been contacted by more than 1,100 individuals from all 50 states, the District of Co- lumbia, and Puerto Rico. Consumer advocacy organizations, com- munity centers, and local law enforcement have provided invalu- able assistance to the Committee by encouraging consumers to call the Fraud Hotline to document scams. We would like to thank all of the groups and governmental entities who have worked with us to fight fraud. In an effort to educate seniors on emerging trends and help pro- tect them from becoming victims, this report features the top ten scams reported in 2015 to the Fraud Hotline. In addition, this re- port includes resources for consumers who wish to report scams to state and federal agencies. The range and frequency of scams perpetrated against seniors that were reported to the Fraud Hotline in 2015 demonstrate the extent of this epidemic. In 2016, the Aging Committee intends to build on its successful efforts to investigate and stop scams aimed at our nation’s seniors and ensure that federal agencies are aggres- sively pursuing the criminals who commit these frauds. Sincerely, SUSAN M. COLLINS, Chairman. CLAIRE MCCASKILL, Ranking Member. VerDate Sep 11 2014 05:52 Feb 12, 2016 Jkt 098492 PO 00000 Frm 00008 Fmt 7633 Sfmt 7633 E:\HR\OC\SR208.XXX SR208 smartinez on DSK4TPTVN1PROD with REPORTS-SEN 114TH CONGRESS REPORT " ! 2d Session SENATE 114–208 FIGHTING FRAUD: U.S. SENATE AGING COMMITTEE IDEN- TIFIES TOP 10 SCAMS TARGETING OUR NATION’S
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