New workshop will help prevent scams


Millions of retirement living seniors use the Internet every day to connect with family, catch up on news and weather, and for entertainment and recreation. But the Internet is also new ground for scammers. Seniors and their families need to know how to identify scams and how to prevent becoming victims.

According to a recent article on MySuburbanLife.com, the Northeastern Illinois Agency on Aging will be hosting a workshop on Tuesday, Aug. 30 in Oak Brook, Illinois aimed at showing seniors how to protect themselves.

“Our tips apply to everyone, but seniors are more susceptible because they're often home when scammers come calling, and may be trusting, keep money in their homes or feel they 'don't want to bother' local police or family members with what they believe to be a non-emergency situation,” Cherie Aschenbrenner, a local crime prevention specialist, told the media outlet.

Aschenbrenner told the news source that one common method of scamming is by asking seniors for assistance, or for money needed for something urgent, but also said that despite the determination of scammers, simple tips can stop you from becoming victimized.

“We love nothing more than when someone proudly calls and tells us how they thwarted a potential crime using the tips we provide,” she said.

The workshop is open to anyone, including residents of assisted living and retirement living communities. If you live in the Chicago area and are interested in the workshop, call (630) 293-5990.