Local Seniors Learn How to Avoid Fraud

Aventura, Fla. – South Florida has been a hotbed for fraud for years, whether it’s Medicare fraud or identity theft.

On Monday, July 30, U.S. Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz (FL-20) hosted a senior fraud prevention seminar at Vi at Aventura with representatives from Senior Medicare Patrol and the Aventura Police Department. The safety fair educated seniors on prevention methods and informed them of proactive measures they can take to protect themselves.

“These fraud prevention seminars are so important for our seniors,” said Rep. Wasserman Schultz. “I want to ensure seniors have the information they need to protect themselves from potential scams. According to the FBI, older Americans are less likely to report a fraud because they don’t know who to report it to, or don’t even know they have been scammed. Each and every one of us must arm ourselves with knowledge and awareness so that we can do everything we can to protect ourselves.”

During the seminar, Rep. Wasserman Schultz mentioned legislation she introduced to address the growing problem of tax return identity theft. The Stopping Tax Offenders and Prosecuting Identity Theft Act (H.R. 4362) increases penalties for tax return identity thieves to help deter this type of crime and protect victims. She is also a cosponsor of legislation to remove social security numbers from Medicare cards in an effort to help protect the 872,000 South Floridians who have Medicare.