Annual campaign runs June 13-19 with many events to educate public
ANNAPOLIS, MD. - PROTECT Week, the annual campaign to raise awareness of elder financial exploitation, runs from June 13-19, 2021, with many free events to educate senior citizens, their family members and caregivers.
Comptroller Peter Franchot has partnered with Attorney General Brian Frosh, AARP, the Maryland Department of Aging, ElderSAFE, Consumer Credit Counseling Services Maryland and other organizations since 2018 to provide resources, educational opportunities, training and valuable information on this debilitating crime.
"Older Americans have worked hard their entire lives to enjoy their golden years," Comptroller Franchot said. "They shouldn't have to fear being taken advantage of by financial predators whose tactics have become bolder and more deceptive."
Elder financial abuse is a common, yet often unreported crime. Only one in 44 victims of elder fraud file a police report as they are often too ashamed to notify law enforcement, and the average loss is $120,000. Many will never recoup what they have lost since most victims are retired and live on a fixed income. As a result, their standard of living declines, their ability to pay for food, medication and other expenses is jeopardized and it could impair their mental and physical well-being.
PROTECT Week, which coincides with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15th, has expanded considerably since its inception, hosting numerous events both virtually and in person.
Comptroller Franchot helps kick off the week, joining Shawn Perry on The Senior Zone Radio program Monday at 10 a.m. on WYCB 1340AM. Later in the day, he joins PROTECT Week partners for a live-streamed joint press conference at 2pm on Facebook.
Events continue all week, including a telephone town hall at 10 a.m. Tuesday with Comptroller Franchot joining Jonathan Lenzner, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, and Jacke Schroder of CHANA Baltimore's SAFE (Stop Adult Financial Exploitation) program to field questions from the public.
Adriana Lee, the Comptroller's Hispanic Affairs Manager, joins Tony Salazar, Ethel Wirth and Jose Cruz Miranda for a Spanish-language PROTECT Week virtual seminar hosted by Anne Arundel County on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m.
For more information on these and other events, including Spanish-language programs, please visit the PROTECT Week website.
If you are a victim of elder financial exploitation or know someone who is, call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311), or Adult Protective Services at 1-800-917-7383 for assistance.
