KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM ) – Attorney General Dana Nessel is continuing her efforts to bring awareness to elder abuse to make sure Kalamazoo residents don’t become a victim.
On Monday, she held a standing-room only senior town hall at the IBEW Local 131 in Kalamazoo along with Senator Sean McCann, Representative Jon Hoadley, and WMU Professor and Mayoral Candidate David Benac.
Nessel took time to outline the top senior scams, including the “grandparent scam” where the caller pressures the victim into giving their credit card information or wiring some money to apparently help their grandchild who they say is in jail, got into a car accident, or needs some other type of assistance, which is all a lie. Other scams included the social security scam, home improvement scams, phone number spoofing, and other ways to try to trick a senior into giving money or personal information.
She says overall it’s best just to not answer these phone calls altogether and let them go to voicemail, because if it was important, they will leave a message.
The Attorney General also touched on their efforts to reduce robocalls in the state. “Michiganders received over 1.2 billion robocalls,” Nessel said.
She says they’re working on creating a way where victims can file a robocall complaint to the AG’s office so they can better track down the scammers.
Kalamazoo area lawmakers are also discussing what’s the next step both locally and throughout the state to help combat elder abuse and allow aging seniors to stay safe and happy in their homes.
Nessel along with McCann and Hoadley revealed some bills the House and Senate have been working on regarding elderly guardianship to first make sure the guardian is needed and require that they are properly trained.
Representative Jon Hoadley said it’s all to help the “silver tsunami” that is sweeping over Kalamazoo as more and more residents are 65 or older.
The guardianship legislation has not yet been introduced but Hoadley believes it could be coming very soon.
The panel took time to answer some questions from the community including affordable housing, the opioid crisis, and other issues affecting seniors today.
This is all part of Nessel’s ongoing Elder Abuse Task Force. To learn more visit www.mi.gov/elderabuse.
