[Senate Report 114-208]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]


114th Congress    }                                    {       Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session       }                                    {      114-208
_______________________________________________________________________




FIGHTING FRAUD: U.S. SENATE AGING COMMITTEE IDENTIFIES TOP 10 SCAMS 
                     TARGETING OUR NATION'S SENIORS

                               __________

                              R E P O R T

                                 of the

                       SPECIAL COMMITTEE ON AGING

                          UNITED STATES SENATE


[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

                                     


               February 11, 2016.--Ordered to the printed
               
                                   ______

                         U.S. GOVERNMENT PUBLISHING OFFICE 

98-492                         WASHINGTON : 2016                
               
               
               
               





               
               
               
               
                   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
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                 
                            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

















                          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 Special 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 assuring adequate income, of finding 
employment, of engaging in productive and rewarding activity, 
of securing proper housing and, when necessary, of obtaining 
care and assistance.'' Senate Resolution 4 also requires that 
the result of these studies and recommendations be reported to 
the Senate annually.
    I am pleased to transmit this report to you.
            Sincerely,
                                          Susan M. Collins,
                                                          Chairman.
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                                                          
                         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 
consumer protection and fraud prevention a major focus of its 
work. In recent years, the Committee has held hearings 
examining telephone 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 Hotline: 1-855-303-9470. By serving 
as a resource for seniors and others 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 meeting 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 seniors. This record informs the 
efforts of the Committee and, ultimately, 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, including 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 jurisdiction over the particular scam. In addition to law 
enforcement, Fraud Hotline investigators may also direct 
seniors to other resources, such as consumer protection groups, 
legal aid clinics, congressional 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 
Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Consumer advocacy organizations, 
community centers, and local law enforcement have provided 
invaluable 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 
protect them from becoming victims, this report features the 
top ten scams reported in 2015 to the Fraud Hotline. In 
addition, this report 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 aggressively pursuing the 
criminals who commit these frauds.
            Sincerely,
                                Susan M. Collins, Chairman.                                
                          Claire McCaskill, Ranking Member.
                          
                          
                          
                          
                          
                          
                          
                          
                          
                          
                          
                          
                          
                          
                          
                          
                          
114th Congress    }                                    {       Report
                                 SENATE
 2d Session       }                                    {      114-208

======================================================================



 
  FIGHTING FRAUD: U.S. SENATE AGING COMMITTEE IDENTIFIES TOP 10 SCAMS 
                     TARGETING OUR NATION'S SENIORS

                                _______
                                

               February 11, 2016.--Ordered to be printed

                                _______
                                

           Ms. Collins, from the Special Committee on Aging, 
                        submitted the following

                              R E P O R T

                                _______
                                

                           EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    From January 1, 2015, through December 31, 2015, the Senate 
Aging Committee's Fraud Hotline received a total of 1,108 
complaints from residents in all 50 states, the District of 
Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Calls pertaining to the top 10 scams 
featured in this report accounted for more than 90 percent of 
the complaints. The Committee has held hearings on the top 
seven scams on this list, with five of those hearings occurring 
in 2015.
    The top complaint, the focus of more than twice as many 
calls as any other scam, involved seniors receiving calls from 
fraudsters posing as agents of the Internal Revenue Service 
(IRS). These criminals falsely accuse seniors of owing back 
taxes and penalties in order to scam them. Due to the extremely 
high call volume, the Aging Committee held a hearing on April 
15, 2015, to investigate and raise awareness about the IRS 
imposter scam.
    Sweepstakes scams, such as the Jamaican lottery scam, 
continue to be a problem for seniors, placing second on the 
list. A March 13, 2013, Aging Committee hearing and 
investigation helped bring attention to these scams and put 
pressure on the Jamaican government to pass laws cracking down 
on criminals who convinced unwitting American victims that they 
had been winners of the Jamaican lottery. The United States 
government has had some recent success in bringing individuals 
connected to the Jamaican lottery scam to trial, but these 
types of scams continue to plague seniors.
    Nearly 100 seniors called to complain about receiving 
robocalls or unwanted phone calls, making that topic the third 
most common scam reported to the Committee. On June 10, 2015, 
the Aging Committee held a hearing on the increase in these 
calls that are made despite the national Do-Not-Call registry. 
The Committee examined how the rise of new technology has made 
it easier for scammers to contact and deceive consumers and has 
rendered the Do-Not-Call registry ineffective in many cases.
    Computer scams were fourth on the list and the subject of 
an October 21, 2015, Committee hearing. Although there are many 
variations of computer scams, fraudsters typically claim to 
represent a well-known technology company and attempt to 
convince victims to provide them with access to their 
computers. Scammers often demand that victims pay for bogus 
tech support services through a wire transfer, or, worse yet, 
obtain victims' passwords and gain access to financial 
accounts.
    Identity theft was the fifth most common scam reported to 
the Fraud Hotline. This wide-ranging category includes calls 
about actual theft of a wallet or mail, online impersonation, 
or other illegal efforts to obtain a person's identifiable 
information. On October 7, 2015, the Aging Committee held a 
hearing to assess the federal government's progress in 
complying with a new law to remove seniors' Social Security 
numbers from their Medicare cards, which will help prevent 
identity theft.
    Grandparent scams, the focus of a July 16, 2014, hearing, 
were next on the list. In these scams, fraudsters call a senior 
pretending to be a family member, often a grandchild, and claim 
to be in urgent need of money to cover an emergency, medical 
care, or a legal problem.
    Elder financial abuse was seventh on the list and the topic 
of a February 4, 2015, hearing. The calls focused on the 
illegal or improper use of an older adult's funds, property, or 
assets. Chairman Susan Collins and Ranking Member Claire 
McCaskill introduced the Senior $afe Act of 2015, which would 
allow trained financial services employees to report suspected 
cases of financial exploitation to the proper authorities 
without concern that they would be sued for doing so.
    The eighth most common scam reported to the Fraud Hotline 
was grant scams. In these scams, thieves call victims and 
pretend to be from a fictitious ``Government Grants 
Department.'' The con artists then tell the victims that they 
must pay a fee before receiving the grant.
    Romance scams were next on the list. These calls are from 
scammers who typically create a fake online dating profile to 
attract victims. Once a scammer has gained a victim's trust 
over weeks or months, the scammer requests money to pay for an 
unexpected bill, an emergency, or another alleged expense or to 
come visit the victim, a trip that will not occur.
    Home improvement scams rounded out the top 10 scams 
reported to the Fraud Hotline in 2015. Seniors are common 
targets of these scams, in which fraudsters contact homeowners 
and offer to do home maintenance or yard work. The fraudsters 
charge the homeowners but either do not provide the service or 
do substandard work.

[GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]

  Top Ten Scams Reported to the Senate Aging Committee's Fraud Hotline


                       1. IRS IMPERSONATION SCAMS

    The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration 
(TIGTA) has called the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) 
impersonation scam ``the largest, most pervasive impersonation 
scam in the history of the IRS.''\1\ According to TIGTA, nearly 
900,000 Americans have been targeted by scammers impersonating 
IRS officials, with 12,000 to 13,000 people submitting 
complaints on this scam every week as of December 2015.\2\ 
Additionally, 30 to 50 people a week reported that they lost 
money to the scam; more than 5,000 Americans have lost a total 
of at least $26 million via this scam.\3\ The IRS impersonation 
scam was the most frequent scam reported to the Fraud Hotline 
in 2015.
    In response to the influx of calls to the Fraud Hotline, 
the Committee held a hearing on April 15, 2015, titled, ``Catch 
Me If You Can: The IRS Impersonation Scam and the Government's 
Response,'' that examined how the scam works, steps seniors can 
take to protect themselves, law enforcement's response, and 
what more can be done to combat this scam.\4\ Since the 
hearing, the IRS has released several lists with tips to spot 
these scams and what people should do if they receive a 
call.\5\
    TIGTA reports that increased awareness has made a 
difference, as it now takes scammers roughly 300 calls to find 
a victim as opposed to 50 calls prior to the Committee's 
hearing.\6\ TIGTA reports, however, that the scam has morphed 
and evolved in response to guidance the IRS has issued.\7\ For 
example, one of the IRS' anti-fraud tips advises consumers that 
the agency will not call about taxes owed without first mailing 
a bill.\8\ Recent fraud calls have revealed to investigators 
that some scam artists now claim that they are following up on 
letters that the IRS previously sent to the victims.
    While there are multiple variations of the IRS 
impersonation scam, criminals generally accuse victims of owing 
back taxes and penalties. They then threaten retaliation, such 
as home foreclosure, arrest, and, in some cases, deportation, 
if immediate payment is not made by a certified check, credit 
card, electronic wire-transfer, or pre-paid debit card. Victims 
are told that if they immediately pay the amount that is 
allegedly owed, the issue with the IRS will be resolved and the 
arrest warrant, or other adverse action, will be cancelled.
    Once victims make an initial payment, they will often be 
told that further review of their tax records has indicated 
another discrepancy and that they must pay an additional sum of 
money to resolve that difference or else face arrest or other 
adverse action. Scammers will often take victims through this 
process multiple times. As long as the victims remain hooked, 
the scammers will tell them they owe more money.
    These scam calls most often involve a disguised, or 
``spoofed,'' caller identification (caller ID) number to make 
the victims believe that the call is coming from the ``202'' 
area code, the area code for Washington, D.C., where the U.S. 
Department of the Treasury and the IRS are headquartered. In a 
recent variation of this scam, calls also appear to be coming 
from the ``509,'' ``206,'' and ``306'' area codes, all 
Washington State area codes. Scammers have also been known to 
``spoof'' their phone numbers to make it appear as though they 
are calling from a local law enforcement agency. When the 
unsuspecting victims see the ``Internal Revenue Service'' or 
the name of the local police department appear on their caller 
IDs, they are understandably concerned and are often willing to 
follow the supposed government official's instructions in order 
to resolve the alleged tax issue.

    Caller-ID spoofing is a tactic used by scammers to disguise 
their true telephone numbers and/or names on the victims' 
caller-ID displays to conceal their identity and convince the 
victims that they are calling from a certain organization or 
entity.
    Source: FCC
                             fraud case #1
    ``Lynn,'' from Ohio, called the Fraud Hotline after she learned 
that her mother had been scammed out of $1,600. Lynn said that her 
mother received a phone call from a scammer posing as an IRS agent. The 
scammer recited a number he claimed was on his IRS badge and tricked 
Lynn's mother into believing that he was an authentic IRS agent. The 
alleged IRS agent told her mother that they had a warrant for her 
arrest for failing to pay her taxes from 2012, and unless she paid them 
today, they were going to send the police to her house and arrest her. 
The scammer directed her to go to her local grocery store and buy a 
prepaid debit card. After obtaining the debit card and loading it with 
$500, she read the scammer the 16-digit PIN number on the back of the 
card, which allowed the scammer to steal the card's funds. Upon doing 
so, the scammer told her that, after a closer look at her records, it 
appeared that she owed additional taxes for previous years. The scammer 
directed her to buy another prepaid debit card and took the money from 
that card as well. The scam continued until Lynn visited her mother and 
learned what was happening. A Fraud Hotline investigator filed a report 
with TIGTA on Lynn's behalf. In addition, the investigator gave Lynn 
and her mother tips to avoid being scammed again.

    As of December 31, 2015, the Department of Justice had only 
prosecuted three individuals for their roles in the IRS 
impersonation scams. Two of these individuals were prosecuted 
in Florida, and the other individual was prosecuted in New 
York. In July 2015, the New York perpetrator was sentenced to 
more than 14 years in prison and ordered to forfeit $1 million 
for crimes that stretched from December 2011 until his December 
2013 arrest.\9\
    The IRS released the following tips to help taxpayers 
identify suspicious calls that may be associated with the IRS 
imposter scam:
           The IRS will never call a taxpayer to demand 
        immediate payment, nor will the agency call about taxes 
        owed without first having mailed a bill to the 
        taxpayer.
           The IRS will never demand that a taxpayer 
        pay taxes without giving him or her the opportunity to 
        question or appeal the amount claimed to be owed.
           The IRS will never ask for a credit or debit 
        card number over the phone.
           The IRS will never threaten to send local 
        police or other law enforcement to have a taxpayer 
        arrested.
           The IRS will never require a taxpayer to use 
        a specific payment method for taxes, such as a prepaid 
        debit card.
    Source: https://www.irs.gov/uac/Five-Easy-Ways-to-Spot-a-
Scam-Phone-Call
                             fraud case #2
    ``Mrs. A,'' from Maine, was scammed out of $23,000 after receiving 
a call from someone claiming to be from the IRS. Mrs. A was instructed 
to send wire-transfers and purchase money orders, as well as make 
deposits in specific bank accounts. When the phone call was 
accidentally disconnected, Mrs. A received a call from a ``Lt. Green'' 
from a number that displayed on her caller ID as her local police 
department. The con artist said that she should not hang up on the IRS 
and told her that, should she hang up again, he would arrest her. This 
led her to believe that the previous call was in fact from the IRS. In 
addition, she also received a call that displayed as the local district 
attorney's office. After eventually becoming suspicious that something 
was amiss, she went to her local police department, which began 
investigating the calls. As Mrs. A was being interviewed by a 
detective, the imposter once again called the victim's cell phone. The 
detective took the call and did not let the scammer speak to Mrs. A. 
The detective spoke to her bank's fraud department and was able to stop 
a pending wire transfer to an account overseas. As a result, Mrs. A 
received $11,000 of her money back. A Fraud Hotline investigator spoke 
with both the victim and the local detective in the case. The local 
detective testified at the Committee's hearing in April 2015. TIGTA 
took over this case.

                          2. SWEEPSTAKES SCAMS

    Sweepstakes scams continue to claim senior victims who 
believe they have won a lottery and only need to take a few 
actions to obtain their winnings. Scammers will generally 
contact victims by phone or through the mail to tell them that 
they have won or have been entered to win a prize. Scammers 
then require the victims to pay a fee to either collect their 
supposed winnings or improve their odds of winning the 
prize.\10\ According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) the 
number of sweepstakes scams increased by 5.68 percent between 
2013 and 2014.\11\
    Early last Congress, the Aging Committee launched an 
investigation of the Jamaican lottery scam, one of the most 
pervasive sweepstakes scams.\12\ At its peak, law enforcement 
and FairPoint Communications estimated that sophisticated 
Jamaican con artists placed approximately 30,000 phone calls to 
the United States per day and stole $300 million per year from 
tens of thousands of seniors.\13\
    Since the Committee began investigating this issue, the 
Jamaican government passed new laws enabling extradition of the 
criminals to the United States for trial, leading to the 
extradition of one scammer for prosecution in the United 
States.\14\ Several arrests have been made in connection with 
this scam. In November 2015, a 25-year-old Jamaican national 
living in the United States was sentenced to 20 years in prison 
after being found guilty of selling lists of potential victims, 
referred to as ``lead lists.''\15\
    Sweepstakes scams start with a simple phone call, usually 
from a number beginning with ``876,'' the country code for 
Jamaica. At first glance, this country code looks similar to a 
call coming from a toll-free American number. Scammers tell the 
victims that they have won the Jamaican lottery or a brand new 
car and that they must wire a few hundred dollars for upfront 
processing fees or taxes for their winnings to be delivered. 
Often, the criminals will instruct their victims not to share 
the good news with anyone so that it will be a ``surprise'' 
when their families find out. Scammers tell victims to send the 
money in a variety of ways, including prepaid debit cards, 
electronic wire transfers, money orders, and even cash.
    Of course, no such winnings are ever delivered, and the 
``winners'' get nothing but more phone calls, sometimes 50 to 
100 calls per day, from scammers demanding additional money. 
Behind these calls is an organized and sophisticated criminal 
enterprise, overseeing boiler room operations in Jamaica. 
Indeed, money scammed from victims helps fund organized crime 
in that island nation.\16\ Criminals once involved in narcotics 
trafficking have found these scams to be safer and more 
lucrative.

    Lead Lists are lists of victims and potential victims. Scammers buy 
and sell these lists and use them to target consumers in future scams.

    Expensive ``lead lists'' identify potential victims. 
Satellite maps are used to locate and describe victims' homes 
to make the callers appear familiar with the community. 
Elaborate networks for the transfer of funds are established to 
evade the anti-fraud systems of financial institutions. Should 
victims move or change their phone numbers, the con artists use 
all of the technology at their disposal to find them and re-
establish contact.
    The con artists adopt a variety of identities to keep the 
money coming in ever-increasing amounts. Some spend hours on 
the phone convincing seniors that they care deeply for them. 
Victims who resist their entreaties begin receiving calls from 
Jamaicans posing as American government officials, including 
local law enforcement, the Federal Bureau of Investigation 
(FBI), the Social Security Administration, and the Department 
of Homeland Security (DHS), asking for personal data and bank 
account numbers so that they can ``solve'' the crime.
                             fraud case #3
    ``Carol,'' from Washington State, called the Fraud Hotline 
regarding her father, who had been the victim of the Jamaican lottery 
scam. Over the past five and a half years, Carol's father lost more 
than $600,000. Her father is a former Navy Captain and Korean and 
Vietnam War veteran.
    Carol used to give her parents $500 twice a month for expenses. 
Sometimes she would send more because her mother would call saying that 
her father had given away all of their money to con artists associated 
with the Jamaican lottery scam. In July, Carol began sending her 
parents food and gas cards and paying all of their bills directly in 
lieu of sending cash. When her parents stopped receiving cash, the 
lottery scammers acquired her father's personal information, contacted 
the Defense Financial and Accounting Administration, and rerouted his 
pension to one of their accounts. The scammers apparently ``spoofed'' 
the call to make it appear as though they were calling from the same 
area code in which Carol's parents live.
    A Fraud Hotline investigator helped Carol contact the DHS and the 
local FBI field office in California. The investigator also helped 
Carol provide both agencies with copies of her father's recent Verizon 
bill showing the numerous calls from the 876 area code, the country 
code for Jamaica, along with the corresponding dates and times. The DHS 
and the FBI both said that this case was one of the largest they had 
ever seen. The Fraud Hotline investigator was able to have the July 
pension check reissued to Carol's father and helped arrange to have 
future pension payments deposited in a family trust where scammers 
would not have access to the funds.

                   3. ROBOCALLS/UNWANTED PHONE CALLS

    In 2003, Congress passed legislation creating the national 
Do-Not-Call registry with the goal of putting an end to the 
plague of telemarketers who were interrupting Americans at all 
hours of the day with unwanted calls.\17\ Unfortunately, 12 
years after the registry was implemented, Americans are still 
being disturbed by telemarketers and scammers who ignore the 
Do-Not-Call registry and increasingly use robocall technology. 
Robodialers can be used to distribute pre-recorded messages or 
to connect the person who answers the call with a live person.

    Robocalling is the process of using equipment to mechanically, as 
opposed to manually, dial phone numbers in sequence.

    Robocalls often originate offshore. Con artists usually 
spoof the number from which they are calling to either mask 
their true identity or take on a new identity. As described in 
the previous section on Internal Revenue Service (IRS) 
impersonation scams, fraudsters spoof their numbers to make 
victims believe they are calling from the government or another 
legitimate entity. In addition, scammers will often spoof 
numbers to appear as if they are calling from the victims' home 
states or local area codes.
    Robocalls have become an increasing nuisance to consumers 
in recent years due to advances in technology. Phone calls used 
to be routed through equipment that was costly and complicated 
to operate, which made high-volume calling from international 
locations difficult and expensive. This traditional, or legacy, 
equipment sent calls in analog format over a copper wire 
network and could not easily spoof a caller ID. Today, phone 
calls can be digitized and routed from anywhere in the world at 
practically no cost. This is done using Voice over Internet 
Protocol (VoIP) technology, which sends voice communications 
over the Internet. Robocalling allows scammers to maximize the 
number of individuals and households they can reach.

    Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) is a technology that allows a 
caller to make voice calls using a broadband Internet connection 
instead of a traditional (or analog) phone connection. Some VoIP 
services may only allow a user to call other people using the same 
service, but others may allow users to call anyone who has a telephone 
number, including local, long distance, mobile, and international 
numbers.

    Many companies now offer third-party spoofing and 
robodialing services. Third-party spoofing companies provide an 
easy-to-use computer interface or cell phone app that allows 
calls to be spoofed at a negligible cost. To demonstrate how 
accessible this technology is, an Aging Committee staff member 
spoofed two separate calls to Chairman Susan Collins during a 
Committee hearing on June 10, 2015, titled ``Ringing Off the 
Hook: Examining the Proliferation of Unwanted Calls.''\18\ By 
using an inexpensive smartphone app, the staff member was able 
to make it appear that the calls were from the IRS and the 
Department of Justice, respectively. The hearing examined why 
so many Americans are constantly receiving unsolicited calls 
even though they are on the national Do-Not-Call registry, 
discussed how advances in telephone technology makes it easier 
for scammers to cast a wide net and increase the number of 
potential victims they can reach, and highlighted possible 
technological solutions to this menace.\19\
                             fraud case #4
    Linda Blase, from Texas, testified at the Aging Committee's June 
2015 hearing that she had been plagued by robocalls for years. She 
described how these calls had disrupted her personal life and the small 
business she operated out of her home. Although Linda had registered 
with both the national Do-Not-Call registry and her state's registry, 
she continued to receive telemarketing calls and an increasing number 
of government impersonation scam calls. Linda began keeping a log of 
these calls and also began using a call blocking device to limit the 
number of nuisance calls to her home. Like many other seniors, Linda 
did not feel comfortable letting the phone ring or screening calls 
since she did not want to miss an important medical or business-related 
call. This led her to bring this problem to the attention of the 
Committee in the hope that a solution could be found.

    In response to the high volume of robocalls that are made 
in violation of the national Do-Not-Call registry, the Federal 
Trade Commission (FTC) launched a contest in October 2012 to 
identify innovative solutions to protect consumers from these 
calls.\20\ In April 2013, the FTC announced that Nomorobo, a 
free service that screens and blocks robocalls made to VoIP 
phone numbers, was one of two winners of the their Robocall 
Challenge.\21\
    Once a consumer registers his or her phone number, Nomorobo 
reroutes all incoming phone calls to a server that instantly 
checks the caller against a whitelist of legitimate callers and 
a blacklist of spammers.\22\ If the caller is on the whitelist, 
the phone continues to ring, but if the number is on the 
blacklist, the call will disconnect after one ring. Aging 
Committee Fraud Hotline investigators have referred callers who 
contact the Hotline regarding robocalls to the Nomorobo website 
and have received positive feedback from callers who chose to 
register for the service.
    In the spring of 2015, the FTC announced that it was 
launching two new robocall contests challenging the public to 
develop a crowd-sourced ``honeypot'' and to better analyze data 
from an existing honeypot.\23\ In this context, a honeypot is 
an information system that attracts robocalls so that 
researchers can analyze them and develop preventive 
techniques.\24\ In August 2015, the FTC announced that 
RoboKiller, a mobile app that blocks and forwards robocalls to 
a crowd-sourced honeypot, was selected as the winner of the 
Robocalls: Humanity Strikes Back contest.\25\ Champion 
RoboSleuth, which analyzes data from an existing robocall 
honeypot and develops algorithms that identify likely 
robocalls, was selected as the winner of the FTC's DetectaRobo 
challenge.\26\
    The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has published 
the following tips for consumers to avoid being deceived by 
caller-ID spoofing:
           Do not give out personal information in 
        response to an incoming call. Identity thieves are 
        clever: they often pose as representatives of banks, 
        credit card companies, creditors, or government 
        agencies to convince victims to reveal their account 
        numbers, Social Security numbers, mothers' maiden 
        names, passwords, and other identifying information.
           If you receive an inquiry from a company or 
        government agency seeking personal information, do not 
        provide it. Instead, hang up and call the phone number 
        on your account statement, in the phonebook, or on the 
        company's or government agency's website to find out if 
        the entity that supposedly called you actually needs 
        the requested information from you.
    Source: https://consumercomplaints.fcc.gov/hc/en-us/
articles/202654304-Spoofing-and-Caller-ID

                           4. COMPUTER SCAMS

    The Aging Committee saw an increase in the frequency and 
severity of computer-based scams in 2015. Private industry has 
seen a similar increase in the prevalence of this scam: 
Microsoft reported receiving more than 180,000 consumer 
complaints of computer-based fraud between May 2014 and October 
2015.\27\ The company estimated that 3.3 million Americans are 
victims of technical support scams annually, with losses of 
roughly $1.5 billion per year.\28\ Unlike other victim-assisted 
frauds, where the scammers are successful in just one out of a 
hundred-plus attempts, it appears that computer-based scams 
have a very high success rate.\29\ In addition, in 2014, the 
Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), a partnership between 
the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the National 
White Collar Crime Center, received 269,492 computer fraud 
complaints with a loss of $800,492,073.\30\ Americans age 60 
and older accounted for 16.57 percent of these complaints.\31\
    In response to the increase in complaints to the Fraud 
Hotline, the Committee held a hearing on October 21, 2015, 
titled ``Virtual Victims: When Computer Tech Support Becomes a 
Scam.''\32\ The hearing featured representatives from Microsoft 
and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) who spoke about the 
challenges in combating this fraud given its many variations 
and constant changes.\33\
                             fraud case #5
    Frank Schiller, from Maine, testified at the Aging Committee's 
hearing on computer tech support scams in October 2015. Frank's 
experience with tech support scammers began in October 2013, when he 
received a call from a man who claimed to be a Microsoft contractor. 
The con artist told Frank there was a problem with his computer. He 
gained Frank's trust and convinced Frank to allow him to obtain remote 
access to his computer. Shortly thereafter, Frank's computer began to 
malfunction, and the con artist explained that this was due to viruses 
that ``Microsoft'' could fix using two programs costing $249 and $79. 
Frank attempted to pay for these programs using his credit card, but 
the scammer told him that he could not use a credit card because 
Microsoft's bank was in India. The con artist directed Frank to the 
Western Union website and moved very quickly through the payment system 
before Frank could tell what was happening. Two months later, the con 
artist called Frank again to say that Microsoft had rescinded his 
contract and would need to refund Frank's money. The con artist claimed 
that the refund could not be processed using Frank's credit card and 
asked for his checking account number. This information was used to 
steal another $980 from Frank.

    The basic scam involves con artists trying to gain victims' 
trust by pretending to be associated with a well-known 
technology company, such as Microsoft, Apple, or Dell. They 
then falsely claim that the victims' computers have been 
infected with a virus. Con artists convince victims to give 
them remote access to their computers, personal information, 
and credit card and bank account numbers so that victims can be 
``billed'' for fraudulent services to fix the virus. In a 
related scam, individuals surfing the Internet may see a pop-up 
window on their computer instructing them to contact a tech-
support agent. Sometimes, scammers have used the pop-up window 
to hack into victims' computers, lock them out, and require 
victims to pay a ransom to regain control of their computers. 
Below are several of the most common variations of this scam:
     Scammers Contact Victims. In the most prevalent 
variation of this scam, con artists randomly call potential 
victims and offer to clean their computers and/or sell them a 
long-term or technical support ``service.'' The con artists 
usually direct victims' computers to display benign error 
messages that appear on every computer to convince victims that 
their computers are malfunctioning. Scammers generally charge 
victims between $150 and $800 and may install free programs or 
trial versions of antivirus programs to give the illusion that 
they are repairing victims' computers. If victims express 
concern about the price, the con artists will often entice 
victims to pay by offering a ``senior citizen discount.''
     Victims Unknowingly Contact Scammers. Some 
consumers unknowingly call a fraudulent tech support number 
after viewing the phone number online. Consumers who search for 
tech support online may see the number for the scammer at the 
top of their ``sponsored results.'' The FTC found that a 
network of scammers paid Google more than one million dollars 
since 2010 for advertisements and for certain key search 
terms.\34\ Some key search terms included: ``virus removal,'' 
``how to get rid of a computer virus,'' ``McAfee Customer 
Support,'' and ``Norton Support.'' These search terms are 
cleverly chosen to confuse the consumer into thinking the 
fraudsters are associated with well-known companies. Other 
fraudsters use pop-up messages on consumers' computer screens 
that direct potential victims to call them.
     Ransomware. Scammers use malware or spyware to 
infect victims' computers with a virus or encrypt the computers 
so they cannot be used until a fee is paid. If victims refuse 
to pay, scammers will render the computer useless, prompting 
the appearance of a blue screen that can only be removed with a 
password known by the scammers. The Fraud Hotline has received 
reports that scammers sometimes admit to victims that it is a 
scam and refuse to unlock the victims' computers unless a 
``ransom'' payment is made.
     Fraudulent Refund. Scammers contact victims 
stating they are owed a refund for prior services. The scammers 
generally convince victims to provide them with access to their 
computers to process an online wire transfer. Instead of 
refunding the money, however, the fraudsters use the victims' 
account information to charge the consumers.
    The FTC has responded to computer-based scams through law 
enforcement actions and ongoing investigations. In 2014, the 
agency brought action against six firms based primarily in 
India that were responsible for stealing more than $100 million 
from thousands of victims.\35\
                             fraud case #6
    ``Karl,'' from Florida, called the Aging Committee's Fraud Hotline 
after he realized that he had been the victim of a computer scam. Karl 
said he had received a call from someone claiming to be from Microsoft. 
The scammer told Karl that his computer had been hacked and was about 
to crash. The ``technician'' instructed Karl to go to his computer and 
click on programs so he could show him the problem. When Karl did so, 
the scammer was able to access his computer, and an error message 
subsequently appeared on the screen. Karl was told that his computer 
could be cleaned for $300. Karl agreed and gave the con artist his 
credit card number. The next day, Karl received another call from an 
individual claiming to be from Microsoft, who told him that his 
computer needed to be updated again. This time, it was going to cost 
$150. At this point, Karl realized that he had been scammed. Karl 
called an Aging Committee Fraud Hotline investigator, who told him that 
these scams were prevalent and recommended ways he might protect 
himself in the future. Karl was encouraged to contact his credit card 
company, the IC3, and his local police department. He was also 
encouraged to have his computer cleaned by a local computer repair 
service to ensure that the scammers did not download malware.

    Tips from the FTC to help consumers avoid becoming a victim 
of a computer-based scam:
     Do not give control of your computer to a third 
party that calls you out of the blue.
     Do not rely on caller ID to authenticate a caller. 
Criminals spoof caller ID numbers. They may appear to be 
calling from a legitimate company or a local number when they 
are not even in the same country as you.
     If you want to contact tech support, look for a 
company's contact information on its software package or on 
your receipt.
     Never provide your credit card or financial 
information to someone who calls and claims to be from tech 
support.
     If a caller pressures you to buy a computer 
security product or says there is a subscription fee associated 
with the call, hang up. If you're concerned about your 
computer, call your security software company directly and ask 
for help.
     Make sure you have updated all of your computer's 
anti-virus software, firewalls, and pop-up blockers.
    Source: http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0346-tech-
support-scams

                           5. IDENTITY THEFT

    Identity theft has been the Federal Trade Commission's 
(FTC) most common consumer complaint for the past 15 years, 
with 212,698 Americans reporting being victimized in 2014 
alone.\36\ Nearly 40 percent of the identity theft complaints 
that the FTC received in 2014 were reported by consumers age 50 
and older.\37\
    Identity thieves not only disrupt the lives of individuals 
by draining bank accounts, making unauthorized credit card 
charges, and damaging credit reports, but they also often 
defraud the government and taxpayers by using stolen personal 
information to submit fraudulent billings to Medicare or 
Medicaid or apply for and receive Social Security benefits to 
which they are not entitled. Fraudsters also use stolen 
personal information, including Social Security numbers (SSN), 
to commit tax fraud or to fraudulently apply for jobs and earn 
wages. According to the FTC, government documents/benefits 
fraud was the most common type of identity theft reported by 
consumers in 2014, comprising 38.7 percent of all identity 
theft complaints.\38\
                             fraud case #8
    ``Amanda,'' from Maine, contacted the Fraud Hotline after she 
learned that she had been the victim of identity theft. When Amanda 
tried to file her taxes online electronically, she was notified that 
someone had already submitted a tax return using her and her husband's 
names and SSNs. She was told that it could take between three and six 
months for the issue to be resolved and for her to receive her tax 
return. A Fraud Hotline investigator was able to work with Amanda and 
her local Taxpayer Advocate Service to process her return in five 
weeks. Once Amanda received her refund, the Taxpayer Advocate advised 
her that the Internal Revenue Service would apply extra scrutiny to her 
return for the next three years to help ensure that no one tries to use 
her name and SSN to submit another fraudulent return.

    Tips to help secure your identity:
     Medicare and Social Security will not call you to 
ask for your bank information or SSN.
     There will never be a fee charged to obtain a 
Social Security or Medicare card.
     Never give out personal information over the 
phone.
     Sensitive personal and financial documents should 
be kept secure at all times.
     Review all medical bills to spot any services that 
you didn't receive.
    Tax-related identity theft continues to disrupt the lives 
of Americans. The growing use of commercial tax filing software 
and online tax filing services has led to opportunities for 
thieves to commit fraud without stealing SSNs. In some cases, 
thieves can illegally access an existing customer's account 
simply by entering that individual's username, e-mail address, 
or name and correctly guessing the password. This is often 
referred to as an ``account takeover.'' Whether the thief uses 
this method to access an existing account or uses stolen 
personal information to create a new account, the end result is 
often the same: early in the tax filing season, the thief files 
a false tax return using a victim's identity and directs the 
refund to his own mailing address or bank account. The victim 
only discovers this theft when he files his own return and the 
Internal Revenue Service (IRS) refuses to accept it because a 
refund has already been issued. In November 2015, the IRS 
reversed a long-standing policy and now will provide victims 
with copies of the fake returns upon written request.\39\ The 
documents will provide victims with details to help them 
discover how much of their personal information was stolen.
    Medical identity theft occurs when someone steals personal 
information--an individual's name, SSN, or health insurance 
claim number (HICN)--to obtain medical care, buy prescription 
drugs, or submit fake billings to Medicare. Medical identity 
theft can disrupt lives, damage credit ratings, and waste 
taxpayer dollars. Some identity thieves even use stolen 
personal information to obtain medical care for themselves or 
others, putting lives at risk if the theft is not detected and 
the wrong information ends up in the victims' medical files. 
Claims for services or items obtained with stolen HICNs might 
be included in the beneficiary's Medicare billing history and 
could delay or prevent the beneficiary from receiving needed 
services until the discrepancy is resolved.
                             fraud case #7
    ``Katie,'' from Maine, contacted the Fraud Hotline after she 
received a credit card bill in the mail from Victoria's Secret in the 
amount of $730.45. Katie, who is in her 70s, said that she is certain 
that she never purchased anything from Victoria's Secret. The bill 
indicated that someone opened a Victoria's Secret credit card at a 
Florida location in August. The statement showed two transactions: the 
first one in the amount of $30 for lip-gloss, and the second 
transaction totaling $700 in gift cards. Most likely, whoever opened 
the card ran the first charge as a test to make sure it would work. 
Katie had already filed a police report with her police department and 
contacted Victoria's Secret. Victoria's Secret cancelled the card and 
is not holding Katie responsible for the charges. A Fraud Hotline 
investigator explained to Katie that she should notify one of the three 
national credit reporting companies to place a fraud alert on her 
credit report. By placing a fraud alert, she is also entitled to a free 
copy of her credit report to see if there has been any other fraudulent 
activity committed under her name or SSN. The investigator also filed a 
report with the FTC on Katie's behalf.

    In April 2015, President Obama signed a law that requires 
the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) to remove 
SSNs from Medicare cards by 2019.\40\ On October 7, 2015, the 
Aging Committee held a hearing titled, ``Protecting Seniors 
from Identity Theft: Is the Federal Government Doing 
Enough?''\41\ The Committee heard testimony from the CMS 
official in charge of implementing the Medicare card 
replacement process and from the Health and Human Services 
Office of Inspector General about investigative efforts to 
combat medical identity theft.\42\

      What To Do if You Suspect You Are a Victim of Identity Theft

What To Do Right Away:
    1. Call the companies where you know the fraud occurred.
    2. Place a fraud alert with a credit reporting agency and 
get your credit report from one of the three national credit 
bureaus.
    3. Report identity theft to the FTC.
    4. File a report with your local police department.
What To Do Next:
    1. Close new accounts opened in your name.
    2. Remove bogus charges from your accounts.
    3. Correct your credit report.
    4. Consider adding an extended fraud alert or credit 
freeze.
    Source: https://www.identitytheft.gov/

                          6. GRANDPARENT SCAMS

    A common scam that deliberately targets older Americans is 
the ``grandparent scam.'' In this scam, imposters either 
pretend to be the victim's grandchild and/or claim to be 
holding the victim's grandchild. The fraudsters claim the 
grandchild is in trouble and needs money to help with an 
emergency, such as getting out of jail, paying a hospital bill, 
or leaving a foreign country. Scammers play on victims' 
emotions and trick concerned grandparents into wiring money to 
them. Once the money is wired, it is difficult to trace.
    The Fraud Hotline has received frequent reports of con 
artists telling victims that they were pulled over by the 
police and arrested after drugs were found in the car. The 
scammer who is pretending to be the victim's grandchild will 
often tell the victim to refrain from alerting the grandchild's 
parents. The scammer then asks the victim to help by sending 
money in the fastest way possible. This typically requires the 
victim to go to a local retailer and send an electronic wire 
transfer of several thousand dollars.
    After payment has been made, the fraudster will more likely 
than not call the victim back, claiming that more money is 
needed. Often, scammers claim that there was another legal fee 
they were not initially aware of. The second call is typically 
what alerts the victims that they have been scammed. Victims 
have told Fraud Hotline investigators that, once they realized 
they had been duped, they wished they had asked the con artists 
some simple questions that only their true grandchild would 
know how to answer.
                             fraud case #9
    ``Katelyn,'' from Maryland, contacted the Fraud Hotline to report 
that her mother had been the victim of a grandparent scam. Katelyn said 
that when her mother, ``Meredith,'' answered the phone, a young man 
said, ``Hi Grammy, I've had an accident in the Bahamas and need help.'' 
Meredith thought it was her grandson Kyle and asked what she could do 
to help. The con artist told her that he needed $9,000 to pay for 
towing and hospital fees, as well as money to help get back home since 
the car had been totaled. He begged her not to tell his mom. Meredith 
was instructed to drive to the local Western Union location and wire 
the money, which she quickly did. When Meredith returned home, the con 
artist called her again and asked for more money. Meredith became 
suspicious and called her daughter, who told her that Kyle was not in 
the Bahamas and was home earlier that day. Her county sheriff's 
department referred Katelyn to the Fraud Hotline, where an investigator 
helped her file a report with Western Union's Fraud Department, the 
FTC, and the DHS.

    In another version of the scam, instead of the 
``grandchild'' making the phone call, the con artist pretends 
to be an arresting police officer, a lawyer, or a doctor. It is 
also common for con artists impersonating victims' 
grandchildren to talk briefly with the victims and then hand 
the phone over to an accomplice impersonating an authority 
figure. This gives the scammers' stories more credibility and 
reduces the chance that the victims will recognize that the 
voice on the phone does not belong to their grandchild.
    In 2014, the FTC received 14,521 complaints of individuals 
impersonating friends and family members, up from 11,793 in 
2012.\43\ Between January 1, 2012, and May 31, 2014, 
individuals reported more than $42 million in losses to the FTC 
from scams involving the impersonation of family members and 
friends.\44\
                             fraud case #10
    ``Jackie,'' from Kentucky, called the Fraud Hotline to report that 
she had been the victim of a grandparent scam. Jackie told 
investigators that she had answered a phone call and heard a young 
man's voice on the phone respond, ``Grandma.'' Jackie asked if it was 
``Tommy,'' her grandson. The man responded, ``Yes, this is Tommy.'' 
Jackie told a Fraud Hotline investigator that ``her grandson'' on the 
phone said he was in Orlando with some friends when the police pulled 
their car over and arrested them for drug possession. The con artist 
told her that he was not using any drugs and did not know they were in 
the car. He told Jackie he needed money to post bail so he could come 
home. That is when the phone was handed to another individual who was 
allegedly a bondsman. The bondsman instructed Jackie to go to her local 
Walmart and buy $4,000 in iTunes gift cards. The bondsman told her she 
needed to do it quickly, because if she did not have all the cards 
within an hour when he called back, the bail was going to increase to 
$6,000. Once Jackie purchased the cards, she read the numbers on the 
back of the cards to the scammers. She was then told that there were 
additional fines and that she would need to send an additional $1,500. 
At this point, Jackie realized she had been scammed. Jackie called her 
grandson, who was safe at home. Jackie explained to the Fraud Hotline 
investigator that she wished she had asked a question that only her 
true grandson could have answered. By the time Jackie called the Fraud 
Hotline, she and her grandson had already filed a complaint with 
Apple's Fraud Department and the local police department. The Fraud 
Hotline investigator filed a report with the Federal Trade Commission 
(FTC) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) on Jackie's behalf. 
The investigator also gave Jackie tips on how to avoid being scammed 
over the phone in the future.

                        7. ELDER FINANCIAL ABUSE

    Financial exploitation of older Americans is the illegal or 
improper use of an older adult's funds, property, or assets. 
According to MetLife's Mature Market Institute, in 2010 seniors 
lost an estimated $2.9 billion because of financial 
exploitation, $300 million more than the year before, although 
these numbers are likely substantially underreported.\45\ One 
study found that, for every case of financial fraud that is 
reported, as many as 14 go unreported.\46\ A 2011 Government 
Accountability Office (GAO) study found that approximately 14.1 
percent of adults age 60 and older experienced physical, 
psychological, or sexual abuse; potential neglect; or financial 
exploitation in the past year.\47\
    The Fraud Hotline documents complaints of elder abuse and 
refers callers to Adult Protective Services (APS) for further 
action. APS employees receive reports of alleged abuse, 
investigate these allegations, determine whether or not the 
alleged abuse can be substantiated, and arrange for services to 
ensure victims' well-being.\48\ APS can also refer cases to law 
enforcement agencies or district attorneys for criminal 
investigation and prosecution.\49\ APS workers ideally 
coordinate with local law enforcement and prosecutors to take 
legal action, but the effectiveness of this relationship can 
vary significantly from state to state. As of 2015, every state 
has an elder abuse statute.\50\
                             fraud case #11
    ``Richard,'' from Arizona, called to report that his 84-year-old 
father, who has Alzheimer's, was the victim of financial elder abuse. 
Richard said that six months after his mother died, a 33-year-old woman 
started interacting and caring for his father. Richard claimed that she 
and her family depleted his father's accounts and convinced him to sell 
his house. The woman is preventing Richard and other family members 
from seeing his father. A Fraud Hotline investigator spoke with Richard 
and provided him with the number for his state's APS and attorney 
general's office.

    Older Americans are particularly vulnerable to financial 
exploitation because financial decision-making ability can 
decrease with age. One study found that women are almost twice 
as likely to be victims of financial abuse.\51\ Most victims 
are between the ages of 80 and 89, live alone, and require 
support with daily activities.\52\ Perpetrators include family 
members; paid home care workers; those with fiduciary 
responsibilities, such as financial advisors or legal 
guardians; or strangers who defraud older adults through mail, 
telephone, or Internet scams.\53\
    Victims whose assets have been taken by family members 
typically do not want their relatives to be criminally 
prosecuted, leaving civil action as the only mechanism to 
recover stolen assets.\54\ Few civil attorneys, however, are 
trained in issues related to older victims and financial 
exploitation.\55\ Money that is stolen is rarely recovered, 
which can undermine victims' ability to support or care for 
themselves. Consequently, the burden of caring for exploited 
older adults may fall to various state and federal 
programs.\56\
    One of the provisions of the Elder Justice Act of 2009, 
which was enacted in 2010, seeks to improve the federal 
response to this issue.\57\ The law formed the Elder Justice 
Coordinating Council, which first convened on October 11, 2012, 
and is tasked with increasing cooperation among federal 
agencies.\58\ Experts agree that multidisciplinary teams that 
bring together professionals from various fields such as social 
work, medicine, law, nursing, and the financial industry can 
expedite and resolve complex cases, identify systemic problems, 
and raise awareness about emerging scams.\59\
    While some states have laws that require financial 
professionals to report suspected financial exploitation of 
seniors to the appropriate local or state authorities, there 
currently is no federal requirement to do so. Some financial 
professionals may fail to report suspected financial 
exploitation due to a lack of training or fear of repercussions 
for violating privacy laws. In October 2015, Aging Committee 
Chairman Susan Collins and Ranking Member Claire McCaskill 
introduced the Senior$afe Act of 2015, which would provide 
certain individuals with immunity for disclosing suspected 
financial exploitation of senior citizens.\60\ The Financial 
Industry Regulatory Authority is simultaneously pursuing 
rulemaking that would empower financial professionals to 
protect their senior clients from financial abuse.\61\ In the 
private sector, Wells Fargo has established internal training 
programs for its employees so that they are better equipped to 
detect and prevent financial abuse before it occurs.\62\
                             fraud case #12
    ``Mackenzie,'' from Arizona, contacted the Fraud Hotline when she 
noticed that her daughter, who holds power of attorney, had been taking 
money out of her account without her permission. Mackenzie told a Fraud 
Hotline investigator that she is coherent and does not suffer from any 
diminished capacity. The investigator provided Mackenzie with the 
number for her state's APS and her local Area Agency on Aging to help 
her resolve the matter.

    Some localities with large senior populations have 
established special units to address elder abuse, including 
elder financial abuse. In October 2015, prosecutors in 
Montgomery County, Maryland, successfully brought charges 
against an individual who, over several years, embezzled more 
than $400,000 before one of the victim's bankers discovered 
suspicious activity in his account and alerted APS.\63\ The 
fraudster had convinced the victim to give her power of 
attorney and control over his finances. She was sentenced to 
five years in jail for financial exploitation of a vulnerable 
adult, theft, and embezzlement.\64\
    The Aging Committee has brought to light many schemes that 
have defrauded seniors out of their hard-earned retirement 
savings. It is deeply troubling when a senior falls victim to 
one of these schemes, but it is even more egregious when the 
perpetrator is a family member, caregiver, or trusted financial 
adviser. At the Aging Committee's first hearing of the 114th 
Congress, ``Broken Trust: Combating Financial Exploitation of 
Vulnerable Seniors,'' Philip Marshall, the grandson of well-
known philanthropist Brooke Astor, testified that his father, 
Anthony Marshall, mistreated his mother and mismanaged her 
assets while she suffered from Alzheimer's disease.\65\ In 
2009, after a six-month criminal trial, Mr. Marshall's father 
was found guilty on 13 of the 14 counts against him.\66\

                             8. GRANT SCAMS

    Grant scams, of which there are multiple variations, are 
frequently reported to the Aging Committee's Fraud Hotline. In 
the most common version of this scam, consumers receive an 
unsolicited phone call from con artists claiming that they are 
from the ``Federal Grants Administration'' or the ``Federal 
Grants Department''--agencies that do not exist. In another 
version of this scam, scammers place advertisements in the 
classified section of local newspapers offering ``free 
grants.'' Scammers will request that victims wire money for 
processing fees or taxes before the money can be sent to them.
    The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) defines grant scams as, 
``[d]eceptive practices by businesses or individuals marketing 
either government grant opportunities or financial aid 
assistance services; problems with student loan processors, 
debt collectors collecting on defaulted student loans, diploma 
mills, and other unaccredited educational institutions; 
etc.''\67\ According to FTC data, the frequency of Americans 
reporting grant scams has dropped over the past three 
years.\68\ In 2014, the FTC received 8,032 complaints, which 
was about a 10 percent decrease from the prior year.\69\
                             fraud case #13
    ``Carol,'' from West Virginia, called the Fraud Hotline to report a 
voicemail she received from someone claiming to be from the ``U.S. 
Government Grant Office.'' Although the phone number did not display on 
her caller ID, the voicemail directed her to call a 202 number, which 
is the area code for Washington, D.C. When she called the number, the 
man who answered told her that she had been awarded a $7,000 grant, but 
she had to pay $475 in taxes to receive it. Carol knew this was a scam 
and hung up immediately. Although Carol did not lose any money, a Fraud 
Hotline investigator filed a complaint with the FTC, Treasury Inspector 
General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), and the Department of Homeland 
Security (DHS) on her behalf.
                             fraud case #14
    ``Charles,'' from Maine, contacted the Aging Committee's Fraud 
Hotline to report a call he received from someone claiming to be from 
the ``Federal Grant Administration'' congratulating him on receiving a 
government grant in the amount of $9,000. The number contained a 202 
area code, which belongs to Washington, D.C. The scammer told Charles 
that he had to pay a fee of $280 and gave him a number for him to call 
the ``Federal Bank'' to get details on how to receive his grant. The 
number for the ``Federal Bank'' had a 646 area code, which belongs to 
New York City. When Charles called the ``Federal Bank,'' someone 
answered ``Federal Bank,'' took his name, and explained to him that, in 
order to receive his grant, he had to send them a Western Union wire 
transfer. Charles went to his local Western Union outlet and sent the 
wire transfer. When Charles called the bank back to see if it had 
received the transfer, he was told that there was another fee that the 
bank was not initially aware of. That is when he realized he had been 
scammed. A Fraud Hotline investigator helped Charles file a complaint 
with TIGTA, the FTC, the Western Union fraud department, and the DHS. 
The investigator also contacted the local Western Union location to 
alert them to the fraud. The investigator explained that these scam 
calls are often geographically based and that it is likely that others 
in the area may receive these calls.

    The National Consumers League has published the following 
tips for consumers to avoid falling victim to a federal grant 
scam:
     Do not give out your bank account information to 
anyone you do not know. Scammers pressure people to divulge 
their bank account information so that they can steal the money 
in the account. Do not share bank account information unless 
you are familiar with the company and know why the information 
is necessary.
     Government grants are made for specific purposes, 
not just because someone is a good taxpayer. They also require 
an application process; they are not simply given over the 
phone. Most government grants are awarded to states, cities, 
schools, and nonprofit organizations to help provide services 
or fund research projects. Grants to individuals are typically 
for things like college expenses or disaster relief.
     Government grants never require fees of any kind. 
You might have to provide financial information to prove that 
you qualify for a government grant, but you never have to pay 
to get one.
    Source: http://www.fraud.org/scams/telemarketing/
government-grants

                   9. ROMANCE SCAMS/CONFIDENCE FRAUD

    More and more Americans are turning to the Internet for 
dating. As of December 2013, one in 10 American adults had used 
online dating services, and online dating is now a $2 billion 
industry.\70\ As Americans increasingly turn to online dating 
to find love, con artists are following suit, not for love, but 
for money. In 2014, the Aging Committee's Fraud Hotline began 
receiving reports from individuals regarding romance scams. 
Sometimes these reports were not just from seniors, but also 
from friends and family members whose loved ones were deeply 
involved in a fictitious cyber-relationship. This is one of the 
most heartbreaking scams because con artists exploit seniors' 
loneliness and vulnerability.
    In a related scam known as confidence fraud, con artists 
gain the trust of victims by assuming the identities of U.S. 
soldiers. Victims believe they are corresponding with an 
American soldier who is serving overseas who claims to need 
financial assistance. Scammers will often take the true rank 
and name of a U.S. soldier who is honorably serving his or her 
country somewhere in the world, or has previously served and 
been honorably discharged. In addition, the con artists will 
even use real photos of that soldier in their profile pages, 
giving their stories more credibility.
    Typically, scammers contact victims online, either through 
a chatroom, dating site, social media site, or email. According 
to the Federal Bureau of Investigation's (FBI) Internet Crime 
Complaint Center (IC3), 12 percent of the complaints submitted 
in 2014 contained a social media aspect.\71\ Con artists have 
been known to create elaborate profile pages, giving their 
fabricated story more credibility. Con artists often call and 
chat on the phone to prove that they are real. These 
conversations can take place over weeks and even months as the 
con artists build trust with their victims. In some instances, 
con artists have even promised to marry their victims.

        2014 FBI COMPLAINTS OF CONFIDENCE FRAUD AND ROMANCE SCAMS
------------------------------------------------------------------------
              Age Range                  Complaints           Loss
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Under 20.............................              30            $37,432
20-29................................             457           $614,295
30-39................................             929         $3,765,553
40-49................................           1,575        $21,285,533
50-59................................           1,805        $34,659,425
Over 60..............................           1,087        $26,350,745
    Total............................           5,883        $86,713,003
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: https://www.fbi.gov/news/news_blog/2014-ic3-annual-report

    Inevitably, con artists in these scams will ask their 
victims for money for a variety of things. Often the con 
artists will ask for travel expenses so they can visit the 
victims in the United States. In other cases, they claim to 
need money for medical emergencies, hotel bills, hospital bills 
for a child or other relative, visas or other official 
documents, or losses from a temporary financial setback.\72\ 
Unfortunately, in spite of telling their victims they will 
never ask for any more money, something always comes up 
resulting in the con artists requesting more money.
    Con artists may send checks for victims to cash under the 
guise that they are outside the country and cannot cash the 
checks themselves, or they may ask victims to forward the 
scammer a package. The FBI warns that, in addition to losing 
money to these con artists, victims may also have unknowingly 
taken part in money laundering schemes or shipped stolen 
merchandise.\73\
    In 2014, the FBI's IC3 received more than 5,883 complaints 
about romance and confidence scams that cost victims $86.7 
million dollars.\74\ Nearly half of these victims were age 50 
or older, and this group accounted for approximately 70 percent 
of the money lost to this scam last year.\75\ Romance and 
confidence scams disproportionally target women, usually 
between the ages of 30 and 55 years old.\76\ Unfortunately, 
both the amount of financial loss and the number of complaints 
for this crime have increased in recent years.\77\
                             fraud case #15
    ``Debbie,'' from Maine, contacted the Fraud Hotline to report that 
she had lost more than $140,000 in an online dating scam. The scam 
began in May 2014 when she met a man on the website 
``plentyoffish.com,'' who claimed to live in Miami. The man, who said 
his name was ``Lex,'' told Debbie that his employer was sending him to 
Benin in Africa. The pair continued to correspond, and, two months 
later, Lex told Debbie that his bank accounts were frozen and he needed 
her to send him money until he could regain access to his accounts. She 
started wiring money from MoneyGram and pre-paid debit cards in $2,000 
to $3,000 increments to an address in Benin. After a while, Debbie 
became suspicious that this was a scam and stopped sending money. Then, 
in October 2014, she received emails from a bank she believed was real, 
saying it could reimburse her for the money she sent to Lex. The emails 
were fake, possibly from the same scammer, and charged her thousands of 
dollars in processing fees. She ended up transferring $40,000 into 
different bank accounts in the United States. In all, Debbie lost more 
than $140,000 to this scam. Debbie provided a Fraud Hotline 
investigator with more than 400 pages of emails and wire transfer 
receipts. The investigator reported the crime to the FTC, the FBI's 
IC3, and the Department of Homeland Security.

Tips From The FBI's IC3 To Help Prevent Victims From Falling Victim To 
                             Romance Scams

     Be cautious of individuals who claim the romance 
was destiny or fate, or that you are meant to be together.
     Be cautious if an individual tells you he or she 
is in love with you and cannot live without you but needs you 
to send money to fund a visit.
     Fraudsters typically claim to be originally from 
the United States (or your local region), but are currently 
overseas, or going overseas, for business or family matters.
    Source: https://www.fbi.gov/news/news_blog/2014-ic3-annual-
report

                       10. HOME IMPROVEMENT SCAMS

    The last of the top 10 scams reported to the Fraud Hotline 
in 2015 were home improvement scams. There are several 
variations of this scam in which scammers show up at victims' 
doors and offer to perform a service for a price that seems 
fair. These service jobs frequently involve, but are not 
limited to, repairing a roof, repaving a driveway, repainting a 
house or room, or installing a home security system. The 
contractors usually ask for immediate payment in advance but 
then do substandard work, or no work at all. Seniors, those who 
live alone, individuals with disabilities, and victims of 
weather-related disasters are common targets.\78\
    Home improvement scams occur frequently during a change of 
season. Con artists will often take advantage of the warmer 
weather, or approaching cooler weather, and use it as an 
opportunity to convince victims that it is the perfect time to 
get home improvement jobs done. In 2014, the Federal Trade 
Commission (FTC) received 8,327 complaints about home repair, 
improvement, and product scams.\79\

  2014 FEDERAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION'S COMPLAINTS OF HOME IMPROVEMENT
                                  SCAMS
------------------------------------------------------------------------
 
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Home Appliances.........................................           1,681
Home Furnishings........................................           1,001
Home Protection Devices.................................             823
Home Repair.............................................           1,856
Housing.................................................           2,997
    Total:..............................................           8,327
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Source: https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/documents/reports/consumer-
  sentinel-network-data-book-january-december-2014/sentinel-cy2014-
  1.pdf.

                             fraud case #16
    ``Samson,'' from Texas, contacted the Fraud Hotline to report that 
he had paid a contractor $10,000 to repair one side of his roof. After 
the work was completed, however, his roof started to leak again. Samson 
said that he had been trying for more than a month to get in contact 
with the contractor, but to no avail. Samson heard about the contractor 
through an advertisement in the local newspaper. A Fraud Hotline 
investigator encouraged Samson to contact the Texas Attorney General's 
Office of Consumer Protection, the Texas Commission of Licensing and 
Regulation, and the Texas Legal Services Center.

    Scammers will also frequently target individuals who have 
been affected by a recent weather-related disaster. Con artists 
may appear after a storm, promising to help with immediate 
clean-up and debris removal. For instance, after a flood, these 
scammers may tell victims that they can restore their 
appliances or haul away damaged items for a fee. Scammers then 
demand immediate payment for work that they will never do.\80\ 
Unlicensed and unskilled contractors may also offer to restore 
damaged homes and then fail to do the work or do a substandard 
job. Since flooding can cause lasting problems, such as mold, 
it's important that homeowners verify that any company they are 
considering to clean or repair their homes has the proper 
licenses, insurance, and experience to do the job.
                             fraud case #17
    ``Hannah,'' from Mississippi, contacted the Fraud Hotline to report 
that she had been scammed out of $3,000. Hannah was approached by a 
contractor who noticed that her driveway was cracked and had several 
potholes and bumps. The contractor indicated that he had just finished 
a job in the neighborhood and that he could give her a good deal on 
repairing her driveway. Hannah agreed and gave the contractor a $1,500 
deposit. The contractor, however, never returned to do the job. Hannah 
had not signed a contract, nor did she have the contractor's phone 
number. Hannah was encouraged to contact Mississippi's Attorney 
General's Office of Consumer Protection and her local police 
department.

    Another example of the home improvement scam involves home 
security systems. Scammers may show up at victims' doors, 
inform them about a string of robberies in the area, and offer 
to sell them a home alarm. The device they install may or may 
not be a working device, or the victims may unknowingly pay 
more than market price. In a new variation of this scam, con 
artists knock on victims' doors and claim that they are there 
to upgrade the home security system. In November 2015, the FTC 
warned that scammers may purport to work for a home security 
company the victim already uses, but instead install a new 
system without asking and convince the victim to sign a new 
contract.\81\ Most people do not know that they have been 
scammed until their original home security company notifies 
them that their system is not responding, or they start 
receiving bills from two different alarm companies.\82\

     FTC's Tips on How Tell if a Contractor Might Not Be Reputable

    Don't do business with someone who:
     Claims that ``the deal is good for today only.'' 
Often, con artists will pressure you for an immediate decision 
by telling you that, if you wait even another day, they cannot 
guarantee the same price.
     Lacks professionalism. Ask if the person has a 
business card, or check to see if the person's vehicle is 
marked with a company logo or information.
     Only accepts cash; asks you to pay everything, or 
a sizeable deposit, upfront; or tells you to borrow money from 
a lender the contractor knows.
     Is not licensed. Many states, but not all, require 
contractors to be licensed and/or bonded. Check with your local 
building department or consumer protection agency to learn 
about licensing requirements in your area.
     States that he ``just happens to have materials 
left over from a previous job'' or ``just happens to be in the 
area.''
    Source: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/home-improvement-
scams-are-no-laughing-matter 

                               Conclusion

    One of the Senate Special Committee on Aging's top 
priorities in the 114th Congress has been to combat fraud 
targeting seniors. The Fraud Hotline has been instrumental in 
this fight, providing more than 1,100 callers in 2015 with 
information on common scams and offering tips on how to avoid 
becoming victims of fraud. In addition, Fraud Hotline 
investigators have encouraged victims to report fraud to the 
appropriate law enforcement agencies to improve the 
government's data as well as its ability to prosecute the 
perpetrators of these scams. Committee investigators have even 
helped some victims recover thousands of dollars of their hard-
earned retirement savings.
    The Aging Committee held hearings on five of the top 10 
scams reported to the Fraud Hotline in 2015. The Committee's 
hearings have helped to raise public awareness to prevent 
seniors from falling victim to these scams, as well as to 
provide valuable oversight of the federal government's effort 
to combat these frauds and protect consumers. Chairman Susan 
Collins and Ranking Member Claire McCaskill have pressed 
federal law enforcement agencies to combat fraud and put the 
criminals who prey on our nation's seniors behind bars.
    While tangible progress has been made in countering a 
number of consumer scams, it is evident that more work remains 
to be done. As the Aging Committee enters its second year of 
the 114th Congress, Chairman Collins and Ranking Member 
McCaskill intend to maintain the Committee's focus on frauds 
targeting seniors. In order to encourage a more effective 
federal response to these scams, the Chairman and Ranking 
Member will continue to work with their Senate colleagues to 
ensure that law enforcement has the tools it needs to pursue 
these criminals.
    This report is designed to serve as a resource for seniors 
and others who wish to learn more about common scams and ways 
to avoid them. For further assistance, please do not hesitate 
to call the Fraud Hotline at 1-855-303-9470.

              Appendix 1: Aging Fraud Hotline Statistics 


------------------------------------------------------------------------
                        Scam Type                              Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------
IRS Impersonation Scams.................................             387
Jamaican Lottery/Sweepstakes Scams......................             157
Unsolicited/Unwanted Phone Calls........................              93
Computer Scams..........................................              87
Identity Theft..........................................              75
Grandparent Scams.......................................              63
Elder Financial Abuse...................................              59
Government Grant Scams..................................              37
Romance Scams...........................................              28
Home Improvement Scams..................................              24
Bad Business Practices..................................              23
Spam Emails.............................................              18
Junk Mail...............................................               7
Check Scam..............................................               6
IRS Fraudulent Tax Returns..............................               5
Utility Scam............................................               5
Health Care Scam........................................               4
Counterfeit Scam........................................               3
Medical Equipment.......................................               3
Mortgage Fraud..........................................               3
Phishing Phone Call.....................................               3
Nigerian Prince Inheritance Scam........................               3
Debt Collection Scam....................................               3
Investment Scam.........................................               2
Nigerian Gold Scam......................................               2
Bad Landlord............................................               1
Disability Enrollment Scam..............................               1
International Drug Trafficking Scam.....................               1
Life Insurance Scam.....................................               1
Military Impersonation Scam.............................               1
Online Military Impersonation Scam......................               1
Payday Loan Scam........................................               1
SSDI Issues.............................................               1
    Total...............................................            1108
------------------------------------------------------------------------


------------------------------------------------------------------------
    Origin of Calls to the                  Origin of Calls
           Hotline                Total      to the Hotline     Total
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Alabama......................            7  Nebraska.......            2
Alaska.......................            1  Nevada.........           12
Arizona......................           51  New Hampshire..            8
Arkansas.....................            4  New Jersey.....            8
California...................          120  New Mexico.....            4
Colorado.....................            9  New York.......           58
Connecticut..................            5  North Carolina.           10
Delaware.....................            7  North Dakota...            1
District of Columbia.........            6  Ohio...........            9
Florida......................           82  Oklahoma.......            6
Georgia......................           20  Oregon.........            7
Hawaii.......................            2  Pennsylvania...           16
Idaho........................            5  Puerto Rico....            1
Illinois.....................           22  Rhode Island...            1
Indiana......................            9  South Carolina.           10
Iowa.........................            6  South Dakota...            3
Kansas.......................            7  Tennessee......            5
Kentucky.....................            4  Texas..........           42
Louisiana....................            4  Unknown........           71
Maine........................          189  Utah...........            3
Maryland.....................          124  Vermont........            2
Massachusetts................           16  Virginia.......           62
Michigan.....................           15  Washington.....           15
Minnesota....................           13  West Virginia..            2
Mississippi..................            2  Wisconsin......            8
Missouri.....................            4  Wyoming........            4
Montana......................            4
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                      Appendix 2. Fraud Resources

General Consumer Complaints

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Agency                     Website          Phone Number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Better Business Bureau..........  www.bbb.org.......  Use zip code to
                                                       find caller's
                                                       local BBB
National Do-Not-Call Registry...  www.donotcall.org.  1-888-382-1222
National Do-Not-Call Complaint    www.fcc.gov/        1-888-225-5322
 Form.                             complaints.
AARP Fraud Fighter Call Center..  http://             1-877-908-3360
                                   www.aarp.org/
                                   content/dam/aarp/
                                   money/scams_fraud/
                                   2013-10/Who-To-
                                   Contact-AARP.PDF.
AARP Fraud Watch Network........  www.aarp.org/       1-800-646-2283
                                   fraudwatchnetwork.
Local/State AG Office...........  http://             1-202-326-6000
                                   www.naag.org/
                                   current-attorneys-
                                   general.php.
U.S. Senator or Representative    http://             1-202-224-3121
 for Constituent Casework.         www.senate.gov/     (Capitol
                                   general/            Switchboard)
                                   contact_informati
                                   on/
                                   senators_cfm.cfm.
                                  http://
                                   www.house.gov/
Federal Trade Commission          http://www.ftc.gov/ 1-877-701-9595
 Sentinel Network.                 enforcement/
                                   consumer-sentinel-
                                   network.
Federal Trade Commission          http://             1-877-382-4357
 Consumer Response Center.         www.consumer.ftc.
                                   gov/.
Federal Communications            http://www.fcc.gov/ 1-888-225-5322
 Commission.                       .
State/Local Consumer Protection   http://www.usa.gov/ ..................
 Agencies.                         directory/
                                   stateconsumer/
                                   index.shtml.
Assist Guide Information          http://             ..................
 Services--Government Agency/      www.agis.com/
 Programs by State.                listing/
                                   default.aspx
DOJ Elder Justice Initiative....  www.justice.gov/    1-202-514-2000
                                   elderjustice/.      (DOJ Main
                                                       Switchboard)
Area Agency on Aging............  http://www.n4a.org/ General: 1-202-872-
                                   .                   0888
IRS Scam Reporting Hotline......  https://            1-800 366-4484
                                   www.treasury.gov/
                                   tigta/
                                   contact_report_sc
                                   am.shtml.
HHS OIG.........................  http://www.hhs.gov/ 1-800-447-8477
                                   grants/grants/
                                   avoid-grant-scams/
                                   index.html.
National Center for Victims of    https://            1-855-484-2846
 Crime.                            www.victimsofcrim
                                   e.org/.
FINRA Securities Helpline for     http://             1-844-574-3577
 Seniors.                          www.finra.org/
                                   investors/finra-
                                   securities-
                                   helpline-seniors.
Center for Elder Rights Advocacy  http://             1-866-949-2372
                                   www.legalHotlines
                                   .org/legal-
                                   assistance-
                                   resources.html.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                         Resources--Issue Area

Computer Fraud
    If receiving spam email, forward the spam email to 
[email protected]. This website is managed by the Federal Trade 
Commission.

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Agency                     Website          Phone Number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Internet Crime Complaint Center   www.ic3.gov/        ..................
 (IC3).                            crimeschemes.aspx
Federal Trade Commission........  http://             1-877-382-4357
                                   www.consumer.ftc.
                                   gov/articles/0346-
                                   tech-support-
                                   scams.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Elder Abuse

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Agency                     Website          Phone Number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Local/State AG Office...........  http://             ..................
                                   www.naag.org/
                                   current-attorneys-
                                   general.php.
National Adult Protection         Find local APS      ..................
 Services Association.             Association:
                                   www.napsa-now.org/
                                   get-help/help-in-
                                   your-area/.
DOJ Elder Justice Initiative....  http://             1-202-514-2000
                                   www.justice.gov/    (DOJ Main
                                   elderjustice/.      Switchboard)
Financial exploitation..........  www.eldercare.gov.  1-800-677-1116
Center for Elder Rights Advocacy  http://             1-866-949-2372
                                   www.legalHotlines
                                   .org/legal-
                                   assistance-
                                   resources.html.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Health-Related Scams

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Agency                     Website          Phone Number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Federal Communications            www.fcc.gov/        1-888-225-5322
 Commission.                       complaints.
Federal Trade Commission........  http://             1-888-382-1222 (Do
                                   www.consumer.ftc.   not call
                                   gov/blog/robocall-  registry)
                                   scams-push-
                                   medical-alert-
                                   systems.
Medicare.gov....................  State/Local         ..................
                                   resources:
                                  www.medicare.gov/
                                   contacts/topic-
                                   search-
                                   criteria.aspx.
DHHS IG to report Medicare Fraud  https://            1-800-447-8477
                                   forms.oig.hhs.gov/
                                   Hotlineoperations/
                                   .
Medicare Ombudsman's Office.....  http://             ..................
                                   www.medicare.gov/
                                   claims-and-
                                   appeals/medicare-
                                   rights/get-help/
                                   ombudsman.html.
Medicare Rights Center..........  http://             1-800-333-4114
                                   www.medicareright
                                   s.org/.
Health Insurance Marketplace      DHHS IG             1-800-318-2596
 Fraud.                            Marketplace         (report suspected
                                   Consumer Fraud      Medicare fraud
                                   Hotline: https://   related to
                                   oig.hhs.gov/fraud/  Medical ID theft:
                                   consumer-alerts/    1-800-447-8477
                                   alerts/
                                   marketplace.asp.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Identity Theft
    Call one of the three national credit bureaus to place a 
scam alert:
           Equifax: 1-800-685-1111 (Fraud Hotline: 
        1-888-766-0008)
           Experian: 1-888-397-3742 (Fraud Hotline: 
        1-888-397-3742)
           TransUnion: 1-800-916-8800 (Fraud 
        Hotline: 1-800-680-7289)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Agency                     Website          Phone Number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Local Police Department.........  ..................  Check with your
                                                       local police
                                                       department. Many
                                                       departments have
                                                       non-emergency
                                                       numbers you may
                                                       call to file a
                                                       report.
FTC ID Theft Hotline............  https://            1-877-438-4338
                                   www.identitytheft
                                   .gov/.
FTC Identity Theft Resource       http://             1-888-400-5530
 Center.                           www.consumer.ftc.
                                   gov/features/
                                   feature-0014-
                                   identity-theft.
IRS Identity Protection           http://www.irs.gov/ 1-877-777-4778
 Specialized Unit.                 Individuals/
                                   Identity-
                                   Protection.
Office of the Comptroller of the  http://www.occ.gov/ 1-202-649-6800
 Currency.                         topics/bank-
                                   operations/
                                   financial-crime/
                                   identity-theft/
                                   index-identity-
                                   theft.html.
SSA--File a report of theft or    http://www.ssa.gov/ 1-800-269-0271
 fraudulent use of SS number.      pubs/EN-05-
                                   10064.pdf.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Investment/Securities Fraud

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Agency                     Website          Phone Number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FINRA Securities Helpline for     http://             1-844-574-3577
 Seniors.                          www.finra.org/
                                   investors/finra-
                                   securities-
                                   helpline-seniors.
Consumer Financial Protection     http://             1-855-411-2372
 Bureau (CFPB).                    www.consumerfinan
                                   ce.gov.
CFPB ombudsman..................  http://             1-855-830-7880
                                   www.consumerfinan
                                   ce.gov/ombudsman/.
Financial Industry Regulatory     www.finra.org.....  1-800-289-9999
 Authority (FINRA).
Better Business Bureau..........  www.bbb.org.......  ..................
Securities Investor Protection    http://             1-202-371-8300
 Corporation (SIPC).               www.sipc.org/.
Federal Reserve Consumer Help...  http://             1-888-851-1920
                                   www.federalreserv
                                   econsumerhelp.gov/
                                   .
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweepstakes Scams

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Agency                     Website          Phone Number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
AARP Fraud Fighter Call Center..  http://             1-800-646-2283
                                   www.aarp.org/
                                   content/dam/aarp/
                                   money/scams_fraud/
                                   2013-10/Who-To-
                                   Contact-AARP.PDF.
Department of Homeland Security   https://            1-866-347-2423
 Tip Line.                         www.ice.gov/
                                   tipline.
Postal Inspector................  https://            1-877-876-2455
                                   postalinspectors.
                                   uspis.gov/.
Western Union Fraud Unit........  https://            1-800-448-1492
                                   www.westernunion.
                                   com/us/en/
                                   fraudawareness/
                                   fraud-report-to-
                                   authorities.html.
Moneygram Fraud Unit............  http://             1-800-666-3947
                                   corporate.moneygr   (press 5 for more
                                   am.com/compliance/  options then 5
                                   fraud-prevention.   for fraud/
                                                       suspicious
                                                       activity)
GreenDot MoneyPak Report Fraud..  https://            ..................
                                   www.moneypak.com/
                                   protectyourmoney.
                                   aspx.
FBI Field Office................  http://www.fbi.gov/
                                   contact-us/field
Secret Service Field Office.....  http://
                                   www.secretservice
                                   .gov/
                                   field_offices.sht
                                   ml
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sweepstakes Fraud

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Agency                     Website          Phone Number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Postal Inspector................  https://            1-877-876-2455
                                   postalinspectors.
                                   uspis.gov/.
AARP Fraud Fighter Call Center..  http://             1-800-646-2283
                                   www.aarp.org/
                                   content/dam/aarp/
                                   money/scams_fraud/
                                   2013-10/Who-To-
                                   Contact-AARP.PDF.
FCC.............................  www.fcc.gov/        1-888-225-5322
                                   complaints.
FTC Consumer Response Center....  http://             1-877-382-4357
                                   www.consumer.ftc.
                                   gov/.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Mortgage Fraud

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Agency                     Website          Phone Number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Consumer Financial Protection     http://             1-855-411-2372
 Bureau (CFPB).                    www.consumerfinan
                                   ce.gov/.
Foreclosure Prevention            http://www.hud.gov/ Find State
 Counseling--HUD's Housing         offices/hsg/sfh/    counseling
 Counseling Program.               hcc/fc/.            program
HUD OIG Fraud Hotline...........  https://            1-800-347-3735
                                   www.hudoig.gov/
                                   report-fraud.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Payday Lending

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Agency                     Website          Phone Number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Consumer Financial Protection     http://             1-855-411-2372
 Bureau (CFPB).                    www.consumerfinan
                                   ce.gov/.
FTC Consumer Response Center....  http://             1-877-382-4357
                                   www.consumer.ftc.
                                   gov/.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Social Security Fraud
    Contact local Social Security field office to place a 
freeze on any changes to the victim's Social Security account 
to prevent future misuse of their Social Security benefits.
    Call one of the three national credit bureaus to place a 
scam alert:
            Equifax: 1-800-685-1111 (Fraud Hotline: 
        1-888-766-0008)
            Experian: 1-888-397-3742 (Fraud 
        Hotline: 1-888-397-3742)
            TransUnion: 1-800-916-8800 (Fraud 
        Hotline: 1-800-680-7289)

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Agency                     Website          Phone Number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
SSA OIG.........................  https://            1-800-269-0271
                                   www.socialsecurit
                                   y.gov/fraudreport/
                                   oig/
                                   public_fraud_repo
                                   rting/form.htm.
Financial Exploitation..........  www.eldercare.gov.  1-800-677-1116
Information on Representative     http://
 Payee for victim's social         www.socialsecurit
 security benefits.                y.gov/payee/
                                   faqrep.htm#a0=2..
SSA.............................  https://            1-800-772-1213
                                   secure.ssa.gov/
                                   ICON/main.jsp.
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Timeshare Scam

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Agency                     Website          Phone Number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
State Attorney General..........  http://
                                   www.naag.org/
                                   current-attorneys-
                                   general.php.
FTC Consumer Response Center....  http://             1-877-382-4357
                                   www.consumer.ftc.
                                   gov/.
Better Business Bureau..........  www.bbb.org
Internet Crime Complaint Center   www.ic3.gov/        ..................
 (IC3).                            crimeschemes.aspx
------------------------------------------------------------------------

Grandparent Scam

------------------------------------------------------------------------
             Agency                     Website          Phone Number
------------------------------------------------------------------------
FTC Consumer Response Center....  http://             1-877-382-4357
                                   www.consumer.ftc.
                                   gov/.
State Attorney General..........  http://             ..................
                                   www.naag.org/
                                   current-attorneys-
                                   general.php.
Department of Homeland Security   https://            1-866-347-2423
 Tip Line.                         www.ice.gov/
                                   tipline.
FBI Field Office................  http://www.fbi.gov/ ..................
                                   contact-us/field
Secret Service Field Office.....  http://             ..................
                                   www.secretservice
                                   .gov/
                                   field_offices.sht
                                   ml
------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                      [GRAPHIC(S) NOT AVAILABLE IN TIFF FORMAT]
                                                      
                                ENDNOTES

    \1\U.S. Congress. Senate. 2015. Tax Schemes and Scams 
During the 2015 Filing Season: Hearing before the Committee on 
Finance. 114th Congress, 1st sess., March 12.
    \2\TIGTA Conference Call with Aging Committee. January 7, 
2016.
    \3\TIGTA Conference Call with Aging Committee. January 7, 
2016.
    \4\U.S. Congress. Senate. 2015. Catch Me If You Can: The 
IRS Impersonation Scam and the Government's Response: Hearing 
before the Special Committee on Aging. 114th Congress, 1st 
sess., April 15.
    \5\Internal Revenue Service. Tax Scams/Consumer Alerts. 
https://www.irs.gov/uac/Tax-Scams-Consumer-Alerts (accessed 
January 21, 2016).
    \6\TIGTA Conference Call with Aging Committee. January 7, 
2016.
    \7\Internal Revenue Service. IRS Warns Taxpayers to Guard 
Against New Tricks by Scam Artists; Losses Top $20 Million. 
https://www.irs.gov/uac/Newsroom/IRS Warns-Taxpayers-to-Guard-
Against-New-Tricks-by-Scam-Artists (accessed January 21, 2016).
    \8\Internal Revenue Service. Five Easy Ways to Spot a Scam 
Phone Call. https://www.irs.gov/uac/Five-Easy-Ways-to-Spot-a-
Scam-Phone-Call (accessed January 18, 2016).
    \9\Associated Press. 2015. Man gets 14 years in prison for 
scam that took millions with fake IRS calls. Los Angeles Times. 
July 8.
    \10\Federal Trade Commission. Consumer Information: Prize 
Scams. http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0199-prize-scams 
(accessed January 18, 2016).
    \11\Federal Trade Commission. 2015. Consumer Sentinel 
Network Data Book for January-December 2014. (February): 79
    \12\U.S. Congress. Senate. 2013. 876-SCAM: Jamaican Phone 
Fraud Targeting Seniors: Hearing before the Special Committee 
on Aging. 113th Congress, 1st sess., March 13.
    \13\FairPoint Communications. FairPoint applauds Western 
Union decision to shut down services in Jamaican hotbed of 
phone scamming operations. BEWARE: Scams from Area Code 876. 
http://www.bewareof876.com/press-release-fairpoint-applauds-
western-union-decision-to-shut-down-services-in-jamaican-
hotbed-of (accessed January 18, 2016).
    \14\U.S. Department of Homeland Security. U.S. Immigration 
and Customs Enforcement. Jamaican man first to be extradited to 
face fraud charges in lottery scam. https://www.ice.gov/news/
releases/jamaican-man-first-be-extradited-face-fraud-charges-
lottery-scam (accessed January 18, 2016).
    \15\Federal Bureau of Investigation. Jamaican Man Sentenced 
to Prison for Involvement in International Lottery Fraud 
Scheme. https://www.fbi.gov/minneapolis/press-releases/2015/
jamaican-man-sentenced-to-prison-for-involvement-in-
international-lottery-fraud-scheme (accessed January 21, 2016).
    \16\U.S. Senate, 876-SCAM, S. 6-7.
    \17\To ratify the authority of the Federal Trade Commission 
to establish a do-not-call registry. Public Law 108-82. 108th 
Congress, 1st sess.
    \18\U.S. Congress. Senate. 2015. Ringing Off the Hook: 
Examining the Proliferation of Unwanted Calls: Hearing before 
the Special Committee on Aging. 114th Congress, 1st sess., June 
10.
    \19\Citation needed for the testimony of the fraud case 
victim
    \20\Federal Trade Commission. FTC Challenges Innovators to 
Do Battle with Robocallers. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/
press-
releases/2012/10/ftc-challenges-innovators-do-battle-
robocallers (accessed January 21, 2016).
    \21\Federal Trade Commission. FTC Announces Robocall 
Challenge Winners. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-
releases/2013/04/ftc-announces-robocall-challenge-winners 
(accessed January 21, 2016).
    \22\Ibid.
    \23\Federal Trade Commission. FTC Announces New Robocall 
Contests to Combat Illegal Automated Calls. https://
www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2015/03/ftc-announces-
new-robocall-contests-combat-illegal-automated (accessed 
January 21, 2016).
    \24\Federal Trade Commission. FTC Announces New Robocall 
Contests to Combat Illegal Automated Calls. https://
www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2015/03/ftc-announces-
new-robocall-contests-combat-illegal-automated (accessed 
January 18, 2016).
    \25\Federal Trade Commission. FTC Awards $25,000 Top Cash 
Prize for Contest-Winning Mobile App That Blocks Illegal 
Robocalls. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2015/
08/ftc-awards-25000-top-cash-prize-contest-winning-mobile-app-
blocks (accessed January 21, 2016).
    \26\Federal Trade Commission. FTC Awards $25,000 Top Cash 
Prize for Contest-Winning Mobile App That Blocks Illegal 
Robocalls. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2015/
08/ftc-awards-25000-top-cash-prize-contest-winning-mobile-app-
blocks (accessed January 18, 2016).
    \27\U.S. Congress. Senate. 2015. Virtual Victims: When 
Computer Tech Support Becomes a Scam: Hearing before the 
Special Committee on Aging. October 21. S. 22.
    \28\Ibid.
    \29\Federal Trade Commission. Staff Briefing. Dirksen 
Senate Office Building, G16. Washington, D.C. October 14, 2015.
    \30\Federal Bureau of Investigation. Internet Crime 
Complaint Center. 2015. 2014 Internet Crime Report. (May 9): 4.
    \31\Ibid., 9.
    \32\U.S. Senate, Virtual Victims.
    \33\Ibid., S. 18.
    \34\Complaint at 19 FTC v. PCCare 247, Inc., et al., No 12-
cv-7189 (S.D.N.Y.) (ECF No. 8).
    \35\Federal Trade Commission. FTC Testifies on Efforts to 
Stop Illegal Tech Support Scams Before Senate Special Committee 
on Aging. https://www.ftc.gov/news-events/press-releases/2015/
10/ftc-testifies-efforts-stop-illegal-tech-support-scams-senate 
(accessed January 18, 2016).
    \36\FTC, Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, 14.
    \37\Ibid.
    \38\Ibid., 12.
    \39\Marte, Jonnelle. 2015. You can now request copies of 
the phony tax returns filed in your name. Washington Post. 
November 10.
    \40\Medicare Access and CHIP Reauthorization Act of 2015. 
Public Law 114 10. 114th Congress, 2nd sess.
    \41\U.S. Congress. Senate. 2015. Protecting Seniors from 
Identity Theft: Is the Federal Government Doing Enough?: 
Hearing before the Special Committee on Aging. 114th Congress, 
1st sess., October 7.
    \42\Ibid., S. 12 15 and S.17 20.
    \43\FTC, Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, 82.
    \44\Greisman, Lois. U.S. Congress. Senate. 2014. Hanging Up 
on Phone Scams: Progress and Potential Solutions to this 
Scourge: Hearing before the Special Committee on Aging. 113th 
Congress, 2nd sess., July 16. S.20
    \45\Elton, Catherine. 2012. The Fleecing of America's 
Elderly. Consumers Digest. November 10.
    \46\National Center on Elder Abuse. Elder Abuse and Its 
Impact: What You Must Know. http://www.ncea.aoa.gov/Resources/
Publication/docs/NCEA_WhatYouMustKnow2013_508.pdf (accessed 
January 19, 2016).
    \47\Government Accountability Office. 2011. Elder Justice: 
Stronger Federal Leadership Could Enhance National Response to 
Elder Abuse. (March 21): 9.
    \48\Ibid., 14.
    \49\Ibid., 15.
    \50\Elder Justice Initiative. Financial Exploitation FAQs. 
U.S. Department of Justice. http://www.justice.gov/
elderjustice/financial/faq.html#do-all-states-have-elder-abuse-
statutes-that-include-
financial-exploitation (accessed January 18, 2016).
    \51\The MetLife Mature Market Institute, the National 
Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse, and the Center for 
Gerontology at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State 
University. 2011. Elder Financial Abuse: Crimes of Occasion, 
Desperation, and Predation Against America's Elders. (June): 8.
    \52\Ibid.
    \53\Ibid., 10.
    \54\Culley, Denis and Jaye Martin. (2013). No Higher 
Calling--Representing Victims of Financial Exploitation. 
Bifocal 34, no. 5 (May-June): 89.
    \55\Department of Justice. Deputy Attorney General James M. 
Cole Speaks at the White House World Elder Abuse Awareness Day 
Event. http://www.justice.gov/opa/speech/deputy-attorney-
general-james-m-cole-speaks-white-house-world-elder-abuse-
awareness-day (accessed January 19, 2016).
    \56\Government Accountability Office. 2012. Elder Justice: 
National Strategy Needed to Effectively Combat Elder 
Exploitation. (November 15): 1.
    \57\The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act, 
Subtitle H. Public Law 111-148. 111th Congress, 2nd sess.
    \58\GAO, Elder Justice, 22.
    \59\Ibid., 25 26
    \60\U.S. Congress. Congressional Record. 2015. 114th Cong., 
1st sess. S7595-S7596.
    \61\Financial Industry Regulatory Authority. FINRA Board 
Approves Rulemaking Item to Protect Seniors and Other 
Vulnerable Adults from Financial Exploitation. https://
www.finra.org/
newsroom/2015/finra-board-approves-rule-protecting-seniors-
financial-exploitation (accessed January 21, 2016).
    \62\U.S. Congress. Senate. 2015. Broken Trust: Combating 
Financial Exploitation of Vulnerable Seniors: Hearing before 
the Special Committee on Aging. 114th Congress, 1st sess., 
February 4. S. 63
    \63\Metcalf, Andrew. 2015. Caretaker Sentenced for Stealing 
More than $400,000 from 87-Year-old Bethesda Man. Bethesda 
Magazine. October 10.
    \64\Ibid.
    \65\U.S. Senate, Broken Trust.
    \66\Eligon, John. 2015. Brooke Astor's Son Guilty in Scheme 
to Defraud Her. New York Times. October 8.
    \67\FTC, Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, 77
    \68\Ibid., 79.
    \69\Ibid., 6 and 79.
    \70\Shadel, Doug and David Dudley. 2015. A con man steals 
one woman's heart--and $300,000. Here's how it happened. AARP 
the Magazine. June/July.
    \71\FBI, 2014 Computer Crime Report, 15.
    \72\Federal Trade Commission. Consumer Information: Online 
Dating Scams. http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0004-online-
dating-scams (accessed January 18, 2016).
    \73\Federal Bureau of Investigation. Looking for Love? 
Beware of Online Dating Scams. https://www.fbi.gov/sandiego/
press-
releases/2013/looking-for-love-beware-of-online-dating-scams 
(accessed January 18, 2016).
    \74\FBI, 2014 Computer Crime Report, 42.
    \75\Ibid.
    \76\U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Command Public 
Affairs. Army investigators warn public about romance scams. 
U.S. Army. http://www.army.mil/article/130861/
Army_investigators_warn_public_about_romance_scams/ (accessed 
January 18, 2016).
    \77\Halpern, Mollie. ``Podcast and Radio: Romance Scams.'' 
FBI This Week. https://www.fbi.gov/news/podcasts/thisweek/
romance-scams.mp3/view (accessed January 18, 2016).
    \78\Office of the Indiana Attorney General. Home 
Improvement Scams. http://www.in.gov/attorneygeneral/2545.htm 
(accessed January 18, 2016).
    \79\FTC, Consumer Sentinel Network Data Book, 6.
    \80\Federal Trade Commission. Consumer Information: Dealing 
with Weather Emergencies. http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/features/
feature-0023-weather-emergencies (accessed January 18, 2016).
    \81\Federal Trade Commission. Consumer Information: House 
alarms can't stop scammers. https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/blog/
house-alarms-cant-stop-scammers (accessed January 18, 2016).
    \82\Ibid.

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