A new pilot program in Lackawanna County is helping keep residents safe from scammers.
LACKAWANNA COUNTY, Pa. — Scams are more prevalent than ever. That’s why Lackawanna County officials are looking to tackle the issue that affects our area’s seniors and some of our most vulnerable neighbors.
“So we’ve definitely seen an increase in individuals impacted by scams, and the loss is tremendous,” said Kerri Anzulewicz, Lackawanna County Area Agency on Aging Deputy Director.
With a unanimous vote for, the county agreed to try a pilot program with Silvershield Incorporated.
Anzulewicz, deputy director with the county’s Area Agency on Aging, says the online service comes at a time when roughly 30 percent of referrals they get deal with some kind of exploitation.
“They can access it through their cell phones, through emails, and it helps them kind of weed through if something is a scam or not. It gives them real-time direction, information, feedback to say, ‘Hey, you know, this is a scam, don’t get involved, or ask further questions to help them determine themselves,” she said.
From emails from someone claiming to be royalty promising a large sum of money for a small upfront payment, to threats of jail time unless you send money immediately, Anzulewicz says all kinds of swindlers and phishing schemes are out there. “The threatening scams where you know it’s the IRS is coming for you or there’s an investigation, certainly the lottery scams, the investment type scams are there too, but a lot more of the imposter and and romance.”
Now, with this new technology, Anzulewicz hopes to stop people from ever getting scammed and to help those who keep getting hit again and again.
“What we’re seeing is kind of people coming through the system multiple times, falling victim to scams. So getting something in someone’s hand that can help them protect themselves is really important,” she said.
The Area Agency on Aging will start using the program soon in the hopes of stopping scammers.