Pawling Library…Helping Seniors in our Community  

Pawling Library…Helping Seniors in our Community

By Donald Partelow

Brian Jones, Outreach Coordinator from the Dutchess County Office For the Aging, was our host for a highly informative presentation entitled Avoiding All Kinds of Scams. The program took place at the Pawling Library on November 4th. Mr. Jones, a former radio news announcer, informed the audience with his distinctive voice, of the many ways senior citizens are often taken advantage of through online scams, phone scams, door-to-door scams, and  Medicare fraud, and provided instruction for protecting themselves from such crimes.  Mr. Jones recommended first and foremost, “Don’t panic and stay calm if you suspect that you’ve been the target of a scam.” The best defense against phone scams is to simply not respond, and if you have answered, hang up.  These criminals are highly manipulative as he explained and have devised many unscrupulous techniques to prey on people such as through cancer screening scams, Healthcare Identity Theft and IRS Scams by which thousands of Americans are victimized each year. Those who attended the program were very pleased with Mr. Jones presentation and left with knowledge of how to best defend themselves against these criminals.  On November 26th Maggie Kwet from the Dutchess County Office for the Aging appeared at our library for a Medicare Orientation. The Dutchess County Office For the Aging has been helping the people in our community for years and we appreciate the good they do for so many. To make an appointment for a free meeting with an Aging Information Services Specialist, please call the Dutchess County Office For the Aging at 845-486-2555 or 866-486-2555, email: ofadutchessny.gov. They are happy to help and are people for whom you can trust.

Author: Harlem Valley News