Bella Vistans checked out the annual senior safety academy put together last Tuesday by the Seniors and Law Enforcement Together (SALT) council.
Former Bella Vista police chief and current SALT member Ken Farmer said that this is one of two safety academies the council puts together each year, and anyone who missed it should keep an eye out for another event next spring.
It's an evolving program, he said, geared toward meeting current needs and constantly adjusted so it doesn't get stale.
Farmer said he appreciated the Bella Vista Lutheran Church, which has provided a venue for the event.
"This church really embraces the program," he said.
Speakers covered a wide array of topics, including programs the Bella Vista Police Department provides, safety tips and information about scams aimed at seniors.
Among the speakers was U.S. Attorney Duane "Dak" Kees, who explained that his office prosecutes federal crimes, including scams -- which are often perpetrated from across state lines or outside of the country, rendering them outside the jurisdiction of local or state authorities.
"Scams against seniors are rising," he told the crowd.
Approximately one in every 44 seniors has been scammed, he said, and a fourth of scams take people's money -- though many others acquire valuable personal information.
Seniors are a popular target, he said, because they're more likely to have savings and they tend to be more trusting.
"You guys are a target-rich environment," Kees said.
A lot of scams are built around health care, he said. Someone posing as a medicare worker or healthcare provider may call someone and ask them to verify information, which gives them the victim's personal information.
Another common issue is counterfeit drugs. Someone may have a pricey prescription and find the drugs cheaper online, he said.
After paying for the discount medications, someone may never get anything or receive low quality or incorrect medications that could make their situation worse, he explained. If someone is paying a lot for medication and sees it cheaper elsewhere, they should talk with their doctor about it before spending any additional money.
Perhaps the saddest scam, he said, is a funeral scam.
The con artist goes through obituaries and finds the name of a recently-deceased person as well as their relatives, then looks for those relatives, either in person or over the internet, and claims the recently departed owed them a sizable sum.
"We don't think well through grief," he said.
If the scammer goes to five funerals in a week and gets one payment, he said, they can do well for themselves.
Even if someone doesn't fall for a scam, Kees said, they should contact his office -- which can be reached by phone at 479-783-5125 -- to help law enforcement keep track of what scams are active.
One attendee, Kathy Goodrich, said this was her first year but she was very pleased with the presentation.
Goodrich said she found the information about identity theft to be especially helpful.
"It's so prevalent today that you need to be educated," she said.
She also learned a lot about the police and fire departments and the services they provide, she said, and halfway through the day the agenda still showed plenty to look forward to.
"I'm glad I came ... It's definitely worthwhile," Goodrich said.
General News on 10/16/2019