District Presentation Arms Local Seniors Against Elder Fraud

District Presentation Arms Local Seniors Against Elder Fraud
Water Leaders Reach Out to Community to Prevent Scams

July 15, 2024- Rowland Water District (RWD) staff hosted a booth and presented at the Senior Pathfinders Resources Fair on May 23, 2024, at Pathfinder Regional Park. The presentation helped seniors protect themselves against fraudulent activity by providing key information on detecting water district imposters and properly identifying RWD employees.

The presentation explained how to spot an RWD worker’s branded uniform, identification badge, and utility service truck to assist seniors in recognizing illegal activity in their neighborhoods. Over 60 seniors learned that RWD employees will never ask to enter their homes, request payment, or ask for their social security number or personal banking information. The presentation clarified the location of RWD water fixtures and what falls under RWD’s duty and the senior’s responsibility.

“Residents deserve to feel confident and comfortable with RWD workers in their neighborhoods,” Monica Ulloa, Customer Service Supervisor said. “It is important to us to reach out and teach the community about public safety directly. We want to ensure nobody ever takes advantage of local seniors.”

Elder fraud is a growing problem, with a 14 percent uptick in reports to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) in 2023. According to IC3’s 2023 Elder Fraud Report, older Americans are disproportionately impacted by scams or fraud. More than 101,000 victims aged 60 and over reported elder fraud in 2023.

Elder fraud is an expensive crime, causing more than $3.4 billion in losses in 2023. The most common scams reported to IC3 include tech support scams, personal data breaches, confidence and romance scams, non-payment or non-delivery scams, and investment scams.

Local seniors who attended the presentation can feel safer with a clear understanding of what to expect from RWD workers in their area. Handouts from the event are available in the customer service lobby of RWD’s office at 3021 Fullerton Rd, Rowland Heights, CA. Information from the presentation can be seen later this year on a bill insert, or now on a recent Nextdoor post.

Learn more at rwd.org.