R.O.S.E., Resources/Outreach to Safeguard the Elderly
Whenever we speak to a group, we sometimes ask those gathered the main reason why people do not report being the victim of a financial crime. In nearly 100 presentations over the past three years, the number one reason has always been the same: embarrassment.
In a country where it seems nobody agrees about anything, it blows my mind that every group always comes up with the word embarrassment. The reason why the answer has been so consistent is because it is simple and true. No one wants to admit being the victim of a scam because they don’t want to be perceived as gullible, having poor judgment, or unable to handle their financial affairs.
About two years ago, we had the privilege of speaking at a fraud prevention presentation hosted by a police department. We asked the question about people not reporting being victimized and we got the same expected answer. This time around, an unexpected thing happened. Multiple attendees openly shared their stories of being victimized in front of the crowd, which numbered over 50 people. Plus, others shared their stories with panelists after the event. One victim even went as far as going on a local TV station to tell her story.
We can only assume we created a safe environment where they could openly tell others what happened to them without feeling any embarrassment or shame. This does not happen by accident—collaboration is the key.
The presentation two years ago included speakers from law enforcement, the financial industry, and the non-profit world. And the presentation was covered by two local newspapers. We believe this collaboration brought out the best from all of these entities and the winner was the public who was well served with valuable advice, understanding, and compassion. Each party could have held its own event, but there is no way the outcome would have been so successful.
We were all on the same team that night giving a united and consistent message. Being targeted by a scam can happen to all of us. Even smart people get scammed, and scammers are ruthless financial predators who are extremely good at what they do.
Our collaborative efforts show that the good guys can do the same thing. We cannot eradicate scammers by arresting and prosecuting them because they will be replaced by others like a game of “Whac-A-Mole.” The only solution is prevention. We have to dry up the pool of potential victims and put scammers out of business.
R.O.S.E. seeks to create change by educating and providing awareness of financial scams that typically target the older adult population, with a focus on those age 60 and over. For more information and resources, visit www.roseadvocacy.org, email us at info@roseadvocacy.org, or call us at
602-445-7673.