CONTACT:

Janice Friddle 720-947-5305

Amy Nofziger 720-947-5306

AARP ElderWatch responded to over 5000 inquiries with losses or potential losses exceeding $5 million from older Coloradans in 2003. Calls came through the Colorado Consumer Line, a shared hotline with the Colorado Attorney General’s Office and the Better Business Bureaus.

AARP ElderWatch is a joint project of the Colorado Attorney General and the AARP Foundation. ElderWatch strives to assist older consumers through counseling, referrals and individual assistance. “The more than 5000 reports and inquiries received from throughout Colorado give us a glimpse of the type and scope of financial exploitation issues seniors are experiencing. We did not have this information before AARP ElderWatch was created. As the number of reports increase, we will get even greater information to help us in tracking patterns of consumer fraud so as to stop fraudulent schemes faster, and to provide more needed consumer assistance,” said AARP Colorado State Director, Jon Looney.

Top areas of concern for 2003 included Home Repair, Foreign Lotteries, Family Exploitation, Sweepstakes and Multilevel Marketing. In most cases AARP ElderWatch documented the complaints or inquires and then callers were referred to other agencies for action.

“Foreign lotteries continue to pose a significant threat to unsuspecting consumers,” said Janice L. Friddle, Director of AARP ElderWatch. “Do not play foreign lotteries, no matter how tempting they are. Except for legitimate state lotteries, the promotion, solicitation and sale of international lotteries in the United States is illegal.” Foreign lotteries prey on the hopes of people that they have won a large sum of money. However, before a winner can collect their prize they have to wire money presented as a percentage of the prize as required taxes or fees. The victim sends in their money and then never hears from the lottery again. In 2003, AARP ElderWatch documented 65 lottery cases with losses or potential losses estimated over $500,000.

Another top area of concern was the number of complaints that elders reported regarding financial disputes with their families. Of the total $5,482,221 reported in financial loss or potential loss to AARP ElderWatch, over $2 million were listed as family problems. Reports ranged from allegations of abuses of powers of attorney to unpaid loans. In some cases the financial loss left an elder unable to pay their basic living expenses.

Volunteers staff the ElderWatch hotline and serve as case counselors. Ten volunteers logged over 4000 hours staffing the AARP ElderWatch hotline in 2003. “When I startedvolunteering here, I had no idea how many seniors in Colorado really needed our help. We are able to spend time with each caller and provide the customer service that these people need in helping deal with their financial exploitation issues,” says Becca Hammons, a 2-year volunteer.

Callers can utilize the toll-free number (1-800-222-4444) or AARP ElderWatch website (www.aarpelderwatch.org) to obtain information, submit complaints or get other assistance. For more information on AARP ElderWatch or to learn about opportunities to volunteer please call 1-800-222-4444.