Page 16 - Senior Times South Central Michigan June 2022 - 29-06

Page 16
Senior Times - June 2022
From the
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Financial scams targeting seniors are prevalent and costly. The FBI estimates that seniors lose more than $3 billion each year to fraudsters. Scammers go after seniors because they believe older adults have a sig- nificant amount of money sitting
in their accounts. But it's not just wealthy seniors who are targeted.
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The AG's Elder Abuse Task Force helped move some legislation called FIPA – the Financial Exploitation Prevention Act. It now requires credit unions and banks to train their staff on how to spot suspicious transactions on a seniors' account.
In Legislative Business
The Grandparent Scam – Scammers will place a call to an older person and say something along the lines of, “Hi Grandma, do you know who this is?” When the unsuspecting grandparent guesses the name of the grandchild the scammer most sounds like, the scammer has established a fake identity without having done any background research. Once “in,” the fake grandchild will ask for money
to solve some unexpected financial problem (overdue rent, car repairs, jail bond) and will beg the grandparent not to tell anyone. Because scammers ask to be paid via gift cards or money transfer, the senior may have no way of seeing that money ever again.
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If you have any issues with state offices, please contact my office at (517) 373-2426 or email at senjbizon@senate.michigan.gov.
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State Rep. Jim Haadsma, District 62
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Some of the physical signs of senior abuse include dehydration, rapid weight loss, unexplained inju- ries, and unsanitary living conditions. Emotional signs of elder abuse include a withdrawal from normal activities, loss of sleep, and a hesitance to speak in presence of a "caregiver."
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House Bill 4568 and Senate Bill 784 would also increase the tax exemption for Michigan seniors
over 67 to $21,800 for individuals and $43,600 for couples and ensure Michigan’s fully disabled Veterans and the spouses of those lost in com- bat receive a 100 percent property tax exemption.
SCAMS
State Senator, John Bizon, M.D., District 19
Elder Financial Abuse – Unlike many of the other scams, elder finan- cial abuse is carried out by someone a senior knows. This can be a family member, friend, power of attorney, or caregiver. These trusted individu- als try and gain control of a senior’s money, assets, and credit. They also may withhold needed care to retain control over the person and their assets. Please be diligent so that you don’t get scammed!
According to the AG's office, 73,000 older adults in Michigan are victims of elder abuse, neglect or eco- nomic exploitation.
The top senior citizens scams are:
Recently, the Senate passed legislation to provide Michigan families, seniors, and Veterans with $2.5 billion in tax relief. The bills mark the third time this year that the Legislature has sent bipartisan tax relief to the governor for her signature.
Government Impostor Scams – Government imposters call unsuspect- ing victims and pretend to be from
the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Social Security Administration, or Medicare. They may say you have unpaid taxes and threaten arrest or deportation if you don’t pay up imme- diately.
The MI Family Inflation Relief Plan would help every Michigander by lowering the state’s income tax
to 4% and increasing the personal income tax deduction by $1,800. It would also support Michigan families by creating a $500 tax credit for each child under the age of 19.
ELDER ABUSE
Some financial signs to watch out for could consist of unpaid bills, miss- ing precious items, changes to estates to include “new friends,” and the pur- chasing of large items that the senior cannot use like cars if they do not drive or timeshares when the senior is homebound.
Over 70,000 older adults in Michigan are abuse victims. They experience abuse, neglect, and exploitation through a variety of meth- ods. The symptoms and treatment of elder abuse are intricate and require
a concentrated effort to tackle this underreported social problem. That’s why Attorney General Dana Nessel brought together dozens of different organizations to work collaboratively to tackle the challenge and started the Elder Abuse Task Force.
If you suspect elder or vulnerable adult abuse, please notify the Michigan Department of Health & Human Services (MDHHS) Adult Protective Services at 855-444-3911. Regardless of where they live, it is your duty as
a citizen to report such issues. Other resources can be found on Attorney General website section on Elder and Vulnerable Adult Abuse.
The Elder Abuse Task Force involves many organizations in the public, private, and nonprofit sectors working collaboratively to prevent elder abuse. Thanks to their efforts, they were able to mandate reporting for banks and credit unions on sus- pected fraud or exploitation. They also improved training on Elder Abuse for prosecutors, members of law enforce- ment, and Adult Protective Service employees.
It’s important to stay involved and updated on what's happening in state government. You can visit my website at housedems.com/jim-haadsma/ or follow me on Facebook @HouseJimH to keep up to date. If you have any questions, comments, concerns, or need help navigating a state govern- ment program, please reach out to me. You can email me at jimhaadsma@ house.mi.gov or call my office at (517) 373-0555. On the first Saturday of each month, I do open coffee hours at Mr. Don's in Springfield from 9-11am and at Stirling Books and Brew in Albion from 1-2:30pm.
STATE SENATE
From the
~ Respectfully, Jim Haadsma