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Speakers will address common rip-offs, which often involve home repairs, including roofing, paving and air conditioning.
By JORGE SANCHEZ
© St. Petersburg Times, published January 26, 2001
LECANTO -- To prevent senior citizens from falling prey to scam artists, the Mid-Florida Area Agency on Aging will present a program called Senior Scambusters, featuring speakers from law enforcement and the building industry.
The first Senior Scambusters program will be held at 10 a.m. Feb. 8 at the Citrus County Builders Association, 1196 S Lecanto Highway (County Road 491 S). Other presentations will be held throughout Citrus in the coming months.
Senior Scambusters is designed to heighten awareness in the county's senior population about commonly used rip-offs. Most occur with home repairs, usually with roofing, paving or air conditioning.
The program is designed to help seniors make informed decisions regarding home repair, improvement and maintenance.
"(That's) not to say that young people aren't vulnerable," said Gail Tierney, senior affairs coordinator with the Citrus County Sheriff's Office. "But seniors seem to be targeted because they're generally more trusting of other people. Sometimes, they're even lonely, so that invites a scam artist."
Among the speakers at the Scambusters program will be Anne Westbrook from Citrus County Senior Care Services; Kimberly Corbin, a building inspector from the county's building department; and representatives from the Citrus County Sheriff's Office, the Florida Department of Elder Affairs, the Builders Association, United Way of Citrus County and state Rep. Nancy Argenziano's office.
Participants in the program will get a window sticker reading "This home is protected by Senior Scambusters," as well as refrigerator magnets with a toll-free Scambusters telephone number, (866) 722-6287.
The Mid-Florida Area Agency on Aging is a private, non-profit group that administers programs for senior citizens in Citrus and 15 other counties in north-central Florida. The agency is one of 11 such agencies in Florida, each of which covers a different geographic territory.
Other Scambusters programs will be at 10 a.m. Feb. 21 at Crystal River City Hall; 10 a.m. March 6 at Inverness City Hall; 10 a.m. March 21 at Citrus Springs Community Center; and 10 a.m. April 3 at the Homosassa Lions Club.