Staten Island officials on Wednesday announced a new campaign aimed at helping seniors protect themselves from scams, citing a rise in fraud schemes targeting New Yorkers.
Recent scams have included jewelry swap schemes and scams in which criminals convince seniors to convert their life savings into gold bars. New Brighton resident Diana Torres said she became aware of the dangers after her Facebook page was hacked.
“The person that stole my page was contacting other people and trying to scam them as well,” Diana Torres, New Brighton resident, said.
During a Wednesday morning news conference, the Staten Island district attorney, borough president and NYPD outlined scams reported over the past year and introduced the new “Scambassador” program, an awareness campaign designed to educate residents and help prevent fraud.
“There will be lawn signs out. There will be fliers in our banks, in our diners, every institution, bowling alley, everywhere we can get. Our senior centers, of course, are shopping centers. And we will continue to get that word out,” Staten Island District Attorney Michael McMahon said.
Officials said the program was launched in response to a spike in scams targeting seniors. According to officials, scams involving seniors resulted in losses of about $5 million over the past year, including $400,000 reported last week alone.
“The epidemic is massive. It’s people in their 20s, 30s, 40s. They’re they’re falling victims as well,” McMahon said.
Law enforcement officials said public awareness remains one of the most effective tools for combating many types of scams.
“The vast majority go unresolved, which is why it becomes even more paramount and more important that folks know at the outset,” Staten Island Borough President Vito Fossella said.
Officials said they are seeking to recruit community partners to serve as “Scambassadors” and help spread information intended to prevent more seniors from becoming victims of fraud.
Copyright © 2026 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Click Here For The Original Source.
