AIKEN — Roughly 40 residents filled the lobby at Cumberland Village on Feb. 12 for a seminar aimed at helping seniors recognize and avoid common scams.
The event took place in a question-and-answer format rather than a formal presentation, with attendees actively engaging and taking notes as presenters discussed real-world scam tactics.
Kelsey Bruner and Amy Richardson, who led the seminar, said scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated and often rely on urgency and fear to pressure victims into acting quickly.
“Stay vigilant, take a second to think about what’s going on, and ask for help from family or friends,” Bruner said when asked for general advice on staying safe.
One of the most important steps, presenters said, is acting quickly if someone believes they’ve been scammed.
“If you gave them your bank information, call your bank immediately,” Richardson said. “If you logged into a website, change your passwords, and always file a police report.”
The seminar covered several of the most common scams targeting seniors, including identity theft, government and bank impersonation, tech-support scams, romance scams and fake investment opportunities.
Presenters emphasized that legitimate organizations such as the FBI, IRS, Social Security Administration and banks will never call and demand personal information or request payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers or gold.
One senior attendee said she has learned to trust her instincts when dealing with suspicious calls.
“If I answer the phone and they say, ‘You don’t know me, but…’ I hang up,” she said.
Despite the seriousness of the topic, the mood in the room remained calm and engaged, with residents focused on learning how to protect themselves rather than expressing fear.
Organizers said the goal of the seminar was to give seniors practical tools to pause, verify information and reach out for help before making financial decisions.
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