Attorney general warns senior citizens about scams

From the "mortgage rescue scam" to the "debt settlement trap" to the fear-mongering "grandparent scam," Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan warned senior citizens gathered at Knox College Thursday to "protect yourself, your friends and family from scam artists and fradulent businesses."

Madigan brought her "Silver Beat" program to Galesburg, as her staff conducted an educational training session that explained the myriad of financial scams that victimize senior citizens.

Madigan said that the targets of her education and enforcement efforts include:

• "Mortgage rescue scams" that demand upfront fees and promote reverse mortgages that are "very complex and only appropriate for a small number of homeowners."
• "Debt settlement scams" that demand upfront fees but provide incorrect or harmful advice on handling credit card debt, often leaving debtors further behind than when they started. "There are legitimate credit counselors. But it's like being on a diet -- there are no easy solutions." Madigan said her office was promoting legislation that will "stomp out the debt settlement" scammers.
• Identify theft, including web sites, e-mails and phone callers that request personal or financial information. Scammers are now able to create fake caller-ID labels. "Do not give personal or financial information to strangers," Madigan said.
• The "grandparent scam" involves a phone call from a stranger, claiming to be an attorney or law enforcement officer, saying that a grandchild is in trouble and asking the grandparent to send money.

Knox College President Roger Taylor welcomed Madigan to campus, noting that she had spoken at the college's Opening Convocation in 2007. In her 2007 convocation address, Madigan said that Knox's "dedication to pursuing social justice isn't relegated to its history. Through its programs and people, Knox continues to embody a long tradition of improving not just its students, but our society and our world."

Other officials at the session included Illinois State Representative Donald Moffitt, Galesburg Mayor Sal Garza and Knox County Sheriff David Clague, whose department operates the local TRIAD program that focuses on crime prevention, education and volunteer programs for senior citizens. Photo, right, Knox President Roger Taylor, State Representative Donald Moffitt and Attorney General Lisa Madigan.

Following Madigan's remarks, an educational session was led by Erin Ruebbelke, a program specialist in the attorney general's office in Springfield, photo below.

Founded in 1837, Knox is a national liberal arts college in Galesburg, Illinois, with students from 45 states and 48 countries. Knox's "Old Main" is a National Historic Landmark and the only building remaining from the 1858 Lincoln-Douglas debates.