California Legislature—2013–14 Regular Session

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 146

Introduced by Assembly Member Bloom

(Principal coauthor: Senator Mitchell)

(Coauthors: Assembly Members Brown, Chesbro, Hall, Nestande, V. Manuel Pérez, and Yamada)

(Coauthors: Senators Block, Liu, Monning, and Vidak)

May 6, 2014

Assembly Concurrent Resolution No. 146—Relative to Senior Fraud Awareness Day.

LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL’S DIGEST

ACR 146, as introduced, Bloom. Senior Fraud Awareness Day.

This measure would proclaim May 15, 2014, as Senior Fraud Awareness Day.

Fiscal committee: no.

WHEREAS, As the population ages and more Americans
become senior citizens with life savings, they become greater
targets for fraud and deception. The ease of access for criminals
to contact seniors through the Internet and telephone increases as
more creative schemes emerge; and

WHEREAS, Senior fraud is a growing concern as millions have
fallen victim to scams, including Medicare scams, sweepstakes
and lottery scams, work at home scams, bereavement scams,
identity theft, charity scams, scams targeting older women, home
repair scams, investment schemes, and reverse mortgage scams.
Seniors citizens average one scam-type letter and two telemarketing
phone calls per week. Other types of fraud perpetrated against
senior citizens include health care fraud, health insurance fraud,
counterfeit prescription drug fraud, funeral and cemetery fraud,
“anti-aging” product fraud, telemarketing fraud, and Internet fraud;
and

WHEREAS, Senior fraud is underreported due to older adults’
embarrassment and lack of information about where to report fraud;
and

WHEREAS, Caregivers, scam artists, and unscrupulous
salespersons are the primary instigators of senior fraud. The tactics
used are intimidation, fear, friendliness, authority, and control to
get the victim to send money or share private financial information;
and

WHEREAS, As senior citizens own more than one-half of all
the financial assets in America, they are the primary targets for
fraudulent practices. It is estimated by the United States House of
Representatives Subcommittee on Health and Long-Term Care
that even though seniors only represent 12 percent of the
population, they represent 30 percent of the scam victims; and

WHEREAS, According to the Department of Business
Oversight, it is estimated that 70 percent of Californians over 50
years of age have been solicited by someone with the intent to
defraud them; and

WHEREAS, Americans who are 65 years of age and older
represent about 13 percent of our country’s population, and their
population will only continue to grow as the baby boomer
generation begins to enter that age range; and

WHEREAS, People who grew up in the 1930s, 1940s, and 1950s
were generally raised to be polite and trusting. Con artists exploit
these traits, knowing that it is difficult or impossible for these
individuals to say “no” or just hang up the telephone; and

WHEREAS, The Federal Trade Commission released a
statistical survey of fraud in the United States that shows that nearly
25 million adults - 11.2 percent of the adult population - were
victims of fraud during the year studied; now, therefore, be it

Resolved by the Assembly of the State of California, the Senate
thereof concurring, That the Legislature hereby proclaims May
15, 2014, as Senior Fraud Awareness Day; and be it further

Resolved, That the Chief Clerk of the Assembly transmit copies
of this resolution to the author for appropriate distribution.