Don't Fall For Scams: DA Marian Ryan To Newton Seniors

NEWTON, MA – It's advice that's ageless but it pertains in modern times; “If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is,” Middlesex District Attorney Marian Ryan told seniors at the Newton Council on Aging.

The conversation was part of a senior protection seminar yesterday to help inform seniors citizens how they can avoid being victims of scams and elder abuse. It was a collaboration with the Newton Police Department and The Village Bank.

along with Lt. Bruce Apotheker of the Newton Police Department; Newton Police Chief David MacDonald, and Lisa Boccabella of The Village Bank

Ryan urged attendees to be skeptical if they receive a phone call or letter claiming they will get money for providing a social security number or personal information.

And age-old safety precautions still apply in these modern times: lock your front door, never give personal information to strangers, and do not allow people into your home even if they say they have an emergency and need to use your phone.

If you think you have been a victim of a scam, speak up, and tell someone and report the crime to a law enforcement authority, Ryan told those gathered.

Before becoming District Attorney, Ryan served as Chief of the Middlesex District Attorney’s Office’s Elder and Disabled Unit, where she prosecuted a myriad of crimes involving financial abuse and physical abuse of the most vulnerable victims. In that role, she collaborated with business and community leaders to conduct risk assessments and develop prevention plans for elders and disabled citizens. Ryan continues to host seminars in community settings to provide advice to residents about how to protect themselves.

For more information on ways to protect seniors visit: http://middlesexda.com/prosecution/elder-disabled.php

Photo: Left to Right: Bruce Apotheker, Lieutenant, Newton Police Department; Marian Ryan, District Attorney; David MacDonald, Chief, Newton Police Department; Lisa Boccabella, Vice President of Security, The Village Bank (Courtesy DA's office).