Seniors and Law Enforcement Together Forum takes place Tuesday morning

MASON CITY — The fall Seniors and Law Enforcement Together Forum takes place tomorrow morning in Mason City, and the Cerro Gordo County Sheriff Kevin Pals says Investigator Al Perales with the Iowa Attorney General’s office will be giving a presentation about ongoing scams targeting seniors.

“Unfortunately it’s still happening in North Iowa. I know just in the Sheriff’s Office alone, we get weekly calls of people trying to get scammed over the telephone. It is the number one scam way that we see in North Iowa, the internet is second, and mail would be the last, but unfortunately people are still falling for these scams. It’s hard to understand for us, but you know we’re not in their position.”

Pals says Perales will talk with seniors about easy ways not to fall victim to a scammer.  “Number one thing he’s going to tell everybody, if you don’t recognize the number, don’t answer the phone. Your bank doesn’t call you on the phone and ask personal information…Social Security doesn’t do that, and they don’t change your Social Security number. Any credit card company, they don’t call you on the phone and try to get information, they already have it. That’s the number one thing, but it’s still happening.”

Law enforcement agencies will also have booths set up and give updates, and a representative of the Community Health Center will also give a presentation.

The SALT Forum takes place at the Grace Church at 440 North Illinois from 8:30 until noon tomorrow morning.