Neil Harris, a workplace health and wellness consultant, holds a guide for senior safety as the MC of this year’s Food for Thought breakfast presentation on financial elder abuse at the Legacy Centre on June 15 – World Elder Abuse Day. Geoff Lee Meridian Source
Up to 85 Lloydminster seniors are up to speed on how to detect financial fraud including scams generated by artificial intelligence, or AI.
The annual event took place during a Food for Thought breakfast, sponsored by Synergy Credit Union, at the Legacy Centre on World Elder Abuse Day last Thursday.
It was organized by Lloydminster Elder Abuse Prevention (LEAP) headed by chair, Tanya Gordon.
“I think we have double the attendance we had last year, so that’s very exciting. I think this year’s topic of financial abuse affects many people and we’ve got many expert speakers,” said Gordon.
The role of AI in financial scams was addressed by Synergy’s keynote speakers, Cheryl Kirzinger, an internal auditor and fraud expert, and Melissa Starchuk, who covers all 12 branches.
“This is sort of a new scam that’s coming out where people believe they are talking to a loved one and they are being scammed out of money,” said Kirzinger before taking to the podium.
“That is part of our presentation this year that wasn’t part of it last year. Sadly, Melissa and I see new things every couple of weeks. This just happens to be the newest thing we get to talk about.”
Starchuk says the technology of AI is “terrifying” as tech-savvy scammers can trick parents or grandparents into thinking they are hearing the actual voice of a loved one in a frightening scenario that is not real.
“That urgency will make the person act very quickly. Be very cautious of what you’re posting online,” said Starchuk, noting scammers can steal a snippet of someone’s voice from a social media post to create a false message.
“I work with RCMP, and I work with all of our other members and financial institutions as well in the hope we can prevent fraud going forward.”
Starchuk noted it is also very rewarding when at the end of the day she and her team can help Synergy members “get out of the bump on the road they are in” as she put it.
Starchuk says there is a wide variety of financial victimization going on today by family members, online scams and even a fake Reader’s Digest lottery fraud targeting Canadian seniors.
“The elders are the ones who do have a lot of the money now, so they do unfortunately fall victim to that,” she said.
Agencies such as Lloydminster Interval Home, Lloydminster Sexual Assault Services, Midwest Victim Services, Lloydminster Family and Community Support Services (FCSS)handed out crime prevention information.
Patrick Lancaster, FCSS manager of social programs and social services with the City of Lloydminster, says elder abuse can range from financial abuse to sexual abuse and emotional abuse from bullying to name a few.
“Our hope is to provide seniors with some information so they can be aware when it’s taking place or when they see it taking place with other people and reduce the stigma,” said Lancaster.
“There is a lot of shame around elder abuse. People don’t like to talk about it and that can prevent people from reaching out and getting help.”
LEAP committee rep, RCMP Constable Melanie Flynn was also on hand to talk about support resources.
“We were asked to bring some information on victims of crime and supports for seniors around the city,” said Flynn. “We brought our MidWest Victim Services with us too, so they are here to speak to seniors if ever they become victims of crime.”
Flynn says the LEAP committee is also promoting crime prevention through environmental design and different changes in seniors’ lifestyles.
“The theme is Food for Thought, so it’s great to have some information to share with seniors,” she said.
“My favourite part is when seniors just come up to me and ask me questions face to face.”
