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Scams are more prevalent than ever.
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That's why Lacawana County officials are
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looking to tackle the issue that affects
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our area seniors and some of our most
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vulnerable neighbors.
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So, we've definitely seen an increase in
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individuals impacted by scams. Uh and
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the loss is tremendous.
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With a unanimous vote for the county
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agreed to try a pilot program with
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Silver Shield Incorporated. Carrie and
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Levage, deputy director with the
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county's area agency on aging, says the
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online service comes at a time when
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roughly 30% of the referrals they get
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deal with some kind of exploitation.
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They can access it through their cell
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phones, through emails, and it helps
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them kind of weed through if something
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is a scam or not. It gives them
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real-time direction, information,
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feedback to say, "Hey, you know, this is
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a scam. Don't get involved." or ask
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further questions to help them determine
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Whether it's emails from someone
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claiming to be royalty promising a large
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sum of money for a small upfront payment
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to threats of jail time unless you send
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money immediately. And Zelvich says all
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kinds of swindlers and fishing schemes
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The threatening scams where you know
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it's the IRS is coming for you or
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there's an investigation. Certainly the
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lottery scams, the investment type scams
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are there too. um but a lot more of the
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imposttor and and romance.
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Now with this new technology, Anel
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Levich hopes to stop people from ever
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getting scammed and to help those who
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keep getting hit again and again.
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And what we're seeing is
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a kind of people coming through the
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system multiple times falling victim to
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scams. So getting something in someone's
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hand that can help them protect
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themselves is really important. The area
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agency on aging will start using the
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program soon in the hopes of stopping
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scammers. Jack Kulkin, News Watch 16,
