Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady helped connect residents with valuable consumer fraud-prevention resources at Orland Township, 14807 S. Ravinia Ave., Orland Park, on Wednesday, Aug.17. (Supplied photos)
Orland Township sponsors fraud prevention seminar
By Kelly White
Fraud prevention is the implementation of a plan to detect fraudulent transactions or banking actions. The goal is to prevent these actions from causing financial and reputational damage to the customer and financial institution.
Orland Township Supervisor Paul O’Grady helped connect residents with valuable consumer fraud-prevention resources by co-hosting the Illinois Attorney General’s office with state Representative Frances Hurley and state Senator Bill Cunningham at Orland Township, 14807 S. Ravinia Ave., Orland Park, on Wednesday, Aug.17.
“We hope that a critical state service like this will protect seniors and help them feel more valued and safer in our communities,” Cunningham said.
The Fraud Prevention Seminar was inspired by the need to keep older adults in the community informed of and aware of ongoing scams and how to detect them, according to Orland Township officials.
“It’s an unfortunate truth that senior citizens are the biggest victims of fraud,” O’Grady said. “Our hope was that this seminar did a fantastic job at helping educate residents and combat fraud more effectively. It’s important to educate the public to lessen the financial losses and personal anguish that comes with being a victim of these crimes.”
During the free seminar, residents were able to learn about a variety of topics that help protect them from consumer fraud, including telecommunications scams, government scams and identity theft.
Telecommunications fraud, also known as telco fraud or telecom fraud, includes any kind of activity designed to abuse and gain an advantage of people by using deception. This scam often involves a phone call or an email asking for personal or credit card information.
In government impersonation scams, scammers call unsuspecting older adults and pretend to be from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Social Security Administration, or Medicare. They may say the victim has unpaid taxes and threaten arrest or deportation if they don’t pay up immediately. Or they may say Social Security or Medicare benefits will be cut off if the victim doesn’t provide personal identifying information.
Identity theft, also known as identity fraud, is a crime in which an imposter obtains key pieces of personally identifiable information such as a person’s Social Security or driver’s license numbers, to impersonate someone them. Once this information is obtained, the scammer might pretend to be the person and make fraudulent charges to their banking or credit cards.
“With the increase in fraud, I believe senior citizens are targeted due to their lack of knowledge and information regarding fraud,” Alexandria Shipyor, Public Relations Coordinator for Orland Township, said. “For example, most seniors are usually unfamiliar with the latest technology and therefore would be confused by the legitimacy of an email, website, or link that would appear to be safe, but is actually a scam.”
The most common financial scams targeting older people include government impersonation scams, sweepstakes scams, and robocall scams. Scams targeting older adults are on the rise. In 2021, there were 92,371 older victims of fraud across the United States, resulting in $1.7 billion in losses, according to the National Council on Aging.
“One way that residents can protect themselves from fraud include getting educated on what is and isn’t fraud, which they can do by researching current trends themselves or asking a trusted family member, friend, or a senior support service,” Shipyor said.
Township officials said scams can happen to anyone and there’s nothing to be ashamed of if a person has become a victim.
Residents are reminded to keep handy the phone numbers of resources that can help, including the local police, banks (if money has been taken from personal accounts), and Adult Protective Services. To obtain the contact information for Adult Protective Services, call the Eldercare Locator, a government sponsored national resource line, at: 1-800-677-1116, or visit their website at https://www2.illinois.gov/aging/ProtectionAdvocacy/pages/abuse.aspx.
Local News
Oak Lawn trustee says village needs state grocery tax
Spread the loveBy Joe Boyle An Oak Lawn trustee said that Gov. J.B. Pritzker’s proposal to eliminate the state’s grocery tax will be costly for the village. Trustee William “Bud” Stalker (5th), accompanied by Mayor Terry Vorderer, recently returned from a fact-finding trip to Springfield where they learned more about the governor’s proposal to eliminate…
Palos Heights recognizes volunteers
Spread the loveBy Nuha Abdessalam Palos Heights handed out awards last week recognizing the services provided by volunteers through the years. The proclamations, which were read aloud during the city council meeting April 16, were a testament to the city’s volunteers and were handed out as part of Volunteer Recognition Week. Volunteers were cited for…
Boys Volleyball | Richards weathering struggles after run of success
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent After a tough weekend at the Smack Attack tournament, Richards got back into the win column with a two-set victory over Eisenhower in a South Suburban Red match. The Bulldogs made quick work of the Cardinals, winning 25-16, 25-15 on April 23 in Oak Lawn to snap a five-match…
SD218 puts on annual Arts Extravaganza
Spread the loveBy Kelly White The arts have become a major portion of the curriculum Community High School District 218. Showcasing those many talents, the Friends of CHSD 218’s Education Foundation proudly hosted its 15th annual Arts Extravaganza on April 5 at Eisenhower High School in Blue Island. “The Arts Extravaganza is a great event…
Gaming licenses to be tougher to get in Orland Park
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva It’s going to take longer to receive gaming licenses in Orland Park. The village board passed an ordinance April 15 that would allow table service businesses open at least 36 consecutive months to apply rather than the previous 18 months, and extended the probationary period to 18 months instead of…
Palos Park passes $16 million budget
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva The Palos Park Village Council approved the 2024-25 budget, which totals a little more than $16.3 million at the April 22 village council meeting. According to village documents, it represented an increase of a shade over $603,000 from last year. The village is expecting $13.4 million in revenue and $1.86…
Fire damages Al Bahaar Restaurant in Orland Park
Spread the loveFrom staff reports Orland Fire Protection District firefighters responded to a fire Monday evening at the Al Bahaar Restaurant, 39 Orland Square Dr. At first, restaurant owners suspected the fire alarm was triggered by a malfunction, but as firefighters inspected the restaurant to reset the fire alarm, they detected a burning smell. “What…
Orland Park bans ‘gas station heroin’
Spread the loveBy Jeff Vorva Products with what some people call “gas station heroin” will not be allowed to be sold in Orland Park. At the April 15 meeting, the village board voted 6-0 (with trustee Michael Milani absent) to prohibit kratom novel synthetic and psychoactive drug businesses to be sold in the village. “If…
Year of growth | Evergreen Park enjoying inaugural boys volleyball season
Spread the loveBy Xavier Sanchez Correspondent After almost 70 years of existence as a high school, Evergreen Park finally has a boys volleyball team. The Mustangs are playing their inaugural season with a junior varsity squad, with some matches being played at the varsity level. Head coach Brian Zofkie is leading this group with assistant…
Neighbors
As state continues to inventory lead pipes, full replacement deadlines are decades away
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com Lead pipes in public water systems and drinking fixtures have been banned in new construction since 1986, when Congress amended the Safe Drinking Water Act, but they are still in use across the U.S. and in Illinois. The presence of lead pipes has persisted due in part to…
Capitol Briefs: State unveils report on racial disparities among homeless populations
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com Tackling homelessness requires addressing racial injustice, according to a new report commissioned by the state’s Office to Prevent and End Homelessness. The report found that Black people are eight times more likely to experience homelessness than white people. Remedying this disparity, according to the report, would require “long-term…
Flooding is Illinois’ Most Threatening Natural Disaster. Are We Prepared?
by Meredith Newman, Illinois Answers Project April 16, 2024 This story was originally published by the Illinois Answers Project. The electricity in Mary Buchanan’s home in West Garfield Park was not working – again. The outage lasted four days, starting just after a crew dug up her front lawn to install a check valve in…
Bears pitch $3.2B stadium plan, but Pritzker still ‘skeptical’ despite team’s $2B pledge
By DILPREET RAJU & JERRY NOWICKI Capitol News Illinois news@capitolnewsillinois.com The Chicago Bears laid out a $3.2 billion plan for a new domed stadium on Chicago’s lakefront on Wednesday afternoon, painting pictures of future Super Bowls and other major public events while pinning their hopes on yet-to-be-had conversations with the governor and lawmakers. The Bears…
Regulators weigh future of gas industry in Illinois, while clamping down on Chicago utility
By ANDREW ADAMS Capitol News Illinois aadams@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO – Natural gas is fueling a fight between consumer advocates, a powerful utility company and the state. Amid competing advertising campaigns, accusations of mismanagement and state decarbonization efforts, the Illinois Commerce Commission is starting a process that will shape how the state regulates the increasingly controversial industry. …
Komatsu mining truck named 2024 ‘coolest thing made in Illinois’
By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois Clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – A mining truck manufactured by Komatsu was crowned the winner of the 2024 “Makers Madness” contest, earning the title of “the coolest thing made in Illinois” at the Governor’s Mansion Wednesday. The truck was one of more than 200 entries in the 5th annual contest hosted…
Giannoulias calls for disclosure of lobbyist contracts
By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – For decades, lobbyists in the Illinois Statehouse have been required to report how much they spend wining, dining and entertaining lawmakers. Currently, though, there is no law requiring lobbyists to disclose how much they are paid by corporations, industry groups or other special interest organizations. That…
Illinois Senate advances changes to state’s biometric privacy law after business groups split
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD – It’s been more than a year since the Illinois Supreme Court “respectfully suggest(ed)” state lawmakers clarify a law that’s led to several multi-million-dollar settlements with tech companies over the collection of Illinoisans’ biometric data. On Thursday, a bipartisan majority in the Illinois Senate did just that,…
Illinoisans can now get documents notarized online
By ALEX ABBEDUTO Capitol News Illinois abbeduto@capitolnewsillinois.com Illinoisans who need a notary public can now access those services online through a new “E-Notary” portal launched by the secretary of state’s office. This process is one of the latest initiatives of Secretary of State Alexi Giannoulias’ ongoing effort to modernize the office and its services. Notaries…
Prairie Band Potawatomi becomes 1st federally recognized tribe in Illinois
By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Nearly 200 years after Native Americans were forced out of Illinois, the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation has become the first federally recognized tribal nation in the state after a decision from the U.S. Department of the Interior last week. The move represents the first victory in the tribe’s…