Francis Rooney: “Mr. Speaker, crimes against the elderly are a serious growing problem in America. Senior citizens are often the victims…”

“Mr. Speaker, crimes against the elderly are a serious growing problem in America. Senior citizens are often the victims of abuse and neglect. Experts estimate that as many as 2 million older Americans are the victims of physical and psychological abuse every year. They are also the victims of financial crimes, including telemarketing fraud and identity theft. The FBI reports that older Americans are prime targets for financial fraud because they are more likely to have nest eggs, own their homes, and have excellent credit. Seniors are more vulnerable to fraud schemes because they are less likely to report fraud or are ashamed of having been scammed or do not realize that they have been scammed. These types of fraud are both creative and difficult to detect. Criminals will offer just about anything in an effort to defraud elderly victims--from counterfeit drugs, to health insurance, to anti-aging products, and even funeral services. Additionally, email scams have become more and more common. In my home State of Florida, Attorney General Bill McCollum's office reports that, in 2009, it received over 13,000 consumer fraud complaints from residents over the age of 60. The number of complaints has doubled since the previous year and has increased six-fold since 2006. Congress must address the rising incidence of fraud and scams that endanger our Nation's seniors.”