Mark your calendars for Feb. 12. Columbus Public Library and AARP Nebraska are partnering with the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office and the Columbus Police Department to bring you information about preventing fraud.

Nebraska’s Consumer Protection Division will present their “Preventing Fraud: Nebraska Senior Anti-Fraud Education (SAFE)” Program the evening of Thursday, Feb. 12. Attendees will learn about preventing the victimization of Nebraska’s seniors and will be given tools to guard against consumer fraud and elder financial abuse while enjoying a light dinner provided by AARP Nebraska.

The event will take place in the Columbus Public Library’s Auditorium from 5:30-7 p.m.

According to Ryan Sothan, outreach coordinator of the Nebraska Attorney General’s Office Consumer Protection Division, “though 19 percent of our population, seniors account for 27 percent of all fraud complaints; however, multiple studies point to a dramatic gap between the rate of elder abuse reported by seniors and the number of cases referred to and served in the formal elder abuse service system. The result is a demonstrated mortality gradient correlating elder abuse with shorter survival after adjusting for other factors associated with increased mortality in older adults.

"Education is the best weapon we have to fight consumer fraud and elder abuse. This presentation includes information to help seniors recognize the common warning signs associated with scams, what they should do if they or someone they know is a target of fraud, and the measures they can take to substantially reduce, if not eliminate, the likelihood of being victimized by fraud.

"Recovery requires work. Reporting matters. Full financial recovery can be difficult to achieve. But recovery is also about health. Resources are available for victims to assist in their financial and emotional recovery. Again, education is the best weapon we have to fight consumer fraud and elder abuse. The bottom line remains: Seniors must trust their instincts. If something seems too good to be true, it probably is.”

Local law enforcement will also instruct attendees how to recognize fraud and elder financial abuse in this area. Register by Feb. 5 to attend this free educational event by stopping by the Columbus Public Library or calling us at 402-564-7116.

Columbus Public Library is excited to partner with these reputable organizations to bring you the information you need to protect yourself and loves ones regarding fraud and elder financial abuse.

For more information on this topic and other financial topics, search the Nebraska Overdrive Libraries for e-books and audiobooks. Available on a computer, smartphone, tablet, or e-reader, there is a wide variety of books from which to choose. “How to Smell a Rat: the Five Signs of Financial Fraud” by Ken Fisher is available as an audiobook. Fisher shares information on fraudsters, how they have operated and how they can be avoided. By the end, readers will have learned to spot red flags and how to select a firm that they can trust to manage their money.