BackCASE Partnership Combats Elder Fraud and Exploitation
Article submitted by Lisa Curtis, Denver District Attorney's Office.
CASE (Communities Against Senior Exploitation) is an ongoing partnership between the four Metro Denver District Attorneys and over 1,200 faith communities and agencies serving older adults and their families. CASE offers these free services to our partners:
1) Power Against Fraud Seminars which highlight predominant areas of fraud while providing simple, but effective fraud prevention steps in a detailed handbook.
2) Monthly Fraud Alerts sent to each partner to provide ongoing and timely prevention tips.
3) Victim and Fraud Prevention Assistance through each DA's Fraud Assistance Line to encourage fraud reporting and to assist with prevention steps.
CASE success stories:
- After attending a CASE seminar at her church, a senior called the DA about an investment opportunity operating in Texas. DA staff reviewed the investment and identified red flags for fraud. She decided not to invest and learned later that the Houston DA had seized the company's assets and were investigating. She saved $10,000 through CASE.
- A woman read a Fraud Alert in her church's bulletin, and that evening received a call that she had won an $8,000 grant, but needed to send $299 for processing fees. She would have sent the money had she not read the Fraud Alert.
- After attending a Friday evening CASE seminar, a senior emptied her wallet of everything except one credit card. The following Sunday, she took a short walk in a city park and said, "I did a dumb thing by leaving my purse on the floor of the car. The car was broken into, my purse was taken--but the only thing I had to deal with was the one credit card. My Driver's License was in the neck wallet I got at the seminar. My other credit cards, debit card, and Social Security card would have been in my purse if I hadn't attended the seminar."
To become a CASE partner, or to schedule a Power Against Fraud seminar, contact District Attorney staff:
Adams/Broomfield Counties, call Krista Flannigan, 303-835-5639.
In Arapahoe/Douglas Counties, call Mason Finks, 720-874-8547.
In Denver County, call Robin Finegan, 720-913-9178.
In Jefferson/Gilpin Counties, call Cary Johnson, 303-271-6970.