MARION, La. (KTVE/KARD) — The Triad of Union Parish held a meeting to bring awareness about recent financial scams targeting seniors.
Barbara Sisk says she was a victim of a financial scam. She says the scammer pretended to be the IRS. She says he was asking for $7,000.
“They are saying we owe it through the IRS, and we have to pay it within seven days, or they are going to come and get everything we got.”
Sisk says she and her husband proceeded to take out the money, until they were told they were being tracked.
“I said, how do you know we were at the Marion State Bank? He said I’m tracking you.”
Sisk says she got scared and hung up the phone. She then called the sheriff’s office for help.
“I was so scared and so nervous. I’m telling you, I was shaking so bad. People are out to track just older people.”
Union Parish Sheriff, Dusty Gates says the goal is to educate and protect the elderly through the Triad of Union Parish program.
“You know, scamming our seniors is very heartbreaking. The crime that we see every day is that our senior citizens are losing their life savings. We go over the different types of scam that we learn each day and each week. We talk to them hoping that they will listen to us. If they are a victim of a scam, they will let us know.”
Director of Triad of Union Parish, Susan Edwards provided some safety tips aiming to help reduce the criminal victimization of the elderly.
“You do not give your bank information over the telephone. You do not give your social security number on the telephone. You do not give your bank information over the telephone, unless you have called the bank. If you called the bank that is different. But if they call you, you do not give any information.”
The Triad of Union Parish meets in Marion every first Tuesday of the month at 1 p.m.
To contact the Triad of Union Parish, call (318) 368-0469 or click here.
