How to protect yourself from SCAMS
Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido wants seniors to beware of recent scams. Prosecutor Lucido has a senior crime unit to protect seniors. He also gives presentations to seniors to protect them from scams and give them the information they need to avoid becoming a victim.
The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office provides an informational booklet called “S.C.A.M.S. Stopping Crimes Against Macomb Seniors,” to promote the safety and take initiative on helping senior citizens of Macomb County. In it you will find information on scams that target seniors including identity theft, telemarketing fraud, internet fraud, home improvement fraud and caregiver fraud. The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office’s goal is to protect and prevent vulnerable seniors from being taken advantage of by criminals. Prosecutor Lucido wants to help our aging community members by providing essential information and clarity to those who need it.
Many scams are sent by email or phone calls. Recent scams to be aware of include a fake flier titled “Setting Up Lockbox/Garage Code with Macomb County Dispatch,” emails from the “GEEK Squad” with an invoice, or auto renewal notice, fake emails for a bank or institution about being approved for a loan or opening an account, and callers who pose as a relative who is jail. These are scams. Do not give any personal information over the phone or via email to anyone you do not know.
The Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office is doing Senior SCAMS presentations throughout Macomb County. The free presentation will include the booklets and discussion on the various scams regarding Macomb County seniors.
“Protecting our seniors is not just a duty, it's a responsibility. I want to make sure Macomb County seniors thrive and are armed with the knowledge to avoid scams,” said Macomb County Prosecutor Peter J. Lucido.
If you would like to have a Senior S.C.A.M.S. presentation for your group or at your location please contact Heather Esposito at (586) 469-5642 or heather.esposito@macombgov.org. We will be happy to schedule a presentation for you.
If you are interested in hosting a Senior SCAMS presentation for your group or at your location, contact Heather Esposito at (586) 469-5642 or via email at heather.esposito@macombgov.org. Presentations can be scheduled at your convenience.
Wednesday, March 4, 12:00 pm, Chesterfield Township Community Center: 48400 Sugarbush Rd., New Baltimore, 48047
Thursday, March 5, 10 am - 1 pm, Senior Expo USA Clinton/Macomb, Italian American Cultural Society and Banquet Center: 43843 Romeo Plank Rd #1, Clinton Twp, MI 48038
Tuesday, March 10, 2026, 10:30 am, Mount Clemens Public Library: 150 Cass Ave., Mt. Clemens, 48043
Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 11:30 am, City of Warren Senior Health Seminar, Warren City Hall: 1City Square, Warren, 48093
Wednesday, March 11, 2026, 2:00 pm, Fraser Public Library: 15260 15 Mile Rd. Fraser, MI 48026
Thursday, March 12, 2026, 10:30 am, Sterling Heights Library: 40255 Dodge Park Rd, Sterling Hgts, MI 48313
Tuesday, March 17, 2026, 10:30 am, Macomb Twp. Marvin Blank Senior Center: 51210 Alma Dr., Macomb Twp. 48042
Wednesday, March 18, 2026, 10:30 am, Sterling Heights Senior Center: 40200 Utica Rd., Sterling Heights, MI 48313
Thursday, March 19, 2026, 2:00 pm, St. Clair Shores Senior Center: 20100 Stephens Rd., St. Clair Shores 48080
Tuesday, March 24, 2026, 2:00 pm, Eastpointe Memorial Library: 15875 Oak Ave., Eastpointe 48021
Wednesday, March 25, 2026, 10:30 am, Shelby Twp. Senior Activity Center: 14975 21 Mile Rd., Shelby Twp., MI 48315
Thursday March 26, 2026, 10:30 am, Clinton Twp. Macomb Public Library- Center: 40900 Romeo Plank Rd, Clinton Twp. 48038
Tuesday, March 31, 2026, 10:00 am, Washington Township Senior Center: 57880 Van Dyke, Washington, 48094
Thursday, April 2, 2026, 2:00 pm, Romeo Graubner District Library: 65821 Van Dyke Ave, Washington, MI 48095
Telemarketing fraud involves several different types of scams that con artists use to try to get money. Fraudulent telemarketers try to take advantage of older people on the theory that they may be more trusting and polite toward strangers.
Telemarketing call times are restricted to between 8 a.m. and 9 p.m.
It’s illegal for a telemarketer to call you if you’ve asked not to be called. The National Do Not Call Registry is a free, easy way to reduce the telemarketing calls you get at home. Register by visiting www.donotcall.gov or call toll-free 1-888- 382-1222 from the phone that you want to register. You will remain registered for five years, until the number is disconnected, or until you take it off the registry. After five years, you can renew your registration.
Be aware…Don’t fall for theses common telemarketing scams:
Prize Offers – You usually have to do something to get your “free” prize, like attend a sales meeting, buy something, pay a fee, or give out a credit card number. Prizes are usually worthless and overpriced.
Travel Packages – “Free” or “low cost” vacations can end up costing a lot in hidden costs. Usually you will pay a high price for part of the package like the airfare or hotel. Typically the total cost will end up running two or three times what you were led to believe.
Investments – Each year millions of dollars are lost on get rich quick schemes that promise high returns with little or no risk. Typically these scams involve, cable television production deals, Internet gambling, rare coins, art, or other investment opportunities. These con artists rely on the fact that investing may be complicated, and many people don’t research the investment process.
Charities – Con-artists often push you for an immediate gift, but will not send written information so you can check them out. They also may try to confuse you by using names that sound like well-known charitable organizations or even law enforcement agencies.
Recovery Scams – If you buy into any of the above scams, you’re likely to be called again by someone promising to get your money back. Be careful not to lose more money to this common practice. Even law enforcement officials can’t guarantee they’ll recover your money.
Foreign Lotteries – Scam operators often based in Canada are using the telephone and direct mail to entice U.S. consumers to buy chances in high-stakes foreign lotteries from as far away as Australia and Europe. These lottery solicitations violate U.S. law, which prohibits the cross-border sale or purchase of lottery tickets by phone or mail.
- Call your local police department
- The Prosecuting Attorney’s Office: 866-498-8503
- Federal Trade Commission: 877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357)
These scams involve a person from a foreign country who either contacts you by phone or through the mail and tells you that a recently deceased family member has money tied up in a foreign bank and needs you to act as their representative for a percentage (usually 30%) of the money in the bank. In the end the scam is designed so that you will put up some of your own money in the hopes that you will be getting a big return when the money is released from the foreign bank.
If you hear these or similar lines from a telephone salesperson say “no thank you” and hang up the phone:
- You’ve been specially selected to hear this offer.
- You’ll get a wonderful free bonus if you purchase our product. You’ve won one of five valuable prizes.
- You’ve won big money in a foreign lottery.
- This investment is low risk and provides a higher return than you can get anywhere else.
- You have to make up your mind right now.
- We’ll just put the shipping and handling charges on your credit card.
- You don’t need any written information about our company or references.
It is a criminal felony for a person through fraud, deceit, misrepresentation, or unjust enrichment, obtain, use, or attempt to obtain or use money or property of a person, directly or indirectly benefiting himself or herself, knowing or having reason to know that the person was a vulnerable adult. The Social Welfare Act defines vulnerability as a person 18 years or older who has a condition in which said person is unable to protect himself or herself from abuse, neglect or exploitation because of a mental or physical impairment or because of advanced age.
Michigan Law makes it mandatory for health care, social welfare, mental health, law enforcement, and other human services providers to report their suspicions of vulnerable adult abuse, neglect or exploitation to Adult Protective Services. However, anyone suspecting that a vulnerable adult has been abused, neglected or exploited may report his or her suspicions to the Adult Protective Services Unit of the Department of Human Services by calling 855-444-3911, 24-hours a day, 7-days a week.
Aside from contacting Adult Protective Services, anyone suspecting that a vulnerable adult has been abused, neglected or exploited should also contact their local police department and file a police report immediately. If in doubt, remember that it is better to err on the side of caution. Failure, or delay, in making the call could cost a vulnerable adult more than their life savings; it could cost them their life.
The National Committee for the Prevention of Elder Abuse (NCPEA) is an association of researchers, practitioners, educators, and advocates dedicated to protecting the safety, security, and dignity of America’s most vulnerable citizens. The NCPEA Web site contains numerous resources including a bibliography of elder abuse resources.
The National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) houses the Clearinghouse on Abuse and Neglect of the Elderly (CANE). The Web site contains basic fact sheets on elder abuse, information on reporting, NCEA publications, online discussion board, statistics and much more. This is a federal grant-funded partnership of leading organizations involved with preventing elder abuse.
The Administration for Community Living contains fact sheets, studies and area programs.
Scam Prevention Presentation
