23 May 2007 - Volunteers from Green Valley in the United States have started a 'Seniors Strike Back Program' to stop mail scams.
Green Valley is a retirement community in Arizona. Just as is the case in the UK, seniors are targeted more often for mail fraud and other scams because they are often more vulnerable and trusting.
Local residents have collected suspicious mail and taken it to a consumer fraud investigator, who will review the mail to determine which cases to pursue for prosecution.
The 'Seniors Strike Back Program' aims to stop such mailings as local residents Jacob and Donna Wieb received. The Green Valley News and Sun reported how a letter told the couple that they had inherited $19 million from a distant relative in England. However, there was a catch: in order to get the money the couple would have to mortgage their house.
Telephone scams are also a problem in Green Valley. Some residents respond to telephone solicitations, which relatives or carers then have to try to overrule and negate. One of the volunteers, Brenda Kroth, commented: "When people get phone solicitations, they are often pulled in because of loneliness. […] They just like to have someone to talk to. We have to reach out to people in that situation."