Know a senior, or are you a senior who may be at risk of being scammed? If you answered “yes,” get to the Scottish Rite Cathedral, West Reading, on Oct. 20 from 8:30am-12:30pm for the free First Annual Scams Against Seniors Symposium.
Experts will educate attendees on the latest phone and Internet “scammer” tactics going on in our community as well as trends and alerts about phone and Internet scams, identity theft, financial risks, cyber issues and safety, prevention and more.
The Symposium highlights keynote address presentations from Pastor Ronald W. Costen, PhD. and Attorney at Law, as well as Mary Bach, Chair of the AARP Pennsylvania Consumer Task Force. The event will include additional presentations, workshop sessions, information booths and light refreshments.
Pastor Ronald W. Costen, PhD. is Associate Pastor of Messiah Lutheran Church, Harrisburg. While utilizing his pastoral and educational expertise, Costen continues to share vital knowledge with members of the community who routinely interact with older adults, including how to assist older adults through their journeys of aging. Through Temple University, he assists local law enforcement, PSP, district attorneys and coroners to investigate crimes against older adults and adults with limiting conditions.
Mary Bach, a long-time independent Consumer Advocate, has been on the forefront of telemarketing issues from the consumer perspective for almost 20 years. Her presentation “Are You Getting What You Pay For?” will share vital information to consumers about sales tax applications, merchandise selection, price hunting, checkout scanner issues and more! Your future shopping trips will never be the same after this entertaining, educational and informative presentation.
Additional presenters include representatives of the Pennsylvania Attorney General’s Office, the PA Crime Prevention Officers’ Association and more TBA.
The Symposium is free to attend however, attendees must register in advance to secure a seat! To RSVP, visit https://www.pacrimeprevention.org/trainings.html or call 717.896.0876. Doors and guest registration begin at 8:30am; the welcome session begins at 9am.
The Symposium is in dedication to the memory and final wishes of the late Michael N. Meitzler. Meitzler passed away in seclusion in 2013 and left his estate to helping educate the community on identity theft prevention. The Michael Meitzler Award is administered by Crime Alert Berks County. The event is in collaboration with Pennsylvania Crime Prevention Officers’ Association, Berks Encore, Berks County Area Agency on Aging, Pennsylvania Link to Aging and Disability Resources and Brex Media, LLC.
