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State officials talk identity theft with Peoria seniors

By Mark Bullion
February 4, 2013 Updated Feb 4, 2013 at 11:41 PM CDT

PEORIA, Ill. -- Protecting seniors from identity theft and scam artists was at the forefront of a meeting Monday morning at the Peoria YMCA.

The event, put on by the Illinois Attorney General's Office and State Representative Jehan Gordon-Booth, offered seniors tips to avoid scams and identity theft.

Consumer Fraud Bureau Attorney Melodi Green says the increase in technology over the years has made it easier for scammers to get ahold of your personal information. That means your hard earned money could be going right into the pockets of those scammers.

"Don't sign any contracts that have blanks in them, don't pay in cash payments. If someone's calling you on the phone requesting money up front and can't explain what they're calling for, they'll just send money to people," said Consumer Fraud Bureau Attorney Melodi Green.

"It was very informative, I do feel prey to the predators, the identity theft, bank safety, and your ID numbers," one of the attendees said.

If you or someone you know thinks they are a victim of identity theft, contact the Illinois Attorney General's Consumer Fraud Bureau at 217-782-4436.

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