CLEVELAND — May is Older Ohioans Month and state agencies are raising awareness about scams targeting seniors.
Good Morning Cleveland anchor Mike Brookbank spoke with Rob Rutkowski, Deputy Superintendent of Ohio's Division of Financial Institutions, about the growing problem.
"People who want to commit fraud have seized upon this sector of the population and they do it because people are vulnerable," said Rutkowski.
In 2024, the Ohio Department of Commerce's Division of Securities received 302 scam and fraud-related complaints from older adults — a 22% increase from 2023. That number is likely higher because many incidents aren't reported.
Brookbank asked Rutkowski how the cycle can be broken.
"So the way to break the cycle is awareness that every unknown person that's trying to contact you via text or phone is a potential thief," said Rutkowski.
The Ohio Attorney General's Office and the Ohio Department of Aging have several resources to help safeguard seniors from scams.
