Serving Our Seniors Magazine: Jan - March 2023

FTC, Secret Service & Financial Elder Abuse Investigator Tell Real Stories on Digital Thievery You’re invited to BGSU – Firelands ElderCollege, inside the Cedar Point Center building, February 23, 2023, 1:30 pm – 3:30 pm, to dialogue with Secret Service Agent, Steve Snyder, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), Attorney, Fil De Banate and Dan McLaughlin, Financial Elder Abuse Investigator with the Erie County Prosecutor’s Office, as they explain scams and exploitation. Admission is free. Listen to real stories about unsuspecting people getting ripped-off via the computer, by phone or both. They will talk about the tactics used by scammers, the red flags their victims did not detect and show some actual illustrations used to exploit the trusting person. STEVE SNYDER, Agent with the Secret Service, recalls one cyber-scammer who took on the identity of a soldier and told a woman, whom he never met, he wants to marry her. He stole $275,000.00, by deception. She took a second mortgage out on her home to help this man who said he loved her. The Secret Service was able to trace the money and found that this person was an imposter operating out of Jamaica. It’s not all doom and gloom. They have a few (not many) success stories, too. Reserve your seat no earlier than February 1, 2023 at https://www.firelands.bgsu.edu/offices/eldercollege.html. For help getting registered contact BGSU Firelands Office of Technology Support Services 419-372-0743 or e-mail otss@bgsu.edu . The Power of Passionate People By Sue Daugherty 11 years ago, Patricia Stineman and Bill Biehl, started counseling Erie County residents on Medicare insurance. They did this at Serving Our Seniors, as volunteers . Both were, and continue to be, very passionate about Medicare counseling. In 2017, Patricia was hired to be the Medicare Education Specialist and has been going strong ever since. Bill continues to volunteer an enormous number of hours per month as a Medicare Counselor. Under Patricia’s leadership, she recruited and trained Bill Radjewski, Keith Newton and Ron Watts as Volunteer Medicare Counselors. Their help was needed to supplement the counseling Patricia and Bill were able to do. Over time, the demand for Medicare Counseling grew in complexity. In 2021, Jo Seiler was hired. Trained by Patricia, Jo and is a wonderful addition to the Medicare Counseling Team. Few know that Patricia and Bill started this Medicare Counseling Program on their own time and their own ambition. Serving Our Seniors simply arranged for the OSHIIP Trainer to come to Sandusky, in 2011. Then we provided an office and a computer, necessary to be Volunteer Medicare Counselor. Thank you Patricia for your dedication, your leadership, your passion and insatiable appetite for learning more about Medicare. Thank you, Bill for your commitment and generous donation of time and knowledge. Your volunteer service is beyond compare. It is because of Patricia and Bill that Erie County has an OSHIIP Medicare Counseling Program that is like no other. Serving Our Seniors and the people who have received Medicare Counseling would like to say THANK YOU! Patricia Stineman Bill Biehl Steve Snyder Fil De Banate Dan McLaughlin 13