Dubuque, Iowa – DBQ Esports League is hosting the DEL Iowa Fraud Fighters – Shield Your Savings public education program at DBQ Esports League, 3220 Dodge St Suite 109, on Tuesday, Nov 19th, 2024. This program aims to educate and empower Iowans to combat and report investment, insurance, and consumer fraud.

A 2015 True Link report on elder financial abuse estimated that 1 in 3 Americans aged 65 and older were affected by financial abuse over a five-year period, with seniors losing $36.5 billion each year to financial exploitation, criminal fraud, and caregiver abuse.

“Being a victim is not a weakness—these perpetrators are professional con artists who have scammed even the most sophisticated investors,” said Chad Breitsprecker, a volunteer for DBQ Esports League. “In fact, the True Link report found those with post-graduate degrees are more likely to be defrauded and tend to lose more than others.”

Topics covered during the presentation include investment fraud, Medicare fraud, identity theft, elder law issues, and imposter, sweetheart, and grandparent scams

This sales-free event is complimentary and limited to the first 50 people due to room capacity limits. To register, email Susie Quinn at squinn@dbqesports.org. The presentation will be from 4-6 pm.

“I highly encourage those who are investing for retirement, as well as retired Iowans and their caretakers, to attend our Iowa DEL Fraud Fighters’ presentation,” says Quinn. “It’s about protecting yourself, but it’s also about continuing the dialogue locally—to be part of the solution and help protect your neighbors or those you care for. When you hear that a friend or neighbor may have been scammed, you’ll know which state government agency to call for help.”

The Iowa DEL Fraud Fighters’ public education program is developed and administered by the Iowa Insurance Division (IID) with the assistance of other government agencies and programs, including the Iowa Attorney General’s Office, SHIIP, Senior Medicare Patrol, and Iowa Department on Aging. In partnership with IID, DBQ Esports League presents the Iowa DEL Fraud Fighters’ program locally.

Iowans are encouraged to visit http://www.IowaFraudFighters.gov to learn about common scams and discover tips and tools to prevent fraud, including a checklist of information to gather from investment advisers to verify the legitimacy of the offer and the investment adviser. Consumers with insurance or investment questions or complaints may contact the IID toll-free at 877-955-1212, or visit http://www.iid.iowa.gov.

Iowa Fraud Fighter Tips

• If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is neither good nor true.

• If the offer is only good for today, then walk away.

• Never send money today for the promise of receiving more money later.

• Stop. Call. Confirm. Double-check with IID before you invest to ensure the agent and the security are registered and in good standing.

• Talk it over with a trusted friend or adviser. Scammers will try to isolate victims from friends and family, and use pressure, threats, and tactics that prey on your emotions, such as fear (IRS scam), excitement (sweepstakes scam), love and loneliness (romance and grandparent scams), or patriotism (veterans’ charity scam).

• Don’t give out your personal information to anyone you don’t know—ever. The IRS, Medicare, Social Security Administration, your banks, and credit card companies already have your personal information. They would never call you or email you and ask you for it. It is an imposter scam.

• If someone asks you for payments in Apple iTunes cards, gift cards, debit cards, and other monetary forms of no defense, it probably is a scam. Don’t send the money or cards.

• Scammers use robocalls and spoofed numbers to look like a local number calling. Don’t answer the phone if you do not know the number; let it go to voicemail. If you answer it, the scammer knows it is an active number and the robocalls will increase. According to the True Link report, a person who answers one telemarketing call per day is three times more likely to experience financial loss.

• Check the fine print in all agreements, especially when ordering items online or on TV. Many scams include hidden charges and extra fees in the fine print.