Wirch to Tackle Fraud Against Seniors

Seniors Are a Frequent Target for Fraudsters

Madison- Senator Bob Wirch (D-Somers) is re-introducing legislation aimed at a growing issue – fraud and scams targeting seniors and the elderly. 

“We hear about this all the time.  Whether it’s the ‘Grandparent Scam’, which has become so prevalent, or fraudsters claiming to be from the IRS or Medicare, the news is full of stories where seniors were preyed on,” Wirch said.

The legislation, which is currently being circulated for cosponsors and already has received bipartisan support, creates a civil cause of action for financial exploitation of a vulnerable person, defined as someone who is elderly, incapacitated or living with certain disabilities.  Under the bill, a court must award such a person who can successfully prove that he or she was defrauded up to three times the damages, plus attorney fees and reasonable fees for any necessary services of a conservator or guardian ad litem.

“People who prey on our most vulnerable citizens are the lowest of the low.  We’ve had seniors living on a fixed income taken for hundreds or thousands of dollars, thinking that they were helping their grandson or trusting the person on the phone who says he works for the IRS. This bill will allow these victims to recover their losses and also serve as a deterrent to fraudsters in the future,” stated Wirch.

Several states have already implemented what are known as “treble”, or triple, damages for fraud committed against seniors. These include Oregon, California, Arizona and Florida. Wirch first authored the legislation last session and although it had bipartisan support and the endorsement of the AARP, the Republican majority did not give it a public hearing or a vote.