West Hollywood City Co-Hosts Senior Scam Stoppers Panel To Educate The Community About Coronavirus Pandemic Scams

Press release from the City of West Hollywood:

February 18, 2021

The City of West Hollywood will join with Assembly member Richard Bloom’s Office and the State of California Department of Consumer Affairs Contractors State License Board (CSLB) to offer Senior Scam Stoppers, a virtual event featuring expert speakers to inform and educate community members about how to protect themselves from COVID-19 scams, including new scams about the vaccine and federal stimulus payments. Viewers will also learn what to do if they, or someone they know, are the victim of a scam.

Senior Scam Stoppers will take place as a virtual event on the Zoom platform on Tuesday, February 23, 2021 at 5 p.m. Registration is required at https://caasm.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_1ShH5OugRIq6oisUAdPf2w. A link to view the event and the number for those who wish to listen by phone will be emailed to registered participants in advance of the event. The event will also be livestreamed and archived for future viewing on the City’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/wehotv.

In advance of the event, community members are invited to submit questions for the panel of speakers online at bit.ly/WeHoScamStoppers2021 or by voicemail at (323) 848-6302; the deadline to submit questions is Friday, February 19, 2021, at 5 p.m.

“Coronavirus scams seem to be spreading as quickly as the virus itself,” said City of West Hollywood Mayor Lindsey P. Horvath. “The City of West Hollywood wants to be certain that all members of our community get through this challenging time without falling victim to scams. Informing older adults about how to protect themselves from scammers is an important part of our work during this pandemic and beyond.”

Bringing Senior Scam Stoppers to West Hollywood is part of the City’s ongoing commitment to supporting older adults’ well-being as part of the City’s Aging in Place/Aging in Community Initiative. More information about the initiative can be found at www.weho.org/aging. The City’s Aging in Place/Aging in Community Strategic Plan advances the 10 Domains of Livability, which is a framework used in the AARP Network of Age-Friendly States and Communities, and which prioritizes work in West Hollywood that makes it a high-level age-friendly city. Engagement about avoiding scams advances the domains of Public Safety & Emergency Preparedness, as well as Communications & Information.

Since 1999, Senior Scam Stopper seminars have been offered throughout the state in cooperation with legislators, state and local agencies, law enforcement, district attorneys, and community-based organizations.

The City of West Hollywood has declared a local emergency in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. Individuals are advised to stay at home as much as possible and limit close interactions to those in your household. When in public, community members should maintain your space with social (physical) distancing of at least six feet, and cover your face. Public Health officials recommend that everyone, even those who are vaccinated, to continue to follow physical distancing and infection control directives and wear a clean face covering that securely covers both your nose and mouth when in in public.

This press release was produced by the City of West Hollywood. The views expressed here are the author’s own.