For Immediate Release:
June 27, 2022
Contact:
Jerri Mares
Director of Communications, NMAG
(505) 321-4372
Hannah “Joey” Long, PhD
Public Information Officer, ALTSD
Hannah.long1@state.nm.us
SANTA FE — Today, New Mexico Attorney General Hector Balderas and Aging & Long-Term Services Department (ALTSD) Secretary Katrina Hotrum-Lopez announced a new statewide scam alert system designed to alert New Mexico senior citizens and their loved ones about scams that may be targeting them.
“Scams that target our senior loved ones are devastating, and my office is partnering with Aging and Long-Term Services to empower our most vulnerable with the information they need to prevent financial exploitation,” said Attorney General Balderas.
The Office of the Attorney General often receives complaints from New Mexico consumers regarding scams, including those that appear to target seniors. The new system will combine that complaint information with Aging & Long-Term Services’ statewide alert system technology, which seniors and their loved ones can sign up for quickly and easily. The new system is designed to allow the agencies to quickly and effectively spread the news about new and evolving scams to New Mexico’s most vulnerable citizens in the hopes that they can better protect themselves.
“We are so excited about this partnership with the Attorney General’s office,” said ALTSD Cabinet Secretary Katrina Hotrum-Lopez. “Scams have only increased over recent years, and we are proud to have another way to educate and protect our older adults.” Sec. Hotrum-Lopez added, “This partnership builds on Governor Michelle Lujan Grisham’s commitment to the state’s seniors as well as the work of our state partners, AARP, the Alzheimer’s Association, and our Area Agencies on Aging. We look forward to the ways that this project and partnership will continue to benefit our constituents and their families in the years to come.”
Historically, scammers often use public health emergencies such as Covid-19 and the current wildfire crisis as opportunities to prey on vulnerable populations with new fraud schemes. Senior citizens are at greater risk for being targeted, and this scam alert partnership is designed to help educate and empower seniors with information on scams in an effort to protect them from fraud and abuse.
Seniors and their families can sign up for these alerts at https://nmaging.state.nm.us/protecting-adults/avoiding-scams-fraud or by contacting the Office of the Attorney General Toll Free at 1-844-255-9210, and press 5 to speak with an advocate.
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