MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, Fla. — U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging Chairman Rick Scott met with state leaders in Miami-Dade County on Thursday to address the increasing threat of scams targeting senior citizens.
The panel focused on new and evolving technologies used by scammers to exploit vulnerable older adults, including the rise of “grandparent scams” that use artificial intelligence to mimic the voices of family members in an attempt to fraudulently obtain money.
Representatives from banking institutions, Medicare, and AARP joined the discussion to highlight ongoing efforts to protect seniors and raise awareness about these deceptive practices.
Miami-Dade Sheriff Rosie Cordero-Stutz, who participated in the panel, emphasized the importance of law enforcement’s role in combating these crimes.
She called for tougher penalties for offenders and spoke about the sheriff’s office’s specialized units dedicated to investigating scams against the elderly.
“What we want is accountability and stronger deterrents across the board,” Cordero-Stutz said.
Scott echoed those sentiments, saying he plans to push for federal legislation aimed at better identifying and prosecuting criminals who target the aging population and prosecute them to the highest extent.
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