YOU COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON STRONG WOMEN FAMILIES IN COMMUNITIES. TODAY IS FEBRUARY 13TH 2025 AND THE TIME IS TO OH SEVEN.
THIS HEARING IS BEING RECORDED. IT IS BEING LIVESTREAMED AT BOSTON DARK GOV SLASH CITY DASH CONSOLE DASH TV AND BROADCAST ON XFINITY CHANNEL EIGHT RCN
CHANNEL 82 AND FIOS CHANNEL 964 . WRITTEN COMMENTS MAY BE SENT TO THE COMMITTEE EMAIL AT C C C S WFC BOSTON DOT GOV AND WILL BE
MADE PART OF THE RECORD AND AVAILABLE TO ALL COUNCILORS. PUBLIC TESTIMONY WILL BE TAKEN AT THE END OF THIS HEARING. INDIVIDUALS WILL BE CALLED ON IN THE ORDER IN WHICH THEY ARE
SIGNED UP AND WILL HAVE 2 MINUTES TO TESTIFY. IF YOU'RE INTERESTED IN TESTIFYING IN PERSON PLEASE ADD YOUR NAME TO THE SIGN UP SHEET NEAR THE ENTRANCE OF THE CHAMBER AND IF YOU'RE LOOKING
TO TESTIFY VIRTUALLY PLEASE EMAIL OUR CENTRAL STAFF LIAISON . MEGHAN KAVANAUGH AT MEG AND KAVANAUGH CAVE IN AG AT
BOSTON.COM FOR THE LINK IN YOUR NAME WILL BE ADDED TO THE LIST. TODAY'S HEARING IS ON DOCKET 0317 IN ORDER FOR A HEARING TO
DISCUSS ELDERLY SCAMMING AND THIS MATTER WAS SPONSORED BY COUNCILORS ED FLYNN, COUNCILOR AMIHERE AND MYSELF COUNSELOR MURPHY AND WAS REFERRED TO THE COMMITTEE ON
JANUARY 29, 2025. TODAY I AM JOINED BY MY COLLEAGUES IN ORDER OF A REAL REVIVAL. WE HAVE OF FLYNN AND MYSELF. I DO KNOW THAT COUNCILOR AMIHERE HAS SENT AN
ABSENT LETTER AND WHERE SHE WAS AN ORIGINAL CO-SPONSOR I'LL READ HER LETTER INTO THE RECORD . DEAR MADAM CHAIR AND MEMBERS OF THE COMMITTEE ON STRONG WOMEN FAMILIES AND COMMUNITIES. I AM WRITING TO INFORM YOU
OF MY ABSENCE DURING TODAY'S CITY COUNCIL HEARING ON DOCKET 0317 IN ORDER FOR A HEARING TO DISCUSS ELDERLY SCAMMING. I REMAIN DEEPLY COMMITTED TO
ADDRESSING ELDERLY SCAMMING AND ENSURING THAT WE CONTINUE SUPPORTING OUR ELDERS BY DOING EVERYTHING IN OUR POWER TO PREVENT THEM FROM BEING TAKEN ADVANTAGE OF AND I SINCERELY APPRECIATE THE LEADERSHIP AND
EFFORTS OF MY COLLEAGUES PARTICULARLY THE LEAD SPONSORS IN ADVANCING THIS IMPORTANT WORK. AND I'D LIKE TO ALSO SAY WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR FITZGERALD.
THANK YOU. SO WE'LL START WITH ANY OPENING REMARKS FROM MY COLLEAGUES AND THEN WE'LL INTRODUCE THE PANEL. THANK YOU. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR, FOR YOUR LEADERSHIP AND FOCUS SPONSORING THIS HERE HEARING
WITH ME ALONG WITH COUNCILOR ME HERE AS WELL. TODAY I HOPE WE CAN DISCUSS THE ISSUE OF ELDERLY SCAMMING ALSO KNOWN AS ELDER FRAUD.
I'D LIKE TO HEAR FROM OUR RESPECTED PANELIST ABOUT HOW COMMON THIS OCCURRENCE IS. WHAT RECOURSE OUR ELDERS CAN SEEK AND WHAT PREVENTIVE
MEASURES AND COMMUNITY OUTREACH ARE IN PLACE TO RAISE AWARENESS AND PROTECT OUR SENIOR COMMUNITY REGARDING THESE SCAMS . LANGUAGE ACCESS IS ALSO AN IMPORTANT PART OF THIS CONVERSATION.
AS MANY OF OUR SENIORS MAY SPEAK A LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH AND SCAMS MAY BE TARGETED AT THEM IN THEIR OWN NATIVE LANGUAGES. LAST YEAR THE BOSTON POLICE I
KNOW REPORTED THAT BOSTON RESIDENTS HAVE PAID HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR VARIOUS TYPES OF SCAMS WHETHER IT'S HOME IMPROVEMENT SCAMS,
ROMANCE SCAMS. SOME SENIORS HAVE BEEN MANIPULATED INTO PAYING HOME REPAIR WORK THAT UPWARDS OF 20 $30,000.
THIS IS COMMONPLACE ACROSS THE COUNTRY WHERE SENIORS FALL VICTIM TO FINANCIAL FRAUD EVERY DAY RACKING UP MORE THAN 3 BILLION IN LOSSES. THESE SCAMS COME IN THE FORM OF AS I MENTIONED, ROMANCE
LOTTERY SWEEPSTAKES AS WELL AS HOME REPAIR BANKING INSURANCE UTILITY SCAMS. OUR SENIORS HAVE THE RIGHT TO AGE IN PLACE AND FEEL SAFE IN THEIR HOMES AND COMMUNITIES
WITHOUT THE DISRUPTION OF PEOPLE THAT ARE TRYING TO EXPLOIT THEM. IT IS CRITICAL THAT WE RAISE AWARENESS AND HELP OUR SENIORS RECOGNIZE THE SIGNS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF FRAUD.
I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE PANEL FOR BEING HERE BUT MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK YOU DO IN THE NEIGHBORHOODS OF BOSTON EVERY DAY. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU. CONTACT THE CHAIR.
THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. THANK YOU ALL FOR BEING HERE TO DISCUSS THIS TOPIC TODAY AS IT'S OBVIOUSLY INCREASED A LOT IN RECENT YEARS AND IS ONLY EVOLVING AND BECOMING SMARTER
AND MORE MANIPULATIVE. MY WIFE ACTUALLY IRONICALLY TEXTED ME THIS MORNING YOU GO THROUGH A TOLL AT ALL LATELY. YOU HAVE A LATE CHARGE AND SHE'S REALLY JUST WONDERING WHERE I WAS WITHOUT YOU GO.
BUT BUT IT WAS ALSO THE FACT THAT LIKE I SAID NOW AND I'M PRETTY SURE THIS IS A SCAM AND THIS IS ONE OF THOSE THINGS SO I CAN IMAGINE EVEN FOR FOLKS THAT ARE NOT ELDERLY THAT ARE SORT OF STARTING TO QUESTION IT
I MEAN THAT'S HOW MANIPULATIVE IT'S GETTING THAT I GET THAT FOLKS THAT ARE NOT AS FINE TUNED TO BEING, YOU KNOW, COMPUTER LITERATE AND ALL THAT STUFF, HOW COULD IT BE EVEN MORE EASY?
SO LOOK FORWARD TO THE CONVERSATION TODAY AND AGAIN THANK YOU ALL FOR ALL THE WORK YOU'RE DOING ON THIS. THANK YOU. ALSO WANT TO GET RIGHT INTO YOUR TESTIMONY BUT BEFORE WE GO THROUGH THE PANEL, I DID JUST WANT TO INTRODUCE EDMUND
DONNELLY. HE IS KNOWN ADMINISTRATION. I DIDN'T MEET HIM A COUPLE WEEKS AGO. I THINK YOU'VE BEEN TO SEVERAL SENIOR EVENTS ACROSS THE CITY BUT THE A1 POLICE WERE HOSTING
AN EVENT AT THE TIME WE DON'T CALL IT WHAT DO WE CALL IT THE IN CHARLESTOWN. IT'S THE BEVERLY BEVERLY GIVENS. YES, THE BEVERLY GIBSON CENTER WITH THE SENIORS AND FROM AT&T.
SO HE WAS DOING A PROGRAM WITH OUR SENIORS WHICH I THOUGHT WAS WONDERFUL. YEAH, I THINK 2 HOURS IN AND THEY WERE STILL LIKE REALLY ENGAGED AND LEARNING A LOT. SO THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE BUT WE'LL START FROM ONE AND DON,
IF YOU COULD JUST INTRODUCE YOURSELVES SAY YOU KNOW YOUR OFFICIAL TITLE AND THEN YOU CAN ALL GIVE YOUR OPENING REMARKS. THANK YOU. MY NAME IS SEBASTIAN WITH CHANCE. I'M FROM THE MAYOR'S OFFICE
OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND I'M A CONSUMER ADVOCATE. Q HI FOLKS. EMILY SHEA I'M THE H STRONG COMMISSIONER.
GOOD AFTERNOON. NICOLE GRANT DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT OF THE COMMUNICATION AND THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT. GOOD AFTERNOON. DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT GERALD CAHILL, THE SYSTEM BUREAU CHIEF FOR THE BOSTON POLICE BUREAU
OF INTELLIGENCE ANALYSIS WHICH MOST PEOPLE UNDERSTAND IS WHICH HOLDS TO OUR BOSTON REGIONAL AND CHALLENGER INTELLIGENCE CENTER INSIDE IT ALSO KNOWN AS THE BRIC. THANK YOU. EXCUSE ME EVAN DONNELLY, THE DIRECTOR OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS
FOR AT&T COVERING MASSACHUSETTS, A RHODE ISLAND. AWESOME. THANK YOU. AND MY COLLEAGUES DID TOUCH ON A LOT OF THE REASONS WHY WE'RE HERE. AND WHEN YOU MENTIONED COUNCIL FITZGERALD, YOU KNOW, A
MONTH AGO WITH SO THAT TEXT CAME OUT ABOUT LIKE A $4 PARKING FEE AND THOUSANDS OF US GOT IT. SO IT IS TRUE THAT IT'S NOT JUST OUR SENIORS BUT MANY TIMES SENIORS FALL PREY. THEY ALSO, YOU KNOW, FEEL
EMBARRASSED IF THEY DO FOLLOW THROUGH AND REALIZE THAT THEY'VE BEEN SCAMMED. SO IT WOULD BE GREAT TODAY TO GET SOME INFORMATION OUT AND I KNOW THANK YOU TO THE BRICK AND THE POLICE FOR BEING HERE
BECAUSE I KNOW YOU HAVE A LOT OF DATA ON WHAT OUR SENIORS ARE SEEING AND HOW WE CAN SUPPORT AND PROTECT THEM WILL BE GREAT. SO WHOEVER WOULD LIKE TO START
FIRST IF YOU WANT TO START I WANT TO THANK YOU AND I CAN GO FIRST. GOOD AFTERNOON, COUNSELORS. THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF CONSUMER
AFFAIRS WORKS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE MASSACHUSETTS MASSACHUSETTS ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. OUR MISSION IS TO EDUCATE THE RESIDENTS OF BOSTON ON AVOIDING
SCAMS AND BEING ABLE TO IDENTIFY THEM HOW WHERE TYPICALLY FOUND YOU VIA THE
CITY OF BOSTON WEBSITE WILL THEY CONTACT US EITHER VIA EMAIL OR PHONE? THEY FILE THEIR COMPLAINTS WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE WHICH THEN GET FILTERED DOWN TO OUR OFFICE FOR MEDIATION.
WE SPECIFICALLY WORK USING MEDIATION WE CAN'T MAKE ANY FORCEFUL STATEMENTS TO THE BUSINESSES TO ENFORCE THEM TO DO ANYTHING.
THE GOAL IS TO HAVE A CONVERSATION BETWEEN BOTH THE RESIDENTS AND THE BUSINESS TO HELP FIND SOME SORT OF AMICABLE RESOLUTION. WE ALSO HAVE A LOT OF OUTREACH
INITIATIVES TO HELP THEM GET THE INFORMATION TO THE RESIDENTS, ESPECIALLY SENIORS. WE DO WORK CLOSELY WITH AGE STRONG VETERANS SERVICES, THE
OFFICE OF YOUTH ADVANCEMENT AND WE ALSO ENSURE THAT WE HAVE IF WE HAVE A RESIDENT WHO SPEAKS THE LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH THAT WE PROVIDE INTERPRETATION SERVICE AS WELL AS HAVING ALL
OF OUR EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL TRANSLATED FOR THEM AS WELL. THE WE'VE HAD A SIGNIFICANT IMPACT WITH OUR RESIDENTS OVER
THE LAST COUPLE OF YEARS ESPECIALLY IN FISCAL YEAR 2324. WE WERE A WE HAD HAD A SUCCESSFUL CLOSE RATE OF OVER A THOUSAND CASES THAT WERE SENT TO US THROUGH THE ATTORNEY
GENERAL'S OFFICE AND WERE ABLE TO HELP TO SAVE OR RECOVER JUST OVER AH JUST UNDER $260,800 FOR THAT WENT BACK INTO THE
RESIDENTS POCKETS AS WELL AS THIS YEAR SO FAR WE'VE CLOSED ABOUT 605 CASES AND WE WERE WE HAVE SUCCESSFULLY RECOVERED A
LITTLE OVER $100,000 FOR THE RESIDENTS THUS FAR AND A REALLY GOOD EXAMPLE OF WHAT WE WERE ABLE TO ACHIEVE WAS WE HAD AN
ELDERLY MAN WHO HAPPENED TO BE FROM QUINCY. TYPICALLY WE DON'T SERVICE QUINCY BUT WE DO NOT TURN ANYONE WHO CALLS US AWAY. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THE INFORMATION IS GIVEN TO THEM IN
THAT WAY THEY CAN GET THE BEST ASSISTANCE POSSIBLE, HE CALLED US AFTER HE REALIZED HE WAS SCAMMED OUT OF ABOUT $70,000 WE WERE ABLE TO HELP GET HIM IN
CONTACT WITH THE FBI, THE POSTAL INSPECTOR AND THEY WERE ABLE TO DISCOVER THAT THE SCAM WAS ORIGINATED IN CALIFORNIA AND BECAUSE WE EXPRESSED THE
URGENCY OF HOW QUICKLY HE NEEDED TO ACT WHEN CONTACTING THE AGENCIES HE WAS ACTUALLY ABLE TO RECOVER THAT $70,000. GOOD.
THANK YOU. CHAIR MURPHY COUNSELORS SO I'M VERY HAPPY TO BE HERE TODAY. I JUST RAN I'M BACK FROM A HYDE
PARK LISTENING SESSION FOR THIS. I APPRECIATE THAT. I KNOW THAT YOU HAD SOMETHING EARLIER BUT THANK YOU AND NO BUT BUT I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT AND I REALLY APPRECIATE YOU
ELEVATING THIS ISSUE. THE SESSION I WAS AT ALLOWS US TO HEAR DIRECTLY FROM OLDER ADULTS ABOUT THEIR NEEDS CONCERNS AND PRIORITIES SO THAT WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT OUR WORK
IS ALIGNING WITH THEIR VOICE. AND I THINK THAT WE DO HEAR ABOUT THIS ISSUE. SO I THINK IT'S IMPORTANT THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT IT HERE
AND HOPEFULLY FOLKS AT HOME ARE LISTENING IN AND AND WE CAN USE THIS FOR EDUCATION AS WELL. EVERY DAY MORE AND MORE OLDER RESIDENTS AND MORE AND MORE
RESIDENTS BUT ESPECIALLY OLDER RESIDENTS ARE FALLING VICTIM TO SCAMS AND SCAMMERS ARE BECOMING INCREASINGLY CREATIVE AND BOLD IN THEIR TACTICS. WE'RE FORTUNATE TO HAVE STRONG
PARTNERS IN THIS FIGHT BOTH WITHIN THE CITY SUCH AS OUR BPD FRIENDS IN CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND EXTERNALLY WITH ORGANIZATIONS LIKE LIKE OUR AT&T PARTNERS.
TOGETHER WE'RE COMMITTED TO ENSURING OLDER ADULTS HAVE THE TOOLS NOT ONLY TO TAKE PREVENTATIVE MEASURES AND AVOIDING SCAMS BUT ALSO TO THEN KNOW HOW TO RECOGNIZE FRAUDULENT ACTIVITY, RESPOND
ACCORDINGLY AND REPORT SCAMMERS. IT'S ESSENTIAL THAT WE CONTINUE TO RAISE AWARENESS, PROVIDE ACCESSIBLE RESOURCES AND WORK TOGETHER ON SCAMS AND AT THE
STRONG COMMISSION WE DO THIS IN A FEW DIFFERENT WAYS. SO FIRST WE WORK COLLECTIVELY WITH MANY GROUPS TO EDUCATE OLDER ADULTS ABOUT SCAM PREVENTION AND TO CONNECT PEOPLE TO RESOURCES IF THEY'VE
BEEN SCAMMED IN THE PAST YEAR WE PARTICIPATED IN MULTIPLE MULTIPLE COMMUNITY EDUCATION SCAM EVENTS AND I KNOW COUNCILOR FLYNN I SAW YOU AT ONE OF THEM WITH PARTNERS
INCLUDING THE PENSION ACTION CENTER, THE STATE'S OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND BUSINESS REGULATION, THE FTC, THE DA'S OFFICE, THE ASIAN AMERICAN CIVIC ASSOCIATION
BANKS, THE IRS, AT&T AND OTHERS. THERE'S REALLY I WOULD SAY A LARGE NETWORK OF PARTNERS THAT ARE WORKING ON THIS TOGETHER. WE WORK WITH BE PD'S COMMUNITY
SERVICE OFFICERS WHO I KNOW YOU'RE GOING TO YOU'RE GOING TO HEAR ABOUT THEIR WORK BUT I REALLY WANT TO GIVE THEM A SHOUT OUT ACTUALLY LAST NIGHT I WAS DOWN AT THE CEDAR GROVE
CIVIC ASSOCIATION AND YOU KNOW, THEY THE CSOS ALWAYS DO THEIR REPORT. SO THE CSO THERE IS GIVING HIS REPORT AND THEN HE SAID BUT I WANT TO TALK FOR A MINUTE ABOUT
SCAMS AND I WAS LIKE OH THIS IS PERFECT TIMING BUT AND HE GOT TO GIVE IT GIVE AN UPDATE ON SCAMS AND THINGS FOR FOLKS TO WATCH OUT TO FOR SO I KNOW THAT THEY THEY DO YOU'LL HEAR ABOUT
THEIR REGULAR WORKSHOPS BUT THEY KIND OF DO IT ON THE FLY ALL THE TIME JUST EDUCATING. WE ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH THE OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND LICENSING AND REFER CASES THAT
REQUIRE FURTHER INVESTIGATION ESPECIALLY THOSE RELATED TO CREDIT CARD AND UTILITY FRAUD. WE SEE ALL SORTS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF FRAUD. WE PROVIDE REGULAR SCAM
EDUCATION IN OUR SENIORITY MAGAZINE AND WE TRY WE'VE BEEN TRYING TO HIGHLIGHT A DIFFERENT SCAM IN EVERY ISSUE SO THAT WE HAVE KIND OF REGULAR SCAM COMMUNICATION GOING ON OUT
THERE. WE ALSO HAVE AMERICORPS SENIORS RCP VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE TRAINED IN A PROGRAM CALLED MONEY SMARTS FOR OLDER ADULTS AND IF
FOLKS ARE LISTENING AND ANYONE WANTS TO BE A VOLUNTEER, WE'RE ACTUALLY RECRUITING MORE VOLUNTEERS SPECIFICALLY FOR THIS VOLUNTEER EFFORT. BUT THEY GET TRAINED IN THIS
CURRICULUM WHICH HELPS IDENTIFY SCAMS TARGETING OLDER POPULATIONS, RECOGNIZING AND REDUCING THE RISK OF FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION AND GUARDING AGAINST IDENTITY THEFT.
AND SO THE VOLUNTEERS GO OUT AND THEY OFFER THIS PROGRAM TO GROUPS OF OLDER ADULTS IN THE COMMUNITY. WE WORK CLOSELY WITH PEOPLE THAT HAVE BEEN SCAMMED HELPING
THEM NAVIGATE NETWORKS TO NOT ONLY REPORT THE SCAM BUT ALSO TO SEE IF ANYTHING CAN BE DONE. SO WE WORK WITH PPD, THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE, CONSUMER AFFAIRS GREATER BOSTON LEGAL SERVICES, ELDER PROTECTIVE SERVICES, CREDIT
CARD COMPANIES AND KIND OF ANYWHERE THE SCAM MIGHT TAKE US DEPENDING ON WHAT TYPE IT IS. I MENTIONED BEFORE THAT THERE'S A LOT OF PARTNERS INVOLVED IN THIS EFFORT TO PREVENT AND
ADDRESS SCAMS. AND SO GIVEN THAT FOLKS MAY BE LISTENING, I JUST WANTED TO HIGHLIGHT A COUPLE OF OTHER ONES THAT AREN'T HERE TODAY. FIRST OF ALL, THE SUFFOLK COUNTY DA'S OFFICE HAS A
PROGRAM CALLED FRAUD FIGHTERS WHICH IS A SCAM EDUCATION PROGRAM AND THEY'RE OUT THERE EDUCATING GROUPS OF OLDER ADULTS ACROSS BOSTON. AND THE SECOND FOLKS THAT I WANTED TO CALL AT WORK ARE OUR
PARTNERS AT AARP. THEY HAVE A NATIONAL AARP FRAUD WATCH NETWORK AND THEY HAVE A FRAUD WATCH HOTLINE WHERE YOU CAN REPORT SCAMS AND THEY THEY
ARE ABLE TO TRACK SCAMS IN THAT WAY AND SEE WHAT'S TRENDING IN DIFFERENT AREAS OF THE COUNTRY. THEY ALSO EDUCATE ABOUT SCAMS SENDING OUT REGULAR EMAILS HIGHLIGHTING SCAMS IN THEIR MAGAZINE AND THEY TRAIN
COMMUNITY VOLUNTEERS TO TO TALK TO GROUPS OF OLDER PEOPLE. AND THEN BECAUSE THERE'S ALWAYS NEW SCAMS OUT THERE THEY'VE SUBMITTED A BILL AT THE STATE LEVEL THAT'S NEW THIS
LEGISLATIVE CYCLE THAT'S FOCUSED ON REGULATION OF CRYPTOCURRENCY KIOSK MACHINES WHICH IS ONE OF THE NEW FRONTIERS FOR SCAMMERS. SO SCAMMERS ARE CREATIVE AND CHANGE THEIR TACTICS REGULARLY
BUT BY WORKING TOGETHER AND IT REALLY DOES TAKE US ALL WE CAN CONTINUE TO EMPOWER OLDER ADULTS WITH THE KNOWLEDGE AND RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO STAY SAFE.
SO THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME AND YOUR COMMITMENT TO THIS TO THIS EFFORT. THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I DO JUST WANT TO UPLIFT BEFORE WE HEAR FROM THE POLICE THAT I DO FEEL LIKE YOU MENTIONED THE DISTRICT LEVEL
CSOS ARE DOING A GREAT JOB BUT WHEN TOO SEVERAL OF THE COMP STATS THAT YOU HAVE ACROSS THE CITY AND JUST THOSE THOSE NUMBERS ARE PRETTY FRIGHTENING. SO THANK YOU AND LOOKING
FORWARD TO AND ALSO NOT JUST THE NUMBERS ARE FRIGHTENING BUT I DO BELIEVE THAT YOU'RE DOING A GOOD JOB LETTING MORE PEOPLE KNOW THAT COMMUNICATION IS OUT THERE. SO ONE OF THE REASONS THAT REALLY MOTIVATED US TO MAKE SURE WE HAVE THIS HEARING TO
MAKE SURE WE CAN REACH MORE SENIORS OUT THERE IN THEIR FAMILIES BECAUSE A LOT OF TIMES, YOU KNOW, THE FAMILIES HAVE TO STEP IN IF THEY CAN HELP THEM. YOU'RE GOING TO GO A LITTLE OUT
OF ORDER FOR A SECOND ALTHOUGH BEFORE DEPUTY GRANT, GOOD AFTERNOON COMMITTEE CHAIR MURPHY CITY COUNCIL, HIS FELLOW PANELISTS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS LISTEN ONLINE OR IN THE AUDIENCE. THANK FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO
TESTIFY TODAY REGARDING OUR EFFORTS TO ADDRESS FRAUD PARTICULARLY FRAUD TARGETING THE VULNERABLE POPULATIONS SUCH AS THE ELDERLY. UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS A SIGNIFICANT PROBLEM IN BOSTON ACROSS THE COUNTRY WE'VE SEEN
IT JUST GROWING AND GROWING IN 2020 FOR A LOAN FRAUD REPORTED BY ELDERS IN BOSTON RESULTED IN OVER $12 MILLION IN LOSS TO THEM AND THAT'S FOR PEOPLE WHO REPORTED IT. IT WAS PROBABLY A LOT THAT HAVE
BEEN REPORTED IT. THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT WORKED CLOSELY WITH THE STRONG COMMISSION. THE LICENSING BOARD KNOW IN IN OUR MANY PARTIES TO PREVENT VICTIMIZATION.
IT'S HOLD OFFENDERS ACCOUNTABLE . THE ROLE OF THE BRIC IN PARTICULAR IN THIS TOPIC IS TO ANALYZE CRIME INTELLIGENCE DATA IN ORDER TO IDENTIFY TRENDS AND PATTERNS THAT CAN BE USED BY
DETECTIVES TO GUIDE INVESTIGATIONS INTO PRODUCE ADVISORIES AND OTHER INFORMATION THAT CAN BE USED TO EDUCATE THE PUBLIC AND TO PREVENT FRAUD AND VICTIMIZATION .
I WELCOME YOUR QUESTIONS REGARDING TRENDS WE ARE SEEING HOW WE WORK WITH VARIOUS PARTNERS AND RECOMMENDATIONS FOR STEPS THAT CAN BE TAKEN PROACTIVELY TO KNOW ABOUT THESE SERIOUS CRIMES. THANK YOU. I LOOK FORWARD TO THE REST
OF THE SESSION. THANK YOU. THANK YOU AND GOOD AFTERNOON AGAIN AND THANK YOU FOR HAVING US HERE TODAY. I JUST WANT TO TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON WITH
OUR SENIORS THAT ARE NEAR AND DEAR TO US IN THE BUREAU COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT. WE HAVE SEVERAL OFFICERS AND CIVILIANS THAT WORK CLOSELY WITH THE DISTRICT COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICERS. SO WITH THAT BEING SAID, WE
HAVE SEVERAL SENIOR EVENTS THAT WE WORK WITH THE SENIORS BUT WE ALSO TALK ABOUT THE SCAMS THAT ARE GOING ON WHENEVER WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY WHETHER IT'S A RESIDENTIAL MEETING IN A RESIDENTIAL BUILDING OR IN A RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBORHOOD OR A
NEIGHBORHOOD WALK WEATHER PERMITTING OF COURSE WE TRY TO TALK TO THE SENIORS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON AND WHAT THEY'RE HEARING AND THAT'S ALWAYS A GOOD OPPORTUNITY FOR THE OFFICERS TO FIND OUT BUT ALSO TO DO THE REPORTS. AS DEPUTY CAHILL MENTIONED,
THAT'S WHAT WE'RE JUST HEARING THIS REPORT. WE KNOW THAT THERE'S SOMETIMES THAT SOME THINGS ARE GOING UNREPORTED BECAUSE SOMETIMES WE THINK IT'S AN INCONVENIENCE TO US AS THE POLICE TO TAKE THESE REPORTS. BUT WE REMIND THE SENIORS AND
ANYONE IN THE COMMUNITY WE TAKE THIS VERY SERIOUSLY. WE HAVE TO TAKE THESE REPORTS. WE HAVE A LOT OF COFFEE WITH THE COP EVENTS. THAT'S ANOTHER OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO PEOPLE ABOUT SCAMS AT THESE COFFEE WITH COPS AND ALSO
THE RESIDENTIAL MEETINGS. WE TEND TO BRING OUT A LOT OF FLIERS. I'M ALWAYS HAPPY WHEN PEOPLE TAKE THE FLIERS AND THEN WHEN THEY ASK FOR MORE SO THEY CAN BRING THEM BACK TO THEIR COMMUNITY OR THEIR FRIENDS. OUR FAITH IN BLUE EVENT WHICH IS WHERE WE GOT INTRODUCED WITH
AT&T FIRSTNET EVEN AT THAT EVENT WE TRY TO HAVE AS MUCH INFORMATION AND AT ONE OF THE FAITH AND BLUE EVENTS SOMEONE HAD ASKED ME FOR MY BUSINESS CARD SO SHE COULD TELL HER FRIEND TO CALL ME ABOUT A SCAM
. UNFORTUNATELY I NEVER GOT THE CALL BUT I DID TELL HER TO GO TO THE DISTRICT STATIONS ABOUT THE REPORT. NOTE WHEN WE HAVE OUR NATIONAL NIGHT OUT SAME THING WE TRY TO ENGAGE CITYWIDE WITH EVERYONE JUST TO TALK ABOUT WHAT'S GOING
ON AND THAT'S A GOOD WAY FOR FOLKS TO SEE US IN THE COMMUNITY AS WELL. SOCIAL EVENTS THAT WE GO TO A STRONG THE COMMUNITY CONNECTION THE HOLIDAY EVENT THAT'S A WONDERFUL EVENT WE'VE BEEN A PART OF. WE'VE HAD A COUPLE OF PRESENTATIONS AND EVEN
AFTERWARDS SOME OF THE RESIDENTS HAVE REACHED OUT TO US IN THE OTHER OFFICES TALKING ABOUT SCAMS OR WANTING MORE INFORMATION TO BRING BACK. BUT JUST AS WE MENTIONED AS EXCUSE ME AS A COMMISSIONER SHEA MENTIONED THE WORKSHOPS
THE COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICER HAVING THAT HOST THEM ON A REGULAR BASIS AND THEY'RE TRYING TO GET THIS INFORMATION OUT. LAST NIGHT I HAD OFFICERS IN THE COMMUNITY THEY WERE HANDING OUT THE SCAM ALERT AND THEY WERE PUTTING THEM ON 40
DIFFERENT LOCATIONS THROUGHOUT THE CITY WHERE THEY HAVE THE CRYPTO ATMS. THAT WAY THE AWARENESS IS YOU KNOW, IT'S DEFINITELY ELEVATED BUT ALSO WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND SPREAD THE WORD AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. WE ALSO TALK ABOUT THE
UNFORTUNATE ROMANCE SCAM THE GRANDCHILDREN SCAM, THE MEDICARE SCAM WHICH IS HAPPENING TO ALL OF US AND CALLED ME FOUR OR FIVE TIMES A DAY. I THINK IT'S ABOUT MY ELDERLY MOM AND IT'S NOT IT'S ABOUT OFF ME MEDICARE WHICH WE KNOW IS
FRAUDULENT. THE IRS THE IRS SCAM JUST CAME BACK AGAIN LAST MONTH. SO WE'RE REMINDING FOLKS ABOUT THAT AND OBVIOUSLY THE HOME IMPROVEMENT SCAMS WE HAVE GOT TO YOU KNOW, GET AS MUCH WORD
OUT AS WE CAN. I'M GLAD WE'RE HAVING THIS MEETING AND I HOPE THOSE THAT FOLLOW HER HOME KNOW THAT WE'RE HERE TO HELP YOU. PLEASE TELL A FRIEND OR PLEASE CONTACT US. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. AND BEFORE YOU GO, I DO JUST
WANT TO SAY WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR THE NSA ANDERSON AND COUNCILOR LOUIJEUNE THANK YOU. THANK YOU. EXCUSE ME. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU. COUNSELOR MURPHY KELS WAS PLANNING COUNSELOR MEJIA FOR
CONVENING THIS THIS HEARING JUST BY WAY OF INTRODUCTION I OVERSEE PUBLIC POLICY STRATEGY AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT FOR AT&T. AND JUST BY WAY OF BACKGROUND, PRIOR TO AT&T I WORKED AS AN ASSISTANT ATTORNEY GENERAL HERE
IN MASSACHUSETTS FOR FIVE YEARS AND GOT TO WORKING AS A SPECIAL ASSISTANT DISTRICT ATTORNEY IN IN THE ROXBURY DIVISION. BUT I'M ALSO SORT OF THINKING BUT BOTH MY PARENTS RETIRED BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOL EDUCATORS I THINK THAT MIGHT BE MAYBE
JUST AS RELEVANT TO HIGHLIGHT TO YOU WHEN I MET YOU THAT MY SISTER CURRENTLY WORKS AT THE WARREN BURGER SO I THINK MAYBE THIS IS MY WAY OF FULFILLING THE FAMILY VOCATION IN SOME WAYS BUT YOU KNOW, THIS IS A
THIS WORK THAT WE'VE BEEN DOING IS REALLY SOMETHING I STARTED WHEN I CAME TO AT&T IN 2018. IT'S A IT'S A COMPANY PROGRAM THAT WE CALL OUR CYBER AWARE PROGRAM AND WE'VE TWEETED A LITTLE BIT IN THE YEARS PAST
AND IT'S REALLY FOCUSED ON DIGITAL LITERACY AND SCAM AVOIDANCE WITH MORE OF A BENT TOWARDS TECHNOLOGY AND HOW THAT COMES IN BECAUSE THAT'S REALLY BEEN AS WE ALL KNOW JUST ANECDOTALLY A HUGE PREVALENT
INCREASE AND PARTICULARLY WE'VE BEEN WE'VE BEEN VERY LUCKY FOR THE PAST YEAR OR SO TO BE COLLABORATING WITH THE BOSTON POLICE DEPARTMENT AND BRINGING THIS TO DIFFERENT DISTRICTS. I'M HAPPY WE'RE SPEAKING ABOUT THAT BRIEFLY BECAUSE I THINK IT
MIGHT BE A GOOD KIND OF ROADMAP OR SOME WE'VE FOUND IT VERY INSTRUCTIVE OF ALL WAYS TO GET IN TOUCH WITH SENIORS AND IT'S SUPPORTED THAT WAY AND IT ALL REALLY BEGAN INTERESTING ENOUGH BECAUSE OF OUR WORK WITH COMMISSIONER SHEA.
SO WE'VE HAD AN EVENT THAT WE PUT ON CITY HALL FOR 30 YEARS CALLED THE HOLIDAY CONNECTIONS EVENT AND WE ASKED THE BPD TO PARTICIPATE AND IT'S BEEN GETTING BIGGER AND BIGGER EVERY YEAR AND FROM THAT WE KIND OF HAD STARTED A CONVERSATION
ABOUT WAYS WE COULD WORK TOGETHER. THEY HAD BROUGHT SOME OFFICERS IN TO SPEAK ABOUT SOME SENIOR SAFETY TIPS BECAUSE WE HAD ADDED INTO THE PROGRAM PREVIOUSLY IT HAD JUST BEEN WE SET UP INTERNATIONAL CALLING.
WE PROVIDED BREAKFAST AND LUNCH FOR THE CITY SENIORS IN COORDINATION WITH THE STRONG COMMISSION AS PART OF OUR EFFORT TO GIVE BACK TO THE COMMUNITY AND THEN BECAUSE OF ALL THE STUFF WE WERE SEEING, BECAUSE OF THE WORK WE DO AS CYBER AWARE WE ADDED INTO
THE DAY OUR OUR OUR SAFETY TRAINING PROGRAM THAT THAT WAS REALLY DESIGNED TO HELP SENIORS DEAL WITH THIS PROLIFERATION OF SCAMS. AND SO YOU KNOW, SINCE THEN WE REALLY STARTED THE PROGRAM IN
EARNEST WITH COMMUNITY OFFICERS IN 2024 AND IN 2024 WE HELD 15 DIFFERENT EVENTS WITH COMMUNITY OFFICERS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BOSTON. WE ACTUALLY HAVE HAD TWO
ADDITIONAL ONES IN 2025 AND WE HAVE OUR OUR 18TH EVENT SCHEDULED FOR MARCH 13TH ACTUALLY FITTINGLY BACK AT THE SAME PLACE THAT THE MILDRED AV BCI OFFICER WILL BE AT MATTAPAN
AT THE SAME PLACE THAT WE STARTED A YEAR AGO AND WE'VE BEEN IN SEVEN OF THE 11 DISTRICTS B3 C11 E5 A1D4D 14 C
SIX OUR GOAL IS TO GET TO ALL OF THE DISTRICTS THIS YEAR GET TO ALL OF THE NEIGHBORHOODS IN BOSTON HOPEFULLY IN 2025 AND WITH THESE 17 EVENTS WE'VE DONE WE'VE ESTIMATED THAT WE'VE REACHED OVER 500 SENIOR
CITIZENS HERE IN BOSTON AND PROVIDE THEM WITH THAT INFORMATION AND I THINK BECAUSE OF THE THE THE WAY WE'VE DEPLOYED IT, THE VALUE IN IT IS THAT IT'S RELATIVELY SIMPLE. I DON'T THINK ANYONE WOULD EVER
CONFUSE ME FOR A HIGH TECH PERSON AND I THINK COUNTERINTUITIVELY I THINK THAT HELPS FOR PURPOSES OF THIS THIS PROGRAM. BUT IT'S IT'S SIMPLE, IT'S ACCESSIBLE, IT'S RELEVANT, IT'S
FREE. IT'S ENTIRELY AGNOSTIC AS TO THE PROVIDER. SO WE PROVIDE INFORMATION THAT'S RELEVANT WHETHER OR NOT YOU'RE AN AT&T CUSTOMER AND WE PROVIDE WIRELESS INFORMATION, WE PROVIDE INFORMATION FOR
FOLKS AS YOU KNOW, HOME HOME INTERNET CONNECTIONS AND WE ARE REALLY TRYING TO ADDRESS THE FULL SCOPE OF DIGITAL LITERACY FOR SENIORS. AND SO WE THE THEME OF THE PRESENTATION IS CALLED
CONNECTING WITH CONFIDENCE BECAUSE WE'RE EFFECTIVELY TRYING TO TEACH PEOPLE HOW TO ALMOST SPEAK A FOREIGN LANGUAGE . RIGHT. AND SO WE REALLY ARE TRYING TO TAKE OUT SOME OF THE STRESS RELATED TO THAT AND INCREASE
FOLKS CONFIDENCE. SO THE FIRST PART OF IT WE DEAL WITH THEM AS CONSUMERS SO WE TEACH THEM REALLY HOW CELL PHONE PLANS WORK, HELP THEM UNDERSTAND THE WAYS THAT THEY CAN SAVE MONEY AGAIN IRRESPECTIVE OF PROVIDER AND
THEN WE KIND OF GO INTO OUR SECOND PART OF THE PROGRAM WHICH IS CALLED CONNECTING WITH VIGILANCE WHERE WE GET MORE INTO THE CYBERSECURITY ASPECT OF IT AND THE THE CYBERSECURITY
PART REALLY KIND OF FOCUSES ON HOW THEY CONNECT TO THE INTERNET AND IT'S REALLY YOU KNOW, WHEN WE STARTED THIS PROGRAM WE'RE DOING A ROOM OF 30 SENIORS AND THERE WERE MAYBE THREE THAT HAD A
SMARTPHONE. EVERYONE ELSE THERE WAS 15 PEOPLE THAT HAD A FLIP PHONE AND THEN EVERYONE ELSE CAME BECAUSE THEY HEARD I WAS BRINGING COFFEE AND DONUTS AND I DIDN'T TAKE IT PERSONALLY. LIKE THAT WAS LIKE YOU KNOW, WHATEVER, RIGHT?
AND SO YOU KNOW AND SINCE REALLY THE PANDEMIC AND IN THE LAST FEW YEARS WE STARTED DOING THIS IN PERSON, WE'VE NOTICED THAT THOSE STATISTICS HAVE EFFECTIVELY FLIPPED SO WHEN WE GO TO THE ROOMS NOW WITH THE OFFICERS AND WHAT WE DO OUR
HOLIDAY CONNECTIONS EVERYONE ALMOST EVERYONE HAS A SMARTPHONE AND THAT CREATES DIFFERENT PROBLEMS. SO WE'RE REALLY TRYING TO DEAL WITH THOSE KIND OF CHANGING DYNAMICS AND YOU KNOW, FOR EXAMPLE WE'RE TEACHING PEOPLE WHAT DATA IS, HOW THAT WORKS AND THEN WE'RE GOING INTO
MAKING SURE YOU HAVE PASSWORDS HOW TO CREATE PASSWORDS THAT ARE EFFECTIVE FOR YOU. WE DO. WE KIND OF COVER ALL OF THOSE DIFFERENT THINGS AND THEN WE GET INTO AGAIN TRYING TO KEEP THINGS SIMPLE. WE GET INTO THOSE ACTIVE SCAMS
THAT WE SEE THERE TO WHETHER IT'S THE GRANDPARENTS SCAM THIS THIS FASCINATING SCAM AND RATHER THAN THE WAY WE APPROACH IT THAT WE THINK IS HELPFUL IS THAT RATHER THAN TRYING TO EXPLAIN EVERY SINGLE SCAM THAT
COULD BE COMING UP WE TRY TO TEACH THEM THE TRICKS THAT ARE BEING DEPLOYED TO GET THEM TO GET SCAMMED. RIGHT? SO RATHER THAN TRYING TO COVER THE WHOLE INFIELD WITH WHAT IT COULD BE WE SAY NO,
THERE'S A FEW TRICKS THAT WE'RE TRYING TO DO AND IF YOU CONTROL YOUR INFORMATION YOU VERIFY THAT'S GOING TO PROTECT YOU AGAINST THE LION'S SHARE OF THE SCAMS. AND SO I THINK THAT HELPS KIND
OF TAKE THE TEMPERATURE DOWN. PEOPLE DON'T THINK THAT THEY'RE GOING TO NEED A PHD IN COMPUTER SCIENCE COMING OUT OF OUR 45 MINUTE PRESENTATION LIKE IT'S VERY MUCH GEARED TOWARDS THE SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES THEY HAVE. WE FOCUS ON COMMON SENSE THINGS ARE TOO GOOD TO BE TRUE.
THEY ARE AND THEN WE TEACH THEM WAYS TO KIND OF IMPLEMENT THAT AND THE TRICKS THAT THEY NEED AND WE'VE FOUND IT TO BE YOU KNOW, PRETTY PRETTY WELL RECEIVED A PRETTY SUCCESSFUL LIKE WE'VE DONE IT REPEATEDLY WITH A LOT OF OFFICERS WHO I
THINK SEE THE VALUE IN IT AS WELL. SO YOU KNOW, WE REALLY LOOK FORWARD TO CONTINUING THIS IN 2025. I REALLY ENJOY DOING IT. IT'S A REALLY REWARDING WAY TO
GIVE BACK AND I THINK IT'S A BIG PROBLEM IN THE WAY WE SEE IT IS THAT WE'RE KIND OF LIKE PREVENTATIVE MEDICINE SO YOU DON'T TO GET THE POLICE INVOLVED YOU DON'T HAVE TO SUFFER THESE LOSSES.
WE CAN GIVE YOU A LITTLE BIT OF A BOOST. WE'RE TRYING TO DEAL WITH THIS A LITTLE MORE CONFIDENTLY WITH MORE AWARENESS AND A LITTLE BIT A FEW EASILY DIGESTIBLE AND REPLICABLE SKILLS AND TRICKS THAT THAT WILL HOPEFULLY KEEPS
THE YOU'RE SAFE SO YOU KNOW HAPPY TO CONTINUE TO ENGAGE IN THE CITY ON THIS AND CONTINUE TO WORK TO HELP. I KNOW BOTH COMMISSIONER SHEA AND THE POLICE IN THE MAYOR'S OFFICE WITH THIS REALLY IMPORTANT TOPIC SO THANK YOU AGAIN FOR HAVING ME. AWESOME. THANK YOU.
I'LL GO TO MY COLLEAGUES NOW FOR QUESTIONS. COME TO MY PHONE. THANK YOU. COUNCILOR MURPHY, COUNCILOR MEJIA AND MY OTHER COLLEAGUES THAT ARE HERE AS
WELL. FIRST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE ADMINISTRATION THAT IS HERE AND ALSO TO ADMIN FROM AT&T THE IMPORTANT WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING HELPING HELPING OUR
SENIORS ACROSS ACROSS BOSTON UM COMMISSIONER SHEA AND THEN I'M GOING TO ASK COMMISSIONER SHEA AND THEN I'LL ASK JERRY DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT CAHILL THE SAME
QUESTION. COMMISSIONER YOU YOU MENTIONED CRYPTOCURRENCY AND AND FOR THE PEOPLE AT HOME THAT ARE
WATCHING THIS ON TELEVISION, CAN YOU EXPLAIN WHAT THAT SCAM IS OR AND HOW IT MIGHT IMPACT THE ELDERLY AND THEN THEN I'LL
ASK THE DEPUTY MAYBE IF HE HAS ANY TIPS ON HOW NOT TO BE A VICTIM OF THAT. YEAH, I CAN I CAN ATTEMPT I WILL SAY THAT I'M KIND OF NEW LEARNING THIS I WAS I LEARNED
ABOUT IT THE OTHER DAY WHEN I WAS TWO DAYS AGO WHEN I WAS MEETING WITH AARP SO I THINK I OUR BPP FRIENDS MAY HAVE MORE
BUT SO MY UNDERSTANDING IS THAT THERE ARE KIOSKS WHERE YOU CAN
BUY BITCOIN AND THAT THAT PEOPLE WILL SCAMMER WILL MAKE A CONNECTION AND SAY YOU KNOW
WHATEVER IT IS I DAY FORM A RELATIONSHIP SOMEHOW SAY THEN THAT THEY NEED MONEY AND WHERE THEY MIGHT IN PREVIOUS TIMES
MIGHT HAVE SAID YOU KNOW CAN YOU GO GET ME $1,000 OF IN GIFT CARDS AND SEND IT TO ME NOW THEY MAY SAY I NEED YOU TO GO TO THE KIOSK AND GET ME BITCOIN
PIN AND SEND THAT TO ME. SO I THINK IT'S JUST ANOTHER KIND OF AND AND THERE THAT IT ATMS OR WHENEVER ARE LIKE ARE NOT REGULATED IN THE SAME KIND
OF A WAY CORRECT THAT MONEY ATM IS AND SO I THINK IT'S HARDER TO TRACE MAYBE WHERE THAT MONEY IS GOING. AM I CORRECT CORRECT PRETTY MUCH OKAY YOU WOULD YOU LIKE TO
PHONE LIKE DEPUTY I MEAN YOU HAVE SHE SAID THAT IT'S BECOMING A VERY HUGE ISSUE THE BITCOIN AND THE CRYPTOCURRENCY SCAMMING RECENTLY WE'VE SEEN IT
IN OUR OFFICE. WE HAVE TO ANALYSTS ASSIGNED TO FINANCIAL CRIMES AS WELL AS PRETTY MUCH A DETECTIVE THAT IS ONE OF HIS MAJOR, YOU KNOW, CRIMES HE LOOKS AT WHAT YOU
RECENTLY WE WE'VE LOCATED APPROXIMATELY 40 BITCOIN ATMS AROUND IT WITHIN THE CITY I THINK IT'S 40 EXACTLY WE ACTUALLY ARE IN THE PROCESS WE'RE MAKING A FLIER UP WHERE WE'RE GOING TO PLACE OUT THESE
ATMS. IT'S PRETTY MUCH A SCAM ALERT MAKING SURE YOU KNOW THAT THERE'S SOME THERE'S GOING TO BE SOME WRITING ON IT THANKS TO DEPUTY GRANT SHE'S GOING ALREADY UP TO THE CSOS AND STUFF LIKE THAT TO GET TO THE ELDERLY AS WELL.
SO WE'RE DEFINITELY LOOKING THIS MUCH HARDER AND MAKING SURE THAT IT'S BEING LOOKED AT . IF SOMEONE GOES TO AN ATM, A BITCOIN ATM THEY KNOW MAKE SURE THIS IS LEGIT BEFORE YOU DO IT.
WE'VE SEEN CASES LIKE YOU SAY LIKE LIKE WE'VE SAID THEY'RE SOMEONE MADE PHONE RELATIONSHIP WITH SOMEONE AND THEY'D SAID HEY I HAVE THIS GREAT INVESTMENT TO DO Y YOU GIVE ME $100,000 IN BITCOIN AND WE
CAN DOUBLE OUT QUICKLY, YOU KNOW, THINGS LIKE THAT. SO WE'RE TRYING TO INFORM THE PUBLIC MORE AND MORE ESPECIALLY ON THE BITCOIN SIDE THAT MAKE SURE THIS IS LEGIT YOU KNOW
THIS PERSON OR YOU KNOW IT'S A LEGIT COMPANY THAT YOU'RE DOING THIS WITH SO IT IS BECOMING A VERY BIG ISSUE. THANK THANK YOU DEPUTY AND THANK YOU COMMISSIONER. MAYBE AS A FOLLOW UP, EDMOND, I
KNOW YOU'VE BEEN TALKING TO RESIDENTS ACROSS THIS CITY IN HAVING COFFEE AND TALKING TO THEM ABOUT WAYS THAT THEY CAN PREVENT BEING A VICTIM OF OF FRAUD.
HAVE YOU HEARD ABOUT THIS AND HAVE YOU HEARD ANY STORIES FROM RESIDENTS AND WHAT IS IT WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR WE HAVEN'T WE HAVEN'T HEARD OF BITCOIN
BUMP YET IN ONE OF OUR KIND OF HEARINGS OR HEARINGS WORKSHOPS I WOULD SAY I THINK
THAT'S A LITTLE I MEAN WE SORT OF FOCUS ON HELPING SENIORS IDENTIFY PROBLEMATIC LIKE EMAILS THAT COME IN OR IN TEXT MESSAGES OR PHONE CALLS.
AND SO PART OF WHAT FOCUS ON MORE OF IS LIKE CONTROLLING THE FLOW OF INFORMATION SO THEY'LL TRY TO CONFUSE THEM AND SAY OH, WHAT'S YOUR BANK CALLING? SO US YOUR ACCOUNT NUMBER? OH YEAH. AND WE TRY TO SAY OKAY WELL
LET'S LET'S STOP FOR A SECOND, HANG UP THE PHONE AND VERIFY AND CALL THE BANK YOURSELF YOU KNOW ONCE THEY'VE BEEN IN YOU KNOW WE ALSO REALLY STRESSED TO FOLKS LIKE IF YOU'RE NOT SURE WHO THESE FOLKS ARE LIKE HANG
UP THE PHONE AND DON'T TALK TO THEM BECAUSE NOTHING GOOD WILL COME OF THAT. I'M JUST NOT FAMILIAR ENOUGH WITH THIS SPECIFIC SCAM TO KNOW LIKE HOW WE WOULD DEAL WITH IT IN OUR WORKSHOP NECESSARILY. NO THANK YOU.
I'M DEPUTY JUST SO GLOBALLY AND NATIONWIDE CYBER AND CRYPTOCURRENCY FRAUDS AND SCAMS ACCOUNT FOR THE GREATEST ALL LOSS BY SENIORS. UNFORTUNATELY THIS IS A VERY
DIFFICULT, YOU KNOW CRIME TO SOLVE TO GET SOMEONE TO YOU KNOW, TO COME JUST WITH THIS BEING A LOT OF THESE ACTORS ARE OVERSEAS SO OUR BIGGEST OUR BIGGEST CONCERN IS THE IMMEDIATE CONCERN IS TRYING TO
YOU KNOW, FREEZE THE FUNDS IF WE CAN FIND WHAT EXCHANGE THEY WENT THROUGH. THE DETECTIVES ARE LOOKING AT THAT. THE THAT'S THE BIGGEST CONCERN RIGHT NOW IF LEADS TO SOMEWHERE WHERE WE CAN SEE SOMEONE ACTUALLY DOING IT WHETHER IT'S
IN THE U.S. OR OVERSEAS. I MEAN OF COURSE WE'LL TRY TO, YOU KNOW, PROSECUTE TO THE MOST TO THE GREATEST EXTENT BUT IS VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND THE PERSON THAT'S DOING IT. THANK YOU, JERRY.
AND AND I GUESS MY FINAL QUESTION I'LL ASK TO A DEPUTY GRANT I KNOW THE IMPORTANT ROLE THE ASIAN AND ASIAN POLICE OFFICERS PLAY IN BOSTON.
THERE ARE EXCEPTIONAL POLICE OFFICERS THE WAY THEY RELATE TO THE COMMUNITY IN CHINATOWN I SEE IT EVERY DAY. ARE WE ENSURING THAT WHEN WE DO
SOME OF THIS OUTREACH WE ARE ALSO DOING IT IN CANTONESE AS IN COMMUNICATING IN CANTONESE IN OTHER LANGUAGES THAT PEOPLE MAY SPEAK OTHER THAN ENGLISH
LIKE SPANISH BUT COULD WE FOCUS ON CANTONESE BECAUSE I HAVE A LARGE CHINESE COMMUNITY BUT I JUST WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT WE ARE ALSO ENSURING THAT THERE EDUCATED AS PART OF THIS PROCESS AS WELL.
ABSOLUTELY. ABSOLUTELY. SO ONE OF THE THINGS THAT WE'RE GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE THE LANGUAGE ACCESS I'M COMMUNICATIONS HERE WITH THE CITY SO ANYTHING THAT WE HAVE
PRINTED IN ENGLISH MAKE SURE WE GET IN OTHER LANGUAGES. THIS FLIER WAS JUST GIVEN TO ME YESTERDAY SO I'M GOING TO ENSURE LIKE THE OFFICERS OF A-1 HAVE IT IN CANTONESE AND ALSO THE OFFICERS AT T 11 GET IT IN VIETNAMESE.
SO THEN I WAY EVERYONE KNOWS SO WE'VE BEEN WE UTILIZE THEM QUITE A BIT WE TRY NOT TO OVERBURDENED THEM WITH TOO MANY REQUESTS BUT WE TRY TO GET THEM IN THAT WAY. EVERYONE THAT WE TALK TO WE GAUGE WHAT WE HAVE THE LANGUAGE
THAT REPRESENTS ALL THE FLIERS SO THE INFORMATION IS THERE. THANK YOU DEPUTY DEPUTY WHEN THAT FLIER IS TRANSLATED IN CANTONESE WOULD YOU EMAIL IT TO ME?
ABSOLUTELY. SO I'D LIKE TO POST TODAY OF A LARGE GROUP THAT I COMMUNICATE WITH TO MY STAFF IN CANTONESE. SO THANK YOU DEPUTY.
MADAM CHAIR I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS. CONSUL FISHER. THANK YOU, MADAM CHAIR. I GUESS FIRST OFF TYPICAL YOU
TALK TO THIS A LITTLE BIT ABOUT WHERE THIS IS COMING FROM. YOU SAID OVERSEAS BUT IS THERE ANY MORE IS THERE ANY MORE SPECIFICS OR DYNAMICS THAT WHAT WE NORM A WHERE THESE ORIGINATE
JUST BECAUSE I KNOW WE COULD SAY OVERSEAS OR ANOTHER COUNTRY BUT IS THERE ANYTHING IS THERE IN SPECIFICS OR IS THERE THE WHAT LIKE A YEAH I DON'T WANT
YOU TO PUT ANY NOTES. NO I KNOW, I KNOW. I KNOW SCOTT I CAN'T LIKE I COULDN'T SAY EXACTLY SWAP IS IT IS IT'S VERY DIFFICULT TO FIND THE EXACT LOCATION. YEAH IF WE COULD WE WOULD WE'VE
HAD OTHER INVESTIGATIONS OVERSEAS WHERE ARRESTS WERE MADE FOR DIFFERENT DIFFERENT CRIMES I SHOULD SAY. SO IF WE COULD IF WE COULD SOMEHOW FIND OUT WHERE THESE WAS WE WORK WITH FEDERAL
PARTNERS ESPECIALLY TO HELP US WITH PROSECUTION BECAUSE THE AMOUNT OF MONEY BEING LOST IS VERY, VERY SIGNIFICANT AND THE THE LIVES THAT ARE BEING YEAH, YOU KNOW, DESTROYED ALMOST IS
VERY SIGNIFICANT. SO WE'D LOVE TO BE ABLE TO FIND OUT WHO WAS ACTUALLY DOING THIS. WHERE THE MONEY IS GOING IS IS TRUE WHEN IT COMES TO YOUR CELL PHONE OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT. IS THAT ANYTHING LIKE IS THAT TRACING BACK AN IP ADDRESS TO
THAT EFFECT BECAUSE I KNOW LIKE IT I SOME SOMEBODY WAS HARASSING ME AT ONE POINT AND I HAD TO WE HAD TO GET AUTHORIZATION FROM THE COMPANY TO SAY YOU HAVE TO GIVE US YOUR
IP ADDRESS SO WE CAN GO THROUGH THAT COMPANY TO TRACE BACK TO SEE WHERE IT IS COMING FROM. SOME OF IT SOME OF IT THEY WOULDN'T GIVE UP THE IP ADDRESS, THE COMPANY WOULDN'T GIVE IT UP. SO I, I MEAN WE'VE HAD
INVESTIGATIONS WITH DIFFERENT DIFFERENT YOU KNOW, GOOGLE OR DIFFERENT PLACES WHERE WE'D GET SUBPOENAS FOR DIFFERENT IP ADDRESSES OR THINGS LIKE THAT. A LOT OF THEM ARE FAKE JUST TO
BE HONEST BUT IF LIKE I SAID IF WE CAN FIND SOMEONE THAT IT'S REAL AND GOES TO SOMEONE WILL INVESTIGATE. FOLEY YEAH. THANK YOU. AND THE QUESTION ON DO WE HAVE AND I SHOULD PROBABLY HAVE
LOOKED AT THIS ALREADY BUT IS THERE A WEBSITE OR ANYTHING WE HAVE THAT HAS THE LIKE GRAPHICS AND PICTURES OF WHAT THE LATEST SCAMS ARE SO PEOPLE CAN GO SAY YOU GET IT ON YOUR PHONE AND
YOU KNOW WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE? IF I COULD GO TO THE LATEST SCAMS AD BOSTON DARK BACKSLASH PASSCODE THE LATEST SCAMS AND JUST SEE AND IF THAT'S SOMETHING THAT'S UPDATED WHERE YOU COULD ALWAYS CONSTANTLY
HAVE THE NEWEST AND THAT WAY I COULD JUST LOOK AT MY PHONE AND SAY OKAY YEP THAT'S THE EXACT WAY THE TEXT LOOKS LIKE AND THERE'S ALL OPTIONS AND THIS IS THERE I THINK WE HAVE TO THAT DEGREE NOW NOT TO WHAT I JUST
DESCRIBED BUT ANYWAY GO THAT WE CAN KNOW WHAT THE LATEST SCAMS ARE ON A CITY WEBSITE DON'T BELIEVE THAT OKAY I THINK THAT'S SOMETHING WE CAN LOOK AT
ESPECIALLY ON THE FACEBOOK BOSTON POLICE'S NEW WEBSITE THAT WE HAVE. YEAH THAT UNDER WE CAN MAKE SURE THAT SOMETHING LIKE THAT WE WE CONSTANTLY TRY TO UPDATE THINGS WHERE WE'RE SENDING INFORMATION OUT ESPECIALLY FROM
OUR FINANCIAL ANALYSTS WHEN THEY SEE DIFFERENT SCAMS YEAH WE SEND OUT A LOT OF PRODUCTS ON THE NEWEST THINGS WHAT TO SEE WHAT WHAT WHAT'S BEING SAID OR YOU KNOW WHAT MIGHT BE SOME PHISHING EMAILS THAT CHECK
THESE SPECIFIC TYPES YOU SAID THE EASY PASS TEXT THESE DAYS I'VE GOTTEN THEM I THINK ALMOST EVERYBODY'S GOTTEN THEM BUT IT'S A AN IDEA WE CAN DEFINITELY LOOK AT. YEAH. AND EVEN IF THAT MIGHT BE FOR
ON OUR END AS WELL WHAT WE CAN DO ON THE CITY WEBSITE SO THAT PEOPLE JUST UNDERSTAND THEY HAVE A PLACE TO GO AND CAN LOOK AT WHATEVER SCAM THEY RECEIVED FIND THE VERY SIMILAR THING ONLINE IF THERE'S A PICTURE OR SOMETHING I JUST FEEL LIKE
ESPECIALLY IF WE'RE TALKING ABOUT SENIOR CITIZENS AS WELL IT JUST MIGHT BE EASIER TO MATCH UP. OKAY AND I THINK THAT'S WHY WE WOULD GET MONEY GRANTS HELP WE
TRY TO GET TO THE CECIL'S PAPER STUFF I'VE SEEN ON I'M NOT SAYING THAT THEY'RE NOT ADJUSTED TO AS MUCH AS ON THE ONLINE STUFF SO WE WANT TO SHOW THEM IN PERSON WHAT THEY HAVE SO WE TRY TO PUSH THAT AS MUCH AS POSSIBLE. YEP. YEP.
FAIR ENOUGH. SEBASTIAN I THINK ALSO WANTED TO MAKE SURE PLEASE I DON'T KNOW 100% FOR SURE BUT I BELIEVE ON THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS WEBSITE THERE IS A SECTION THAT
HAS INFORMATION REGARDING CURRENT SCAMS. I DON'T KNOW IF IT'S SPECIFICALLY UPDATED TO SHOW LIKE OF CURRENT CYBER SCAMS OR
NEW CYBER SCAMS BUT I BELIEVE WE DO HAVE SOME OF THAT MATERIAL ON THE CONSUMER AFFAIRS WEBSITE. YEAH AND YOU ONLY SEE THE FACT THAT THAT WHENEVER WHENEVER THE NEXT ITERATION OF THE SCAM IS THAT COMES OUT AND WHEN WE GET
IT IT WOULD JUST BE NICE TO BE LIKE OKAY I'M UNSURE LET ME JUST GO ONLINE AND SEE IF IT'S BEEN YOU KNOW, POSTED AS A OKAY THIS AND THEN THEN YOU KIND OF KNOW HOW TO TREAT IT IF
NOT FOR THE LAST LIKE YEAR WITH ALL ALL THESE SCAMS ESPECIALLY THE ELDERLY WITH THE AMOUNT OF MONEY LIKE WE SAID $12 MILLION LAST YEAR JUST IN BOSTON THAT WE KNOW OF WE STARTED WE GOING TO START SENDING EMAILS OUT TO ALL THESE COMMUNITIES ESPECIALLY THE
COMMUNITY MEETINGS JUST FOR OUR FINANCIAL NEWS TO TALK ABOUT THE DIFFERENT SCAMS THAT GOING DOWN. WE DID THAT ALL LAST YEAR AT OUR COMMUNITY COMMITTEE AS THERE WAS ALWAYS A PIECE ON FRAUD WHAT WAS GOING ON SO
WE'RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO DO THAT. MAKE SURE YOU'RE TALKING TO THE NEIGHBORHOODS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. KNOW NO FURTHER QUESTIONS AND THANK YOU ALL. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FOR AN INNOCENT PERSON. THANK YOU. GOOD MORNING, COMMISSIONER.
I GUESS MY QUESTIONS ARE MORE FOR YOU. THERE ARE RESOURCES FOR SENIORS SPECIFICALLY SPECIFICALLY THERE ARE PROGRAMS CURRENTLY IN PLACE TO EDUCATE SENIORS ABOUT SCAMS
AROUND HOME OWNERSHIP OR CONTRACTORS AND I DON'T KNOW ABOUT SPECIFICALLY ABOUT KIND
OF HOME OWNERSHIP OR CONTRACT OWNERS. WHAT I WOULD SAY TO THAT LIKE VERY SPECIFIC SCAM AND KIND HOW
DO YOU GO ABOUT HIRING A GOOD HOME CONTRACTOR AND UNDERSTAND HOW TO VET SOMEBODY? I WILL SAY THAT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING CLOSELY WITH THE BOSTON
HOME CENTER AND WE'RE TALKING ABOUT ROLLING OUT A SERIES OF WORKSHOPS FOR OLDER HOMEOWNERS AND THAT IS KIND OF A PIECE OF WHAT COMES COMES
UP WITH OLDER HOMEOWNERS. I THINK THERE'S A LOT THERE'S OFTEN WORRY ABOUT WHAT STEPS TO TAKE AND HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU'RE HIRING THE RIGHT PERSON
AND THAT'S SOMETHING THAT THE HOME CENTER DOES DO A LOT OF TALKING TO AND KIND OF COACHING PEOPLE. AND SO WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT IT GETS INTO SOME TYPE
OF KIND OF REGULAR WORKSHOP THAT WE'RE THAT WE'RE DOING AND THEN YOU ALL DO SOME LOOKING
INTO THIS FOR THE HOMEOWNER THE HOME IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTOR SCAMS I'M PRETTY POSITIVE THEY ACTUALLY HAVE PAMPHLETS IN THE OFFICE THAT DISCUSS HOW TO
AVOID THE SCAM, BE ABLE TO RECOGNIZE THEM AND THE PROCESS WHEN IT COMES TO EITHER SIGNING AND PAYING THAT CONTRACT AND ENSURING THAT THE WORK IS DONE PROPERLY AND I'M MORE THAN
HAPPY TO PUT SOME OF THOSE TOGETHER TO BRING IT DOWN TO THE COUNCIL AS WELL. THANK YOU. YOU ACTUALLY ANSWER MY NEXT QUESTION ABOUT HOW ARE YOU
USING RESOURCES CITY RESOURCES TO EDUCATE SENIORS AND WORKING WITH HOME CENTER. I WONDER IF YOU COULD GO A LITTLE BIT FURTHER INTO STRATEGIES IN PLACE TO
SPECIFICALLY PERSUADE SENIORS WITH LACK OF ADEQUATE DIGITAL ACCESS OR OF CAPACITY? SURE, SURE. SO SO THERE ARE A NUMBER
OF THINGS THAT WE DO TO GET OUT INTO THE COMMUNITY AND MAKE SURE THAT WE'RE EDUCATING OLDER ADULTS. SO FIRST OF ALL WE USE OUR SENIORITY MAGAZINE TO HIGHLIGHT
DIFFERENT SCAMS EVERY MONTH. WE ALSO HAVE A PROGRAM CALLED MONEY SMARTS FOR OLDER ADULTS AND WE TRAIN OUR AMERICORPS
SENIORS RSVP PROGRAM RSVP VOLUNTEERS TO RUN THIS PROGRAM. IT'S A CURRICULUM THAT THEY THAT THEY UTILIZE AND THEY GO
OUT AND RUN THE PROGRAM WITH GROUPS OF OLDER ADULTS IN THE COMMUNITY. WE ALSO WORK CLOSELY WITH PARTNERS LIKE I, I BPD
PARTNERS, OUR AT&T PARTNERS, THE DA'S OFFICE, AARP ALL OF THOSE GROUPS ALSO GO OUT AND DO IN-PERSON WORKSHOPS WITH
GROUPS OF OLDER ADULTS WHERE THEY'RE EDUCATING ABOUT SCAM PREVENTION BECAUSE FRANKLY YOU YOU'VE YOU HEARD DEPUTY SUPERINTENDENT CAHILL TALK A
LITTLE BIT ABOUT NUMBERS BUT SCAMS ARE REALLY OUR AND WE NEED TO FIGURE OUT LIKE HOW WE GET THE SCAMMERS ONCE IT'S
HAPPENED BUT THAT'S ACTUALLY VERY DIFFICULT TO DO SO I THINK WE DO SPEND A LOT OF OUR TIME TRYING TO FIGURE OUT HOW DO WE EDUCATE PEOPLE ABOUT THE SCAMS
AND ABOUT CHANGING SCAMS SO THAT WE CAN HOPEFULLY PREVENT THOSE SCAMS FROM HAPPENING IN THE FIRST PLACE. THANK YOU.
YOU AGAIN ANSWERED MY NEXT QUESTION. ARE THERE EXISTING PROGRAMS THAT VERIFIES LIKE SPECIFICALLY LEGITIMACY I KNOW YOU'RE
WORKING WITH THE YOU SAID BOSTON HOME CENTER IN TERMS OF WORKING WITH THEM ON AGAINST FRAUD FOR HOMEOWNERS HOMEOWNERS
BUT SPECIFICALLY ON REPAIRS WITH CONTRACTOR. I GUESS I'M JUST INTERESTED BECAUSE A LOT OF MY CONSTITUENTS COMPLAIN THAT THEY ARE GETTING SOLICITED FOR CONTRACTING SERVICES BUT THEY
ARE NOT SURE WHERE THEY COME FROM AND SENIORS SOMETIMES ARE MORE TRUSTING AND ALLOW THESE PEOPLE TO COME IN AND THEN THE JOB GETS UNDONE OR THEY CLAIM
OR EVEN WITH RENTERS I'VE BEEN GETTING CALLS ABOUT PEOPLE RENTING PROPERTY FROM SENIORS WHETHER IT BE A ROOM AND NOT EVENTUALLY NOT PAY BUT SENIORS NOT KNOWING HOW FOLLOW UP WITH
THAT OH SO RENTAL SO THEY'RE RENTING THEIR PROPERTY AND THEN SOMEONE'S NOT PAYING THEM THAT RIGHT. THEY'RE RENTING PROPERTY BUT THEY'RE ALSO CONTRACTING PEOPLE TO DO WORK THAT NEVER RETURNED
TO DO THE JOB. YEAH, SO I KNOW THAT THERE IS A STATE WIDE THERE IS A STATE DATABASE WHERE YOU CAN KIND OF LOOK UP A CONTRACTOR AND SEE
IF THEY'RE ACTUALLY LIKE A LICENSE AND SO I WOULD ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO MAKE SURE THAT WHENEVER THEY'RE WORKING
WITH A CONTRACTOR THAT IT'S A LICENSED CONTRACTOR THAT'S YOU YOU KNOW, IS KIND OF A REGISTERED CONTRACTOR SAY THEY WERE EXPERIENCING THIS. COULD THEY JUST CALL YOU AND
WHAT RESOURCE WOULD YOU REFER TO? YEAH. SO SO I, I THINK WE WOULD WORK WITH OUR HOME CENTER COLLEAGUES
I CAN'T REMEMBER SO SO THAT THAT LIST OF LICENSED CONTRACTORS AT THE STATE LEVEL I'M NOT IN THE DETAIL OF THIS WORK THE TIME SO I CAN'T
REMEMBER IT'S EITHER AT THE AND MAYBE SOMEBODY ELSE KNOWS IT'S EITHER AT THE THE OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND BUSINESS REGULATION OR IT'S
IT'S AT THE AG'S OFFICE. DOES SOMEBODY KNOW WHERE IT IS LICENSORS IS THAT WITH THE OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND
BUSINESS REGULATION SO SO I THINK SO MY TEAM WORKS WITH PEOPLE ALL THE TIME TO GET THEM CONNECTED BUT THERE IS A A LICENSED CONTRACTOR IF YOU KIND
OF GOOGLE LICENSED CONTRACTORS MASSACHUSETTS I THINK YOU COULD FIND IT BUT WE'D BE HAPPY THAT TO FIND THE RIGHT PLACE FOR THAT INFORMATION AND THAT IS
WHERE I WOULD HAVE SOMEBODY LOOK TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY HAD A LICENSED CONTRACTOR. AS I SAID, MY TEAM ALSO WORKS CLOSELY WITH THE HOME CENTER. THE HOME CENTER HAS BEEN DOING
A LOT OF COACHING FOR FOLKS IN TERMS OF MAKING SURE THAT THEY UNDERSTAND KIND OF HOW TO NAVIGATE LICENSED CONTRACTORS AND HAVE IT HOW THEY GET
CONNECTED TO CONTRACTORS THAT WILL ACTUALLY DO THE WORK. NO THANK YOU. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO THANK YOU.
A FEW QUESTIONS. OH NO JUST OH YEAH ON CONSUL FITZGERALDS WE DO ACTUALLY HAVE A ALERT SCHEME FOR THE COMMUNITY ON BOSTON POLICE DOT NEWS WHICH IS POLICE DOT BOSTON
DOT GOV WHICH YOU CAN SEE ALL THE SCHEMES SOME SCAMS WILL GIVE IT ALERTS COMMUNITY THAT'S GOOD ALSO I THINK IT IS
IMPORTANT TO SEE WHEN THAT SCAM CAME OUT WITH THE PAYING THE PARKING TICKET AND I MEAN EVEN WHEN I FIRST LOOKED AT IT IT DID LOOK REAL AND OF COURSE WHEN YOU HAVE A FEW HOURS AND
YOU ZOOM IN THERE WERE OBVIOUSLY IT WAS BOSTON.COM OR OTHER THINGS BUT PEOPLE ARE TRUSTING SO OBVIOUSLY AND I DO THINK THE ONE THING I'VE ALWAYS FELT IS ESPECIALLY OUR SENIORS
BUT NOT JUST OUR SENIORS THEY FEEL EMBARRASSED RIGHT THEN THEY DON'T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT. THEY DON'T WANT TO ADMIT IT AND YOU DID MENTION WHICH I THINK A STAGGERING $12 MILLION HOW MUCH
DO YOU THINK ISN'T REPORTED BECAUSE YOU DID IT PROBABLY A LOT I WOULD THINK A LOT. I MEAN LIKE YOU SAID, COUNSELOR, A LOT OF PEOPLE JUST EMBARRASSED THAT THEY FELL FOR
SCAMS, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE PEOPLE ALWAYS ASK HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU FALL FOR THAT? SO I GUARANTEE IS A LOT MORE THAT JUST ON REPORTED AND YOU'RE GOING TO COMMUNITY
EVENTS WHICH ARE GREAT I KNOW WE'RE HAVING A IN PERSON SENIOR PROGRAMING EVENT WE'RE TRYING TO NAIL DOWN THE DATE AND STUFF BUT AT THE ALSO I DO THINK GOING FORWARD TOO ON THE
COUNCIL WHEN WE KNOW WE'LL HAVE EVENTS WHERE A LARGE AMOUNT OF SENIORS WILL BE WE SHOULD DEFINITELY REACH OUT TO ALL OF YOU EVEN IF YOU'RE SHARING FLIERS FOR US TO BRING OURSELVES IF YOU CAN ATTEND YOURSELF. BUT I THINK THAT COLLABORATION
WOULD BE HELPFUL TO OUR SENIORS BECAUSE WE ARE SENIORS LIKE US TO SHOW UP SO A LOT OF US ARE OFTEN WITH SENIORS ACROSS THE CITY SO THAT'S IMPORTANT I DID
TO YOU. SEBASTIAN, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE. I KNOW YOU STEPPED IN FOR CAROL AND APPRECIATE ALL THE WORK YOU DO AND A FEW OF THE THINGS YOU TOUCHED ON WHEN YOU DID YOUR INTRODUCTION IN WHICH I THOUGHT
WAS IMPORTANT YOU TALKED ABOUT H STRONG WHICH WAS THE FOCUS OF TODAY BUT ALSO THE YOUTH ADVANCEMENT. YOU TALKED ABOUT LANGUAGE ACCESS AND THEN YOU ALSO TALKED ABOUT VETERANS ARE FIRST THANK
YOU FOR KIND OF COVERING ALL THAT BUT IF YOU COULD KIND OF TALK ABOUT THE AMOUNT OF LIKE RESOURCES IS MOST OF IT TOWARDS OUR SENIORS OR IS IT A
BROAD ACROSS THE BOARD? IT'S VERY BROAD BECAUSE MOST OF THE CASES THAT I SHOULDN'T SAY MOST ALL OF THE CASES WE GET ARE THROUGH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE OTHER THAN THE OCCASIONAL PHONE CALL THAT WE
GET IN WHEN WE GET THOSE PHONE CALLS WE WE LISTEN TO WHAT THEY'RE SAYING AND FIND OUT WHAT THEY WHAT THE ISSUE IS AND HOW QUICKLY WE SOMETHING NEEDS TO BE REACTED TO LIKE THE
EXAMPLE I'VE USED EARLIER WITH THE ELDERLY RESIDENT IN QUINCY THAT WAS SOMETHING THAT NEEDED IMMEDIATE ATTENTION. THEY DIDN'T HAVE TIME TO FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT WITH THE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE.
GENERALLY IF IT'S SOMETHING THAT'S NOT AS IMMEDIATE THEY'LL GET WE'LL HELP THEM FILE A FORMAL COMPLAINT AND ONCE IT'S THROUGH SENSE TO US THROUGH THE
AG WE THEN WORK THAT CASE. BUT IT'S A BROAD SPECTRUM OF CASES. I DON'T EXACTLY KNOW HOW MANY ARE SPECIFICALLY ELDERLY OR NOT THOUGH.
OKAY NOW THAT'S GOOD. DEPUTY CAHILL YOU TALKED ABOUT CRYPTO BEING THE GREATEST NOW IS THAT BECAUSE IT'S THE NEWEST IT'S THE HARDEST TO TRACK LIKE
WILL THE NEXT NEW THING BE IS THAT OFTEN THE TREND OF THE FIRST YOU KNOW THE NEW THING BECOMES THE ONE THAT PEOPLE FOCUS ON BECAUSE WE HAVEN'T REALLY FIGURED OUT HOW TO STOP IT. YEAH, IT'S ALWAYS GOING TO ADVANCE. PEOPLE ARE JUST GOING TO COME
UP WITH NEW SCAMS TO DO YOU KNOW IN CRYPTO RIGHT NOW IT'S JUST SO TOUGH I THINK ESPECIALLY NOW WITH AI GETTING SO BIG THAT'S I THINK RIGHT NOW FRAUD EXPERTS REPORTING THAT AI
IS GOING TO BE ESPECIALLY BE A FORCE MULTIPLIER NOW IT'S GOING TO BE PROBABLY THE BIGGEST THING GOING. IT'S JUST GOING TO GET IT MORE DIFFICULT TO TO TO FIND FIND OUT WHO'S DOING IT LIKE I SAID
RIGHT NOW WE'RE JUST TRYING TO MAKE SURE IF WE CAN TO STOP THE THE EXCHANGE OF MONEY IF WE CAN TO GET AS MUCH BACK AS WE CAN FOR THESE FOLKS. BUT IT IS IT IS VERY TOUGH AND
ALWAYS WHEN IT COMES TIME FOR, YOU KNOW, BUDGET SEASON IF ANY OF YOU WANT TO TOUCH ON KNOWING LIKE YOU SAID, IT'S HARDER A.I. A NEW TECHNOLOGY IF THERE'S ANY
CONCERNS GOING FORWARD, IF ANY PROGRAMS WE'RE LEARNING A LOT OF OUR PROGRAMS OVER THE LAST FEW YEARS MAY HAVE BEEN PROGRAMS FUNDED THROUGH LIKE COVID FUNDING THAT MAY RUN OUT, IS THERE ANY CONCERN IN YOUR
DEPARTMENTS OR FEELING A NEED NOW IS THIS IS GROWING TO HAVE MORE RESOURCES? IT'S GOING TO SAY YOU KNOW
WE'RE I THINK LUCKY AGE STRONG THEY'RE ABOUT 80% OF OUR STAFF ARE. I KIND OF CONSUMER FACING AND SO WITH ALL OF THAT INTERACTION
WITH OLDER PEOPLE IT GIVES A LOT OF OPPORTUNITY I THINK FOR EDUCATION. SO I THINK, YOU KNOW, THERE'S ALWAYS THERE'S ALWAYS A DESIRE
TO DO MORE BUT I THINK WE CAN ALSO USE THAT AVENUES THAT WE CURRENTLY HAVE. THANK YOU. I DON'T SPECIFICALLY KNOW WHAT
WHAT RESOURCES WERE COVID FUNDED OR NOT. I'M HAPPY TO GET THAT INFORMATION THOUGH. OKAY. THANK YOU. I KNOW WE ARE HAVING A COUPLE HEARINGS HERE ON THE
COUNCIL TRACKING THAT DOWN BUT IF YOU KNOW, THAT'D BE GREAT TO THE POLICE OR SO I THINK FOR THE BUREAU COMMUNITY. I MEAN JUST BEING INVITED INTO SPACES WHERE WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO TALK TO SENIORS YOU KNOW, WE'LL BRING THE
OFFICERS WILL BRING THE PAMPHLETS. IT'S JUST A MATTER OF BE INVITING TO THEM SPACES. YOU KNOW, WE DON'T YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT FORTUNATE THAT WE HAVE ALL THE SPACE IN THE WORLD TO HOST THINGS BUT WHENEVER WE'RE INVITED WILL BRING PAMPHLETS, WILL BRING BLUE
SHIRTS. SOMETIMES WE'LL BRING FOOD IF WE HAVE IT IF THEY ALREADY HAVE THE FOOD THAT'S A BONUS. BUT WE'LL WE'LL COME YOU KNOW BUT IT'S A MATTER TOO OF FINDING OUT WHERE THERE'S A NEED AND WHERE WE'RE INVITING TO THEM SPACES WE'D LOVE TO
COME AND TALK AND SHARE BECAUSE IT'S IMPORTANT TO GET IT OUT THERE. AWESOME. THANK YOU. WE'VE BEEN JOINED BY COUNCILOR EARL COTTRELL. IT'S YOUR TURN. YES.
THANK YOU, CHAIR AND THANK YOU TO THE PANEL FOR ALL YOUR SERVICE THAT YOU PROVIDE TO THE CITY OF BOSTON. SO I'M GOING TO TAKE YOU UP ON THAT OFFER.
WE DO HOST COFFEE HOURS WITH OUR MATURE ADULT I THINK LIKE EVERY EVERY MONTH. SO WE DEFINITELY LOVE TO CONNECT TO HAVE THAT SERVICE IN
RESOURCE THAT YOU GUYS CAN SHARE WITH WITH OUR WITH OUR MATURE ADULTS. YEAH, I DON'T HAVE ANY QUESTIONS NOW.
I'M AWARE YOU KNOW THE PROGRAM ALSO I KNOW THERE'S A PROGRAM OUT OF THE AG'S OFFICE AND ALSO OUT OF THE DA'S OFFICE I GUESS. YEAH I GUESS THAT WOULD BE THE
QUESTION HOW DO YOU COLLABORATE WITH THOSE PROGRAMS THAT ARE KIND OF THAT ARE DEALING WITH THIS SAME ELDER SCAM? HOW DO YOU GUYS COLLABORATE? SO I KNOW FOR US IT'S BEEN MORE I HATE TO SAY IT'S BEEN SOMETHING LIKE THIS LIKE A
LITTLE LIKE SOMETHING BRAND NEW THAT WE COME TOGETHER. WE'RE CURRENTLY GOING TO WORK WITH THE DISTRICT ATTORNEY'S OFFICE. I KNOW IN THE PAST THEY'VE COME OUT AND DONE THE OLD PRESENTATIONS BUT WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND GET I KNOW THERE'S BEEN A COUPLE OF PERSONNEL
CHANGES EVEN WITH EVEN WITH US. SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY TO COME TOGETHER. I REACHED OUT TO SOMEONE TODAY I'M HOPING TO HEAR BACK SO WE CAN START GETTING THEM OUT THE DISTRICTS BECAUSE A LOT OF THE DISTRICTS, YOU KNOW, ARE UNAWARE BECAUSE AGAIN THERE'S PERSONNEL CHANGES NEW PEOPLE IN
THE DISTRICTS ESPECIALLY THE COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICE. SO WE'RE GOING TO TRY AND GET THEM IN THERE. THE AG'S OFFICE THEY'VE COME OUT A COUPLE OF TIMES FOR OUR FAITH AND BLUE EVENTS SO WE'RE GOING TO PROBABLY, YOU KNOW, LOOP EVERYBODY IN BECAUSE I THINK THE MORE THE MERRIER AND
I THINK EVERYONE CAN BRING UP DIFFERENT EXAMPLES WHICH I'LL HELP YOU KNOW TALK ABOUT YOU KNOW OTHER SCAMS BECAUSE SOMETIMES IT'S A SENIOR IN A ROOM THAT THINKS I WAS IN A SCAM AND THEN WHEN I HEAR FROM
SOMEONE ELSE NOT NECESSARILY US THEN THEY'RE LIKE OH MY GOODNESS, THAT WAS ME THAT HAPPENED TO ME TWO WEEKS AGO. I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THAT WAS A SCAM. THEY THOUGHT IT WAS LEGITIMATE SO SOMETIMES IT'S BETTER TO BRING IN OTHER PARTNERS. GOT IT.
AND THEN I'M ASSUMING THAT THE BEST NUMBER TO CALL IS 911 BUT ALSO 911 IS LIKE I MEAN I SAY THIS IS NOT AN EMERGENCY BUT YOU KNOW WHEN WHERE WHEN WHEN A SENIOR FEELS LIKE THEY HAVE
BEEN SCAMMED IS THERE ANOTHER NUMBER TO CALL OR IS 911 STILL LIKE THE BEST NUMBER TO CALL THE BEST NUMBER BUT FOR US IT'S NICE WHEN WE HAVE A RELATIONSHIP OR THEY KNOW US. YOU KNOW ESPECIALLY THE COMMUNITY SERVICE OFFICERS
BECAUSE THEN THEY MIGHT FEEL MORE COMFORTABLE IF THEY COME TO THE HOUSE. BUT I DO WANT PEOPLE TO CALL AND I WANT TO SAY I'M NEVER GOING TO SAY NOT TO CALL NINE ONE. BUT I THINK EVEN WITH THIS THIS IS WHY IT'S UNDERREPORTED BECAUSE THEY THINK THAT THEY'RE
BOTHERING US. AND I ALWAYS YOU KNOW, WHEN I HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO SAY YOU'RE NOT BOTHERING US, LET US MAKE THE DETERMINATION IF WE CAN GET SOMEONE THERE NOW OR IT MIGHT BE A COUPLE OF MINUTES BECAUSE SOMETHING ELSE IS GOING ON BUT WE'LL GET YOU SOME IDEA
TO TAKE YOUR REPORT. AWESOME. ALL RIGHT. YEAH, NO FURTHER QUESTIONS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. I WILL. ONE QUESTION AT MINIMUM YOU MENTIONED ABOUT THE DISTRICTS
THAT YOU HAVE BEEN TO. YOU'RE NOT IN ALL OF THEM YET, DO YOU? IS THERE A WAY TO EXPAND THAT AND LIKE WHERE DOES THAT FUNDING COME FROM?
WELL, THE GOOD NEWS IS THE FUNDING IS NOT AN ISSUE FOR THAT. IT'S JUST ME GOING AROUND TO THE DIFFERENT DISTRICTS. SO THAT'S ONE BENEFIT EXCUSE ME WITH HOW WE SET UP THE PROGRAM. IT'S PRETTY REPEATABLE AND LOW
MAINTENANCE SO IF THERE'S BASICALLY A ROOM WITH AN OUTLET I CAN GO AND DO IT THERE. IT'S I BUILT THIS TO BE AS FLEXIBLE AND AS POSSIBLE SO WE'VE WE'VE WE'RE TRYING TO
TARGET THOSE OTHER DISTRICTS FOR THIS BASICALLY THE FIRST HALF OF 2025 TO SEE IF WE CAN GET IN THOSE PLACES. THAT'S OUR GOAL. WE REALLY WANT TO TRY TO DO
EVERY DISTRICT AND COUNCILOR FLYNN'S EARLIER POINT WE'VE DONE THE PRESENTATION IN SPANISH, MANDARIN AND CANTONESE WITH TRANSLATORS THROUGH THAT THE OFFICERS AND OFFICERS HAVE
BEEN WONDERFUL IN FLAGGING FOR US OKAY THIS POPULATION IS GOING TO BE YOU KNOW, LARGELY CHINESE KANJI, CANTONESE AND MANDARIN. THEY'RE GOING TO THEY WOULD HAVE THE TRANSLATORS THERE TO
THE EXTENT THAT WE MAY NOT HAVE THAT COVERED WE COULD LOOK AT OTHER FOLKS IN OUR COMPANY THAT COULD COVER DIFFERENT LANGUAGES OR WE WOULD WORK WITH THE POLICE TOO TO SORT THAT OUT. WE VERY MUCH WANT TO MAKE THIS
ACCESSIBLE TO THE ENTIRE POPULATION OF THE CITY AND THAT'S GOING TO BE SOMETHING WE'RE GOING TO BE LOOKING AT CONTINUE IN 2025 ALSO THAT'S GOOD. THANK YOU. DOES ANYONE HAVE ANY CLOSING
STATEMENTS OR ANY OTHER INFORMATION YOU WANT TO SHARE WITH US? IT'S JUST ONE THING FOR THE RECORD BECAUSE I KNOW COUNCILOR FERNANDEZ ANDERSON ASKED.
SO IT IS THE OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND BUSINESS REGULATION THAT HAS THE LIST OF REGISTERED AND HOME IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTORS AND ON THEIR WEBSITE YOU CAN CHECK A HOME
IMPROVEMENT CONTRACTOR REGISTRATION STATUS AND VIEW ANY COMPLAINTS AGAINST THEM. YOU CAN FILE A COMPLAINT. THERE'S A HOMEOWNER'S GUIDE TO HIRING A CONTRACTOR REQUIRED
CONTRACT TERMS OR SAMPLE CONTRACTS SO THERE'S LOTS OF RESOURCES ON THEIR WEBSITE AND THAT'S WHAT WE USUALLY GUIDE PEOPLE TO DO.
BOTH TEND TO CHECK AND MAKE SURE THE CONTRACTORS LICENSED AND ALSO WORK WITH THE HOME CENTER FOR ADDITIONAL COACHING . THANK YOU.
DID YOU ANYTHING ELSE? NO. GO AHEAD, SEBASTIAN. JUST A COUPLE OF OUTREACH EVENTS THAT CONSUMER AFFAIRS HAS GOING ON OR COMING UP RATHER THE FIRST WEEK OF MARCH
IS NATIONAL CONSUMER PROTECTION WEEK. SO THAT FIRST WEEK WE ARE DOING A COUPLE OF TABLING EVENTS. SO THE FOURTH WE'RE GOING TO BE
AT THE DORCHESTER LIBRARY. WE'RE ALSO GOING TO BE ON THE FOURTH AND THE FIFTH. WE'RE GOING TO BE AT THE WEST END LIBRARY AS WELL AS ON THE FIFTH WILL BE IN MATTAPAN AND
THEN ON THE SEVENTH WE'RE DOING A SCAM PREVENTION TABLING EVENT AT THE VA HOSPITAL AND THEN COUNCILOR FLYNN THIS ONE MIGHT BE SEEMS LIKE IT'LL BE REALLY
INTEREST ARE BENEFICIAL TO YOUR CONSTITUENTS ON MARCH 18TH WE'RE TEAMING UP WITH THE OFFICE OF CONSUMER AFFAIRS AND BUSINESS REGULATIONS IN
BRIGHTON AT THE COVENANT HOUSE . IT IS A SCAM PREVENTION AND IT'S GOING TO BE CONDUCTED IN CHINESE. IT'S A LARGE POPULATION.
OKAY THAT'S GOOD. THANK YOU. YEAH, GOOD JOB. JUST ONE FINAL THING TO START COUNCIL ONE FINAL THING LIKE DEPUTY GRANT SAID PLEASE IF PEOPLE ARE OUT THERE AND THEY
THINK THAT SOMETHING'S NOT RIGHT TO NOT GIVE ANY MONEY UP OR LIKE YOU SAID CRYPTOCURRENCY OR ANYTHING IF YOU FEEL IT'S NOT RIGHT CONTACT THE POLICE AND WE COULD ADVISE YOU BEFORE YOU SHOULD BEFORE THE REAL
TROUBLE STARTS AND IT GETS TOUGHER TO GET THE MONEY BACK. SO THERE'S NO THERE'S NOTHING WRONG WITH CONTACTING THE POLICE. YOU DON'T IF YOU DON'T KNOW THIS PERSON AND YOU THINK IT MIGHT BE SOMETHING AN ISSUE GOING ON SO PLEASE CONTACT THE POLICE.
THANK YOU. DO YOU HAVE ANY CLOSING REMARKS? I WOULD JUST THANK YOU FOR INVITING US. AND ONE THING I THINK WE'RE GOING TO START INCORPORATING MORE INTO THE PRESENTATION IS TRYING TO GET AT THAT STIGMA THAT WAS ALLUDED TO.
I DON'T THINK MAYBE WE EMPHASIZE ENOUGH JUST HOW PREVALENT IT IS AND TRY TO REMOVE SOME OF THE STIGMA. WE TRY TO REMOVE SOME OF THE OTHER CONCERNS FOLKS HAVE BUT THAT'S BEEN SOMETHING I WROTE DOWN IN MY NOTES HERE TOO TO REALLY START UNDERSCORING THE
PRESENTATION. SO THANK YOU VERY MUCH. THANK YOU, COUNCILOR FLYNN FOR TWO MONTHS THANK YOU TO THE PANELISTS FOR BEING HERE FOR THE IMPORTANT WORK YOU WERE
DOING. I THINK THIS HEARING HERE PROVIDED AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE PUBLIC TO LEARN ABOUT WHAT SOME OF THE SCAMS ARE THAT'S OUT
THERE AND SOME OF THE WAYS TO PREVENT THEM AS WELL. AND THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU ALL ARE DOING. SO I JUST WANT TO SAY THANK YOU. APPRECIATE THE WORK YOU'RE
DOING IN AND EDMOND, I AGREE WITH YOU THERE'S PROBABLY SOME STIGMA ABOUT BEING A VICTIM OF SCAMMING. IT'S ALMOST LIKE SOMEONE THAT HAD MENTAL HEALTH ISSUES YEARS
AGO THERE WAS A STIGMA TO GET TO GET COUNSELING NOW KIND OF THAT STIGMA IS EVAPORATING THAT THANKFULLY BUT I THINK YOU ARE RIGHT THERE IS A STIGMA FOR A VICTIM OF SCAMMING AND
THEY'RE HESITANT TO GO TO THE POLICE. BUT I I THINK EXACTLY WHAT YOU'RE DOING IS IS TRYING TO EDUCATE PEOPLE THAT, YOU KNOW,
IT'S NOTHING TO BE EMBARRASSED ABOUT. IT'S EVEN IF YOU ARE A VICTIM MAYBE YOU CAN HELP SOMEONE ELSE BE NOT BECOME A VICTIM. THEN MY FINAL MY FINAL POINT
WAS AND I AGAIN WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO COUNSELOR MURPHY, BUT MY FINAL POINT WAS SOME ACT OF WHAT THE DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS AND I WANT TO HIGHLIGHT THE WORK THEY ARE
DOING HERE IN BOSTON BUT ACROSS THE COUNTRY. BUT THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED AND I THINK COUNCILOR SHOW YOU MENTIONED IT AND I WORK WITH I WORK WITH MY FRIEND WHO'S THE COMMISSIONER OF VETERANS
SERVICES ROB SANTIAGO CLOSELY. THERE'S SOMETHING CALLED CLAIM SHOCKS WHICH BASICALLY MEANS IF YOU ARE APPLYING FOR VA COMPENSATION BENEFITS
COMPENSATION BUT IF YOU ARE APPLYING FOR COMPENSATION YOU ARE SOMEHOW YOU FIND THE NAME OR NUMBER OF A CLAIM SHOCK. IT MIGHT BE A LAWYER, MIGHT BE
A CONSULTANT TO SOMEONE AND YOU WOULD ASK THIS CLAIM SHOCK TO HELP YOU PROCESS YOUR VA CLAIM AND THAT IS ABOUT THE WORST
THING YOU POSSIBLY COULD DO WHEN YOU SIGN THE DOCUMENT SAYING THAT YOU'LL AGREE TO THE CLAIM SHOCK IN THEIR TERMS IT
MIGHT BE ONLY 1% BUT IT'S 1% OF YOUR COMPENSATION WHICH IS MONTHLY FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. SO IF YOU ARE COMPENSATED THEN MAYBE IT JUST AS AN EXAMPLE
MAYBE IT'S $1,000 YOU ARE GOING TO PAY A SIGNIFICANT FEE FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE. MY RECOMMENDATION IS THIS OUTSTANDING VETERANS SERVICE
ORGANIZATION IS THROUGHOUT THE CITY OF BOSTON. THEY INCLUDE AS I MENTIONED THE DAVE BUT ALSO THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS, THE AMERICAN
LEGION AND THERE'S OTHERS BUT THEY DON'T CHARGE YOU ANYTHING THOSE SERVICES ARE COMPLETELY FREE AND THERE IS NEVER A
REASON FOR A VETERANS SERVICE ORGANIZATION EVER TO CHARGE YOU $0.05. THEY THEY DON'T DO THAT. THE CONGRESSIONALLY CHARTERED ORGANIZATIONS IF PEOPLE IF
THERE ARE VETERANS OUT THERE THAT DO NEED TO ACCESS THE BENEFITS THAT THEY'VE EARNED AND THEY'RE HAVING A DIFFICULT TIME CONTACTING SOMEONE, YOU
CAN REACH OUT TO ME AND I WILL GET YOU THE NUMBER FOR THE DAV OR THE VETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS OR THE AMERICAN LEGION. BUT TO THE VETERANS PLEASE
DON'T USE A CLAIM SHOCK. IT'S PREDATORY AND THEY ARE OUT TO EXPLOIT YOU AND TAKE YOUR MONEY. BUT AGAIN I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU TO THE PANEL FOR BEING HERE AND MORE IMPORTANTLY FOR THE
WORK YOU'RE DOING HELPING SO MANY PEOPLE. THANK HEALTH OFTEN ANDERSON. SORRY. THANK YOU SO MUCH, CASTLE FLYNN
FOR FILING THIS AND THANK YOU ALL FOR THE AMAZING WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING AROUND THIS. I IT FELT LIKE I WAS CHECKING OFF YOU LIKE THE RESPONSES AS YOU WERE TALKING AND SO I
REALLY APPRECIATE THE PASSION AND JUST THE FACT THAT YOU REALLY TREAT OUR SENIORS WITH INTEGRITY AND BELIEVE IN THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING REALLY APPRECIATE AND COMMISSIONER, AS
ALWAYS AMAZING WORK ON BEHALF OF THE WHOLE COUNCIL. WE LOVE YOU HERE AND WE TRULY RESPECT YOU AND APPRECIATE THE WORK THAT YOU'RE DOING. MADAM CHAIR, I DON'T HAVE ANY FURTHER QUESTIONS.
I DO APPRECIATE IT. AND COUNCILOR FLYNN LOOKING FORWARD TO IN WHATEVER WAY I CAN ASSIST TO CONTINUE TO ADVOCATE FOR OUR SENIORS. THANK YOU. THANK YOU. WITH THAT BEING SAID, THIS HEARING ON DOCKET 0317 IS
ADJOURNED. THANK YOU, MR DOYLE