From the desk of Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney Melissa Powers
Dear neighbors,
This month, my office completed its 36th in-person Elder Justice Unit training.
Since launching officially in August 2023, this innovative program has traveled across Hamilton County to help seniors stay safe from scams, and to empower them to stop crimes before they start.
I'm extremely proud of the efforts of my staff. Senior centers, community centers, churches, recreation centers and more have all hosted the EJU staff in this effort.
To date, almost 1700 Hamilton County seniors have received this important information.
We've also learned so much about elder justice and the concerns of senior citizens. In June, we shared our findings with Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost and his office at a major conference on scams and fraud.
Most of all, we've learned that the needs of our seniors are large. Just this month, a caller to the helpline revealed she'd been scammed out of over $500,000 after thieves convinced her that she was the subject of a fictional criminal investigation. Luckily, calling our helpline allowed her to stop being victimized, and we're working now to help her get justice.
But this case drove home how much we need to do for seniors in our region.
Below is a wrap up of the last fourteen months. In 2025, we plan to expand on what we've learned with the hope of helping even more people in our community.
We've come so far, and we will not stop now.
Always fighting for you,
Melissa Powers
Hamilton County Prosecuting Attorney
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