‘Seniors vs. Crime’ Storefront Opens in Coral Springs, Fla.

A “Seniors Against Crime” storefront operation in Coral Springs, Fla. offers a “one-stop shopping” facility for elders who believe they have been victimized by fraud, including insurance fraud and other crimes. Attorney General Charlie Crist opened Florida’s 27th such storefront in cooperation with Coral Springs Deputy Chief of Police Tony Pustizzi. The new storefront, at 3801 Turtle Creek Drive, is part of what Crist calls the Seniors vs. Crime project.

Seniors vs. Crime volunteers, often called “senior sleuths,” will staff the storefront to provide a place for potential victims to file a complaint, discuss their concerns with peers and receive other assistance. Senior sleuths around the state have handled several thousand complaints, resolving some three-quarters of them to the elder citizen’s satisfaction.

“The Seniors vs. Crime program sends the message to seniors that they can fight back, they can make a difference,” Crist said. “Con artists and other criminals can no longer think of older residents as easy targets, because our seniors have the means to protect themselves.”

More than $4.2 million has been recovered for senior victims through storefronts, and 409 cases begun in storefronts have been turned over to authorities for criminal prosecution. Storefront senior sleuths have been directly responsible for well over 100 criminal charges being brought against companies and individuals.

Other counties with storefront operations are Alachua, Brevard, Citrus, Columbia, Lake, Leon, Marion, Martin, Miami-Dade, Okeechobee, Orange, Osceola, Palm Beach, Pinellas, Polk, Santa Rosa, Seminole, St. Lucie, Sumter and Volusia. All but the first storefront, in Delray Beach, have been opened in partnerships with local law enforcement agencies.

Topics Fraud