Workshops held to inform Valley seniors about scamming

CLOVIS, Calif. (KFSN) -- Despite many warnings, scammers are still hunting the most vulnerable.

So on Wednesday, dozens of seniors took action and attended workshops at the Clovis Senior Activity Center.

Lynn and Carol Streit were already victims once before.

"We were up in Canada and we used the credit card," Lynn said. "A year later, a whole bunch of charges were charged against the credit card that we used up in Canada a year before."

The couple says they wanted to make sure they don't become victims again.

"If you get something from a bank or an agency like Amazon that says you owe money, call the source, don't call back the number they give you," Carol said.

Representatives from state agencies like the Department of Financial Protection & Innovation say romance scams are on the rise.

According to the FBI, more than 24,000 people in the US fell victim, losing nearly $1 billion total.

Experts also touched on another common scam -- the grandparent scam.

Workshop host Assemblyman Jim Patterson explains scammers can be sophisticated, sharing his own troubling story about someone pretending to be his son.

Patterson says he hopes these events give seniors the tools they need to protect themselves.

"These are going to be informed seniors who are not going to take a scam lightly," he said. "Scammers, you better leave them alone."

Authorities say if you believe you've been targeted by a scammer, you should call your local law enforcement agency.