Scams: What to do if you are scammed and how to identify and avoid them

presented by Northwest Neighbors Village

registration required.  Please register here. 

Please join the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) for a discussion on current scams targeting older investors. You will learn the red flags of fraud, how to identify a scam, how to avoid them and what to do if you realized you have been scammed.

Gema de las Heras is a bilingual Consumer Education Specialist in the FTC’s Division of Consumer and Business Education, where she works on outreach projects to inform and educate consumers about bad business practices and how to spot and avoid fraud. She also authors consumer alerts on the latest scams and has over 15 years of experience working in roles that focus on consumer education. Prior to joining the FTC, Gema worked as a Television Producer with Univision 41 News, and later as a Public Information Officer with the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs.

Erin Scheithe [pronounced Shy-thee] serves the public as an Investor Communications Specialist in the Office of Investor Education and Advocacy at the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. In this role she conducts outreach in fulfillment of the SEC’s mission to inform and protect investors. Prior to joining SEC, Erin worked for the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and AARP to help older adults avoid fraud and navigate key financial decisions. Erin spent the first half of her career in the banking industry, managing youth financial education programs and grassroots advocacy efforts. She earned both an undergraduate degree in English literature and a Master’s degree in Educational Psychology from the University of Virginia.