AARP WV joins state partners to kick off Money Smart Week

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — AARP West Virginia, partnering with more than 30 organizations, has a number of events planned this week to help consumers better manage their personal finances.

Officials with AARP joined State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey, State Treasurer John Perdue, Herbert Henderson Office of Minority Affairs Director William White and others Monday morning in Charleston to kick off Money Smart Week.

The national campaign educates consumers about fraud, identity theft and how to protect their money. West Virginia has participated in Money Smart Week for the last eight years.

“We know that identity theft happens every two seconds, so it’s a huge issue not just here in West Virginia, but across the country,” said Gaylene Miller, state director for AARP.

Consumer fraud can happen to anyone of any age, Miller said.

“Regardless of how consumer savvy you think you are, be aware,” she advised. “Anybody can be taken advantage of.”

That is why something like Money Smart Week is so important, Miller said. The campaign is meant to teach consumers about what the latest frauds and scams are.

State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said his office works to protect consumers on a daily basis, but it’s important for West Virginians to identify a problem when they see it.

“We do what we can in terms of the various enforcement actions and the lawsuits we take, but at the end of the day you have to make sure that consumers are empowered to be able to recognize this fraud and not fall victim to it in the first place,” Morrisey said.

The AG’s Office has a few dozen events scheduled for this week including a statewide telephone town hall on Wednesday and “Money Matters” financial education workshops in various locations.

“We’re going to be able to take questions and answer questions about the challenges that people are facing and alert them to what may happen with identity theft,” Morrisey explained.

Those events the AG is participating in are as follows:

MSW Booth at McDowell FACES Conference Room
April 24 from 1-3 p.m.
Welch, WV

MSW Booth at the Buffalo Creek Memorial Library
April 25 from 9:30 a.m. – 11 a.m.
Man, WV

MSW Booth at the McDowell Public Library
April 26 from 2:30-4 p.m.
Welch, WV

MSW Booth at Southern WV Community and Technical College
April 27 from 10-11:30 a.m.
Saulville, WV

Identity theft, Morrisey said, is a growing problem in the state as we have more online connectivity. “There are more and more ways for the scammers to rip people off,” he said.

AARP will be talking about ways to avoid frauds and scams, protecting your bank account, planning for retirement and much more during free educational seminars in multiple locations this week.

Some of the events for this year’s Money Smart Week in West Virginia include:

Kanawha Valley “Operation Scam Jam” Consumer University
April 25 from 10 am. – 3 p.m.
Four Points by Sheraton
Charleston, WV

West Virginia Bankers Association’s “Teach Children To Save” events
Various locations across the state

Fraud Watch Network financial education presentations
Eastern Panhandle

State Attorney General mobile office visits across the state
“Money Matters” financial aid workshops

AARP West Virginia’s “Fight Fraud, Shred Instead” free recycling event
April 29 from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m.
Cabela’s at Southridge Center
Charleston, WV

For more information on West Virginia Money Smart Week, visit the MSW Facebook Page.

A full list of events can be found at moneysmartweek.org.





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