CHARLESTON, W.Va. — This week is the 7th annual West Virginia Money Smart Week, which aims to educate consumers, and put them on their guard against potential scams.
State Attorney General Patrick Morrisey said scams are becoming more and more common, and knowledge is power when it comes to avoiding them.
“We think it’s so critical that people become educated about the various types of financial predators and scammers out there, and that they take steps to protect themselves,” Morrisey said. “Identity theft is growing in West Virginia, and we’ve been working very hard to educate people about how they can recognize when the scammers are coming and not get victimized.”
WV AARP is one of the partners for Money Smart Week. Director Gaylene Miller said that because scammers are smart and use modern technology, there needs to be a forum to fight back.
“Unfortunately, the bad guys are really good at what they do,” Miller said. “So what we try to do is provide a one big neighborhood watch so that we can share information about what’s going on, alert consumers if there is a scam going on and most importantly, how to protect themselves.”
Morrisey said the week will feature several informative sessions on the many types of scams.
“We literally hear about hundreds of different types of scams every year,” he said. “But then we take action to try to block them. Just for Money Smart Week alone, we’ve put together a series of over 25 events, which includes mobile office hours and scam presentations.”
Morrisey, too, pointed out that education is a big part of winning the battle against potential scammers who try to take advantage of consumers.
“If people know the different techniques that scammers are using, then they can learn how to ensure they don’t get ripped off,” said Morrisey.
A full list of events for Money Smart Week can be found online at moneysmartweek.org, Miller said.