ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION SAYS MORE THAN 35,000 PEOPLE IN THE STATE ARE CURRENTLY LIVING WITH ALZHEIMER’S OR DEMENTIA. THE ORGANIZATION IS TRYING TO PROTECT THEM FROM FRAUD AND SCAMS. THAT’S WHY IT’S TEAMING UP WITH THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU. JOSH PLANOS WITH THE BPP JOINS US NOW. AND JOSH, TELL US ABOUT THIS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION. YEAH, JULIE, ALZHEIMER’S IS A REALLY DIFFICULT SUBJECT FOR JUST ABOUT ANYONE WHO HAS EITHER DIRECT OR INDIRECT EXPERIENCE WITH IT. AND UNFORTUNATELY, THAT GENERAL TREPIDATION LENDERS ARE ABILITY TO HAVE MORE SPECIFIC CONVERSATIONS ABOUT HOW TO PROTECT THOSE WHO ARE AN INCREDIBLY VULNERABLE STATE. SO I THINK THIS PARTNERSHIP IS REALLY A DOOR OPENING TO LARGER CONVERSATION OPTIONS ABOUT HOW TO PROTECT THIS COMMUNITY AND WHAT TOOLS AND RESOURCES ARE AVAILABLE FOR THOSE WHO MIGHT BE ONE STEP REMOVED FROM THIS COMMUNITY. BUT WANT TO LEND THEIR SUPPORT AND JUST YOU SEE PEOPLE WITH DEMENTIA OR ALZHEIMER’S FALL FOR SCAMS MORE OFTEN. WE DO BECAUSE OF THE SOCIAL COGNITIVE ABILITIES THAT ARE THAT ARE HINDERED BY THIS SICKNESS. IT’S INCREDIBLY DEVASTATING. ANYTIME SOMEONE IS SCAMMED, BUT PARTICULARLY THOSE WHO ARE ALREADY IN A VULNERABLE STATE. SO WE DON’T HAVE HARD DATA AS FAR AS THE QUANTITY DOLLAR AMOUNTS LOST BECAUSE THE VAST MAJORITY OF SCAMS IN THIS COUNTRY GO UNREPORTED. SPECIFICALLY WITH REGARD TO THIS COMMUNITY, BUT IT’S INCREDIBLY DEVASTATING. WE SEE AT LEAST MORE THAN A HANDFUL EACH AND EVERY YEAR RIGHT AT OUR BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU. RIGHT. WE HEAR ABOUT A FEW HERE AS WELL. IF A CAREGIVER OR A LOVED ONE THINKS SOMEONE HAS FALLEN VICTIM TO A SCAM, WHAT DO WE DO IMMEDIATELY? YEAH, THE FIRST THING IS TO IS TO REACH OUT AND NOT GO QUIET. UNFORTUNATELY, THE VAST MAJORITY OF FOLKS WHO GET A SCAM JUST SHOW UP AND OUT OF SHAME DON’T COME FORWARD WITH THAT INFORMATION. CERTAINLY WE WOULD ENCOURAGE FOLKS TO COME TO THE BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU. WE HAVE ACCESS TO A NUMBER OF RESOURCES, WHETHER IT BE IDENTITY THEFT PREVENTION, IN LOCKING DOWN SOCIAL SECURITY ACCOUNTS TO ACTUALLY, YOU KNOW, GETTING THAT INFORMATION IN THE HANDS OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. CERTAINLY, WE RECOMMEND THAT FOLKS GO TO THE BABY RIGHT AWAY. JOSH, DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE AS FOR WHEN IT’S TIME TO TAKE OVER A LOVED ONE’S CHECKBOOK OR THEIR FINANCES? SURE. I THINK IT WOULD PROBABLY DEPEND ON THE SITUATION. RIGHT. AND CERTAINLY THE ALZHEIMER’S CHAPTER COULD REALLY SPEAK MORE TO THAT SIDE OF THE CONVERSATION. BUT ANY TIME A SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBER. RIGHT. IS BEING CARRIED AROUND IN PUBLIC ON THE PERSON THAT IS THAT IS A VERY REAL CONCERN OR PERSONAL AND SENSITIVE INFORMATION IS OUT THERE IN THE PUBLIC EYE. ALSO CONCERNING, THERE ARE A NUMBER OF WARNING SIGNS THAT THAT YOU CAN SEE AND MONITOR. AND IN THE AGGREGATE, THAT’S GOING TO BE REALLY THE TIME WHERE YOU STEP IN AND GET THAT PERSON THE HELP AND THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED. BUT IT REALLY DEPENDS ON THE CIRCUMSTANCE. AND WE SEE AND HEAR ABOUT ALL TYPES OF EXPERIENCES OF, YOU KNOW, FOLKS EITHER STEPPING INTO EARLY OR TOO LATE. AND UNFORTUNATELY, IT’S BECAUSE IT’S VERY DIFFICULT TO HAVE THAT CONVERSATION IN THE FIRST PLACE THAT FOLKS REALLY DON’T KNOW UNTIL IT’S TOO LATE. GREAT PARTNERSHIP WITH THE BABY AND ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION. JUST THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY. THANKS FOR HAVING ME. WELL, THE NEXT PART OF THE WEBINAR SERIES WITH THE ALZHEIMER’S ASSOCIATION IS THURSDAY. YOU CAN HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE FOR MO