New York City Council Member Chaim Deutsch (D-BROOKLYN), a member of the Committee on Aging, has been a strong advocate for New York City seniors. Councilman Deutsch introduced a bill, Intro 1086, which gained traction among his fellow Council Members and passed unanimously. Last week, Mayor de Blasio held a public hearing on the bill, which was then signed into law.

Older adults make up 30% of all scam victims and are far more likely to fall prey to fake telemarketing, IRS calls, consumer fraud, or the “fake grandchild scheme”. This legislation will mandate the Department of Consumer Affairs to do outreach in senior centers and Naturally Occurring Retirement Communities to alert and educate older adults about how to take preventative measures, by recognizing and knowing where to report scams.

Councilman Chaim Deutsch stated, “This is an important step towards empowering those who are often targeted because of qualities that make them more susceptible to those looking to cause harm for personal gain. I thank New York City Council Speaker Melissa Mark-Viverito and my colleague, Chair of the Committee on Consumer Affairs Council Member Rafael Espinal for their support, and Mayor Bill de Blasio for signing this bill into law.”

(YWN Desk – NYC)