Courtesy of Florence Klein, Founder, SilverPlanet.com

Every year, Arizona, with its large population of seniors, is among the nation’s leaders in identity theft and fraud. “Thieves assume that seniors have money and may not ask the tough questions,” says Arizona Attorney General Terry Goddard. So he’s teaching them to ask those questions and to say no at a series of classes dubbed “the Senior Anti-Crime University,” offered through his office to help older adults detect and avoid scams, fraud, and abuse.

The university, which started in September 2009, offers a half-day of classes in consumer fraud and scams, identity theft, life care planning, health care directives, Medicare and Medicaid fraud, financial exploitation, elder abuse and neglect, Internet safety, and charitable giving. The free classes are taught by Goddard, along with local leaders and experts in these issues. The seventh series of classes was held in February and will continue statewide through the year.

“Protecting seniors has long ranked as a top priority for the Attorney General’s office, and this program moves our efforts up another notch,” Goddard said in a press release. Click here to watch a video about the program.