'Tis the season for scams

The holiday season is prime time for scammers, with thousands of older adults scammed each year in San Diego County.

San Diegans over the age of 60 often become victims of scams, on average losing over $30,000, according to the FBI’s 2023 Elder Fraud Report. Older adults are often retired with no way to recover their life savings, whereas younger adults have more time to remedy their financial situation.

For years, local law enforcement lacked the tools and resources to investigate these cases and there was less connection between the FBI and the county’s Adult Protective Services (APS), which...