Seven years later, June R., age 73, still remembers the shock.

"Someone hacked into my job payroll accounting system,” she recalled. “They wrote checks in my name."

The experience left June shaken—and far more cautious than she'd ever been before.

More recently, another fraud incident hit close to home. A friend of June’s received a frantic phone call from someone claiming to be her nephew, asking for $10,000. But the caller wasn’t her nephew at all; it was a scammer attempting a common ruse known as an imposter scam.

“She just got some of the money back,” June explained. “It took years!”

These jarring encounters were what prompted June to walk into a scam prevention workshop at The Volen Center in Boca Raton, Florida. “The more information I have to protect myself, the better,” she said.

The Volen Center: A trusted place to turn

For decades, The Volen Center has served as a trusted resource and gathering place for South Florida’s older population. From themed parties, bingo, and weekly field trips to hot lunches and lecture series, its Life Enrichment programs help participants stay active and engaged. To offer a quick glimpse of the center’s impact: From 2024 to 2025, The Volen Center provided more than 44,000 rides and served nearly 200,000 meals.

As financial scams become more widespread in Florida and nationwide, the center has taken on another vital role: helping older adults navigate this serious and growing threat.

April Davidson, The Volen Center’s Life Enrichment Supervisor, has seen firsthand how devastating scams can be. She recalled one older woman who lost nearly her entire life savings to fraud.

Although the FBI helped recover part of her money, the consequences went far beyond financial loss. The woman lost her home and had to move in with her children. Concerned for her safety, her family began closely monitoring her finances and even limited her use of social media, where the scam had originated.

"It was really devastating for her," Davidson said. “Her kids had to have her move in with them, and she lost a lot of her freedom because now they monitor everything that she does.”

In another case, an older adult was preparing to withdraw money to purchase gift cards after receiving instructions from a scammer. Fortunately, a savvy bank teller spotted the warning signs and intervened before any money was lost.

"We've had quite a few instances where people have been scammed," Davidson said. "Some small amounts, but some really significant amounts."

For an older person, a single scam can unravel years of retirement savings and strip away their financial security. But more than that, it can shatter their confidence, undermine their independence, and leave lasting emotional scars.

This is why The Volen Center has ramped up its efforts to promote scam awareness within its community. It’s not about teaching older adults to memorize every scam—scammers invent new and more convincing schemes every day. What's more vital is developing good judgment that will help them avoid costly mistakes, no matter how scams evolve.

Davidson said one of the most powerful ways older adults can protect themselves is to pause and assess the situation before responding to an unsolicited phone call, text, email, or online message.

Stop and think. Don’t be led by your emotions. If you think about it, you realize a bank’s not going to tell you go buy gift cards or the IRS is not going to tell you to go buy Apple cards," Davidson said.

"Sit there and maybe count to 10, and really think about what they’re asking you to do, a lot of it can be prevented,” Davidson continued.

Ebony White, scam prevention expert and NCOA’s Director of Economic Security & Social Safety Net Initiatives, explained: "Scams can happen to anyone, but they're often most successful when people feel rushed or isolated. Pausing to verify that a message or caller is legitimate can temper that emotional reaction and give you time to evaluate what’s really going on. In the end, you’ll be able to make a safer, more rational decision.”

Shared experiences spark connection—and greater awareness  

During the workshop at The Volen Center, June and the other participants shared eye-opening stories of suspicious text messages, fake phone calls, and fraudulent emails that had become embedded into their everyday life.

Maureen F., 80, said she regularly receives fake U.S. Postal Service text messages and scam phone calls. In one instance, she ignored a legitimate call from a new doctor's office because she assumed it was another scam.

The workshop made Maureen aware of practical tools and strategies that could help her protect her finances, including freezing her credit and setting alerts on her financial accounts.

"We need to alert, freeze, and double-check our accounts," she said. "She [the workshop speaker] explained it all in a way we understood."

Scam calls and text messages are a daily occurrence for participant Marsha D., 86. "They contact me about tolls, jury duty—scam calls," she said.

For Marsha, her most powerful takeaway from the workshop echoed Davidson’s advice: "Stay alert. Stop and think."

Why scam prevention education matters

Workshops such as this are clearly resonating with The Volen Center community. For example, Davidson has noticed that people are asking more questions.

“The majority of them are now at least somewhat aware. They might ask ‘Hey, what is this?’ or ‘Does this look legit to you?’ Whereas before, they might just send money or buy the gift cards, now there’s a little bit more awareness,” she explained.

Senior centers are in a unique position to get the word out about scams, since older adults already turn to them for information and support. It’s why NCOA and JPMorgan Chase have partnered to bring scam prevention education directly to these trusted community settings where older adults feel heard, respected, and at ease.  

“Organizations like The Volen Center are pivotal in the fight against fraud,” said Debbie Rahamim, Community Manager and Vice President for Chase's West Palm Beach Florida branch. “They give older adults a place where they can be candid about their experiences and ask questions, without feeling afraid or ashamed."

Confidence over fear

June left the workshop that day with a renewed sense of how important it is to be cautious of unexpected phone calls and messages—even when they appear to be from people you know. “We need to be more careful. New scams are happening every day,” June said.

She offered up this advice for her peers: “Don’t open anything you are unfamiliar with. Don’t pick up numbers you don’t recognize.”

Chase's Rahamim says that fighting scams starts long before any money is lost, which is why education is a critical tool for preventing fraud. “We don’t want to create a sense of fear or anxiety around scams, because those aren’t going away anytime soon,” Rahamim said. “Instead, we want to instill smart habits that become like second nature when older adults are going about their day. The goal is to have them walk away feeling more confident and in control of their financial well-being.”

📣 📆 Broward County and Palm Beach County residents: The Volen Center will host another scam prevention workshop on September 1, 2026 at 10:30 a.m. at 1515 W. Palmetto Park Road, Boca Raton, Florida. Learn more and register today.

Want to know more? Check out our Scam and Fraud Prevention resource library.