Letter to the Editor: We Must Educate Arizona's Elderly on Scam Calls

I strongly support state legislation aimed at curbing incessant and dangerous spam calls and call on our state legislators to ensure this becomes federal and enforceable law.

My mother was recently scammed out of $600 when she received a "distress call" from someone pretending to be her grandchild. Beyond the immediate financial losses, she was ashamed that she fell victim to a scam like this, and her confidence in living independently has been eroded.

It's relatively easy for me to avoid spam calls - I never answer calls on my cell phone from numbers I don't know. But it's not so easy for landline users like my mom. Landline users receive an average of 43 unwanted calls weekly and one of the only options - the Do Not Call list - doesn't work at all.

Every year, it becomes easier and easier to make more and more spam calls, and scammers are only getting better at preying on seniors.

The only way this will get solved is if the Federal Government steps in and passes laws that they can actually enforce. Since most scam calls come from overseas, this will have to be done through technological solutions by telecom companies.

Several states have already passed laws like this, but there will be no stopping the barrage of scam calls unless it comes from the top. Elected officials in Arizona should stand up for our most vulnerable people and deal with this huge and growing problem.

Letter to the Editor written by San Tan Valley resident, Fox Livingston