Elder Financial Protection Network moves to San Francisco

The Elder Financial Protection Network, based in Novato since its inception, has moved its offices to San Francisco’s Financial District. The new office space is being donated by EFPN founding partner, First Bank.

The new location is 550 Montgomery St., Suite 485, San Francisco, CA 94111. EFPN may be reached by phone at 415.956.5556 and by fax at 415.956.5559. The Web site remains the same, www.bewiseonline.org.

The move to the historic First Bank building follows the expansion of the nonprofit organization’s reach outside the Bay Area. “For the past eight years, EFPN has been working with financial institutions, adult social service agencies, law enforcement organizations, senior groups and the public throughout California to raise awareness and step up the prevention, reporting and prosecution of financial crimes that target the elderly,” said Founder & CEO Jenefer Duane. EFPN is currently developing several new initiatives and plans to expand its advocacy to several other Western states in 2008.

The growing numbers of elders – and in many cases the increasing value of their assets – has left many prey to identify theft and scams as well as dishonest family members, caregivers and unscrupulous sales people. Victims of elder abuse, neglect and financial exploitation rarely recover financially and losses often lead to depression, physical decline, reliance on public benefits and even death; victims are 3.1 times more likely to die at an earlier age than those who are not abused or exploited.
www.bewiseonline.org

Call To Action 2008, Date, location & speakers

Save the Date!

Thursday, March 27, 2008
Carnelian Room - Banker’s Club
555 California Street, 52nd Floor
San Francisco, California

Registration: 7:30 - 8:30
Conference: 8:30 - 12:30
Luncheon and award ceremony: 12:30-2:30

The conference and lunch will accommodate 300 participants, and will cost $225. Continuing education units are pending for several disciplines.

Accommodation
Hilton San Francisco Financial District/Chinatown
Baldwin Hotel, Promo Code: C2A-B-2008

Confronting Elder Financial Abuse:
Building Bridges~Sharing Best Practices

Luncheon speakers:

• Bill Lockyer, California State Treasurer
• Bob Blancato, National Coordinator, Elder Justice Coalition
• Bill Cheney, President/CEO,California/Nevada Credit Union Leagues

Master of Ceremonies: Paul Greenwood, Head of Elder Abuse Prosecution Unit, San Diego County District Attorney’s Office

Sponsors will be listed in upcoming posts and the lists will be updated frequently. Table and special sponsorship packages are still available.

Call 415.956.5556 for more information.

Call To Action 2008 - Sponsors

The following is a list of Call To Action 2008 Sponsors to date.
You can download Sponsorship Information (pdf: 100k)

Title Sponsorship: Pending

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PLATINUM
Bank of the West
Brayton Purcell
Fremont Investment & Loan
Wells Fargo

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GOLD
Bank of America
Bank of Marin

Citibank
First Bank
First Republic Bank
KeyPoint Credit Union
Star One Credit Union

Washington Mutual

Western Payments Alliance

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SILVER
California Credit Union League
Contra Costa Federal Credit Union
Foothill Securities
Northern Trust

Pacific National Bank
Scott Law Firm

Vineyard Bank

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BRONZE
First Federal Bank
Pacific Service Credit Union
San Diego National Bank

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Co-sponsored by:
California State Sheriffs Association
The Mitford Institute

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Additional sponsorship opportunities:
Title sponsors for 4 conference panels
Tote Bags
Guest gifts
Binder Sponsor

For more information, call: 415.956.5556 or email: info@bewiseonline.org

Fall Newsletter - EFPN Partnerships Save Lives and Livelihoods

As they left the bank, the elder man thanked him for helping them to not become victims of this potentially devastating scam.

Nothing is more gratifying than hearing from our partners and from elders themselves about how our work has made a difference by preventing a loss or, in the case below, even saving a life. EFPN’s partners are passionate and dedicated to our mission. We are truly blessed to work with such fine people who represent financial institutions that repeatedly go far beyond the call of duty to protect their elder customers and members.

This summer, we received a report from a credit union security supervisor in San Mateo. Her call center staff had taken a call from

Fall Newsletter - Elder Financial Literacy: Prevention Through Education

“It was worth a million dollars!!!” wrote one of 190 seniors who participated in an EFPN community education program presented in Fresno last month. This year alone, several thousand California seniors learned how elder financial abuse is perpetrated, how it can be prevented, and how it should be reported thanks to educational programs made possible by our sponsoring partners and foundation grants. Helen Karr, an elder abuse specialist in the San Francisco District Attorney’s Office, believes that elder financial literacy is critical in the fight against this crime.

Fall Newsletter - Staff Training Materials On Sale!

EFPN’s award-winning ‘Be Wise’ video training program is only $59 or 2/$99. (The regular price is $149 each.) Purchasers of the training
program will be entitled to an additional 10% off ‘Be Wise’ consumer brochures, statement stuffers and other educational materials. To order, contact Western Payments Alliance at www.wespay.org or 415.433.1230, or call EFPN at 415.956.5556 for more information. This offer expires January 30th,

Proceeds from the sales of staff training and consumer materials provide much-needed operational support for our programs to prevent elder financial abuse & exploitation.

Fall Newsletter - Prosecutor’s Perspective

“A lifetime of generosity can also make seniors prey to phony charity pitches”.

Financial abuse of elders is on the rise, says veteran San Francisco prosecutor Alan Kennedy, an Assistant District Attorney in the office of District Attorney Kamala Harris. Kennedy heads the office’s Elder Abuse Unit. Both anecdotally and statistically, he said, the financial bilking of seniors has increased markedly in the past three to four years. And, he predicts, it’s going to get worse if for no other reason than demographics. “Starting in 2011 there will be a huge group of people becoming elders.”

California seniors are particularly attractive to perpetrators.

Fall Newsletter - Legislative Action

By Nick Warner, EFPN Legislative Analyst,
Managing Partner, Warner & Pank, LLC

Warner & Pank, LLC, monitors and advises EFPN on law and legislation related to elder financial issues. Our firm assists EFPN staff and board members in building our coalition with key partners in law enforcement, adult protective services and legislative and regulatory communities.

EFPN’s Fall 2007 Newsletter - Chairman’s Message

As the year comes to a close, we would like to thank our valued partners for your continued support. Your generous contributions enable us to carry out our mission to protect elders from financial abuse and exploitation.

This year, in addition to producing the successful
Call To Action event, EFPN conducted over 40 community education seminars in nine California counties. We also welcomed new board member Juli Anne Callis, who is