Letters to the Editor - The Millerton News - 6-1-23

Combating scam calls to ensure safety for seniors

I recently witnessed the potentially devastating impact of scam calls on seniors. Like many others from their generation, my parents feel more comfortable and secure using a landline. Unfortunately, this choice exposes them to a relentless stream of undesired and deceitful calls that exploit their vulnerability.

A staggering 85% of landline calls (www.joinimp.com/blogs/news/landline-landscape-2022-q-4-report) are now unwanted or spam. My parents have become frequent targets, facing relentless intrusion into their daily lives. Recently, they narrowly avoided falling victim to a caller who requested their bank details under the guise of verifying their account. It was a close call that spurred me into action.

After extensive research, I promptly added their number to the Do Not Call list and began exploring options for a spam call blocker. However, my journey revealed a stark truth: there needs to be more resources to educate and protect seniors effectively in the face of this growing menace. And it’s a more significant issue than you think, with half a million seniors in Connecticut (www.communityphone.org/landline/ct#landline-usage-statistics) still relying on a landline today.

The consequences of these scams are not limited to emotional distress; they also result in significant financial losses. The FBI’s Elder Fraud Report of 2022 (www.ic3.gov/Media/PDF/AnnualReport/2022_IC3ElderFraudReport.pdf) revealed that a staggering $33,660,316 was lost due to scams, and 908 senior victims over 60 in Connecticut alone were targeted. On average, seniors lose $500 or more when they fall victim to these malicious schemes.

State and local authorities must step up and take bold, decisive action to address this urgent issue. Our seniors are counting on us. It is high time we allocate the necessary resources to develop robust educational programs that equip them with the knowledge and tools they need to protect themselves.

Seth Kavanaugh

Millerton

Supporting Lisa Erdner on the ballot

If you’re looking to vote for a Village of Millerton Trustee in the upcoming election, look for Lisa Erdner’s name on the ballot. I’ve worked with Lisa on numerous committees and events in the last couple of years and I can honestly say she’s one of the best I’ve ever had the pleasure of working with.

Lisa is currently Vice President of Townscape and is a member of the Village Zoning Board of Appeals.

Since getting involved in the community, she has spearheaded the opening party for Eddie Collins Park and now the Concert in the Park to be held July 8. Lisa attends Village Board meetings, Millerton Business Alliance meetings, housing meetings and even plants flowers in Veteran’s Park and on Main Street! She’s eager to learn about how the village works, and most of all, to get to know what our community is about and what it is that residents want and need.

I know she’ll continue to work hard to be sure that every voice is heard and do what she can to make Millerton the kind of place we deserve to live, work and play in. We all love our village; let’s vote for people like Lisa who love it too and want to see it be the best it can be!

Catherine Fenn

Millerton

The Trade of the Poet

Our job is to speak to you

About that certain part of you

That you do not know about

That part of you that’s potent to deceive

With which fear for yourself you will receive

That by iniquity you’ll feel cajoled

It’s that amount of the irrational that needs to be nurtured

That inevitable incoherence that needs to be heard

The peak of your vulnerability comes in times of idleness,
     when

Your essence dwells completely in the mind, and hence

It is in fear of fear — that you are held in mental anguish’s
     bind

Tim Lacy

Cornwall, Conn.