Iowa Fraud Fighters program coming to Coralville

If you think consumer fraud is confined to large metropolitan areas, Iowa Insurance Commissioner Nick Gerhart says 'think again.”

'Unfortunately, we think we're not going to see consumer fraud here in Iowa,” Gerhart said Thursday during an interview in Cedar Rapids. 'Many smart Iowans have fallen victim to very slick and sophisticated investment scammers, and some have lost their entire life savings.”

Gerhart will be bringing his 'Iowa Fraud Fighters - Shield Your Savings” program to the Coralville Holiday Inn Conference Center on Nov. 16. Registration for the forum begins at 11:30 a.m., with a lunch served at noon and the program ending at 1:30 p.m.

The free event is limited to the first 200 people who register in advance. It will be funded partly from fines and settlements collected from scammers.

For those who doubt that Iowans are victims of fraud, Gerhart pointed to the experience of Martha Jo Ennis, a retired schoolteacher from Marion who never understood how anyone could fall for an investment scheme until it happened to her.

'Martha Jo lost her retirement savings and the money she invested from the sale of her family farm, totaling over $1 million,” he said. 'When we share Martha Jo's story at these forums, it's amazing how audience members come forward during the panel question and answer session and share their stories.”

Gerhart said his goal for the 15th Iowa Fraud Fighters forum in Coralville is to educate Eastern Iowans on common scams and arm them with tools and tips to prevent and report fraud.

Gerhart will be joined by Kevin McCarthy, first assistant Iowa Attorney General; Tyler Eason, director of the Iowa Office of Substitute Decision Maker; and Patty Price, training and education coordinator for the Senior Health Insurance Information Program.

To register for the complimentary luncheon program, call toll-free 866-559-7114, or fill out the online form at www.IowaFraudFighters.gov by Nov. 12.