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By District Attorney Summer Stephan
Scammers are targeting our senior citizens at an alarming rate, and the financial and emotional toll is devastating. That’s why my office launched a large-scale outreach campaign aimed at educating seniors, their loved ones, caregivers, and the general public about the most common and dangerous scams currently targeting older adults in San Diego County. This effort comes at a critical time. In just one year, seniors in our county lost more than $130 million to phone and online scams. This figure represents real people who have lost retirement savings, homes, and peace of mind. We’ve had enough. Criminals are aggressively going after some of the most vulnerable members of our community. Many of these scammers operate with disturbing precision, using emotional manipulation, fear tactics, and evolving technology to deceive their victims. Too often, they succeed. Our campaign is anchored by the message “Stop. Hang Up. Tell Someone.” This simple, repeatable call-to-action provides clarity and reduces hesitation when a senior or caregiver encounters a suspicious request. We’re working directly with community centers, senior facilities, caregiver networks, and local media to ensure that this lifesaving information reaches as many people as possible. Our goal is to empower seniors—and those who care for them—with the knowledge to recognize red flags and take quick, effective action when a scam attempt occurs. The scams often come in three common forms: • “Someone is using your accounts.” They pose as your bank or PayPal, claiming they spotted suspicious activity or unauthorized transactions. • “Your information is tied to a crime.” They impersonate law enforcement, warning that your Social Security number is linked to drug trafficking or money laundering. • “Your computer has been hacked.” A fake security alert—appearing to be from Microsoft or Apple—directs you to call a number where scammers claim your accounts are compromised.Once hooked, victims are told to transfer funds, deposit cash into Bitcoin ATMs, or even hand over money or gold to couriers. Different stories—same goal: to steal your money. How to protect yourself: • Never move money to “keep it safe.” No legitimate agency or company will ever tell you to do this. • Stop the call before it starts. Use call-blocking tools to reduce scam attempts.Education is our most powerful defense. By spreading awareness, we can stop scams before they start. If you are a senior, take the time to talk to your loved ones. If you have aging parents, check in on them regularly and discuss these dangers. Caregivers, be alert to any changes in financial behavior or signs of distress. Our seniors have spent their lives giving to our community. It’s our turn to protect them. To learn more about the campaign, view resources, or schedule a community presentation, visit our website at www.sdcda.org. Let’s stand together to end these crimes and ensure that our seniors can live with the dignity, security, and peace they deserve. As your District Attorney, I’m committed to increasing communication and accessibility between the DA’s Office and the public. I hope these consumer and public safety tips have been helpful. Trick or Treating, Dog Halloween Costume Contest, Magic Show + More Family Fun!
There’s NEW activities this year at the FREE Mission Marketplace Halloween Spooktacular on Saturday, October 25 from 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. in Oceanside -- a Dog Halloween Costume Contest and the opportunity to adopt a pet from Animal Rescue. Mission Marketplace is located at 471 College Boulevard in Oceanside. Prizes will be awarded for the following contest categories, Cutest Dog Costume, Funniest Dog Costume and Best Owner & Dog Costume Combo. To enter, bring your dog, on a leash or in a carrier, to Mission Marketplace between 11 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. on October 25 to complete the Halloween Dog Contest entry form. Contest judging begins at 1:45 p.m. Each of the three categories winners will get a Spooky Pooch basket filled with lots of treats. During the Mission Marketplace Halloween Spectacular people will have an opportunity to adopt a pet. Animal Rescue (arerescue.org) invites people to meet some adoptable dogs outside PetSmart from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. This is PetSmart National Pet Adoption Week. There’s non-stop FREE fun everyone in the family at the Halloween Spectacular from 11 a.m. – 2 p.m. on Saturday, October 25. Children get a free bag to go Trick or Treating around the open-air shopping center and everyone will enjoy a Magic Show and can take a keepsake photo at the Halloween backdrop. You can also meet FrankenStilt, a very tall, friendly costume character! Throughout October, donate new or like-new books at any SDCCU branch
SAN DIEGO, Calif., (October 1, 2025) — San Diego County Credit Union® (SDCCU®), one of Southern California’s largest locally-owned financial institutions, is collecting new and like-new books for its Lift Up Literacy program, which aims to increase access to reading throughout Southern California. This marks the third consecutive year SDCCU has supported local libraries through its Lift Up Literacy campaign. SDCCU developed the Lift Up Literacy campaign in 2023 in partnership with the San Diego County Library (SDCL). Since its launch, the book drive has collected and donated 21,327 books throughout San Diego. This year, SDCCU has expanded the program to include new partnerships with the Friends of the Laguna Niguel Library and Friends of the Murrieta Library to support literacy efforts across Southern California. “The commitment from libraries across the region to increase literacy aligns with our efforts to support financial literacy and help create healthy, safe and thriving communities,” said Teresa Campbell, SDCCU president and CEO. “We are proud to partner with the San Diego County Library System, Friends of the Laguna Niguel Library and Friends of the Murrieta Library to promote literacy throughout the region.” “The San Diego County Library is proud to celebrate the third year of Lift Up Literacy, a program dedicated to supporting equitable access to learning and literacy across our region,” said SDCL Library Director Migell Acosta. “We are deeply grateful to SDCCU and its members for their generous donation of books, which we share with the community through our Little Free Libraries and outreach events. These donated books inspire a lifelong love of learning—an essential foundation for student success—and open the door for everyone to experience the joy of reading.” Community donations in San Diego will support library initiatives dedicated to increasing access to reading throughout Southern California. The San Diego County Library System encourages a love of reading in every way across all branches, kiosks and Free Little Libraries, an honor-based book exchange program encased in welcoming mailbox-like structures. Free Little Libraries are placed in areas managing literacy challenges, including transportation, financial or technical barriers. The Friends of the Laguna Niguel Library and Friends of the Murrieta Library will use community donations in their book stores to help fund library programs. Books create additional avenues for local libraries to continue strengthening literacy, adding to existing programs and physical and virtual hubs of resources that allow citizens of all ages to experience education, entertainment and culture. For additional details, visit sdccu.com/bookdrive. Expert Jim Stickley provides valuable insights into current cyber threats during Cybersecurity Awareness Month
SAN DIEGO, Calif., (September 25, 2025) – San Diego County Credit Union® (SDCCU®), one of California’s largest locally-owned financial institutions, is going one-on-one with cybersecurity expert Jim Stickley with an interactive interview on Wednesday, October 8, 2025 from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. (PT). This free webinar is open to the public, but registration is required. For more details or to register, please visit sdccu.com/fww. Stickley will offer an inside look into various cyberattack methods that criminals use and detail how to reduce your risk by showing examples of actual cases. He will focus on the most current scams, including A.I., scam emails and texts, phishing attempts, malicious apps and more. Stickley has successfully stolen credit cards and social security numbers, robbed banks, created fake ATMs, broken into armed government facilities and stolen from teenagers. Stickley, who has over 20 years of experience in the cybersecurity industry, was hired by corporations to perform attacks in order to test their security and see just how easy it is to commit identity theft. His job is to find security flaws before the real criminals find them and help educate people and organizations about what they can do to protect themselves. Stickley is also the CEO of Stickley on Security and can be seen throughout the United States speaking on topics that range from basic identity theft to national cyberterrorism. Stickley has been featured on numerous TV news programs, is a frequent guest on NBC's Today Show and is the security expert featured in LifeLock™ infomercials. This webinar is part of Financial Wellness Wednesdays, an ongoing program hosted by SDCCU to help provide the community access to free financial wellness information. For a complete list of upcoming Financial Wellness Wednesday presentations, visit sdccu.com/fww. |
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