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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
PROPOSED RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING APRIL 2026 AS FRAUD PREVENTION MONTH IN COOK COUNTY
WHEREAS, Americans lose billions of dollars each year to fraud, with older adults disproportionately affected, making prevention, education, and strong consumer protections more important than ever; and
WHEREAS, a recent report published on December 1, 2025 by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates fraud losses in 2024 were as high as $196 billion nationwide, with up to $81.5 billion stolen from older adults; and
WHEREAS, according to a series of reports from Injustice Watch related to elder financial exploitation, Illinois seniors were swindled out of a record $75.9 million in 2023; and
WHEREAS, in Chicago, elder financial exploitation is rising in predominantly Black and Latino communities, citing higher rates of Alzheimer's disease, lack of financial literacy, concerns over immigration status, and fear of reporting fraud directly to law enforcement; and
WHEREAS, Cook County Government supports a number of programs aimed at reducing fraud, including the Office of the Cook County Public Guardian, the Cook County State's Attorney's Office's Financial Crimes Unit and the Crypto and Crimes Against Vulnerable Population Task Force, and the Cook County Clerk's Property Fraud Prevention Unit; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County State's Attorney has a dedicated unit known as the Financial Crimes Unit with an Assistant State's Attorney that specializes in the prosecution of fraud against older adults, as well as a dedicated task force to combat financial crime, known as the Crypto and Crimes Against Vulnerable Population Task Force, to ensure that exploiters are held accountable for criminal fraudulent conduct and that victims receive restitution; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County Public Guardian has a dedicated unit known as the Financial Recovery Unit, that sues exploiters to recover stolen funds and has recovered more than $33 million over the past eigh...
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