One local company is helping senior citizens in the D.C. area fight fraud by using the internet.

Jessica Forres reports…



Cindy Libby-Green ...sits in front of her computer,opens the Senior Checked website and searches for "home care providers" in zip code 20852.

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The search pulls up 388 companies…but only six of them…including the company she works for Premiere Homecare… have been Senior Checked. That means those companies are legitimate, licensed, insured and their employees crime free...

UP UNTIL SENIOR CHECKED WAS DEVELOPED THERE WAS NO ENTITY THAT SENIORS COULD GO TO THAT GAVE THE STAMP OF APPROVAL TO COMPANIES, EVEN COMPANIES OUTSIDE OF HOMECARE.

Though companies pay a monthly fee for the directory listing, searches are free. Libby-Green says she uses it for herself and clients.

WHETHER WE'RE SENIORS, WHETHER WE'RE TEENAGERS WE ALL NEED TO FEEL SECURE WHERE WE LIVE,

Silver Nation is the company behind Senior Checked and Mark Hansan is the CEO.

WE NAMED THE COMPANY SILVER NATION BECAUSE THE SILVER TSUNAMI IS COMING. WE ARE LESS THAN THREE YEARS AWAY FROM THE FIRST BABY BOOMER TURNING 65.

He says 9 out of 10 seniors live at home, which makes them vulnerable to fraud.

WE'RE SEEING IT RIGHT NOW UNFORTUNATELY IN THIS AREA WHICH IS SO TRAGIC, YOU KNOW THE WOMAN IN WHEATON WHO WAS JUST MURDERED BY THE LANDSCAPER THAT SHE HAD HIRED. THESE ARE THE KINDS OF THINGS WHERE WE HAVE THE TECHNOLOGY, WE HAVE THE ABILITY TO STOP THESE CRIMES.

He says seniors in the U.S. are victims of crime every 15 seconds.

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One local company is using the internet to help senior citizens fend off criminals.

Jessica Forres reports….

Mark Hanson, the CEO of a Bethesda company called Silver Nation, says seniors are victims of crime every 15 seconds in the U.S.... and those living at home, he explains, are the most vulnerable.

IF YOU LIVE IN A NURSING HOME THERE ARE STATE LAWS AND FEDERAL LAWS THAT PROTECT YOU TO A LIMITED EXTENT. BUT IF YOU'RE IN YOUR OWN HOME, YOU'RE WIDE OPEN, YOU'RE LIKE THE COMPUTER WITHOUT ANY SECURITY PROTECTION.

That's why his company started a website called Senior Checked, which vets and verifies that local businesses are what Hansan calls senior –safe.

WE HAVE OUR STANDARDS AND THEY HAVE TO BE LEGITIMATE, LICENSED, INSURED, CRIME FREE BACKGROUND CHECKED, CONSUMER ENDORSED AND COMMITTED TO SENIORS.

Premiere Homecare, which provides support services for senior citizens living at home, pays a monthly fee to participate in the program. Cindy Libby-Green is the Executive Director. She says the best part about the service is that it's free for consumers.

IT REALLY IS THE RESULT OF NOT HAVING ANY KIND OF SINGLE ENTRY PLACE TO GO TO MAKE SURE WHETHER IT'S A PLUMBER, A PAINTER, A LANDSCAPER, THAT WHOEVER IS COMING TO YOU IS A SAFE PERSON TO LET IN YOUR HOME.

The program launched in early December.

Jessica Forres WAMU 885 News