(November 16, 2021 – Memphis, TN) Shelby County Trustee Regina Morrison Newman announces the launch of Wallet Warning: Avoiding Consumer Cons, one of the public education components of the Consumer Financial Protection initiative that she and her Idea Team developed over the last year. November is National Fraud Awareness month, so it is the perfect time to remind residents of financial scams they should be aware of as we head into the holiday season. Trustee Newman is kicking off a media tour to bring awareness to this issue.
“Consumer fraud is an important issue to our entire community. The ‘Wallet Warning’ campaign is a continuation of the Trustee’s office’s emphasis on improving the financial stability of Shelby County residents which includes sponsorship of the Greater Memphis Financial Empowerment Center and the Bank on Memphis Coalition,” said Newman. The campaign is targeting all demographics, with an inaugural special emphasis on the most vulnerable—seniors.
During this time of year, seniors are signing up for Medicare and may be confused by the ads and agents calling, asking them to register. Trustee Newman and her team are working with the MidSouth Council on Aging and the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) to educate seniors about what can be a confusing issue.
The “Wallet Warning” campaign will also share tips on how to protect your funds as we go into the holiday season. Fake charities prey on the kindness of citizens during this time of year, and predatory lenders stand ready to “help” people pay for their holidays when they are actually trapping them in an endless cycle of debt.
Trustee Newman will address these fraud awareness issues through a media tour, speaking engagements, social media, emails and other outreach initiatives.
About the Shelby County Trustee’s Office
The Shelby County Trustee collects County property taxes and handles delinquent property tax collections for all municipalities in Shelby County. By law, the Trustee is the banker for Shelby County Government. In addition, the Trustee coordinates banking services for approximately fifteen different county offices, including various elected officials and the Shelby County Board of Education. The Shelby County Trustee’s duties include maximizing interest earnings and streamlining banking costs. The Trustee offers a number of community outreach programs including Tax Freeze, Tax Relief, Quarterly Tax Payments, Project HOME, Bank On Memphis, On My Own Financial Simulation and the Greater Memphis Financial Empowerment Center. For more information, please visit www.shelbycountytrustee.com and www.gmfec.org.