Last modified: Sunday, September 28, 2008 2:34 AM EDT Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley speaks at the Attleboro District Court Senior Citizen’s Law Day Friday. (Staff photo by Mike George) Coakley warns seniors of scams BY DAVID LINTON SUN CHRONICLE STAFF ATTLEBORO - Attorney General Martha Coakley has two messages for senior citizens about being scammed: don't be embarrassed and report it. The state's "top cop" should know. She was a victim. Coakley, the featured speaker Friday at Senior Law Day at Attleboro District Court, told about 120 senior citizens that she was a victim of credit card fraud about two years ago. Coakley said she used her credit card to pay a food bill at a restaurant, then later got a call from the Dell computer company asking about an order on her credit card that was shipped to Texas. She didn't order the computer but someone using her credit card number did. "It's important not to be embarrassed or ashamed about," Coakley said. The attorney general spoke to the packed courtroom for 20 minutes, then took questions from the audience for another 20 minutes about a variety of scams, including telemarketing and mail fraud, fraudulent check scams and credit card fraud. The growth in the use of the Internet has also created a new area for criminals to reach out and scam unsuspecting victims by obtaining personal information from people who use credit cards to shop online, Coakley said. "The bank robber Willie Sutton was asked why he robbed banks. He said, 'Because that's where the money is.' People now know that taking someone's identifying information is where the money is," Coakley said. With personal information, such as Social Security numbers and credit card numbers, scammers can open up credit cards fraudulently and use them without the victim's knowledge, Coakley said. She urged seniors to check with credit checking agencies to inquire about their credit ratings and what credit cards have been taken out in their name to insure against fraud. Coakley said seniors should make sure their Social Security numbers are not used on their driver's licenses if they already haven't. She added she is concerned that the federal government issues health cards with Social Security numbers on them. Whether it's mail fraud, a home repair solicitation or someone sending you a check saying you won a lottery but need to cash the check and send them money to claim the prize, Coakley urged the seniors to stop and think. "What you can do, and I've said this all along, is use your common sense," Coakley said. The event, which was sponsored by the Attleboro senior center, the Attleboro TRIAD and Attleboro District Court Judge Gregory L. Phillips, was attended by several area dignitaries, including all the area state representatives and senators and law enforcement officials.