Charlottesville, VA (CVILLE RIGHT NOW) – John Schwartz, a retired special agent with the FBI, has dedicated his post-retirement life to protecting seniors from financial scams. “I retired from the FBI in January of 2021, and a couple of weeks later, I set this nonprofit up,” Schwartz explained. He founded the Center for Combating Elder Financial Abuse, a veteran-operated 501(c)(3) organization, to address gaps in safeguarding the nation’s 58 million seniors. 

Discussing the methods scammers use, Schwartz warned about “hidden plain sight predators” who exploit trust to commit financial crimes. He emphasized the importance of vigilance: “What we try to teach individuals is how to harden the target, make it more difficult for these predators to prey on individuals.” Schwartz also offered actionable tips, including conducting vulnerability assessments and slowing down new relationships to prevent exploitation. 

Schwartz collaborates with various Virginia-based organizations, including the Center at Belvedere, which he praised for creating a supportive community for seniors to combat isolation, a key vulnerability targeted by scammers. “It’s a group effort to harden the target to protect the seniors in the state of Virginia,” Schwartz said. 

Through education and partnerships, Schwartz’s mission is clear: empowering seniors and their families to protect against financial predators. 

Listen here for the full conversation: