Area seniors have a chance to fight back against financial scams.

The Senior Scam Jam provides that opportunity. It is a free workshop for fraud prevention organized by the Kentucky Office of Financial Institutions, the state attorney general’s office and the AARP Kentucky Campaign for Wise and Safe Investing.

The free workshop from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday at the Carroll Knicely Conference Center will include seminars showing seniors how to recognize and combat techniques scammers use in mail fraud, home improvement fraud, predatory lending, investment fraud and identity theft.

In addition to the state office of financial institutions, presentations will be given by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, the state attorney general’s office, the Bowling Green Police Department and representatives from AARP.

Grants from the AARP Foundation and Investor Protection Trust have made the Senior Scam Jam possible at four locations in the state this year.

According to AARP, baby boomers and the elderly are often targeted in financial scams because they have the money to invest in them.

Wednesday’s Senior Scam Jam will raise awareness of the common techniques scam artists use to defraud seniors, and will give advice on what seniors can do to protect their money.

Many fraudulent investment transactions are conducted over the phone, and the AARP’s Web site lists several phrases scammers may use – promises of guaranteed profits, no risk, “this offer is only available today” – to persuade seniors to part with their money.

When it comes to spotting signs of an investment scam, the AARP encourages seniors to check the product to make sure that it is licensed with the Securities and Exchange Commission or with a state securities regulator, and that the person selling the investment is licensed by either the state or the SEC.

— To register for the Senior Scam Jam, call (877) 926-8300.