Seniors vs. Crime broadens its mission

The nonprofit Seniors vs. Crime Project until now has focused on helping elderly residents get their money back from scam artists.

But the local Seniors vs. Crime office has begun taking complaints from anyone who believes they have been victimized by crooks or shady contractors.

"What we do is paid for by the bad guys," Donald E. Ravenna, executive director of the nonprofit group, recently told Pasco County commissioners. No taxpayer dollars are used.

With cities, counties and other government agencies facing shrinking budgets, Seniors vs. Crime is helping to fill a void.

"It just tears your heart out," Ravenna commented, when trying to explain to someone why police can't help because it's not a crime, but a civil complaint. Officers, however, help pass out brochures for Seniors vs. Crime to let victims know how to proceed.

Ravenna described scams such as shoddy house paint that washes off after a week. Then the scam artist demands more money to fix the problem.

The Seniors vs. Crime Project, created in 1989 by the Florida Attorney General's Office, has recovered some $6 million for victims since 2001, Ravenna said.

Even though the nonprofit group has been around almost two decades and has been profiled on television programs such as "60 Minutes," the agency remains one of the best kept secrets, Ravenna commented.

Along with Sheriff Bob White, Gov. Charlie Crist had helped open the Pasco storefront in March 2006 while Crist was still attorney general.

The Seniors vs. Crime volunteers at the office often are called "senior sleuths." Besides taking complaints, 409 cases have been turned over to authorities for criminal prosecution.

The local office is staffed 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays, Ravenna said.

Managed by Christine Ballano, the Pasco office is at 7309 S.R. 54.

The phone number is 727-834-3506. The e-mail address is seniorsvscrimenpr@verizon.net.

For more information on Florida's Seniors vs. Crime program, go online at www.seniorsvscrime.com/ or call toll-free at 1-800-203-3099.