VESTAVIA HILLS, Ala. (WIAT) - The city of Vestavia is taking steps to address financial crimes and scams against the elderly. The city held a seminar to educate people on how to protect seniors.

The Alabama Security Commission helped the city highlight the types of cases they see committed against the elderly. They wanted people to be on the lookout for the fraud that's affecting senior citizens across the state in all 67 counties. 

Amanda Senn is the Deputy of Enforcement of the Alabama Security Commission. She says people prey on the emotions of the elderly. 

"A lot of the fraudsters do prey on the emotions of others. A lot of our victims are elderly and that is why we are here today, to concentrate on this population," Senn said. "As the baby boomer generation gets older, they become a target for these type of crimes and the older we get, [the] cognitive and reasoning portion of our brain over time will diminish."

Alabama security leaders say they don't want to discourage the elderly from being trusting, but they want them to be aware and to contact authorities if they suspect they are being targeted.