Wednesday, January 24, 2007 · Page 12 Consider cooking extra broccoli ahead, as a timesaver, when weekly menu planning includes this recipe. Fifteen minutes to bake these appetizing calzones makes the few extra minutes of preparation worthwhile. Also, using commercial frozen bread dough and the microwave oven for dough eases the preparation time. For added variety, substitute 1 cup of cauliflower for half of the broccoli. 1 loaf Filling: 1/2 pkg 1/2 cup 1 1 cup 2 cups 1/4 cup 1 1/2 tsp 1/4 cup white or whole wheat frozen bread dough light cream cheese cottage cheese egg, lightly beaten shredded mozzarella cheese chopped Ontario Broccoli florets, blanched chopped red pepper green onion, chopped hot pepper sauce cornmeal Cheese and Broccoli Calzones From: Her Desk Drawer Scammers targeting seniors BY DANIEL SCHWAB Seniors are the main targets for con artists and phone scams, Essex Police Sgt. Gary Gamberta told members of the Essex Retirees Social Club Jan. 17. Gamberta said scammers often prey on the elderly because of their kind nature and hefty retirement savings. "There are a lot of people who don't want to work hard for their money," Gamberta warned a group of about 30 retirees. "The old approach of saying it can't happen to you well, it happened to me." Gamberta explained how even a police officer can get duped by a clever scam. Twenty years ago he was looking after a store for his father, who was taking a short vacation. During the week, a man came into the store offering to place an ad for the business in the phone book. The man said if he were given $100 down, the overall price of the ad would be reduced later. Gamberta handed over the cash thinking it was legit, but never heard from the scammer again. There are dozens of scams such as this one that may seem like a bargain at first, but in the end people may end up losing much of their savings, Gamberta said. And for a con artist, seniors are the easiest targets. "These guys may be approaching you about something you're active or interested in," Gamberta explained. "Con artists generally don't want to hurt you physically, they just want your cash and they'll do it with a smile." During the seminar, Gamberta stressed the importance of being informed about common scams and urged the retirees to report any suspicious deals to the police. Retirees' program convener Joyce Iler invited Gamberta to give the information session. "We've had a few people here get taken in by e-mail scams," she said. "We thought people should be warned." Since 1995, Canadians have lost nearly $40 million through phone scams $32 million of which belonged to seniors. Retirees' member Mandy Fletcher said, "I know it can happen. I'm Allow loaf to thaw overnight in refrigerator or at room temperature for 3 to 4 hours. Place loaf in microwaveable bowl alongside 4 cup glass measure containing 3 cups hot tap water. Cover loaf with paper towel; heat on low 20 to 25 min. until doubled in size. Beat cream cheese, cottage cheese and egg until smooth. Stir in mozzarella cheese, broccoli florets, red pepper, onion and hot pepper sauce. Punch dough down; divide into 4 pieces. Roll each piece into 8 in. circle on surface sprinkled with cornmeal. Divide filling evenly over half of each circle. Fold dough over filling and seal edges. Cut several slits in top with sharp knife. Bake on lightly greased pan in 450ºF oven 15 to 20 min. until golden brown and crisp. Serves 4. Essex Police Sgt. Gary Gamberta pretty cautious myself but you never know." Common Scams Scammers have been duping people for generations. Here are a few classic cons. Two or more people come to the door, saying they need to use the phone to make an emergency call. As the first scammer is taken to use the phone, his partner swipes a purse or jewelry box. Or someone claiming to be a utility inspector will come to the door, saying he needs to check a fuse box or metre levels. After getting into the house and looking them over, he says the levels are unsafe and suggests calling a repairman he knows who'll do the work for a cheap price (his partner in the con). One common phone scam to watch out for occurs when somebody claiming to be from the phone company calls saying there is a problem with the phone. They tell the homeowner it will be resolved if he or she dials 90#. This in fact gives the scammer access to long distance calls, Gamberta said. The homeowner may then call the phone company, who will tell them there never was a problem with the phone. `Miracle cure' offers that can be found in magazines, on TV or through the mail are also scams most of the time, Gamberta said. "We're constantly learning new ways about how people are trying to rip us off," he said. "You've worked hard for your money, don't let people con you out of it." Tips on How to Prevent Frauds and Scams · Ask a lot of questions. · With any deal, make sure it's in writing. · Get some advice about it from the friend. · Read the fine print. · Be careful when signing contracts, ask a lawyer, family member or friend to review it first. · Never turn over large amounts of cash, no matter how good the deal sounds. · Be careful about giving away credit card information over the phone or on a computer. · Report suspicious offers to the police. · Casually take notice of what the suspicious person looks like and what vehicle they drive. For those who suspect they're becoming the victim of a con there is a local program willing to help. Senior Moment is a community project in Windsor aimed at preventing crimes against seniors. The group is encouraging seniors to contact their information line before buying items sold door-to-door or from telemarketing solicitors. Call 519-966-2032. CARE-A-VAN CASH Members of the Rotary Club of Essex hand over a cheque worth $5,000 for Essex Community Services' Care-A-Van Jan. 22. The transportation service helps seniors and people with disabilities travel to various locations around Essex and Harrow. The Care-A-Van was established in 1977 and is funded by the Ministry of Health. The $5,000 donation will be used for maintenance. 519-776-6481 TIRE & AUTO SERVICE TOWING 24/7 If you see news happening or if you have a story or photo idea, please call 776-4268 essexfreepress@on.aibn.com