Fraud Prevention in Palo Alto and Santa Clara County

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Fraud Prevention in Palo Alto and Santa Clara County Presenter: Office Michael Kan, Palo Alto Police DepartmentA special event offered by the Palo Alto Human Relations Commission (HRC) and Avenidas.Learn how to identify, prevent, and rectify financial and cyber fraud.Join us for a special presentation by the Palo Alto Police Department’s expert, Michael Kan, on the dangers of fraud to older adults living in Palo Alto and on the midpeninsula. A 2025 county report shows Adult Protective Services received 4,226 reports of allegations of financial exploitation, with nearly half involving scams. Santa Clara County “is seeing more instances of undue influence and sophisticated scams that specifically target vulnerable older adults.” San Jose Spotlight, June 21, 2026Michael Kan is an officer with the Palo Alto Police Department who has served the community for over 24 years. He has worked as the department’s sole financial crimes detective for 5 years and has extensively worked fraud cases even while on patrol. Officer Kan has provided public education and community outreach regarding scams, fraud prevention, and community safety. He emphasizes that public awareness and education are the most effective tools to help community members recognize and avoid phone and online scams.