Villager Bryan Lifsey received a special award Friday from Florida Attorney General Ashley Moody.
Lifsey, who has been volunteering with Seniors vs. Crime since 2006 and manages a regional office in The Villages, was honored as the Advocate of the Year. He was chosen from among five volunteers who were recognized as Super Senior Sleuths during Moody’s visit to The Villages for her first-ever Senior Scam Stopper Workshop, which was held at Eisenhower Recreation Center.
Moody identified the Senior Sleuths as program volunteers who help victims file consumer complaints and then follow-up on those reports. She said those volunteers “stand in the gap” between victims and anyone attempting to take advantage of them in an effort to recover lost funds, receive a refund or ensure a just outcome.
In 2018 alone, Moody said, Seniors vs. Crime Senior Sleuths worked more than 2,000 cases of reported fraud. The efforts resulted in more than $1.1 million in recoveries. And when the additional value of the realized gains they helped secure is factored in – a contractor returning to finish promised work or credits applied to future purchases – the figure climbs to more than $2 million, she said.
Lifsey, who also serves as chairman of Community Development District 2, routinely spends five days a week volunteering at the Sumter County Seniors vs. Crime office in the Sumter County Sheriff’s Annex, located at 8035 E County Road 466, Suite C. And he typically works on weekends presenting to groups. His office can be reached at (352) 689-4600, ext. 4606.
Lifsey also helped set up a Spanish language outreach program in his region. And he translated all Seniors vs. Crime forms into Spanish and made them available on the agency’s website.
Lifsey served 37 years in the U.S. Army, including 15 years on active duty with assignments in Vietnam and Korea. He also served 22 years in the Army Reserve before retiring from the military in 2005.
