Several public events designed to help elderly residents guard against identity theft and other forms of financial abuse are scheduled the next few weeks.

On Saturday, Evan Hendricks, a national expert on identity theft and consumer fraud, will give a free presentation at the Hilton Hawaiian Village on O'ahu.

Hendricks will speak on identity theft and the credit reporting system that keeps detailed financial information on more than 200 million Americans, according to AARP Hawai'i, which is sponsoring the event.

Hendricks' presentation, open to the public, will begin at 10 a.m. at the Hilton's South Pacific Ballroom. Call the AARP Information Center on O'ahu at 843-1906 to register.

As part of AARP's consumer fraud awareness campaign, the organization is holding a paper-shredding event April 15 at the state Capitol, beginning at 10 a.m. People can bring personal documents to be professionally destroyed, guarding against identity theft.

The state Executive Office on Aging also is sponsoring several Neighbor Island conferences dealing with financial fraud. Officials from law enforcement, social services agencies and other organizations will discuss ways for seniors to guard against becoming victims.

Derrick Ariyoshi, the office's program coordinator for SageWatch, which assists victims of healthcare fraud and is coordinating the conferences, said the sessions are being held on the Neighbor Islands because of increased reports the state has been getting about exploitation of seniors there.

One conference is scheduled for May 4 at the Kaua'i Marriott Resort in Lihu'e. For information and registration, call the Kaua'i Agency on Elderly Affairs at (808) 241-4481.

Another will be May 10 at the Maui Beach Hotel in Kahului. For information, call the Maui County Office on Aging at (808) 270-7774.

A Big Island conference is scheduled for today, but registration already is closed for that event.