U.S. Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said this week that the U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging has set up a new toll-free hotline to make it easier for senior citizens to report suspected fraud and to receive assistance.

According to her news release, the hotline will be staffed from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays by a team of investigators.

The investigators, who have experience with investment scams, identity theft, bogus sweepstakes and lottery schemes, Medicare and Social Security fraud, and a variety of other senior exploitation issues, will directly examine complaints and, if appropriate, refer them to the proper authorities.

Anyone with information about suspected fraud can call the toll-free fraud hotline at 1-855-303-9470, or contact the committee through its website, located at http://www.aging.senate.gov/fraud-hotline.