David Kalinoski

May is Older Americans Month – a time when the country pauses to recognize the contributions of past and present older persons to the country. This year’s theme - Aging Unbound - urges combating ageism and recognizing the benefits of older adults remaining engaged, independent, and included in their communities. Understanding that adults 50 and older want to remain living in their homes as they age, AARP Pennsylvania is taking time this month to raise awareness about caregiver fraud.

If there is one thing everyone should understand, it’s that “scammers” are career criminals skilled at the art of manipulation and no one is immune. These crooks target people of any age; in fact, 41% of those who reported a fraud loss to the Federal Trade Commission last year were under the age of 30. So, what can a person do if they experience fraud?

Spring has sprung and with warmer weather comes home repairs. Unfortunately, shady contractors are out there looking homeowners in the market for spring repairs. Contractor fraud and home improvement scams can cost homeowners thousands of dollars and leave them with shoddy workmanship, unfinished projects, or even damage to their homes.

In collaboration with our Consumer Issues Task Force (CITF) - led by Chairperson Mary Bach and supported by Associate State Director of Community Outreach David Kalinoski - AARP Pennsylvania has a long and respected history of advocating to spread information and knowledge about frauds and scams.

Cutting corners to save money on your move could lead you right to a criminal scammer.

Gift card sales rose from $130 billion in 2015 to $173 billion in 2021, and while they are popular with consumers, they are also popular with criminals. In fact, researchers estimate that $40 to $50 billion is stolen from fraud victims in any given year.

There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to dementia. Each family or person needs to decide what works best for their loved one and their own situation. Learning more about the disease can open up new opportunities for family caregivers to connect with their loved ones.

Criminals have so many ways to getting in touch with us these days. According to new data from the Federal Trade Commission, the winning entry path in 2022 was the internet. 

If there is one constant in the criminal world it’s that scammers follow the news. Student loan forgiveness has been the focus of recent headlines, which has given scammers room for student-loan-related fraud.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, consumers reported losing $2.6 billion to impostor scams in 2022. One of the longest running impostor scams involves the IRS, so tax time is a good time to draw attention to it.