David Kalinoski

When we think about cybersecurity we may think about computers and smart phones. But the reality is everything from our TVs to thermostats to appliances are potentially vulnerable to hackers. In this new normal, online safety is a must so remember - smart devices need smart security.

It’s open enrollment season, which also means it’s Medicare fraud season. Eligible beneficiaries have until December 7th to shop for the best deal for their health care dollar. Unfortunately, some of the deals offered won’t be deals at all.

If you have a cell phone, you've probably noticed an increase in text messages from people you don't know.

The month of October was declared by Congress in 2004 to be Cybersecurity Awareness Month, During each October, the public and private sectors and tribal communities work together to raise awareness about the importance of cybersecurity. Here are four important steps to staying safe online.

This October is National Cyber Security month and AARP is focused on shining a light on the most prevalent online scams including celebrity impostors. Stars like Bruce Springsteen, Trace Adkins and Oprah Winfrey are among thousands of celebrities whose personas have been used by scammers online to solicit money from fans.

When it comes to the labor market, the supply of jobs is outpacing demand but that doesn’t mean that employment scams have gone away. Just because there are more job openings than job seekers doesn’t mean that criminals have closed up shop. With many Americans looking for a side hustle to help make ends meet or an opportunity to make more money or work remotely, there are still enough potential victims to fuel these schemes.

Some of the top scams are the ones that have been around the longest. One might think that a crime like the tech support scam, which has been around for 15 years, might fade away but it is more common than ever. According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, the tech support scam was reported by nearly 18,000 victims who had a combined $588 million stolen from them last year.

Last month Medicare announced that one of their contractors had been hacked and the personal information of 612,000 Medicare beneficiaries were stolen. The security breach put Social Security numbers, birth dates, driver’s license numbers, health insurance claims, medical history notes, prescription information and other personally identifiable information at risk.

Staying a step ahead of the criminal scammers is like playing a never-ending game of whack-a-mole. But if you know about a specific scam, research shows you are 80% less likely to engage with it. But how can you stay up to speed? One great tool is the AARP Fraud Watch Network’s Watchdog Alerts.

Even though so much crime today is happening online, there’s one real-world crime that will never go away – pickpocketing. In the event it happens to you, make sure a stolen wallet doesn’t lead to an even bigger loss.