Join AARP & partners at Oct. 20/21 Arkansans Fighting Fraud events in Ft Smith/Bentonville

 Join AARP Arkansas and  five artner organizations next week at one of two upcoming Arkansans Fighting Fraud events and get tips and information you need to protect yourself and your family from con artists, identity theft and other scams.

The first Arkansans Fighting Fraud forum is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 20 in Fort Smith, followed by the Bentonville event on Tuesday, Oct. 21. Both forums are scheduled from noon to 2 p.m., with registration check-in at 11:30 a.m.

Attendance at Arkansans Fighting Fraud forums is limited and advance registration is required. In Fort Smith, the forum will be held at The Blue Lion at University of Arkansas at Fort Smith- Downtown, 101 N. Second St.  KFSM 5 News Anchor Daren Bobb will be the host. Call toll-free (877) 926-8300 or register online.

In Bentonville, the event will be held at NorthWest Arkansas Community College, Shewmaker Center Walmart Auditorium, 1000 Southeast Eagle Way, and hosted by 40/29 News Anchor Craig Cannon.  Call toll-free (877) 926-8300 or register online.

Financial security has always been a priority issue for AARP in Arkansas and across the nation. Building on the launch of AARP’s Fraud Watch Network  in late 2013, AARP Arkansas joined  five long-time partner organizations  to revamp the format of consumer forums held in various locations across the state in recent years. The first two "new" events were held June 3 in Little Rock and August 25 in Jonesboro.

AARP’s Arkansans Fighting Fraud partners are the Arkansas Attorney General's office;  the Arkansas Insurance Department; the Arkansas Division of Aging & Adult Services; the Arkansas Securities Department; and the University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture-Cooperative Extension Service.

 The Fort Smith and Bentonville events will include mini-briefings and a panel discussion with front-line experts at Arkansas agencies who address finances and fight fraud every day. Guests also have the opportunity for one-on-one conversations with agency representatives and to visit a resource fair with free financial and fraud fighting materials from all event sponsors.

The Fraud Watch Network is for everyone and is free of charge; you don’t have to be an AARP member to join. You'll get access to information you need to protect yourself and your family from fraud, identity theft and scams.

Sign up to get Watchdog Alerts and other valuable information from the Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork or call toll-free 1-877-908-3360.