Scams & Fraud

Fraudsters are offering older people purported miracle cures, preventive drugs and vaccine appointments—for a fee. These scams exploit potential victims’ anxiety about having to wait for a vaccination. The past year has heightened people’s isolation and made them more susceptible to such pitches.

Don't just toss your sensitive documents...shred 'em for free with AARP! We also have a wealth of valuable information at our AARP Fraud Watch Network workshops about how to stay savvy to the latest scams out there and how to keep yourself and loved ones safe. Our shreds and workshops (often combined) are must-attend events that you don't want to miss! When it comes to our shredding events, please remember: no businesses please, and make sure to remove all plastic and metal clips from documents to be shredded.

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect us all, and scammers continue to do all they can to take advantage of it.

NOTE: The following message is provided by Veronica Tubman, Senior Stakeholder Liaison for the F.B.I Baltimore Field Office. The opinions expressed are those of the author. AARP Maryland is sharing this information as a service to our members.

Protecting Veterans and Military Families from COVID-19 Vaccine Scams

Newly-expanded property tax credits at the state and municipal level benefit military retirees, veterans and their families.

One in five seniors over age 65 have been the victims of fraud, losing a staggering $2.9 billion a year to identity thieves and con artists. Unfortunately, even more is lost to exploiters who are family, friends or caregivers. To assist Marylanders in identifying and combatting fraud, the Office of the Attorney General, Office of the Comptroller, AARP Maryland, CCCSMD (Consumer Credit Counseling Service of Maryland), the U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland, the Commissioner of Financial Regulation from the Maryland Department of Labor, and a coalition of consumer protection groups today announced a statewide public awareness campaign during PROTECT Week (Protecting Older Americans from Financial Exploitation), June 15-20, 2020.

The Internal Revenue Service encourages taxpayers to be on the lookout for IRS impersonation calls, texts and email phishing attempts about the coronavirus or COVID-19 Economic Impact Payments. These scams can lead to tax-related fraud and identity theft.

AARP Maryland advierte sobre una nueva estafa dirigida a las comunidades hispanas/latinas de Maryland. Un sitio web fraudulento de bitcoines tiene como objetivo atraer a nuevos inversores con la falsa esperanza de ganancias financieras, combinada con amenazas de reportar a quienes están indocumentados.

Join AARP in saluting our veterans, military and their families for their service and sacrifice during Military Appreciation Month.