Scams & Fraud

Data breaches are now so commonplace that it’s easy to feel overwhelmed and powerless. But even if your personal information is out there, you can protect your identity with these simple but important steps.

Our grandparents are often among the most important people in our lives. As we celebrate them on September 9, know that they are at risk of the “grandparent scam.” Here’s how grandparents are targeted.

The battle to protect your identity is getting a little easier – or at least cheaper. A new law goes into effect September 21 that will make it free to lock your credit file by freezing it with the three major credit rating companies.

Scammers pretending to be from computer companies rely on successful tech support scams to steal your money, gain access to your computer, or both.

All charity scams are deplorable, but those pretending to raise funds to support our nation’s veterans are particularly shameful. Last week, the Federal Trade Commission, along with state charities regulators, announced a major takedown of fake veteran charities. AARP is hosting the FTC for two hour long national Tele-Town Halls on the subject today at 10:10 am and 2:00 pm (both times Eastern). If you’d like to listen in, dial 877-229-8493 and enter 13907 as the PIN.

Join AARP Oklahoma, LIFE Senior Services, and Tulsa Police Department’s Senior Services Unit for the Life Senior Services Senior Safety and Lifestyle Fair on Tuesday, July 24. The Senior Safety and Lifestyle Fair will feature 100+ exhibitors, as well as informational sessions, fitness demonstrations and health screenings. The free event will be held at Exchange Center at Expo Square 4145 E 21st St., Tulsa.

AARP Oklahoma is cosponsoring two events in Tulsa to promote active aging and independent living.

The summer months unleash door-to-door sales agents across the country. We’ve received reports of a scam run by con artists claiming to be from home security companies. While many home security companies conduct legitimate business using door-to-door sales agents, be wary of anyone using high-pressure tactics or creating a false sense of urgency – common traits of a scam!

The summer months are prime time for home repair scams. The general ruse involves someone coming to your door and offering to do work on your home, typically at a big discount. While not all door-to-door offers are scams, some are. Do your research if an offer seems too good to be true. We’ve heard from victims who’ve lost thousands of dollars to unscrupulous contractors and outright scammers.

When a person is victimized by a scam, the victim is often portrayed as “falling for” something. This misses the part of the story of how skilled these criminals are at moving us to an emotional state, where our logical thinking takes a backseat. It also neglects how sophisticated many of these scams are.