AARP Pennsylvania

Summer has finally arrived, but the beginning of beach season inevitably brings weight loss scams with it. Criminals take advantage of the season to offer bogus solutions for losing weight or getting in shape. Here’s how these scams generally work.

More than 369,000 incidents of financial abuse targeting older adults are reported to authorities in the U.S. each year, causing an estimated $4.8 billion in losses. And those numbers likely understate the problem considerably. However, as we approach World Elder Abuse Awareness Day on June 15, it’s good to remember that there are things we can do to stop elder financial exploitation. 

Scammers are adept at manipulating the latest technological advances to commit their crimes. These days it’s happening in the world of artificial intelligence – commonly known as AI.

A nice yard takes work, and AARP Pennsylvania has joined with the Phipps Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Pittsburgh to offer a free webinar on how to avoid common landscaping mistakes.

AARP Pennsylvania joined Governor Josh Shapiro and Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich in Scranton, Lackawanna County, today as the Governor signed an Executive Order empowering his Secretary of Aging Jason Kavulich to take the steps necessary to establish a Master Plan for Older Adults.

AARP Pennsylvania volunteers lit up the phone lines today as part of a “Reverse Boiler Room,” dialing thousands of older Pennsylvanians to arm them with the information they need so they can be on the alert and protect themselves and their families from certain scams.

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.

AARP Pennsylvania's new volunteer state president, Nora Dowd Eisenhower, 69, of Philadelphia, brings four decades of professional experience to the role. She says housing will be one of her top priorities.

Longwood Gardens will be in full bloom in May when AARP Pennsylvania hosts a free virtual tour of the Philadelphia-area treasure.

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?