Scams & Fraud

This year’s Summit, “Unmasking the Impostors,” gathered participants to learn about fraud and scams and how to protect themselves.

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.

Criminals commonly use the names of well-known and reputable computer companies, online retailers, money transfer services and virus protection software companies to try and defraud others. These computer-related scams often claim to be with companies like Microsoft, Apple, Amazon, Norton, McAfee, PayPal and eBay, just to name a few. It is important to remember that computer scams can occur on any device that can access the internet including a smartphone and tablet. The following are some red flags to look out for to help identify some of the most reported computer-related scams:

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.

En Español | AARP in The Virgin Islands met with members of the Culture, Aging, Sports, Parks, and Youth Committee of the 35th Legislature of the Virgin Islands and other aging advocates yesterday, September 7, 2023, to discuss recommendations presented by AARP-VI to combat elder abuse and specifically to strengthen the anti-elder abuse law, 34 V.I.C., Act No. 8318, Elder & Dependent Adult Abuse Prevention Act of 2020. This meeting is one subsequent to a first in March 2023, composed of a working group that included US Virgin Islands government agencies, the private sector, and the community at large.

AARP members can enjoy Texas Rangers games with a discount!

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.

The effects of financial exploitation can be devastating. Most older adults who are impacted never see it coming. But there are always clues and red flags. We want to help you spot them and take action! Check out these 10 tips from a former prosecutor.

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.

Vermonters can learn about the latest scams and get tips on how to protect themselves at a Scam Jam hosted by AARP Vermont.