Scams & Fraud

Renting a home or apartment is a big expense but it could be an even bigger one if the rental is a scam. Criminals copy legitimate listings and look for easy cash by collecting the first month’s rent, deposit, and application fees and then bolt before handing over the keys. Numerous versions of rental frauds abound – some are bait-and-switch while others will attempt to rent out properties that are already leased or otherwise unavailable.

One out of every three American veterans has had a scammer try and steal their benefits. This statistic highlights how veterans, active-duty service members and their families are nearly 40% more likely to lose money to scams and fraud. To help combat this AARP recently launched an online resource center focused on veterans-related scams.

Learn ways to spot and stop scammers on social media.

One question that everyone wants to know when it comes to scams and fraud is where is the greatest risk? When people are bombarded by criminals on email, over the phone, text and online it’s hard to know where to focus. And while it’s important to take every scam attempt seriously, consumers should realize that they are particularly susceptible on social media.

Summer is peak season for scammers to come knocking.

With more people shopping from home than ever before, many consumers rely on delivery services like Amazon for some of the products they used to buy at store. Reports of scammers posing as the Amazon customer support have increased significantly over the past few years. Here are some tips for avoiding Amazon impostor scams:

Summer is officially here which means door-to-door sales crews are too. But buyer beware, what they’re selling isn’t always legit.

Think you’re savvy enough to avoid being ripped off? Think again. Last year, Washington consumers lost more than $135 million to fraud, according to the Federal Trade Commission. That’s nearly double the amount lost in 2020.

The new AARP Veterans Fraud Center aims to help protect veterans, service members and their families from scammers.

For the second year in a row, sticker shock – especially with rental cars – is greeting summer travelers. Reduction in fleet sizes during the pandemic and supply chain issues have once again created a situation where rental care demand is high, supply is tight, and prices are high.