Scams & Fraud

Hail, wind, fire and tornadoes can make the summer months a dangerous time to live in South Dakota. Unfortunately for many of us, when it comes to natural disasters it may not be a matter of ‘if’ but ‘when’.

With the tech support scam, you get an online popup or a call from a well-known tech company (like Microsoft or Apple) saying that a virus has been identified on your computer. The scammer convinces you that he can fix the problem for a fee. Victims who catch on and stop payment are now getting hit with an associated scam.

A law passed in 2015 requires Medicare to remove Social Security numbers from Medicare cards. Beneficiaries will begin to receive their new cards in May, and the rollout will continue into 2019. This is a good move, since Social Security numbers are the key to identity theft, and having them displayed on Medicare cards has long presented a risk. Unfortunately, scammers have come up with ways to take advantage of this change.

What’s the best way to protect yourself from con artists' latest tricks? Learn how a scam works. What's the best way to do that? Go to the source.

Join our series of online Q&A sessions to learn how to avoid them.

Every two seconds in the US, someone's identity is stolen, resulting in tens of billions of dollars landing in the pockets of con artists and other unsavory criminals. AARP South Dakota is warning our members to be extra vigilant as tax season comes to a close. South Dakotans filed more than 3,200 consumer complaints of fraud and identity theft last year, 33% of which were employment or tax-related.

A surge in television, radio and internet ads from law firms and lawsuit marketing companies is causing some patients to take serious risks. While “opt-in” notices are required for law firms bringing class action complaints, the rhetoric of these ads have frightened some patients into stopping critical life-saving medications without consulting a healthcare practitioner.

Scammers are now going to the Social Security Administration website and setting up “my Social Security” accounts for workers that are of retirement age in an attempt to steal their retirement benefits. People age 62 and older face the highest risk from this scam!

Lately, it seems that you can’t go one day without hearing about the tremendous gains (and losses) of Bitcoin and other popular “virtual currencies.” While high returns make them intriguing as an investment, the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) wants you to be aware of the possible risks associated with investing or speculating in virtual currencies.

As we enter tax-filing season, it pays to be aware of the signs that point to possible tax identity theft.