Scams & Fraud

An 84-year-old widow called the AARP Fraud Watch Network after accepting a free trial offer for a skin cream she had seen a famous personality touting on television. She had no idea she needed to cancel after receiving the free trial. She was sent more product at a cost of $200 and is now fighting to return the product and get her money back.

As we honor those who have served our country this Veterans Day, know that some scammers go to great lengths to target their money, their benefits, and their commitment to current and former soldiers.

Free public Wi-Fi, available at places like airports and coffee shops, are convenient, but can be risky.

In honor of Cyber Security Awareness Month, we have collected six valuable tips to help you and your family stay cyber secure:

Social media scams come in many shapes and sizes. Two fast-moving scams we've seen lately are fake ads on social media sites and promotions for phony genealogy sites. The goal with both is to steal from you, whether it's your hard earned money or your identity.

Equifax, one of the nation’s three major credit bureaus, recently announced that a data breach likely compromised the information of approximately 143 million Americans. The media swirl that ensured has left many people confused and alarmed.

Smishing is when scammers use text messaging to lure targets into sharing credit card numbers and other personal information. The name comes from combining Short Message Service or SMS (the technology used for text messages on cell phones) with phishing.

A new state law allows a court to grant authority over online banking, credit card and social media accounts to a conservator of a vulnerable person or an executor of an estate.

No matter where you live, fraud is never far away. Protect yourself by knowing what to watch out for in your own area – and warn others by reporting your own experiences with the AARP Fraud Watch Network’s scam-tracking map.

Scammers have gotten good at convincing unsuspecting victims that they have a computer virus. Their end game is to take your money or gain access to your personal financial information.