AARP Eye Center
Scams & Fraud
Tempting offers of debt relief will only make your own problems worse
Scammers posing as IRS agents or Treasury Department officials
The Federal Trade Commission released its annual compendium of fraud reports from last year resulting in $5.9 billion in 2021
Scammers follow the headlines and take advantage of them when they can. Public desire to support Ukraine in this critical time of need is no exception.
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“At the end of the day, it’s all about you taking a moment to say ‘Hold on, this is not legitimate,’ and just hang up,” said Susan Hogan, Consumer Investigative Reporter for NBC4 in her keynote address.
The yearlong pandemic has triggered a big increase in romance scammers who prey on lonely people confined to their homes. Swindlers stalk matchmaking websites and shower their victims with attention and then have a seemingly plausible reason why they need money to make a trip to visit.
Just as COVID-19 vaccine administration is ramping up, so are the scams surrounding them. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) already has issued a warning for veterans and military families to avoid fake COVID-19 vaccine offers.
If 2020 taught us anything it’s that scammers follow the headlines. While we’re all relieved to turn the calendar to 2021, the uncertainty that marked the last 12 months isn’t going away any time soon. And scammers thrive on uncertainty.
The AARP Fraud Watch Network is dedicated to providing people with simple tips to keep them safe from scammers. In 2021 we’ve got three simple words to keep you protected: Stop, Think and Verify.
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