Get Alerted to Scams Targeting Seniors with AARP Fraud Watchdog Emails

Stay aware to prevent senior fraud

Heartless scammers steal $36 billion from American seniors every year.

They prey on older adults because they’re more likely to have savings and are more vulnerable to high-pressure tactics.

Common scams targeting seniors include calls from fake IRS and fake Medicare representatives, people pretending to be contractors who repair houses, or fraudsters selling fake or predatory financial products.

The best protection against senior fraud is to be aware of top scams and help your older adult understand the red flags to watch out for.

But busy family caregivers can’t possibly keep up with the latest tricks that fraudsters are using.

We found a helpful free solution that you can trust, the AARP Fraud Watch Network.

We explain what the Fraud Watch Network is and how their Watchdog emails protect your older adult (and you) from scammers.

Get all the senior fraud information you need in one place

The AARP Fraud Watch Network is a trustworthy place to get helpful information on scams targeting seniors – and all their information is available for free.

Today’s thieves use both old and new technology to steal from older adults so the Fraud Watch Network covers a wide range of scams.

Useful tips range from avoiding Medicare scams to staying safe on social media – and everything in between.

The Fraud Watch Network even has a scam-tracking map (click the “Search Existing Scams” tab to see the map) so you can check your local area for scams.

 

Free email newsletter alerts you to the latest scams targeting seniors

Our favorite feature is the AARP Watchdog emails.

Signing up for this free email newsletter means that AARP will alert you to the latest scams.

Getting these occasional emails is a low-effort way to stay up-to-date on new fraudster tricks. It helps you be more proactive and take steps to protect your older adult when needed.

 

Find out about changes that create opportunities for new scams

For example, this Watchdog email shown below explains that there’s a new IRS program that’s using private debt collection agencies to collect on overdue tax accounts.

It tells us this is important to know because this change lets scammers take advantage of people’s confusion about a new program.

The email is brief and has clearly marked sections to tell you what the issue is, what you really need to know, and what you should do about it.

For example, if your older adult has no tax debt, you probably don’t need to do anything about it. But if they do have tax debt, you could let them know about the red flags that mean a fraudulent collector is trying to scam them.

Example of an AARP Watchdog fraud alert email

 

Next Step  Get alerted to scams targeting seniors through the AARP Fraud Watch Network and their Watchdog emails

 

Recommended for you:

• Coronavirus Scam Alert: 7 Tips for How Seniors Can Avoid Them
• Prevent Elder Fraud by Getting Rid of Junk Mail
• 8 Ways to Protect Seniors from Financial Fraud and Scams

 

By DailyCaring Editorial Team

 

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