Cybercrime might seem like something straight out of a futuristic spy novel, but it’s absolutely real, and it even happens in rural America. The Federal Trade Commission recently reported another record year of fraud losses totaling $12.5 billion by American consumers. While the losses affect people of all ages, older Americans lost the most, and many of them don’t have the means to rebuild their nest eggs. Sean Voskuhl, AARP State Director for Oklahoma, said it can happen to anyone.
Older Americans will likely get scams by phone, get impostor scams, be asked to send gift cards, and lose more money. There are hundreds of different scams, but there are only six or seven ways that you’ll be asked for money.
Peer-to-peer payment apps are unprotected forms of payment, so it’s important to know exactly who you are sending money to on those platforms. Voskuhl also talks about where the biggest losses can happen.
For more information, visit aarp.com.
