Members of Ohio's military community have a new tool in their arsenal to help fight rising fraud.

The AARP Veterans Fraud Center is a free, online resource to help veterans learn about common scams targeting them and their families.

AARP said veterans, active-duty service members and family members are 40% more likely to lose money to scams and fraud than the civilian population.

Mike Kessler, a volunteer at the Central Ohio AARP Fraud Watch Network, explains as a group, veterans lost more than $267 million last year, a 162% increase from 2020. He believes the amount could be much higher.

"A lot of times what we see are that people are victims, and they don't want to talk about it in public," Kessler acknowledged. "They don't want people to think that maybe they're losing their edge, or that they're just not smart enough to have spotted it. And they'd rather take the loss than share that with other people."

To help prevent fraud, Kessler suggested signing up for the National Do Not Call Registry and using a call-blocking service, having strong and unique passwords for each online account, and placing a free security freeze on credit reports at each of the three major credit bureaus.

An AARP survey found one in three military members or veterans lost money to scams specifically trying to take advantage of the trust they have in the military community. Kessler pointed out con artists have many tricks up their sleeves.

"'I was a colonel in the Army, or my brother died in Vietnam,' something to develop that common bond," Kessler outlined. "Another way is scarcity: 'There's very few benefits left, you better get it right now.' Or phantom riches: 'You can get rich beyond your wildest dreams by barely doing anything.' "

AARP Ohio also has trained volunteers who can speak to veterans groups, faith communities and others about fraud prevention. It is how Kessler learned the story of an Ohio woman who was the victim of a "grandparent scam." He explained someone posing as her grandson, who was serving in the Army, called and told her he needed to get to Canada for his best friend's wedding, but his airline ticket had been stolen.

"And this woman did send the money because, 'My grandson's fighting for our country, and he needed it right now. His voice didn't sound right but, you know, Afghanistan's so far away, I wired him the money,' " Kessler recounted.

A bill in the Maryland General Assembly would regulate cryptocurrency kiosks, the more than 700 ATM-like machines for virtual currencies around the state.

The FBI received more than 4,400 complaints about the kiosks in 2023, according to a report on cryptocurrency scams. Nearly 60% of complaints came from people over the age of 60.

The legislation would establish registration and operating requirements for the kiosks in the state, enforced by the Commissioner for Financial Regulation.

Tammy Bresnahan, senior director of advocacy for AARP Maryland, said crypto kiosks have become a new way for scammers to target people.

"These kiosks have become a haven for scammers to call people to say, 'There's a problem with your account. You need to take money -- $4,500 in cash -- and deposit it into this nearby cryptocurrency kiosk because your account has been compromised,'" Bresnahan explained.

The total losses from cryptocurrency kiosks in 2023 exceeded $150 million.

The FBI advised no legitimate law enforcement or government agency would call or message demanding payment with a cryptocurrency. Bresnahan pointed out one of the issues with kiosks is they are not required to provide a user a receipt for their transaction, making them hard to track.

"Operators must clearly disclose transaction fees and exchange rates," Bresnahan urged. "And there has to be some kind of receipt. It doesn't have to be a printed receipt, but it has to be some kind of detailed receipt, whether it's on the system or whether it comes out printed. Because, right now, when you put money in there, you don't get anything."

Other states, like Minnesota and Vermont, have already passed legislation regulating virtual currency kiosks.

A local "Meals on Wheels" organization is forging ahead with an event to provide meals and personal care items to seniors in four Illinois counties, despite the looming uncertainty about federal funding helping to run the programs.

"March for Meals" brings community members and elected officials together, who volunteer to deliver and serve nutritious meals to seniors in Cook, Grundy, Kendall and Will counties.

Caitlin Wilson, manager of the Schaumburg Community Café, said they also help pack care bags to deliver to those who are homebound.

"Just to know that they're not alone," Wilson explained. "That we are here and they're not left just at home, that we are thinking about them."

Nationally, March for Meals commemorates the Older Americans Act and the funding it provides for nutrition programs for people in their 60s and older. The Illinois March for Meals event is March 31 at the Schaumburg Community Café.

Seniors make up about 22% of Illinois' population. Many statewide programs, including Meals on Wheels, rely on federal funding to keep running.

Every five years, Congress needs to reauthorize the Older Americans Act. The last time it happened was in 2020 and the funding expired in Sept. 2024. Wilson said the need is clear, even if its future is unclear under the new administration.

"We have seniors that come that this is their only source of socialization and even nutrition," Wilson pointed out. "It's definitely important that we continue our goal in the community, because we have those seniors that really depend on these programs."

Wilson added events like these are crucial to raising awareness about the need for senior services, and this year, the additional challenge of potential federal funding cuts.

"It's definitely a huge program and it is a huge impact, with the seniors not sure what's going on and what's going to happen," Wilson emphasized. "But we are here and it's important that we stay here."

Michigan is home to more than 470,000 veterans, yet many have never accessed the military benefits to which they are entitled. The gap in support prompted a local war veteran to take action.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, nearly 200 Michigan veterans died by suicide, well above the state's average, and the number is growing.

Joshua Parish, president of the nonprofit service organization VETLIFE and an Iraq War veteran, is working to change it. His organization, which started in 2018, provides veterans with sustainable resources, free events and community support to help them navigate civilian life. Parish said one of their flagship events called VetFest attracts more than 3,000 people at each event.

"We have 60 resource providers that help connect the dots," Parish explained. "What we're seeing is one month after the VetFest event, a 60% increase in veterans going down to their local resources, which is what we want."

Parish emphasized his main goal is to educate and empower veterans to be their own best advocate. He believes by doing so, it will decrease the veteran suicide rate.

More than 8 million U.S. veterans are 65 and older, nearly half of the veteran population. Many face isolation, depression and struggles transitioning to civilian life, even decades later. As a veteran, Parish has battled mental health challenges himself. He added many feel a loss of purpose and betrayed by the government they once served.

"If you can give these veterans or help cultivate the sense of purpose, the sense of identity, and just make them feel like a person again, I feel like that's going to drastically reduce the veterans' suicide rate," Parish contended.

Many veterans rely on VA pensions, Social Security or disability benefits, making it crucial for them to know and access the resources they have earned.