Scams and fraud have long-lasting effects on a person's mental well-being, but the latest research found the emotional toll is particularly high on older adults.
Half the victims in fraud cases reported to the Federal Trade Commission were under age 30 but the financial losses are greater in older adults, at an average of $1,500. AARP said people who get scammed often experience shame and a desire for isolation.
Keith Gattozzi, a victim of a romance and cryptocurrency scam, said he felt awful after discovering he had fallen for someone who did not even exist.
"Since I was in cybersecurity all my life, and I'm not stupid and I don't know -- I'm, like, looking for love in all the wrong places -- but I felt like an idiot," Gattozzi acknowledged. "I was embarrassed. I didn't tell anybody. I told one of my friends; I didn't tell anybody else."
AARP, in conjunction with Volunteers of America's ReST program, offers free online facilitated emotional support sessions for fraud victims. ReST stands for "Resilience, Strength and Time," and people can attend as many sessions as they would like.
Seth Boffeli, senior adviser for fraud prevention at AARP, said the pandemic and dependence on technology have contributed to much of the increase in scams. Missouri reported $30 million in fraud losses in 2019, which jumped to $83 million last year.
Boffeli suggested it is just a matter of time before any American of any age will be tempted by a convincing scam.
"What we need more understanding on is just what we're facing," Boffeli urged. "These are professional criminal enterprises that are master manipulators using technology -- the latest technology -- to take advantage of us. Any of us could fall victim."
He added it is key in these cases to stop, think and verify, to prevent falling for a scam.
AARP's Fraud Watch Network tracks and posts information about current and common scams online. In some areas, they also teach community education classes, host free document-shredding events, and work with lawmakers on consumer protections.
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FBI data show North Dakotans lost nearly $6 million to cryptocurrency scams in 2023 and a bill advancing in the Legislature would try to limit those losses by adding safeguards to a financial trend with little oversight.
The measure, overwhelmingly approved by the House this week, would require operators of crypto kiosks to be licensed. Experts said the kiosks, which look similar to a traditional ATM, are used to convert real cash to virtual money like Bitcoin but they also can serve as a vehicle for fraud.
Rep. Ben Koppelman, R-West Fargo, said someone might pose as a law enforcement officer, warning a person about suspicious activity with the funds in their bank account.
"They suggest depositing it in this kiosk and, of course, it goes to the fraudster's account and it's tough to get that money back," Koppelman explained.
One of the other provisions stated receipts would need to be provided so law enforcement agencies have a paper trail to work with in the event of a scam. Koppelman pointed out compromises were added in response to concerns from cryptocurrency industry groups, including language dealing with daily transaction limits.
Jacob Rued, fraud investigator for First Western Bank in Minot, told lawmakers at a hearing earlier in the session, people who are taken advantage of often have little to no knowledge of how crypto transactions work.
"Their trust in the kiosk (is) often based on the false and manipulated idea that because this kiosk is real, and, 'I can physically interact with it in my community, that must mean that it has been vetted,'" Rued noted.
Experts said unlike mainstream banking, virtual currency is decentralized and regulation has been slow to catch up. Groups such as AARP also testified in support of the bill, noting the effect the activity has had on older adults at risk of losing their life savings. Watchdogs said younger generations, too, are targeted for this type of fraud.
The measure now heads to the Senate.
Disclosure: AARP North Dakota contributes to our fund for reporting on Civic Engagement, Community Issues and Volunteering, Health Issues, and Senior Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest,
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Some New York members of Congress are trying to repeal bank overdraft fee regulations.
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau created a rule capping account overdraft fees at $5, which the agency estimates could save people nationwide $5 billion.
But a bill coming up for a vote in the U.S. House this week would repeal it, allowing banks to charge up to $35 for these fees.
Rebecca Garrard, interim co-executive director of Citizen Action of New York, said overdraft fees often harm those who can least afford them.
"It's devastating," said Garrard, "and it contributes to debt that people are unable to remove themselves from, and exacerbates a crisis of poverty and affordability that's already problematic."
Though some New York U.S. Representatives, like Rep. Dan Goldman, D-Manhattan, favor maintaining the overdraft fee limitations, others, like Rep. Mike Lawler, R-Pearl River, are under pressure to end these protections.
New York is among the states that have also addressed this issue. In 2022, the Department of Financial Services developed a rule reducing or eliminating some of the fees banks can charge.
The bill is seen as one of many moves to undermine the CFPB. The agency's acting director, Russell Vought, implemented a stop work order and numerous employees were laid off - until a federal judge blocked the layoffs.
Christine Chen Zinner, senior policy counsel for Americans for Financial Reform, said the stop work order is a green light for financial companies to defraud and gouge customers.
"I mean, every corporate bad actor in finance has a free pass from the Trump administration to make life more expensive and less fair for families all over the country," Zinner observed.
A CFPB report finds 81% of households that frequently incur overdraft fees had difficulty paying bills in the last year.
A 2024 Data for Progress poll finds voters across the political spectrum approve of the agency's mission, although most aren't fully aware of its role.
Disclosure: Americans for Financial Reform contributes to our fund for reporting on Budget Policy & Priorities, Campaign Finance Reform/Money in Pol, Social Justice. If you would like to help support news in the public interest,
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This session, Minnesota lawmakers are expected to take a strong look at preventing more fraud attempts against state government. Meanwhile, consumer advocates hope they do not forget about separate scams increasingly targeting everyday citizens.
Organizations such as AARP said consumer fraud has reached a crisis point, with federal data showing U.S. consumers reported losing more than $10 billion to fraud in 2023, a record high.
Cathy McLeer, state director of AARP Minnesota, said in a digital world, it is getting harder for authorities to clamp down on the threats and give people an avenue to recoup what they lost.
"In many cases, these are bad actors who are overseas," McLeer explained. "You can't track them down. And it's very, very difficult for anyone who has been defrauded to get even some of those resources back."
McLeer pointed out such situations can be especially harder on older adults because their life savings can quickly evaporate.
A proposed bill would create a state-managed restitution fund, where proceeds from civil penalties would be redirected and awarded to fraud victims having trouble getting their money back. The bill is sponsored by lawmakers in both parties but it is unclear whether it will gain traction amid other priorities.
A key provision in the bill said Minnesota's attorney general has to bring a case against the scammers and obtain a court order. McLeer argued the extra tool might prompt more people falling prey to fraud to speak up.
"We also know that so much fraud is underreported," McLeer observed. "We believe that having a Consumer Fraud Restitution Fund would provide the incentive for more individuals to report financial crimes, frauds and scams when they happen."
A handful of other states have created similar funds, including North Dakota in 2023. Meanwhile, AARP Minnesota will host an online discussion on the topic Thursday at 10 a.m. CT. The public is invited to take part.
Disclosure: AARP Minnesota contributes to our fund for reporting on Budget Policy and Priorities, Consumer Issues, Health Issues, and Senior Issues. If you would like to help support news in the public interest,
click here.
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