It often begins quietly: an unexpected message, a call that sounds official, a request that feels urgent enough to override doubt. Fraud rarely announces itself. It slips into ordinary moments, disguised as hope, grief, or good intention. What begins as an online message can quickly escalate into violent threats backed by AI-generated videos. According to Dr. Myechia Minter-Jordan, CEO of AARP, more than 40% of American adults have lost money to fraud or had their sensitive information stolen and misused, as disclosed by an AARP survey. Fraud affects people across all income levels and backgrounds. It is driven by organized criminal networks using sophisticated tools. It has become a systemic threat — one AARP confronts every day through prevention, victim support, consumer protection, and advocacy. Because the consequences are devastating, fraud can drain life savings and cause lasting emotional harm. It erodes trust, even in oneself. Many are left bearing shame for something not their fault. Though fraud can strike quickly, the effects linger long afterwards. AARP emphasizes a simple but powerful approach: Pause, reflect, protect. Creating space to slow down and reach out for help before becoming a victim of fraud can help interrupt even the most persuasive scam.

Fraud is a crime. Speaking up to official anti-fraud networks is an act of strength from those victimized by fraud. One network can be found at aarp.org/ fraudsafety.

Ken Budd, a journalist who frequently writes for AARP about fraud, notes there are six red hot scams to avoid in 2026. In two months in late 2025, he said the Better Business Bureau received more than 800 complaints about a caller saying he worked for a company helping people recover lost benefits and sent out these calls nationwide. The calls directed people to a website where they were deceived into revealing personal data used to steal their identities. This is called relief-check fraud.

United States employers laid off more than 1.2 million workers in 2025, the most since the 2020 pandemic. With so many Americans seeking work, employment scams are surging, and desperate job hunters may be more susceptible than in the past to fraud, including bogus jobs in online ads, on job search websites, and on social media. Some scammers impersonate real recruitment agencies and companies. If you’re required to pay for a job interview, it’s a scam. Guarantees of great pay and few hours while working at home are probably red flags not to ignore. If a so-called recruiter contacts you, check the company’s website and see if they’re hiring for that particular position — and if the person actually works there. Be careful about posting your resume. Criminals can use information included there to manipulate you. These are called employment scams.

With recovery scams, criminals promise to help previously scammed individuals recoup their losses, then charge fees for nonexistent services or ask for personal or financial information. Recovery scammers might be the same criminals who victimized you initially. But this time, they claim they’re from a government agency, a consumer advocacy group, or a law firm. Reject upfront fees. Criminals charge you in advance and ask you to pay with gift cards, cryptocurrency or Venmo. Beware of phony checks. Scammers might send a counterfeit check, often for more than what you lost. Then they’ll say they overpaid and instruct you to return the balance. Do your homework. Search the recovery firm’s name using key-words such as “scam,” “fraud,” or “complaint.”

In digital arrest scams, the process is terrifying. You’re informed that you’re the subject of a criminal investigation. Fake law enforcement officers interrogate you for days on video calls, threatening you with criminal charges, sending AI-generated phony arrest warrants and pressuring you to pay settlements or fines. Hang up. Law enforcement doesn’t call people and threaten to arrest them. Court orders and arrest warrants are not delivered through phone calls, emails, or social media.

In “hello, naughty person” scams, criminals claim they’ve hacked your computer and recorded you visiting porn sites. If you don’t pay them, they’ll share evidence of your naughty behavior with your email contact list. They might even spoof your email address so it appears that the blackmailer is contacting you through your own account. People can be very fearful of getting a bad reputation if someone believes they are watching porn or sending nude photos. Scammers exploit that fear. Never respond. If you reply, scammers will likely send more messages. Don’t open unsolicited attachments. Blackmail messages are frequently sent as PDF’s to bypass phishing filters.

There is a growing market among older Americans to write their memoirs and seek a publisher for their life story to share with friends and family. Some scammers pose as literary agents. Others create fake publishing companies that take your money but never publish your work. Know how talent agents operate. Writers never pay agents to represent them. Agents receive a percentage of advances and payments. Ignore unsolicited emails. Legit agents and publishers will not contact unknown authors. Fake publishers often use variations of real company’s names to seem respectable, so study the web links.

— Quarles is a registered dietitian with the South Central Human Resource Agency Head Start.