Protecting Assets

Consumers lose billions of dollars every year due to the actions of those who commit consumer fraud. People over 50 are targeted relentlessly, and account for more than half of the fraud victims.

Hanging Up on Fraud
The AARP Foundation continued for a third year its consumer protection program funded by Western Union. Using call lists seized during law enforcement raids of fraudulent “boiler room” operations, our dedicated volunteer Fraud Fighters contacted nearly 900,000 consumers to warn them that they had been targeted for a scam. These personal calls have proven to be quite effective in empowering vulnerable seniors to “hang up” on fraud.

In addition, we received $1.1 million in grant funding from MoneyGram, an international wire-transfer company to undertake a national public education effort about telemarketing fraud.

These funds enabled AARP Foundation volunteers to begin calling an additional 400,000 older adults thought to be targeted for fraudulent activities. Individuals are notified and informed about consumer fraud, such as those that involve the transfer of fees via a wire service to receive money the victims are told they have won.