What AARP Is Doing to Protect Older Americans From Scams and Fraud

Legislation We Have Supported

The GUARD Act (S.2544 ). This bill would direct federal funding to state and local law enforcement agencies to hire personnel, train staff and secure tools to combat fraud against Americans. With new technology now playing a role in many forms of financial crime, law enforcement must have the right tools and training to unravel complex investigations and give victims the justice they deserve.

The Stop SCAMS Against Seniors Act (H.R.6426). This bill would provide federal resources to create state/local/federal law enforcement elder justice task forces. These task forces would conduct investigations into financial exploitation and fraud targeting adults age 60 and over and bring these criminals to justice.

The Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams, and Disasters Act (S.1773, H.R.3469) and the Tax Relief for Victims of Fraud Act (H.R.9500). These bills would reinstate the casualty and theft loss deduction, better ensuring fraud victims don’t have to pay taxes on stolen funds. Currently, if you have money stolen from retirement or other taxable accounts, the IRS may tax you on money you already lost to criminals. These bills will help end the injustice currently written into the tax code by allowing victims to deduct the amounts stolen from them on their taxes. 

Legislation protecting homeowners against predatory practices. Thirty states enacted legislation against the predatory practice of unscrupulous real estate brokers who misled homeowners into signing decades-long agreements that gave the brokers the exclusive right to sell the homes. The bills enacted in these states are based on a model bill designed by AARP and other national stakeholders. It prohibits service agreements longer than 1 year, makes the agreements non-recordable in the deed or property records, and bars liens or encumbrances associated with the land. It also prohibits locking homeowners into exclusive long-term real estate listing agreements and imposes penalties on brokers who do so. (Learn more on this episode of AARP’s The Perfect Scam podcast.)

AARP has also supported state laws that allow financial institutions to temporarily delay suspicious transactions involving vulnerable adults and establish fraud victim restitution funds that help survivors recover financial losses. These efforts provide consumers with stronger protections while helping prevent and mitigate financial exploitation.

Policy Research and Publications

• “Protecting Older Americans From Fraud and Scams: Views on Proposed Policy Solutions” (April 10, 2026)
• “The Fraud Crisis in America: How Adult Consumers Feel, What They Know and Their Exposure to Risk” (April 7, 2026)
• “Older Adults Want More Protections Against Cryptocurrency Fraud” (April 7, 2026) 
• "Stopping Scams, Supporting Victims: A National Survey of Adults Age 50-Plus" (March 30, 2026)

Calls to Action

• AARP calls on Congress to pass the GUARD Act to equip state, local and tribal law enforcement agencies with the tools they need to investigate fraud, scams and financial exploitation targeting older adults. The legislation would allow certain federal grant funds to be used to hire specialized investigators, provide training, and acquire technology and software to help law enforcement identify, investigate and prosecute increasingly sophisticated financial crimes.
  
  
• AARP calls on Congress to pass the Tax Relief for Victims of Fraud Act to ensure that victims are not forced to pay federal taxes on money that has been stolen from them. The bill would restore the casualty and theft loss deduction, providing relief to scam victims and other taxpayers who have experienced significant financial losses through no fault of their own.
  
  
• AARP calls on Congress to pass the STOP Scams Against Seniors Act to strengthen the response to fraud and financial exploitation by supporting the creation of elder justice task forces. The legislation would help state and local agencies coordinate with prosecutors, adult protective services and federal law enforcement to investigate scams, support victims, recover losses and combat organized criminal networks that target older Americans.

More ways AARP is trying to protect you from fraud

• AARP Fraud Watch Network leads an effort to fundamentally change how our country responds to the crime of fraud. The team reaches out to federal and state agencies, other nonprofits, the news media and consumers to change the narrative on fraud victims. The goal is to increase understanding that fraud is a punishable crime, the perpetrators are largely transnational organized criminal enterprises funding atrocities such as human trafficking, and fraud is not the fault of the victims. 
  
  
• AARP’s award-winning BankSafe Initiative offers free online training to bank and credit union employees to help them identify and stop suspected fraud before money leaves a customer’s account. The initiative has expanded to the retail sector to encourage frontline store employees to intervene when a customer appears to be buying gift cards at the direction of a criminal.
  
  
• AARP Fraud Watch Network’s site includes news on fraud as well as scam-fighting tips. You can sign up for biweekly email or text Watchdog Alerts to stay on top of the latest schemes.
  
  
• The AARP Fraud Watch Network has a free helpline, at 877-908-3360, where trained volunteers can offer fraud victims support, assistance with next steps, and information about AARP’s online Fraud Victim Support Group.

Frequently Asked Questions 

What is AARP’s position on fraud?

AARP believes we need a coordinated response to fraud, which has the greatest financial impact on older adults. That includes better consumer protections to prevent criminals from reaching victims, stronger enforcement, better tools for law enforcement and financial institutions, and meaningful support and restitution for victims.

What has AARP done to protect older Americans from fraud?

AARP is at the forefront of efforts to protect older Americans from scams and fraud, combining consumer education with advocacy at the local, state and federal levels. 

As noted above, our work includes testimony before Congress, support for bipartisan legislation, regulatory comments, state-by-state campaigns, and local ordinances to strengthen protections against emerging threats.  

Important legislation victories include the passage of 35 state-level measures that restrict or ban cryptocurrency kiosks, a favored payment method in scams. 

AARP has also advocated on the state level for so-called “report and hold” laws, which enable financial institutions to pause suspicious transactions and stop scams in their tracks.

Why does AARP prioritize fighting fraud?

Fraud has become a nationwide crisis that threatens the financial security, independence and well-being of millions of Americans. Every year, criminals steal billions of dollars through increasingly sophisticated scams, and older adults often suffer the greatest financial losses. 

Fraud is not a partisan issue, and it does not discriminate. It affects Americans of every background, in every community. Every dollar stolen by a scammer is a dollar that should have gone toward retirement, health care, housing, family or a local business. Too often, fraud robs people of savings they spent a lifetime building and undermines their ability to age with dignity and independence.

The impact extends beyond the financial loss. Victims often experience stress, anxiety, shame, and a loss of trust, while families can face lasting emotional and financial consequences. That’s why AARP is working every day to stop criminal networks from exploiting older Americans, strengthen protections that prevent fraud before it occurs, and help victims recover and move forward. Through advocacy, education, and direct support, we are committed to protecting the financial security of Americans age 50 and older.

How can members get involved? 

Here’s what you can do to help protect people 50 and older from scams and fraud:

• Tell lawmakers to stop criminals from using crypto kiosks to steal from us.
• Sign up to become a digital fraud fighter to help raise awareness about the latest scams.
• AARP is your fierce defender on the issues that matter to people 50-plus. Become a member or renew your membership today.

Related Resources

Learn more about AARP’s mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age.

Listen to AARP’s The Perfect Scam podcast, which highlights victims’ stories and how criminals operate.

Read AARP’s fraud education series, which serve as comprehensive guides in key topic areas. They include:

• Trending Scams: A roundup of the most common forms of fraud and how to spot the red flags.
• Protect Yourself From Fraud: AARP’s most essential scam-prevention advice. 
• What to Do After a Scam: Information on how to protect yourself from further theft and identity fraud, and where to find support. 
• Avoid Romance Scams Online: A guide to staying safe when meeting new people on dating sites, social media and beyond.