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

Consumer fraud is soaring. Here’s how AARP fights it

AARP

Published July 22, 2026

Dan Bejar

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. Our work includes testimony before Congress, support for bipartisan legislation, regulatory comments, state-by-state campaigns and championing local ordinances to strengthen protections against emerging threats such as crypto kiosk scams, gift card fraud and AI-enabled schemes.

As fraud losses among older adults continue to skyrocket, AARP is also pushing for a coordinated response to the problem. That includes stronger enforcement, better tools for law enforcement and financial institutions, meaningful support and restitution for victims, and policies that help stop scams before money is stolen.

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Why this matters

Consumer fraud is soaring, and the greatest losses are experienced by adults 60 and older, who reported $7.7 billion stolen last year, according to the latest data from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). That’s an increase of more than 59 percent from a year earlier — and likely a fraction of the true cost. Fraud is notoriously underreported, so much so that the Federal Trade Commission estimates that as much as $195.9 billion was stolen through fraud in 2024 alone.

How AARP is working to fight scams and fraud

That’s why AARP has advocated for decades to protect older Americans from fraud, financial exploitation and scams, engaging Congress, federal agencies, state lawmakers, law enforcement and financial institutions to strengthen consumer protections.

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Among the many bipartisan bills AARP has endorsed in Congress are the GUARD Act, which would ensure that law enforcement has the right tools and training to fight fraud; legislation to reinstate the casualty and theft loss deduction, ensuring fraud victims don’t have to pay taxes on stolen funds; and efforts to streamline and improve the assistance provided by the Social Security Administration to individuals whose Social Security numbers have been stolen or misused.

AARP has successfully advocated for a wide range of state and local anti-fraud laws and ordinances, including measures that restrict or ban cryptocurrency kiosks, a favored payment method in scams. As a result of AARP-supported advocacy, a majority of states now have kiosk protections in place. AARP has also supported state laws that allow financial institutions to temporarily delay suspicious transactions involving vulnerable adults, strengthen protections against gift card and deed fraud, and establish restitution funds that help fraud victims recover financial losses. These efforts provide consumers with stronger protections while helping prevent and mitigate financial exploitation.

More ways AARP is trying to protect you

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.

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