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City of Helena Proclaims April 2026 as Fraud Prevention Month

Helena joins AARP Montana and partners nationwide to raise awareness about scams targeting older adults and consumers of all ages.

AARP

Published April 02, 2026

Courtesy of City of Helena

Community partners attended the Helena City Commission meeting on March 23, 2026, to request a proclamation recognizing April as Fraud Prevention Month. Left to right—Front row: AARP Fraud/Advocacy Volunteer Tom Schneider; AARP Community Volunteer Nancy Gillespie. Second row: AARP Fraud/Advocacy Volunteer Rob Freistadt; AARP Outreach Director Marcus Meyer; AARP Community Volunteer LaDawn Whiteside; Mayor Emily Dean; AARP Advocacy Director Kristin Page-Nei; Commissioner Sean Logan; AARP Community Volunteer Jo Ann Dotson; Commissioner Julia Gustafson.

The City of Helena has officially proclaimed April 2026 as Fraud Prevention Month, underscoring the importance of scam awareness, consumer education, and strong protections for residents and businesses across our community. Mayor Emily Dean signed the proclamation on March 23, 2026.

During the City Commission meeting on March 23, commissioners heard heartfelt stories from fraud victims—community members who, in total, reported losing over $140,000 to scams. The testimony served as a powerful reminder that fraud is not a distant problem, but one that can have immediate and lasting impacts on Helena families.

The proclamation was submitted to the City by AARP Montana as part of its ongoing work to help people spot and avoid scams—especially those that disproportionately impact older adults. Kristin Page Nei and Marcus Meyer with AARP Montana served as the points of contact with the City on this effort.

Fraud is a growing issue nationwide and here in Montana. According to the proclamation, the Federal Trade Commission estimates that fraud losses in 2024 may have reached $196 billion across the U.S., with as much as $81.5 billion stolen from older adults. In Montana, consumers reported $22.5 million in fraud losses in 2024.

The proclamation also highlights that older adults often face especially severe financial harm from scams—sometimes losing life-changing amounts of money and having limited ability to recover losses. Education and awareness can help reduce that impact by making it easier to recognize red flags, verify requests for money or personal information, and report suspicious activity quickly.

Learn more: AARP’s Fraud Watch Network offers tools and updates to help consumers stay ahead of common scams. Visit www.aarp.org/MTFraudwatch for Montana-specific fraud prevention resources.