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Stop Fraud in its Tracks! Series of Events Emphasize How to Keep Personal Information Safe

Stop Fraud by Knowing What to Look For. Series of Presentations Show you how.

AARP

Published April 03, 2026

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April is fraud prevention month and AARP New Mexico is sponsoring several events in April and May that can show you how to protect your personal information and stop criminals in their tracks – before they gain access to your hard-earned dollars. These events are part of a nationwide focus AARP is conducting across the country to emphasize fraud prevention.

“We all know that criminals continue to get more and more sophisticated, particularly with technology, in the ways they try to get your sensitive information and gain access to your finances,” said Joseph Roybal-Sanchez, AARP New Mexico State Director.

“And they are good at it – often lying and creating an emergency-type situation – your utilities are being shut off, your bank accounts have been accessed or frozen -- so that you aren’t thinking clearly,” Roybal-Sanchez said.

“Awareness is the key to stopping fraud before it even starts, recognizing the signs and stopping the criminals before it’s too late. That is why AARP is offering a variety of ways people can learn more about fraud prevention over the next couple of months,” he said.

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AARP New Mexico Events include:

April 9 – Artificial Intelligence, Real Consequences: How to Avoid Becoming a Victim of the Latest Scams. (Albuquerque)

Join AARP New Mexico and Joel Wigelsworth, Public Relations Specialist with the New Mexico Regulation and Licensing Department, for this in-person course on Artificial Intelligence and what scams to look for.

The course is from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. at the AARP New Mexico State Office in Albuquerque. Space is limited, and registration is required. Register here.

April 25 – Free Document Shredding and Drug Take Back Day

AARP New Mexico is offering free shredding events in Santa Fe, Las Cruces and Albuquerque. In Santa Fe, AARP is also partnering with the New Mexico Department of Justice for Drug Take Back Day, so residents can safely dispose of prescription medications while getting documents shredded.

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To learn more visit www.aarp.org/nm

April 28 – Older Adults Technology Services Presents: Understanding Fraud and Scams

The ability to spot a scam is an essential digital skill. This virtual class will go over some of the most common scams, offer tips for avoiding them, and explain what to do if you do get scammed. Sample emails, texts, and deepfakes to see how AI contributes to the increased spread and complexity of scams, will be discussed.

The course is from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. MT. To register, go here.

April 30 -- Artificial Intelligence, Real Consequences: How to Avoid Becoming a Victim of the Latest Scams. (Santa Fe)

The course is from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the New Mexico Licensing Department in Santa Fe. Space is limited and registration is required. To register, go here.

May 12 – Teletown Hall on Fraud with Paul Greenwood

Join AARP New Mexico and Paul Greenwood, a fraud and elder abuse expert, for this informative telephone town hall discussion on fraud prevention. Participants will be able to ask questions.

For twenty-two years, Greenwood headed up the Elder Abuse Prosecution Unit at the San Diego District Attorney’s Office. He has prosecuted over 750 felony cases of both physical, sexual, emotional and financial elder abuse. In March 2018, Greenwood retired from the San Diego DA’s office to concentrate on sharing lessons learned from his elder abuse prosecutions with a wider audience.

The event will take place at 11 a.m. MT and end promptly at noon. To join the toll-free call, dial 833-380-0681 or go to AARP New Mexico’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/AARPNM

May 14 -- Senior Citizens Law Office: Scams and Identity Theft

The Senior Citizens Law Office of New Mexico will discuss the latest dangers posed by scam artists and what you need to know to protect yourself from fraud and identity theft. The virtual class will look at why scams succeed, common types of scams and how to recognize them, as well as tips to help protect yourself against fraud and identity theft.

This free Zoom class is from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. MT. To register, go here.

May 19 – Older Adults Technology Services presents AI and Disinformation

Today's AI-powered tools and social media have made it easier and faster to create and spread disinformation. This lecture will explore how AI is used to create convincing deepfakes and clone voices, making it challenging to distinguish between real and fake content. Best practices for evaluating information and exploring tech tools that can help identify content created with AI will also be discussed.

This free virtual class is from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. MT To register, go here.

May 21 -- Senior Citizens Law Office: Scams and Identity Theft

The Senior Citizens Law Office of New Mexico will discuss the latest dangers posed by scam artists and what you need to know to protect yourself from fraud and identity theft. This in-person class in Albuquerque will look at why scams succeed, common types of scams and how to recognize them and tips to help protect yourself against fraud and identity theft.

This in-person free class will take place at the AARP New Mexico State office in Albuquerque, from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. To register, go here.