U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and AARP Connecticut Director Nora Duncan spoke at the West Hartford Senior Center in Bishops Corner on Monday morning, warning everyone to be wary of scams and fraud attempts, especially at this time of year.

By Ronni Newton

A majority of American consumers have been targeted of attempted fraud, scams, and other schemes to gain access to data and/or funds and as the holiday season ramps up, officials are urging people to exercise awareness – and wariness.

At a press conference at West Hartford’s Senior Center at Bishops Corner on Monday morning, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and AARP Connecticut Director Nora Duncan described said this is the time of year to be even more vigilant than ever, as more people are booking travel, buying gifts and scheduling shipments, and donating to charities.

Fraud prevention is the focus of a new report by AARP that highlights some of the ways consumers are being targeted at this time of year, and the survey indicates that roughly 82% of U.S. consumers say they have experienced attempted fraud over the past year. At the same time, Duncan said, knowledge of how to avoid fraud has dropped. If you know how to spot a scam, you are able to stop it, she said.

AARP CT State Director Nora Duncan speaks at the West Hartford Senior Center in Bishops Corner. In background are (from left) Deputy Mayor Ben Wenograd, U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, Town Councilor Tiffani McGinnins. Photo credit: Ronni Newton

“There are so many excellent, excellent looking scams,” she said, that allow thieves to get into a consumer’s device to steal information or money, or to sell them a counterfeit product. “Please approach everything with caution,” she urged.

Blumenthal was blunt with his recommendation: “Let me come right to the point – don’t be a sucker, don’t fall for it,” he said. A significant percentage of consumers are being targeted, and if something is being offered for free, it’s likely a scam, he said. And scammers are getting even more sophisticated than they used to be.

Scams now include texts and emails stating that there is a delivery problem or an issue with a shipment. If you get this kind of message from what appears to be a shipping company or online retailer, “it isn’t in all likelihood any of them,” but rather is a phishing scam. Artificial intelligence has made it even harder to spot scams or fraud.

Check to be sure charities really are what they say they are, and not just using the word “cancer” or some other part of a legitimate charity’s name to get people to give money. “Make sure ‘free trial’ is absolutely free,” Blumenthal added. Travel scams are also common at this time of the year.

“If it looks too good to be true – and I’ve been saying this for 20 years – it probably is. … The main weapon we have is awareness, and wariness,” said Blumenthal.

One member of the audience at the press conference asked about continued campaign solicitations that she has been receiving even though the election was severe weeks ago. Blumenthal said that should not be happening, and it should be reported.

Seniors are often reluctant to report scams, but they are not the only ones who get taken advantage of – and in fact more consumers in the 18- to 24-year-old age group are targets of scams, Duncan said – but they don’t have as much to lose and seniors in general have more resources and can stand to be most hurt if they do fall for a scheme.

“Scammers are smart. They go where the money is,” Duncan said.

“You should always, always report something that’s suspicious,” Blumenthal said. Law enforcement can take action if you are the victim of a scam, but rarely does someone who is victimized get all their money back.

AARP has a “Fraud Watch Network” helpline, staffed by trained volunteers, which can be accessed by calling 877-908-3360. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission has a portal to report suspected fraud online, and the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection also has information available about how to identify, avoid, and report suspected scams.

West Hartford’s Senior Centers were glad to host the press conference and share the provided information with the community. With a population of more than 64,000 in West Hartford, more than 16,000 – nearly a quarter – are seniors, Deputy Mayor Ben Wenograd said.

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