AARP Virginia Issues Scam Alert: To Whom Are You Really Talking?

Technology has made our lives easier in many ways, but it has also opened us up to many risks that we don’t always recognize.

Shopping, banking and getting tech support virtually are becoming the preferred option for many of us, but these conveniences also open doors for impostors. Here are some big red flags: if someone professing to be from a government agency contacts you with an urgent issue you must tend to immediately, it’s a scam. If you get a call or a popup message on your device saying you have a problem with your computer and you need to address it immediately, it’s a scam. If someone – anyone – says you can pay an obligation with a gift card, it’s a scam. Enjoy the conveniences of technology, but stay safe while doing it.

Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.

With more than 1 million members in Virginia, AARP is the largest organization working on behalf of people age 50+ and their families in the Commonwealth.

To learn more about AARP Virginia, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aarpvirginia and follow @AARPVa on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aarpva.

AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering Americans 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With nearly 38 million members and offices in every state, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands, AARP works to strengthen communities and advocate for what matters most to families with a focus on health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment. AARP also works for individuals in the marketplace by sparking new solutions and allowing carefully chosen, high-quality products and services to carry the AARP name. As a trusted source for news and information, AARP produces the nation's largest circulation publications, AARP The Magazine and AARP Bulletin. To learn more, visit www.aarp.org or follow @AARP and @AARPadvocates on social media.