Identity Theft and Fraud Can Be Devastating. Here’s How to Avoid It

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  • Criminals steal personal data through mail theft, breaches, phishing and impostor scams.
  • Losses and emotional harm are rising, with many victims losing tens of thousands of dollars.
  • There are several key steps you can take to protect yourself, including using strong, unique passwords on all accounts.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received more than 1 million reports through its IdentityTheft.gov site last year. And the amount that victims lose is staggering — and growing. The Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) notes in its 2025 Consumer Impact Report that “losses totaling between $10,000 and more than $1 million are now common, “helping to create high levels of emotional distress, including thoughts of self-harm.”

The actual number of victims and losses is likely far higher because people are often reluctant to report these crimes.​ ​

How identities are stolen

Criminals use a variety of methods to obtain your information. Some are low-tech, such as mail theft. A scammer could also steal your information with such simple tactics as handing you a clipboard and asking you to sign a petition that requests your Social Security number. Some are large-scale: Hackers steal information from companies such as banks and retailers with large databases (data breaches are rampant). With impostor scams, you receive a request from what seems like a trusted source — a bank, a government agency, a hiring manager for a job, an IT specialist, a celebrity — to lure you into providing personal information.

Frequently, scammers obtain data when you click a link from an email or text, which takes you to a bogus website. Links in phishing messages can infect your computer with malware that harvests your data.

Artificial Intelligence is making it harder to detect these frauds. Common warning signs of a scam, for example, are texts or emails requesting personal information that include misspellings and grammatical errors, suspicious URLs, or missing or not-right logos. Scammers know this — and they’ve adapted.

“Criminals can use generative AI to create something that looks incredibly realistic and nearly impossible to distinguish from a legitimate bank communication,” says Suzanne Sando, Javelin’s senior analyst in fraud and security and author of the AARP-sponsored report. “We know that criminals are constantly switching their tactics. They’re doing whatever they can to circumvent whatever technology is out there to detect them or anything that consumers have been taught to look for.”

 And AI is making scam attempts increasingly sophisticated. “Not only can someone create a fake ID, they can create a fake voice,” says Adam Singer, principal of Credit Report Law Group in New York. ​ ​

Synthetic identity theft

AI is also fueling a type of fraud known as synthetic identity theft. With this fraud, criminals create fake identities using both real and phony information. Rather than posing as you, criminals use a mishmash of info to create a new identity.

“These random and disconnected pieces of information come alive to create a whole new non-existent person, one that credit reporting agencies and lenders have never heard of,” the ITRC states. For example, a criminal might start with your Social Security number and combine it with a fake birthday and address.

AI is not necessary for synthetic identity theft, but it has simplified the process for criminals.​ ​

Join Our Fight Against Fraud 

Here’s what you can do to help protect people 50 and older from scams and fraud: 

When identity theft leads to identity fraud

Once scammers have stolen your private information, they have many options for cashing in. Criminals can “open a credit card or utility account in your name, or use your information to get a loan, a job, or medical care,” the FTC warns. “They might even file taxes in your name to get your refund.” They can also give your name to police if they’re arrested, the FTC adds.

The tactics are becoming more sophisticated, but you can still take steps to fight back.​ ​

Warning signs

Consider it a red alert for identity theft if you:

  • Receive invoices or bank and credit card statements with withdrawals or purchases you don’t recognize (the same is true for medical bills with equipment or services you didn’t receive).​
  • Stop receiving a bill. This could mean that someone changed your billing address.​
  • Find unfamiliar accounts or liabilities on your credit report.​· Hear from debt collectors about debts you don’t owe.​
  • Encounter difficulties filing your taxes because the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) says it has already received your return.​
  • Obtain information from the IRS stating that you earned income from an unknown employer.​
  • Learn that your bank or a company you work with has suffered a data breach. ​
  • Are rejected for a medical claim because your health plan shows you’ve reached the benefits limit, but you know that’s not possible (or you don’t receive coverage because your medical records show a condition that you don’t have).​ ​

How to protect yourself

​ ​Reduce your paper trail

  • ​Set up online access to your bank and credit card accounts. Check them regularly and immediately contact your bank or card provider if you spot suspicious activity.​
  • Sign up for paperless billing and financial statements so sensitive information doesn’t arrive in the mail.​
  • Shred, rather than toss, sensitive documents. Shred bank statements, tax forms, medical bills and other documents containing personal or financial data before you throw them out. ​
  • Leave your Social Security card at home in a secure place. Carry documents listing your Social Security number only when necessary.​
  • Don’t leave personal information in your car , even if it’s locked.​ 
  • Strengthen security ​
  • Use different passwords for different accounts. Sixty-five percent of Americans don’t do that, according to a 2024 report from AARP. That means that when one account is compromised, others are also at risk.​
  • Enable multifactor authentication. “It’s more than just having one-time passcodes,” Sando says. “Those are becoming easy for criminals to intercept.” Ask your bank or credit union if they offer third-party authenticators, such as Google Authenticator.
  • Use security software on your devices. Update it regularly.​
  • Put a fraud alert or freeze on your credit report. A freeze prevents anyone from opening a credit account in your name; an alert requires prospective lenders or creditors to verify your identity. (It’s easy to briefly unfreeze it when necessary — if you are purchasing a new home, for example.)​
  • Avoid using public Wi-Fi networks. Many are poorly secured; hackers can exploit them to intercept sensitive data.​
  • Use a PIN or another type of passcode for unlocking laptops, tablets and smartphones. If a device is lost or stolen, a code will make it harder for thieves to get at what’s on it.​
  • File your tax return as early as possible. Tax ID thieves who’ve obtained your personal information will try to beat you to it.​ ​
  • Activate alerts ​
  • Turn on alerts from your bank. Not just fraud alerts but notifications for actions such as a change of address or phone number, a password change, and adding an authorized user. “If you didn’t make those changes, then something is going on,” says Sando.
  • Enable push notifications for your bank app. That way, when you receive an alert, you know the source. “If someone isn’t comfortable with push notifications, go directly to your bank. If you get a fraud alert, confirm that they sent it,” Sando says.​
  • Never click on links from unsolicited texts or emails. And never answer calls from numbers you don’t recognize.​ ​
  • Protect your privacy ​
  • Don’t overshare on social media. This includes information such as your birthday, hometown, family members, and education history. “There’s so much information that people just willingly put out there,” Sando says. “People can easily trace that back to finding out your home address or where you work.”​
  • Don’t put personal info in AI programs such as ChatGPT. “It’s not kept confidential — on the contrary, it’s almost like a public database,” says Singer.​ ​
  • Monitor your data ​
  • Check your credit reports monthly. Experian, Equifax and TransUnion are the nation’s three main credit reporting companies, but you can access all of your credit reports through the free site AnnualCreditReport.com . “If you see an account that doesn’t belong to you, or you see other personal identifying information that doesn’t belong to you, like addresses or telephone numbers, dispute that information directly with the credit bureaus,” says Singer.​ ​
  • If you’re a victim of identity fraud ​
  • Contact the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov IdentityTheft.gov  or by calling 877-438-4338. Online identity theft can also be reported to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center, IC3.gov.​
  • The AARP Fraud Watch Network has a toll-free helpline (877-908-3360), where trained volunteers provide victims and family members with support and guidance on next steps.​
  • The ITRC offers information on ways to prevent ID theft and how victims can recover their identities.​​ AARP also has information on what to do if your identity has been stolen.

reprinted from AARP

12 Free Services Under Medicare

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While most health care services usually come with a cost, some preventive screenings, vaccines and counseling are covered without charge


Out-of-pocket costs like monthly premiums, annual deductibles and copayments for doctor visits and prescriptions can pose a huge financial burden for Medicare beneficiaries.

But many enrollees may not realize that Medicare provides a variety of services that won’t cost them a cent.

That includes vaccines, screenings and preventive services for several illnesses and an annual wellness visit with your doctor. You also can get free counseling to help you kick smoking or manage your diabetes.

You won’t be subject to any out-of-pocket charges for these services as long as you use either a health care provider who participates in Medicare or an in-network medical professional through your Medicare Advantage plan.

Here’s a look at a dozen things you can get for free from Medicare. For a full list of the program’s preventive and screening services, go to Medicare.gov.

1. A onetime Welcome to Medicare checkup in your first year

This visit must be made within the first 12 months of signing up for Medicare Part B, which covers doctor visits and other outpatient services.

Think of this initial visit as a baseline check-in. Among the items your provider will look at:

The health care provider will also offer to help you create, if needed, a legal document known as an advance directive that provides instructions for your medical care if you cannot communicate your own wishes. All this will be free. 

But after this general check-in, if your doctor wants to order diagnostic tests

But after this general check-in, if your doctor wants to order diagnostic tests or perform some other services, the rules governing Part B will apply and you’ll be responsible for 20 percent of the costs. Your coinsurance or copay may be different if you are enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan or if you have supplemental insurance, commonly known as Medigap.

2. An annual wellness visit that helps keep you healthy

The yearly wellness visit — which becomes a covered benefit one year after your initial checkup — is meant to “update your personalized plan to help prevent disease or disability,” according to Medicare.gov.

Your doctor will probably take your vital signs; measure your blood pressure, height and weight; review your medical history and medications; and go over the preventive cancer screening schedule. Providers also are expected to do a cognitive assessment to look for any signs of dementia.

If during this visit your doctor needs to order some tests, such as blood work or an actual physical exam, then, as with that first Welcome to Medicare visit, the rules governing your coinsurance under Medicare Part B will apply.

3. Vaccines to prevent many severe illnesses

Thanks to a federal law passed in 2022, Medicare covers most vaccines at no cost to enrollees who have Medicare Part D stand-alone prescription drug coverage or Medicare Advantage with drug coverage. This coverage includes inoculations such as the shots for shingles and RSV that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends for older adults. Even before that change, Medicare Part B covered other vaccines at no charge, including seasonal flu, pneumonia and COVID-19 shots.

4. Alcohol counseling points out why age and alcohol don’t mix

Medicare will cover one alcohol misuse screening each year.

In addition, the program will cover up to four brief face-to-face counseling sessions each year if you are someone who uses alcohol but doesn’t meet the medical criteria for being alcohol dependent. You must get the counseling in a primary care setting, such as a doctor’s office or clinic.

5. Smoking counseling: The goal is for you to quit

Medicare will pay for up to eight counseling sessions over a 12-month period to help you stop smoking or using tobacco. Smoking is not only the cause of most lung cancers but also linked to high blood pressure, making it a risk for heart attacks and strokes.

6. Diabetes screenings can stop prediabetes from progressing

Medicare Part B will cover up to two diabetes screenings each year, including blood glucose tests, if your doctor determines you are at risk for developing diabetes and you have risk factors such as high blood pressure, a history of abnormal cholesterol levels, obesity or a history of high blood sugar.

Part B will also cover these screenings if two or more of the following conditions apply:

  • You are 65 or older
  • You’re overweight
  • You have a family history of diabetes
  • You’ve had diabetes while you were pregnant, a condition known as gestational diabetes

Additionally, Medicare offers a free Diabetes Prevention Program for people at risk of developing type 2 diabetes if they meet all required medical conditions. The six-month program includes weekly sessions and provides a trained coach to motivate you to make diet, exercise and behavioral changes. After six months, participants get six monthly follow-up sessions to help them maintain healthy habits. There’s no limit on the number of times a beneficiary can take the program.

7. Nutrition therapy helps you thrive with chronic conditions

Medicare will cover some nutrition services if you have diabetes or kidney disease or received a kidney transplant in the past 36 months. These services can include an initial nutrition and lifestyle assessment with a licensed dietitian, individual or group sessions, help managing the lifestyle factors that affect your diabetes and follow-up visits to check on your progress. 

7. Nutrition therapy helps you thrive with chronic conditions

Medicare will cover some nutrition services if you have diabetes or kidney disease or received a kidney transplant in the past 36 months. These services can include an initial nutrition and lifestyle assessment with a licensed dietitian, individual or group sessions, help managing the lifestyle factors that affect your diabetes and follow-up visits to check on your progress. 

8. Mammograms can find breast cancer in early stages

Medicare will pay for a screening mammogram every 12 months for female beneficiaries age 40 or older. About one in five women ages 50 to 74 are not up to date on routine mammograms, the CDC says.

Be advised that if you get a diagnostic mammogram, which doctors typically will order after a screening mammogram shows some suspicious results and they want to take a closer look, then the rules governing Part B will apply and you will be responsible for 20 percent of the cost.

That copay would also apply if a doctor orders a breast ultrasound because the Medicare enrollee has dense breasts. Medicare will cover diagnostic mammograms more often than once a year if a doctor says they are medically necessary.

Medicare’s screening recommendations are based on United States Preventive Services Taskforce guidelines on age.

Medicare covers people 65 and older who meet citizenship, residency and other eligibility requirements. The program also covers those younger than 65 who have a qualifying disability, end-stage renal disease, or ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s’s disease.

9. Colorectal screenings catch possible cancer early

Different screening tests for colorectal cancer are covered for free if your doctor or other health care provider accepts Medicare’s payment in full. These include:

  • A fecal occult blood testevery 12 months, starting at age 45, if referred by your health care provider. This will detect blood in the stool.
  • A flexible sigmoidoscopy every 48 months or every 10 years, depending on your risk, starting at age 45.
  • An at-home stool DNA test every three years for people 45 to 85 who are not at high risk for colon cancer and don’t have symptoms of colorectal disease.
  • A screening colonoscopy every 10 years if you are not at high risk for colon cancer, or every two years if you have a history of colon problems or a family history of colon cancer.
  • A computed tomography colonography screening every two, four or five years depending on your risk. You must be at least 45 and the test must be ordered by your care provider. It helps find polyps, ulcers and cancer.
  • A blood-based biomarker screening test every three years. You must be between the ages of 45 and 85 with no symptoms of colorectal disease and at average risk for developing colorectal cancer.

10. Lung cancer screenings are meant for smokers, ex-smokers

Lung cancer is the cause of the most cancer deaths in the U.S. each year. Medicare will cover a lung cancer screening using low-dose computed tomography — a special kind of X-ray — once a year if all these conditions apply: 

  • You’re age 50 to 77
  • You have no signs or symptoms of lung cancer
  • You either smoke now or quit smoking in the past 15 years
  • You have a history of smoking one pack a day for a 20-year period
  • You get an order from your doctor or other health care provider

7. Nutrition therapy helps you thrive with chronic conditions

Medicare will cover some nutrition services if you have diabetes or kidney disease or received a kidney transplant in the past 36 months. These services can include an initial nutrition and lifestyle assessment with a licensed dietitian, individual or group sessions, help managing the lifestyle factors that affect your diabetes and follow-up visits to check on your progress. 

Quiz: How Healthy Are Your Cooking and Eating Habits?

8. Mammograms can find breast cancer in early stages

Medicare will pay for a screening mammogram every 12 months for female beneficiaries age 40 or older. About one in five women ages 50 to 74 are not up to date on routine mammograms, the CDC says.

Be advised that if you get a diagnostic mammogram, which doctors typically will order after a screening mammogram shows some suspicious results and they want to take a closer look, then the rules governing Part B will apply and you will be responsible for 20 percent of the cost.

That copay would also apply if a doctor orders a breast ultrasound because the Medicare enrollee has dense breasts. Medicare will cover diagnostic mammograms more often than once a year if a doctor says they are medically necessary.

Medicare’s screening recommendations are based on United States Preventive Services Taskforce guidelines on age.

Medicare covers people 65 and older who meet citizenship, residency and other eligibility requirements. The program also covers those younger than 65 who have a qualifying disability, end-stage renal disease, or ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s’s disease.

9. Colorectal screenings catch possible cancer early

Different screening tests for colorectal cancer are covered for free if your doctor or other health care provider accepts Medicare’s payment in full. These include:

  • A fecal occult blood testevery 12 months, starting at age 45, if referred by your health care provider. This will detect blood in the stool.
  • A flexible sigmoidoscopy every 48 months or every 10 years, depending on your risk, starting at age 45.
  • An at-home stool DNA test every three years for people 45 to 85 who are not at high risk for colon cancer and don’t have symptoms of colorectal disease.
  • A screening colonoscopy every 10 years if you are not at high risk for colon cancer, or every two years if you have a history of colon problems or a family history of colon cancer.
  • A computed tomography colonography screening every two, four or five years depending on your risk. You must be at least 45 and the test must be ordered by your care provider. It helps find polyps, ulcers and cancer.
  • A blood-based biomarker screening test every three years. You must be between the ages of 45 and 85 with no symptoms of colorectal disease and at average risk for developing colorectal cancer.

Quiz: Test Your Knowledge of Free Medicare Services

10. Lung cancer screenings are meant for smokers, ex-smokers

Lung cancer is the cause of the most cancer deaths in the U.S. each year. Medicare will cover a lung cancer screening using low-dose computed tomography — a special kind of X-ray — once a year if all these conditions apply: 

  • You’re age 50 to 77
  • You have no signs or symptoms of lung cancer
  • You either smoke now or quit smoking in the past 15 years
  • You have a history of smoking one pack a day for a 20-year period
  • You get an order from your doctor or other health care provider

11. Prostate cancer tests allow comparisons through the years

Starting the day after a man turns 50, Medicare will cover a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) blood test every 12 months. If you need other follow-up services, like a digital rectal exam, then the 20 percent coinsurance rules for Medicare Part B will apply.

12. Depression screening can help combat isolation

Medicare covers one depression screening a year that must happen in a primary care setting, like a doctor’s office. The provider must also accept the Medicare-approved payment amount. Suicide rates among older men increase with age, as does social isolation. Women also have higher rates of depression as they get older and as their health declines.

If a provider recommends follow-up treatment or other mental health and behavioral services, then the coinsurance rules under Part B would apply. In a crisis, people can contact the free and confidential Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by calling or texting 988 at any time.

reprinted from AARP.

Could You Be Eligible for Energy Assistance in Maine

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Protect Your Digital Life

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From banking and shopping to staying in touch with family and friends, much of our daily life happens online.
October’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month serves as a reminder that a few simple steps can go a long way in helping you stay safer online. Here are three ways to strengthen your digital security:
Strengthen Your Passwords•Criminals look for easy ways to access your accounts and devices.•Create complex passwords for each account using a mix of letters, numbers, and symbols. Avoid using details like birthdays or family names.•When available, turn on extra sign-in protections, like multi-factor authentication. 
Keep Your Devices Up to Date•Security updates help fix known weaknesses that cybercriminals can exploit.•Regularly update your operating systems, web browsers, and apps to get the latest security protections.•If a device is too old to receive security updates from its manufacturer, consider replacing it. Unsupported devices leave your information vulnerable to newer online threats.
Prepare for the Unexpected•Even with strong defenses, security incidents can happen. Having a plan in place can help you respond quickly and recover with less disruption.•Back up important photos, documents, and records to an external hard drive or secure cloud service. That way, if your device is compromised, your files remain safe.•Keep contact information for your bank, credit card companies, and other important accounts readily available so you can act quickly if fraud occurs.
 

reprinted from AARP Fraud Watch Network

Medicare Open Enrollment Season Is Here. So Are the Scammers.

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Medicare Open Enrollment Season runs every year from October 15 through December 7. During this time, people with Medicare can review their current coverage, explore options, and make changes to their health care coverage.
Unfortunately, it’s also a busy season for scammers. As millions of people evaluate their coverage options, criminals look for opportunities to impersonate Medicare representatives to steal personal or financial information.
How It Works•
You receive a phone call, text message, email, or even an in-person visit from someone claiming to represent Medicare, the federal government, or a well-known insurance provider.•They may offer plan upgrades, promise a new Medicare card, or warn that your coverage will be canceled unless you take a particular action.•They ask for sensitive information, such as your Medicare or Social Security number, or bank information.
What You Should Know•
Scammers often use caller ID spoofing to make it appear as if their calls are coming directly from Medicare.•Medicare will not contact you out of the blue, nor will they ask for your Medicare number.•Someone claiming that you will receive a new Medicare card by taking an action (sharing your Medicare number or sensitive personal information) is lying to you.
What You Should Do•Share your Medicare number only with your health care providers (doctors and pharmacists you receive care from, for example).•If someone contacts you unexpectedly about your coverage, do not engage.•If you are concerned you have a problem with your coverage, call Medicare directly at 1-800-MEDICARE (800-633-4227).•Medicare’s normal Open Enrollment communications include the official “Medicare & You” handbook the agency sends (if you opted in for electronic, you will receive a link when the latest version is available), information on Medicare.gov, and emails you have signed up to receive.

Heating Assistance

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With colder weather approaching, the Maine Department of Energy Resources’ 2026-2027 Winter Heating Guide can help residents save money, stay warm and find assistance. The guide brings together practical tips, financial assistance programs and contacts for help throughout the heating season.

Start by scheduling annual heating system maintenance and asking your fuel provider about automatic delivery to help avoid running out. You can also explore weatherization incentives through Efficiency Maine and MaineHousing. Maine’s heating fuel price reports can help you compare costs and make informed decisions.

Several programs offer support for eligible households:

·     Heating assistance: MaineHousing’s Home Energy Assistance Program helps qualifying homeowners and renters pay heating costs.

·     Electric bill assistance: The Low-Income Assistance Program helps qualifying households with electricity bills.

·     Home improvements: MaineHousing offers weatherization grants and assistance to repair or replace central heating systems for eligible households. Local Community Action Agencies can help residents explore available programs.

If you are very low on heating fuel and cannot afford a refill, you may qualify for emergency assistance. Call 211 or contact your local Community Action Agency for information.

The webpage also includes heating safety resources, warming center information, a recorded winter heating webinar and a new printable contact sheet to share with neighbors, family members or community organizations.

View Maine’s winter heating resources and download the guide.

Tech Support Scam

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How It Works•One or more pop-up messages appear on your screen, possibly accompanied by a loud blaring sound.•The messages warn your device has been infected with a serious virus that requires immediate action, urging you to call a provided support number right away.•When you reach the support representative, they explain there is a major problem, but they can help by gaining remote access to your device.•When they remote in, they show you nefarious-looking files, seek payment to remove them, and try to sell you a protection plan.
What You Should Know•The “old” version of this scam would stop with payment to remove nonexistent viruses and the selling of a sham tech support subscription.•Today, it is an entry point into fraud involving impersonating your bank and federal authorities, with the goal of convincing you to move money out of your bank account to “keep it safe.” In this version, the goal is to steal everything from the target.•The “tech support scam” is effective because of the fear and anxiety it produces with the pop-up warnings and the blaring noise, with no obvious way to make it stop.•Pop-ups likely made it onto your device from visiting a website where it or a scam ad put malicious software onto it.
What You Should Do•If your screen (and ears) gets taken over by pop-up warnings, press your device’s power button to conduct a “hard” shut down. After a few minutes, boot it back up and the problem should be gone.•Run your security software (like Microsoft Defender that comes with PC purchases or protective software you’ve added to your device) to identify and remove malicious files.•You could also take it to a big brand store to get it inspected (check prices).•If you have experienced this fraud, contact your local police to file a report; for more guidance, call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360.

How to Avoid Card Skimmers at ATMs and on Payment Devices in Stores and at the Pump

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  • Criminals use skimmers to steal cash or EBT benefits, directly impacting people who rely on SNAP for food purchases.
  • Investigators say many skimming devices closely mimic real card readers, delaying detection.
  • Vulnerable machines include non-bank ATMs and card readers in unattended checkout areas.

FICO Card Alert Service, a widely used compromise notification service, found a 90 percent increase in debit cards compromised at ATMs in 2025 over 2024. The company notes that 9 out of 10 incidents occurred at non-bank ATMs. “Unfortunately, over the past several years, we have seen this problem continually get worse,” says Debbie Cobb, FICO’s vice president of product management for fraud solutions.

The economic damage is jaw-dropping: Skimming costs financial institutions and consumers more than $1 billion annually, according to the FBI.

How card skimmers work

Join Our Fight Against Fraud 

Here’s what you can do to help protect people 50 and older from scams and fraud: 

With fuel pumps (a frequent target), skimmers are often attached to the machine’s internal wiring, making them hard to detect. In other cases — as with ATMs or point-of-sale card readers — criminals attach the skimmers over the card slot.

Criminals sometimes take additional steps to steal your PIN at ATMs. Some will place tiny cameras on or near the machine to record you as you enter your number. Another tactic is to put an alternative keypad over the real one to capture your keystrokes.

The scams may seem James Bond-level sophisticated, but they’re actually quite simple, experts say.

“Skimming scams are sophisticated only in the sense that they require hardware and tampering,” says Petros Efstathopoulos, vice president of research for the RSA Conference, an annual cybersecurity event. “[The criminals] have to attach the

malicious hardware to the devices in a stealthy manner. But it’s fairly easy to capture the card information from the magnetic stripe and use it online or even replicate the card.”

Criminals also use skimming to target EBT cards and steal recipients’ SNAP benefits. Until recently, the EBTs didn’t have chips, which help protect against skimming. States are now introducing EBT cards with chips (the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food and Nutrition Service has a map showing the status of the upgrades.

How to protect yourself from losing money to card skimmers

The next time you fill your tank, use an ATM, or insert your card in any machine, take these steps to avoid skimmers.

1. Look for signs of tampering. “If a machine looks a little worn or beat up, think twice about inserting your card,” says Michael Sherwood, vice president of product at Malwarebytes, a consumer-focused cybersecurity company. Warning signs include card-reading machines with exposed cables or anything that’s loose, bent, broken, damaged, crooked, or scratched. Pull on a card slot to make sure it isn’t covered with a skimmer and wiggle the keypad for signs of an overlay, the Delaware State Police suggest.

2. Tap rather than insert your card. If your card has the tap option — and most do these days — use it. That way a skimmer can’t read your card. Sherwood also recommends paying with digital options such as Apple Pay: “Unlike the physical reader, that’s not something you can easily hack,” he says.

3. Beware of self-checkouts. Scammers need to conceal themselves while installing their skimming hardware, which makes self-checkout an easier target than a register with a clerk. “It’s not easy for [a criminal] to walk into a pharmacy, go behind the counter, and pretend to be an attendant,” says Efstathopoulos.

4. When you can, use bank ATMs. Most banks regularly inspect the ATMs at their branch offices; that’s less likely to happen with an ATM in a busy store.

5. Be careful at gas stations. Choose a well-lit pump near an attendant or a mini-mart. It’s the same principle as self-checkout: Criminals want a well-hidden spot to install their skimmers, so they’ll likely choose the pump that’s farthest away from employees.

And don’t enter PINs at the pump. Some gas pumps let you run your debit card as a credit card. If that’s an option, use it: choosing credit mode means you don’t have to enter your PIN. If you do use a pin, cover the keypad in case there are cameras recording you, Cobb advises. The best option: tap-to-pay.

6. Consider using your credit card rather than your debit card. Credit and debit cards carry the same general consumer protections; however, there’s an important difference. Criminals who use a credit card fraudulently are stealing the credit card issuer’s money; when they use your debit card, they are stealing money directly from your bank account. While you’re generally not responsible for these unauthorized transactions, the issuer has to open an investigation to ensure your claim is legitimate. While under investigation, you won’t have access to your funds to pay your bills.

7. Be even more vigilant in busy areas. Bustling neighborhoods and Times Square-style tourist spots can be a skimmer’s paradise, the FBI warns. Among the reasons: You’re usually distracted and more likely to miss the warning signs of a skimming scam. Plus, busy areas often have many unattended ATMs, and the high pedestrian volume can make it easier for scammers to install their equipment. “You would think that all those people would discourage them, but it can actually provide cover for tinkering with the machines,” Efstathopoulos says. “If you have a busy street, and maybe only one camera, and somebody stands in front of an ATM for five minutes, there will probably be enough noise and it’s so busy that they go unobserved.”

8. For overseas travel, consider using cash. “I’ve been in situations where I’m in a taxi, and the driver has his own reader, and it just feels odd,” Sherwood says. “Cash is just safer in that situation.”

What to do if you suspect your card has been skimmed

Report the scam. If you suspect card skimming, report it to your local police and the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.

If you suspect your EBT card was compromised in this type of scam, the FBI says to immediately contact your state benefits agency or card issuer. Promptly change your PIN if any funds remain in your EBT account and check whether your account or EBT mobile application allows you to temporarily block or freeze transactions. 

Call the AARP Fraud Watch Network’s toll-free Helpline (877-908-3360), where trained volunteers provide information on scams and support and guidance for victims and their family members.

Resources available for seniors

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 The five Area Agencies on Aging (AAAs) in Maine serve as “one-stop-shops” to answer questions from older adults, individuals with disabilities and their care partners about a wide range of in-home, community-based, and institutional services. AAAs are experts at answering questions about in-home care services and other types of long-term support. Maine’s five AAAs are also Aging and Disability Resource Centers (ADRCs) that: ·     provide information and assistance to individuals needing either public or private long-term care resources;·     serve professionals seeking assistance on behalf of their clients’ long-term care needs;·     serve individuals planning for their future long-term care needs;·     serve as the entry point to publicly-administered long-term supports including those funded under Medicaid, the Older Americans Act and state-funded programs. Maine’s Aging & Disability Resource Centers (ADRC) are designed to serve all older adults, people with disabilities and their care partners who have long-term care, community or program needs. To see which center serves your area, visit the Office of Aging and Disability Services’ website.

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Fake Recall Alerts, Real Risks
As recalls of lettuce, cars, and even wet wipes explode across the country, criminals frequently exploit safety fears to steal your personal information or money.
The AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline (877-908-3360) and federal authorities have seen a rise in reports of fraudulent recall notices targeting consumers.
How It Works•You receive an urgent text or email warning you that a product you bought or a vehicle you drive has a critical safety recall.•The message includes official-looking logos or appears to be from major retailers or auto dealerships.•It presses for immediate action, instructing you to click a link to “claim a full refund,” “review your order,” or schedule an urgent repair before your account or warranty is compromised.•The provided link may take you to a website that prompts you to enter your login credentials, credit card information, or other personal data.
What You Should Know•Legitimate safety recall repairs are free by law. Manufacturers and dealers will never request payment, shipping fees, or processing charges to complete a safety recall.•Real recall notices usually ask you to stop using the item or contact an authorized dealer, rather than urging you to sign in immediately via a text link to collect money.•Scammers count on panic and speed. They want you to react to the safety warning without double-checking where the message actually came from.
What You Should Do•Do not click links or scan QR codes inside unsolicited texts or emails claiming a product or vehicle has been recalled.•Check official sources directly. Search the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission at cpsc.gov/Recalls, or sign in to your retailer’s official app manually.•Contact the company or dealer independently. Use a trusted phone number or web address from an official invoice, statement, or owner’s manual – never the number or link provided in the message.•If your smartphone has a “Report Spam” option, use it to flag the message for your carrier.