Blog
February 18, 2026
Update: New York State Alliance for Retired Americans Coordinating a Focused Campaign to Help Seniors, Stop the Scam,Involving Online Fraud
Facts about Scams: 75% of adults 50-80 reported experiencing a scam attempt and 30% actually experienced a fraud.
In 2023 approximately 112 million people were affected by healthcare data breaches reported by more than 540 organizations
According to the Federal Trade Comission there are 4 clear signs of a scam:
- Scammers pretend to be from an organization (or representing a person) you know.
- Scammers say there’s a problem or prize they want you to act on
- Scammers pressure you to act
- Scammers tell you to pay in a specific
Any one of these signs – no matter what the source – should be a red flag.
Too many seniors and others are victims of online scams which dupe them out of billions of dollars and creating needless heartbreak every year. The problem is getting worse with the advent of Artificial Intelligence tools which are increasingly more sophisticated and harder to detect. These scams are run by complex criminalorganizations and are often supported by the tacit complicity of major Social Media companies which are profiting from the online activity.
Seniors can protect themselves starting with broader education to reduce online risk,sharing the true stories of experiences and supporting measures to ensure that all who have a hand in the fraudulent activity are held accountable for both their actions and inaction in the face of widespread evidence.
NYSARA represents more than 600,000 senior New Yorkers across the stateincluding retirees of NYSUT, CSEA, PEF, AFSCME District Council 37, and other AFL-CIO unions along with other community-based organizations. NYSARA is the largest affiliate of the 4.4 million member national Alliance for Retired Americans, which is piloting the Stop the Scam campaign in 10 states.
As a starting place, NYSARA Chapters will present programs across New York thisspring to better inform members and other seniors about the risks and methods, along with priority on highlighting and promoting access to valuable resources. Watch for promotional announcements about NYSARA programs in your area in the weeks ahead.
The First ARA national online Stop the Scam webinar was held recently. If youmissed it you can watch it now on the ARA’s YouTube Channel and view the presentation slides here.
Need to report a scam? If you or someone you know has been the victim of a scam,please report it to local, state or federal authorities. This fact sheet breaks down who you can contact depending on the type of scam.
Share your story with us. There is no shame if you were victimized by increasingly sophisticated online fraud. Please consider sharing your experience to help others whomay be at risk. By raising our voices, sharing our stories, and demanding meaningful protections and accountability, older Americans can help secure safer online spaces for everyone. We will never share your story publicly without your permission.
Take action. Tell your Congressional representatives not to stand in the way ofprotecting Americans. Urge them to oppose any legislation that pre-empts a state’s ability to regulate artificial intelligence and crack down on AI-powered scams.
Get involved. Want to volunteer or help host a Stop the Scam event in your community? Do you have ideas for how we can get the word out?
Please email us at StoptheScam@retiredamericans.org