Spot, Stop and Avoid Fraud

Looking to protect yourself from fraud, identity theft, and scams? Wondering why senior adults are a special target of scammers? Looking for the best way to improve your understanding of how to keep yourself safe or wondering what to do if you are a victim of fraud? You can stay independent and spot, stop and avoid fraud.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach has local information for you during National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) on March 2-8, 2025, and any time of the year. Joining with government agencies, consumer protection groups, and other organizations, your local ISU Extension and Outreach county office works to share information about consumer protection and help people learn to spot, report, and avoid scams.

There is even a research-based workshop dedicated completely to this concept.

“Stay Independent: Spot, Stop, and Avoid Fraud” is part of the Healthy Aging series, https://www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/stay-independent. The series is geared towards adults 60+ and/or their caregivers.

Everyone, regardless of age, is a potential victim of theft and other fraud, swindles, or scams – known as financial crimes; but there are over 50 million Americans aged 62 and older, which puts older Americans at greater risk than the general population. In fact, elder financial fraud is the most common form of elder abuse.

“Spot, Stop, and Avoid Fraud” focuses on identifying warning signs of common scams and reviewing ways to protect a person’s finances.

Key topics discussed at this free workshop include:

•  Frauds and Scams – what they are, and which ones are common in Iowa;
•  Why older Iowans are a target for frauds and scams;
•  The warning signs of common frauds and scams; and
•  Ways to protect yourself from fraud and scams.

Interested in attending this workshop? Contact your local ISU Extension and Outreach county office and let them know of your interest in bringing “Spot, Stop, and Avoid Fraud” to your community. To locate your local ISU Extension and Outreach office, visit https://www.extension.iastate.edu/countyservices/.    

You can also go to https://www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/stay-independent for more information. Visit https://ftc.gov/ncpw to learn how to get free consumer education materials — including advice in a dozen languages — and read the latest from consumer protection experts.