Elder Fraud in Alaska

# Summary The Trump administration claims the SNAP food assistance program has a 10.6% payment error rate costing over $10 billion annually, characterizing it as fraud and waste. However, anti-hunger advocates argue this conflates unintentional payment errors—often resulting from complex eligibility rules, job changes, or paperwork issues—with actual fraud, which involves deliberate deception like benefit trafficking; actual SNAP fraud costs approximately $1 billion per year according to the Government Accountability Office.

During "Disruption Week," a coordinated effort between the U.S. Department of Justice and private tech companies, authorities disrupted millions of fraudulent social media and email accounts operated by organized crime groups in Southeast Asia that were targeting American victims with cryptocurrency and investment scams. The operation resulted in freezing over $3.8 million in stolen cryptocurrency and removed criminal networks from major U.S. internet platforms. To protect yourself, remain vigilant about unsolicited investment offers, verify the legitimacy of online financial opportunities, and report suspected fraud to authorities immediately.

The FBI shut down an Indian call center operation and secured guilty pleas from two U.S. executives who knowingly provided telecommunications services enabling tech support scams that defrauded hundreds of elderly Americans out of millions of dollars. The scammers used fake virus warnings to trick victims into calling overseas centers, where they were charged for fake tech support and had their personal data stolen. Elderly Americans should be cautious of unsolicited pop-up warnings and avoid calling unfamiliar numbers, instead contacting their device manufacturer directly if they suspect a virus.

Financial scams targeting older Americans are increasing at an alarming rate, with Arizona reporting the highest number of fraud cases among residents age 60 and older at seven reports per 1,000 people, followed by Delaware and Colorado. Business imposter scams are the most common fraud type nationwide, though government imposter scams are more prevalent in six states including Alaska and Iowa. Experts warn that as digital banking and online payments become more common, older Americans should be vigilant about verifying the identity of anyone requesting financial information and consider reporting suspicious activity to the Federal Trade Commission.

A Hawaiian Airlines customer was charged an additional $180 after someone claiming to be an airline agent told her that her confirmed flight was actually on standby status, which appears to have been a scam. The customer made the payment but later received a fraud notification that the charge was canceled, and Hawaiian Airlines had no record of the call or payment, suggesting she may have contacted scammers posing as the airline. To protect yourself, always verify airline contact information directly from the official website rather than using phone numbers from emails or search results, and be wary of unexpected additional charges on already-confirmed bookings.

Two Ohio brothers who impersonated Middle Eastern royals have been sentenced to 23-24 years in prison for operating a $21 million fraud scheme that victimized people across multiple states and countries. The brothers posed as a UAE princess's husband and a hedge fund manager to con victims into fraudulent cryptocurrency and property deals, using the stolen money to buy luxury cars, jets, and designer goods, while also bribing a city official with tickets and cash for help appearing legitimate. To protect yourself, be skeptical of unsolicited investment opportunities from people claiming royal or elite status, verify the credentials of financial professionals independently, and never provide money or personal information based solely on someone's claims of wealth or connections.

U.S. law enforcement has launched a major crackdown on Southeast Asian scam centers that have defrauded Americans of billions of dollars, securing criminal charges against two Chinese nationals operating cryptocurrency fraud compounds in Burma and Cambodia, seizing over 500 fake investment websites, and freezing more than $700 million in cryptocurrency tied to money laundering. The coordinated effort by the Department of Justice, Treasury, and State Department also targeted human trafficking recruitment networks used to staff these scam operations. Americans should be wary of unsolicited investment opportunities, especially those involving cryptocurrency, and report suspected scams to law enforcement immediately.

Scammers posing as government officials and law enforcement are targeting Alaskans with calls demanding payment for missed jury duty or arrest warrants, causing losses exceeding $1.3 million in 2024—more than five times the previous year. To protect yourself, never provide personal information or make payments to callers claiming to be officials, and report suspicious calls immediately to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center and your bank, as early reporting may allow funds to be recovered. The scammers use caller ID spoofing, personalized details, and intimidation tactics to appear legitimate, so staying calm and verifying through official channels is crucial.

AARP fraud experts warn that scammers in Anchorage are placing fake QR codes over legitimate ones in parking lots to direct users to fraudulent websites and steal personal financial information. To avoid falling victim, consumers should avoid scanning codes that appear tampered with, verify URLs match the business, never scan codes from unsolicited texts or emails, and resist rushing before entering sensitive data. Anyone who suspects they've been scammed should contact their bank immediately and report the incident to the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline.

**Social Security Imposter Scams on the Rise** Government imposter scams, particularly those posing as Social Security Administration officials, represent one of the most common fraud schemes targeting consumers, with the Social Security OIG receiving 73,626 reports in 2023—a 13.7% increase from the previous year. Scammers contact victims via phone, text, or email claiming account problems, benefit suspensions, or legal threats, then demand immediate payment or personal information through threats of arrest or account seizure. The Social Security Administration never initiates contact unexpectedly, communicates changes by mail, and never demands immediate payment via gift card, cryptocurrency, or cash—

Bank impersonation scams via text, email, and phone calls increased dramatically in 2024, with the FTC reporting these scams accounted for nearly half of all reported frauds and resulted in losses exceeding $1.1 billion—more than triple the 2020 total. Criminals use spoofing technology and sophisticated replicas of bank communications to trick victims into revealing PINs, passwords, account access codes, or moving money to "safe" accounts by creating false urgency around account security threats. Consumers should never provide account credentials or personal information to unsolicited contacts; instead, they should hang up and call their bank directly using verified contact information from official websites or statements, an

A man in Anchorage fell victim to a QR code scam when fraudsters placed a fake QR code over a legitimate parking lot payment sticker, redirecting him to a phishing website and compromising his financial information. To protect yourself, examine QR codes for tampering, verify URLs match the legitimate business, never scan codes from unsolicited messages, keep phone security updated, and avoid rushing when making payments. Report scams immediately to your bank and the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline (877-908-3360) for free assistance.

The article addresses concerns about a friend who is messaging individuals posing as celebrities on Telegram and may be sending them money—a pattern consistent with romance scams, which the FTC reported numbered over 64,000 cases in 2023 with losses totaling $1.14 billion. The advice recommends warning the friend about these common scam tactics while emphasizing concern for her financial and personal safety, and suggests implementing verification methods like video calls before any money changes hands.