Search
Explore the Archive
Search across 19,276 articles about elder fraud. Filter by fraud type, payment mechanism, or keywords.
10,158 results
in Scam Awareness
ca.finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre announced a "Stop Scamming Seniors Act" to combat telephone and online fraud targeting Canadian seniors, who lost over $137 million to scams in 2022. The proposed legislation would mandate real-time fraud detection by banks and telecoms, impose fines up to $5 million per violation, create mandatory jail terms up to five years for million-dollar frauds, and introduce a new criminal offense for executives who knowingly allow fraud to continue. Poilievre also highlighted emerging threats like AI-generated voice scams and proposed additional senior-focused measures including a 15% income tax cut for older Canadians.
michigan.gov
· 2025-12-08
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and State Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich warned consumers about an increasing toll scam in West Michigan involving fraudulent text messages falsely claiming recipients owe unpaid tolls to MDOT and threatening legal action. The scam uses deceptive links mimicking the official MDOT website, though legitimate toll bills are only sent by mail—never via text—and Michigan has no toll roads except at three specific bridge facilities. Consumers are advised to ignore unsolicited texts with urgency language, suspicious links, and requests for financial information, and to report such "smishing" texts to SPAM (7726) and the Federal Trade Commission.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
AARP Wyoming's new volunteer group "the Fraudettes" launched a monthly educational series to help people recognize and avoid scams before financial or personal harm occurs. Their first session in March covered romance scams and a phishing attack on Laramie County Library, where criminals compromised a staff member's email account to attempt ransomware deployment; the library avoided losses through quick IT response and off-site backups, with no patron data compromised.
investigatetv.com
· 2025-12-08
Fraudsters are increasingly using "accidental text" scams, sending unsolicited messages that appear to be misdirected personal texts to trick recipients into responding and revealing personal information. The Better Business Bureau reports that scam victims lost 30% more money in 2024 than 2023, with experts advising people not to respond to unknown numbers, avoid clicking links, and delete suspicious messages. The FTC recommends keeping important contacts saved in your phone to identify unfamiliar senders as potential scams.
sec.gov
· 2025-12-08
The SEC launched an anti-fraud public service campaign warning investors about relationship investment scams, in which perpetrators build trust through online romantic or friendship connections to solicit money for fraudulent investments. The campaign includes educational videos, resources, and guidance advising investors to ignore unsolicited messages, be skeptical of investment opportunities from unknown contacts, and immediately stop communication with suspected scammers while reporting them to the SEC.
wowt.com
· 2025-12-08
Experts warn that "accidental text" scams are intentional fraud schemes designed to appear as innocent misdials, with Americans receiving 19.2 billion spam texts in March 2025 alone. Scammers use this tactic to exploit people's natural kindness—when recipients respond politely, fraudsters attempt to build fake relationships and extract personal or financial information. Experts recommend not responding to unknown numbers, never clicking links from unfamiliar senders, and checking contacts before engaging with unsolicited messages.
wwnytv.com
· 2025-12-08
Experts warn that "accidental text" messages claiming to be sent to the wrong number are increasingly used as a deliberate scam tactic to exploit people's natural helpfulness and curiosity. Scammers aim to initiate conversations that lead to building trust before stealing personal information, with Americans receiving 19.2 billion spam texts in March 2025 alone. The BBB reports that scam victims lost 30% more money in 2024 than 2023, and experts recommend not responding to unknown numbers, avoiding clicking links from unfamiliar senders, and only communicating with contacts saved in your device.
cleveland.com
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission reported $470 million in consumer losses from text message scams in 2024—nearly five times the 2020 amount—with fake package delivery alerts being the most common scam, followed by fake job offers, fraudulent bank alerts, and romance/investment scams. The FTC advises consumers to avoid clicking or responding to unexpected texts, instead contacting companies through verified channels and reporting suspicious messages to 7726 (SPAM) or through their messaging apps.
nbcbayarea.com
· 2025-12-08
FasTrak warned customers of a text message scam falsely claiming outstanding toll account balances and threatening penalties or legal action if payment is not made by a specified date, with messages directing recipients to fraudulent websites. FasTrak clarified that it does not request payments via text messages or direct customers to external websites, and advised victims to contact their banks or credit card companies to report fraudulent charges.
komu.com
· 2025-12-08
Tax season scams spike around Tax Day, with fraudsters impersonating IRS officials, posing as "ghost preparers," and using phishing emails and threatening calls to target filers. The IRS reminds taxpayers that legitimate communication comes only via U.S. mail, never through unsolicited calls, texts, or emails, and the agency never demands payment via gift cards or cryptocurrency. Filers should work with reputable tax professionals, verify charity solicitations with the IRS, and those needing more time can file for an extension by April 15 to gain until October 15 to complete their return.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
**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—
cnet.com
· 2025-12-08
American consumers lost $470 million to text message scams in 2024, a 26% increase from 2023 and five-fold jump from 2020, according to FTC data. The most common scams involved package-delivery impersonation, fake job offers, fraudulent fraud alerts, and romance schemes, with criminals exploiting the difficulty of detecting scam links in text messages compared to emails. Consumers are advised to avoid clicking unsolicited links, use text filters, and report suspicious messages to their carriers and the FTC.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Artificial intelligence is significantly increasing the sophistication and scale of online shopping scams, with Microsoft reporting it took down nearly 500 malicious domains last year and tracked a five-fold increase in criminal groups from 300 to 1,500. Scammers use generative AI to rapidly create fake websites, generate convincing product descriptions and images, and employ domain impersonation tactics—mimicking legitimate sites with single-letter changes—to deceive consumers. The article advises shoppers to verify URLs carefully, avoid pressure-tactic purchases, check for fake reviews, use credit cards for disputes, and rely on browser protections like Microsoft Edge's typo and domain impersonation detection tools.
ftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, consumers reported losing $470 million to text message scams—five times the 2020 amount—with fake package delivery alerts, bogus job offers, and fraudulent bank warnings being the most common types. The FTC recommends forwarding suspicious texts to 7726, reporting through messaging apps, and reporting to ReportFraud.ftc.gov, while avoiding clicking links in unsolicited messages and instead contacting companies directly using verified contact information.
cordcuttersnews.com
· 2025-12-08
AARP, Amazon, Google, and Walmart launched the National Elder Fraud Coordination Center (NEFCC), a public-private partnership designed to combat elder fraud through coordinated investigation, pattern identification, and prosecution of fraud rings targeting older Americans. The FTC estimated elder fraud cost older consumers $61.5 billion in 2023—approximately $117,000 per minute—with common scams including robocalls, tech support schemes, and deceptive location data collection. Led by former FBI Supervisory Special Agent Brady Finta, the NEFCC will share resources across sectors to help law enforcement agencies identify and shut down larger fraud operations while returning stolen assets to victims.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Fraud losses nationwide reached $12.5 billion in 2024, with New York State accounting for $534 million in losses across 118,933 reported cases; older adults were disproportionately affected, with those over 50 reporting 28,578 fraud cases totaling $159 million in losses. AARP New York, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and local officials launched "The Big Shred NY!" — a statewide initiative offering 27 free document shredding locations through May 10, 2025, to help residents safely dispose of personal documents containing sensitive information that could be used for identity theft.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
AARP New York, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and city officials launched "The Big Shred NY!" initiative, offering 27 free document shredding locations across New York State through May 2025 to help residents safely dispose of personal documents and prevent identity theft. Fraud targeting Americans reached $12.5 billion in 2024—a 25% increase from 2023—with New York State accounting for $534 million in losses, and older adults particularly vulnerable with $159 million lost among those over 50. The program aims to combat the rising sophistication of scams targeting seniors through document destruction as a preventive measure against financial fraud.
press.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
AARP, Amazon, Google, and Walmart launched the National Elder Fraud Coordination Center (NEFCC) in April 2025, a nonprofit organization designed to coordinate law enforcement, industry, government, and academia in combating fraud targeting older adults. The center will leverage private sector data to identify patterns across elder fraud cases nationwide, helping law enforcement dismantle large-scale criminal fraud operations; according to the FTC, older Americans lost as much as $61.5 billion to fraud in 2023 alone. NEFCC is led by Brady Finta, a former FBI Supervisory Special Agent with over 20 years of experience in organized crime and elder fraud investigation.
legit.ng
· 2025-12-08
A Nigerian doctor nearly lost $250 (approximately N400,000) to scammers who impersonated an international organization on social media, using tactics including fake credentials, high-follower profiles, and fabricated official documents. He avoided the loss by becoming suspicious when the contact repeatedly claimed to be unavailable by phone, and after consulting a friend working at a legitimate multilateral organization who confirmed it was a scam. The incident highlighted how scammers research victims' interests and vulnerabilities over time to create convincing fraudulent schemes.
windsornewstoday.ca
· 2025-12-08
A Grey-Bruce resident lost over $63,000 in cash and gold after clicking a pop-up on their computer that connected them to scammers posing as Microsoft representatives, who used the victim's banking information to steal the funds. Grey-Bruce OPP warns the public to be skeptical of unsolicited online communications requesting personal or financial information, noting that legitimate companies never demand remote computer access or payment in gold, gift cards, or cryptocurrency.
easttexasnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A writer's Facebook account was hacked by criminals from Nigeria who used it to post fake car and trailer advertisements, gaining access through a rarely-contacted friend's account. The author lost access to their 17-year-old account and experienced a fraudulent charge on an associated bank card; meanwhile, local police report that elderly victims in their area have lost entire life savings to similar scams, with approximately 300,000 Facebook accounts hacked daily. The author recommends updating privacy settings, removing personal information from profiles, and limiting social media exposure as preventive measures.
reviewjournal.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece advises seniors on protecting themselves from identity theft by placing either a fraud alert or credit freeze on their credit files with the three major credit reporting bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion). A credit freeze provides stronger protection by restricting access to credit reports and preventing new accounts from being opened in one's name, though it temporarily prevents the account holder from obtaining new credit themselves. Both protections are free, do not affect credit scores, and can be easily set up by contacting any of the three bureaus by phone, online, or mail.
longislandpress.com
· 2025-12-08
The Grenville Baker Boys & Girls Club is hosting an educational speaker series on May 7 featuring a Nassau County District Attorney's Major Financial Frauds Bureau representative who will teach seniors how to identify common scams, protect personal information, and respond to fraud. The session addresses the growing sophistication of scams targeting seniors and aims to help attendees recognize red flags and safeguard their finances and personal data.
fox8live.com
· 2025-12-08
A 75-year-old Louisiana woman fell victim to a Social Security scam after receiving official-looking mail claiming she needed to submit personal information by a deadline to keep her benefits; the fraudulent letters contained her Social Security number but had telltale signs of forgery including grammatical errors and inconsistent fonts. The Social Security Administration reports that scammers impersonate it more than any other government agency, with over 260,000 fraud reports last year, primarily targeting seniors aged 65 and older through mail and phone calls. Experts advise verifying any SSA correspondence and note that the legitimate SSA will not call or email citizens unsolicited.
harlemworldmagazine.com
· 2025-12-08
AARP New York, Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, and other officials launched "The Big Shred NY!" initiative, offering 27 free document shredding locations across New York State through May 2025 to help residents safely dispose of personal documents and prevent identity theft. Fraud targeting Americans reached $12.5 billion in 2024—a 25% increase from 2023—with New York State accounting for $534 million in losses, and adults over 50 reporting $159 million in losses from 28,578 documented fraud cases.
thegermanyeye.com
· 2025-12-08
An 84-year-old woman, featured in a Netflix documentary about her fraud schemes, appeared in a Singapore court via video link from a police station, appearing in a wheelchair and struggling to comprehend the proceedings without legal representation. The case highlights concerns about her mental and physical capacity to participate in judicial proceedings and raises broader questions about the legal system's ability to protect vulnerable individuals and fairly treat elderly offenders involved in elaborate fraud schemes.
inmenlo.com
· 2025-12-08
A 77-year-old Menlo Park resident was defrauded of $35,000 in February 2025 through a sophisticated text message scam falsely claiming affiliation with a major online retailer and federal agency, threatening imprisonment unless funds were provided. The victim was coerced into withdrawing cash from multiple bank branches, which was collected by the suspect on February 12. A 22-year-old suspect, Arya Mehta from San Jose, was arrested in April 2025 and charged with theft by false pretenses, theft using an access card, and elder abuse; the investigation indicates additional perpetrators and international connections.
akronlegalnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A FINRA Investor Education Foundation study of 905 fraud victims (mean age 75) identified by the U.S. Postal Inspection Service found that older adults are more vulnerable to opportunity-based scams (prize, product, and investment fraud) when they engage in high-exposure activities like opening junk mail, entering sweepstakes, and answering unknown calls. Key vulnerability factors include older age, loneliness, financial fragility, and risky financial behaviors, leading FINRA to recommend educational programs addressing loneliness, financial literacy, telemarketing exposure reduction, and distinguishing legitimate from fake lotteries and sweepstakes.
fiftyplusadvocate.com
· 2025-12-08
Cryptocurrency ATMs have become a prevalent tool for scammers targeting older adults, with the FTC reporting $65 million in fraud losses through Bitcoin ATMs in the first half of 2024 alone—$46 million from victims aged 60 and older. Scammers use these unregulated kiosks in various schemes including romance and grandparent scams to trick victims into depositing cash. AARP Massachusetts is advocating for legislation requiring cryptocurrency ATM operator licensing, daily transaction limits, fraud warning notices, and consumer education to strengthen protections for residents.
yellowhammernews.com
· 2025-12-08
Fraudulent text messages (smishing) falsely claiming unpaid tolls are increasing in frequency and sophistication, with the FBI receiving nearly 2,000 complaints in the past year and cybersecurity researchers identifying over 10,000 fraudulent domains. These scams use urgent language and fake links to trick victims into revealing personal and financial information, though legitimate toll notices arrive by mail. Experts recommend verifying claims through official toll authority websites, reporting suspicious messages to the FBI's IC3, and immediately contacting your bank if any information was compromised.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
Christine Joan Echohawk, a 53-year-old Oklahoma woman, created multiple fake male personas (Jason Morris, Edward Lotts, Glenn Goadard) to conduct a months-long romance scam that defrauded four senior women ages 64-79 of $1.5 million. The victims were manipulated into sending money under false pretenses (oil rig rescue, financial portfolio management, relationship promises), with one woman selling her paid-off home and sending over $600,000; Echohawk laundered the funds through multiple bank accounts, cryptocurrency, and gift cards until MidFirst Bank flagged a suspicious transaction in January 2025, leading to her
investopedia.com
· 2025-12-08
**Article:** "The Surprising Truth About the Age Group Most Likely to Fall for Financial Fraud"
Recent FTC data reveals that younger adults (ages 20-29) are losing money to scams at nearly twice the rate of older adults, with 44% experiencing financial losses compared to 24% of those aged 70-79. Younger adults are primarily targeted through online scams including fake shopping sites, cryptocurrency fraud, and social media job offers, with their "digital native" status and tendency toward impulsive decision-making making them particularly vulnerable despite overconfidence in their tech savviness. The study emphasizes that scammers exploit age-specific psychological factors and online
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
Cryptocurrency scams linked to romance fraud have caused billions in annual losses, exploiting emotional connections to manipulate victims into risky financial investments. AARP Connecticut is hosting a free webinar on April 25 featuring a victim's story and fraud prevention resources to educate the public about these deceptive schemes.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
A 53-year-old Oklahoma woman, Christine Joan Echohawk, posed as multiple men (Jason Morris, Edward Lotts, and Glenn Goadard) in an elaborate romance scam that defrauded four senior women, ages 64-79, of $1.5 million between late 2024 and January 2025. The victims were manipulated into sending money under false pretenses including oil rig rescues and financial portfolio management, with one victim selling her paid-off home to send over $600,000; Echohawk laundered the funds through multiple accounts, cryptocurrency, and gift cards before being caught when a bank flagged a suspicious transaction. She
uk.news.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
A 53-year-old Oklahoma woman, Christine Joan Echohawk, posed as multiple men (Jason Morris, Edward Lotts, and Glenn Goadard) in an elaborate romance scam that defrauded four senior women aged 64-79 of $1.5 million between late 2024 and January 2025. The victims were manipulated into sending money under false pretenses including oil rig rescues, financial portfolio management, and promises of future cohabitation; Echohawk laundered the funds through multiple bank accounts, cryptocurrency, and gift cards before being caught when a $120,000 transaction was flagged by MidFirst Bank. She now
natlawreview.com
· 2025-12-08
Consumers lost over $470 million to text message scams in 2024, with the most common schemes involving fake package delivery notifications, fraudulent job offers, fake fraud alerts, bogus toll notices, and deceptive "wrong number" texts. To protect themselves, individuals should avoid clicking links in unsolicited messages, report suspicious texts to their wireless provider (7726), use built-in reporting features in messaging apps, and verify any claims by contacting companies directly through known legitimate channels rather than using information from the text.
lexology.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, text message scams caused $470 million in reported losses to consumers—more than five times the 2020 amount—according to FTC data, with the top five scams being fake package delivery notices, phony job offers, fraudulent fraud alerts, bogus toll notifications, and "wrong number" romance/investment schemes. These scams employed tactics such as impersonating legitimate companies, stealing financial information through fake fees, and building fake relationships to manipulate victims into transferring money. The FTC recommends consumers avoid clicking links or responding to unsolicited texts and use blocking tools to prevent fraud.
miamioh.edu
· 2025-12-08
Scammers have been targeting Miami-area students with fraudulent internship and employment opportunity emails impersonating the Office of Career Services and Professional Development, resulting in at least one student losing a significant sum of money. The scam emails appear legitimate but contain red flags such as using generic Gmail addresses instead of official Miami University addresses and using abbreviated department names. To protect themselves, students should avoid clicking links in suspicious messages, verify sender email addresses directly with institutions, be wary of urgency and unusual requests, and report suspected phishing to their institution's information security team rather than responding to the messages.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, text message scams cost U.S. consumers an estimated $470 million, five times the losses from 2020, according to the Federal Trade Commission. The most common scams involved fake package delivery notices, bogus job opportunities, fraudulent bank alerts, and romance scams, all initiated via text message. The FTC recommends consumers forward suspicious texts to 7726, report them through their messaging apps, avoid clicking links or responding, and contact companies directly using verified numbers.
thv11.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are increasingly using AI voice-cloning technology to create deepfakes that impersonate loved ones in emergency scams, asking victims to send money immediately. Consumer Reports found that four of six popular voice-cloning apps lacked meaningful consent protections, allowing users to clone voices without permission, and experts say these deepfakes are becoming difficult to distinguish from real audio. Protection measures include recognizing deepfake scams exist, enabling two-factor authentication on financial accounts, being suspicious of unsolicited requests for personal or financial information, and applying critical thinking before responding to unexpected calls or messages.
newsweek.com
· 2025-12-08
A new phishing attack attributed to threat actor Rockfoils exploits Google Sites to create convincing fake domains that bypass Gmail's security filters, deceiving users into visiting fraudulent support portals and sharing personal information like Social Security numbers. Google confirmed awareness of the attack and stated it has been rolling out protections over the past week that will fully deploy soon. In the interim, Google recommends users enable two-factor authentication and passkeys, and remain cautious of any unsolicited emails requesting personal information.
ftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, reported text scam losses reached $470 million—more than five times the amount from 2020—according to the FTC's Data Spotlight. Common text scams targeting businesses include fake fraud alerts redirecting victims to move money to scammer-controlled accounts, bogus toll notices designed to collect financial information, and phony job offers impersonating legitimate companies. The FTC recommends verifying unexpected texts by contacting businesses directly through official channels, avoiding clicking links or calling numbers provided in texts, and pausing before responding to urgent demands.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are using fake banking apps that mimic legitimate platforms to defraud sellers in person, showing fake payment confirmations while stealing goods worth thousands of pounds. Two victims—Anthony Rudd (who lost £1,000 in power tools) and John Reddock (who lost a £2,000 gold bracelet)—were deceived when buyers appeared to transfer funds via the fraudulent apps before fleeing with merchandise. Approximately 500 such crimes have been reported to Action Fraud over three years, with these fake apps available for direct download to Android phones outside official app stores.
livebitcoinnews.com
· 2025-12-08
**Operation Avalanche:** U.S. Secret Service and Canadian authorities dismantled a $4.3 million Ethereum approval phishing scam through a collaborative investigation involving crypto platforms and blockchain analysis firms. The scam used deceptive tactics to trick users into signing malicious transactions that granted attackers access to their wallets; authorities identified compromised wallets, froze assets on trading platforms, and notified victims to revoke old approvals. Key prevention measures include verifying transaction links, using hardware wallets, checking wallet permissions regularly via Etherscan, and avoiding unsolicited messages promising high returns.
timesnownews.com
· 2025-12-08
A video editor from Dehradun, Himanshu Semwal, was scammed through a LinkedIn job posting that promised freelance work; after providing an edited sample video, the recruiter blocked and ghosted him without payment or feedback. The scammer likely intended to collect free edits from multiple editors and resell the work to actual clients. Semwal advised the freelancing community to verify recruiter profiles, avoid sending free samples without written agreements, trust their instincts, and watermark their work to prevent misuse.
blog.knowbe4.com
· 2025-12-08
**Cash Bag Scamming**
Thousands of victims are currently being defrauded through "cash bag scamming," where scammers impersonate federal law enforcement (FBI, CIA, IRS, etc.) or retail companies like Amazon to convince victims their accounts are compromised by terrorists and their money is at risk. Victims are instructed to withdraw large sums of cash from their banks, avoid telling family members, and hand over their life savings to strangers, with scammers using social engineering tactics like fake official paperwork, coached bank withdrawal instructions, and isolation tactics to manipulate victims into complying.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI seized $8.2 million in cryptocurrency connected to the "pig butchering" dating scam, which affected more than 30 victims who were manipulated into transferring money or investing in crypto schemes after being emotionally groomed through fake romantic relationships. One victim, a Cleveland woman, liquidated her retirement savings and transferred over $650,000 in digital assets. The FBI's use of blockchain intelligence to trace funds across multiple platforms is considered a breakthrough that will help authorities pursue similar romance scams in the future.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
Rodrick Lodge, a 69-year-old widower, lost £85,000 to a romance scam after falling in love with a woman named "Anita" who did not exist, resulting in him becoming homeless and now living in poverty on his monthly pension. He criticized his banks—Halifax and Charter Savings Bank—for failing to adequately protect him despite warnings about his transfers. The case highlights growing concerns about romance fraud in the UK, with cases rising nearly 60% between 2019 and 2023, prompting calls for stronger banking protections and enforcement of new mandatory reimbursement policies introduced in October 2024.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau warned of a surge in Real ID scams as the May 7th deadline approached, with scammers using calls, texts, emails, and fake websites to impersonate government employees and steal personal information such as bank account numbers and identity details. The BBB advised that no government agency contacts people directly about Real ID and recommended not clicking links or providing information unless on official government websites, and reporting suspicious communications to the BBB.
myupnow.com
· 2025-12-08
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released a scam awareness roundup highlighting major fraud schemes targeting state residents, including disaster relief and charity scams, government imposter fraud, phishing/smishing attacks, cryptocurrency "pig butchering" romance scams, and data breach identity theft. The advisory recommends consumers verify charity legitimacy before donating, never click suspicious links or provide personal information to unsolicited contacts, monitor credit reports regularly through AnnualCreditReport.com, and implement security measures like two-factor authentication and password changes following data breaches.