Jay Haapala, Associate State Director for AARP’s Community Engagement Operations in Minnesota, is interviewed by Guest Host Bill Raker. The conversation with Jay featured 2020 Scams and Cyber Threats. AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization looking out for older Americans; and its Fraud Watch Network of volunteers plays a key role in that mission. Jay explains how the COVID-19 Pandemic has created a “Perfect Storm” situation for scammers to use the fear, uncertainty, and isolation to exploit targeted victims. He talks about some of the more common scams in MN, how to recognize and avoid them, and what to do if one finds one’s self victimized. He gives guidance on what consumers can/should do to help protect themselves from being hacked by a Cyber Crook. He covers some of the key initiatives (like the Fraud Watch Network) AARP has going on to help educate consumers and make them aware of the increasing threats of scams and frauds.
