Fighting elder fraud: A gerontologist's perspective

+ too hot to live, too humid to survive US Edition - Today's top story: Elder fraud has reached epidemic proportions – a geriatrician explains what older Americans need to know [View in browser]( US Edition | 17 June 2024 [The Conversation] [The Conversation]( Top headlines - [Abortion bans are shaping entire generations]( - [History is too complicated for the court of law]( - [Building your own limbs in the Renaissance]( Lead story 

If it feels like you’re getting a lot of scammy texts, calls and emails lately, you’re not wrong: New technologies have supercharged the world of fraud, creating new and lucrative ways for con artists to connect with victims. Americans lost a record $10 billion to scammers in 2023, according to the Federal Trade Commission − and that’s not counting the losses people were too embarrassed to report. While people of all ages and backgrounds fall prey to scammers, fraudsters frequently target adults who are 60 and older. Gerontologist Laurie Archbald-Pannone of the University of Virginia has heard many of their stories. Her patients have increasingly been asking her how to avoid becoming victimized. As Archbald-Pannone explains, [anyone can become a target of elder fraud]( − even, in one notable case, a 90-year-old former FBI director. But as she tells her patients, there are many practical steps older adults can take to defend against scammers. [ [Understand what’s going on in Washington and around the world. Get our Politics Weekly newsletter.](] Tracy Walsh Economy + Business Editor Be careful out there. ArtMarie/Getty Images [Elder fraud has reached epidemic proportions – a geriatrician explains what older Americans need to know]( Laurie Archbald-Pannone, University of Virginia Unfortunately, there’s no cure for scammers – but you can build immunity against them. Environment + Energy - [Is Earth really getting too hot for people to survive? A scientist explains extreme heat and the role of climate change]( Scott Denning, Colorado State University The answer depends in part on where you live. If it’s extremely hot and humid, the health risks are much higher. 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