(File Photo of the AARP Logo)

Reported by Danielle Smith of Keystone News Service

(Harrisburg, PA) Fraud targeting everyday people is hitting close to home for thousands of Pennsylvania families and new data show the problem is worsening, especially with cryptocurrency scams. An A-A-R-P study ranks Pennsylvania sixth in the nation for fraud reports, with more than 31 thousand cases, with losses topping 537 million dollars. Teresa Osborne with A-A-R-P Pennsylvania says nearly four in ten adults have experienced fraud, including more than one in three people over 50. She notes many cases go unreported, as scams continue shifting online. She says that’s because those transactions are hard to trace and almost impossible to reverse. Osborne adds A-A-R-P pushes for stronger consumer protections and better fraud reporting systems, because education alone isn’t enough. She recommends reporting any fraud or scams to local law enforcement or contact A-A-R-P’s Fraud Watch Network Helpline.