AARP and others urge stronger local capacity, new coordination center to protect older Americans from scams

Kathy Stokes, director of fraud prevention programs at AARP, told the subcommittee that older adults bear a large share of documented fraud losses and that education alone is insufficient to stop losses at scale.

“A lot of once financially secure Americans who did the right thing and saved for a comfortable retirement are left to rely on government safety nets,” Stokes said, describing AARP’s Fraud Watch Network, volunteer support programs and a victim help line that receives hundreds of calls daily. She cited an AARP/FTC estimate — reflected in testimony — that underreporting makes the real 2023 fraud losses substantially higher than headline figures.

Stokes and other witnesses urged stronger, funded local capacity for law enforcement and victim support, better fraud reporting systems so authorities can prioritize cases, and legislation limiting harm from crypto ATMs and other channels used by scammers. Stokes also highlighted a new public‑private National Elder Fraud Coordination Center intended to improve information sharing and operational response to elder fraud.

Members pressed witnesses on practical steps: more training for state and local investigators, a centralized reporting point for victims, outreach through member offices, and tighter coordination with banks and telecom providers to disrupt outreach vectors such as social media and text messaging. No formal policy votes were taken; members asked witnesses to provide written details and to work with relevant committees on next steps.