RICHMOND, Va. _ Fraud prevention is in focus as AARP Virginia kicks off a month of fraud prevention events statewide on March 27,with a robust menu of online workshops, including how to stay safe online. Guests will include victims of fraud and their families, representatives from the Virginia Department of the Treasury and Office of Attorney General as well as a seminar focusing on scams targeting military veterans.
Free online seminars beginning March 27 will highlight ways to avoid fraud. The organization will also offer in-person entertainment-themed fraud prevention activities in Richmond, Roanoke, Virginia Beach, Gainesville and Fairfax. Local events can be found at aarp.org/local. AARP Virginia offers free online workshops every month so that Virginians can keep their minds and bodies active without leaving home.
All webinars and in-person events are free and open to the public, but registration is required to participate. View the entire schedule of fraud prevention and financial security events at https://aarp.cvent.com/VAFinancialSecurity.
Shield Yourself from Scams begins at 6 p.m. on March 27 with a webinar, Protecting Your Parents and Loved Ones from Fraud. The interactive online program will focus on how loved ones can spot, stop, and report fraud. Learn how to talk to your loved one if you think they are involved in or have been the victim of a fraud, as well as find support available for victims and/or their loved ones, will also be covered. There will be time for live Q&A.
The featured guest will be Rory Macleod, who learned his mother was a repeat fraud victim after she passed away from cancer. While he never had the chance to speak with her about her experience, Macleod has spent the last few years understanding how fraud works by talking with fraud experts and victims. He will share those insights during the webinar. Sign up at https://events.aarp.org/PLF032.
The series of webinars and local events run through April 30. The schedule of online workshops includes:
Ordinary People, Extraordinary Stories of Overcoming Fraud
April 1, 2025 – 3-4 p.m. Sign up: https://events.aarp.org/TE0401
Part of the AARP Virginia Tuesday Explorers series, retired San Diego Deputy District Attorney Paul Greenwood will interview victims of scams. The fraud survivors will share their stories and Greenwood will offer tips on how to protect yourself.
Protecting Your Personal Information Online
April 9, 2025 – 1-2 p.m. Sign up: https://events.aarp.org/PPI0409
Stay safe in cyberspace with this workshop on the ins and outs of how to protect your personal information online. Safe browsing, how to recognize online scams and when it’s OK — or not — to share your personal information online will be covered.
Intro to Managing Your Privacy
April 16, 2025 – 1-2 p.m. Sign up: https://events.aarp.org/IMP0416
Concerned about privacy? Unsure about accepting cookies? Learn about some essential privacy tips, including how ads target us online, how to limit tracking and where to find browser settings and extensions to better control how our information is shared.
Shield Yourself from Scams with Virginia Department of Treasury
April 17, 2025 – 6-7 p.m. Sign up: https://events.aarp.org/VDT0417
Officials from the Virginia Department of the Treasury’s Unclaimed Property Program will outline how money ends up as unclaimed property, how to prevent money from becoming unclaimed, how to create a claim for unclaimed property, and how to avoid scams.
Shield Yourself from Scams with Virginia Office of the Attorney General
April 22, 2025 – 3-4 p.m. Sign up: https://events.aarp.org/FF0422
Webinar with the Virginias Office of the Attorney General on current scams targeting families in Virginia and guidance on how to prevent, deny, and report fraud by highlighting state and federal resources.
Anti-Virus & Malware Removal Programs at a Glance
April 23, 2025 – 1-2 p.m. Sign up: https://events.aarp.org/MRP0423
Viruses are only one type of malware that can harm your computer. This webinar will cover several types of malware and how it works. The instructor will go over anti-virus programs and malware remover software and how these tools can be used to prevent and get rid of malware infections.
Protecting Veterans Against Fraud and Scams
April 29, 2025 – 2-3 p.m. Sign up: https://events.aarp.org/PV0429
Veterans and military families are often targeted through a variety of schemes, including charity swindles, employment scams, identity theft and benefits poaching. This webinar will provide information on how to identify these scams and ways to prevent financial abuse and exploitation of veterans.
With 1 million members in Virginia, AARP is the largest organization working on behalf of people age 50-plus and their families in the Commonwealth.
To learn more about AARP Virginia, like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/aarpvirginia and follow @AARPVa on Twitter at www.twitter.com/aarpva. Find AARP events in your community at aarp.org/nearme.
