Public News Service: April is Fraud Prevention Month and new data show fraud continues to be a big concern for people of all ages, with nearly four in 10 people saying they have already experienced it.

The data from AARP found growing confusion and overconfidence around artificial intelligence‑driven scams.

Kay Tomlinson, volunteer fraud watch specialist for AARP Washington, said scams largely have not changed how they operate but they have been supercharged by AI.

“AI makes fraudsters more believable and more efficient,” Tomlinson explained. “Now, one person, with the help of AI, can implement multiple scams on multiple people all at one time, pretty much with the click of a button.”

Tomlinson called the financial effects on residents breathtaking. The latest data from the FBI show Washington residents lost nearly $460 million last year to fraud. AARP Washington is hosting a number of fraud prevention events this month.

Tomlinson stressed she is disappointed Washington failed to pass a law regulating crypto kiosks this year, another popular tool for scammers. She added whether it is investment, romance or grandparent scams, fraudsters are counting on people’s inexperience. She advised people to be more skeptical when it comes to the communication they receive.

“You need to listen to that voice in the back of your head saying, ‘Kay said to not believe everything I see and hear.’ Especially on social media, but also text, email, phone calls,” Tomlinson outlined.

Tomlinson noted identity theft is the most common type of fraud and one of the most powerful tools people have to prevent it is freezing their credit so scammers cannot make big purchases in their name. She explained it can be done for free, does not affect credit scores and people can unfreeze their credit as needed to make large purchases.

By Isobel Charle – Producer