Ep. 697 | Protect Week 2026: Staying One Step Ahead of Scammers

 Fraud and scams targeting older adults are evolving—and staying informed is one of the best defenses we have.

On this episode of The Senior Zone, host Shawn Perry begins a special series leading up to Protect Week 2026 (April 20–24) with AARP Maryland.

First, Karen Morgan of AARP Maryland joins the show to explain the mission behind Protect Week and why protecting older adults from fraud is more important than ever.

Then, Ted Myerson, AARP Maryland Volunteer and Legislative Advocate, shares how scams actually work, the red flags to watch for, and practical ways families can protect themselves.

Plus: Birthdays of the Week, Dear Grave Woman, and the Later Life Lowdown with resources for seniors across DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia.

Thank you for listening and until we meet again…keep your head high, your heart full, and always — be someone who makes someone else look forward to their tomorrow.
 

Transcript

Opening & Weekly Vitamin

SPEAKER_02 0:01

Welcome to the Senior Zone, where we connect older adults with the organizations and resources that start them.

SPEAKER_10 0:08

The Senior Zone's goal, look at the quick aim to educate, empower, and light and entertain and engage older adults with a tons of information to stay healthy, happy, and secure.

SPEAKER_02 0:19

Great guests, upcoming events, and useful information.

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So get ready to take notes.

SPEAKER_02 0:27

It's no time for the senior zone.

Protect Week 2026 Overview

SPEAKER_07 0:31

Good morning, good morning, my good people, and welcome to the Senior Zone, the DMV's number one weekly radio program, thanks to you, proudly serving our 50 plus community since 2012. I am your host, Sean Perry, where experience still matters, wisdom is honored, and the best chapters of life are still being written. And wherever you are tuned in from this morning, your home, your car, or somewhere in between, please know this. I am truly grateful that you are here because this program has always been about one thing: helping our community navigate life after 50 with clarity, confidence, and purpose. And before we get into today's conversations, it's time for your weekly vitamin. So here's your dose of encouragement to carry you through the days ahead. You don't have to see the entire road ahead. Sometimes the most powerful decision you can make is simply this. I'm still moving forward. Every lesson you learned, every conversation you have, every step you take forward, something better. It all adds up. So if life feels uncertain in this season, remember this simple truth. Forward is still forward, even when the steps feel small. And that, my friends, is your weekly vitamin here on the senior zone. And family, one of the things I truly appreciate about doing this show each and every week is hearing from so many of you. Emails, messages, and conversations when I am out in the community, folks telling me that something they heard on this program helped them make a decision, start an important conversation with family, or simply feel a little more confident about the road ahead. And that right there is what the StingerZone has always been about. Community connection and making sure no one has to navigate this stage of life alone. Now listen, if you ever missed the live broadcast, don't worry, don't worry about it at all. The Senior Zone podcast is available on demand so you can catch every conversation, every insight, and every moment of encouragement wherever it fits your schedule. Just search the Senior Zone on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, iHeartRadio, Amazon Music, or wherever you listen to podcasts, and you can take the show with you anytime, anywhere, because wisdom shouldn't be limited to just one hour a week. Now, coming up in today's show or on today's show, we begin an important conversation in our community. Protect Week 2026 is coming April 20th through April 24th, brought to us by AARP Maryland and Family. This isn't just another awareness campaign. This is about protection, about prevention, and making sure older adults across Maryland have the knowledge they need to stay safe from scams, fraud, and financial exploitation. So to start this conversation, I'm joined soon by Karen Morgan, Executive Council member with AARP Maryland, who will also help us understand the mission behind Protect Week and why awareness and education are more important than ever. Then in our second segment, we move from the big picture to the real-world tactics scammers are using today. Joining us in our second segment will be Ted Meerson, volunteer and legislative advocate with AARP Maryland, who has been educating communities across the state about scams, identity theft, and how families can stay one step ahead. And of course, we'll wrap up today's program. We'll celebrate our birthdays of the week, transition into Dear Grave Woman, featuring Joelle Simone, and bring you the latest resources, updates, and community news in our later life lowdown for listeners across DC, Maryland, and Northern Virginia. Before we take this quick break, y'all, I want to send some love and gratitude to our incredible sponsors and partners, Legal Council for the Elderly, AARP of the District of Columbia, AARP of the State of Maryland, Compassion and Choices, Jewish Council for the Aging, and the DC Department of Aging and Community Living. We truly appreciate the work you do in supporting our older adults throughout our entire community. Now, we'll be right back after this short break that's brought to you by Legal Counsel for the Elderly, providing free legal and social work services to DC residents most in need. Don't change that down. Sean Perry and the Cena Zone, I promise, we'll be right back.

SPEAKER_00 5:23

Legal Counsel for the Elderly champions the dignity and rights of DC elders by providing free legal and social work services to those in need. Worried about eviction or foreclosure? Need help obtaining social security or veterans' benefits? Call Legal Counsel for the Elderly at 202-434-2120. Income eligibility applies. LCE is an affiliate of AARP 202-434-2120.

SPEAKER_06 5:54

Attention, listeners, criminals are consistently developing new ways to steal your hard-earned money and personal information. But the AARP Fraud Watch Network is here to help you protect yourself and your loved ones. See or report scams in your area with our scam tracking map. Get guidance from our trained fraud specialists, and sign up to receive information on the latest scams. Knowledge is power. If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam. Get more tips and resources at aarp.org slash fraudwatch network.

Karen Morgan Interview

SPEAKER_07 6:27

We are back and you are tuned in to the Senior Zone, the DMV's number one weekly radio program serving our 50 plus community since 2012. I am your host, Sean Perry, and today we begin something important. Family Protect Week 2026 is coming, April 20th through April 24th, brought to us by AARP Maryland. And this isn't just another awareness campaign. This is about protection, prevention, and policy and making sure older adults across Maryland are informed, empowered, and not left vulnerable. We are kicking off Protect Week 2026 series with Karen Morgan, Executive Council member with AARP Maryland. Karen, welcome back to the Senior Zone, my friend.

SPEAKER_09 7:15

Oh, it's so good to be here, Sean. Thank you so much for having AARP Maryland and me here today. Here today.

SPEAKER_07 7:23

We can't do it without you, Karen, and that's why you have been chosen, you know, uh to kick off this uh campaign uh in 2026. So I am excited. So with that being said, uh Karen, let's start right there. What is Protect Week 2026 and why does it matter right now in 2026?

SPEAKER_09 7:42

Well, Protect Week is a campaign that AARP Maryland and its partners undertake every year to shine a spotlight on elder financial abuse. And it matters because elder financial abuse is something that people have always had to put up with. Um and people in government agencies, nonprofits like AARP are taking affirmative steps to help people protect themselves. And the struggle is real out here, Sean. Um especially in 2026. It's like fraud is like, I don't know, the new, I don't know, the new fashion or something. It seems to be everywhere. And so that's why it's so important in 2026. There are things happening um in the in in our environment, in technology that make people apprehensive, understandably, about how to address issues with regard to fraud. So we're here to help with that. We are like full full blown on protecting people from fraud. It's part of our DNA.

SPEAKER_07 8:52

Absolutely, absolutely. You know, I think sometimes, Karen, we hear that phrase awareness week, whatever that awareness is, right? Awareness week and don't realize the urgency behind it. But this particular campaign has urgency, you know, behind it because the predators, right? Those folks that are preying on our older adult community, they are on their job 24 by seven, as you already uh know. So, you know, you you mentioned Protect Week has been around for a few years uh now. But for our newer, newer listeners, uh Karen, share with them what sparked its creation in the very first place.

SPEAKER_09 9:30

Well, back in the early 2000s, there was a consortium of government agencies and nonprofits like AERP that um met uh in a group called um Project Safe, um Stop Adult Financial Exploitation. And it was this consortium that got federal funding, and the group met. And out of that group, I think it was the Comtrol of Maryland at the time, said, Well, you know, we've put together a brochure about financial exploitation, so you know, let's see about distributing this, and people just sort of they received it warmly because it was a great brochure. And then the idea is what else can we do? Can we, you know, distribute more things that are free? Can we give out information that is free to the whole community, to all the citizens of Maryland? What can we do about that? So Protect Week was born. And Protect Week um is not just AARP Maryland, it's there's about 20 groups that band together every single year. Um, government groups like the Commissioner of Financial Regulation and the Department of Labor, and the Comptroller of Maryland, the Department of Human Services. And then there's then there, like I said, nonprofits like AARP Maryland and adult um protection nonprofits and a number of different groups that really work hard to make sure that people are protected from financial exploitation.

SPEAKER_07 11:03

Yeah, yeah. You know, and it's movements just like this. They don't just appear, right? They're usually born out of a need uh that you and AERP and others saw, as you said, early 2000s, 20 plus years ago. So this year, this Protect Week, as I mentioned in my intro, runs from April 20th through April 24th of this year. What will that week actually look like across Maryland, Karen?

SPEAKER_09 11:31

Well, it'll look like a number of things. Um, in the first place, we always have a kickoff press conference, and we search far and wide. We do a universal search for the perfect MC who we have found. His name is Sean Perry. And um and uh so so, as you of course you know about this, but you'll be our MC. But the press conference brings in principles from some of these state agencies, like the um Maryland Attorney General's office, um um the U.S. Department of Justice, as well as the Department of Labor, Department of Aging, other other government agencies like that. And uh these principles will speak to the importance of Protect Week and what people can do to help protect themselves, and and more importantly, what uh we as nonprofits and government agencies are doing to help people. So we will we will all speak to that. And I'll be one of the speakers um representing AARP Maryland. We also try to get someone who's been victimized by fraud to speak at that press conference because that really brings the point home.

SPEAKER_07 12:42

Yeah, it certainly does. Uh side note, Karen, uh, it has been one of my uh uh biggest, greatest, most fond professional um uh uh memories to be associated with the Protect Week uh campaign and hosting that event now for the last four years. So thank you for mentioning that uh here, my friend. You know, so now we know scams and we know fraud. They are constantly evolving, right? You know, new lipstick on that pig, right? Uh from what AARP Maryland is seeing, what are the biggest threats facing older adults right now?

SPEAKER_09 13:16

I think one of the biggest threats is the confusion around artificial intelligence. Because people are rightfully concerned about artificial intelligence, but artificial intelligence is just another way of saying somebody is pretending to do something on the phone or through email. Long before there was artificial intelligence, people were coming up with ways to deceive people into believing that they were someone that they weren't or that they, you know, had information that they didn't have. The only difference with artificial intelligence is the speed with which that can happen and the ease with which criminals can um create um deep fakes or other situations that are not real. The speed and also the cost, and that's another issue. The cost of doing that for criminals has come down because technology has quote unquote improved to the point where criminals don't need to undertake that cost as much. They can buy they can buy an artificial intelligence kit on the dark web. And you know, 50 years ago people weren't doing that. So the cost of the cost of fraud for criminals was much higher. That's why we weren't seeing it as much. But now, since the cost is nearly nothing, and there's so much money to be made with so little effort, people are under attack.

SPEAKER_07 14:54

Yeah, yeah. My mother will probably kill me for bringing her up here, uh Karen, but I hope it benefits others. You know, every time we speak, uh, she complains about you know the number of phone calls that she's received that she receives daily, right? And I'd g I give her my advice hang up, don't even pick up, that sort of thing. I programmed her phone for people that she know, family and friends. If it's not family and friends, don't pick up, right? Uh because these AI, you know, uh calls, they're not real people in many cases either. They may sound real, but in many cases they aren't, and they're preying on folks. So I say that to say to folks, if you don't know the number, don't even give it, you know, uh any daylight of your time. Uh I don't know if you're a piggyback off of that. But uh what I do want to ask you next, Karen, is that you know, what are some of the warning signs that people do miss, right? What are the red flags that should immediately make someone pause?

SPEAKER_09 15:53

Well, one red flag that people often miss is a call out of the blue from a government agency. Guess what? When as we all complain about how how government works or doesn't work these days, one of the things government doesn't do is reach out and call you. Even though people might think, well, with my tax dollars, they ought to be calling me and letting me know about what's going on. Well, maybe it's a good thing that they don't because that's one way of telling the scammers from a legitimate contact. The veterans administration is not gonna call you and remind you to sign up for benefits. Medicare is not gonna call and remind you that you're approaching your 65th birthday, so you need to get health insurance. Social Security is not gonna remind you what your full retirement age is. That's not how government agencies work. You need to reach out to them. So if anybody is reaching out to you, law enforcement, a federal agency, a state agency to tell you you've missed jury duty, and we're re we're calling you to letting you know that. That is the red flag. Those are the lights on the runway.

SPEAKER_07 17:01

Okay.

SPEAKER_09 17:02

They're trying to scam you, they are lying, and they want to scam you. They're trying to steal your money. That's what's going on.

SPEAKER_07 17:09

And with those sort of calls, it automatically puts you in fear mode, right? Because this is Big Brother.

SPEAKER_00 17:14

It definitely doesn't.

SPEAKER_07 17:15

Right? You know, the FBI or law enforcement or whatever, right? Big brother calling, calling me. So yeah, pause, folks, listen to Karen, what she just said. You know, you're always talking about.

SPEAKER_09 17:25

Everyone's immune from this, Sean. I mean, it you know, our campaign folk focuses on elder financial exploitation, but I mean, from the time you're born until the time you meet who, whoever and the great beyond, you're you're you're subject to fraud. You are, I am, um, the president is, or everybody else. You know, there's I mean, it it has nothing to do with you and what you do. It's more, it has to do with because you ought to be able to pick up your phone. You ought to be able to check your email, you ought to be able to respond to a text or check, you ought to be able to do that with no fear. Unfortunately, the criminals have co-opted these platforms so much that we can't do that.

SPEAKER_07 18:10

Yeah. So with all of that being said, Karen, what is AARP Maryland uh doing, you know, by working with lawmakers and state agencies? You know, uh just what's happening at the legislative level uh around what's happening right now with all of these scams?

SPEAKER_09 18:26

Well, I mean, a number of things. I mean, there've been a number of bills um introduced in the legislative session uh that's going on right now, and that session will end, I believe, April 13th. So we'll see what happens, what what gets passed. But um there's a bill that would allow, here's something, that would allow banks to pause or refuse to complete a financial transaction if they think that there is fraud, that fraud is a part of it. So, like right now, when you go into a bank and you want to withdraw$100,000 for let's say you're you're calling it home repairs, but there's a scammer, there's a criminal, I don't even want to call them scammers, that's too cutesy. They're they're they're depraved criminals, but there's that depraved criminal on the phone telling you what to say and and how to avoid more questions and all that other stuff. And the bank is sort of in between a rock and a hard place thinking, well, it's your money, you're you're an adult, I have to do what you ask because it's your money. On the other hand, I want to protect your money. So if I think there's something wrong here, if I could just take a f like a day or two just to make sure, maybe we could stop fraud in its tracks. So there's a bill that's been introduced in the legislature. I think it may even be be, it may even be up for hearing this week or maybe next week. I'm not quite sure about that. But um but it would allow banks to take that step. And that's a huge step. A number of steps already authorize their banks to do that, but Maryland is not one of those yet. Um there we have bills on porch pirates, because that's a form of fraud um where you know people are literally stealing your packages or they're putting packages on your porch so that they can commit fraud uh that way by generating um fake reviews. Um so there are porch pirate bills bills that have been introduced. And here's another thing, and this is something that that I've testified on in previous years. Do do your listeners know that if your 401k is compromised through a through a criminal act, through a fraud, fraudulent act, and and you know, that money is stolen, that that money is considered a distribution for purposes of state and federal law. If it because it's considered a distribution, that means that your income, your modified adjusted gross income for federal tax purposes goes up. And that means you need to pay taxes on the money that was stolen from you, even though it was stolen. And on top of that, if it goes up enough, your Medicare premiums could go up. And you could be subject to an income-related monthly adjustment amount, which is an additional amount that you have to pay on top of the regular Medicare premium, because you know, if it was a hundred thousand dollars, say that was stolen from your account, that could easily put you into that ERMAP bracket. So we can't do anything about the federal law. The federal law changed in 2017. Before that, if your money was stolen out of your 401k, you could deduct the loss as a as a casualty loss. After 2017, when a tax bill was passed, we could not we could no longer do that because Maryland tax law so closely dovetails with federal law. When the feds changed their law, Maryland law automatically changed. Changed. So there's a bill in the legislature now to at least allow people who are victimized by this type of theft to be able to deduct the those funds from their state income for state income tax purposes. So at least at the state level, you won't be taxed if it passes.

SPEAKER_07 22:18

Well, thank you. Thank you for sharing all of that. That's just where advocacy and the work that you do meet up with action, something that's actionable that we hope to see come down the pike and out of uh the legislature soon. Uh we are nearly out of time, my friend, at least getting close to it. How can uh uh we know that scammers often use fear, right? They use urgency, uh, they use isolation, you know, to manipulate people. What role does community, our neighbors, our churches, families, senior centers, you name it, play in prevention?

SPEAKER_09 22:52

We have a huge role to play. We we just need to be aware and we should be talking to our family, to our friends, about steps that we can take to prevent, to protect ourselves from fraud. We should be openly talking about it. If you've got parents who are elderly, don't let them off the hook with uh, you know, my finances are none of your business. Make it your business. Talk to them about their finances and help them protect themselves by telling them red flags to look for. If you get a call from your bank telling you your account's been compromised, don't believe it. Because that's really the message that needs to be sent. And we can all be what uh I've heard, um, and I love this idea, we can all be a fraud buddy. You know, we can be a fraud buddy to people in our circle, and they can be fraud buddies to us. I have a fraud buddy. Even though I'm a lawyer, even though I work on, you know, economic crime issues and stuff like that. I know somebody can get me in the right circumstances. I have a fraud buddy that I can call to say, hey, does this make sense? And I am a fraud buddy to other people. You can be a fraud buddy, Sean. And people in your family can be fraud buddies. So we can all be a fraud buddy to each other, especially in church, in community groups, that's a great place to have that conversation.

SPEAKER_07 24:11

Yeah, I love it. And I want to have a follow-up conversation with you, uh Karen, around just that topic right there. How can we grow, right? Our fraud buddy uh community. But I don't have that much time right now. You know, finally, Karen, you know, if you could leave our listeners, right, our senior zone listeners, with one message as we head toward uh April 20th, what would that message be?

SPEAKER_09 24:34

I've got three words for you, Sean. Pause, reflect, protect. That's our mantra at AARP, and that's what we're telling everybody. Pause. If you get if you get a call, a contact, something, especially if it's out of the blue and it doesn't make sense, don't react. Pause. Take as long as you want, because five minutes isn't going to change the situation. I don't care if they if they're telling you that the police are uh getting ready to arrest you, that's not gonna happen in five minutes. And the police never warn you when they're coming to arrest you anyway. So anybody telling you that is lying. Reflect. Reflect about what happened while you're pausing and you're calming down, because that gives you the time to calm down and think about what just happened. Does that make sense? Call your fraud buddy, talk to somebody and say, does this make sense to you? Or just review the situation and then protect. What kinds of things can I do to make sure my accounts are secure? I can call a trusted number of my bank. I can call the IRS number, not from Google, but from IRS itself from my tax return. I can call my utility from my billing statement and find out exactly what's going on. And I'll probably find out that absolutely nothing was happening. A criminal was trying to steal my money.

SPEAKER_07 25:52

Well said, uh, my friend uh Karen Morgan, executive council member with AARP Maryland. Thank you, thank you, thank you so much for the clarity that you always bring, for your commitment, and just for the work that you and your team continue to do on behalf of uh of older Maryland's family. Protect Week 2026 runs through April 20th through April 24th. Mark your calendars, lean in, get informed, and most importantly, stay engaged because protection isn't passive, it's proactive. And this is just the beginning. Over the coming weeks, we'll be speaking with more leaders, more policymakers, as well as advocates, all leading up to Protect Week 2026. Karen Morgan, thank you, my friend. Thank you, Sean. It's a pleasure. Always, always. Folks, don't change that now. We are just getting started. This is the senior zone. This next break is brought to you by Compassion and Choices, empowering everyone to chart their own end of life journey. We'll be right back. And life choices matter.

SPEAKER_11 26:54

Compassion and choices is here to support you on your journey. Our organization provides a wealth of resources to help you navigate difficult decisions with compassion and understanding. Need guidance on end of life choices? Visit our website at compassionatechoices.org for a range of informative articles, toolkits, and personal stories. Our compassionate team is just a call away, ready to assist you. Because, let's face it, talking about death is not gonna kill you. Compassionate choices, empowering you to make choices that reflect your values.

SPEAKER_03 27:27

Hi, neighbor. I'm inviting you and your wife to my husband's 65th birthday party next week.

SPEAKER_05 27:32

Great! Has he applied for Medicare yet?

SPEAKER_03 27:35

Not yet. It's very confusing.

SPEAKER_05 27:38

Call Montgomery County Ship. They help me with questions about my Medicare coverage.

SPEAKER_03 27:43

What's Montgomery County Ship?

SPEAKER_05 27:45

It's Chip, like a boat. Montgomery County State Health Insurance Assistance Program. They help seniors like us, or people with disabilities, or caregivers and families with Medicare insurance questions.

SPEAKER_03 27:58

Can anyone call them?

SPEAKER_05 28:00

Sure. As long as you live in Montgomery County. You can call them at 301-255-4250. Or check out their website at www.medicareabcd.org.

SPEAKER_03 28:13

What's that number again?

SPEAKER_05 28:14

Montgomery County Ship. 301-255-4250. Made possible with a grant from the U.S. Administration for Community Living through the state of Maryland and Montgomery County.

SPEAKER_11 28:26

Did you know Maryland does lose millions each year to scanner?

SPEAKER_01 28:29

From fake brand kids to imposter calls to investment meet, scammers are getting smarter.

SPEAKER_11 28:34

That's why AARP Maryland is launching for 10th week, 2025.

SPEAKER_01 28:38

April 20th through the 24th. All week long with expert advice, remote stories, improving tips to help you protect your money and your peace of mind. Learn the red flag. Stop from early visit AARP.org forward slash MD to learn more. Protect week 2026.

Ted Myerson Interview

SPEAKER_07 28:54

Stay informed. Stay empowered. We are back and you're listening to the Senior Zone. I am your host, Sean Perry. Now, we've just heard from Karen Morgan about the mission behind Protect Week 2026 that runs from April 20th through April 24th. Brought to us by AARP Maryland. Now we're shifting from policy to practice because it's one thing to know Protect Week is coming. It's another thing to understand how these scams actually work, how scammers get your information, how they manipulate emotions, and how we can stay one step ahead. So joining me now is Ted Meyerson, volunteer and legislative advocate with AARP Maryland. Ted has been educating communities across Maryland about scams, identity theft, and the evolving tactics criminals are using today. Ted, welcome back to the Senior Zone, my friend. Thank you.

SPEAKER_04 29:51

I'm glad to be here.

SPEAKER_07 29:53

It is an absolute pleasure and honor always to have you here on the Senior Zone. So, Ted, let's just start with uh the foundation or start at the foundation. When we talk about scams and identity theft in 2026, where are scammers getting people's information?

SPEAKER_04 30:11

Everywhere. It is uh universal. Uh there's a lot of stuff out there that is available to anybody, and there's some stuff out there you can try to protect. But I'll give you an idea. People can get your legal name, your current and past address, your date of birth, your email address, your phone number, your affiliations, memberships, and your employer. But maybe get your credit report, but we'll talk about that later. Your social security number, people can get. You want to try to protect it, but people can get it. Your driver's license, your financial account numbers and information, that's you want to try to keep it as private as you can. And your credit card number, you go to a restaurant and give the waiter your credit card and they disappear with your credit card and come back, you don't know what they've done with it. Your military uh experience is up for uh people to look at. Uh job applications, wow. Uh you want to get a part-time job, you fill out an application, put everything on there and maybe including your blood type, school registrations. I can just keep on going. But the things that really strike me are social media, obituaries, and birth announcements. When do kids get their social security number? When they're still in the hospital before they ever come home. And then you don't know anything's happened until the kid goes off to s uh college and you try to get a credit report, and you find out somebody's been using that credit card number all these years. Wow. So the answer is everywhere. Everywhere. You have to just be skeptical and think information is out there.

SPEAKER_07 32:06

And you summed it up eloquently, uh Lee. Sometimes it just feels like they know more about us than we even realize, and you just highlighted uh that. You know, Ted, beyond major data breaches, you know, that we hear about in the news all the time, what everyday behaviors or digital habits unknowingly give scammers access to our personal information?

SPEAKER_04 32:27

Well, what people may not realize, there's all kinds of things that connect you to the internet. And it's the internet where that information is resident and people can gain access to it. Security cameras in your house, thermostats, alarm systems, uh Alexa, Google, uh your desktop computer. How do you get on the internet? You're on the internet. Your cell phone, smart TVs are connected to the internet. Smart doorbells. They're taking pictures of people, yeah, but that's going through the internet.

SPEAKER_07 33:11

Yeah.

SPEAKER_04 33:13

You know, uh smart lights. I can uh set it up to where uh I have a light that turns on at dusk and turns off in the morning. That's connected to the internet. My printer and my scanners are all connected to the internet. You're not thinking about that, but those are connected and those leave you vulnerable. When you buy something and fill out a form, a warranty form, or you fill out some application of some kind, you're on the internet and that's vulnerable. Posting things to social media, that'll that's leaving yourself wide open. Uh the biggest thing is clicking on a link. Uh that's where you could really get yourself in trouble, and you never want to click on the link unless you really know where it's coming from.

SPEAKER_07 34:08

Great, great information, uh, my friend. Always, Ted, you're always bringing it, bringing it real. You know, uh, my next question is we all get these. Uh, I know you do. I know you do, because I'm getting them as well. I'm talking about robocalls and spoofed numbers as well as what they call phishing text messages, right? Why are these still so persistent despite technology designed to stop them?

SPEAKER_04 34:31

Well, first of all, let's look at the robocalls. A robocall, uh something like Nomo Robo is looking for a computer that's making 10,000 calls from a given number. Well, what happens if the computer's making 10 calls from 10,000 numbers? Robocall has a hard time picking that up. Number one. Number two, if they spoof your phone number, Sean, and call my number, uh they're not gonna pick it up as a spam call because it's a real person's phone number. So they will use real person's phone numbers. I've gotten calls from me. You know, they're not gonna pick that up. Uh I get calls every day, and uh they're a nuisance. And one of the things you do is if nobody's on the other side, hang up right away when you say hello, because if you don't, you get on a list, oh, there's somebody there, and they'll just keep calling you back.

SPEAKER_07 35:39

Yeah. You know, Ted, it's it feels like no matter what we block, right? Another one just pops up. It makes no sense to even block anymore, so it seems. You know, when someone answers one of those calls, what's the typical playbook look like? What are scammers trained to say and do?

SPEAKER_04 35:57

Well, in telephone sales, you're taught that you have 10 to 15 seconds to grab somebody. And if you don't get them in the first 10 seconds, they're off, they're gone. So they'll do something quick, like I'm from the FBI or grandpa, I'm in trouble. Some hook that's gonna grab you right away. And and once they do that, then they're off onto an emotional train about uh I'm from the FBI, we're coming to get you, or something. But it's all emotion they're trying to build. And that's that's the typical playbook.

SPEAKER_07 36:38

Yeah, yeah. You know, it's it's it's it's not random, right? It's it's rehearsed on their part, it's strategic on their part. And we just have to begin to develop our uh defenses. Ted, I just don't pick up any anything now that doesn't show up in my already contact list, I don't pick up, you know, anymore, for the most part, right? And I encourage people to do uh just the same. But I want to switch uh to my next question with the time that we have left, uh, my friend. We're hearing more about AI, artificial intelligence. That includes, you know, things like voice cloning, AI-generated messages, you know, faces, et cetera, et cetera. How concerned should older adults be about this new level of sophistication?

SPEAKER_04 37:23

Well, they have to understand that what they're looking at or what they're hearing, what they're seeing, may not be real. And they have to understand that unlike just a year or two ago, you would look for grammar mistakes or logos that didn't look right or something, or people that had six fingers instead of five. That's gone away. Now we're looking at perfect grammar, perfect logos, perfect voice impersonation, perfect images, and you just have to be skeptical. Skeptical ought to be the magic word today.

SPEAKER_07 38:05

Absolutely. Yeah, absolutely, absolutely.

SPEAKER_04 38:09

You have to understand that that's that's what's going on out there now. And anytime you get a phone call, uh AI is so good, you don't know you're talking to a real person or not.

SPEAKER_07 38:20

Yep. It is a different level than what we saw even uh uh uh two years ago, last year, heck, even maybe a couple of months or so ago, it's evolving technology that's improving, you know, daily, hourly uh there. So we, as you said, be skeptical, folks, stay on guard 24-7. That's the time that we are in uh right now. Ted, we often hear about imposter scams. Uh, and we've had this conversation before, but uh, for the purposes of our new listeners, what exactly are they? Why do they remain among the most reported scams year after year?

SPEAKER_04 38:54

All right. An imposter scam is exactly what it says. I pretend to be somebody I'm not. So I call up and I say, or the scammer calls and says, I'm from the IRS. Uh you owe us money and you need to pay it, and you need to pay it right away. And so they get off onto this fear trip. Or I'm from the FBI, we have a notice for your arrest because you're missing a f you didn't pay a fine. Or Social Security, your payments are being held. Uh you know, once I made a mistake and I pushed the wrong button on my phone, and the person on the other end uh after it was a social security call and the message was your payment is being held, uh, there's a problem with it. And as I say, I made a mistake. I don't know how I did it. I pushed one and somebody answered the phone, and you know, the first thing they asked, what's your social security number? They call me with a problem and they're asking me what my social security number is. I hung up. Or Microsoft. I'm sure everybody's gotten a call. I'm from Microsoft, there's a problem with your computer. So any call where somebody is professing to be somebody they're not is an imposter call. Uh and they what they try to do then is immediately create anxiety or fear and push you to a place where you'll be irrational in the decisions you make. But you know, I'll say this a couple of times, I guess. No government agency or a legitimate business is ever going to contact you by phone, threaten you, and demand immediate payment. So if somebody does that and asks you to pay by credit card, not credit card so much, but gift card or cryptocurrency, it's a scam. Yeah. And so just hang up and let it go.

SPEAKER_07 41:04

Yeah, you know, Ted, and I know you feel the same way as what I'm about to say, but you know, it just breaks my heart, right? When I when I hear about uh uh older adults, especially, because we are in the senior zone, but anybody for for any reason, but particularly older adults, when they are scammed and taken advantage of, uh, even especially the the poorer and the weaker uh uh older adults who are preyed upon by these predators, it just breaks, you know, my heart because they don't have a rebound time, right? The older we get, the less time we have, right? We don't have as much time for rebound and to recover. So it just breaks my heart there. And I just I just felt like saying that at this part of our interview, but I want to keep it moving, uh, my friend. You know, you mentioned social media. Go ahead, Ted.

SPEAKER_04 41:51

Can I there's another kind, at least one other kind of scam that I think we ought to address. Sure. And that's one that's built on relationships over a period of time. Like romance scams, crypto scams, and real estate scams. And the amount of money lost to romance scams is enormous. The money lost to crypto scams is enormous. Now, what they do is build this relationship over time. It can be weeks, months, years, and then it's I need a little bit of money, I have I I need an operation, or that's why I can't come to visit you. Uh if you send me$10,000, I'll have the operation, then I can come see you. Or in real estate scams or crypto scams, they'll say, There's a new crypto thing going on. Uh and I just made a lot of money. I'll tell you what, send me$500. And if you send me$500, watch what happens. And two weeks later, I'll send you back$1,000. And then, Sean, look what happened. Send me$1,000 and see what happens in two weeks. Then you get$2,000. And they'll play this game of building it up, building it up, building it up until you're mortgaging your house and then they're gone. And doing that activity has gotten a name called pig butchering. Comes from in Asia, they fatten the cows or fatten the pigs before they butcher them. And they fatten you up, Sean. Get all your money ultimately, so they will reinvest their money. Give me 500, I'll give you a thousand, give me a thousand, I'll give you two thousand, on and on and on until they wipe you out.

SPEAKER_07 43:49

Yeah. You know, and when people are victimized with these romance scams, they're victimized twice, right? Because they're victimized via their wallet. But they also victimize via their heart. And it just you know that part hurts, you know, uh as well. You know, Ted, you know, social media, as you mentioned at the top of our discussion, it connects us. But it also exposes us, right? How are scammers, I want you to dive a little deeper, how are scammers using platforms like Facebook or Instagram or TikTok or even LinkedIn to gather more information?

SPEAKER_04 44:23

The information is out there and people are putting it on. If you go on Facebook, you can find people who have showing their vacation and know where they are, or some uh young lady is showing a ring and a ten karat ring and somebody's gonna steal. But if you put on vacation and you say, Look where we are, they know your house is empty. So they can go wrong. They get on LinkedIn and scrape together enough information to impersonate a vendor or a head owner or somebody you might be interested in talking to. And then they call you up. And they say, Sure, I see that you're looking you you've got all this experience. If you fill out this application, I think I can get you a job. And there goes a lot of information. Social media is a high on a priority and high on the left information in the we don't have much time.

SPEAKER_07 45:37

I hope I can get a couple of questions in. Or they only target the weak, the vulnerable. What is the truth about who gets targeted?

SPEAKER_04 45:51

Don't question your idea. Target read and love as people can get on. You don't have to be done. They're professional. And they are good at what they do. And you're an amateur. Professional goes up against an amateur. If a professional goes up against an amateur, you lose every time.

SPEAKER_07 46:25

Yeah, yeah, yeah. All I can say uh to that is scams don't discriminate or scammers don't discriminate, and confidence alone certainly isn't protection. Uh, my friend, I have one last question for you. Uh, finally, as we head into or head toward Protect Week 2026, which runs from April 20th through April 24th, what one message do you want to leave every listener with uh uh today or uh or have them carry with them throughout uh Protect Week 2026?

SPEAKER_04 46:58

Look for announcements about Protect Week activities because there'll be a lot of things, including shredding sites and things that'll be useful to you. There'll be counter hall of that, uh some radio and TV interviews and more. But the bottom line of this conversation is don't write any caller or any email or text message to get never click on the link, and you're not absolutely sure about it. And remember, no government agency will ever condemn or demand a media. So those are some quick messages, and I hope that they become useful to people who hear this.

SPEAKER_07 47:45

Ted, that's why I love having you here on the CNZone. It's real talk, real issues uh with you all the time. So uh Ted Myerson again, volunteer and legislative advocate with AARP Maryland. Thank you, thank you, thank you for helping us understand not just the threat, but the strategies or some strategies uh behind it. Family, here's the truth scams or scammers evolve, but so can we. Knowledge isn't fear, knowledge is protection, and that's exactly what Protect Week 2026 is all about awareness, empowerment, and action. We'll continue bringing you more conversations leading up to April 20th because staying informed is one of the strongest defenses that we have. Ted Meyerson, my friend, thank you once again.

SPEAKER_04 48:31

You're welcome. Glad that I could help.

SPEAKER_07 48:33

All right, folks, you are listening to The Scene is On. I am Sean Perry. This next break is brought to you by AARP DC, your wise friend and fierce defender in Washington, D.C. When we return, it's birthdays of the week, transitioning to Dear Grave Woman, featuring Joelle Simone, and lastly, our later life lowdown news that you can use. We'll be right back.

SPEAKER_11 48:56

Today is your day to connect with AARP and DC. AARP is here in the District of Columbia working hard to make it an even better place to live, work, and play for people of all ages, and you can help. Put your skills and talents to good use as an AARP volunteer where you can help lead local events or become an advocate for the issues that matter in your community, like funding for programs that help district residents age with dignity and independence. AARP is also helping you get the most out of life. Check out their educational workshops where they can help you grow as a caregiver, find a job, and teach you about the latest technology, or enjoy a night out at any of their exciting local events, like their happy hours and free movie screenings. Today is your day to connect with your community and with AARP. So let's take on today and every day. Learn more at aarp.org slash DC.

SPEAKER_02 49:54

Happy birthday to you!

SPEAKER_11 49:58

Happy birthday to you!

Birthdays of the Week

Dear Grave Woman

SPEAKER_07 50:02

Happy birthday, well, all right, and before we wrap up things today, it's time for one of my favorite moments on the program: our birthday shout-outs, where we take a little time to celebrate, honor, and recognize the lives, journeys, and milestones of members of our extended Senior Zone family. If you are celebrating this week, know that we are celebrating right along with you. First up, we have Brian Wolfar, 55 Double Nichols today, Monday, March 16th from Fort Washington, Maryland. Happy birthday, Brian. Will Wingfield 85 today as well, March 16th from Washington, D.C. Happy birthday, Will. Stephanie Rawlings Blake, former Mayor of Baltimore, turns 56 tomorrow, March 17th. Happy birthday, Mayor Rawlins Blake. Yvette Wynn 64 on Thursday, March 19th from Bowie, Maryland. Happy birthday, Yvette. Shirley Riven Smith, 84. Thursday, March 19th from Washington, D.C. Happy birthday, Shirley. Annie May Mason. I like that. 94 on March 20th. That's this Friday from Lesby, Maryland. And last but not least, friend here, Ann Douglas. I miss you. Haven't seen you in a while. Turn 68 on Friday, March 20th from Landover, Maryland. Happy birthday. And to each of you celebrating this week, may your day be filled with love and gratitude, good food, and the joy of knowing that your journey continues to inspire those around you. And to have your birthday announced here on the senior zone, just send us an email. Send that email to info at the senior zone.com. That's infoinfo at the senior zone.com. Be sure to include your full name, birth date, age that you are turning, along with your city and state. And now, folks, it's time for a segment many of us have come to appreciate for its honesty, reflection, as well as thoughtful perspective. It's time for Dear Grave Woman featuring Joelle Simone, the Grave Woman herself. Joelle, take it away, my friend.

SPEAKER_08 52:38

Hey Sean, and thank you so much, everyone, for tuning in to Dear Grave Woman. I am your host, Joelle Simone, known all over the world as The Grave Woman. And today we have a question from someone that I'm gonna call Sweet Grandma in Washington, D.C. Her question says, Dear Grave Woman, I am looking for resources for my young grandchildren who recently lost their mother in a car accident. Talking with them about grief and helping them understand has been horribly challenging. Is there anything that you can suggest, especially books or resources specifically for children? Sweet grandma, I want to say thank you so much for trusting me with this question. I am in no way a specialist in working with children around grief. However, after doing some research and asking around, I want to share a few resources, particularly for children of color, that may be useful for you. The first resource is called A Place Inside of Me. And it's written by Zeta Elliott and illustrated by Noah Danon. And it's described as a poetic exploration of a young black boy processing emotions after a community tragedy. While rooted in social grief, it also offers space for conversations about loss, safety, and feelings. And this can be found online by doing a simple Google search for a place inside of me by Zeta Elliott. The second resource that I have for you is called My Yellow Balloon by Tiffany Papagore or Papa George. It's a picture book that metaphorically explores love, loss, and letting go, helpful for children navigating big feelings like grief. And again, you can find this by searching on Google and it will pop up. You didn't specify the age of your grandchildren. And so um I have two resources for like middle school age children. One is called All the Blues in the Sky by Renee Watson. It is a book about a young girl dealing with the sudden death of her best friend and learning to express and work through her grief. Again, you can find that through a uh simple Google search. And the last resource that I'm gonna share with you was actually written by one of my mortuary school um classmates named Ebony D. Colbert. And it is a coloring book that answers questions and gives some answers about grief. And it's called Understanding Death as a Child. And if you type into Google Understanding Death as a Child by Ebony D. Colbert, it should pop up. Thank you again so much for this question. I am praying for you, your family, and especially your grandchildren as you help them navigate grief. If you have a question, again, that you'd like answered here on the senior zone, send me an email directly to thegravewoman at gmail.com. Sean, back to you for the later life lowdown.

Show Close

SPEAKER_07 55:43

Thank you, Joel, for that wisdom as always. And now, family, let's turn our attention to the part of the show where we keep you informed, connected, and in the know about resources and opportunities throughout our region. It's time for your later life lowdown. First up in Washington, D.C., the DC Department of Aging and Community Living, they continue to offer support through their Safe at Home program, which helps older adults remain independent by providing home safety improvement such as grab bars, railings, and accessibility modifications. For more information, call 202-724-56-26202-724-5626. Also in Washington, D.C., older residents can take advantage of the Senior Wellness Center programs. They offer fitness classes, nutrition programs, and social engagement opportunities throughout the city. To learn more, again, call 202-724-5626. That's 202-724-5626. Now, in Maryland, the Maryland Department of Aging reminds residents about the Senior Call Check Program. It's a free daily automated phone call service designed to provide peace of mind for older adults living independently. For details or how to enroll, call 866-502-0560. That's 866-502-0560. Also in Maryland, the Maryland Access Point Network helps older adults and caregivers connect with services including transportation, caregiver support, housing assistance, and long-term care resources and more. To connect with your local office, call 844-627-5465. That's 844-627-5465. And over in Northern Virginia, Fairfax County's transportation services for older adults continues to help seniors get to medical appointments, grocery stores, and other essential destinations. For more information about available transportation programs, call 703-877-5600. That's 703-877-5600. And one more helpful resources for our listeners, and this has no geographical limitation whatsoever. If you're wondering what benefits that you or a loved one might qualify for, visit this website. It's benefitscheckup.org. Benefitscheckup.org. It's a free online tool that helps older adults find programs that can assist with things like medications, food, utilities, health care, and more. And folks, that wraps up this week's Later Life Lowdown where the info is fresh. The love is always real, and the goal is always to enrich your journey. One more thing, y'all. The senior zone has always been about more than just a moment. It's about building something that lasts. That's why we are now available as a podcast so that conversations like this, what we had today, can live on. They can be revisited and shared. Just search the senior zone with Sean Perry wherever you listen to podcasts. So until we meet again, keep your head high, keep your heart full, and always be someone who makes someone else look forward to there tomorrow. Love you. Peace.

SPEAKER_10 59:23

Be sure to join us on our next broadcast.

SPEAKER_02 59:25

Until then, live simply, love generously. Speak kindly.

SPEAKER_10 59:31

Leave the rest to God. Have a wonderful week, and God willing, the Stingers don't will be here for another informative and entertaining hour next Monday morning at 10 a.m.