HOUSTON – Just six weeks after the passing of her longtime husband, Houstonian Cindy Finney fell victim to an elaborate scam that ended up costing her nearly six figures. After a pop-up appeared on her computer screen, Cindy got on the phone with what she thought was legitimate tech support. It wasn’t.
After then receiving what looked like official notices from the IRS and the FTC, along with threats that someone had been using her identity to commit crimes, Cindy wired $90,000 into what she thought was a federal account to keep her money safe. Turns out every bit of it was a scam.
“They just caught me at the right time, the right circumstance, and they knew how much money I had,” said Cindy, who said the situation created so much stress she barely left her house for six months.
Cindy is not alone. Fraud and scams are a growing crisis across the United States, with billions lost every single year. Texas ranks #2 for both cybercrime complaints and reported financial losses, with more than $1.35 billion fraud losses reported in 2024 alone. Since many of these scams go unreported, experts say the damage and scope is far greater than the figures show.
In addition to financial losses, victims often face emotional stress, anxiety, depression and in many cases a feeling of lost independence.
Cindy volunteers with AARP, the nation’s largest non-profit, to tell her story and help other seniors learn the red flags that indicate a scam. With more than 38 million members, including 2.5 million members in Texas alone, AARP helps strengthen communities by advocating for financial security, health and personal fulfillment by empowering people 50 and older.
Seniors are hit especially hard by identity theft, impersonation and other investment scams. If you think you’ve been a victim of a scam or online fraud, AARP provides free resources, including their Fraud Watch Network Helpline, fraud alerts and scam warnings, catfishing quiz, education and prevention tools, and victim support.
To learn more, visit aarp.org/local or call 888-687-2277.