AARP Hawaiʻi offers free shredding, telephone forum, and webinars to fight fraud

Free document shredding, a telephone town hall on fraud prevention, and webinars on online safety are being offered during AARP Fraud Prevention Month in April.

According to the Federal Trade Commission, consumers in Hawaiʻi reported $63.7 million stolen by fraud in 2024, with the most common scams involving imposter scams followed by online shopping scams and fake negative reviews, and investment fraud.

To arm consumers with information to fight fraud and to use the Internet safely, AARP Hawai‘i is holding the following events in April, Fraud Prevention Month:

Fight Fraud Telephone Town Hall

Date: April 11
Time: 9 – 10 a.m.
Details: Fraud experts will share tips and answer questions about cryptocurrency and other frauds. To participate, call 1‑866‑654‑9490 or visit the AARP Hawaiʻi Facebook page at 9 a.m. on April 11.
More Information: https://www.aarp.org/events/details.telephone-town-hall-on-crypto-scams-in-hawaii.ui-260312222256

Document Shredding/Food Drive (Wailuku)

Date: April 18
Time: 8 – 11 a.m.
Details: Protect yourself from identity theft by shredding documents with personal information for free at the Access Corp. Destruction Center in Wailuku. Two boxes per car limit. Register for a drop-off time. Optional food or check donations accepted.
Registration Information: https://www.aarp.org/events/details.maui-shred-event-food-drive,

Be Smarter and Safer Online (Zoom)

Date: April 7 and April 28
Time: 10 a.m. 
Details: Senior Planet from AARP holds two webinars on managing online privacy and recognizing misinformation online.
Registration Information: https://events.aarp.org/event/tech4-26

In addition to educational events, AARP Hawai‘i is also advocating for legislation to provide consumer safeguards for cryptocurrency kiosks, which are used by criminals as a payment method in scams.  Senate Bill 2387 and House Bill 2003 are both advancing in the Legislature.

The AARP Fraud Watch Network provides free tools and support to help people spot and avoid fraud, including:

• AARP Fraud Watch Network™ Helpline (877-908-3360) – Free guidance from trained fraud specialists, available Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. – 8 p.m. ET.
• Watchdog Alerts- A free bi-weekly email and text newsletter covering the latest fraud trends.
• Scam-Tracking Map – See fraud occurring near you or report an incident.

To find local events or learn more about AARP Fraud Prevention Month, visit aarp.org/localfraudevents