WASHINGTON— Fraud is now a mainstream consumer fear, with new AARP research finding nearly four in 10 U.S. adults—about 103 million people—have already experienced fraud, while an estimated 159 million worry they could be next.
AARP said 30% of adults cited being personally targeted as their biggest concern, followed by losing money with no way to recover it (21%) and having a loved one become a victim (15%).
AARP said the findings underscore how deeply fraud concerns have spread, both financially and emotionally, as nine in 10 Americans now believe fraud can happen to anyone. The group said risky habits remain common, with one in six adults saying they answer calls or respond to texts from unknown contacts, while roughly half download free apps or take online quizzes on social media that can expose personal data.
The report also found continued weaknesses in digital hygiene, including password reuse, limited use of virtual private networks on public Wi-Fi and low adoption of multifactor authentication. At the same time, AARP pointed to some signs of stronger consumer awareness, noting 85% of respondents lock devices with passwords or biometrics, 65% use protective tools such as antivirus or call-blocking software, and 61% enable automatic updates.
Still, AARP said reporting remains a major weak spot, with nearly three-quarters of fraud victims notifying their financial institution but far fewer reporting incidents to law enforcement or the Federal Trade Commission, which can make it harder to identify patterns and stop repeat offenders.
“Criminals are persistent, and education and awareness aren’t enough. Fraud prevention is also about taking action,” Brad Anderson, AARP’s vice president for community engagement, said in a statement.