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Week of Action to Fight Fraud
Posted on 02/28/25
Scams are everywhere—fake virus pop-ups, texts from "the IRS," and more. These fraudsters are so sophisticated that any of us could fall victim. They steal billions from U.S. consumers annually, with older adults often the hardest hit.
Week of Action
Join AARP Minnesota from March 3-7, 2025 for a week of action to fight fraud! Minnesota lawmakers are debating a crucial bill to establish a consumer fraud restitution fund. The bi-partisan Consumer Fraud Restitution Fund (SF 447, Rest; Carlson; Koran; Klein; Dornink | HF 1392, Lee K.; Freiberg; Kozlowski; Mueller; Roach) would:
- Encourage more Minnesotans to report scammers
- Motivate the AG to pursue scammers
- Use penalty money from big company bad actors and provide restitution to defrauded Minnesotans
Monday, March 3: Email Your Lawmakers
Kick off the week of action by emailing your lawmakers to share a story about how fraud has impacted you and request their support for the Fraud Restitution Fund.
Tuesday, March 4: Share Your Story
Do you have a story about a fraud or scam? We want to hear about it. Fill out this short questionnaire and tell us about your experience. We’ll share directly with politicians, local news outlets, and on social media to demonstrate the prevalence of scams and the sophisticated nature of these criminals.
Wednesday, March 5: Write a Letter to the Editor
Help raise awareness about the need for a Consumer Fraud Restitution Fund! Writing a letter to the editor can significantly amplify awareness and drive public support for this crucial issue. By sharing your perspective, you can influence community opinion and encourage policymakers to prioritize the fund, ensuring victims receive the restitution they deserve. We’ve even made it easy for you by providing key points to include in your letter.
Thursday, March 6: Join Slam the Scam Day
Join AARP Minnesota and the Social Security Administration for a live telephone town hall during "Slam the Scam Day" on March 6 at 10:00 a.m. Learn about current scams and how to protect your money and identity. We will also discuss the proposed Consumer Fraud Victim Restitution Fund, which is currently under consideration by the Minnesota Legislature.
JOIN SLAM THE SCAM: 866-757-0754
(Call at 10:00 a.m.)
JOIN SLAM THE SCAM: 866-757-0754
(Call at 10:00 a.m.)
Hear from older Minnesotans about the impact of frauds and scams.
Friday, March 7: Call Your Lawmakers
Wrap up the week of action by calling your State Representative. Dial 866-719-2248 to be directly connected to your State Representative. Tell them to support H.F. 1392, which would create a Consumer Fraud Restitution Fund and help victims of fraud recover financially. Talking points:
- A fast-growing fraud industry steals billions of dollars from US consumers every year.
- Few options exist for recovering money lost to scams, but a Fraud Restitution Fund can help solve that problem.
- I urge you to create a state-level Consumer Fraud Restitution Fund to help scam and fraud victims recover financially
