It’s New Year’s Resolution time. Time to make a commitment to be fraud aware in 2022. For the next 52 weeks, like clockwork, scammers will be on the prowl looking to steal our money or sensitive information. Fraud is at an all-time high, but we can all take steps to help prevent it from happening to us.

Follow some basic measures: only share sensitive information when needed and only with people who you know and trust; don’t click on links to avoid going to a cloned website or downloading malware onto your device; use strong and unique passwords and multi-factor authentication where available; keep your operating system and device protections updated; and if someone asks you to make a payment using a gift card, it is a scam.

Be a fraud fighter! If you can spot a scam, you can stop a scam.

Report scams to local law enforcement. For help from AARP, call 1-877-908-3360 or visit the AARP Fraud Watch Network at www.aarp.org/fraudwatchnetwork.