SYRACUSE, N.Y. (NCC News) — A Syracuse non-profit is helping protect older adults from online fraud.
In conjunction with the Syracuse Police Department, the Center for Aging Resources and Enrichment will host a fraud and safety training on Wednesday at the Westcott Community Center.
“Our biggest measurement is going to be based on our attendance” said James Evans, director for outreach and engagement at CARE.
According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, elder fraud victims lost $7.7 billion in 2025, a 59% increase from the previous year. Evans says artificial intelligence makes some scam tactics hard to recognize.
“You’ve got newer scams coming across where they capture friends and families’ voices, and they’re using AI to develop a whole conversation,” he said.
Evans added that older people being involved in the community can be a safety measure against targeted online scams.
“If you are keeping yourself at home… you are not aware of current events, it will still affect you,” he said.
The training will be led by Captain Matthew Malinowski of SPD and Erin Heffron, a risk specialist with Syracuse Fire Department Federal Credit Union.