PORTLAND, Ore. — Consumers have a new tool to help fight scammers.
The AARP created a scam-tracking map. The interactive Google map allows consumers to report and locate fraud in their community.
“Whether you are in Portland or Burns, you can find out if there is any current fraud activity,” said Joyce De Monnin, Communications director for AARP Oregon.
The scam-tracking map allows users to look-up complaints by keyword or zoom into a particular location. Anyone can use it.
““It’s like crowdsourcing,” said De Monnin. “We realize the more people understand about fraud, scams and identity theft, the better they are at making decisions.”
The AARP’s Fraud Watch Network also lists police notices about fraud in every state.
The Better Business Bureau has a similar mapping tool. The BBB Scam Tracker allows consumers to find illegal schemes or fraud in their community.
More than 1.2 million fraud-related complaints were reported to the Federal Trade Commission’s Consumer Sentinel Network in 2015. Among those complaints, $765 million was lost by consumers who fell victim to scams.