AARP Research conducted a Survey of Adults Who Experienced Business or Organizational Imposter Scams. The report is located here.
Imposter scams are on the rise, with criminals posing as representatives of businesses, government agencies, and nonprofits to steal personal information and money. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), business and government imposter scams were the most reported form of imposter scams in 2023, resulting in over $1.1 billion in losses.
This research report reveals the following:
- Over the past three years, approximately one in eight adults (around 40 million individuals) have attempted to report an imposter scam they experienced to the impersonated company via its website.
- Banks and credit unions were the most contacted (44 percent), followed by online retail stores (29 percent).
- More than half (55 percent) of adults found it easy to navigate to the fraud reporting section on the company website to report their experience of imposter fraud. However, about a third faced difficulties, and 10 percent were unable to find the reporting location at all.
- A majority (58 percent) successfully reported their fraud experience on the website, with most (56 percent) not needing to log in. As a result, 80 percent felt very or moderately satisfied with their website experience.
The report highlights several important considerations for businesses to improve their fraud reporting mechanisms:
- User-Friendly Design: Websites should be easy to navigate with clear instructions on how to report fraud.
- Accessible Reporting Tools: Businesses should provide dedicated forms, hotlines, and prominently displayed email addresses for fraud reporting.
- Regulatory Compliance: Adherence to regulations like the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and the Gramm-Leach-Bliley Act (GLBA) is crucial for safeguarding sensitive data and detecting suspicious activities.
- Customer Education: Informing customers about common fraud schemes and how to protect themselves through FAQs, tutorials, and alerts about recent fraud trends is beneficial.
