Con artists target people age 60 and older, swindling more than 7 million Americans out of almost $3 billion each year.

You have a whole team of state and local agencies dedicated to fighting fraud. Knowing which scams to report to each agency is the first step.

Investment Fraud — Any scam involving an investment scheme — such as pyramid or Ponzi schemes, oil or gold scams or affinity fraud — or inappropriate investment products being sold to seniors are within the jurisdiction of the Iowa Department of Insurance and Financial Services.

Other Consumer Scams — Whether you have been a victim of identity theft or a home repair scam, or you received a fake IRS call, the Iowa Attorney General’s Office is your partner for reporting and stopping consumer fraud.

Medicare Fraud — Whether you spot items or services you didn’t receive on your Medicare or Medicaid statements, or someone calls to “update” your Medicare information, SHIIP and Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) can help you sort out the problem.

Security Freeze: One tool to help stop identity theft is placing a security freeze on your credit report. This keeps new lines of credit from being opened using your personal information.

Arm yourself with knowledge of common fraud schemes and learn how to avoid and report scams. Empower yourself. Become an Iowa Fraud Fighter.