Government / Legislative Update
FTC’S REPORT ON ELDER FINANCIAL ABUSE
Last month, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued its annual report to Congress on elder financial abuse. It showed a dramatic increase in the number of older Americans reporting losses of over $100,000 to scams. This report, Protecting Older Consumers, 2024-2025, A Report of the Federal Trade Commission, illustrates 
the escalation of this crisis and summarizes the FTC’s efforts to shut down deceptive activity that impacts seniors through “law enforcement actions, rulemaking, and consumer education campaigns and outreach.” The report analyzed figures from the Consumer Sentinel Network, which collects reports from consumers about fraud. Among its other data points, it found that total fraud losses reported by older adults (age 60 and over) increased about fourfold from 2020 to 2024, skyrocketing from about $600 million in 2020 to $2.4 billion in 2024. This increase was mainly driven by reports of losses of $100,000 or more to investment scams, romance scams, or impersonation fraud. The report also described the FTC’s education efforts through their Pass It On campaign, which provides useful fraud prevention tips and resources to older adults so they can share the information with family and friends.
Scam Alert
ELECTRONIC INVITATION FRAUD IS RAMPANT
What has already become one of the most common scams of 2026? Phony evite schemes, and they are more sophisticated than ever. How do they work? Fraudsters send realistic-looking digital party or event invitations in an effort to install malware and steal data. Clicking a malicious link can enable the cybercriminal to steal your personal and financial data, hijack your online accounts, and potentially gain unauthorized remote access to your device. The phony evite may appear to be sent from a known contact, using their legitimate email address, and utilizing a recognizable platform like Paperless Post, Punchbowl, or other online invitation service. The goal is to induce you to learn more about the invitation by entering your email and password and then clicking links that lead to the theft of personal and/or financial information. In severe cases, scammers may be able to take over the recipient’s email, reset passwords on other accounts, and send scam invites to their contacts. When one EverSafe member clicked on what appeared to be a Paperless Post evite from one of her friends, she wanted to see the details. In order to open the invite, Paperless Post took her to a page that gave her multiple options for entering her email and credentials. This gives the scammer the potential to steal multiple email addresses and passwords – in the event the first one doesn’t work (see below):
If you do fall for this scam and click links on the phony evite and/or enter your personal data on the page, act quickly to:
- Immediately change your email password on any account used to open the evite
- Change any other account that used that same older password
- Enable two-factor authentication
- Check for erratic login activity
- If your email does appear to have been compromised, let your contacts know and
- Run a security scan on your device.
Could a Dementia Vaccine be on the Horizon?
ENCOURAGING RESULTS FROM ONE TRIAL
AC Immune, a Swiss pharmaceutical company, has developed ACI-24, a vaccine that appears to “train” immune systems to clear amyloid plaque before it accumulates into Alzheimer’s pathology. In prevention trials of 312 individuals with genetic Alzheimer’s risk, 89% remained cognitively normal past expected onset ages, with brain imaging showing minimal protein accumulation. According to the company, the vaccine works like traditional vaccines – exposing the immune system to modified forms of toxic proteins so antibodies form. These antibodies circulate constantly, binding to amyloid-beta and tau proteins when they misfold, marking them for immune “clearance” before aggregation in the brain occurs. Trial participants received initial vaccination series (3 doses over 6 months) and then annual boosters. Individuals whose parents or siblings developed Alzheimer’s in their 60s remained dementia-free into their 70s, a psychological relief for families who are concerned about genetic predisposition. The vaccine costs approximately $12,000 for initial series plus $2,500 annual boosters – far less than Alzheimer’s care costs ($350,000+ lifetime per patient). Insurance coverage depends on FDA approval, which is anticipated in 2026-2027. Over 7 million Americans currently suffer from Alzheimer’s, but 100+ million carry genetic risks for the disease.
RIP Shirley Cohen Goodman
“THE DANCING NANA” DIES AT 102
The benefits of dance in later life have been tied to health and longevity in a number of recent studies. The late Shirley Cohen Goodman certainly embodied that correlation. Shirley was a wife, mother, grandmother, and great grandmother of 10. She was also a beloved media sensation known as “The Dancing Nana.” Born in 1923, Shirley loved to dance from the time she was a child. Responding to the many times she was asked, Shirley always attributed her longevity and vitality to three things: “Keep moving, have a positive attitude – and eat chocolate.” Sadly, she passed away last month. Check her out on Instagram – she is sure to put a smile on your face.
