PHOENIX – Una investigación reciente de la AARP encontró rasgos característicos en la gente que tiene más peligro de ser víctima de un fraude por internet. El estudio examina conductas clave y experiencias vividas que podrían aumentar las probabilidades de ser blanco de estos delitos.

Así pues, el riesgo de que usted sea víctima de un fraude por internet, pudiera depender de ciertas conductas y de la cantidad de tensión negativa que haya en su vida. Cynthia Fagyas, vocera de la AARP Arizona, dice que el estudio identificó 15 conductas clave y experiencias de vida que pudieran aumentar la posibilidad de que una persona sea estafada.

"Cliquear en las ventanas emergentes, esas que todos hemos visto aparecer en nuestras pantallas. A todos nos intriga abrir un correo de alguien desconocido. Inscribirnos en ofertas con período de prueba gratis, también es una conducta riesgosa."

La investigación también encontró que las víctimas de fraudes en línea han tenido 53 por ciento más vivencias negativas, como perder un empleo, dificultades financieras o el aislamiento.

De cada 10 arizonianos, nueve confesaron sentir temor de dar información personal o financiera por internet, y aún así Fagyas dice que el reporte detectó que casi la cuarta parte de ellos descuidan un simple paso de seguridad.

"No cambian sus contraseñas seguido. Eso es algo que pudiera evitar que nos ocurra un timo o un fraude por internet."

Y aunque casi el 80 por ciento de los arizonianos manifiestan miedo de ser timados por internet, Fagyas dice que la mitad de ese grupo tenía ideas erróneas sobre cómo son las cosas en el mundo del internet.

"Los bancos no mandan correos a sus clientes pidiéndoles que pulsen un enlace para verificar su información personal. Los arizonianos por lo general tampoco tienen conciencia de que una política de privacidad no siempre quiere decir que el sitio de internet no compartirá su información con otras empresas."

Para ayudar a reducir el problema, Fagyas dice que la AARP creó una Red de Vigilancia del Fraude (Fraud Watch Network), en la que expertos, agentes del orden y arizonianos comunes comparten información.

"Si te inscribes en esa red, puedes recibir alertas sobre los timos que estén sucediendo en tu área en particular."

Para esta investigación la AARP entrevistó a más de 11 mil personas en todo el país, incluidas 962 en Arizona.

El estudio puede consultarse en AARP.org.



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Millions of Americans with student loans are anxious to hear if the Supreme Court will uphold President Joe Biden's plan to offer up to $20,000 in student debt relief.

Conservative groups are challenging the program, claiming it unfairly favors people who went to college, and arguing the president cannot offer debt relief without the consent of Congress.

In the meantime, financial experts have some tips on what to do while waiting for a ruling.

Jaylon Herbin, director of federal campaigns at the Center for Responsible Lending, said borrowers need to stay in constant contact with their loan servicer, which may have changed.

"During the beginning of 2022, federal student aid took on new contracts for servicers," Herbin pointed out. "It used to be Navient and Sallie Mae. So you should have been receiving those emails. Some of them may have come from Aid Advantage who took on the Navient contract. Mohela as well."

People can sign up to receive updates from the Department of Education to keep tabs on the status of the program. The administration is not taking any more applications until the case is resolved. The high court hears opening arguments on Feb. 28 and will rule by June.

During COVID, the administration paused payments on federal student loans. Herbin noted people who voluntarily made payments during the pause should know they are eligible to get the money back.

"If they just had extra money, and they wanted to get ahead of these payments, then they can receive a refund," Herbin explained. "They just have to write to their servicer and request that refund."

However, if the program is struck down, the entire loan, including the refund, will have to be repaid. In California more than 2.3 million borrowers applied or were deemed eligible for a refund and almost 1.5 million were approved before the program was frozen by the court.

Critics of a proposal in the Iowa Legislature to broaden the Iowa Attorney General's authority say it could inject politics into the historically nonpartisan office.

Right now, county attorneys in Iowa can ask the state Attorney General for help investigating cases if they need it, and cooperation was long-standing under former Attorney General Tom Miller.

Sen. Nate Boulton, D-Des Moines, said a new GOP-backed proposal would allow the new Attorney General, Republican Brenna Bird, to reach into local jurisdictions to investigate criminal and election-related cases regardless of whether county attorneys want assistance.

"What it has the potential to do here is disrupt that spirit of cooperation, and start setting out turf wars and an adversarial relationship between the state and the county, in terms of prosecuting crimes," Boulton pointed out. "That's what we really don't want to see."

Boulton argued it could be part of Republican efforts to reorganize state government. In her Condition of the State address, Gov. Kim Reynolds said Iowa government is operating inefficiently. She has proposed consolidating the number of state agencies from 37 to 16, merging state and local corrections departments, social services and more.

Typically, smaller counties call in the state Attorney General when they don't have the resources to investigate. Critics said giving the state the power to step in at any time appears to be politically motivated, especially in election-related cases. Boulton thinks it would set a dangerous precedent for an office which has put bipartisanship first.

"What starts to become a problem is, if we have more and more politically motivated election prosecutions," Boulton contended. "And in a state like Iowa, where we've handled this issue very well -- we've seen misconduct, and it has been prosecuted -- we don't need to be realigning that process and potentially getting abuses in the system."

An Iowa voter was convicted of a felony after attempting to cast two ballots for Donald Trump in the 2016 presidential election and was fined $750. The draft bill has not yet been introduced, and the Attorney General's office has declined to comment until it is filed.

Kentucky food banks say the proposed merger of Kroger and Albertsons, currently under review by the Federal Trade Commission, could trigger an increased demand for services at a time when inflation, gas prices and the end of pandemic-era supports are squeezing household budgets.

Vincent James, president and CEO of the Dare to Care Food Bank in Louisville, said a merged Kroger and Albertsons, along with Walmart, the nation's largest grocer, could force more farmers out of the market and raise consumer prices, which send more folks to their local food bank.

"All of these things have created this sort of perfect storm for folks that were caught in the middle," James explained. "Where they are actually on the benefits cliff where they make too much to get SNAP benefits, but they're not making enough to purchase food."

In a news release, Kroger said its acquisition of the Idaho-based chain will expand customer reach and improve access to affordable food to approximately 85-million households. The Federal Trade Commission is expected to make a decision on the sale sometime next year.

James added a merger could impact both companies' levels of community engagement, noting retailers are a major player in the food-distribution ecosystem.

"Whether through programming or providing food, I think Kroger is really uniquely positioned to make a huge impact by continuing to support food banks in more innovative ways and equitable ways," James emphasized.

Rural Americans increasingly lack an affordable and nearby store to buy fresh foods. Between 1994 and 2019, the overall number of grocery operations nationwide declined by 30%, according to Food and Water Watch.