Getting Scammed Is Not Your Fault: Fraud Expert Discusses Scam Victims, Shame, and Healing (Amy Nofziger, AARP)

Episode 45: AARP’s Amy Nofziger outlines why scams keep working, who they really target, and what actually helps people heal. Amy Nofziger has spent 24 years running AARP's Fraud Watch Network Helpline — and the one thing she wants every victim to know is this: you are not alone, and this is not your fault. In this episode, Erin and Amy dig into why shame keeps victims silent, why the loneliness epidemic is a scammer's best weapon, why brilliant people fall hardest, and why if your gut felt off — that was your body trying to protect you. If you've been scammed, love someone who has, or just want to understand why these crimes are so devastatingly effective, this episode is for you. If you or someone you love has been scammed, pick up the phone. The first call is the first step to getting your power back. Call AARP's Fraud Watch Helpline: 1-877-908-3360.   Meet Our Sponsors BioCatch prevents financial crime by recognizing patterns in human behavior, continuously collecting 3,000 anonymized data points – keystroke and mouse activity, touch screen behavior, physical device attributes, and more – as people interact with their digital banking platforms. With these inputs, BioCatch's models reveal patterns that distinguish the criminal from the legitimate. Scamnetic is a leader in AI-powered scam detection and prevention, protecting individuals, businesses, and financial institutions from digital scams. With solutions like KnowScam and IDeveryone, Scamnetic delivers real-time scam insights, identity verification, and intervention. Restoring trust, reducing losses, and empowering organizations to safeguard customers in an increasingly complex digital world.