(BBB)
A coalition of fraud-fighting organizations came together in Washington, D.C. this week to discuss the needs of people who have been impacted by scams and how to better protect them ahead of Scam Survivor Day, which takes place on May 8th.
Scam Survivor Day was created in 2024 by the BBB Institute for Marketplace TrustSM (BBB Institute) to highlight the needs of scam survivors, celebrate those who are sharing their experiences to assist others and better protect people from scams.
The half-day event, organized by BBB Institute and hosted by Capital One on May 2nd in Washington, D.C., featured a panel of real-life scam survivors, new programs developed to help survivors, special guest speaker Dr. Trina Clayeux, CEO of Give An Hour, and Aaron Harawa, chief of staff for Rep. Glenn Ivey (Maryland), who was scheduled to deliver the legislative keynote but was unable to attend the event.
“Scams aren’t just an issue for businesses—they’re a growing threat to consumers from all backgrounds and of all ages,” said Congressman Glenn Ivey (MD-04) in a statement. “These schemes target everyday people through increasingly sophisticated attacks. It is essential that Congress work together with important stakeholders like the BBB to provide Scam Survivors with education, resources, and tools to recover and protect their compromised information.”
The event was made possible with support from Scam Survivor Day Coalition partners, including Amazon, Capital One, the FINRA Investor Education Foundation, PayPal, Target, and Walmart.
A second panel highlighted programs that are meeting the needs of scam survivors, including the National Center for Victims of Crime’s Advocate Academy, which provides guidance for victims of crime who seek to become advocates for themselves and others, the BBB Great West + Pacific’s Restoring Trust, which helps consumers recover from fraud by connecting them with BBB Accredited Businesses that want to give back, and the Scam Justice Legal Clinic, a program that provides free legal assistance to victims of online scams made possible through a collaboration between Amazon, Davis Wright Tremaine LLP, Pro Bono Institute, and BBB Institute.
During the event, BBB Institute highlighted enhancements to the organization’s Scam Survival Toolkit, which connects people with the information they need to help restore their financial, mental, and emotional health after experiencing a scam.
“When a person is targeted by a scam, they’re not only impacted financially, but in other ways as well,” said Melissa Lanning, executive director of BBB Institute. “According to BBB research, more than 50 percent said being targeted by a scam caused them anxiety, stress, and/or trauma. With more and more people being impacted by scams, we need to work together to help them in all the ways they need assistance.”
Members of the Scam Survivor Day Coalition include AARP Fraud Watch Network, Advocating Against Romance Scammers, American Bankers Association Foundation, the Association of Military Banks of America, Consumer Action, Cyber Collective, Global Anti-Scam Alliance, Global Cyber Alliance, National Consumers League, National Center for Victims of Crime, National Cybersecurity Alliance, National Organization for Victim Advocacy, Get Older Adults Online, Retail Gift Card Association, Operation Shamrock, and Stop Scams Alliance.
Questions about the Scam Survival Toolkit or the event should be directed to BBB Institute at [email protected]. You can learn more about the event on our website.