The money page (yes, we have one)

Debt, in small print

Small, boring steps beat companies that promise a miracle for a fee. List what you owe. Pick a method. Tell one trusted person so it does not live only in your head.

Cost of living, without the TED Talk

Review insurance once a year. Time the big purchases. Split gas. Use the discounts you actually remember exist. Then sit by the pool like a person who has done enough for one Tuesday.

Scam awareness

If a caller is urgent about your benefits, hang up. Call the number you already know. Scams love responsible people in a hurry. Being slightly rude on the phone is a skill. Practice it.

Today’s scam watch

Five current stories hitting people 55 and up. Each link opens in a new tab. We swap in newer ones when they land, and we always keep five.

Updated September 19, 2026

Today’s scam watch

Five current stories hitting people 55 and up. Each link opens in a new tab. We swap in newer ones when they land, and we always keep five.

Updated October 24, 2026

1. Your 3.6% COLA is automatic. Nobody needs to “activate” it.

   On Oct. 21, Social Security’s inspector general warned that scammers are following the 2027 cost-of-living announcement. They call, text, email, message or mail people claiming they can increase payments or activate the COLA. Then they ask for a fee, ask you to change your direct deposit, ask for personal or financial information, send official-looking links, or tell you to download software. Some drop the names of real government employees or send fake documents. You don’t register, apply or activate anything; the raise just shows up. Report it at ssa.gov/scam or call the SSA OIG Fraud Hotline at 1-800-269-0271 (Mon–Fri, 10 a.m.–2 p.m. ET).

   Check your own my Social Security account · Report to ssa.gov/scam SSA OIG · October 21, 2026

2. Shopping Medicare plans? That top search result may be a fake Medicare.gov.

   Medicare Open Enrollment runs through Dec. 7, and federal officials say health insurance scams pick up when it does. The FTC warns that bad actors pay to appear at the top of search results and use web addresses, keywords and logos that look like the real Medicare.gov. If you call the number in one of those ads, you could pay for a plan that isn’t health insurance or hand over your Medicare number for medical identity theft. Type Medicare.gov yourself, or call 1-800-633-4227. Scroll past anything marked “Ad” or “Sponsored” and look for the .gov ending. For free plan help in Florida, call SHINE at 1-800-963-5337.

   FTC · Avoid Open Enrollment scams · Report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov al.com · October 22, 2026 · FTC · September 28, 2026

3. The deputy on your voicemail sounds real. Scammers cloned his voice.

   In Osceola County, a voicemail identifies the caller as a real sheriff’s captain, with his real photo from the agency’s website. The voice was cloned with AI. The sheriff says fake-warrant and missed-jury-duty calls are becoming increasingly common, and a security expert told News 6 a voice can be cloned from about 20 seconds of audio. Closer to home, the Lake County Clerk says its office would never call about missed jury duty and would never demand payment; you’d get an official letter. Hang up and call the agency on a number you look up yourself. Report it to the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 352-343-2101 or the Florida Attorney General at 1-866-966-7226.

   Lake County Clerk · Jury duty payment scam · Report to the Florida AG WKMG ClickOrlando · October 19, 2026 · Lake County Clerk

4. “This is the FTC. Your phone number is about to be shut off.” It isn’t.

   The latest FTC impersonator says a phone registered in your name is being used for scams in another country and threatens to deactivate your number if you don’t cooperate. They read off a fake badge ID and transfer you to a fake police officer. They might even have you look up a “police” number online, and scammers answer it. Then come demands for ID, secrecy, a claim you’re under arrest, and a “security deposit.” A real FTC employee will never ask you to send money, never threaten to disconnect your phone, never tell you to keep it secret and never text you a photo of an employee ID.

   FTC · Full alert · Report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov FTC · October 22, 2026

5. An email “from the District” asking you to update your membership? Check the address.

   The Villages Community Development Districts warn of more phishing emails that look like they come from District staff. They may carry the official District logo, come from Gmail or ‘netins.net’ addresses, and include attachments asking for membership or account updates. The District says it never uses Gmail for official business. Real District email only comes from addresses ending in @districtgov.org. Don’t click or open the attachment. Verify by calling District Customer Service at 352-753-4508, then report and delete the email.

   The District · Full warning · Report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov The Villages CDD · October 22, 2026

The rule that covers most of these: Social Security, Medicare, the FTC, the sheriff and the District will not call, text or email you out of the blue and ask for money or account details. Hang up or delete, then call back on a number you looked up yourself.