StayCyberSafe at the AARP California Forum on Fighting Elder Fraud

Today marked a significant milestone for StayCyberSafe.

Co-founder Rohan Chandra was invited to attend the AARP California Forum on Fighting Elder Fraud - joining some of the most prominent voices in law enforcement, fraud prevention, and senior advocacy in a focused, high-level conversation about one of the most pressing issues facing older Americans today.

A Room Full of Purpose

The forum brought together an extraordinary group of experts united by a single mission: protecting seniors from financial exploitation. Rohan had the opportunity to engage alongside:

• Scott Pirrello, Deputy District Attorney, San Diego County

• Alex Murray, Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)

• Paul Greenwood, AARP Fraud Expert and Former Deputy District Attorney

• Representatives from the San Diego Sheriff's Office

For a student-led organization like StayCyberSafe, being in that room, at that table, was both humbling and energizing.

What We Learned

Elder fraud is not a niche issue. It is a crisis. The experts at today's forum reinforced what the data already tells us - seniors are the most targeted demographic for cybercrime, losing nearly $5 billion in 2024 alone according to the FBI's IC3 Annual Report. And the tactics scammers use are becoming more sophisticated every year, from AI-generated voice clones to government impersonation schemes that are nearly indistinguishable from the real thing.

What stood out most from today's conversations was the consensus across law enforcement, legal prosecution, and advocacy: awareness alone is not enough. Seniors need structured, practical education that builds real skills and changes real behavior. That is precisely the gap StayCyberSafe was built to fill.

Why This Matters for StayCyberSafe

StayCyberSafe's curriculum was co-developed with the San Diego County District Attorney's Elder Abuse Prosecution Unit — and Scott Pirrello has been a trusted advisor and champion of this mission from the beginning. Seeing that partnership reflected in a room full of the region's most dedicated elder fraud fighters only deepened our commitment to the work.

Rohan's participation in today's forum is a reminder that student leaders have a seat at the table in this fight — not just in classrooms and senior centers, but in the broader ecosystem of organizations working to protect older Americans every single day.

The Fight Continues

Every workshop StayCyberSafe conducts is a direct response to what rooms like today's forum make clear: seniors deserve more. More education. More resources. More advocates showing up for them.

We left today's forum with new insights, strengthened relationships, and renewed energy to keep expanding our reach — into more communities, more states, and more senior living centers across the country.

The fight against elder fraud is being waged at every level. StayCyberSafe is proud to be part of it.

Get Involved

• Schedule a free workshop for your community at staycybersafe.us

• Download the free StayCyberSafe app — search "StayCyberSafe" on the Apple App Store

• Report elder fraud to local police and the FBI at IC3.gov