Technology

The privacy risk of moving to a retirement community

Published

5 days ago

September 3, 2026

The privacy risk of moving to a retirement community

AI scammers targeting elderly Americans with fraud schemes

Artificial intelligence is rapidly accelerating elder fraud schemes across the U.S., targeting older Americans who hold a significant share of household wealth. ScamSkeptic founder Matt Sanner joins ‘America’s Newsroom’ to highlight how fraudsters utilize AI to mimic voices and create deepfakes. Sanner provides key strategies for families to identify these scams and protect their vulnerable loved ones.

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The moving truck hasn’t even left the driveway. Somewhere, a scammer may already know three things about you: your name, your new address and something about your age. Maybe not your exact age, but potentially enough information to make you a more attractive target.

Federal law sets specific rules for communities that qualify as housing for people 55 and older. One requirement says at least 80% of occupied units must house at least one person who is 55 or older. Those requirements come from the Housing for Older Persons Act.

That means an address inside a known 55+ community can give scammers and data brokers another clue about you. Once public records connect your name to that address, data brokers can add it to a much larger profile.

That is the part nobody mentions in the moving checklist. Here is how that profile can come together so quickly. More importantly, here is how you can reduce the personal information scammers can find.

FIVE DATA BROKER OPT-OUT MYTHS THAT LEAVE RETIREES EXPOSED

Scammers can combine property records, people-search listings and community information to build convincing profiles of new retirement community residents. (Getty Images)

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How moving to a 55+ community can expose your data

Moving into an age-restricted community does more than change your ZIP Code. It can quickly create a new, highly concentrated data profile.

Here’s what can become available:

Your name and new address can appear in county property records after officials file the deed. Anyone can then search that information.
Your HOA gets your contact information. Some communities also distribute resident directories with names, addresses and phone numbers.
New-mover marketing companies identify people who recently relocated. They can then sell those details to advertisers.
People-search sites such as Spokeo and Whitepages may update listings with your new address, age range and household details.
Community Facebook groups, welcome committees and bulletin boards sometimes post new-neighbor introductions. Those posts may include names, photos or unit numbers.

Each detail may seem harmless by itself. However, scammers can combine those details to build a convincing profile of you.

SELLING YOUR HOME? YOUR DATA IS ALREADY MOVING

Privacy experts recommend checking what information appears online, limiting community directory listings and requesting removal from data broker sites. (Getty Images)

Research shows scams can start soon after a move

Criminologists at Florida State University spent years studying financial exploitation inside a large Florida retirement community. Their findings should change how you think about your first few months in a new home. Residents told researchers that scammers targeted them immediately and repeatedly after they moved into the retirement community. They also faced scams far more often than before their move.

One of the study’s authors, Julie Brancale, told AARP that residents faced targeting almost immediately after moving in. She said the attempts then continued. Her colleague, Thomas Blomberg, described another problem. People may move into gated communities expecting greater safety during retirement. Instead, they can face repeated scam attempts.

AARP’s reporting on The Villages also highlights real cases of financial exploitation. The Villages is the country’s largest 55+ community and has more than 150,000 residents. For example, a pair posing as pool contractors allegedly collected nearly $200,000 in down payments from six residents. Police later arrested them. A Leisure World resident in Maryland lost close to $800,000 in a gold-bar scam. Meanwhile, one local anti-fraud group estimates that it has recovered roughly $40 million for Florida victims over the years.

How retirement community scams can target your family

Here’s the part that should get your attention. When a scammer searches for information about you, your adult children may appear too. Data broker profiles may list them as relatives and connect them to current addresses. As a result, a scam aimed at a new resident can spread to the whole family.

A criminal may never need to trick you directly. For example, someone could call your daughter and pretend to represent your new HOA. The caller could mention your real address and ask her to confirm a payment on your behalf. That request can sound convincing because the caller already knows personal details. The more information criminals collect beforehand, the easier they can make a fake story sound believable.

How big is fraud targeting older Americans?

This problem reaches far beyond individual retirement communities. The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center logged more than 201,000 fraud complaints from Americans 60 and older in 2025. Those complaints totaled more than $7.7 billion in reported losses.

The FTC estimates that the true financial impact could reach as high as $81.5 billion after accounting for unreported cases. An analysis of FBI complaint data also found another troubling link. Roughly 72% of fraud categories affecting older adults can become more dangerous when attackers have access to personal information.

The takeaway is simple. Personal information gives scammers material they can use to make a fraudulent call, text or email sound more believable.

THE ONE THING SCAMMERS CHECK BEFORE TARGETING YOU ONLINE

Moving into a 55+ community can expose your age range, new address and family connections through public records and data broker sites. (iStock)

How to protect your privacy in a retirement community

You cannot prevent every county property record from becoming public. However, you can reduce how much additional information someone finds once they start looking.

Limit what your community shares

First, ask your HOA or community manager whether you can limit or opt out of resident directory listings. Also, ask what information the community shares with other residents. If possible, remove your phone number, email address and photo from community directories.

Check what personal information appears online

Next, search your name, phone number and new address online to see what appears. People-search sites and data brokers may already connect your new location with your age range, relatives and previous addresses.

Remove your information from data broker sites

You can submit removal requests directly to people-search sites and data brokers that list your information, but doing it yourself can take a lot of time and effort. A data removal service can handle those requests on your behalf and continue checking whether your information reappears. Check out my top picks for data removal services and get a free scan to find out if your personal information is already out on the web by visiting CyberGuy.com.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Moving into a 55+ community can create a privacy risk earlier than many people realize. What concerns me most is how quickly your new address can become connected to your age range, relatives and other personal details across public records and data broker sites.

The Florida State University research really stands out to me because residents reported scam attempts soon after moving. To me, that means privacy needs to be part of your moving checklist before you unpack the boxes, not something you think about after suspicious calls start coming in.

I would also pay close attention to what your information reveals about your family. Data broker profiles often connect relatives, previous addresses and household details. That gives scammers more ways to make a fake story sound convincing to you or someone close to you.

With Americans 60 and older reporting more than $7.7 billion in fraud losses to the FBI in 2025, I would not wait for a scam attempt to start protecting your information. Search for your name and address online, ask what your community shares and remove personal data from broker sites wherever possible.

Have you or someone you know noticed more scam calls, texts, emails or suspicious offers after moving into a retirement community? Did any of them include personal details that made you wonder how the scammer knew so much? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson is an award-winning tech journalist who has a deep love of technology, gear and gadgets that make life better with his contributions for Fox News & FOX Business beginning mornings on “FOX & Friends.” Got a tech question? Get Kurt’s free CyberGuy Newsletter, share your voice, a story idea or comment at CyberGuy.com.

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Technology

Meta bets on AI agent Muse to catch up in AI race

Published

8 hours ago

September 8, 2026

Press Room

Meta bets on AI agent Muse to catch up in AI race

Meta is making another push to bring artificial intelligence to the masses with Muse, a personal assistant it says can put AI in the hands of virtually anyone. The product is the latest step in a multi-billion-dollar strategy overhaul designed to revitalize the company’s ailing position in the AI race and help it catch up to rivals like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google.

Muse is a “personal AI agent” designed to help out with everyday tasks and projects, like online shopping, sending emails, and planning a trip. Once given a goal, Meta says Muse can work on its own, opening a browser, filling out forms, and even negotiating on users’ behalf. For lengthy tasks, Meta says Muse will continue working in the background after users close the app, returning to users if something changes or if it requires approval for something, such as making a purchase.

Muse will roll out in the US on iOS, Android, and muse.ai, with AI glasses “coming soon.” The assistant will be free for most users, though Meta said there will be paid subscriptions “for people who want to do more.” The company did not specify the nature and costs of these paid plans, nor outline what limits there are for free users.

“Muse is a first step: an agent that takes on more of the work so people can focus on what matters to them,” Meta said.

1/4

Remember to switch your agent off during screenings.

Image: Meta

While Meta is pitching Muse as “the world’s first personal AI agent built for everyone,” the product is, in fact, very similar to the growing array of AI assistants, teammates, and coworkers on offer from the company’s competitors. Most tools are indeed aimed at businesses or technically-minded individuals — notably OpenAI’s ChatGPT Work, Anthropic’s Claude Cowork, Microsoft’s Copilot Tasks, SpaceXAI’s Grok Bot, and the viral open-source agent Moltbot — though Google does appear to be targeting a similar audience with its recently-announced Gemini Spark assistant.

Ease of use is where Meta hopes Muse will stand out from the crowd. “Anyone can use it out of the box, no technical experience required,” Meta claims, boasting that “there’s no learning curve.” Communication is simple too, as easy as messaging the assistant through the Muse app or WhatsApp, one of Meta’s messaging platforms. It will also readily remember details users share, even if only mentioned once, Meta says, enabling it to make better and unprompted suggestions.

Meta is similarly keen to emphasize Muse’s privacy and security features. Securing trust will be key for making Muse actually useful as an AI assistant, as it will require a certain amount of personal information about each user to function effectively. With this in mind, Meta says people can opt out of their interactions being used to train Meta’s AI models (it’s not known whether this is on or off by default) and can instruct Muse to “forget” specific things it has learned about them.

Given their access to personal information and credentials like passwords and payment information, agents can naturally be a security and privacy nightmare. To keep data, passwords, and other information secure, Muse runs on a virtual computer in the cloud designed to keep data safe and separate from other users’ agents. It has no visibility into passwords or payment methods, Meta says, and another AI agent, Sentinel, patrols the same virtual machine to ensure nothing Muse does can reach the internet without approval.

Meta says it plans to introduce a more secure “confidential” version of the virtual machine later this year, encrypted so that even Meta cannot access it. 1Password and Shop Pay support are also on the way, the company said, adding that Muse can already checkout securely with Stripe’s Link.

Muse, powered by the company’s in-house model Muse Spark, is being positioned as the centerpiece of Meta’s AI strategy going forward as the company seeks to regain ground after years of setbacks and failures.

Given its position as a household name and social media behemoth, Meta is in a good position to reach many of these more casual users. But there is also no shortage of baggage for Meta to overcome. Trust-wise, it has just endured a grueling trial over the harms of social media and has faced numerous bruising privacy-related ordeals in the past, including the Cambridge Analytica scandal. Its AI overtures have also been plagued with missteps, including a “Discover” feature that displayed prompts, conversations, and image outputs from other users, a support chatbot that helped hackers take over more than 20,000 Instagram accounts, and a short-lived AI-generated clickbait news feed that appeared to break its own policies on AI content. There’s also its recent and unfortunate reputation for “pervert glasses.”

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Robert Hart

Technology

How to stream safely while traveling outside the US

Published

9 hours ago

September 8, 2026

Press Room

How to stream safely while traveling outside the US

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Traveling abroad used to mean leaving your normal entertainment routine at home. Now, your streaming subscriptions can come with you. However, hotels, airports and cafés often mean unfamiliar Wi-Fi networks and different streaming catalogs.

If you want to stream safely while traveling outside the U.S., a VPN, or virtual private network, can help. It creates an encrypted connection between your device and the VPN server. That adds useful protection when you are on a network you do not control.

A VPN can also let you choose a server in your home country. That can be useful when you sign in to streaming services you already use. Still, content availability depends on the service, your subscription and local licensing rules. Here’s what to know before you travel so you can protect your connection, stream more smoothly and avoid surprises along the way.

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INSTANTLY UPGRADE YOUR STREAMING: AT HOME AND WHEN TRAVELING

Travelers can use a VPN on hotel, airport and café Wi-Fi while accessing streaming subscriptions they already use at home. (Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images)

Why public Wi-Fi deserves extra caution

Free Wi-Fi makes travel easier. Yet you often do not know who runs the network, how it is configured or who else is connected. Most major websites and apps already use HTTPS encryption. Even so, a VPN adds another encrypted tunnel between your device and the VPN server. That can reduce what the local network can learn about your internet activity.

This protection is useful beyond streaming. You may check email, book a reservation or sign in to an account while you are away. Turning on a VPN before using unfamiliar Wi-Fi adds another layer of privacy. Of course, a VPN does not make every public network risk-free. You should still avoid suspicious Wi-Fi names, keep your devices updated and use strong account security.

Keeping up with your usual streaming services abroad

Streaming can get more complicated when you cross international borders. A service may offer one catalog in the U.S. and another in Europe or Australia. Licensing agreements, regional rights and company policies often determine what appears. A VPN can be useful here because it gives you a secure way to connect to the internet while you sign in to subscriptions you normally use at home. You can also choose a VPN server in the U.S. when you need a U.S.-based connection.

However, a VPN does not guarantee access to a particular show, movie, channel or sporting event. Streaming companies set their own terms of use and regional availability rules. A program you watch at home may therefore be unavailable at your destination. Before you travel, check your streaming provider’s current policies and the availability of anything you especially want to watch.

Watch U.S. TV online in 3 easy steps

If you want a secure U.S. connection while traveling, set everything up before you leave. That way, you are not troubleshooting from an airport lounge or hotel room.

Step 1: Sign up for a VPN

Choose a reputable VPN service and create your account before your trip. Look for one that offers U.S. server locations, apps for the devices you use and enough simultaneous connections for the people traveling with you.

Step 2: Download the latest VPN app

Install the VPN app on every phone, tablet or computer you plan to bring. Then, sign in and test the connection before you leave home. This also gives you time to solve any password, installation or account problems while you still have a reliable connection.

Step 3: Connect to a VPN server in the U.S.

Open your VPN and choose a U.S. server location. Once connected, open your streaming service and sign in normally. Websites and streaming services see the VPN server’s IP address instead of your usual public IP address, while the connection between your device and the VPN server remains encrypted. Your streaming provider still decides what programming your account can access.

TRAVEL MISTAKE PUTS PHONE, LAPTOP AND STREAMING ACCOUNTS AT RISK

A VPN can encrypt your internet connection on public Wi-Fi and help protect your privacy while streaming during international travel. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

What U.S. TV can you watch with a VPN?

Streaming services have their own rules for VPN connections, regional access and travel. Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, YouTube, ESPN and Apple TV+ may handle VPN connections differently, so check your service before you travel.

The exact shows, movies, channels and sporting events you can watch also depend on your subscription and the streaming provider’s regional rules.

That is especially important for live TV and sports. Broadcast rights can change by country, league and even individual event. If there is something specific you want to watch during your trip, check the service before you leave.

Streaming U.S. sports while you travel

A VPN can also protect your connection while you watch live sports through subscriptions you already have. That can be useful for football, basketball, baseball, hockey, tennis, cycling, golf and other events when you are away from home.

However, a VPN does not create a subscription or eliminate a provider’s blackout rules. Your streaming service still controls access based on your plan, location and its current broadcasting agreements. For that reason, check the event and service before relying on it for a big game.

Set everything up before you leave

The best time to prepare is before you are standing in an airport with spotty Wi-Fi. Download the VPN app on your phone, tablet or laptop. Sign in and test it. Also, update your streaming apps before departure.

Next, sign in to the services you expect to use. Some platforms may ask you to verify your identity when they detect a new device or location. Handling that at home can save time later. If your service supports offline viewing, download a few shows or movies before you go. Offline downloads are especially useful on planes, trains and trips where the connection may be unreliable.

Choosing a VPN server for streaming

When you use a VPN, your traffic travels through the VPN server before reaching the internet. Distance can affect performance. If you mainly want extra privacy and do not need a particular country, choose a nearby server. A shorter distance can often improve speed and latency.

If you need a U.S. IP address for a service you normally use at home, connect to a U.S. server instead. If the stream slows down, try another server in the same country. A different location may have less congestion or better performance.

What to do if your stream is buffering

Not every streaming problem comes from the VPN. Hotel and airport networks can slow down when many people share the same connection. First, check the underlying Wi-Fi. Then, reconnect to the VPN or try another server.

Closing apps that are downloading files, backing up photos or running large updates can also help. If the connection still struggles, lower the video quality. HD and 4K video require much more bandwidth than standard-definition video. A trusted mobile connection may also perform better than crowded public Wi-Fi, depending on your roaming plan and signal strength.

THE TRICK TO SMOOTHER STREAMING AT HOME AND ON THE ROAD

VPNs can improve privacy while traveling, but streaming services still control regional access, blackouts and available programming. (iStock)

Streaming on Apple TV, Fire TV and Roku

Traveling with a streaming device can make a hotel room feel more like home. However, VPN setup varies depending on the device.

Apple TV: Some VPN providers offer dedicated Apple TV apps that you can install directly on supported models.

Amazon Fire TV and Fire Stick: Many major VPN services offer apps for compatible Fire TV devices.

Roku: Roku does not support traditional VPN apps directly. Instead, you generally need to connect it through a VPN-enabled router or another supported network setup.

Before packing a streaming stick, check whether your hotel television gives you access to an HDMI port. Also, remember that some hotel networks use a browser-based login page. That can make connecting a streaming device more complicated.

Why streaming catalogs change when you travel?

A streaming service may license a movie in the U.S. but not in France, Australia or another country. Another broadcaster or streaming company may hold the rights there. As a result, the same account can show a different catalog after you cross a border.

Live sports can be even more complicated because broadcasting rights often vary by market. That is why it helps to check availability before a trip. A VPN can protect your connection and change the location of the VPN server you connect through. However, it cannot change the licensing agreements behind a streaming service.

Which VPN should you choose for travel?

With so many VPN services available, I would focus on a few practical things. Look for strong encryption, an easy-to-use app, plenty of server locations and support for the devices you plan to bring. If you expect to stream while traveling, also check whether the VPN works well with the streaming services you use and offers servers in the countries you may need.

A VPN encrypts the traffic between your device and the VPN provider’s servers, which can add an important layer of privacy when you are using hotel, airport or café Wi-Fi. Before choosing one, check that it supports your phone, computer, tablet and any streaming devices you plan to use. You should also compare how many devices can connect at the same time, especially if you are traveling with family.

I would also look closely at the provider’s privacy practices, reputation and independent security audits. Free VPNs can come with limitations such as slower speeds, fewer server choices or questionable data practices, so read the privacy policy before installing one.

Remember that a VPN is a privacy and security tool. You remain responsible for following the terms of your streaming provider and any applicable laws.

For the best VPN software, see my expert review of the best VPNs for browsing the web privately on your Windows, Mac, Android & iOS devices at Cyberguy.com/VPN.

Kurt’s key takeaways

Streaming abroad is much easier than it used to be. Still, I would not wait until you land to figure out your setup. Install your VPN and update your streaming apps before leaving home. Sign in ahead of time, too. Then download something for offline viewing so you have a backup when hotel Wi-Fi becomes unreliable. I also like using a VPN on unfamiliar networks because streaming is only part of what we do online while traveling. You may use the same connection for email, travel reservations and other accounts. Finally, remember what a VPN can and cannot do. It can encrypt your connection and let you select the location of the VPN server you use. It cannot promise that every show, channel or game will be available everywhere you travel.

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What is the biggest streaming headache you have run into while traveling outside the U.S.? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.

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Technology

Xiaomi’s wide foldable promises more power than Samsung’s

Published

18 hours ago

September 8, 2026

Press Room

Xiaomi’s wide foldable promises more power than Samsung’s

Xiaomi is the latest manufacturer to release a short, wide foldable phone, in the week Apple is expected to do the same. I got to try the 18 Fold behind closed doors at IFA last week, and while it looks and feels similar enough to Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 8, superior specs make it feel like the phone I wish Samsung had made.

The 18 Fold is Xiaomi’s first book-style foldable since 2024’s Mix Fold 4, but the company has followed Huawei and Samsung in moving to a short, squat design. Xiaomi’s phone goes further though: It’s both shorter and wider than Samsung’s, with a roughly 1.4:1 aspect ratio on both the 7.58-inch inner and 5.38-inch outer screens — almost an exact match for both international paper sizes and IMAX screens, meaning this may be the one phone capable of playing The Odyssey without letterboxing.

The 5.38-inch has generously rounded corners.

Both screens have almost the same aspect ratio.

It makes the Z Fold 8 look positively tall and slender.

In practice, this still feels similar to the Z Fold 8 though. It’s compact and pocketable when closed and the cover screen is comfortable to use single-handed — though I expect it too will have issues with some apps running awkwardly on the short screen. When open, this is a natural form factor for watching movies or reading ebooks, if perhaps slightly less well suited to multitasking work, though Xiaomi still includes both split-screen apps and floating windows with multitasking in mind.

Where Samsung may have the edge is build quality. The 18 Fold looks great, available in black, white, or this striking red, plus a pink ceramic special edition that the company is only making 1,500 of. But it’s slightly heavier and thicker than the Z Fold 8, and Xiaomi hasn’t announced any IP rating for it at all. There’s also the crease, which to my eye feels more obvious than on this year’s Samsung foldables. Oppo remains the only company to have all-but eliminated the foldable crease, in its Find N6 foldable, and I’ll be fascinated to see how close Apple gets to matching that this week.

I do love this deep red finish.

The triple camera is welcome, even if its specs still lag behind Xiaomi’s slab flagships.

This is a little thicker than the Z Fold 8, but still fairly slender.

Xiaomi hasn’t shown off any foldable software flourishes you won’t find elsewhere.

While my brief time with the 18 Fold was focused on getting to grips with the form factor, the phone arguably stands out more for its specs. For one, this is the first Xiaomi phone powered by its own Xring O3 chipset, which promises Snapdragon 8 Elite-level performance. It includes the debut of Arm’s Mali G2-Ultra NX GPU, which brings with it mobile-first support for Arm’s DLSS-style graphics acceleration on Android.

It’s not just the chip though. The 6,000mAh silicon-carbon battery is substantially larger than the Samsung phone’s 4,800mAh, with support for 67W wired charging and 50W wireless. The two OLED displays deliver up to 4,000 nits of peak brightness. Most importantly there’s a triple rear camera bolstered by Xiaomi’s long-running Leica partnership, with a 200-megapixel main camera using a 1/1.56-inch-type sensor, a 50-megapixel 3.5x periscope telephoto, and a 50-megapixel ultrawide.

I really loved the Galaxy Z Fold 8 when I reviewed it, surprising myself with how quickly I adapted to the new design. My biggest hesitation was that it lacked the triple camera I’d expect from any phone approaching $2,000 in price. By fixing that, while improving on the battery and displays, Xiaomi has made what could become my pick of the foldables on the market right now — though the lack of IP rating does give me pause.

We don’t yet know if the 18 Fold will ever launch outside China.

Of course, that foldable market is about to change dramatically if Apple announces the foldable iPhone we’re all expecting it to tomorrow. In the meantime, Xiaomi has laid down the gauntlet — at least in China. The 18 Fold is available to preorder there from ¥10,999 (about $1,600), with official sales on September 10th, but Xiaomi hasn’t yet confirmed whether or not the phone will ever see an international launch.

Photography by Dominic Preston / The Verge

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