Del Sol Lions Club to Host AI Fraud Prevention Talk for Seniors

*TL;DR: The Del Sol Lions Club will hold a free AI fraud prevention presentation for seniors on May 26, featuring Certified Fraud Examiner Lisa Carroll, with refreshments and practical advice on protecting against AI‑driven scams.*

Context Seniors are increasingly targeted by scams that use artificial intelligence to mimic trusted voices and generate convincing phishing messages. Community groups are stepping in to educate vulnerable populations about these threats.

Key Facts - The event takes place at the La Colonia Community Center, 715 Valley Ave., Solana Beach, on Tuesday, May 26. Light refreshments begin at 5:30 p.m.; the presentation starts at 6 p.m. - Lisa Carroll, a Certified Fraud Examiner and Certified Bookkeeper with three decades of accounting experience, will lead the talk. She runs the firm Number Crunching, serves as treasurer for the San Diego Chapter of the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and teaches accounting at MiraCosta College and Cal State San Marcos. - Carroll frequently co‑presents with a Carlsbad police detective or members of the FBI Elder Justice Task Force, bringing law‑enforcement insight to her fraud‑prevention sessions. - The presentation will cover how AI tools are weaponized to create deep‑fake voice calls, synthetic emails, and personalized scams that exploit seniors’ trust and financial habits.

What It Means The talk offers seniors a rare opportunity to hear directly from a seasoned fraud examiner about the mechanics of AI‑enabled scams. Understanding the technology behind the attacks helps older adults recognize red flags such as unsolicited requests for money, unusually urgent language, or voice distortions that sound “almost right.” By pairing technical explanations with real‑world examples, the session aims to reduce successful fraud attempts in the local senior community.

What Defenders Should Do - Verify callers: Encourage seniors to hang up and call back using a known number before sharing any personal or financial information. - Enable multi‑factor authentication: Require a second verification step (e.g., a text code) on banking and email accounts to block unauthorized access. - Update software: Keep operating systems, browsers, and anti‑malware tools current to patch vulnerabilities that AI‑driven malware may exploit. - Educate caregivers: Share the event’s key points with family members and senior‑care staff so they can reinforce safe practices. - Report suspicious activity: Direct victims to local law‑enforcement or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) for rapid response.

The Del Sol Lions Club’s initiative reflects a growing trend of community‑level cyber‑awareness programs. Watch for follow‑up workshops that may expand into hands‑on training sessions for seniors and their families.