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AARP: Top scams of 2016

Scam artists were out in full force in 2016, relying on tried-and-true scams to milk billions from unsuspecting victims.

Here are some of the scams most frequently reported to AARP Fraud Watch Network hotline in 2016:

• Tech support scam - You get a call from Microsoft or another tech company saying your computer has a virus that can be fixed for a fee. Do not pull out your credit card; instead, hang up. Microsoft does not make tech support calls.

• IRS impostor scam - An official-looking letter from the IRS informs you of taxes you owe related to the Affordable Care Act. The letter instructs you to write a check payable to “IRS” and send it to an address in Austin, Texas. The red flag is how the letter instructs you to write out the check; it would be to the U.S. Treasury if the letter were real.

• Sweepstakes scam - You get a personalized letter that tells you that you have won a $1 million prize, but you need to pay a fee or a tax in advance to receive the funds. Legitimate sweepstakes will never require upfront payments.

• Grandparent scam - You get a frantic call in the middle of the night from someone claiming to be your grandchild, saying he is in a bind and needs money right away. He asks you to send money by wire transfer, the payment form of choice for scam artists.

• Fake charity scams - A scammer impersonating a real charity contacts you to ask for a donation. This happens a lot around the holidays and following natural disasters.