June 27, 2026, 10 am to 12:30 pm ET

James Lee Center and Zoom

Washington Apple Pi

A Community of Apple iPad, iPhone and Mac Users

Defending the Vulnerable: Shenandoah Valley Sr Fraud & AI-Scams Awareness Project

Imagine a world where a computer can copy your grandson's voice perfectly just to trick you into sending money. According to 2026 AARP, this is part of a massive "Fraud Crisis in America." According to the FBI, older adults lost a staggering $7.7 billion in 2025 alone. In fact, about 4 out of every 10 seniors have already lost money to these kinds of traps.

The McGaheysville-Massanutten Lions Club (MMLC) created a fascinating collaborative project called The Shenandoah Valley Senior Fraud & AI-Scams Awareness (SVSFAA) Project. The purpose of this project is to empower seniors and Gen Z by giving them tools to identify these exploitations and encourage them to report scams. It focuses on using a Multisensory Scam Storytelling Training (MSST) approach created by Dr. Reid.

By helping seniors recognize manipulative tactics and predatory marketing, the project does more than just help them to save money. It breaks the silence of shame! It protects seniors' self-respect, peace of mind, and mental health. This project helps potential victims become knowledgeable defenders with enhanced digital hygiene skills. Seniors can share safety practices with their families and friends.



Dr. Edna Reid, Intelligence Analyst, FBI (Retired)
Assoc Professor (Retired), James Madison University (JMU)
Designer & Former Program Director, JMU Cyber Intelligence Graduate Certificate Program

Click on image for a (much) larger version.

This will be an in person meeting of the Pi. Here is the address of the James
Lee Center:

James Lee Community Center
2855 Annandale Road
Falls Church, VA, 22042
Phone 703-534-3387

The center is closest to the East Falls Church Metro (the Orange and Silver Spring Lines), so if you'd like to be picked up at the metro, let us know by responding here, or via our contact form here: https://www.theapplepi.org/contact.html

Zoom Invite for Remote Pi Folks: you should receive an invite to your mail account if you are a member.

Sign in to our attendance form to be eligible for the Pi Door Prize drawn late in the meeting: https://wap.org/attend