Connections Series: Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Scams But Were Afraid to Ask
Venue: Warm Hearth Village Center, Blacksburg
Date: Monday, February 23, 2026
Time: 1:00 - 2:00 PM
Event Types: Speaking Engagements, Class
Cost: Free
Description:
Warm Hearth Village continues their Connections Series with the topic "Everything You Always Wanted to Know About Scams But Were Afraid to Ask" on Monday, February 23, 2026 at Warm Hearth Village Center.

This presentation explains why older adults are disproportionately targeted by scams and highlights gaps in existing scam prevention tools. Participants will also learn about the Anti-Scam Conversational Helper for On-Call Resilience (ANCHOR) research project. This is a Virginia Tech-led study designed to help older adults reduce vulnerability to telephone scams through a combination of education, a real-time smartphone-based scam assistance tool, and immersive 3D (XR) simulation training.

Presented by Katalin Parti, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Sociology at Virginia Tech whose research focuses on cybercrime victimization and prevention, especially among vulnerable populations such as children, older adults, and international students. She is a mixed-methods scholar committed to community-based research that centers lived experiences. Her recent project, PROS: Performances to Reduce Online Scams, uses interactive theatre to educate communities about scam prevention.

Admission is free and all are welcome.

Warm Hearth Village Center is located at 2387 Warm Hearth Drive in Blacksburg, VA.

To view the event flyer, visit: https://i.postimg.cc/nVv6TW0D/image.png.

For more information, visit: http://www.retire.org or https://www.facebook.com/WarmHearthVillage or call 540-552-9176.