PORTLAND, Maine – As the use of personal computers and cell phones has grown over the last two decades, identity theft has surged. One study found that over 14 million consumers were victims of identity fraud in 2018, and that their out-of-pocket costs totaled $1.7 billion.Older adults have been particularly vulnerable in recent years to online scams and telemarketing tricks. Unfortunately, another negative effect of COVID-19 has been scammers targeting older adults by developing coronavirus hoaxes that prey on fears of the virus.The growing problem of identity theft for all age groups makes it vital for consumers to develop a strategy to protect their devices and those of their loved ones, although no system is perfect, Chris Orestis, a senior care advocate known as the “Ret
