Older Adults And Imposter Scams

How often do you receive calls from an unknown number? It could be someone you know... Or is it a scammer?! Do you trust yourself and your loved ones to know the difference?

Isolation and being more dependent on others make seniors a target for scams. According to the Consumer Sentinel Network, imposter scams were the number one type of fraud reported in 2024. This scam occurs when a person pretends to be someone they are not and convinces you to send money, give them access to your financial accounts, or share sensitive personal information. The National Council on Aging (NCOA) offers information about the top five imposter scams that older adults fall victim to, including: grandparent scams, financial service scams, tech support scams, government imposter scams, and romance scams.

Technology Scammers Use

The U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging put out a report in 2024 titled, Fighting Fraud: Scams to Watch Out For. In the report they spotlight how Artificial Intelligence (AI) is being used to mimic human interaction and steal information. With this technology, scammers can be more convincing and fool anyone into thinking they are interacting with a real person. AI technology that is being used includes:

Chatbots to simulate human conversations and to ask for payment information, personal identifiable information, and to direct individuals to fake websites.
Voice Cloning to create a voice that sounds like a person you know.
Deepfakes to generate videos, audio, and images of trusted figures like celebrities or even family members.

The Ohio Attorney General's office has more information on how Artificial Intelligence is being used in consumer scams and what you can do to do to protect yourself and others.

How to Protect Older Adults

Make sure your loved ones are not isolated by checking in with them through regular visits or phone calls. Use this time to talk about scams, what they should look out for, and how they can protect themselves. Make them aware of red flags that can identify a potential scam:

There is a sense of urgency, and they are being pressured and rushed to make decisions immediately.
There is a request to send money immediately with specific details including the use of gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency.
They are being asked to keep things a secret despite the urgency of the situation.
There are spelling or grammar errors in a message they receive.
There are threats of arrest or legal action if they do not act.
Payment is being asked for upfront.
They receive an unsolicited phone call, e-mail, or text message and that requires them to provide personal information to verify their identity.

Next, discuss actions they can take to help protect themselves:

Most importantly, trust your gut! If it doesn't feel right, it probably isn't.
Don't be afraid to hang up! You can always call back a verified number to confirm whether the call was legitimate or not.
Do not call a number or click on any links that appear in a pop-up box or an email. Instead, find a legitimate phone number or e-mail to confirm the message.
Do not provide any personal or sensitive information to an online chatbot or when receiving an unsolicited phone call, text, or e-mail.
Never transfer money or send money to an unknown location.
Never pay with gift cards!
Be wary of any stranger that reaches out via social media, especially if they have no mutual connections.
Set-up a safe word with the family. This can be requested if you get a call from someone that says they are a family member in trouble.

Let them know, if they are not sure about a situation, they can always reach out to you for support. If a loved one has been a victim of fraud the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) offers steps to take including a National Elder Fraud
Hotline. The Pass It On initiative through the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) offers additional resources and information that you can share when having these important conversations with someone you love.

(August 2025)