Common Schemes Affecting Seniors 

• Impersonation 

Scammers could pretend to be from a bank, the Social Security Administration, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Medicare, a utility company or even a family member in trouble.   Spoofed phone numbers, fake emails and realistic looking websites can be hard for anyone to spot.  Despite the varying presentations of these scams, the goal remains the same: Scammers want to create fear and urgency to pressure their victims to send money or share personal information. 
 

• Tech Support Scams 

With tech-support scams, fraudsters falsely inform victims that they have a virus or security issue on one of their devices. Under the false promise of providing help, the fraudster convinces the victim to give them remote access to their device. After gaining access, the fraudster can delete files or lock the screen, and they demand victims to pay a fixed amount to “resolve” the problem. 
 

• Romance Scams 

Unfortunately, many seniors are dealing with loneliness, and fraudsters know and prey on this vulnerability. Romance scams take a longer time to develop, as they involve a fraudster building a relationship and gaining trust before asking for money. They may claim an emergency has happened, or they have an investment opportunity, leaning on the relationship they established to drive their victims into helping who they believe to be a trustworthy person. 
 

• Repeat Targeting  

People who have already experienced losses to fraud are often contacted again with the fraudster claiming they can help recover lost funds. 
 

A Simple Checklist to Prevent All Scams  

• Recognize the red flags:

Scammers almost always contact the victim first, create a sense of urgency and ask for money or personal information. That combination should immediately raise red flags.

• Trust your gut and verify: 

If something feels off, the safest step is to stop and verify. That means hanging up the phone, not clicking links in emails or texts, and contacting the organization or person directly using a trusted phone number. Caller ID, email addresses, and official‑looking websites can all be faked.

It’s also important to remember that legitimate banks, government agencies and utility companies do not demand immediate payment, gift cards, cryptocurrency or secrecy. When pressure enters the conversation, it’s time to step away.

A Guide for Family Members and Caretakers 

Here’s how family members and caregivers can help: 

• Talk about it: Regular, pressure‑free conversations about scams can make a big difference. When seniors know scams are common and that anyone can fall for one, they’re more likely to speak up if something doesn’t feel right.
   
• Look out for any behavior changes: Sudden secrecy, unusual withdrawals, new online friends or fear about finances can all be warning signs. In some cases, scammers actively try to isolate victims by warning them not to talk to family.
   
• Set up preventative measures: Setting up fraud alerts for accounts, reviewing bank statements together and encouraging loved ones to let unknown calls go to voicemail are helpful recommendations.

Resources for Victims  

Here’s what you can do immediately after fraud occurs: 

• Contact your bank to report the incident.
• File a local police report, especially if identity theft is involved.
• File a report with the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
• File a report with the Federal Trade Commission.

FinCEN may be able to interdict or recover funds when fraudulently induced wire transfers are reported to law enforcement within 72 hours of the transaction.  When requesting law enforcement assistance, the victim or their financial institution should provide as much detail about the scheme and transaction as possible.  The following information is required to be provided at the time of filing a complaint with law enforcement:

1. Victim’s account name and number      
2. Victim’s bank’s name                                     
3. Location of victim’s bank                               
4. Summary of the fraud                                     
5. Amount and Currency transferred
6. Beneficiary’s account name and number
7. Beneficiary’s bank’s name
8. Location of beneficiary’s bank
9. Date of wire transfer

The following organizations can be used by elder victims for support:

Identity Theft and Financial Recovery Resources:

• FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center
• IdentifyTheft.gov
• National Identity Theft Victim Assistance Network
• Consumer Financial Protection Bureau

Guidance and Support for Elders: 

• AARP Fraud Watch Network
• FightCybercrime.org
• National Elder Fraud Hotline: 833–372–8311
• FDIC: Money Smart for Older Adults Program