Older adults are the most targeted group for online and phone fraud. In 2025, people over 60 filed 201,266 complaints with the FBI and reported $7.7 billion in losses, up 59% from 2024, with an average loss of about $38,500 (FBI Internet Crime Report 2025).

These scams work because the callers are professionals: patient, friendly, and practiced at creating panic. Here are the scripts to know, and a simple plan to protect the people you love.

The scams to watch for

The "tech support" call or pop-up

A caller or a frightening pop-up claims the computer is infected and asks to "connect remotely" to fix it. Tech support scams cost people over 60 more than $1 billion in 2025, second only to investment fraud (FBI Internet Crime Report 2025). Our post on the "Microsoft support" scam explains exactly how it works.

The family emergency

"Grandma, it's me. I've been in an accident and I need bail money. Please don't tell Mom." Scammers can now copy a grandchild's voice with AI from a short clip found online (FTC: fake emergency scams).

The government impersonator

A caller claims to be from Social Security, Medicare, the IRS, or law enforcement, says there's a problem (a suspended number, unpaid taxes, a warrant), and demands immediate payment or personal details. Real agencies don't call out of the blue demanding payment by gift card, wire, or cryptocurrency.

The investment or romance "opportunity"

A friendly stranger online slowly builds trust over weeks, then introduces a can't-miss investment, often in cryptocurrency. Investment fraud was the costliest scam reported by people over 60 in 2025, at more than $3.5 billion (FBI Internet Crime Report 2025).

The four red flags: urgency ("right now"), secrecy ("don't tell anyone"), unusual payment (gift cards, wire transfers, crypto, cash by courier), and unexpected contact. Any one of them is a reason to hang up.

A simple plan to protect your parents

  1. Make "hang up and call back" the house rule. No matter who says they're calling, hang up and call back on a number from a statement, card, or official website.
  2. Agree on a family code word for emergencies. A real grandchild will know it; a scammer won't.
  3. Put trusted numbers on the fridge: family members, the bank's fraud line, and their doctor's office.
  4. Turn on call filtering on their phone and sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry at donotcall.gov. It won't stop criminals, but it cuts the noise.
  5. Talk about it without embarrassment. Make it clear they can always call you first, and that anyone can be fooled.
Tip: Ask your parents' bank about adding a "trusted contact" to their accounts. The bank can reach out to that person if it sees unusual activity.

If it already happened

Call the bank or card company immediately to stop or reverse payments. Then report it to the FBI at ic3.gov, the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov, and the Texas Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division. Reporting helps investigators, and it's never too late to file.

Sources: FBI Internet Crime Report 2025 · FTC: Scammers use fake emergencies to steal your money

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