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Seniors Lost More to Scams Than Any Other Age Group Last Year
In 2025, one in five complaints of fraud, scams, and identity theft received by the FBI came from a victim aged 60 or older. Even worse, seniors lost the most amount of money to fraud when compared to other age groups.
Americans aged 60+ lost nearly $7.75 billion to fraud and scams last year — a 59% increase from the year prior.
Whether you’re looking to protect yourself or an elderly friend, family member, or loved one, the best thing you can do is learn to recognize the most common senior scams in 2026.
Were you or a loved one the victim of a scam? Follow the steps of the fraud victim’s checklist to help recover your funds and secure your accounts.
The 10 Worst Scams Targeting Senior Citizens in 2026
The most common scams targeting older adults prey on their general trustworthiness, lack of tech savviness, and lifetime of savings to bilk tens of thousands from victims.
Here are the most common scams targeting older Americans according to the latest data from the FBI, Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and the Better Business Bureau (BBB) Scam Tracker.
1. Government and business impersonation scams
Seniors are regular targets of impersonation phishing scams. In this type of scams, fraudsters contact older people claiming to be law enforcement, bank employees, or representatives from a well-known government agency or business. This could include Medicare, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS), the Social Security Administration (SSA), or companies such as Amazon, Best Buy, or Apple.
If you engage, they’ll pressure you into sharing sensitive information or sending payments for fake bills, fees, fines, or to avoid jail time.
Fraudsters may use lookalike email addresses or caller ID spoofing to make their outreach seem genuine. They may even use personal data leaked in a data breach — such as your name, address, or Social Security number (SSN) — to convince you that they are legitimate.
Warning signs of government imposter scams:
- You get an unsolicited call from someone claiming to be from a government agency or trusted business
- The caller uses threatening language and wants you to pay them using cryptocurrency, gift cards, or wire transfers
- You're asked to provide sensitive information, like your SSN, Medicare number, or credit card
How to stay safe: Know that Government agencies and most businesses will almost never reach out to you over the phone — especially if it’s something as grave as a crime. If you answer, hang up and call back using the institution’s official phone number.
2. Tech support scams
Scammers prey on seniors dealing with technical issues by posing as legitimate tech or customer support agents. Sometimes called the “phantom hacker” scam, these schemes start as simply as an unsolicited phone call or a pop-up on a website claiming that your device is infected with a virus or other malware.
Tech support scams cost seniors over $1 billion in 2025, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI).
The main goal of these scams is to get victims to download and install remote access software — such as AnyDesk, TeamViewer, or other tools that allow hackers to gain access to your device and data.
Warning signs of a tech support scam:
- You receive a pop-up, email, text, or phone call claiming your device has been hacked or infected with a virus
- Someone asks you to download remote access software, such as AnyDesk or TeamViewer
- You're told to transfer your money out of your bank account and to a different financial institution to "keep it safe" for “foreign hackers” or other threats
- An authority figure tells you not to inform anyone else of what's going on
How to stay safe: Ignore messages, pop-ups, and calls claiming that your device is at risk — only someone with direct access to your computer or phone can diagnose it.
3. Investment scams (especially cryptocurrency)
In an investment scam, criminals pose as financial advisors or people with insider knowledge on "guaranteed" investments. As many seniors have large savings or retirement funds, they are prime targets for investment scammers.
Con artists befriend and build trust with elder victims and convince them to invest in “special” crypto exchanges. But when they try to withdraw their “earnings”, they either can’t, or are told they need to pay fees or taxes to release it.
In 2026, most investment scams involve cryptocurrencies, with senior victims losing over $4.3 billion to crypto scams last year alone.
Warning signs of an investment scam:
- A promise of high returns with little or no risk involved — no investment is 100% safe or can guarantee returns
- The “advisor” uses high-pressure sales tactics to get you to act quickly and without doing your due diligence
- You’re unable to withdraw your principal investment
How to stay safe: When it comes to avoiding senior investment scams, remember the golden rule of fraud: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is.
4. AI-powered voice phishing
Scammers are using artificial intelligence (AI) to put a new spin on classic senior scams, such as “the grandparent scam”. In this scheme, fraudsters call and pretend to be a family member that has been kidnapped, arrested, or in some other form of trouble that requires financial assistance.
AI tools can analyze and replicate someone’s voice from as little as two minutes of video — which can often easily be found on public social media posts.
Warning signs of an AI-powered voice phishing scam:
- A family member or acquaintance calls from an unknown number and says they’re in trouble
- The caller asks for money quickly in the form of cash, gift cards, or wire transfers
- The caller won’t let you get off the phone or threatens you if you try to verify the information
How to stay safe: Listen for signs of an AI voice scam, such as strange or awkward language and an inability to answer simple questions. Most of all, stay calm and verify that you’re truly speaking with the person you think you are.
📚 Related: Scammer Phone Numbers: Avoid These Area Codes →
5. Romance and friendship scams
In this type of elder fraud, scammers create fake personas on dating apps or social media to lure their targets. Con artists will research you online and use details that you’ve shared publicly to entangle you in a fake relationship.
Once they establish a rapport, scammers begin to request “gifts” or help with travel, childcare, or healthcare expenses. Many victims of romance scams are also pressured into fraudulent investments, especially involving cryptocurrencies.
Older Americans lost $584 million to romance scams in 2025 alone.
Warning signs of elderly romance scams:
- The “relationship” moves at a frantic pace, with the other person claiming to be irrevocably invested
- They promise to meet up in person or on video chat but always come up with an excuse at the last minute
- They ask for money or financial help for family or healthcare issues
How to stay safe: Don’t send money or make investments based on advice from someone you haven’t met in person or can confirm is who they say they are.
6. Sweepstakes and elder lottery scams
Fraudsters reach out to an elderly victim and claim that they’ve won a contest, lottery, or sweepstakes that they never entered. But to receive winnings, they’ll need to pay upfront fees and taxes and supply their banking information for the transfer.
Scammers will often string along their victims for months or years, claiming that they need additional payment. But any money that’s sent goes straight to the scammer.
Warning signs of sweepstakes and lottery fraud:
- You or a loved one receives a robocall or other notification that you have won a large sum of money from a contest you never entered
- The person you speak with asks for upfront payment through non-traceable methods (gift cards, wire transfers, etc.)
- They ask for your banking information to complete the deposit
How to stay safe: Never pay to “win” money. If someone is claiming you won a contest you never entered, it’s almost certainly a scam.
📚 Related: How To Spot (and Avoid) Publishers Clearing House Scams →
7. Elder financial abuse
Elder financial abuse happens when someone the victim knows and trusts — like a family member, close friend, or caregiver — tries to gain access to the senior’s savings, credit, or assets.
For example, they could trick their victim into signing over access or power of attorney, open a credit card or line of credit in their name, or even threaten to withhold care if they don’t receive access.
Warning signs of elder financial abuse:
- Unfamiliar charges, new accounts and suspicious loans, or credit inquiries that you or your elderly loved one didn’t make
- Calls from companies or credit providers about debt you didn’t take out
- An elderly parent or grandparent has unexpected financial struggles
How to stay safe: As a family member, keep an eye on sudden changes to your loved one’s financial situation or general demeanor.
8. Online shopping scams
Senior citizens are especially vulnerable to online shopping scams. The FBI received over 9,700 complaints of fraudulent products and non-delivery last year — with losses of over $127 million.
Online shopping scams come in many different forms. You could buy fraudulent pharmaceutical drugs or health and beauty products. Or, you could use your credit card details on a phishing site that is set up by hackers.
Warning signs of online shopping scams:
- You’re asked to pay using non-traditional payment methods, such as cryptocurrency or gift cards
- Websites with poor design and spelling errors or other signs that they’ve fake
- Too good to be true deals on expensive or luxury items — often promoted via social media ads
How to stay safe: Shop on official retailer websites and apps as much as possible. Also, use your credit card as much as possible, as it offers more consumer protection than other payment methods.
9. Online extortion
In extortion scams, fraudsters blackmail victims into sending them payments. Most extortion scams are based around threats of leaking embarrassing or lewd information, photos, and videos to your contact list.
For example, the popular “hello pervert” scam involves fraudsters claiming to have proof of your visits to adult websites and threatening to share it with family members and online connections.
Extortion-style scams were the second most-reported scam to the FBI in 2025, with almost half of all losses coming from victims aged 60+.
Warning signs of an extortion scam:
- Unexpected emails, calls, or texts claiming to have sensitive information about you
- Threats to release embarrassing content if you don’t pay a ransom
How to stay safe: Ignore blackmail threats as they’re most often bluffs. Even if you do pay the requested fee, there’s nothing to prevent the scammer from continuing to extort you.
10. Home improvement scams
Scammers know that many elderly people have paid off homes or large amounts of home equity. In this scam, con artists come to your house and claim to have noticed issues, such as a damaged roof or windows that need replacing.
They’ll offer a free consultation to get in the door and then use high-pressure tactics to get you to agree to expensive, and often unnecessary home “improvements”. They may even urge you to take out a reverse mortgage to pay for the work. But in most cases, the contractors will disappear after you pay a deposit.
Warning signs of a home improvement scam:
- Contractors or vendors come door-to-door and use high-pressure sales tactics to get you to pay for home improvements
- A contractor suggests that you take out a reverse mortgage to pay for costly repairs
How to stay safe: Don’t agree to any work or sign any contracts on the spot. Take time to gather multiple quotes and ensure that the work truly needs to be done before committing.
How To Protect Yourself From Senior Citizen Scams
Knowing the red flags and types of scams targeting seniors is half the battle. You can help protect yourself or older loved ones from scams by following a few safety steps:
- Be suspicious of all unsolicited contact. If you didn’t request or initiate contact with a company or agency, you have a right to be suspicious. Don’t immediately supply personal information until you can confirm who you’re speaking with is legitimate.
- Slow down before acting. Scammers rely on creating a sense of urgency and fear to get you to act quickly without thinking. As soon as you feel pressured, slow down and question the situation: Does this feel right? Who can you ask for advice or help with the situation?
- Choose a secret family password. Consider creating a secret family password (or answer to a specific question). You can use this in phone calls, texts, or emails to let the recipient know that a transaction is genuine.
- Monitor your financial accounts. Seniors may not actively monitor bank accounts or credit files as much as younger people — but these places are often where suspicious activity and the first signs of fraud appear. Consider signing up for a credit monitoring service with fast fraud alerts.
- Report attempted scams and fraud. Reporting scams can help protect others from similar schemes. You can report fraud or identity theft to the FTC online at identitytheft.gov (if you gave a scammer personal information) or reportfraud.ftc.gov (to share details of the scam). You can also report elder fraud by calling the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311).
- Encourage open communication. Many elderly victims don’t report fraud out of fear, embarrassment, or lack of resources. But remember that anyone can get scammed — no matter the age.
Unfortunately, some people will always look to prey on the most vulnerable members of society. For peace of mind, consider signing your family up for identity theft protection. Aura provides all-in-one online safety for your entire family — from grandparents to young children.
