How scams target older adults and what makes them work
Scammers focus on seniors because they often have savings, own homes, and may be less familiar with newer technology. They use urgency, authority, and emotion to bypass your normal caution — a fake grandchild in trouble, a government agency threatening legal action, a prize you supposedly won. The goal is to move fast, before you have time to verify the story or ask someone you trust.
The most common scams do not require you to be lonely or isolated. They work on sharp, careful people because they are designed to. A scammer pretending to be from the IRS knows exactly what to say to sound official. A tech support scam knows how to make your computer screen look alarming. Understanding how these work — the actual steps and the psychology behind them — is the strongest defense you have.
Key Takeaways
- Legitimate government agencies, banks, and companies do not call or email asking you to confirm passwords, Social Security numbers, or payment information — if someone does, it is a scam.
- Scammers create fake urgency by claiming a legal problem, a grandchild in crisis, or a limited-time prize, and they pressure you to act before you can verify their story.
- Tech support scams use pop-up warnings or unsolicited calls to convince you your device is infected, then charge hundreds of dollars to "fix" it.
- The moment you feel rushed, confused, or pressured to keep something secret from family, pause and verify the request with someone you trust or the organization's official phone number.
- If you have already sent money or given information, contact your bank, credit card company, and local police when ready — the faster you act, the better the chance of stopping the transfer.
Impersonation scams: government, banks, and tech support
An impersonation scam works by pretending to be someone with authority — the IRS, Social Security Administration, your bank, Apple, Microsoft, or Amazon. The caller or email sender uses real agency names, real logos, and real-sounding details to build trust quickly. They may even spoof the phone number so it appears to come from the official agency.
The IRS scam is one of the oldest and most persistent. A caller claims you owe back taxes and threatens arrest, wage garnishment, or license revocation if you do not pay when ready. The IRS does not initiate contact by phone or email about taxes you owe — they send a letter first. If you receive a call like this, hang up and call the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 using the number on your tax return or the IRS website.
Tech support scams often start with a pop-up on your computer or a phone call claiming your device has a virus or security problem. The scammer may say they are from Microsoft, Apple, or your internet provider. They ask you to let them access your computer remotely or to buy software to fix the problem. Legitimate tech companies do not call unsolicited to warn you about viruses. If your device shows a warning, restart it or close the browser — do not click anything in the pop-up.
Bank and credit card impersonation scams ask you to "verify" your account by providing your card number, PIN, or online banking password. Your real bank will never ask for this information by phone or email. If you are unsure, hang up and call the number on the back of your card or your bank statement.
Grandparent scams and family emergency schemes
A grandparent scam begins with a call or text from someone claiming to be your grandchild in urgent trouble — arrested, in a car accident, stranded abroad, or facing a medical emergency. They ask you to send money when ready, often by wire transfer, gift card, or cryptocurrency. They may ask you to keep it secret from other family members or to tell the family you are sending money for a different reason.
The scammer counts on the emotional shock and your instinct to help. They may have found your grandchild's name on social media or through a data breach. Some will stay on the line while you wire money or buy gift cards, or they will text you a link to a fake payment site. The key red flag is the demand for secrecy and the pressure to act without checking the story.
If you receive a call like this, hang up when ready and call your grandchild directly on a number you know is theirs — not a number the caller provides. If you cannot reach them, call another family member. A real emergency will still be an emergency after you have verified it is real. No legitimate organization will ask you to keep money transfers secret.
Prize, lottery, and romance scams
Prize and lottery scams tell you that you have won a contest you never entered — a sweepstakes, a lottery, a prize draw. To claim the prize, you must pay a fee for taxes, shipping, or processing. You will never win a real prize this way. Legitimate lotteries and contests do not ask winners to pay money upfront. If you did not enter, you did not win.
Romance scams build a relationship over weeks or months through dating websites, social media, or email. The scammer expresses affection and eventually asks for money — for a plane ticket to visit you, for a business emergency, for medical bills, or for travel documents. They may send you a fake check to deposit and ask you to wire part of it back. By the time you realize the check is fake, your own money is gone.
The defense against both is straightforward: you do not owe money to claim something you won, and you do not send money to someone you have only met online, no matter how real the relationship feels. If someone you have never met in person asks for money, it is a scam.
What to do if you think you are being scammed right now
If you are on the phone with someone and something feels wrong — they are rushing you, asking for information you should not give, or demanding secrecy — hang up. Do not worry about being rude. Hang up and call the organization directly using a phone number you find yourself, not one the caller provided.
If you have already given information or sent money, act when ready. Call your bank or credit card company and report the fraud. If you wired money, contact the wire transfer service (Western Union, MoneyGram) right away — they may be able to stop the transfer if it has not been picked up yet. File a report with the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If you sent money through a gift card or cryptocurrency, the money is usually gone, but reporting it creates a record that may help law enforcement.
Contact your local police department and file a report. You can also report the scam to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. Keep all records — emails, text messages, call logs, receipts, wire transfer confirmations — because you may need them for your bank, insurance, or law enforcement.
Steps to protect yourself before a scam happens
Set up a verification routine. If someone calls claiming to be from your bank, the IRS, or any government agency, tell them you will call back. Hang up and use the phone number on your statement, your card, or the official website. Never use a number the caller provides. This single habit stops most impersonation scams.
Use strong, unique passwords for email and online banking — at least 12 characters with uppercase, lowercase, numbers, and symbols. Use a password manager like Bitwarden or 1Password to store them so you do not have to remember them all. Enable two-factor authentication on your email and banking accounts. This means even if someone gets your password, they cannot access your account without a code sent to your phone or generated by an app.
Be cautious with personal information. Do not give your Social Security number, date of birth, or financial information to anyone who calls you unsolicited. Legitimate organizations already have this information. Do not click links in emails or texts — go to the website directly by typing the address yourself or calling the organization's main number.
Tell trusted family members or friends about common scams. Ask them to check in with you if you mention sending money to someone they do not know or if you seem stressed about a legal or financial problem. Some seniors set up a code word with family — if someone calls claiming to be a grandchild in trouble, the grandchild knows to ask for the code word before money is sent.
Resources for reporting scams and getting help
The Federal Trade Commission's ReportFraud.ftc.gov is the central place to report scams. Your report goes into a database that law enforcement uses to identify patterns and stop scammers. You can also call the FTC's helpline at 1-877-438-4338.
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov takes reports of online fraud, including email scams, fake websites, and romance scams. If you have been scammed, file a report there as well as with local police.
Adult Protective Services (APS) investigates elder fraud and abuse. You can report a scam to your local APS office, and they can help you understand what happened and what steps to take next. Search for your state's APS office online or call your local Area Agency on Aging.
The National Elder Fraud Hotline, run by the Eldercare Locator, can connect you to local resources and help you report fraud. Call 1-855-500-3410.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I already gave someone my Social Security number?
Contact the three credit bureaus — Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion — and place a fraud alert on your credit report. This makes it harder for someone to open accounts in your name. You can also freeze your credit for free, which blocks access to your report until you unfreeze it. File a report with the FTC and monitor your credit reports for unauthorized accounts.
Can I get my money back if I sent it by wire transfer?
Wire transfers are nearly impossible to reverse once sent. Contact the wire service when ready — if the money has not been picked up, they may be able to stop it. Report it to your bank, the wire service, the FTC, and local police. Keep all documentation. Some banks or credit cards offer fraud protection that may reimburse you, so ask.
Is it safe to give my credit card number over the phone if I called the company?
Yes, if you initiated the call using a number you found yourself — on your card, a bill, or the official website. Never give your card number to someone who called you, even if they sound official. Legitimate companies will not ask for your full card number or PIN by phone.
What should I do if I see a pop-up warning on my computer?
Do not click anything in the pop-up. Restart your computer or close the browser completely. Pop-ups claiming your device has a virus are almost always scams. If you are concerned your device actually has malware, take it to a local computer repair shop you trust or call your device manufacturer's official support line.
How do I know if an email is really from my bank?
Hover over links in the email without clicking — the actual web address will appear. Banks use find web addresses that start with "https://" and include the bank's real domain name. If the link goes to a different website, it is fake. When in doubt, close the email and call your bank using the number on your card.