Scams targeting seniors have been increasing year after year. Scammers perceive older adults as easy targets and use ever-evolving tactics to exploit their trust, isolation, and limited tech know-how. Therefore, it is important for seniors and their family members to educate themselves on the most common scams targeting them and how to avoid them. This article discusses the most common elderly scams, the top red flags to look out for, how to protect yourself, and where to report them. Key Insights Consumer reviews on PissedConsumer.com show that older adults encounter fraudulent or potentially fraudulent experiences, including payment requests, unauthorized charges, and fake account messages. According to the FBI report, financial losses from online senior scams increased by 59% from 2024 to 2025. American seniors aged 60+ lost $7.748 billion to online scams in 2025, compared with $4.885 billion in 2024. Investment fraud caused the largest losses, followed by tech support scams, romance scams, and business email compromise scams. Key Features of Senior Scams Scammers exploit senior citizens with false promises of discounted or valuable goods and services. Once trust is gained, they attempt to obtain personal information, such as financial details or health insurance. In some cases, they may also target the physical possessions of their victims. Most fraudsters know what concerns seniors and use common claims to gain an advantage. The typical red flags of senior scams include: Calls, usually unexpected, from your bank or credit card company asking for personal information. Free or ultra-low-cost deals. Requests to pay through unusual means, such as gift cards, wire transfers, or third-party apps. Calls from someone pretending to be a relative in distress or claiming to represent a charitable cause. Urgent deals with additional pressure, insisting that the offer is only available for a limited time. An unmissable deal secured with credit card or bank account information. Fraudsters often entice with a hook that seems reasonable but exploits a vulnerability. Moreover, they often impersonate trusted businesses and play on emotions to gain access to personal information. So, it is crucial to stay informed. Types of Scams Targeting Seniors Scammers are always thinking up fresh tactics and deploying new scams targeting seniors to exploit victims. Understanding the methods behind these frauds can help you avoid them and stay safe. Here are the five most common senior scams. Investment and crypto scams Investment scams are the largest category of elder scams, with $3.5 billion in losses reported in 2025. In both investment and crypto scams, criminals position themselves as legitimate investment experts or financial advisors offering promising, high-return opportunities. They claim that these opportunities pose little or no risk, encouraging seniors to hand over their pension funds. They may also use pressure tactics to force victims to make a decision quickly. In some cases, the scammers reach out to seniors directly on social media to present the opportunities. One reviewer reported such an incident on PissedConsumer (Scam ID #698): I was a victim of a crypto scam. Contacted via WhatApp to participate in a task oriented scam. Recognized the firm they said they representated, Rakuten. Turned out they just used the company illegally to generate credibility. Kept asking for more and more money to get earnings, finally after a loss of $25,000, realized they were just criminals stealing money from me… Tech support scams Tech support scams were the second most popular form of elderly fraud in 2025. Typically, scammers pose as customer representatives of trusted tech companies such as Microsoft, Apple, or internet providers. They contact a senior, claiming their computer or personal data has been compromised and that the victim must grant them remote access to their device. They may send a link asking you to download and install a file to help them resolve the issue. However, this is usually malware that gives them access to your device, including your personal and financial information. Alternatively, the criminals may also ask for exorbitant fees to solve the issue. To avoid this scam targeting seniors, it's imperative that you only give access to a trusted business you know well and never download any helpful software. Report a scam Romance scams Seniors are particularly vulnerable to romance scams as they may feel lonely, especially if they live alone. The FBI report shows that older adults lost about $584 million to online senior romance scams in 2025. While social media and dating apps offer people, including seniors, a chance to connect with others, they also expose them to scammers. One review (scam report ID #390) described how they fell victim to a romance scam while trying to find love and connection after losing their family. I got lone at my age just lose my family and dog she member of the family too so i got on a searches engine and found Sakuradate the members was nice and pretty like Natalia 1776932594 and Li1799098241 and Luu 1134061455 but i was lead around by Ewa1662893341 we friends and there she say she love me . so i did to 5000 credits… Grandparent scams Imagine receiving a distress call from someone who sounds like your grandchild. They explain that they have been arrested or were involved in a car crash and urgently need money to post bail or to go to the hospital. They may even pass the phone to a “police officer,” “a lawyer,” or “a doctor” at the scene to make the incident seem real. So you send money through the requested method, only to later find out it was a scam. This is how grandparent scams typically play out. Some scammers even use AI voice cloning and deepfakes to mimic your grandchild’s voice. In some cases, they may claim they have a cold, which is why their voice sounds different. And the police officer, lawyer, or doctor was another fraudster on standby. One Reddit user reported how their grandparents fell for this type of scam, My parents gave $9.5k in cash in person for bail money to some scammers who called pretending to be their grandson… Source: reddit.com If you ever receive such a call, hang up immediately and contact your grandchild, their parents, or siblings using the phone number saved on your phone. Do not send any money until you have confirmed that it is indeed your grandchild and that there is a genuine emergency. Free trial and subscription scams Free trial and subscription scams target older adults with inexpensive or free offers. However, after you sign up, you may receive unexpected charges or have difficulty canceling the subscription. This is because scammers use the free trial as a front to obtain card details and make larger charges afterward. Learn more about how it usually works and what to do after noticing unauthorized charges in our article about subscription scams. Government and Medicare impersonation scams With this type of fraud, scammers impersonate government agencies or Medicare representatives. They may claim that there is a problem with your account and ask you to provide personal or financial information, follow specific instructions that they give you, or make a payment to resolve it. They usually use pressure tactics to get you to act immediately. They might even address you by your real name, know your Social Security number or account details, or sound official. In some cases, they go to great lengths to spoof the institution’s phone number so that it appears to be the real one. A reviewer on PissedConsumer (Scam ID #584) reported receiving two or three calls a day from people claiming to be Medicare experts who could help them get a better plan. The calls came from a local area code and initially appeared on the caller ID as “Healthcare.” The reviewer became suspicious that it might be a scam when they noticed that the last four digits kept changing, making the calls difficult to block. Caregiver and power-of-attorney financial exploitation Seniors are at risk of being scammed not only by strangers on the internet but also by people close to them, such as a family member, friend, caregiver, or someone with power of attorney. Often, these people already have legitimate access to your accounts, financial documents, or credit cards, but misuse them. For example, they may make unauthorized purchases, transfer property, withdraw money, change account details, or access the senior’s benefits. In a recent review (#7451053) on PissedConsumer, a concerned user contacted Hannaford supermarket customer representatives to request any transaction records the supermarket could lawfully provide to support an ongoing investigation into a family member’s financial exploitation of an older adult. The reviewer had recently been authorized to manage an elderly family member’s finances and had discovered that a substantial number of purchases and charges were made at Hannaford using the older adult’s debit and/or credit cards. They were investigating whether the purchases were actually made for the older adult’s benefit. To avoid elder financial exploitation by people you trust, monitor your accounts regularly and watch for red flags such as difficulty logging in, changes to account beneficiaries, unauthorized charges, or account balances lower than expected. Online shopping and fake seller scams These scams involve fake stores, fraudulent sellers, or fraudulent listings. Stores or sellers usually offer very low prices on products. However, once you make a payment, the items are not delivered or are of low quality. Read our article on how to spot a fake online store for guidance on how to avoid this type of scam. Tips to Protect Yourself From Senior Scams Taking simple but effective steps to protect yourself from scams targeting seniors can make all the difference when it comes to frustrating scammers. If something sounds too good to be true, it is. Be wary of any unbelievable bargains, as it's likely that these are fakes. Always check with a trusted friend or family member before taking action. When you visit websites, make sure to look for the lock icon in the search bar and https at the beginning of the web address. They indicate that the site is secure. If a pop-up appears, never click any links or call the number on the screen. Check for poor design with low-quality images or spelling errors on the website you are visiting. Avoid any unusual payment methods, such as wiring apps, gift cards, or cryptocurrency transactions. Authentic businesses won't ask you to use these to pay. Add extra security to your bank accounts, such as multi-factor authentication. This usually involves signing in to any account using two different methods, such as a PIN and a text to your phone or by email. Get involved in consumer communities. You can stay informed, connected, and less susceptible to scams when joining consumer advocacy groups and communities like the PissedConsumer Club, educational programs, or social activity groups. They foster a sense of belonging within a friendly, supportive community and provide opportunities for learning and assistance. Make changes to your phone settings. For example, you may set your default ringtone to silent mode and assign a special ringtone to each contact or group, such as Family, Friends, Neighbors, etc. Stay Smart and Avoid the Scammers Trust your gut when it comes to uncertainty about a transaction, especially if you're a senior, as scammers often target older adults with convincing tactics. Check social media profiles and reviews of businesses to see if they are real or not. Keep your personal details private and ask for a second opinion before committing to any deal. If you have an incident with a scam, please share your experience on PissedConsumer.com to help protect others from falling victim to scams targeting seniors. Report a scam