How to Spot and Stop Scams Targeting Older Adults
What to check right now to protect yourself and your money
Scammers target older adults because they often have savings, own homes, and may be less familiar with current fraud tactics. The good news is that most scams follow predictable patterns, and you can learn to recognize them. This checklist walks you through the warning signs to watch for, the steps to take if something feels wrong, and how to set up real protections with family members or trusted advisors.
You do not need to memorize everything here. Print this page, keep it by your phone, and share it with family members who can help you stay alert.
Key Takeaways
- Legitimate companies never ask for passwords, Social Security numbers, or payment through gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.
- If someone creates urgency — threatening to close your account, arrest you, or cut off a service — that pressure itself is a red flag.
- Before sending money or sharing personal information, hang up and call the organization directly using a phone number you find yourself, not one the caller provided.
- Tell a trusted family member or friend about any unexpected contact asking for money or information, even if you are not sure it is a scam.
- If you have already sent money, report it to your bank, the Federal Trade Commission, and local police as soon as possible.
Red flags that appear in almost every scam
Certain warning signs show up across nearly all scams targeting older adults. Learning to spot them is your strongest defense. The most common one is pressure to act fast. A scammer will tell you your account is locked, your Social Security number has been compromised, your grandchild is in jail, or your prescription will expire. They create panic so you stop thinking clearly and act on emotion.
Another universal red flag is a request for payment in an unusual way. Legitimate companies — banks, the IRS, Medicare, your utility company — do not ask you to pay with gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or by loading money onto a prepaid card. If someone tells you to go buy iTunes cards, Google Play cards, Amazon cards, or cryptocurrency and read the codes over the phone, that is a scam. Period. Real organizations have normal payment systems.
A third pattern is requests for information you would never normally share. Your bank will not call you asking for your full Social Security number, PIN, or online password. Medicare will not ask for your Medicare number over the phone unless you called them first. The IRS will not threaten arrest by phone. If someone is asking for this information unsolicited, hang up.
Common scams and what they sound like
Knowing the actual words scammers use helps you recognize them in the moment. In the grandchild scam, someone calls claiming to be your grandchild in trouble — arrested, in a car accident, stranded abroad — and needs money wired immediately. They often say "Don't tell your parents" or "Don't tell Grandpa." Real grandchildren do not ask you to keep secrets from the rest of the family.
The tech support scam involves a pop-up on your computer or a phone call saying your device has a virus or security problem. The caller offers to fix it remotely and then either charges you hundreds of dollars or gains access to your files and bank information. Real tech companies do not call you unsolicited about viruses.
In the IRS or government imposter scam, someone calls saying you owe back taxes, have unpaid fines, or your Social Security number has been used fraudulently. They demand immediate payment or threaten arrest. The IRS contacts people by mail first, not by phone, and does not threaten arrest as an opening move.
The romance scam builds over weeks or months. Someone meets you online, builds trust, and eventually asks for money for a medical emergency, travel, or business problem. They may ask you to send gift cards or wire money. Real romantic partners do not ask for money this way.
What to do when you are not sure
If you receive a call, email, or text that makes you uncomfortable, you do not have to decide on the spot whether it is real. Hang up or do not respond. This is not rude. Legitimate organizations understand that people verify before acting.
If the caller claims to be from your bank, Medicare, the IRS, or another real organization, hang up and call that organization directly. Use a phone number you find yourself — look it up online, check your bank statement, or call directory assistance. Do not use a number the caller gave you. When you call the real organization, they can tell you whether anyone from their office contacted you.
If you are not sure whether something is a scam, tell someone you trust before you do anything. Call a family member, a friend, or your local Adult Protective Services office. Describe exactly what happened and what they asked for. A second opinion takes two minutes and can save you thousands of dollars.
Steps to take if you think you have been scammed
If you have already sent money or shared personal information, act quickly. Contact your bank or credit card company immediately. Tell them what happened and ask them to freeze your account or reverse the transaction if possible. If you sent money by wire transfer or gift card, the window to recover it is very small — sometimes only hours.
Report the scam to the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. This creates a record and helps law enforcement track patterns. You can also file a report with your local police department, though they may not investigate individual cases. If the scam involved your Social Security number, contact the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213.
If you sent money through a wire transfer service like Western Union or MoneyGram, contact that service immediately and ask them to stop the payment. If you shared your Social Security number or financial information, consider placing a fraud alert on your credit report by calling one of the three credit bureaus: Equifax (1-800-525-6285), Experian (1-888-397-3742), or TransUnion (1-800-680-7289).
Setting up protection with family members
One of the strongest defenses against scams is a trusted person who knows your financial situation and can help you verify unusual requests. Talk with a family member or close friend about becoming your "scam check person." Give them permission to ask questions if you tell them you are about to send money or share personal information.
You might agree that any request for money from an unfamiliar person, any unexpected wire transfer, or any payment by gift card gets run by them first. This is not about losing independence — it is about having a second set of eyes. Many older adults who have been scammed say they felt something was wrong but did not have anyone to talk it through with.
If you have a trusted advisor — an accountant, lawyer, or financial advisor — let them know you are concerned about scams and ask them to flag any unusual account activity. Some banks also offer alerts when large transfers are initiated, which can give you time to verify before money leaves your account.
Protecting your information online and by phone
You do not need to be online constantly to be at risk, but a few basic habits reduce your exposure. Never give your Social Security number, Medicare number, or banking information to someone who called or emailed you. If they claim to be from an organization you do business with, hang up and call that organization directly using a number you find yourself.
Be cautious about what you share on social media. Scammers can piece together information from your Facebook or other accounts — your grandchildren's names, where you worked, your hometown — and use it to make their scam more convincing. You do not need to make your profile private, but think before posting personal details.
If you use email, be suspicious of links and attachments from people you do not know. Do not click a link that says "verify your account" or "confirm your information." Instead, go directly to the organization's website by typing the address into your browser yourself.
Resources to bookmark or print
Keep these phone numbers and websites where you can find them quickly. The Federal Trade Commission's fraud reporting site is ReportFraud.ftc.gov. The Adult Protective Services office in your county can investigate suspected abuse or fraud — search online for "[your county] Adult Protective Services" or call your local Area Agency on Aging at 1-855-500-3272.
If you suspect financial exploitation by a family member or caregiver, contact your state's Long-Term Care Ombudsman at 1-855-500-3272. If you are being threatened or harassed, contact your local police department's non-emergency line. Many police departments have fraud specialists who can advise you even if they cannot pursue a case.
Consider sharing this checklist with family members and asking them to keep a copy too. If you have older relatives, send it to them with a note that you are available to help verify anything that feels uncertain.
Frequently Asked Questions
What if I already gave someone my Social Security number?
Contact the Social Security Administration at 1-800-772-1213 and report the incident. Place a fraud alert on your credit report by calling one of the three credit bureaus. Monitor your credit report for unauthorized accounts or charges. You can get a free credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com.
Can I get my money back if I sent it by wire transfer?
Contact your bank and the wire transfer service (Western Union, MoneyGram, etc.) immediately — the sooner you report it, the better the chance of recovery. If the money has already been picked up, recovery is unlikely, but report it anyway to law enforcement and the Federal Trade Commission so the pattern is documented.
Is it safe to give my credit card number over the phone to a company I called?
Yes, if you initiated the call using a phone number you found yourself. It is different when someone calls you unsolicited. If you are ever unsure, hang up, look up the company's number independently, and call them back to complete the transaction.
What should I do if someone is threatening me over the phone?
Hang up immediately. Do not engage with threats. Call your local police department's non-emergency line and report the call. If you feel you are in immediate danger, call 911. Save any threatening messages or emails and show them to police.
How do I know if a website is real before entering my information?
Look for "https://" at the beginning of the web address (the "s" means it is secure). Check that the website name matches the organization — scammers sometimes use similar-looking names. When in doubt, do not enter information. Instead, call the organization directly using a number you find yourself.