Elder Fraud Prevention

Click Here To Register For A FBI Elder Fraud Prevention Program
CLICK HERE FOR MORE ELDER FRAUD LINKS & RESOURCES
An elderly man with white hair, wearing a gray t-shirt and a watch, is sitting on a couch indoors, holding a black phone to his ear with one hand and a blue credit card in his other hand. He looks confused or concerned while looking at the credit card.
An elderly woman with white hair, wearing glasses, a white shirt, and a white watch, looks at her phone with a concerned or focused expression.

What is Elder Fraud?

Seniors are increasingly being targeted by scammers seeking financial gain. According to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), in 2024, 147,127 victims aged 60 and older reported losses totaling $4.8 billion — a 41% increase from the previous year. The average loss per victim was $32,624.

This annual publication provides statistics about incidents of elder fraud—or fraud that explicitly targets older Americans’ money or cryptocurrency—that are reported to IC3. The report aims to raise the public’s awareness of this issue and to prevent future and repeat incidents. Details

Full Report: IC3 2024 Annual Report (includes Elder Fraud data)

Perpetrators attempt to gain access to funds or property through a variety of methods:

  • Grandparent scam: Criminals pose as a relative – usually a child or grandchild – claiming to be in immediate financial need

  • Romance scam: Criminals pose as interested romantic partners on social media or dating websites

  • Tech support scam: Criminals pose as technology support representatives and offer to fix non-existent computer issues

  • Government impersonation scam: Criminals pose as government employees and threaten to arrest or prosecute victims unless they agree to pay 

  • Utility or gift card scam: Criminals pose as utility company representatives and require the victim to stay on the phone with them while they purchase gift cards and provide redemption numbers over the phone

  • Sweepstakes/charity/lottery scam: Criminals claim to work for a charitable organization to gain victims’ trust, or claim the victim has won a foreign lottery or sweepstake, which they can collect for a “fee” 

  • Home repair scam: Criminals appear in person and charge homeowners in advance for home improvement services they never provide

  • TV/radio scam: Criminals target potential victims using advertisements about services, such as reverse mortgages or credit repair

  • Family/caregiver scam: Perpetrators are relatives or acquaintances of the elderly victims and take advantage of them or otherwise get their money

  • Investment scam: Criminals offer unsuitable investments, fraudulent offerings, and unrecognized products which can result in the theft or misappropriation of funds

Prevent Elder Fraud

Protect yourself and loved ones by staying aware and alert:

  • Recognize scam attempts and end all communication with the perpetrator.

  • Search online for the contact information and the proposed offer. Other people have likely posted information online about individuals and businesses trying to run scams.

  • Resist the pressure to act quickly. Scammers create a sense of urgency to produce fear and lure victims into immediate action. Call 911 if you or a loved one are threatened.

  • Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, mailings, and door-to-door service offers. 

  • Never provide any personally identifiable information or wire money to unknown or unverified persons or businesses.

  • Ensure all computer anti-virus and security software are up to date. 

  • If you receive a suspicious pop-up or locked screen on your device, immediately disconnect from the internet and turn off the device. 

  • Do not open any emails or click on attachments you do not recognize. 

  • If victimized, take precautions to protect your identity such as immediately contacting your financial institutions to place protections on your accounts, and monitor your accounts for suspicious activity.

Elderly man holding a red and black credit card and a mobile phone to his ear.
Person holding a smartphone with a warning triangle and exclamation mark above it, in front of a laptop.
An elderly woman sitting at a table with a white cup and saucer, holding her head in a worried expression, with a blurred man in the background.

Report Elder Fraud

Contact your local law enforcement agency (police or sheriff) 

  • File a complaint with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov

When reporting a scam—regardless of dollar amount—be as descriptive as possible (who, what, when, where, how). 

  • 60 Minutes shared what it sounds like to be targeted by a grandparent scam.

Host an Elder Fraud Information Session

In partnership with the FBI San Diego Elder Justice Task Force and the San Diego Seniors Community Foundation’s Senior Center Coalition, the FBI San Diego Citizens Academy Alumni Association (FBISDCAAA) is pleased to offer a series of one-hour Elder Fraud Prevention Information Sessions for seniors, caregivers, and neighbors.

We also collaborate with community organizations interested in hosting these informative sessions. Each presentation typically serves groups of 50–75 attendees and provides practical strategies to help protect seniors from scams and financial exploitation.

If your organization would like to host a session or learn more, please click here to join the Interest List and a representative from the FBISDCAAA will follow up with you.

Watch FBI Video

Learn how the 95-year old former Director of the FBI foiled a Jamaican lottery scam.