Adults over 60 lose more money to fraud than any other age group — over $3 billion per year in the US alone, according to the FBI. The reason isn't lack of intelligence. It's that scammers specifically target seniors with social engineering tactics that exploit trust and unfamiliarity with how modern data collection works. This guide uses plain language to cover what actually matters.
Your Personal Information Is Being Sold
There are companies called data brokers that legally collect and sell your name, home address, phone number, and family members' names to anyone who pays. Scammers buy these lists and use the information to sound legitimate when they call you. If someone calls you and already knows your name and address, that doesn't mean they're from a real organization — it means they bought that information.
You can have your information removed from these sites. The most important ones to start with: Spokeo (spokeo.com/optout), Whitepages (whitepages.com/suppression_requests), and BeenVerified (beenverified.com/f/optout/search).
Recognize the Most Common Scams Targeting Seniors
The Grandparent Scam. You receive a call from someone claiming to be your grandchild in trouble — arrested, in an accident, stranded abroad. They ask you to wire money or buy gift cards immediately and not tell anyone. This is a scam. Always hang up and call your grandchild directly on a number you already have.
Medicare and Social Security Impersonation. Callers claim your Medicare or Social Security benefits are at risk and ask for your account number to verify. Government agencies will never call you asking for this information unsolicited.
Tech Support Scams. A pop-up on your computer or a caller claims your computer has a virus and offers to fix it. They ask for remote access. Never grant remote access to your computer to someone who contacted you first.
Romance Scams. Online relationships where the person eventually asks for money, gift cards, or cryptocurrency for an emergency. These cost seniors over $139 million per year.
Gift Cards Are Never a Legitimate Payment Method
No government agency, utility company, or legitimate business will ever ask you to pay using gift cards (iTunes, Google Play, Amazon, etc.). If anyone asks for payment in gift cards, it is always a scam, without exception.
Freeze Your Credit
This is free and takes about 10 minutes. Go to equifax.com, experian.com, and transunion.com and request a security freeze on your credit. This prevents anyone from opening new accounts in your name, even if they have your Social Security number. You can temporarily unfreeze it if you need to apply for credit.
Simple Daily Habits
- Never give out personal information to someone who called you first. Hang up and call back on a number you look up yourself.
- Never click links in emails asking you to verify your account. Go directly to the website by typing the address.
- If something feels wrong or pressured, hang up. Scammers create urgency to prevent you from thinking clearly.
- Talk to a family member before any large financial transaction someone on the phone asks you to make.