According to the FBI, scams against elderly individuals have continued to increase since the COVID-19 pandemic. The most common types of fraud against elders identified by the FBI are listed below:
Common Elder Fraud Schemes
Scammers targeting elder citizens may employ one or more of the following types of schemes:
Romance scam: Criminals pose as interested romantic partners on social media or dating websites to capitalize on their elderly victims’ desire to find companions. This is the most common scam.
Tech support scam: Criminals pose as technology support representatives and offer to fix non-existent computer issues. The scammers gain remote access to victims’ devices and sensitive information.
Grandparent scam: A type of confidence scam where criminals pose as relatives, a child or grandchild—claiming to be in immediate financial need or danger.
Government impersonation scam: Criminals pose as government employees and threaten to arrest or prosecute victims unless they agree to provide funds or other payments.
Sweepstakes/charity/lottery scam: Criminals claim to work for legitimate charitable organizations to gain victims’ trust. Or they claim their targets have 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 that they never provide.
TV/radio scam: Criminals target potential victims using illegitimate advertisements about legitimate services, such as reverse mortgages or credit repair.
Family/caregiver scam: Relatives or acquaintances of the elderly victims take advantage of them or otherwise get their money.
Click the link below to access the complete FBI article, including warnings, and where to find help if you or your loved one has been a victim:
https://www.fbi.gov/how-we-can-help-you/scams-and-safety/common-frauds-and-scams/elder-fraud