10 Common Scams Targeting Older Adults, and How to Stop Them
Short answer: The scams that most often target older adults are grandparent, government imposter, tech support, romance, charity, lottery, investment, home repair, phishing, and utility scams. They share one pattern: urgency plus a request for money or information. When in doubt, hang up and verify.
Scammers are convincing. The FTC warns that caller ID is easy to fake, so a call can look like it comes from your bank, a government agency, or a local number when it does not (FTC). Being smart does not protect you. Having a plan does.
Stop. Think. Verify.
1. Stop: don't give out information or send money
Never give these to someone who contacted you:
- Passwords or PINs
- Social Security number
- Bank account information
- Credit or debit card numbers
- One-time verification codes
- Remote access to your computer
- Gift card or cryptocurrency payments
2. Think: is the caller creating urgency or asking for something unusual
Common red flags:
- Urgent or threatening messages
- Claims to be from your bank, the government, police, the IRS, Social Security, Medicare, or a company like Amazon or Microsoft
- Requests for personal information, payment, or gift cards
- Requests for remote access to your computer
- Being told to keep it secret
- Being told not to hang up
The FTC puts it plainly: if someone calls out of the blue and insists you hand over personal information, wire money, buy a gift card, use a payment app, or send cryptocurrency, it's a scam, whether they say they're from the government or a business (FTC).
3. Verify: hang up and call a number you trust
- Use the phone number on your card, your statement, or the organization's official website. Never use the number the caller gives you.
- Call a family member, friend, or another trusted person if you're unsure.
- Legitimate organizations won't tell you to keep a situation secret.
When you're not sure, check it
Sometimes a message is hard to call. SeniorThrive's scam checker, Is This a Scam?, is free in the SeniorThrive app under Daily Life, and it works in any web browser on a phone, tablet, or computer. It's built for older adults, family members, and caregivers.
How it works:
- Paste a text, an email, or a description of a phone call. It works with text only, not screenshots or photos.
- Before anything is sent, SeniorThrive hides personal details like your Social Security number, card numbers, home address, and name, and shows you what it hid.
- In seconds you get one of three answers: "No Obvious Red Flags," "Could be a scam, verify independently," or "This Looks Like a Scam," plus the red flags it noticed and what to do next.
- If something looks suspicious, it shows you a safe way to check for yourself and where to report it, such as the FTC or AARP Fraud Watch.
- You can share the result with your Circle. Family sees the verdict and next steps, never your original message.
It uses AI to spot common scam patterns. It can't prove who sent a message or where a link goes, and it isn't perfect, so the Verify step above still applies. Your original message isn't stored. The Free plan includes 5 checks a week; the Essential and Family plans include unlimited checks.
The 10 common scams, the red flag, and what to do
| Scam | What it looks like | The red flag | What to do |
|---|---|---|---|
| Grandparent | Someone pretends to be a grandchild or loved one in trouble and needs money fast | Urgency, plus "don't tell Mom and Dad" | Hang up. Call the grandchild or a parent at a number you already have. |
| Government imposter | Callers claim to be the IRS, Medicare, or Social Security and demand payment or personal information | Threats of arrest or lost benefits | Hang up. Call the agency using the number on its official website. |
| Tech support | A call or pop-up says your computer has a virus and asks for remote access or payment | Requests to control your computer | Don't call the number on the pop-up. Close it and ask someone you trust. |
| Romance | Someone builds an online relationship, then asks for money for an emergency or travel | Money requests from someone you've never met in person | Never send money to someone you haven't met. Talk it over with a friend or family member. |
| Charity | Fake charities, often right after a disaster, pressure you to donate | Pressure to give right now, by gift card or wire | Give directly through the charity's official website. |
| Lottery and sweepstakes | You're told you won a prize but must pay fees or taxes first | Paying to receive a prize | Real prizes don't require upfront payment. Hang up. |
| Investment | Promises of big profits with no risk | "Guaranteed" returns | If it promises big profits with no risk, it's likely a scam. Check with DFPI before investing. |
| Home repair | Contractors demand upfront payment, then disappear without finishing | Large cash deposit up front, door-to-door pitch | Get written estimates and do your own research before paying. |
| Phishing | Emails or texts impersonate banks or companies to steal your information | Links asking you to "confirm" your account | Don't click links in texts or emails. Go to the official site or call the number on your card. |
| Utility | Callers say your power or water will be shut off unless you pay immediately | Same-day shutoff threat | Hang up. Call the number on your utility bill. |
Scam types and descriptions from the California DFPI and California Department of Aging fact sheet "10 Common Scams That Target Older Adults."
Set up your phone to screen out scam calls
A few settings take five minutes and cut down on the calls that reach you. Do this together with a parent, sitting side by side.
iPhone
Paths below are from Apple Support and match current iOS (Apple: Manage unknown callers, Apple: Screen and block calls).
- Screen or silence unknown callers: Go to Settings > Apps > Phone. Under Screen Unknown Callers, choose Silence (sends calls from unsaved numbers to voicemail) or Ask Reason for Calling (the caller is asked why they're calling before your phone rings).
- Spam filtering: In Settings > Apps > Phone, under Call Filtering, turn on Spam to silence calls your carrier identifies as likely spam or fraud.
- Call Blocking & Identification: Settings > Apps > Phone > Call Blocking & Identification lets you turn on call-blocking apps you've installed.
- Block a specific number: Open the Phone app, tap Contacts, tap the contact, then tap Block Contact.
- Check voicemail for legitimate callers.
Tip: save important people in Contacts (doctor, pharmacy, family) so their calls still ring through.
Android (Phone by Google app)
Steps below are from Google's Phone app Help. Options may look different depending on your phone model and software version.
- Caller ID & spam protection: Open the Phone app, tap More options > Settings > Caller ID and spam. Make sure "See caller ID & spam" is on. Optionally turn on Filter spam calls (Google).
- Call Screen: On supported phones, Call Screen has the Google Assistant ask unknown callers who they are and why they're calling before you pick up. You can set it to screen first-time callers, possibly faked numbers, and spam automatically (Google).
- Scam Detection (Pixel phones only): Open the Phone app, tap More > Settings > Scam Detection, and turn it on. It's off by default and alerts you during calls that show patterns common to scams. Google notes it isn't 100% accurate (Google).
If you get a robocall
- Don't press any numbers. Just hang up.
- Don't press 1 to speak to someone.
- Don't press a number to "remove yourself." The FTC says this will probably only lead to more robocalls (FTC).
- Don't call the number back.
- If it's important, they'll leave a message.
Make a "My Trusted Numbers" list
Keep a short list of important numbers and how you'll verify them. When a call feels off, you call the number on this list instead of the one the caller gave you.
| Organization | How I verify |
|---|---|
| Bank | Number on the back of my card |
| Credit card | Back of my card |
| Insurance | Insurance card |
| Doctor | Office number or patient portal |
| Pharmacy | Pharmacy card or bottle label |
| Family | Saved contact |
| Police or Sheriff | Official agency non-emergency number |
The SeniorThrive Emergency Card takes about five minutes to fill out and already holds conditions, prescriptions, and contacts, so it's a natural place to keep this trusted-numbers list too. Keep it on your phone, print it for the fridge, and carry the wallet card. The QR code opens your emergency info on any phone.
Have a plan: pick a trusted person
Talk to a trusted family member or friend before sending money or sharing personal information. Agree on it ahead of time, while nobody is under pressure. A trusted person to call can save time, money, and stress.
For adult children: this works best as a partnership, not a rule handed down. Your parent is the one who decides. Your job is to be easy to reach. SeniorThrive Circle lets family stay in touch, so a parent always has someone familiar to call when something doesn't feel right.
Where to report scams
You've done nothing wrong by being targeted. Reporting helps stop the next one.
| Where | What it's for |
|---|---|
| ReportFraud.ftc.gov | Report a scam, a company, or an unwanted call to the FTC. Reports are shared with law enforcement. |
| DoNotCall.gov | Register your number and report unwanted or illegal sales calls. |
| IdentityTheft.gov | Get help and a recovery plan if your identity was stolen. |
| California DFPI: dfpi.ca.gov, (866) 275-2677 | Report financial scams in California. |
| California Department of Aging: aging.ca.gov | Fraud prevention articles and resources. |
The FTC notes the Do Not Call Registry stops calls from legitimate telemarketers, not scammers, but being on it can make scam calls easier to spot (FTC).
FAQs
What are the most common scams targeting older adults?
According to the California DFPI and Department of Aging, the 10 most common are grandparent, government imposter, tech support, romance, charity, lottery and sweepstakes, investment, home repair, phishing, and utility scams.
How can I protect my elderly parent from phone scams?
Set up call screening on their phone together, save trusted contacts so those calls ring through, write a trusted-numbers list, and agree that they'll call you or another trusted person before sending money or sharing information.
Can I trust caller ID?
No. The FTC says caller ID is easy to fake, so a call can appear to come from a government agency, a company you know, or a local number. Hang up and call the official number yourself.
Should I press a number to get off a robocall list?
No. Hang up without pressing anything. The FTC says pressing numbers will probably only lead to more robocalls.
Will the IRS, Medicare, or Social Security call and demand payment?
Treat any call demanding immediate payment or personal information as a scam. Hang up and call the agency at the number on its official website.
Is there a free way to check whether a message is a scam?
Yes. SeniorThrive's scam checker, Is This a Scam?, is free in the app under Daily Life. Paste a text, email, or description of a call and get a plain answer, the red flags it noticed, and what to do next. It isn't perfect, so still verify independently.
Where do I report a scam in California?
Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov, and to the California DFPI at (866) 275-2677 or dfpi.ca.gov.
When in doubt, hang up. It's better to be safe than sorry. If a message ever has you unsure, try Is This a Scam? free in the SeniorThrive app. And if you want a simple place to start today, fill out an Emergency Card and add your trusted numbers to it.
Brian Fluhr, SeniorThrive
Sources: California Department of Financial Protection and Innovation and California Department of Aging, "10 Common Scams That Target Older Adults"; FTC, Apple Support, and Google Phone app Help pages linked above.
