Scams are getting harder to spot. A phone call can sound just like a grandchild. A text can look like it's straight from your bank. A website can be an almost perfect copy of one you already trust.
The best defense is simple: pause, verify the request through a source you trust, and ask for help before you send money or share personal information.
The FBI received more than 201,000 fraud complaints from adults over 60 in 2025, with reported losses topping $7.7 billion. Scammers rely on fear, urgency, secrecy, and trust to push people into acting before they've had time to think it through.
Senior safety starts with recognizing the warning signs early, whether an older adult lives independently, receives extra support day to day, or is weighing a move to a senior living community. Here are seven habits that can lower the risk of elder fraud.
1. Slow Down When a Request Feels Urgent
Scammers often claim an account has been hacked, a loved one is in trouble, a bill is overdue, or an arrest is imminent. They'll push you to act immediately, stay on the line, or keep quiet about it.
Those instructions are red flags on their own. Hang up, close the message, and give yourself room to think. A real bank, government office, medical provider, or business will always let you verify a request first.
2. Don't Trust a Familiar Voice Alone
Scammers are increasingly using voice cloning and deepfake technology to impersonate relatives and other people you trust. It can take just a few seconds of audio, pulled from a phone call or a social media video, to fake someone's voice convincingly.
If a caller sounds like a child, grandchild, or friend asking for money, hang up and call that person back using a number already saved in your phone. If you can't reach them directly, call another family member to check.
3. Set Up a Family Safe Word
Pick a private word or phrase that close family members can use to confirm a real emergency. Skip anything easy to guess or find online, like birthdays, pet names, or addresses.
If someone claims to be a loved one in distress, ask for the safe word. Even then, still confirm the story by calling that person or another relative directly.
4. Watch for Unusual Payment Requests
Gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, cash pickups, and transfers to a "safe account" are classic signs of a scam in progress.
Never read gift card numbers or PINs to anyone over the phone, and never share a one-time security code from your bank. Before making an unusual payment, call your bank directly using the number on the back of your card or a recent statement. The Federal Trade Commission has flagged gift card, wire transfer, and cryptocurrency requests as common markers of family emergency scams.
5. Be Cautious With Links, Pop-Ups, and Websites
Scam emails and texts can mimic real logos and familiar language almost perfectly, and fake websites can look nearly identical to the real thing.
Skip unexpected links entirely. Instead, open the company's official app or type in a website address you already know. If a pop-up warns of a virus on your computer, don't call the number on screen and don't let anyone remotely access your device.
6. Guard Your Personal Information
Never give an unexpected caller your Social Security number, Medicare number, banking details, password, or a verification code.
Use different passwords for your important accounts and turn on two-step verification wherever it's offered. It's also worth reviewing social media privacy settings and cutting back on posts that reveal travel plans, family details, birthdays, or personal documents.
7. Loop In Someone You Trust
Scammers frequently try to isolate their targets by insisting, "Don't tell anyone." A second set of eyes can often catch a warning sign that's easy to miss in a stressful moment.
Make it a family rule that no one sends money after an unexpected request without checking with someone else first. A family member, banker, or caregiver can help review a suspicious message before any action is taken.
What Should You Do If You Think You've Been Scammed?
Stop all contact with the person right away and call your bank or credit card company immediately. Change any affected passwords and hold onto emails, texts, phone numbers, receipts, and screenshots.
Report the incident to the Federal Trade Commission and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. New York residents can also reach out to local law enforcement or the New York State Office for the Aging.
Lifespan of Greater Rochester's Fraud Awareness Network supports older adults across New York State at 585-244-8400.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the biggest warning sign of a scam?
Urgency. Be cautious anytime someone demands immediate action, secrecy, money, or personal information.
Can scammers copy a family member's voice?
Yes. Voice cloning tools can produce a convincing fake from just a short audio clip. Always call the person back on a number you already trust.
Should I feel embarrassed if I fell for a scam?
No. Scammers are professionals at creating fear and confusion. Contact your bank and report it as soon as you can.
A Simple Rule to Remember
Pause. Verify. Ask.
Those three steps can stop a scam before any money or personal information is lost. Talking openly about fraud, as a family and as a community, makes everyone safer.
Parkwood Heights Senior Living Community in Macedon believes staying informed is one of the best tools older adults and their families have against fraud.
