Last updated June 3, 2026
Heads up: this post contains affiliate links. If you buy through them I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. I only recommend what I’ve used or genuinely evaluated. Full disclosure here.
My neighbor Betty almost lost $3,000 last spring.
📺 Prefer to watch instead of read? I’m working on a short video version of this guide. Subscribe free to be notified the moment it’s live.
She got a phone call from someone who sounded exactly like her grandson. Panicked voice, said he’d been in a car accident, needed money for bail, please don’t tell mom and dad. The caller knew her grandson’s name, knew enough details to sound convincing, and knew exactly how to play on the panic of a grandmother who loves her family.
She was ninety seconds from wiring the money when something made her pause and call her grandson’s cell phone directly.
He was at work. Had no idea what she was talking about.
The “grandparent scam” has been running for years. The AI voice-cloning version of it — where scammers use actual recordings of your family member’s voice, cloned by AI — is newer, more convincing, and spreading fast.
Why Seniors Are Disproportionately Targeted
Scammers are rational actors. They go where the money is and where the defenses are weakest. Seniors tend to have more accumulated savings, are more likely to answer phone calls from unknown numbers, are more likely to be home during the hours scammers work, and are statistically more likely to be trusting of authority figures — which scammers frequently impersonate.
The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center reports that Americans over 60 lose more money to online fraud than any other age group — over $3 billion in 2023 alone.
The Scams Running Right Now
The Grandparent Scam (now with AI voice cloning). A family member — often a grandchild — calls in a panic needing emergency money. Now scammers can use a few seconds of your grandchild’s voice from social media to clone it convincingly. The fix is simple: always verify by calling the person back on a number you already have.
The IRS / Social Security Impersonation Scam. You owe back taxes and will be arrested if you don’t pay immediately by gift card or wire transfer. The IRS does not call demanding immediate payment. The Social Security Administration does not threaten arrest. Hang up.
The Tech Support Scam. A pop-up or call warns that your computer has a virus and offers to fix it. They’re asking for access to your computer. Microsoft and Apple do not proactively call customers about viruses. Close the window or hang up.
The Romance Scam. An online relationship develops over weeks or months. Eventually there’s a crisis requiring money. The “person” you’ve been talking to doesn’t exist. Losses from romance scams average the highest per victim of any fraud category.
The Lottery / Prize Scam. You’ve won something, but you need to pay fees or taxes first to claim it. You haven’t won anything. There are no fees.
The Medicare / Insurance Scam. Someone calls offering free medical equipment or services and asks for your Medicare number to process it. Your Medicare number is as sensitive as your Social Security number. Never give it to an unsolicited caller.
The Red Flags That Apply to Every Scam
One more layer worth having: a VPN scrambles your internet connection so no one can snoop on what you’re doing — especially on public Wi-Fi. NordVPN is the one I use, and it now bundles antivirus and monitoring too.
Urgency. Any pressure to act immediately before you can think or verify is a manipulation tactic. Legitimate organizations give you time.
Unusual payment methods. Gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency, and Zelle are the preferred payment methods of scammers because they’re nearly impossible to trace or reverse. No legitimate business or government agency will ask you to pay with a gift card.
Unsolicited contact. You didn’t initiate the call, email, or message. Be suspicious of anyone who contacts you first with an offer, a warning, or a request.
Too good to be true. Large unexpected prizes, guaranteed investment returns, and miracle solutions to serious problems are all reliable markers of fraud.
Requests for secrecy. “Don’t tell your family about this.” No legitimate transaction requires secrecy from the people who care about you.
If You’ve Been Targeted — Or Already Victimized
If you’d rather have one service handle the monitoring for you, Aura is the identity protection service I recommend — it covers credit and bank monitoring, dark-web alerts, and identity theft insurance.
If you gave money: Contact your bank immediately if any bank accounts were involved. File a report at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. If gift cards were involved, contact the card issuer immediately — there’s a small chance some can be stopped.
If you gave personal information: Place a fraud alert at one of the three credit bureaus. Consider a credit freeze. Monitor your accounts closely for 90 days.
If you gave computer access: Have a trusted person or technician review your computer. Change passwords for any accounts you access from that computer.
One more thing: if you’ve been victimized, please tell someone. Shame keeps people quiet, and quiet keeps scammers operating. Reporting protects the next person they would have called.
Related Reading on Legacy Income Academy
Identity theft protection for seniors — the full toolkit
What is a VPN and why every senior should have one
Is AI safe to use? Staying smart and protected
Enjoyed this? I write about AI tools, making money online, and building a better life after 60 — all in plain English. Join the free newsletter. 👉 Subscribe here
Tom is the founder of Legacy Income Academy — a free resource helping adults 50+ navigate AI tools, technology, and online income without the jargon and without the hype.