My mom doesn’t click on any link or respond to any email that she isn’t 1,000% sure of. And if there’s even a teeny tiny hint of suspicion, she checks with me first.
Every suspicious text, weird pop-up, or “urgent” email goes straight to me for review. I’ve become her personal fraud filter — and I honestly don’t mind.
Because while she may be in her early 70s, I don’t see her as “old.” She swims for an hour three times a week. She lifts weights. She knows how to put together an Instagram reel.
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She’s sharp, on top of trends, and more tech-savvy than people half her age.
But even she triple-checks. And I don’t blame her. Because lately, the scammers have gotten really good.
They’re cloning voices, faking photos, and spoofing messages so realistic, you’d second-guess yourself. And the truth is…even the savviest seniors are at risk.
Now the FBI is sounding the alarm, and the numbers back it up.
Image source: Getty Images/TS
FBI says elder scams surged nearly 50% last year
Ahead of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day in June, the FBI released new data showing elder fraud complaints rose 46% in 2024 — resulting in $4.9 billion in losses.
That’s not a typo. $4.9 BILLION in losses. Yikes.
More than 147,000 complaints were filed last year, and officials say that’s likely just a fraction of the actual cases.
In Massachusetts alone, victims reported nearly $100 million in losses. New Hampshire and Maine saw more than $28 million combined, and even Rhode Island, one of the smallest states, tallied over $6 million in stolen funds.
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“Elder fraud is a growing problem and a shameful crime,” said FBI Boston Acting Special Agent in Charge Kimberly Milka in a press release. “Not only does it rob an already vulnerable population of their sense of security, but it leaves them with devastating financial losses.”
The scams are wide-ranging:
- Tech support pop-ups
- Phony romance schemes
- Investment pitches
- Money mule operations
And many rely on artificial intelligence to mimic voices, generate fake identities, or spoof real institutions.
AI is making it harder and harder to spot a scam
Why does this matter beyond your parents or grandparents?
Because financial institutions are on the front lines of this battle…and right now, they’re struggling to keep up.
Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and Citibank have all introduced new fraud detection systems in recent years, but AI-powered scams seem to be outpacing those protections.
In some cases, fraudsters use deepfake video calls to impersonate family members. Others spoof bank emails down to the last pixel.
And the stakes are getting higher. What used to be one-off scams for a few hundred bucks are now turning into organized operations targeting entire savings accounts, retirement funds, and even home titles.
And while the FBI is urging older adults to report crimes through ic3.gov, they acknowledge that many seniors feel too ashamed or confused to come forward.
If that doesn’t change, the losses will likely keep growing, and the tools scammers are using will only get more convincing.
And that is exactly why I want my mom to keep forwarding me texts, emails or anything even remotely suspicious.
I’ll happily quadruple-check them for her every single time.
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