Our Mission
Fighting back against elder fraud
Elderus exists to raise awareness of the elder fraud crisis in America, educate and protect older adults and their families, and hold institutions accountable for doing a better job.
Every year, Americans over 65 lose an estimated $28.3 billion to fraud. Only a fraction of that gets reported. Behind every number is a real person — someone's parent, someone's grandparent, someone who spent a lifetime building something that was stolen in a phone call.
The people targeted by these crimes are not foolish. They are not careless. They were raised in a world where a phone call from someone official probably was official. That foundational trust is one of the best qualities of their generation — and it's exactly what criminals have learned to weaponize.
Elderus is built on a simple principle: the criminal is always the problem, never the person who was targeted. Being scammed is a reflection of criminal sophistication, not of the victim's intelligence. William Webster — former director of both the FBI and the CIA — was himself a victim of fraud. It can happen to anyone.
We combine a research database of 22,013+ fraud-related articles, educational guides covering 30+ scam types, an interactive fraud screener, and a weekly newsletter — all designed to educate, protect, and treat older Americans with the dignity they deserve.
The Founders
Tony Brancato and Meagan Fouty
In our personal and professional lives, we have witnessed the elder fraud crisis firsthand. We've seen too many innocent people lose their savings to romance scams, grandparent scams, and government impersonation schemes. We've seen the shame that kept them from reporting it. We've heard how alone they felt.
That experience made it clear that this crisis needs more than a banking product — it needs education, advocacy, and research. That's why we built Elderus.
The Dignity Principle
What we believe
Never infantilize. Never suggest cognitive decline. Never blame the victim. The criminal is always the problem.
The reason seniors need protection isn't because they've become less capable. It's because the threat is unprecedented. They're facing industrialized, AI-powered, psychologically engineered criminal operations that didn't exist ten years ago. The trait that makes them most vulnerable — trust — is one of their best qualities.
Everything on this site — every guide, every screener response, every newsletter — is written with this principle at its core. You will never see us say "you should have known better." You will always hear us say: "You were right to check."
How to Use Elderus
Start here based on why you're visiting
🛡️ I want to protect myself
You are smart. Criminals are professionals. The fact that you're checking means you're already ahead of most people. Here's how this site helps you:
Want to learn about specific scams? Browse the Fraud Library — 30+ types, each with how-it-works guides.
Want to see what's happening near you? Check the Interactive Map.
Want weekly alerts? Sign up for our newsletter on the homepage.
💛 I want to protect someone I love
Your parents are facing something no generation has faced before. You can be their ally — not their caretaker. Here's where to start:
Send them the Scam Checker. Bookmark elderus.org on their phone or computer.
Learn the threats they face. Start with romance scams, grandparent scams, and government impersonation — the top three by financial impact.
Sign up for the newsletter. Forward it to them weekly. It's written for them, not about them.
🏢 I run a community or institution
Your residents are being targeted. Elderus offers a 52-week fraud education and certification program built specifically for retirement communities, credit unions, and senior-serving organizations.
Try the Scam Checker. Imagine this tool in the hands of every resident.
Let's talk. Email [email protected] to learn about certification and our education program.
Our Research
Built on data, not guesswork
Elderus is built on a continuously growing database of 22,013+ fraud-related articles collected over four years from 30+ news sources across America. Every article is classified by scam type, delivery mechanism, and geography. This database powers our screener, our guides, and our understanding of how the fraud landscape is changing.
22,013
Articles indexed
33
Scam types tracked
50
States mapped
Get in Touch
For press inquiries, speaking engagements, partnership opportunities, or to learn about our certification program for retirement communities: [email protected]