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in Grandparent Scams
tbrnewsmedia.com
· 2025-12-06
# Article Summary
An elderly Port Jefferson Station woman lost $15,000 to scammers who claimed to help resolve fraudulent Apple Pay charges, prompting the Suffolk County Police Department to warn residents about increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes. Scammers are using tactics like caller ID spoofing, creating artificial urgency, and impersonating banks, bail agents, and legal authorities—exploiting seniors' social isolation and trust in institutions. To protect yourself, authorities advise being skeptical of unsolicited calls or texts about account problems, avoiding sharing sensitive information during panic moments, and verifying caller identity through official channels before taking action.
crr.bc.edu
· 2025-12-04
Seniors ages 60+ lost nearly $5 billion to scams in 2024, with over 140,000 complaints filed to the FBI, and experts believe actual losses are even higher. Scammers specifically target older adults because they typically have more savings, may be less tech-savvy, and are less likely to report fraud, using tactics like impersonating grandchildren claiming emergencies or posing as financial institutions. To protect yourself, be skeptical of unsolicited emails and calls asking for personal information or urgent payments, verify requests by contacting organizations directly using official numbers, and never send money via gift cards or wire transfers to unknown parties.
wbng.com
· 2025-12-04
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand is pushing for stronger protections against holiday scams targeting seniors, who lose an average of $83,000 each to fraudsters using tactics like impersonating grandchildren or posing as government agencies. More than 40% of Americans have lost money or personal information to scams, with seniors being particularly vulnerable because they often rely on fixed incomes like social security. The senator is promoting her bipartisan National Strategy for Combating Scams Act and notes that over a dozen federal agencies are working together to crack down on these schemes, while seniors are advised to be cautious about unsolicited calls and requests for money, especially from those claiming to be family members.
soloneconomist.com
· 2025-12-03
The December Solon Senior News alerts seniors to beware of common holiday scams, including fake websites that mimic legitimate retailers, pyramid scheme gift exchanges on social media, grandparent scams requesting emergency money, and fraudulent job postings that steal personal information. Seniors are advised to verify suspicious calls with family members before sending money, shop only on official retailer websites, and avoid "too good to be true" deals like social media gift exchanges. The newsletter also reminds readers about local senior services in Solon, including free holiday lunch on December 12th and transportation assistance available by calling the provided contact numbers.
wmdt.com
· 2025-12-02
Online scams targeting seniors have surged in the U.S., with older Americans losing nearly $4.9 billion last year—an average of $83,000 per victim—through tactics like fake charity appeals, gift card requests, and AI-generated impersonations of family members. Experts advise seniors to be wary of urgent requests, especially those demanding secrecy, and recommend establishing a safe word with loved ones to verify identities before sharing information. If you suspect a scam, hang up immediately, delete suspicious emails, call a trusted number to verify the contact, and report the incident to AARP or the FCC.
saltwire.com
· 2025-12-01
Charles Gillen, 25, defrauded over $130,000 from seniors in Newfoundland and Nova Scotia, with three victims providing emotional impact statements describing trauma, sleepless nights, financial devastation, and lasting psychological harm. The victims, aged 74-87, lost their savings and spoke of feeling vulnerable, embarrassed, and anxious, with some unable to afford planned trips or recover from recent losses. Anyone suspicious of unsolicited contact offering financial opportunities or requests for personal information should verify the caller's identity through official channels and remember that legitimate organizations never pressure people into immediate decisions or ask for upfront payments.
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KGW News
· 2025-10-10
Oregon is experiencing a growing crisis affecting its expanding senior population, with scams and housing insecurity among the pressing issues. AARP estimates that within five years, one in five Oregonians will be 65 or older, and seniors already outnumber those 18 and younger in the state. The discussion highlights how many elders are overlooked, isolated, and in need of community support and solutions to help them thrive safely.
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Arizona’s Family (3TV / CBS 5)
· 2025-10-06
This podcast segment from "On Your Side" features hosts Gary Harper and Susan Campbell discussing the evolving nature of scams targeting vulnerable populations. The hosts highlight how scams have become increasingly sophisticated and believable over time, using technology to deceive victims—exemplified by Susan's personal anecdote about her grandmother falling for a classic Microsoft pop-up scam that prompted her to call a fraudulent number and potentially compromise her financial accounts. The hosts emphasize that scams are becoming more prevalent and convincing, affecting even intelligent and vigilant people, and stress the importance of family awareness and intervention to protect loved ones from fraud.
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ABC News
· 2025-09-25
A 91-year-old woman named Shirley Morrow lost $9,000 in a "grandparent scam" after receiving a phone call from someone posing as her grandson, claiming he was in jail following a car accident and needed bail money. The scam involves fraudsters impersonating a grandchild in distress and requesting immediate payment, with tens of thousands of cases reported nationwide targeting senior citizens. Scammers use voice mimicking technology and social engineering tactics to convince victims to withdraw cash before they realize they've been deceived.
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ABC News
· 2025-09-25
**Grandparent Scam - Voice Technology Fraud**
Scammers are using advanced voice technology to impersonate grandchildren in what the FBI identifies as an escalating problem targeting older adults. A 91-year-old victim (Shirley Morrow) was convinced by a call mimicking her grandson's voice that he was in legal trouble and needed $9,000; older adults collectively lost $4.9 billion to these scams, which typically involve fraudsters posing as family members in supposed emergencies to pressure immediate payment.
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WDEF News 12
· 2025-09-04
Phishing scams have become increasingly sophisticated since the 1990s, with fraudsters now using emails, text messages, phone calls, QR codes, and AI-generated voices to deceive victims into sharing sensitive information like bank accounts, passwords, and social security numbers. Notably, younger adults aged 18-30 are now falling victim to these scams more frequently than older Americans, particularly through online shopping schemes, while businesses and consumers collectively face millions in losses annually from stolen funds, identity theft, and malware infections.
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ABC10
· 2025-09-04
California seniors lost $1.7 billion to fraud in 2024, with scammers increasingly targeting older adults through digital devices using evolving tactics like spoofing and gift card scams. Experts from AARP and Chase Bank conducted educational workshops in Sacramento to help seniors recognize common scams and protect their identities, emphasizing that awareness and vigilance are key to prevention.
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KETK NBC
· 2025-09-04
The Better Business Bureau advises families to protect seniors from scams during Grandparents Day by recognizing common fraud tactics. Seniors are frequently targeted because they tend to be more isolated and trusting, making them vulnerable to schemes including the grandparent scam, high-pressure sales calls, and phishing scams. Families should watch for warning signs such as excessive spam emails, junk mail, and suspicious text messages as indicators that an older adult may be targeted by scammers.
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KPRC 2 Click2Houston
· 2025-09-03
The Better Business Bureau warns about "emergency scams" targeting senior citizens, in which scammers impersonate grandchildren or other family members claiming to be in urgent situations (hospitalized, in accidents, or needing bail money) and request immediate money transfers. The scam exploits the emotional distress and urgency created by the false emergency to pressure victims into sending funds before they can verify the caller's identity.
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FOX23 News Tulsa
· 2025-08-27
Scammers are using AI voice cloning technology to impersonate loved ones in "vishing" (voice phishing) schemes that target families with emergency-based fraud calls. With as little as 15 seconds of audio, attackers can create a convincing voice clone and spoof the caller's phone number to pressure victims—particularly elderly targets—into sending money by claiming a loved one is hurt or needs immediate help.
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FOX6 News Milwaukee
· 2025-08-22
**Title:** Preventing scams and fraud | FOX6 News Milwaukee
A Hartford staffing support company received a convincing phone call from someone impersonating their bank, with a spoofed caller ID, claiming fraudulent transactions required setting up a new account and requesting current account credentials. The company president recognized red flags when asked for sensitive information despite the caller's friendly demeanor and trust-building tactics, ultimately refusing to provide the information and avoiding financial loss. The segment provides awareness about how financial fraud scams use social engineering and caller ID spoofing to appear legitimate and manipulate victims into revealing account information.
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CNY Central
· 2025-08-20
Federal authorities arrested 13 people involved in a transnational grandparent scam that defrauded at least 400 elderly victims nationwide of approximately $5 million, with funds funneled to the Dominican Republic. Scammers called victims from call centers in the Dominican Republic, impersonating grandchildren in distress and requesting urgent wire transfers, sometimes using ride-share drivers to collect cash in person. An elderly couple from Cayuga County, New York, was among the victims, losing nearly $25,000 to the scheme.
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NBC10 Philadelphia
· 2025-08-14
An 86-year-old South Philadelphia woman was defrauded of $6,000 after receiving a call from scammers using AI-generated voice technology to impersonate her granddaughter claiming to be in a car accident and detained by police. A fake lawyer then demanded $10,400 to secure the granddaughter's release, settling for the $6,000 in cash the victim had available. The incident highlights how scammers exploit family emergencies and new technology to manipulate elderly victims into sending money quickly without verification.
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KREM 2 News
· 2025-08-14
The FBI dismantled a grandparent scam operation run from a Dominican Republic call center that defrauded over 400 senior citizens of more than $5 million by convincing them their grandchildren needed emergency money. The scammers used scripted calls to exploit victims' emotional connections to family members, causing not only financial losses but also emotional trauma and loss of trust. To prevent such scams, authorities recommend establishing family code words, verifying caller identity through independent contact, avoiding sending money to unknown recipients, and watching for warning signs like secrecy around calls or unusual cash withdrawals.
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CBS Chicago
· 2025-08-13
The FBI dismantled a grandparent scam operation run from a Dominican Republic call center that defrauded over 400 seniors of more than $5 million by convincing them their grandchildren needed emergency money, using US-based runners and Uber to collect cash. The scheme was uncovered after Uber's security team flagged suspicious activity to the FBI. To protect against such scams, families are advised to establish code words with relatives, remember that law enforcement never requests money by phone, and watch for warning signs like secretive phone behavior or large cash withdrawals from elderly family members.
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wgaltv
· 2025-08-13
Thirteen suspects were arrested in connection with a sophisticated international grandparent scam ring that stole over $5 million from more than 400 seniors, with call centers in the Dominican Republic and money-collection runners across the United States including Massachusetts. The scam involved criminals posing as grandchildren in distress and pressuring elderly victims to withdraw cash from banks, with one victim's family losing $18,000 in the scheme. Authorities recommend families establish a code word that grandchildren must provide when calling, as a protective measure against this type of fraud.
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CBS Miami
· 2025-08-13
The FBI dismantled a grandparent scam operation run from a Dominican Republic call center that defrauded over 400 seniors of more than $5 million. Scammers used scripts to convince elderly victims that a grandchild needed urgent money, then deployed local runners using Uber to collect cash payments. Authorities were alerted after Uber's security team flagged suspicious activity, and experts recommend families establish a code word to verify callers' identities and prevent similar schemes.
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CBS News
· 2025-08-13
Federal law enforcement dismantled a coordinated grandparent scam ring operating from a call center in the Dominican Republic, charging 13 alleged scammers who stole millions of dollars from hundreds of elderly victims across the country. The operation used runners in the United States, including Massachusetts, to pick up cash from victims' homes and used ride-share services to transport the money, with the investigation initiated after alert Uber drivers reported suspicious activity. The scammers posed as grandchildren in emergencies to manipulate victims into sending money.
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NBC 10 WJAR
· 2025-08-13
This educational piece discusses the growing threat of elder fraud, referencing a recent grandparent scam takedown involving 13 arrests that affected over 400 victims. A banking expert explains that scam volumes have increased exponentially due to technological advances, including AI-powered tactics like voice cloning and deepfake videos that make scams more sophisticated and convincing, particularly in romance and impersonation schemes targeting seniors.
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CTV News
· 2025-07-17
A Calgary senior lost over $300,000 in a cryptocurrency scam that began in 2022 when a scammer impersonated her grandson claiming he needed bail money for a car crash and drug charges. The fraudster, working with a fake lawyer, instructed the victim to make more than 300 deposits into Bitcoin ATMs over a six-week period before she became suspicious and reported it to police. Calgary police's cybercrime unit identified and arrested 34-year-old Jeremy Ratray of Quebec in connection with the scheme.
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FOX5 Las Vegas
· 2025-07-15
Joe Fitzpatrick, a retired data security professional living in a Las Vegas senior community, created the Silera Community Scam Guide after noticing neighbors were regularly targeted by scammers, with some losing money to tech support and other common fraud schemes. He and fellow residents compile easy-to-read guides identifying various scams to help educate their community about fraud prevention, addressing what Fitzpatrick describes as a daily epidemic affecting seniors in the area.
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therhodeshow
· 2025-05-20
This educational segment discusses common senior scams affecting millions of Americans annually, including identity theft schemes, grandparent scams (falsely claiming a relative needs bail money), tech support scams, and romance scams. Key prevention strategies include educating seniors about scam tactics, maintaining regular involvement in their financial affairs, and reporting suspected fraud to state police or adult services, while noting that many scams go unreported due to victim embarrassment.
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CBS Pittsburgh
· 2025-05-09
This educational piece highlights key strategies to protect against increasingly sophisticated scams that target people of all ages. Common scams include grandparent scams, fake tech support, and gift card scams, all designed to steal money or personal information. Experts from law enforcement and the FBI recommend pausing before acting on urgent requests, verifying caller identity through independent family contacts, and remembering that legitimate creditors never demand payment via gift cards.
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CTV News
· 2025-04-14
Police in Ontario are warning of a fake gold investment scheme that has defrauded at least three elderly residents of approximately $1.3 million. Scammers impersonate bank or security officials, claiming victims' bank accounts have been compromised, then convince them to purchase large quantities of gold as a security measure—gold that is never actually picked up. Police emphasize that legitimate banks never ask customers to withdraw funds and buy gold, nor do they request customer participation in investigations.
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CBS Philadelphia
· 2025-03-27
Washington Township Police Department in New Jersey partnered with the FBI to host an educational seminar teaching seniors and families how to recognize and avoid scams, prompted by recent major fraud cases in their community. Scammers commonly use fear, urgency, and confusion to target seniors through IRS scams, grandparent scams, tax support scams, online banking scams, and EasyPass billing scams, with recent local cases involving losses of $100,000 or more. Police emphasize that recognizing red flags through education is the most effective way to prevent seniors from losing their savings to fraud.
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WFSU Public Media
· 2025-03-26
Florida residents, particularly seniors, are experiencing widespread scam calls and text messages, including toll balance fraud and unsolicited calls from unknown numbers. According to board-certified elder law attorney Jana McConna, vulnerable seniors—especially those who are isolated, lonely, recently widowed, or experiencing memory issues—are actively being targeted, with scammers exploiting emotional vulnerability and cognitive decline to financially manipulate victims. McConna emphasizes that isolation and loneliness are key risk factors that make seniors susceptible to fraud schemes.
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60 Minutes
· 2025-03-23
This 60 Minutes segment examines why investment fraud and Ponzi schemes continue to thrive despite public awareness of high-profile cases like Bernie Madoff's multi-billion dollar fraud. The piece features expert Ricky Jay discussing how con artists exploit human psychology—including greed and excessive trust—and identifies key warning signs such as dealings with well-established figures who rely on exclusive affiliations to build credibility. The segment highlights that despite financial disasters and skepticism, investors remain vulnerable to sophisticated scams, a phenomenon regulators refer to as "ponzi-monium."
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CBC News
· 2025-03-21
Three prominent online fraud fighters—Jim Browning, Kitboga, and Pleasant Green—collaborated to infiltrate and disrupt scammer call centers targeting North American victims. Through real-time interception, they successfully prevented multiple fraud attempts including one targeting a woman threatened with legal trouble, coordinating with banks and law enforcement to protect victims from losing thousands of dollars. The operation demonstrated tactics used by scammers and highlighted how these vigilantes have collectively disrupted hundreds of scam centers and prevented hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses over nearly a decade.
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WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY
· 2025-03-20
Scammers steal approximately $23,000 per hour from New Yorkers, with older adults over 60 losing more than $200 million annually to fraud schemes in New York alone. One victim, Torchy Massie, was convinced by an online acquaintance to invest all her savings into a fake investment opportunity. Advocacy groups are pushing for state funding to combat these increasingly sophisticated scams, while noting that many victims remain unreported due to embarrassment.
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CBC News
· 2025-03-19
Police in Montreal arrested 23 people in June operating an elaborate grandparent scam network targeting American seniors, allegedly defrauding them of $21 million USD ($30 million CAD) through coordinated call centers. The scam typically involved one caller impersonating a grandchild in financial distress, followed by another impersonating a police officer directing victims to wire money (usually around $10,000). Montreal has emerged as a major hub for these large-scale grandparent scam operations, which cause significant financial loss to vulnerable elderly victims in the United States.
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WHNT News 19
· 2025-03-19
The Colbert County Sheriff's Office reported a recent surge in phone and text scams targeting senior citizens in the area, with reported losses reaching approximately $60,000. Common scams include impersonation of grandchildren claiming emergency money is needed and fraudsters posing as law enforcement demanding payment; the sheriff emphasized that legitimate law enforcement will never call requesting money and advised seniors to use common sense and contact the sheriff's department if uncertain about a call's legitimacy. The office hosted scam prevention presentations at senior centers to educate residents on recognizing and avoiding these schemes.
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We Are Iowa Local 5 News
· 2025-03-17
Grandparent scams are impostor fraud schemes where scammers impersonate a grandchild or other trusted person (minister, friend, family member) to convince older adults to send money urgently. The caller typically claims to be in trouble—arrested, injured, or needing bail—and pressures the victim not to contact their parents, exploiting emotional vulnerability and the grandparent's natural desire to help. To avoid these scams, older adults should verify the caller's identity through independent contact with family members and remain skeptical of urgent money requests, particularly those demanding secrecy.
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IRSvideos
· 2025-01-06
This is an educational webinar presented by the IRS and FTC during National Tax Security Awareness Week that covers common identity theft and tax-related scams, methods for identifying and reporting fraud, the IRS Identity Protection PIN program, and resources for protecting against identity thieves. The 75-minute presentation includes technical guidance for participants and a live Q&A session to address audience questions about fraud prevention and recovery.
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ABC11
· 2024-12-28
Federal authorities warn that AI-powered impostor scams are on the rise, with criminals using artificial intelligence to replicate the voices of loved ones claiming to be in emergencies (such as drunk driving accidents requiring bail) to pressure victims into sending money. The scams, also known as "grandparent scams" or "kidnapping scams," require only seconds of audio from social media to generate convincing fake conversations that sound nearly identical to real family members. Experts caution that victims should independently verify emergencies by contacting family members directly rather than responding to urgent calls requesting immediate payment.
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KVUE
· 2024-12-27
The FBI is warning of an emerging AI-powered "kidnapping scam" where criminals use artificial intelligence to mimic the voices of loved ones—typically claiming they've been in an accident or arrested—to pressure victims into sending money for bail or emergency assistance. A victim named Anthony received a call from what sounded exactly like his son claiming he needed bail money for a drunk driving accident, with a follow-up call from a fake attorney to arrange payment. Law enforcement notes that criminals only need a few seconds of audio from social media to clone someone's voice and create convincing fake conversations, making these scams increasingly difficult to detect.
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NBC 7 San Diego
· 2024-11-26
Holiday fraud increases significantly in December, with scammers targeting busy shoppers through identity theft, credit card fraud, package theft, and fake social media ads selling counterfeit goods. Law enforcement and the Better Business Bureau warn that common holiday scams have become more sophisticated and high-tech, including fake toll collection texts and counterfeit items sold online, and advise consumers to remain vigilant during the busy shopping season.
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News 4 Tucson KVOA-TV
· 2024-11-23
The Pima County Sheriff's Department warns of a "family emergency scam" targeting residents, in which scammers call claiming a family member has been kidnapped or injured and demands money be sent immediately without contacting authorities. Scammers use AI technology to synthesize victims' family members' voices by harvesting audio from social media platforms, and often call at odd hours to catch victims off-guard. Authorities recommend verifying callers by independently contacting family members directly from your phone rather than using the number provided by the caller.
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moneycontrol
· 2024-11-16
**Cybercrime Risk During Diwali Shopping Season**
India's National Crime Record Bureau reported over 1.1 million cyber fraud cases last year, with incidents rising significantly during high-spending periods like Diwali, particularly targeting elderly individuals. Common scams include customer support fraud (using screen-sharing apps to hijack mobile devices), virtual arrest scams (impersonating law enforcement to extort payments), and Aadhaar-enabled payment system fraud. To protect oneself, stay vigilant during shopping seasons, verify legitimacy of support contacts independently, avoid sharing remote access to devices, and be skeptical of unsolicited law enforcement threats.
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WIRED
· 2024-11-05
This WIRED article features "Scammer Payback," a YouTube scam-baiting channel, answering audience questions about common fraud tactics and red flags. The content identifies three major warning signs of scams: scammers pressuring victims to make quick decisions (especially involving gift cards or Cash App transfers), requests for remote access to computers or phones, and demands for untraceable payment methods like Bitcoin or wire transfers. The educational piece emphasizes that time pressure is a deliberate tactic scammers use to prevent victims from consulting family members or others who might intervene.
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NOLA.com
· 2024-10-17
AARP Louisiana hosted a fraud awareness townhall event featuring nationally recognized fraud expert and former prosecutor Paul Greenwood to educate seniors about scams targeting older adults. The event aimed to provide practical protection strategies and highlight how fraud impacts seniors beyond financial loss, including emotional and trust-related consequences. AARP encourages seniors to utilize resources like their FraudWatch Network to stay informed about emerging scams and safeguard personal information.
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NOLA.com
· 2024-10-17
AARP Louisiana hosted an educational presentation titled "Unmasking Fraud" featuring nationally recognized fraud expert and former prosecutor Paul Greenwood to address senior fraud targeting older adults in Louisiana. The event emphasized that fraud against seniors impacts not only financial security but also causes lasting emotional and psychological harm, and provided practical strategies for protection. AARP directs people to its Fraud Watch Network resource for current scam information and personal data protection guidance.
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CFPBLive
· 2024-10-09
This is an introductory webinar hosted by the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau on payments industry practices for combating elder financial exploitation. The session provides participants with access to slides, resources, and a discussion platform to explore strategies and tools for preventing elder financial abuse within the payments sector.
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WGN News
· 2024-09-23
AARP Illinois launched "Fraud-Fighting Fraudlettes," a collaborative awareness initiative featuring AARP representatives Theresa Jones and Courtney Herman to educate seniors about prevalent scams. The program aims to increase fraud prevention awareness among older adults, who are identified as particularly susceptible targets for scams.
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Forbes Breaking News
· 2024-09-19
Senator Bob Casey led a Senate Aging Committee hearing on fraud targeting older Americans, during which the committee released its annual "Fighting Fraud" resource book. The hearing addressed multiple scam types affecting seniors including grandparent scams, investment fraud, government impostor schemes, lottery scams, and tech support scams, while noting that scammers have become increasingly sophisticated in their tactics over recent years. The committee discussed both fraud prevention strategies and how federal law enforcement agencies respond to fraud reports.
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WGN News
· 2024-08-31
Federal Trade Commission data shows American consumers lost over $10 billion to fraud in 2023, with digital platforms making it easier for scammers to target victims. Common scams include romance/relationship scams on Facebook where perpetrators build trust before requesting money, "pig butchering" investment schemes promising fake returns, and grandparent scams, with reported losses ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. Protection strategies include verifying urgent requests by hanging up and calling back the person directly, avoiding quick money transfers, researching websites and investment opportunities, and reporting scams to law enforcement and platforms to help track and recover stolen funds.