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An 86-year-old Colorado resident describes experiencing "grandparent scams" and other fraud attempts targeting seniors, including impersonators claiming to be family members in distress requesting money and fake promotional offers luring victims to withdraw cash from banks. The scammers use psychological tactics like creating urgency and fear, instructing victims to avoid bank staff and keep perpetrators on the phone during transactions. The piece highlights how elder fraud remains a persistent problem in Colorado, affecting multiple seniors across the state.

Beverly Rusman, an 86-year-old from Fort Collins, Colorado, received a "grandparent scam" phone call in which someone impersonated her grandson claiming to be in trouble in Canada and requesting money. Colorado elder adults are targeted by various fraud schemes including grandparent scams and fake prize/service offers, with scammers using psychological pressure and specific instructions (such as directing victims not to enter banks) to manipulate victims into withdrawing thousands of dollars.

Romance scams rank among the top 20 most reported scams in the US, with victims losing $652 million nationally in 2023 and $10 million in Colorado alone. Scammers create fake online dating profiles to build relationships with victims and manipulate them into sending money under false pretenses. Experts recommend using established matchmaking services as a safer alternative to online dating apps.

A Denver couple lost $30,000 in a business email compromise scam days before closing on their home, when scammers impersonated their lender and title company to redirect closing funds. The FBI reports this real estate fraud scheme is increasingly common, with Colorado experiencing over $57 million in losses to similar business email compromise scams last year. The scammers obtained legitimate emails, inserted themselves into the couple's email chain, and conducted real-time conversations to convince them to wire closing costs to a fraudulent account.

A Denver family had their bank account completely drained after their credit card information was stolen, though the method of theft remains unknown. Colorado law enforcement warns that scammers are using increasingly sophisticated skimming devices—including pinhole cameras and barely visible overlays on payment terminals—to capture card and PIN information at gas pumps and public payment stations. To protect themselves, consumers should shield their PIN when entering it, use contactless payment methods like Apple Pay or Google Pay, pay at staffed customer service desks rather than unattended terminals, and regularly monitor accounts for unauthorized charges.

Scams increased 34% year-over-year leading up to tax season, with the Colorado Public Interest Research Group warning consumers to remain vigilant. Scammers are using increasingly sophisticated tactics including calls, texts, and impersonation of family members, with an 81% of Americans expressing concern about personal data misuse. Consumer protection experts advise sharing minimal personal information, ignoring unsolicited urgent money requests, and placing credit freezes with the three major credit bureaus to prevent identity theft and fraudulent account creation.