Online scams targeting seniors: how to spot them and stay safe
Technology is wonderful for keeping us connected, but scammers are targeting older adults more than ever — and AI is making their tricks harder to spot. Here's what to watch for, and what to do if it happens to you.
reported lost to online fraud by people 60 and over in 2025
average reported loss per senior victim
Washington, D.C.'s rank for reported losses per capita (all ages). Maryland ranked 9th and Virginia 20th.
Source: FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, 2025 Internet Crime Report.
Older adults are targeted
Older adults are disproportionately targeted by fraudsters, and they have every reason to worry about clicking on the wrong thing. According to the FBI's 2025 Internet Crime Report, people 60 and over suffered larger losses from internet fraud than any other age group. They filed more than 200,000 complaints and reported total losses of $7.75 billion. More than 12,000 senior victims lost over $100,000 each.
Investment fraud, often involving cryptocurrency and fake trading platforms, caused the heaviest losses, totaling $3.52 billion for this age group.
Here in the DMV, the risk is especially real. On a per-capita basis across all age groups, Washington, D.C. ranked first in the nation for reported losses, followed by Maryland in 9th place and Virginia in 20th.
AI is making scams harder to spot
Scammers now use AI to write convincing emails with no spelling mistakes, build realistic fake websites, and even clone the voice of a family member from a short recording. As the Identity Theft Resource Center has warned, “The level of sophistication of AI will make it that much harder for people to discern legitimate from illegitimate, real from fake.”
The most common scams
Fake tech support
A pop-up, email or call says your computer has a virus or your account is compromised, and asks you to call a number or let someone connect to your computer.
Warning signs: The contact comes to you out of the blue, often with an urgent warning. Real support companies only connect to your computer when you’ve reached out to them yourself, using their official website or phone number.
Impostor calls
Someone pretends to be a grandchild in trouble, the police, your bank or a government agency, and needs money right away.
Warning signs: Urgency, secrecy (“don’t tell anyone”) and a voice that may be cloned with AI.
Phishing emails and texts
A message that looks like it comes from your bank, Amazon, the post office or Medicare asks you to click a link or confirm your details.
Warning signs: Unexpected links, spelling mistakes, and requests for passwords or account numbers.
Investment and crypto scams
A new online “friend” or advisor promises big returns on a trading platform or in cryptocurrency.
Warning signs: Guaranteed profits, pressure to invest more, and trouble withdrawing your money.
Romance scams
Someone you met online builds a relationship over weeks or months, then asks for money for an emergency or a trip to meet you.
Warning signs: They can never meet in person or on video, and the requests for money keep growing.
Looking for a scam that isn't listed here? See the FCC's Scam Glossary.
Simple rules that stop most scams
- Slow down. Scammers create urgency so you don't have time to think.
- Never pay with gift cards, wire transfers or cryptocurrency. No legitimate company or agency asks for them.
- Hang up and call back using a number you know, such as the one on your bank card.
- Only let someone connect to your computer remotely if you contacted the company yourself, using its official website or phone number.
- Don't click links in unexpected emails or texts. Go to the website yourself instead.
- Keep your phone and computer updated, and turn on your phone's call-blocking and spam-screening tools. The FCC's Consumer Help Center has step-by-step guides.
- Before sending money, talk to someone you trust.
If you think you've been scammed
- Stop all contact with the scammer, and don't send any more money.
- Call your bank or credit card company right away. The sooner you call, the better the chance of stopping a payment.
- Change the passwords of any accounts that may be affected.
- Report it to the FBI at ic3.gov and to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
- Report unwanted calls, robocalls and phone or text scams to the FCC at fcc.gov/complaints. You'll find more help at the FCC's Consumer Help Center.
- For help and support, call the National Elder Fraud Hotline: 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311).
- Don't be embarrassed. Scams happen to smart, careful people every day.
Peace of mind, right at your kitchen table
Every House Call Tech visit includes an online-safety checkup. Your technician will secure your email and accounts, check for viruses, set up your phone to screen spam calls, and walk you through the warning signs in plain English.
For roughly the cost of booking a plumber, a visit by House Call Tech could end up saving you from thousands of dollars in fraud losses.
- Background-checked technicians
- We never call out of the blue
- We never ask for gift cards or wire transfers
- Your passwords stay yours
Sources
- FBI, 2025 Internet Crime Report press release
- FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, ic3.gov
- HousingWire, Seniors lost $7.75B to cybercrime in 2025
- AARP, FBI report: internet crime losses hit $20.9 billion
- Federal Communications Commission, Consumer Help Center, Consumer Complaint Center and Scam Glossary
- Identity Theft Resource Center, idtheftcenter.org
Last updated September 2026.