Elders Fraud Remains a Growing Problem

Each year, millions of elderly Americans fall victim to some type of financial fraud or confidence scheme, including romance, lottery, and sweepstakes scams—just to name a few.

Criminals will gain their targets’ trust and may communicate with them directly online, over the phone, and/or through the mail. 

Seniors are often targeted because they tend to be trusting and polite. 

Additionally, seniors may be less inclined to report fraud because they don’t know how, or they may be too ashamed at having been scammed. 

They might also be concerned that their relatives will lose confidence in their abilities to manage their own financial affairs. 

With the elderly population growing and seniors racking up more than $3 billion in losses annually, elder fraud has remained a growing problem.

If you or someone you know may have been a victim of elder fraud, contact your local FBI field office or submit a tip online: https://www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/cleveland