Top 10 Common Scams Targeting Seniors — and How to Avoid Them

Understanding how to spot a scam—and knowing the warning signs—is one of the most effective ways to protect yourself.

According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), Hawai’i elder fraud losses totaled $18,851,052 in 2024. Thieves know many seniors have most likely worked hard their whole lives, saved carefully, and built up large savings and retirement account balances. Unfortunately, some also may have reduced social interaction or health challenges that make them more vulnerable to manipulation.

What are the most common scams targeting seniors?

The best protection is knowing what to look for. Here are common scams targeting seniors, along with warning signs and simple ways to stay safe.

1. Romance and Relationship Scams

Romance scams tend to target recently divorced or widowed seniors due to their potential vulnerabilities and access to cash.

For instance, a scammer reaches out on a dating app or social media and moves fast, showering the victim with affection and quickly professing their love to manipulate emotions. Then they ask for money because their bank account is frozen, or they need money for another purpose. Any funds the victim sends are difficult to recover.

Not all relationship-based scams happen online. Some scammers build trust slowly through in-person friendships before asking for money.

Warning signs: Someone you meet online or in person quickly builds an emotional connection and asks for money.

How to spot it: They avoid meeting in person or create urgent financial problems.

How to avoid it: Never send money to someone you haven’t met in person and verified.

2. AI Scams Targeting Seniors (voice cloning, deepfakes)

Artificial Intelligence (AI) gives scammers a powerful new tool. They can now clone a real person’s voice using just a few seconds of audio pulled from a phone call or social media video. They can create deepfakes, which are realistic video or audio recordings that can make it look and sound like someone you know. AI-powered chatbots can carry on convincing conversations over text or email for hours without any human involvement.

Warning signs: A call or message that sounds like someone you know asking for urgent help.

How to spot it: Requests for immediate money or secrecy.

How to avoid it: Pause and verify by contacting the person directly with an established phone number.

3. Sweepstakes and Lottery Scams

In these scams, callers claim you won a foreign lottery or sweepstakes. To claim your prize, you just need to pay transfer fees, taxes, or customs charges upfront. You pay, but the prize never comes.

Example: In May 2026, a former local news anchor thought she won a large sweepstakes prize. Instead, the nightmare cost her $60K.

Warning signs: You’re told you’ve won a prize but must pay fees, taxes, or shipping costs upfront.

How to spot it: The message creates excitement and urgency, often saying you must act quickly to claim your winnings.

How to avoid it: You can’t win a contest you didn’t enter. Never send money or share personal information to receive a prize.

4. Government Impersonation Scams (IRS, Social Security, Utilities)

Nobody wants to be in trouble with the government or have their utilities cut off.

In these scams, a caller claims to be from the police department, IRS, FBI, Social Security Administration, or your local utility company. They threaten arrest, loss of benefits, or to cut off your power or other utilities unless you make an immediate payment—usually via wire transfer, prepaid debit or gift card, or another hard-to-trace method that’s not easily recoverable. The fraudster uses urgency and fear tactics to pressure people into acting fast.

Warning signs: A caller claims to be from a government agency or utility company and threatens arrest, penalties, or service shutoff.

How to spot it: Requests for immediate payment using wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency.

How to avoid it: Legitimate agencies won’t demand payment this way. Hang up and contact the organization directly using a verified phone number.

5. Grandparent Scams

Grandparents often have a hard time saying “no” to their grandchildren, and scam artists know this far too well.

Imagine getting a frantic call from a grandchild. They say they’re in trouble, perhaps arrested or in a car accident, and need money right away. They beg you not to tell other family members.

With AI voice-cloning technology, these calls can sound startlingly real.

Warning signs: A call or message from someone claiming to be a grandchild in trouble who urgently needs money.

How to spot it: The caller may sound emotional, insist on secrecy, or claim there’s no time to verify the situation.

How to avoid it: Pause and verify. Call the family member directly or use a predetermined family code word before taking any action.

6. Charity Scams

After a natural disaster and during the holiday season, scammers set up fake charities, often using names that sound almost identical to well-known nonprofit organizations. They count on seniors’ generosity to get them to donate before thinking twice.

Warning signs: Requests for donations after disasters or during holidays from organizations that sound familiar but slightly off.

How to spot it: Pressure to donate quickly or unusual payment requests like gift cards or wire transfers.

How to avoid it: Verify the charity through trusted sources like IRS or Give.org. Donate directly to the charity through their official website.

7. Debit Card Fraud and ATM scams

Not all threats come from strangers. Most unauthorized ATM transactions affecting seniors are committed by someone they already know, such as family members or caretakers. In other cases, scammers use skimming devices attached to ATMs to steal card information electronically.

Warning signs: Unrecognized transactions, missing funds, or unusual activity on your account.

How to spot it: ATMs with loose card slots, hidden devices, or someone trying to observe your PIN.

How to avoid it: Shield the keypad when entering your PIN, never share it, and monitor your accounts regularly. Report suspicious activity immediately.

8. Phishing, Smishing, and Vishing

These terms describe three related tactics. Phishing uses fake emails that appear to come from your bank or a government agency. Smishing does the same via text message. Vishing uses phone calls. All three aim to get the target to hand over account numbers, passwords, or other sensitive information.

How serious is it? “Inheritance” scammers took in $2.6 million from 60 victims on Guam in an email scam that seemed “too good to be true.”

Warning signs: Unexpected emails, texts, or calls asking for personal or financial information.

How to spot it: Messages that look like they’re from your bank or a trusted company but include urgent requests or unfamiliar links.

How to avoid it: Don’t click links or respond to unsolicited messages. Go directly to the official website or call a verified number.

9. Investment and Crypto Scams

Investment scams tend to promise unusually high returns with little or no risk. Cryptocurrency scams have become especially common, with criminals creating fake investment platforms that show convincing but fabricated returns. They may pose as financial advisors, romantic interests, or even friends who want to share a “can’t miss” opportunity.

Example: In April 2026, a scammer befriended older women in Saipan and Guam, building emotional trust and then solicited money for fake crypto investments.

Warning signs: Promises of high returns with little or no risk, often framed as exclusive or time-sensitive opportunities.

How to spot it: Pressure to act quickly, especially involving cryptocurrency or unfamiliar investment platforms.

How to avoid it: If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Always consult a trusted, licensed advisor before investing.

10. Identity Theft Scams Targeting Seniors

Scammers may gather your name, date of birth, Social Security number, and other personal information through phishing emails, data breaches, stolen mail, or by going through your trash. They can use that information to open credit cards, apply for loans, collect benefits, or drain existing accounts in your name.

Warning signs: Unexpected accounts, unfamiliar charges, or notices about accounts you didn’t open.

How to spot it: Requests for personal information such as Social Security numbers, passwords, or account details—often through email, phone, or mail.

How to avoid it: Never share personal information unless you initiated the contact. Shred sensitive documents and monitor your accounts regularly for suspicious activity.

What should you do if you or a family member has been scammed?

If you suspect you’ve been scammed, contact your financial institution right away and file a police report as soon as possible.

If you’re a Bank of Hawaii customer, call us: Hawaii 808-643-3888, U.S. Mainland and Canada 1-888-643-3888, Guam and Saipan 1-877-553-2424, Palau 1-680-488-3338, TTY/TDD 1-888-643-9888. Or visit any branch so we can help protect your accounts and limit further loss.

Download our Account Fraud Customer Care Kit to help you with next steps. You can also visit our online Security Center for more resources.