Fake Relatives and Fake Officials: Scammers Target Older Adults Again

Warnings about scams aimed at older adults are spreading again, and the advice is worth repeating to family members. The television station WBKO reported on November 9 that advocates in Ohio County, Kentucky, are warning seniors about callers who pretend to be family in trouble or government officials demanding money.

One common trick is the grandparent scam. A former AARP Kentucky leader quoted by WBKO, Charlotte Whittaker, said that kind of call has shown up often in the area, with a caller claiming a grandchild is in jail far away and needs cash to get out. The fear and the family connection are what make it work, because a scared person is more likely to act before thinking it through.

Another common trick is the government impostor scam. A caller claims to be from a tax agency, Social Security, or law enforcement, says you owe money, and threatens arrest if you do not pay right away. The demand is usually for immediate payment by gift card, prepaid card, or wire transfer, because those are hard to trace and hard to get back. A loss prevention worker quoted by WBKO put it plainly, saying the tax agency, the government, or a sheriff's department is not going to call and ask for gift cards or prepaid cards to pay your taxes.

The FBI makes the same point about gift cards. As the agency's Philadelphia office said, if you are asked to pay a government debt with a gift card, that is a scam. A real agency may contact you about a bill or overdue taxes, but it will not demand that you pay on the spot with a gift card, prepaid card, or wire transfer, and it will not threaten to have you arrested that day.

The losses can be staggering. WBKO reported that one couple in the area lost 800,000 dollars to a scammer. Isolation and loneliness can make some older adults easier targets.

The advice is simple. If a call feels urgent and scary, hang up. Do not send money or read off gift card numbers. Call the person or agency back using a number you look up yourself, not the one the caller gives you. Agreeing on a family code word can help you spot a fake emergency, because a real loved one will know it and a scammer will not. If you think you have been targeted, you can report it to the FBI's complaint center.