Estimated read time: 4-5 minutes
- Senior citizens, especially in Utah, are increasingly targeted by sophisticated scams.
- Scams include romance fraud and AI-generated calls mimicking family members in distress.
- Authorities emphasize awareness and support to prevent financial losses and emotional harm.
SALT LAKE CITY — Anyone of any age can be a victim of a scam or fraud, the Federal Bureau of Investigation notes. But senior citizens are the most vulnerable to these crimes.
Anyone in any state can be a victim, but the trusting nature of many Utah seniors can make them more vulnerable to scams and frauds, local and federal officials say.
"With a really trusting society ... bad actors are out there, and they know that if they build a good relationship with you, they spend time building a relationship where you're more trusting of them, then you're more likely to purchase things from them ... and your instincts tell you, you can trust this person," said Katie Hass, director of the Consumer Protection Division of the Utah Department of Commerce. "Now they're so sophisticated. They don't even start out with the obvious, 'Hey, I want your money.'"
The more complex the technology, the easier it is for seniors to fall for scams, but the FBI also reports that with 19% of seniors over the age of 60 reporting fraud or a scam, the tactics used are diverse.
The same is true in Utah, where seniors can fall victim to email schemes to ask for money regarding a home repair, a donation or more, to receiving phone calls with a voice formed with artificial intelligence that sounds like a grandchild who is in danger and needs some money. Texts demanding they log into bank accounts to provide information that really is not needed, to phone calls to their home asking for credit card numbers to secure an account of some kind, are also common.
Senior citizens are also becoming victims of scams that their children and grandchildren are likely to experience as well: romance scams. Romance scams often look like: Someone they met on a dating site eventually reports they need money — to visit, to help a daughter or granddaughter with a bill or Christmas presents, to help pay for classes taken nearby.
Whatever it is, the scammer's goal in the romance scam is to meet a vulnerable senior — usually widowed or divorced —and get as much money from them as possible.
These scams are not rare.
The FBI reports that 19% of those older than 60 years of age have reported a scam to the police. But this is not an accurate number, federal and state agencies say. Given the shame seniors feel when they are a victim of a scam or any fraud, they are less likely to tell anyone, especially if they lost thousands of dollars.
There is also a fear, Hass said, that the adult children will heavily critique their senior parent, including taking things away or moving them into their homes.
Despite all of this, the FBI, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and the U.S. Department of Commerce report the importance of knowing the warning signs that a person is communicating with someone who might be a scammer:
- They are in a rush to get money.
- They get impatient or angry when asked questions.
- They ask for a credit card number as a form of verification of identity.
- They declare their love quickly, offering excuses as to why they cannot meet virtually.
- They ask for money in cryptocurrency.
- They talk of visiting but make no effort to do so.
Hass says it is important to set up a shame-free environment where local seniors feel they can tell someone what has happened. Tips for helping a loved one avoid a scam include creating code words that can be said as a verification that someone is a friend or family member; and practicing what to do the next time someone tries to scam your senior loved one. Family and friends also need to be available when their senior loved ones ask for help.
The dangers of these scams are plenty, but, given the fact that you may not get your money back, local seniors have the potential to lose their life savings, the most problematic outcome for many seniors, the U.S. Department of Commerce says.
Seniors may be tempted to stay away from all technology or from people altogether, but it is important, Hass says, to ensure that does not happen. These seniors did nothing wrong, so they do not need to withdraw.
"What I would tell people is, just be really mindful," Hass said. "And remember, you aren't the one who did anything wrong. You're not stupid. They are really good at what they do. It turns out, there's no end to the types of deceptions that are out there."
More resources to prevent and learn more about scams in Utah can be found at dcp.utah.gov and scams.utah.gov.
