Investment scams are the #1 financial threat to seniors. In 2025, older adults lost $3.5 billion to investment fraud — up 75% from 2024. Criminals promise high, guaranteed returns on fake opportunities, often involving cryptocurrency.
Tech support scams are the #2 costliest fraud against seniors, with $1.04 billion in losses in 2025 and over 21,000 victims — the highest victim count of any scam category. Criminals pose as tech support agents to steal money and data.
Government impersonation losses nearly doubled in 2025 — seniors lost $413 million, up 93% from 2024. Criminals pose as officials from Social Security, the IRS, or Medicare to pressure seniors into sending money or sharing personal information.
Romance scams cost seniors $584 million in 2025, up 48% from 2024. Over 10,000 seniors were victimized. Criminals create fake relationships online to gain trust, then exploit victims for money — increasingly using AI-generated photos and deepfake video.
Seniors lost $136 million to lottery, sweepstakes, and inheritance scams in 2025, with an average loss of $49,000 per victim. Criminals claim you’ve won a prize but must pay fees or taxes first — the prize never exists, and every dollar sent is stolen.
Seniors lost $54 million to extortion in 2025, with over 9,100 victims. Criminals threaten to expose private information or fabricated images unless the victim pays — increasingly powered by AI capable of generating fake images and cloning voices.
Artificial intelligence is making scams harder to detect than ever. Criminals now clone voices, create deepfake videos, and write flawless phishing messages that bypass every traditional warning sign. In 2025, AI-related fraud cost seniors $352 million. Learn how each technique works and how to protect yourself.
Every year, millions of older adults are targeted by online scams, from fake tech support calls to fraudulent investments, romance traps, and identity theft.
Boomers are getting scammed for billions online — here’s how to break the cycle
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