Senior Scam Prevention & Fraud Resources in Tennessee
Tennessee seniors reported $108 million in elder fraud losses to the FBI in 2025, with 3,525 victims aged 60 and older. This page provides Tennessee-specific scam prevention resources, official reporting contacts, and five years of FBI elder fraud data for the state.
Already been scammed? Read our First 24 Hours Emergency Guide for critical steps to take immediately.
I. Overview: Tennessee’s Senior Population & Key Cities
Tennessee has a population of approximately 7.2 million as of 2024, with about 1.2 million residents aged 65 and older — making up about 16.2% of the total population. Seniors in Tennessee are increasingly targeted by a wide range of fraud schemes, including phishing, tech support scams, government impersonation, and health-related fraud.
The top three cities in Tennessee — each with large senior populations and elevated reports of fraud — are:
- Nashville (approx. 720,000 people)
- Memphis (approx. 620,000 people)
- Knoxville (approx. 195,000 people)
Scams in these cities are escalating rapidly. In 2025, Tennessee seniors lost $108 million to fraud (+75%). Investment scams tripled to $52 million (+202%), and lottery/sweepstakes more than doubled (+152%). In a rare bright spot, government impersonation dropped 73%. State and federal agencies provide resources to help older Tennesseans stay protected.
II. 2025 Victim Report: How Scammers Targeted Tennessee’s Seniors
In 2025, Tennessee had 3,525 victims aged 60+ who reported losses totaling $108,305,976 — up 39% in victims and 75% in losses compared to 2024 (2,543 victims / $62M).
Loss by Crime Type
| Crime Type | 2025 Loss | 2024 Loss | Change |
| Investment | $51,651,454 | $17,127,985 | +202% |
| Tech Support | $11,739,936 | $8,070,194 | +45% |
| Romance | $12,137,627 | $10,992,966 | +10% |
| Lottery/Sweepstakes | $5,658,269 | $2,242,241 | +152% |
| Extortion | $267,644 | $129,225 | +107% |
| Government Impersonation | $2,119,696 | $7,733,586 | -73% |
Elder Fraud Loss Trajectory — Tennessee
5-Year Elder Fraud Trend — Tennessee (2021—2025)
| Year | Victims (60+) | Total Loss | YoY Change | Nat’l Rank |
| 2021 | 1,420 | $28,233,241 | — | #17 |
| 2022 | 1,462 | $37,168,079 | +32% | #21 |
| 2023 | 1,577 | $43,753,076 | +18% | #23 |
| 2024 | 2,543 | $61,882,884 | +41% | #21 |
| 2025 | 3,525 | $108,305,976 | +75% | #20 |
| 5-Year Total | 10,527 | $279,343,256 | +284% (2021—2025) | — |
Source: FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) Annual Reports, 2021—2025. Covers victims aged 60 and older. National rank is by total dollar loss among 52 states/territories. National totals: $1.7B (2021), $3.1B (2022), $3.4B (2023), $4.9B (2024), $7.7B (2025) — $20.8 billion stolen from American seniors over five years.
Top Crime Types Targeting Tennessee Seniors (2025 vs. 5-Year)
| Crime Type | 2025 Victims | 2025 Loss | 5-Year Total | Growth (2021—25) |
| Investment | 268 | $51,651,454 | $90,236,593 | +5,656% |
| Romance | 227 | $12,137,627 | $40,982,555 | +36% |
| Tech Support | 428 | $11,739,936 | $41,112,503 | +139% |
| BEC | 87 | $7,062,675 | $28,934,347 | +119% |
| Lottery/Sweepstakes | 81 | $5,658,269 | $11,949,949 | +664% |
| Personal Data Breach | 199 | $3,456,963 | $15,981,418 | -18% |
Top 6 crime types by 2025 losses. Growth calculated from 2021 to 2025. For national crime type trends, see our Crime Type Migration Analysis.
What the data reveals: Tennessee’s elder fraud losses reached $108 million in 2025, with 3,525 seniors victimized. Investment scams more than tripled from $17 million to $52 million (+202%), now accounting for nearly half of all losses. Tech support fraud rose 45% to $12 million and lottery and sweepstakes losses jumped 152% to $5.7 million. Romance scams grew a modest 10%, while government impersonation losses fell 73%. Statewide, that comes to roughly one senior victim for every 2,050 Tennessee residents.
National context: Tennessee ranks #20 among the 52 states and territories in total elder-fraud losses and #38 in per-capita victim rate (48.77 per 100,000). Investment fraud is the state’s dominant threat, accounting for nearly half of all 2025 losses, so verifying any unexpected “investment opportunity” before sending money is the single most protective step Tennessee seniors and their families can take.
For the full national picture, including how Tennessee compares to every other state, visit our national hub page with interactive data and rankings.
III. Emergency & Official Contacts
Local Police Departments – Elder Fraud & Financial Crimes
1. Metro Nashville Police Department – Fraud Unit
- Phone: (615) 862-8600 (non-emergency)
- Website: www.nashville.gov
- Tip: Ask for Economic or Financial Crimes Division when reporting elder fraud.
2. Memphis Police Department – Economic Crimes Bureau
- Phone: (901) 545-2677 (non-emergency)
- Website: www.memphispolice.org
- Report financial scams or elder exploitation to fraud investigators.
3. Knoxville Police Department – Investigations Division
- Phone: (865) 215-7000 (non-emergency)
- Website: www.knoxvilletn.gov
- Request to file a report for elder scams or suspicious financial activity.
FBI & Federal Scam Reporting
FBI Memphis Field Office (covers all of Tennessee)
- Phone: (901) 747-4300
- Website: www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/nashville
Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
- Website: www.ic3.gov
- File complaints related to online scams, phishing, identity theft, and tech support fraud.
Tennessee Attorney General – Elder Protection & Fraud
Tennessee Attorney General – Consumer Affairs Division
- Consumer Protection Hotline: (615) 741-4737
- Toll-Free: (800) 342-8385
- Website: www.tn.gov/attorneygeneral
- Handles complaints related to scams, deceptive business practices, and elder fraud.
Statewide Elder Assistance & Medicare Fraud Contacts
Tennessee Adult Protective Services (APS)
- APS Referral Hotline: (888) 277-8366 (24/7)
- Website: www.tn.gov/humanservices
- Investigates reports of abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation of vulnerable adults.
Tennessee Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP)
- Phone: (866) 836-7677
- Website: www.tnmedicarehelp.com
- Educates and assists in detecting and reporting Medicare fraud and billing scams.
Tennessee Commission on Aging and Disability (TCAD)
- Aging Information Line: (866) 836-6678
- Website: www.tn.gov/disability-and-aging.html
- Connects seniors and caregivers to elder rights services, legal aid, and fraud prevention programs.
Stay Alert. Speak Up. Protect Others.
- Tennessee seniors report millions in annual losses from scams — but most frauds can be stopped early.
- Save and share these contacts with your loved ones, faith groups, and senior centers.
- Visit our Education Center to learn how scams work and what to do if you’re targeted.
- When in doubt, report it. Your voice can stop the next scam.
Recent Tennessee scam news
Recent news coverage of scams affecting Tennessee seniors, updated from our alerts desk. Each item links to the original outlet; victims and defendants are kept anonymous.
Senior scams are 'escalating rapidly' in these 3 major Tennessee cities
A report finds elder fraud surging in Nashville, Memphis and Knoxville, with $108 million lost statewide in 2025.
Read at Action News 5 →How seniors are being targeted by scams, and what to look out for
A Tennessee column explains how scammers single out older adults with romance and other frauds, and the warning signs.
Read at The Leaf-Chronicle →'It's an Epidemic': Elder Fraud Costs Tennessee Seniors Millions, Advocates Say
Advocates say elder fraud has reached epidemic levels, costing Tennessee seniors millions of dollars.
Read at WVLT →Scam alert: Online romance scams targeting millions of Tennesseans
New research shows nearly one in ten adults over 50 has been targeted online for money or crypto by a fake love interest.
Read at News Channel 9 →Seniors Targeted in Romance Scams
Around Valentine's Day, experts warn that older adults are a top target for online romance scams.
Read at WDEF News 12 →TN officials warn of Bitcoin ATMs stealing seniors' money
Tennessee officials warn that Bitcoin ATMs are being used to drain seniors' savings as scam losses climb.
Read at WKRN →IV. Learn More: Tennessee Scam Prevention Guides
Explore Tennessee-specific guides on the most common scams targeting seniors in your state:
- Tech Support Scams in Tennessee — Learn to recognize fake pop-ups, phone calls, and remote access schemes.
- Investment Scams in Tennessee — Protect your retirement savings from fraudulent advisors and crypto scams.
- Romance Scams in Tennessee — Spot the warning signs of fake online relationships designed to steal money.
- Government Impersonation Scams in Tennessee — Know what real government agencies will never ask you to do.
- How to Report Scams in Tennessee — Step-by-step guide to reporting fraud and starting recovery.
For national-level data on each scam type, see our Investment, Tech Support, Romance, and Government Impersonation national guides.
Learn more:
- Senior scams are ‘escalating rapidly’ in these 3 major Tennessee cities. Here’s what to know and how to report them, by Li Cohen (WSMV 4)
- Senior Scam Spike Hits Nashville Memphis Knoxville, by Emily Chen (Hoodline)
See how Tennessee compares. Curious where Tennessee ranks in the national picture? Stolen Trust, our 2026 special study, ranks every state and territory using five years of FBI data and lays out one practical plan to fix elder fraud.