Senior Scam Prevention and Fraud Resources in West Virginia
West Virginia seniors reported $19 million in elder fraud losses to the FBI in 2025, with 931 victims aged 60 and older. This page provides West Virginia-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: West Virginia’s Senior Population and Key Cities
As of 2024, West Virginia has a population of approximately 1.75 million, with over 360,000 residents aged 65 and older , accounting for roughly 20.6% of the population. This ranks West Virginia among the top five states with the highest percentage of older adults.
Due to the state’s largely rural makeup, seniors in West Virginia face heightened vulnerability to online fraud. In 2025, investment scams were by far the biggest threat, accounting for $6.3 million — a staggering 818% increase from 2024. Romance scams ($4.0 million) and tech support fraud ($3.3 million) rounded out the top three. Limited digital literacy and geographic isolation can make older adults especially vulnerable, but awareness, connection, and reporting can stop the cycle.
The top three cities where elder-focused scam reports are most common include:
- Charleston (approx. 48,000 people)
- Huntington (approx. 46,000 people)
- Morgantown (approx. 31,000 people)
II. 2025 Victim Report: How Scammers Targeted West Virginia’s Seniors
In 2025, West Virginia had 931 victims aged 60+ who reported losses totaling $18,953,441 — up 57% in victims and 227% in losses compared to 2024 (593 victims / $6M).
Loss by Crime Type
| Crime Type | 2025 Loss | 2024 Loss | Change |
| Investment | $6,270,768 | $683,320 | +818% |
| Tech Support | $3,271,772 | $770,600 | +325% |
| Romance | $3,969,190 | $1,336,635 | +197% |
| Lottery/Sweepstakes | $327,425 | $29,140 | +1,024% |
| Extortion | $100,205 | $18,270 | +448% |
| Government Impersonation | $1,189,120 | $804,125 | +48% |
Elder Fraud Loss Trajectory — West Virginia
5-Year Elder Fraud Trend — West Virginia (2021—2025)
| Year | Victims (60+) | Total Loss | YoY Change | Nat’l Rank |
| 2021 | 335 | $2,577,741 | — | #50 |
| 2022 | 340 | $4,460,124 | +73% | #49 |
| 2023 | 387 | $11,829,114 | +165% | #39 |
| 2024 | 593 | $5,790,439 | -51% | #50 |
| 2025 | 931 | $18,953,441 | +227% | #44 |
| 5-Year Total | 2,586 | $43,610,859 | +635% (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 West Virginia Seniors (2025 vs. 5-Year)
| Crime Type | 2025 Victims | 2025 Loss | 5-Year Total | Growth (2021—25) |
| Investment | 41 | $6,270,768 | $9,367,720 | +2,785% |
| Romance | 101 | $3,969,190 | $12,669,019 | +278% |
| Tech Support | 129 | $3,271,772 | $6,726,550 | +601% |
| Gov. Impersonation | 59 | $1,189,120 | $2,349,070 | +118,812% |
| Personal Data Breach | 50 | $419,474 | $904,053 | +6,454% |
| Lottery/Sweepstakes | 35 | $327,425 | $1,055,314 | +229% |
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: West Virginia saw one of the sharpest year-over-year increases in the country — total losses surged 227%, from $5.8 million in 2024 to nearly $19 million in 2025. Every single crime category increased. Investment fraud exploded by 818%, rising from $683,000 to $6.3 million and now accounting for one-third of all losses in the state. Romance scams nearly tripled. Statewide, that comes to roughly one senior victim for every 1,901 West Virginia residents.
National context: West Virginia ranks #44 out of 52 states and territories by total loss, reflecting its smaller population. However, the 227% year-over-year increase is among the highest in the nation, suggesting that scammers are increasingly targeting rural and smaller states where victims may have fewer resources and support networks. For comparison, the national average increase was 57%. West Virginia’s growth rate was four times the national average.
For the full national picture, including how West Virginia compares to every other state, visit our national hub page with interactive data and rankings.
III. Emergency and Official Contacts
Local Police Departments – Elder Fraud and Financial Crimes
1. Charleston Police Department – Investigations Division
- Phone: (304) 348-6400 (non-emergency)
- Website: charlestonwv.gov
- Contact for scam, identity theft, or elder financial fraud reports.
2. Huntington Police Department – Financial Crimes
- Phone: (304) 696-4470 (non-emergency)
- Website: www.cityofhuntington.com
- Ask for financial crimes or fraud reporting support.
3. Morgantown Police Department – General Inquiries
- Phone: (304) 284-7522 (non-emergency)
- Website: morgantownwv.gov
- Report scams, phishing attempts, or elder abuse.
FBI and Federal Scam Reporting
FBI Pittsburgh Field Office (serving West Virginia)
- Phone: (412) 432-4000
- Website: www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/pittsburgh
Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
- Website: www.ic3.gov
- Use to report phishing, online scams, and digital fraud targeting older adults.
West Virginia Attorney General – Elder Fraud and Consumer Protection
Office of the West Virginia Attorney General – Consumer Protection Division
- Consumer Protection Hotline: (800) 368-8808
- Website: ago.wv.gov
- Provides assistance for scam victims, elder fraud reporting, and complaint resolution.
Statewide Elder Services and Medicare Fraud Support
West Virginia Adult Protective Services (APS)
- APS Hotline: (800) 352-6513
- Website: dhhr.wv.gov
- Investigates elder abuse, neglect, and financial exploitation.
West Virginia Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP)
- Phone: (855) 254-1720
- Website: www.wvship.org
- Supports seniors in identifying and reporting Medicare billing fraud and ID theft.
West Virginia Bureau of Senior Services
- General Info Line: (877) 987-3646
- Website: www.wvseniorservices.gov
- Offers legal assistance, caregiver support, fraud education, and elder rights advocacy.
Act Early. Protect Yourself and Others.
- West Virginia seniors lose millions of dollars each year to scams , but early reporting can stop the harm.
- Save these contacts, share them with others, and don’t hesitate to ask for help.
- Visit our Education Center for practical tools, scam red flags, and how to respond safely.
- If in doubt, slow down and verify. Never share personal information with someone who contacts you unexpectedly.
Recent West Virginia scam news
Recent news coverage of scams affecting West Virginia seniors, updated from our alerts desk. Each item links to the original outlet; victims and defendants are kept anonymous.
West Virginia deputies warn that scammers may record a senior's voice to fake calls to family and banks
Law enforcement officials in Taylor County, West Virginia visited a local senior center this week to warn residents about a rise in scams, including romance schemes, government impersonation, and tech support cons. Officials said scammers now use spoofing apps to mirror real phone numbers and names, and warned that if a scammer keeps someone on the phone long enough, they may record the person's voice and later use AI to imitate them in calls to family members or a bank. The advice: never share personal or financial information on an unexpected call, keep any conversation with a suspected scammer short, and slow down to verify by calling the agency or family member back using a number you look up yourself.
Read at WV News (Mountain Statesman) →WV officials warn of new cybersecurity threat
West Virginia officials warn that fake government websites are being used to steal logins, with seniors at high risk.
Read at WVNS →Elder scams on the rise; Beckley police share how not to fall victim
Police in Beckley, West Virginia warn that elder scams are rising and offer tips to help seniors avoid them.
Read at WOAY-TV →A physician explains why memory loss raises the risk of falling for a scam
A physician who also cared for her mother through Alzheimer's disease writes that memory loss and mild cognitive impairment are linked to a higher risk of falling for scams and financial exploitation. Part of the danger, she explains, is a condition called anosognosia, where a person with cognitive decline may not recognize that money is missing or that they were deceived. She recommends families start money conversations early, before decline sets in, treat scam awareness as a shared family responsibility rather than a private embarrassment, use phones that screen or block unknown callers, review accounts and credit reports together regularly, and consider a limited power of attorney while the person can still take part in that decision.
Read at Being Patient →Before the holidays, make a family plan to spot scams
With holiday calls and visits picking up, a fraud risk analyst is urging families to agree on a verification plan before a crisis call ever comes in, covering tactics like a caller claiming a grandchild has been arrested, a fake bank or government warning that an account is at risk, a tech support pop-up, or an online relationship that turns into a investment pitch. The core advice is to pause, verify, and talk: hang up, call the person or agency back using a number you already know, and loop in a trusted family member rather than acting alone. Suspicious contacts can be reported to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov or the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov. Agreeing on this plan now, before the holiday season's spike in calls and visits, gives families a calm playbook instead of a panicked decision.
Read at Philadelphia Today →Fake 'psychic' letters promising a windfall defrauded thousands of older Americans of millions
Federal prosecutors describe a mail fraud scheme that sent personalized letters made to look like they came from a psychic, telling recipients they were due a financial windfall that required a payment to 'unlock.' Thousands of people across the country, many of them elderly or otherwise vulnerable, sent checks that were deposited into accounts opened under the fake psychic names and then moved overseas, collecting more than 4 million dollars over several years. No real windfall, inheritance, or prize ever requires you to pay money up front to receive it. If a letter like this arrives, the safe move is to slow down, do not mail a check or payment, and talk it over with a family member or call the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov before responding.
Read at JNS →IV. Learn More: West Virginia Scam Prevention Guides
Explore West Virginia-specific guides on the most common scams targeting seniors in your state:
- Tech Support Scams in West Virginia — Learn to recognize fake pop-ups, phone calls, and remote access schemes.
- Investment Scams in West Virginia — Protect your retirement savings from fraudulent advisors and crypto scams.
- Romance Scams in West Virginia — Spot the warning signs of fake online relationships designed to steal money.
- Government Impersonation Scams in West Virginia — Know what real government agencies will never ask you to do.
- How to Report Scams in West Virginia — 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.
See how West Virginia compares. Curious where West Virginia 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.