| State | Victims (60+) | Losses (60+) | 5-Yr Growth (2021→2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 22,157 | $1.404 billion | +339% |
| Florida | 17,147 | $709.8 million | +322% |
| Texas | 14,410 | $678.5 million | +445% |
| New York | 8,537 | $408.7 million | +214% |
| Arizona | 9,834 | $343.9 million | +672% |
| New Jersey | 4,111 | $249.8 million | +298% |
| Georgia (highest growth) | 4,865 | $218.2 million | +747% |
| Pennsylvania | 7,088 | $215.8 million | +271% |
| Vermont (lowest absolute) | 436 | $8.5 million | +165% |
Downloadable datasets
Free for use in journalism. Anonymized (no victim or defendant names) where applicable. Last regenerated 2026-05-18. License: use freely for reporting; please cite “HCSK Inc., compiled from public DOJ press releases and news monitoring” and link to this page.
- hcsk-elder-fraud-key-stats-2025.csv — 26 headline statistics with primary source, URL, and year
- hcsk-doj-elder-fraud-cases-2025-2026.csv — 49 federal elder-fraud prosecutions tracked Aug 2025 — Apr 2026, with outcome, scheme, district, sentence (when disclosed), loss (when disclosed), and direct DOJ press-release URL
- hcsk-state-elder-fraud-cases.csv — 71 state-identifiable elder-fraud cases reported in US news outlets, with date, state, loss (when disclosed), outlet, and source URL
Each row in the case datasets above links to the original news outlet or DOJ press release for verification. Where the original outlet named the victim or defendant, we have removed those names from our dataset but the source link goes to the original (named) coverage if you need that detail for your reporting.
Visualizations — embed code
Our DOJ Elder Fraud Prosecutions Tracker can be embedded in your story via iframe. Suggested embed:
<iframe src="https://seniors.hcsk.org/doj-elder-fraud-prosecutions-tracker/?embed=1"
width="100%" height="640" frameborder="0"
title="DOJ Elder Fraud Prosecutions Tracker (HCSK)"></iframe>
Static chart images (PNG, 1200×800) are available on request via [email protected]. Please include the chart name and your publication’s logo specs.
Quotable, on-the-record statements from named officials
The statements below are from public press releases, public service announcements, or on-record interviews with named federal and state officials. They are quotable in news reporting with the attribution provided. Each item links to the original public source.
On the Phantom Hacker scam (multi-phase fake-FBI imposter scheme)
“Victims often suffer the loss of entire banking, savings, retirement, or investment accounts under the guise of ‘protecting’ their assets.”
— FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, Public Service Announcement (2025). FBI IC3 PSAs.
“They sound very legitimate, and when somebody — a victim — believes their account’s in jeopardy, they’re willing to take steps that they probably wouldn’t take if they thought it through.”
— FBI Special Agent Charles Johnston, Cleveland FBI, in an on-camera interview about the Phantom Hacker scam, October 2025. As reported by AOL.
On the scale and growth of elder fraud
“These attacks are not just simple phone calls or phishing emails — they’re complex operations that involve multiple impersonators, spoofed phone numbers, and coordinated follow-ups. Seniors are being tricked into believing they’re protecting their money, when in reality they’re handing it straight to criminals.”
— Scott Davis, Chairman, Cybersecurity Association of Pennsylvania, public interview, August 2025. As reported by AOL.
“The people who do this, they know how much to feed you to get to the next step.”
— Michael Dana, retired Dallas Police Department financial-crimes investigator, on the multi-phase grooming pattern in fake-FBI scams, December 2025. As reported by WFAA News.
On state-level enforcement
“This case should serve as a warning to any individuals who intend on financially harming Iowans. The Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau, along with other law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively combat scams involving securities and insurance related products across the State of Iowa.”
— Doug Ommen, Iowa Insurance Commissioner, on a successful sting operation, February 2026. Iowa Insurance Division press release.
“We want San Diegans across this county to understand the scope of the threat and provide strategies on protecting yourself and your family and loved ones.”
— Summer Stephan, San Diego County District Attorney, on the launch of the “Stop. Hang Up. Tell Someone.” public-education campaign, November 2025. As reported by CBS 8 News.
Story angles for journalists
From our news-monitoring system (1,919 articles indexed Aug 2025 — May 2026 from US, Canadian, and selected international outlets), we are tracking these story angles. Each is supported by multiple primary sources and could anchor an original investigation or feature.
- The “gold bar” laundering chain. Scammers are increasingly instructing victims to convert savings into physical gold bars handed to a courier. Multiple federal prosecutions (Florida, Iowa, Texas, Massachusetts) and at least $55M traced to two Texas jewelry stores in a single investigation. Sources: DOJ press releases plus local news.
- Recovery scams as the second wave. $540M lost in 2025 alone to scammers who pose as Treasury, FBI, or law firms offering to recover money already stolen. Victim lists are reportedly sold between criminal groups. Our Recovery Stories page tracks the pattern.
- Phantom Hacker / Digital Arrest convergence. The US “Phantom Hacker” scheme and the India-origin “Digital Arrest” scheme are converging in methodology — sustained calls or video calls, impersonation of multiple agencies, isolation tactics. The pattern is spreading from India to North America. See our Phantom Hacker pillar.
- Bank-side intervention gap. Some Manhattan-Township, Illinois sting cases were stopped because a bank teller noticed repeated suspicious withdrawals. Other cases — including a publicly reported case in which Canadian banks allowed an 89-year-old to drain $1.7 million over multiple visits — show the inconsistency of bank-side flagging. Public data on bank-side scam interception by institution would be a major investigative contribution.
- The “courier” pickup boom. Cash and gold being picked up at the victim’s house, in parking lots, or at assisted-living facilities — a federal courier case out of the Northern District of Florida (a courier driving across the state at least six times in eight days). The DOJ prosecutorial wave on couriers/money mules is a tractable story.
- The “your money is at the Federal Reserve” lie. Multiple cases involve scammers telling seniors that the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Treasury, or the FTC holds personal “safekeeping accounts” for citizens. None do. The persistence of this specific lie across cases makes it a useful framing for a debunking piece.
- Rural and Tribal underreporting. States with the largest 5-year growth (Georgia +747%, Arizona +672%) have very large rural populations. Coverage of how rural Adult Protective Services, sheriff’s departments, and senior centers handle scams in low-population counties is sparse in our corpus and worth investigating.
Federal agency contacts (for journalist outreach)
| Agency | Press contact path | Hotline / portal |
|---|---|---|
| FBI — Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) | Public Affairs — field-office press contacts at fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices | ic3.gov reporting |
| FTC — Bureau of Consumer Protection | Office of Public Affairs [email protected] | reportfraud.ftc.gov |
| DOJ — Office of Public Affairs | justice.gov/opa · [email protected] for OPA | DOJ Elder Justice Initiative: justice.gov/elderjustice |
| DOJ National Elder Fraud Hotline | Hotline staff can refer journalists to relevant US Attorney offices | 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) |
| U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging | aging.senate.gov press contact | Senate Fraud Hotline: 1-855-303-9470 |
| FinCEN — Financial Crimes Enforcement Network | fincen.gov/news/press-releases | SAR data is FOIA-requestable in aggregate |
| CFPB — Consumer Financial Protection Bureau | CFPB Office of External Affairs | consumerfinance.gov |
| SSA Office of the Inspector General | oig.ssa.gov press contact | 1-800-269-0271 · oig.ssa.gov/report |
| U.S. Secret Service — financial crimes investigations | secretservice.gov/contact | Elder Fraud page: secretservice.gov/investigations/elderfraud · USSS Elder Fraud Advisory (April 2026 PDF) |
| USPIS — U.S. Postal Inspection Service | uspis.gov press contact | 1-877-876-2455 |
Common myths to avoid repeating
These claims appear regularly in scam coverage but are inaccurate, outdated, or misattributed. We flag them here so journalists do not propagate them.
- “Real federal agencies do not call.” Real federal agencies can and sometimes do call — particularly when there is an active case. The more precise red flag is an unexpected call demanding immediate payment or asking for personal data. Phrase: “Real federal agencies do not unexpectedly call demanding payment.”
- “Elder fraud only affects people with cognitive decline.” Multiple federal officials and our corpus show victims include retired lawyers, engineers, teachers, and law-enforcement officers. Cognitive decline is one risk factor; isolation, authority manipulation, and sustained pressure are bigger ones.
- “Scam money is always gone forever.” Inaccurate. Court-ordered restitution, federal asset forfeiture, bank-side wire reversal, and law-enforcement intervention can return funds in some cases. See our Recovery Success Stories page.
- “AI is causing the scam surge.” Partially. AI is amplifying existing scams (voice cloning in romance and grandparent scams; deepfake video in business-email compromise). But the FBI’s own data show much of the elder-fraud growth is from investment scams (pig-butchering) and tech-support / Phantom Hacker schemes, which are not primarily AI-driven.
- “All scam call centers are in [single country].” Federal cases trace operations to Cambodia (compound-based pig-butchering), India (digital arrest), Jamaica (lottery), Nigeria (romance), the Dominican Republic (extradited romance defendants), and China (recent multi-million-dollar tech-support cases). Single-country framing is not supported by the data.
- “Older victims are more gullible.” FTC and academic research find that younger people are more likely to report being scammed at all; older people lose more money per scam when they are. The framing is about loss severity, not gullibility.
Methodology and our limitations
We aggregate primary federal data and public news coverage. We do not collect personal data on victims or scammers. We do not estimate losses ourselves — every dollar amount on this page is either reported directly by a federal agency or quoted from a news outlet citing federal data.
Known limitations:
- FBI IC3 data is self-reported and represents only what victims have chosen to file. The FTC’s December 2025 Older Adults Report estimates the actual annual cost of elder fraud is many times the reported amount — $10.1 billion to $81.5 billion. FBI loss figures should be read as a floor, not a ceiling.
- State-level FBI breakdowns reflect where victims live, not where scammers operate from. Most large scams are operated outside the US.
- Our DOJ tracker is built by monitoring publicly issued DOJ press releases from US Attorney’s offices. Federal cases that are sealed or that do not generate press releases are not captured.
- Our news-coverage dataset is biased toward outlets we monitor; some regional cases may not appear. We monitor approximately 60 US, Canadian, and selected international outlets.
- “5-year growth” comparisons span 2021–2025 and reflect IC3 reporting changes during that period; some growth is real, some is improved reporting infrastructure.
If you need a deeper methodology brief or have a specific data question, [email protected]. We will respond within 24 hours on business days with primary sources cited.
About HCSK Inc.
HCSK Inc. is a U.S. nonprofit reference site for online scams targeting older adults. We do not sell anti-scam software, do not run a victim-recovery service, do not solicit donations from victims, and do not run advertising on our pages. Our editorial team has backgrounds in cybersecurity and AI. We rely on primary federal data and publicly reported cases; we do not commission proprietary surveys or “industry” research.
Our full press page, including our fact-checking pledge and the topics we can comment on, is at /for-press/.
| Scam type | 2025 losses (60+) | YoY change | Our pillar page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investment Scams (incl. pig butchering) | $3.519 billion | +92% | Investment scams |
| Tech & Customer Support | $1.041 billion | +6% | Tech support |
| Confidence / Romance Scams | $584.0 million | +50% | Romance scams |
| Business Email Compromise (BEC) | $568.0 million | +48% | — |
| Government Impersonation Scams | $413.2 million | +99% | Gov. impersonation |
| Personal Data Breach | $324.5 million | +28% | — |
| Lottery / Sweepstakes / Inheritance | $136.3 million | +80% | Lottery scams |
| Extortion (incl. sextortion) | $54.3 million | +118% | Extortion scams |
Cryptocurrency note (cuts across categories): Cryptocurrency-flagged complaints by 60+ victims reached 42,271 in 2025, with $4.347 billion in losses. Adults 60 and over accounted for 38% of all crypto fraud losses ($4.347B of $11.37B) in 2025 despite filing only 23% of crypto complaints. Source: FBI IC3 2025.
AI note (cuts across categories): The FBI received 22,364 complaints in 2025 citing AI as a tool used in the fraud (all ages), totalling $893 million in losses. Voice cloning and deepfake video are most commonly cited in romance and government-impersonation scam reports. Source: FBI IC3 2025.
Geographic distribution (top states by 2025 60+ losses)
| State | Victims (60+) | Losses (60+) | 5-Yr Growth (2021→2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 22,157 | $1.404 billion | +339% |
| Florida | 17,147 | $709.8 million | +322% |
| Texas | 14,410 | $678.5 million | +445% |
| New York | 8,537 | $408.7 million | +214% |
| Arizona | 9,834 | $343.9 million | +672% |
| New Jersey | 4,111 | $249.8 million | +298% |
| Georgia (highest growth) | 4,865 | $218.2 million | +747% |
| Pennsylvania | 7,088 | $215.8 million | +271% |
| Vermont (lowest absolute) | 436 | $8.5 million | +165% |
Downloadable datasets
Free for use in journalism. Anonymized (no victim or defendant names) where applicable. Last regenerated 2026-05-18. License: use freely for reporting; please cite “HCSK Inc., compiled from public DOJ press releases and news monitoring” and link to this page.
- hcsk-elder-fraud-key-stats-2025.csv — 26 headline statistics with primary source, URL, and year
- hcsk-doj-elder-fraud-cases-2025-2026.csv — 49 federal elder-fraud prosecutions tracked Aug 2025 — Apr 2026, with outcome, scheme, district, sentence (when disclosed), loss (when disclosed), and direct DOJ press-release URL
- hcsk-state-elder-fraud-cases.csv — 71 state-identifiable elder-fraud cases reported in US news outlets, with date, state, loss (when disclosed), outlet, and source URL
Each row in the case datasets above links to the original news outlet or DOJ press release for verification. Where the original outlet named the victim or defendant, we have removed those names from our dataset but the source link goes to the original (named) coverage if you need that detail for your reporting.
Visualizations — embed code
Our DOJ Elder Fraud Prosecutions Tracker can be embedded in your story via iframe. Suggested embed:
<iframe src="https://seniors.hcsk.org/doj-elder-fraud-prosecutions-tracker/?embed=1"
width="100%" height="640" frameborder="0"
title="DOJ Elder Fraud Prosecutions Tracker (HCSK)"></iframe>
Static chart images (PNG, 1200×800) are available on request via [email protected]. Please include the chart name and your publication’s logo specs.
Quotable, on-the-record statements from named officials
The statements below are from public press releases, public service announcements, or on-record interviews with named federal and state officials. They are quotable in news reporting with the attribution provided. Each item links to the original public source.
On the Phantom Hacker scam (multi-phase fake-FBI imposter scheme)
“Victims often suffer the loss of entire banking, savings, retirement, or investment accounts under the guise of ‘protecting’ their assets.”
— FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, Public Service Announcement (2025). FBI IC3 PSAs.
“They sound very legitimate, and when somebody — a victim — believes their account’s in jeopardy, they’re willing to take steps that they probably wouldn’t take if they thought it through.”
— FBI Special Agent Charles Johnston, Cleveland FBI, in an on-camera interview about the Phantom Hacker scam, October 2025. As reported by AOL.
On the scale and growth of elder fraud
“These attacks are not just simple phone calls or phishing emails — they’re complex operations that involve multiple impersonators, spoofed phone numbers, and coordinated follow-ups. Seniors are being tricked into believing they’re protecting their money, when in reality they’re handing it straight to criminals.”
— Scott Davis, Chairman, Cybersecurity Association of Pennsylvania, public interview, August 2025. As reported by AOL.
“The people who do this, they know how much to feed you to get to the next step.”
— Michael Dana, retired Dallas Police Department financial-crimes investigator, on the multi-phase grooming pattern in fake-FBI scams, December 2025. As reported by WFAA News.
On state-level enforcement
“This case should serve as a warning to any individuals who intend on financially harming Iowans. The Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau, along with other law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively combat scams involving securities and insurance related products across the State of Iowa.”
— Doug Ommen, Iowa Insurance Commissioner, on a successful sting operation, February 2026. Iowa Insurance Division press release.
“We want San Diegans across this county to understand the scope of the threat and provide strategies on protecting yourself and your family and loved ones.”
— Summer Stephan, San Diego County District Attorney, on the launch of the “Stop. Hang Up. Tell Someone.” public-education campaign, November 2025. As reported by CBS 8 News.
Story angles for journalists
From our news-monitoring system (1,919 articles indexed Aug 2025 — May 2026 from US, Canadian, and selected international outlets), we are tracking these story angles. Each is supported by multiple primary sources and could anchor an original investigation or feature.
- The “gold bar” laundering chain. Scammers are increasingly instructing victims to convert savings into physical gold bars handed to a courier. Multiple federal prosecutions (Florida, Iowa, Texas, Massachusetts) and at least $55M traced to two Texas jewelry stores in a single investigation. Sources: DOJ press releases plus local news.
- Recovery scams as the second wave. $540M lost in 2025 alone to scammers who pose as Treasury, FBI, or law firms offering to recover money already stolen. Victim lists are reportedly sold between criminal groups. Our Recovery Stories page tracks the pattern.
- Phantom Hacker / Digital Arrest convergence. The US “Phantom Hacker” scheme and the India-origin “Digital Arrest” scheme are converging in methodology — sustained calls or video calls, impersonation of multiple agencies, isolation tactics. The pattern is spreading from India to North America. See our Phantom Hacker pillar.
- Bank-side intervention gap. Some Manhattan-Township, Illinois sting cases were stopped because a bank teller noticed repeated suspicious withdrawals. Other cases — including a publicly reported case in which Canadian banks allowed an 89-year-old to drain $1.7 million over multiple visits — show the inconsistency of bank-side flagging. Public data on bank-side scam interception by institution would be a major investigative contribution.
- The “courier” pickup boom. Cash and gold being picked up at the victim’s house, in parking lots, or at assisted-living facilities — a federal courier case out of the Northern District of Florida (a courier driving across the state at least six times in eight days). The DOJ prosecutorial wave on couriers/money mules is a tractable story.
- The “your money is at the Federal Reserve” lie. Multiple cases involve scammers telling seniors that the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Treasury, or the FTC holds personal “safekeeping accounts” for citizens. None do. The persistence of this specific lie across cases makes it a useful framing for a debunking piece.
- Rural and Tribal underreporting. States with the largest 5-year growth (Georgia +747%, Arizona +672%) have very large rural populations. Coverage of how rural Adult Protective Services, sheriff’s departments, and senior centers handle scams in low-population counties is sparse in our corpus and worth investigating.
Federal agency contacts (for journalist outreach)
| Agency | Press contact path | Hotline / portal |
|---|---|---|
| FBI — Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) | Public Affairs — field-office press contacts at fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices | ic3.gov reporting |
| FTC — Bureau of Consumer Protection | Office of Public Affairs [email protected] | reportfraud.ftc.gov |
| DOJ — Office of Public Affairs | justice.gov/opa · [email protected] for OPA | DOJ Elder Justice Initiative: justice.gov/elderjustice |
| DOJ National Elder Fraud Hotline | Hotline staff can refer journalists to relevant US Attorney offices | 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) |
| U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging | aging.senate.gov press contact | Senate Fraud Hotline: 1-855-303-9470 |
| FinCEN — Financial Crimes Enforcement Network | fincen.gov/news/press-releases | SAR data is FOIA-requestable in aggregate |
| CFPB — Consumer Financial Protection Bureau | CFPB Office of External Affairs | consumerfinance.gov |
| SSA Office of the Inspector General | oig.ssa.gov press contact | 1-800-269-0271 · oig.ssa.gov/report |
| U.S. Secret Service — financial crimes investigations | secretservice.gov/contact | Elder Fraud page: secretservice.gov/investigations/elderfraud · USSS Elder Fraud Advisory (April 2026 PDF) |
| USPIS — U.S. Postal Inspection Service | uspis.gov press contact | 1-877-876-2455 |
Common myths to avoid repeating
These claims appear regularly in scam coverage but are inaccurate, outdated, or misattributed. We flag them here so journalists do not propagate them.
- “Real federal agencies do not call.” Real federal agencies can and sometimes do call — particularly when there is an active case. The more precise red flag is an unexpected call demanding immediate payment or asking for personal data. Phrase: “Real federal agencies do not unexpectedly call demanding payment.”
- “Elder fraud only affects people with cognitive decline.” Multiple federal officials and our corpus show victims include retired lawyers, engineers, teachers, and law-enforcement officers. Cognitive decline is one risk factor; isolation, authority manipulation, and sustained pressure are bigger ones.
- “Scam money is always gone forever.” Inaccurate. Court-ordered restitution, federal asset forfeiture, bank-side wire reversal, and law-enforcement intervention can return funds in some cases. See our Recovery Success Stories page.
- “AI is causing the scam surge.” Partially. AI is amplifying existing scams (voice cloning in romance and grandparent scams; deepfake video in business-email compromise). But the FBI’s own data show much of the elder-fraud growth is from investment scams (pig-butchering) and tech-support / Phantom Hacker schemes, which are not primarily AI-driven.
- “All scam call centers are in [single country].” Federal cases trace operations to Cambodia (compound-based pig-butchering), India (digital arrest), Jamaica (lottery), Nigeria (romance), the Dominican Republic (extradited romance defendants), and China (recent multi-million-dollar tech-support cases). Single-country framing is not supported by the data.
- “Older victims are more gullible.” FTC and academic research find that younger people are more likely to report being scammed at all; older people lose more money per scam when they are. The framing is about loss severity, not gullibility.
Methodology and our limitations
We aggregate primary federal data and public news coverage. We do not collect personal data on victims or scammers. We do not estimate losses ourselves — every dollar amount on this page is either reported directly by a federal agency or quoted from a news outlet citing federal data.
Known limitations:
- FBI IC3 data is self-reported and represents only what victims have chosen to file. The FTC’s December 2025 Older Adults Report estimates the actual annual cost of elder fraud is many times the reported amount — $10.1 billion to $81.5 billion. FBI loss figures should be read as a floor, not a ceiling.
- State-level FBI breakdowns reflect where victims live, not where scammers operate from. Most large scams are operated outside the US.
- Our DOJ tracker is built by monitoring publicly issued DOJ press releases from US Attorney’s offices. Federal cases that are sealed or that do not generate press releases are not captured.
- Our news-coverage dataset is biased toward outlets we monitor; some regional cases may not appear. We monitor approximately 60 US, Canadian, and selected international outlets.
- “5-year growth” comparisons span 2021–2025 and reflect IC3 reporting changes during that period; some growth is real, some is improved reporting infrastructure.
If you need a deeper methodology brief or have a specific data question, [email protected]. We will respond within 24 hours on business days with primary sources cited.
About HCSK Inc.
HCSK Inc. is a U.S. nonprofit reference site for online scams targeting older adults. We do not sell anti-scam software, do not run a victim-recovery service, do not solicit donations from victims, and do not run advertising on our pages. Our editorial team has backgrounds in cybersecurity and AI. We rely on primary federal data and publicly reported cases; we do not commission proprietary surveys or “industry” research.
Our full press page, including our fact-checking pledge and the topics we can comment on, is at /for-press/.
| Year | Complaints (60+) | Losses (60+) | YoY change | Primary source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 105,301 | ~$966 million | — | 2020 IC3 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) |
| 2021 | 92,371 | $1,685,017,829 | +74% | 2021 IC3 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) |
| 2022 | 88,262 | $3,098,100,121 | +84% | 2022 IC3 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) |
| 2023 | 101,068 | $3,427,717,654 | +11% | 2023 IC3 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) |
| 2024 | 147,127 | $4.885 billion | +43% | 2024 IC3 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) |
| 2025 | 201,266 | $7.748 billion | +59% | 2025 IC3 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) |
Five-year compound growth in reported elder fraud losses (60+): from $1.685 billion in 2021 to $7.748 billion in 2025 = +360%. Our complete breakdown by crime type and state is on the public Elder Fraud Statistics & Research page.
Top scam categories by 2025 losses (60+)
| Scam type | 2025 losses (60+) | YoY change | Our pillar page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investment Scams (incl. pig butchering) | $3.519 billion | +92% | Investment scams |
| Tech & Customer Support | $1.041 billion | +6% | Tech support |
| Confidence / Romance Scams | $584.0 million | +50% | Romance scams |
| Business Email Compromise (BEC) | $568.0 million | +48% | — |
| Government Impersonation Scams | $413.2 million | +99% | Gov. impersonation |
| Personal Data Breach | $324.5 million | +28% | — |
| Lottery / Sweepstakes / Inheritance | $136.3 million | +80% | Lottery scams |
| Extortion (incl. sextortion) | $54.3 million | +118% | Extortion scams |
Cryptocurrency note (cuts across categories): Cryptocurrency-flagged complaints by 60+ victims reached 42,271 in 2025, with $4.347 billion in losses. Adults 60 and over accounted for 38% of all crypto fraud losses ($4.347B of $11.37B) in 2025 despite filing only 23% of crypto complaints. Source: FBI IC3 2025.
AI note (cuts across categories): The FBI received 22,364 complaints in 2025 citing AI as a tool used in the fraud (all ages), totalling $893 million in losses. Voice cloning and deepfake video are most commonly cited in romance and government-impersonation scam reports. Source: FBI IC3 2025.
Geographic distribution (top states by 2025 60+ losses)
| State | Victims (60+) | Losses (60+) | 5-Yr Growth (2021→2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 22,157 | $1.404 billion | +339% |
| Florida | 17,147 | $709.8 million | +322% |
| Texas | 14,410 | $678.5 million | +445% |
| New York | 8,537 | $408.7 million | +214% |
| Arizona | 9,834 | $343.9 million | +672% |
| New Jersey | 4,111 | $249.8 million | +298% |
| Georgia (highest growth) | 4,865 | $218.2 million | +747% |
| Pennsylvania | 7,088 | $215.8 million | +271% |
| Vermont (lowest absolute) | 436 | $8.5 million | +165% |
Downloadable datasets
Free for use in journalism. Anonymized (no victim or defendant names) where applicable. Last regenerated 2026-05-18. License: use freely for reporting; please cite “HCSK Inc., compiled from public DOJ press releases and news monitoring” and link to this page.
- hcsk-elder-fraud-key-stats-2025.csv — 26 headline statistics with primary source, URL, and year
- hcsk-doj-elder-fraud-cases-2025-2026.csv — 49 federal elder-fraud prosecutions tracked Aug 2025 — Apr 2026, with outcome, scheme, district, sentence (when disclosed), loss (when disclosed), and direct DOJ press-release URL
- hcsk-state-elder-fraud-cases.csv — 71 state-identifiable elder-fraud cases reported in US news outlets, with date, state, loss (when disclosed), outlet, and source URL
Each row in the case datasets above links to the original news outlet or DOJ press release for verification. Where the original outlet named the victim or defendant, we have removed those names from our dataset but the source link goes to the original (named) coverage if you need that detail for your reporting.
Visualizations — embed code
Our DOJ Elder Fraud Prosecutions Tracker can be embedded in your story via iframe. Suggested embed:
<iframe src="https://seniors.hcsk.org/doj-elder-fraud-prosecutions-tracker/?embed=1"
width="100%" height="640" frameborder="0"
title="DOJ Elder Fraud Prosecutions Tracker (HCSK)"></iframe>
Static chart images (PNG, 1200×800) are available on request via [email protected]. Please include the chart name and your publication’s logo specs.
Quotable, on-the-record statements from named officials
The statements below are from public press releases, public service announcements, or on-record interviews with named federal and state officials. They are quotable in news reporting with the attribution provided. Each item links to the original public source.
On the Phantom Hacker scam (multi-phase fake-FBI imposter scheme)
“Victims often suffer the loss of entire banking, savings, retirement, or investment accounts under the guise of ‘protecting’ their assets.”
— FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, Public Service Announcement (2025). FBI IC3 PSAs.
“They sound very legitimate, and when somebody — a victim — believes their account’s in jeopardy, they’re willing to take steps that they probably wouldn’t take if they thought it through.”
— FBI Special Agent Charles Johnston, Cleveland FBI, in an on-camera interview about the Phantom Hacker scam, October 2025. As reported by AOL.
On the scale and growth of elder fraud
“These attacks are not just simple phone calls or phishing emails — they’re complex operations that involve multiple impersonators, spoofed phone numbers, and coordinated follow-ups. Seniors are being tricked into believing they’re protecting their money, when in reality they’re handing it straight to criminals.”
— Scott Davis, Chairman, Cybersecurity Association of Pennsylvania, public interview, August 2025. As reported by AOL.
“The people who do this, they know how much to feed you to get to the next step.”
— Michael Dana, retired Dallas Police Department financial-crimes investigator, on the multi-phase grooming pattern in fake-FBI scams, December 2025. As reported by WFAA News.
On state-level enforcement
“This case should serve as a warning to any individuals who intend on financially harming Iowans. The Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau, along with other law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively combat scams involving securities and insurance related products across the State of Iowa.”
— Doug Ommen, Iowa Insurance Commissioner, on a successful sting operation, February 2026. Iowa Insurance Division press release.
“We want San Diegans across this county to understand the scope of the threat and provide strategies on protecting yourself and your family and loved ones.”
— Summer Stephan, San Diego County District Attorney, on the launch of the “Stop. Hang Up. Tell Someone.” public-education campaign, November 2025. As reported by CBS 8 News.
Story angles for journalists
From our news-monitoring system (1,919 articles indexed Aug 2025 — May 2026 from US, Canadian, and selected international outlets), we are tracking these story angles. Each is supported by multiple primary sources and could anchor an original investigation or feature.
- The “gold bar” laundering chain. Scammers are increasingly instructing victims to convert savings into physical gold bars handed to a courier. Multiple federal prosecutions (Florida, Iowa, Texas, Massachusetts) and at least $55M traced to two Texas jewelry stores in a single investigation. Sources: DOJ press releases plus local news.
- Recovery scams as the second wave. $540M lost in 2025 alone to scammers who pose as Treasury, FBI, or law firms offering to recover money already stolen. Victim lists are reportedly sold between criminal groups. Our Recovery Stories page tracks the pattern.
- Phantom Hacker / Digital Arrest convergence. The US “Phantom Hacker” scheme and the India-origin “Digital Arrest” scheme are converging in methodology — sustained calls or video calls, impersonation of multiple agencies, isolation tactics. The pattern is spreading from India to North America. See our Phantom Hacker pillar.
- Bank-side intervention gap. Some Manhattan-Township, Illinois sting cases were stopped because a bank teller noticed repeated suspicious withdrawals. Other cases — including a publicly reported case in which Canadian banks allowed an 89-year-old to drain $1.7 million over multiple visits — show the inconsistency of bank-side flagging. Public data on bank-side scam interception by institution would be a major investigative contribution.
- The “courier” pickup boom. Cash and gold being picked up at the victim’s house, in parking lots, or at assisted-living facilities — a federal courier case out of the Northern District of Florida (a courier driving across the state at least six times in eight days). The DOJ prosecutorial wave on couriers/money mules is a tractable story.
- The “your money is at the Federal Reserve” lie. Multiple cases involve scammers telling seniors that the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Treasury, or the FTC holds personal “safekeeping accounts” for citizens. None do. The persistence of this specific lie across cases makes it a useful framing for a debunking piece.
- Rural and Tribal underreporting. States with the largest 5-year growth (Georgia +747%, Arizona +672%) have very large rural populations. Coverage of how rural Adult Protective Services, sheriff’s departments, and senior centers handle scams in low-population counties is sparse in our corpus and worth investigating.
Federal agency contacts (for journalist outreach)
| Agency | Press contact path | Hotline / portal |
|---|---|---|
| FBI — Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) | Public Affairs — field-office press contacts at fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices | ic3.gov reporting |
| FTC — Bureau of Consumer Protection | Office of Public Affairs [email protected] | reportfraud.ftc.gov |
| DOJ — Office of Public Affairs | justice.gov/opa · [email protected] for OPA | DOJ Elder Justice Initiative: justice.gov/elderjustice |
| DOJ National Elder Fraud Hotline | Hotline staff can refer journalists to relevant US Attorney offices | 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) |
| U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging | aging.senate.gov press contact | Senate Fraud Hotline: 1-855-303-9470 |
| FinCEN — Financial Crimes Enforcement Network | fincen.gov/news/press-releases | SAR data is FOIA-requestable in aggregate |
| CFPB — Consumer Financial Protection Bureau | CFPB Office of External Affairs | consumerfinance.gov |
| SSA Office of the Inspector General | oig.ssa.gov press contact | 1-800-269-0271 · oig.ssa.gov/report |
| U.S. Secret Service — financial crimes investigations | secretservice.gov/contact | Elder Fraud page: secretservice.gov/investigations/elderfraud · USSS Elder Fraud Advisory (April 2026 PDF) |
| USPIS — U.S. Postal Inspection Service | uspis.gov press contact | 1-877-876-2455 |
Common myths to avoid repeating
These claims appear regularly in scam coverage but are inaccurate, outdated, or misattributed. We flag them here so journalists do not propagate them.
- “Real federal agencies do not call.” Real federal agencies can and sometimes do call — particularly when there is an active case. The more precise red flag is an unexpected call demanding immediate payment or asking for personal data. Phrase: “Real federal agencies do not unexpectedly call demanding payment.”
- “Elder fraud only affects people with cognitive decline.” Multiple federal officials and our corpus show victims include retired lawyers, engineers, teachers, and law-enforcement officers. Cognitive decline is one risk factor; isolation, authority manipulation, and sustained pressure are bigger ones.
- “Scam money is always gone forever.” Inaccurate. Court-ordered restitution, federal asset forfeiture, bank-side wire reversal, and law-enforcement intervention can return funds in some cases. See our Recovery Success Stories page.
- “AI is causing the scam surge.” Partially. AI is amplifying existing scams (voice cloning in romance and grandparent scams; deepfake video in business-email compromise). But the FBI’s own data show much of the elder-fraud growth is from investment scams (pig-butchering) and tech-support / Phantom Hacker schemes, which are not primarily AI-driven.
- “All scam call centers are in [single country].” Federal cases trace operations to Cambodia (compound-based pig-butchering), India (digital arrest), Jamaica (lottery), Nigeria (romance), the Dominican Republic (extradited romance defendants), and China (recent multi-million-dollar tech-support cases). Single-country framing is not supported by the data.
- “Older victims are more gullible.” FTC and academic research find that younger people are more likely to report being scammed at all; older people lose more money per scam when they are. The framing is about loss severity, not gullibility.
Methodology and our limitations
We aggregate primary federal data and public news coverage. We do not collect personal data on victims or scammers. We do not estimate losses ourselves — every dollar amount on this page is either reported directly by a federal agency or quoted from a news outlet citing federal data.
Known limitations:
- FBI IC3 data is self-reported and represents only what victims have chosen to file. The FTC’s December 2025 Older Adults Report estimates the actual annual cost of elder fraud is many times the reported amount — $10.1 billion to $81.5 billion. FBI loss figures should be read as a floor, not a ceiling.
- State-level FBI breakdowns reflect where victims live, not where scammers operate from. Most large scams are operated outside the US.
- Our DOJ tracker is built by monitoring publicly issued DOJ press releases from US Attorney’s offices. Federal cases that are sealed or that do not generate press releases are not captured.
- Our news-coverage dataset is biased toward outlets we monitor; some regional cases may not appear. We monitor approximately 60 US, Canadian, and selected international outlets.
- “5-year growth” comparisons span 2021–2025 and reflect IC3 reporting changes during that period; some growth is real, some is improved reporting infrastructure.
If you need a deeper methodology brief or have a specific data question, [email protected]. We will respond within 24 hours on business days with primary sources cited.
About HCSK Inc.
HCSK Inc. is a U.S. nonprofit reference site for online scams targeting older adults. We do not sell anti-scam software, do not run a victim-recovery service, do not solicit donations from victims, and do not run advertising on our pages. Our editorial team has backgrounds in cybersecurity and AI. We rely on primary federal data and publicly reported cases; we do not commission proprietary surveys or “industry” research.
Our full press page, including our fact-checking pledge and the topics we can comment on, is at /for-press/.
| Statistic | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total elder fraud losses (60+), 2025 | $7.748 billion | FBI IC3 Elder Fraud Annual Report 2025 |
| Total elder fraud complaints (60+), 2025 | 201,266 | FBI IC3 Elder Fraud Annual Report 2025 |
| YoY change in elder fraud losses, 2024 → 2025 | +59% | FBI IC3 Elder Fraud Annual Report 2025 |
| Average reported loss per elder fraud complaint | $38,500 | FBI IC3 Elder Fraud Annual Report 2025 |
| Elder victims losing more than $100,000 each | 12,444 | FBI IC3 Elder Fraud Annual Report 2025 |
| Median loss per 60+ FTC fraud report, 2024 | $900 | FTC Protecting Older Consumers 2024-2025 Report |
| FTC estimated true annual cost of elder fraud | $10.1B — $81.5B | FTC Protecting Older Consumers 2024-2025 Report |
| DOJ federal elder fraud prosecutions (EAPPA 2025) | 283 actions, 608 defendants | DOJ Elder Justice Initiative Annual Report 2025 |
| Total stolen by prosecuted DOJ elder-fraud cases (EAPPA 2025) | $2.36 billion | DOJ Elder Justice Initiative Annual Report 2025 |
| Phantom Hacker scam losses (FBI estimate, single year) | $1+ billion | FBI Public Service Announcement, 2025 |
Primary sources (verify any number): FBI IC3 2025 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) · FTC Protecting Older Consumers 2024-2025 Report · DOJ Elder Justice Initiative · FBI IC3 Public Service Announcements.
Five-year trend lines (60+, US total)
Year-over-year elder fraud losses reported to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), for victims age 60 and older. Each figure is verified against the primary FBI IC3 Annual Elder Fraud Report PDF for that year (linked below).
| Year | Complaints (60+) | Losses (60+) | YoY change | Primary source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 105,301 | ~$966 million | — | 2020 IC3 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) |
| 2021 | 92,371 | $1,685,017,829 | +74% | 2021 IC3 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) |
| 2022 | 88,262 | $3,098,100,121 | +84% | 2022 IC3 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) |
| 2023 | 101,068 | $3,427,717,654 | +11% | 2023 IC3 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) |
| 2024 | 147,127 | $4.885 billion | +43% | 2024 IC3 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) |
| 2025 | 201,266 | $7.748 billion | +59% | 2025 IC3 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) |
Five-year compound growth in reported elder fraud losses (60+): from $1.685 billion in 2021 to $7.748 billion in 2025 = +360%. Our complete breakdown by crime type and state is on the public Elder Fraud Statistics & Research page.
Top scam categories by 2025 losses (60+)
| Scam type | 2025 losses (60+) | YoY change | Our pillar page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investment Scams (incl. pig butchering) | $3.519 billion | +92% | Investment scams |
| Tech & Customer Support | $1.041 billion | +6% | Tech support |
| Confidence / Romance Scams | $584.0 million | +50% | Romance scams |
| Business Email Compromise (BEC) | $568.0 million | +48% | — |
| Government Impersonation Scams | $413.2 million | +99% | Gov. impersonation |
| Personal Data Breach | $324.5 million | +28% | — |
| Lottery / Sweepstakes / Inheritance | $136.3 million | +80% | Lottery scams |
| Extortion (incl. sextortion) | $54.3 million | +118% | Extortion scams |
Cryptocurrency note (cuts across categories): Cryptocurrency-flagged complaints by 60+ victims reached 42,271 in 2025, with $4.347 billion in losses. Adults 60 and over accounted for 38% of all crypto fraud losses ($4.347B of $11.37B) in 2025 despite filing only 23% of crypto complaints. Source: FBI IC3 2025.
AI note (cuts across categories): The FBI received 22,364 complaints in 2025 citing AI as a tool used in the fraud (all ages), totalling $893 million in losses. Voice cloning and deepfake video are most commonly cited in romance and government-impersonation scam reports. Source: FBI IC3 2025.
Geographic distribution (top states by 2025 60+ losses)
| State | Victims (60+) | Losses (60+) | 5-Yr Growth (2021→2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 22,157 | $1.404 billion | +339% |
| Florida | 17,147 | $709.8 million | +322% |
| Texas | 14,410 | $678.5 million | +445% |
| New York | 8,537 | $408.7 million | +214% |
| Arizona | 9,834 | $343.9 million | +672% |
| New Jersey | 4,111 | $249.8 million | +298% |
| Georgia (highest growth) | 4,865 | $218.2 million | +747% |
| Pennsylvania | 7,088 | $215.8 million | +271% |
| Vermont (lowest absolute) | 436 | $8.5 million | +165% |
Downloadable datasets
Free for use in journalism. Anonymized (no victim or defendant names) where applicable. Last regenerated 2026-05-18. License: use freely for reporting; please cite “HCSK Inc., compiled from public DOJ press releases and news monitoring” and link to this page.
- hcsk-elder-fraud-key-stats-2025.csv — 26 headline statistics with primary source, URL, and year
- hcsk-doj-elder-fraud-cases-2025-2026.csv — 49 federal elder-fraud prosecutions tracked Aug 2025 — Apr 2026, with outcome, scheme, district, sentence (when disclosed), loss (when disclosed), and direct DOJ press-release URL
- hcsk-state-elder-fraud-cases.csv — 71 state-identifiable elder-fraud cases reported in US news outlets, with date, state, loss (when disclosed), outlet, and source URL
Each row in the case datasets above links to the original news outlet or DOJ press release for verification. Where the original outlet named the victim or defendant, we have removed those names from our dataset but the source link goes to the original (named) coverage if you need that detail for your reporting.
Visualizations — embed code
Our DOJ Elder Fraud Prosecutions Tracker can be embedded in your story via iframe. Suggested embed:
<iframe src="https://seniors.hcsk.org/doj-elder-fraud-prosecutions-tracker/?embed=1"
width="100%" height="640" frameborder="0"
title="DOJ Elder Fraud Prosecutions Tracker (HCSK)"></iframe>
Static chart images (PNG, 1200×800) are available on request via [email protected]. Please include the chart name and your publication’s logo specs.
Quotable, on-the-record statements from named officials
The statements below are from public press releases, public service announcements, or on-record interviews with named federal and state officials. They are quotable in news reporting with the attribution provided. Each item links to the original public source.
On the Phantom Hacker scam (multi-phase fake-FBI imposter scheme)
“Victims often suffer the loss of entire banking, savings, retirement, or investment accounts under the guise of ‘protecting’ their assets.”
— FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, Public Service Announcement (2025). FBI IC3 PSAs.
“They sound very legitimate, and when somebody — a victim — believes their account’s in jeopardy, they’re willing to take steps that they probably wouldn’t take if they thought it through.”
— FBI Special Agent Charles Johnston, Cleveland FBI, in an on-camera interview about the Phantom Hacker scam, October 2025. As reported by AOL.
On the scale and growth of elder fraud
“These attacks are not just simple phone calls or phishing emails — they’re complex operations that involve multiple impersonators, spoofed phone numbers, and coordinated follow-ups. Seniors are being tricked into believing they’re protecting their money, when in reality they’re handing it straight to criminals.”
— Scott Davis, Chairman, Cybersecurity Association of Pennsylvania, public interview, August 2025. As reported by AOL.
“The people who do this, they know how much to feed you to get to the next step.”
— Michael Dana, retired Dallas Police Department financial-crimes investigator, on the multi-phase grooming pattern in fake-FBI scams, December 2025. As reported by WFAA News.
On state-level enforcement
“This case should serve as a warning to any individuals who intend on financially harming Iowans. The Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau, along with other law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively combat scams involving securities and insurance related products across the State of Iowa.”
— Doug Ommen, Iowa Insurance Commissioner, on a successful sting operation, February 2026. Iowa Insurance Division press release.
“We want San Diegans across this county to understand the scope of the threat and provide strategies on protecting yourself and your family and loved ones.”
— Summer Stephan, San Diego County District Attorney, on the launch of the “Stop. Hang Up. Tell Someone.” public-education campaign, November 2025. As reported by CBS 8 News.
Story angles for journalists
From our news-monitoring system (1,919 articles indexed Aug 2025 — May 2026 from US, Canadian, and selected international outlets), we are tracking these story angles. Each is supported by multiple primary sources and could anchor an original investigation or feature.
- The “gold bar” laundering chain. Scammers are increasingly instructing victims to convert savings into physical gold bars handed to a courier. Multiple federal prosecutions (Florida, Iowa, Texas, Massachusetts) and at least $55M traced to two Texas jewelry stores in a single investigation. Sources: DOJ press releases plus local news.
- Recovery scams as the second wave. $540M lost in 2025 alone to scammers who pose as Treasury, FBI, or law firms offering to recover money already stolen. Victim lists are reportedly sold between criminal groups. Our Recovery Stories page tracks the pattern.
- Phantom Hacker / Digital Arrest convergence. The US “Phantom Hacker” scheme and the India-origin “Digital Arrest” scheme are converging in methodology — sustained calls or video calls, impersonation of multiple agencies, isolation tactics. The pattern is spreading from India to North America. See our Phantom Hacker pillar.
- Bank-side intervention gap. Some Manhattan-Township, Illinois sting cases were stopped because a bank teller noticed repeated suspicious withdrawals. Other cases — including a publicly reported case in which Canadian banks allowed an 89-year-old to drain $1.7 million over multiple visits — show the inconsistency of bank-side flagging. Public data on bank-side scam interception by institution would be a major investigative contribution.
- The “courier” pickup boom. Cash and gold being picked up at the victim’s house, in parking lots, or at assisted-living facilities — a federal courier case out of the Northern District of Florida (a courier driving across the state at least six times in eight days). The DOJ prosecutorial wave on couriers/money mules is a tractable story.
- The “your money is at the Federal Reserve” lie. Multiple cases involve scammers telling seniors that the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Treasury, or the FTC holds personal “safekeeping accounts” for citizens. None do. The persistence of this specific lie across cases makes it a useful framing for a debunking piece.
- Rural and Tribal underreporting. States with the largest 5-year growth (Georgia +747%, Arizona +672%) have very large rural populations. Coverage of how rural Adult Protective Services, sheriff’s departments, and senior centers handle scams in low-population counties is sparse in our corpus and worth investigating.
Federal agency contacts (for journalist outreach)
| Agency | Press contact path | Hotline / portal |
|---|---|---|
| FBI — Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) | Public Affairs — field-office press contacts at fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices | ic3.gov reporting |
| FTC — Bureau of Consumer Protection | Office of Public Affairs [email protected] | reportfraud.ftc.gov |
| DOJ — Office of Public Affairs | justice.gov/opa · [email protected] for OPA | DOJ Elder Justice Initiative: justice.gov/elderjustice |
| DOJ National Elder Fraud Hotline | Hotline staff can refer journalists to relevant US Attorney offices | 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) |
| U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging | aging.senate.gov press contact | Senate Fraud Hotline: 1-855-303-9470 |
| FinCEN — Financial Crimes Enforcement Network | fincen.gov/news/press-releases | SAR data is FOIA-requestable in aggregate |
| CFPB — Consumer Financial Protection Bureau | CFPB Office of External Affairs | consumerfinance.gov |
| SSA Office of the Inspector General | oig.ssa.gov press contact | 1-800-269-0271 · oig.ssa.gov/report |
| U.S. Secret Service — financial crimes investigations | secretservice.gov/contact | Elder Fraud page: secretservice.gov/investigations/elderfraud · USSS Elder Fraud Advisory (April 2026 PDF) |
| USPIS — U.S. Postal Inspection Service | uspis.gov press contact | 1-877-876-2455 |
Common myths to avoid repeating
These claims appear regularly in scam coverage but are inaccurate, outdated, or misattributed. We flag them here so journalists do not propagate them.
- “Real federal agencies do not call.” Real federal agencies can and sometimes do call — particularly when there is an active case. The more precise red flag is an unexpected call demanding immediate payment or asking for personal data. Phrase: “Real federal agencies do not unexpectedly call demanding payment.”
- “Elder fraud only affects people with cognitive decline.” Multiple federal officials and our corpus show victims include retired lawyers, engineers, teachers, and law-enforcement officers. Cognitive decline is one risk factor; isolation, authority manipulation, and sustained pressure are bigger ones.
- “Scam money is always gone forever.” Inaccurate. Court-ordered restitution, federal asset forfeiture, bank-side wire reversal, and law-enforcement intervention can return funds in some cases. See our Recovery Success Stories page.
- “AI is causing the scam surge.” Partially. AI is amplifying existing scams (voice cloning in romance and grandparent scams; deepfake video in business-email compromise). But the FBI’s own data show much of the elder-fraud growth is from investment scams (pig-butchering) and tech-support / Phantom Hacker schemes, which are not primarily AI-driven.
- “All scam call centers are in [single country].” Federal cases trace operations to Cambodia (compound-based pig-butchering), India (digital arrest), Jamaica (lottery), Nigeria (romance), the Dominican Republic (extradited romance defendants), and China (recent multi-million-dollar tech-support cases). Single-country framing is not supported by the data.
- “Older victims are more gullible.” FTC and academic research find that younger people are more likely to report being scammed at all; older people lose more money per scam when they are. The framing is about loss severity, not gullibility.
Methodology and our limitations
We aggregate primary federal data and public news coverage. We do not collect personal data on victims or scammers. We do not estimate losses ourselves — every dollar amount on this page is either reported directly by a federal agency or quoted from a news outlet citing federal data.
Known limitations:
- FBI IC3 data is self-reported and represents only what victims have chosen to file. The FTC’s December 2025 Older Adults Report estimates the actual annual cost of elder fraud is many times the reported amount — $10.1 billion to $81.5 billion. FBI loss figures should be read as a floor, not a ceiling.
- State-level FBI breakdowns reflect where victims live, not where scammers operate from. Most large scams are operated outside the US.
- Our DOJ tracker is built by monitoring publicly issued DOJ press releases from US Attorney’s offices. Federal cases that are sealed or that do not generate press releases are not captured.
- Our news-coverage dataset is biased toward outlets we monitor; some regional cases may not appear. We monitor approximately 60 US, Canadian, and selected international outlets.
- “5-year growth” comparisons span 2021–2025 and reflect IC3 reporting changes during that period; some growth is real, some is improved reporting infrastructure.
If you need a deeper methodology brief or have a specific data question, [email protected]. We will respond within 24 hours on business days with primary sources cited.
About HCSK Inc.
HCSK Inc. is a U.S. nonprofit reference site for online scams targeting older adults. We do not sell anti-scam software, do not run a victim-recovery service, do not solicit donations from victims, and do not run advertising on our pages. Our editorial team has backgrounds in cybersecurity and AI. We rely on primary federal data and publicly reported cases; we do not commission proprietary surveys or “industry” research.
Our full press page, including our fact-checking pledge and the topics we can comment on, is at /for-press/.
Authoritative Statistics on Elder Fraud (Press Resource)
This page is a press resource. Every statistic on it is sourced to a federal agency (FBI, FTC, DOJ, FinCEN, U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging) with a direct citation and date. Every quote is from a named public official speaking on the record in a public document or press release. Journalists may quote and cite this page in their reporting; we ask that you also link to the primary source where one is provided. The page is rebuilt monthly from our news-monitoring system and is current as of May 2026.
Press contact: [email protected] — please include “press” in the subject line and your deadline. We respond within 24 hours on business days. Our full press page with sourcing pledge is at /for-press/.
Headline statistics — use these
The most recent federal data, with primary sources you can verify in 30 seconds:
| Statistic | Value | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Total elder fraud losses (60+), 2025 | $7.748 billion | FBI IC3 Elder Fraud Annual Report 2025 |
| Total elder fraud complaints (60+), 2025 | 201,266 | FBI IC3 Elder Fraud Annual Report 2025 |
| YoY change in elder fraud losses, 2024 → 2025 | +59% | FBI IC3 Elder Fraud Annual Report 2025 |
| Average reported loss per elder fraud complaint | $38,500 | FBI IC3 Elder Fraud Annual Report 2025 |
| Elder victims losing more than $100,000 each | 12,444 | FBI IC3 Elder Fraud Annual Report 2025 |
| Median loss per 60+ FTC fraud report, 2024 | $900 | FTC Protecting Older Consumers 2024-2025 Report |
| FTC estimated true annual cost of elder fraud | $10.1B — $81.5B | FTC Protecting Older Consumers 2024-2025 Report |
| DOJ federal elder fraud prosecutions (EAPPA 2025) | 283 actions, 608 defendants | DOJ Elder Justice Initiative Annual Report 2025 |
| Total stolen by prosecuted DOJ elder-fraud cases (EAPPA 2025) | $2.36 billion | DOJ Elder Justice Initiative Annual Report 2025 |
| Phantom Hacker scam losses (FBI estimate, single year) | $1+ billion | FBI Public Service Announcement, 2025 |
Primary sources (verify any number): FBI IC3 2025 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) · FTC Protecting Older Consumers 2024-2025 Report · DOJ Elder Justice Initiative · FBI IC3 Public Service Announcements.
Five-year trend lines (60+, US total)
Year-over-year elder fraud losses reported to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), for victims age 60 and older. Each figure is verified against the primary FBI IC3 Annual Elder Fraud Report PDF for that year (linked below).
| Year | Complaints (60+) | Losses (60+) | YoY change | Primary source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 105,301 | ~$966 million | — | 2020 IC3 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) |
| 2021 | 92,371 | $1,685,017,829 | +74% | 2021 IC3 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) |
| 2022 | 88,262 | $3,098,100,121 | +84% | 2022 IC3 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) |
| 2023 | 101,068 | $3,427,717,654 | +11% | 2023 IC3 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) |
| 2024 | 147,127 | $4.885 billion | +43% | 2024 IC3 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) |
| 2025 | 201,266 | $7.748 billion | +59% | 2025 IC3 Elder Fraud Report (PDF) |
Five-year compound growth in reported elder fraud losses (60+): from $1.685 billion in 2021 to $7.748 billion in 2025 = +360%. Our complete breakdown by crime type and state is on the public Elder Fraud Statistics & Research page.
Top scam categories by 2025 losses (60+)
| Scam type | 2025 losses (60+) | YoY change | Our pillar page |
|---|---|---|---|
| Investment Scams (incl. pig butchering) | $3.519 billion | +92% | Investment scams |
| Tech & Customer Support | $1.041 billion | +6% | Tech support |
| Confidence / Romance Scams | $584.0 million | +50% | Romance scams |
| Business Email Compromise (BEC) | $568.0 million | +48% | — |
| Government Impersonation Scams | $413.2 million | +99% | Gov. impersonation |
| Personal Data Breach | $324.5 million | +28% | — |
| Lottery / Sweepstakes / Inheritance | $136.3 million | +80% | Lottery scams |
| Extortion (incl. sextortion) | $54.3 million | +118% | Extortion scams |
Cryptocurrency note (cuts across categories): Cryptocurrency-flagged complaints by 60+ victims reached 42,271 in 2025, with $4.347 billion in losses. Adults 60 and over accounted for 38% of all crypto fraud losses ($4.347B of $11.37B) in 2025 despite filing only 23% of crypto complaints. Source: FBI IC3 2025.
AI note (cuts across categories): The FBI received 22,364 complaints in 2025 citing AI as a tool used in the fraud (all ages), totalling $893 million in losses. Voice cloning and deepfake video are most commonly cited in romance and government-impersonation scam reports. Source: FBI IC3 2025.
Geographic distribution (top states by 2025 60+ losses)
| State | Victims (60+) | Losses (60+) | 5-Yr Growth (2021→2025) |
|---|---|---|---|
| California | 22,157 | $1.404 billion | +339% |
| Florida | 17,147 | $709.8 million | +322% |
| Texas | 14,410 | $678.5 million | +445% |
| New York | 8,537 | $408.7 million | +214% |
| Arizona | 9,834 | $343.9 million | +672% |
| New Jersey | 4,111 | $249.8 million | +298% |
| Georgia (highest growth) | 4,865 | $218.2 million | +747% |
| Pennsylvania | 7,088 | $215.8 million | +271% |
| Vermont (lowest absolute) | 436 | $8.5 million | +165% |
Downloadable datasets
Free for use in journalism. Anonymized (no victim or defendant names) where applicable. Last regenerated 2026-05-18. License: use freely for reporting; please cite “HCSK Inc., compiled from public DOJ press releases and news monitoring” and link to this page.
- hcsk-elder-fraud-key-stats-2025.csv — 26 headline statistics with primary source, URL, and year
- hcsk-doj-elder-fraud-cases-2025-2026.csv — 49 federal elder-fraud prosecutions tracked Aug 2025 — Apr 2026, with outcome, scheme, district, sentence (when disclosed), loss (when disclosed), and direct DOJ press-release URL
- hcsk-state-elder-fraud-cases.csv — 71 state-identifiable elder-fraud cases reported in US news outlets, with date, state, loss (when disclosed), outlet, and source URL
Each row in the case datasets above links to the original news outlet or DOJ press release for verification. Where the original outlet named the victim or defendant, we have removed those names from our dataset but the source link goes to the original (named) coverage if you need that detail for your reporting.
Visualizations — embed code
Our DOJ Elder Fraud Prosecutions Tracker can be embedded in your story via iframe. Suggested embed:
<iframe src="https://seniors.hcsk.org/doj-elder-fraud-prosecutions-tracker/?embed=1"
width="100%" height="640" frameborder="0"
title="DOJ Elder Fraud Prosecutions Tracker (HCSK)"></iframe>
Static chart images (PNG, 1200×800) are available on request via [email protected]. Please include the chart name and your publication’s logo specs.
Quotable, on-the-record statements from named officials
The statements below are from public press releases, public service announcements, or on-record interviews with named federal and state officials. They are quotable in news reporting with the attribution provided. Each item links to the original public source.
On the Phantom Hacker scam (multi-phase fake-FBI imposter scheme)
“Victims often suffer the loss of entire banking, savings, retirement, or investment accounts under the guise of ‘protecting’ their assets.”
— FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, Public Service Announcement (2025). FBI IC3 PSAs.
“They sound very legitimate, and when somebody — a victim — believes their account’s in jeopardy, they’re willing to take steps that they probably wouldn’t take if they thought it through.”
— FBI Special Agent Charles Johnston, Cleveland FBI, in an on-camera interview about the Phantom Hacker scam, October 2025. As reported by AOL.
On the scale and growth of elder fraud
“These attacks are not just simple phone calls or phishing emails — they’re complex operations that involve multiple impersonators, spoofed phone numbers, and coordinated follow-ups. Seniors are being tricked into believing they’re protecting their money, when in reality they’re handing it straight to criminals.”
— Scott Davis, Chairman, Cybersecurity Association of Pennsylvania, public interview, August 2025. As reported by AOL.
“The people who do this, they know how much to feed you to get to the next step.”
— Michael Dana, retired Dallas Police Department financial-crimes investigator, on the multi-phase grooming pattern in fake-FBI scams, December 2025. As reported by WFAA News.
On state-level enforcement
“This case should serve as a warning to any individuals who intend on financially harming Iowans. The Iowa Insurance Division’s Fraud Bureau, along with other law enforcement partners, will continue to aggressively combat scams involving securities and insurance related products across the State of Iowa.”
— Doug Ommen, Iowa Insurance Commissioner, on a successful sting operation, February 2026. Iowa Insurance Division press release.
“We want San Diegans across this county to understand the scope of the threat and provide strategies on protecting yourself and your family and loved ones.”
— Summer Stephan, San Diego County District Attorney, on the launch of the “Stop. Hang Up. Tell Someone.” public-education campaign, November 2025. As reported by CBS 8 News.
Story angles for journalists
From our news-monitoring system (1,919 articles indexed Aug 2025 — May 2026 from US, Canadian, and selected international outlets), we are tracking these story angles. Each is supported by multiple primary sources and could anchor an original investigation or feature.
- The “gold bar” laundering chain. Scammers are increasingly instructing victims to convert savings into physical gold bars handed to a courier. Multiple federal prosecutions (Florida, Iowa, Texas, Massachusetts) and at least $55M traced to two Texas jewelry stores in a single investigation. Sources: DOJ press releases plus local news.
- Recovery scams as the second wave. $540M lost in 2025 alone to scammers who pose as Treasury, FBI, or law firms offering to recover money already stolen. Victim lists are reportedly sold between criminal groups. Our Recovery Stories page tracks the pattern.
- Phantom Hacker / Digital Arrest convergence. The US “Phantom Hacker” scheme and the India-origin “Digital Arrest” scheme are converging in methodology — sustained calls or video calls, impersonation of multiple agencies, isolation tactics. The pattern is spreading from India to North America. See our Phantom Hacker pillar.
- Bank-side intervention gap. Some Manhattan-Township, Illinois sting cases were stopped because a bank teller noticed repeated suspicious withdrawals. Other cases — including a publicly reported case in which Canadian banks allowed an 89-year-old to drain $1.7 million over multiple visits — show the inconsistency of bank-side flagging. Public data on bank-side scam interception by institution would be a major investigative contribution.
- The “courier” pickup boom. Cash and gold being picked up at the victim’s house, in parking lots, or at assisted-living facilities — a federal courier case out of the Northern District of Florida (a courier driving across the state at least six times in eight days). The DOJ prosecutorial wave on couriers/money mules is a tractable story.
- The “your money is at the Federal Reserve” lie. Multiple cases involve scammers telling seniors that the Federal Reserve, the U.S. Treasury, or the FTC holds personal “safekeeping accounts” for citizens. None do. The persistence of this specific lie across cases makes it a useful framing for a debunking piece.
- Rural and Tribal underreporting. States with the largest 5-year growth (Georgia +747%, Arizona +672%) have very large rural populations. Coverage of how rural Adult Protective Services, sheriff’s departments, and senior centers handle scams in low-population counties is sparse in our corpus and worth investigating.
Federal agency contacts (for journalist outreach)
| Agency | Press contact path | Hotline / portal |
|---|---|---|
| FBI — Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) | Public Affairs — field-office press contacts at fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices | ic3.gov reporting |
| FTC — Bureau of Consumer Protection | Office of Public Affairs [email protected] | reportfraud.ftc.gov |
| DOJ — Office of Public Affairs | justice.gov/opa · [email protected] for OPA | DOJ Elder Justice Initiative: justice.gov/elderjustice |
| DOJ National Elder Fraud Hotline | Hotline staff can refer journalists to relevant US Attorney offices | 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311) |
| U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging | aging.senate.gov press contact | Senate Fraud Hotline: 1-855-303-9470 |
| FinCEN — Financial Crimes Enforcement Network | fincen.gov/news/press-releases | SAR data is FOIA-requestable in aggregate |
| CFPB — Consumer Financial Protection Bureau | CFPB Office of External Affairs | consumerfinance.gov |
| SSA Office of the Inspector General | oig.ssa.gov press contact | 1-800-269-0271 · oig.ssa.gov/report |
| U.S. Secret Service — financial crimes investigations | secretservice.gov/contact | Elder Fraud page: secretservice.gov/investigations/elderfraud · USSS Elder Fraud Advisory (April 2026 PDF) |
| USPIS — U.S. Postal Inspection Service | uspis.gov press contact | 1-877-876-2455 |
Common myths to avoid repeating
These claims appear regularly in scam coverage but are inaccurate, outdated, or misattributed. We flag them here so journalists do not propagate them.
- “Real federal agencies do not call.” Real federal agencies can and sometimes do call — particularly when there is an active case. The more precise red flag is an unexpected call demanding immediate payment or asking for personal data. Phrase: “Real federal agencies do not unexpectedly call demanding payment.”
- “Elder fraud only affects people with cognitive decline.” Multiple federal officials and our corpus show victims include retired lawyers, engineers, teachers, and law-enforcement officers. Cognitive decline is one risk factor; isolation, authority manipulation, and sustained pressure are bigger ones.
- “Scam money is always gone forever.” Inaccurate. Court-ordered restitution, federal asset forfeiture, bank-side wire reversal, and law-enforcement intervention can return funds in some cases. See our Recovery Success Stories page.
- “AI is causing the scam surge.” Partially. AI is amplifying existing scams (voice cloning in romance and grandparent scams; deepfake video in business-email compromise). But the FBI’s own data show much of the elder-fraud growth is from investment scams (pig-butchering) and tech-support / Phantom Hacker schemes, which are not primarily AI-driven.
- “All scam call centers are in [single country].” Federal cases trace operations to Cambodia (compound-based pig-butchering), India (digital arrest), Jamaica (lottery), Nigeria (romance), the Dominican Republic (extradited romance defendants), and China (recent multi-million-dollar tech-support cases). Single-country framing is not supported by the data.
- “Older victims are more gullible.” FTC and academic research find that younger people are more likely to report being scammed at all; older people lose more money per scam when they are. The framing is about loss severity, not gullibility.
Methodology and our limitations
We aggregate primary federal data and public news coverage. We do not collect personal data on victims or scammers. We do not estimate losses ourselves — every dollar amount on this page is either reported directly by a federal agency or quoted from a news outlet citing federal data.
Known limitations:
- FBI IC3 data is self-reported and represents only what victims have chosen to file. The FTC’s December 2025 Older Adults Report estimates the actual annual cost of elder fraud is many times the reported amount — $10.1 billion to $81.5 billion. FBI loss figures should be read as a floor, not a ceiling.
- State-level FBI breakdowns reflect where victims live, not where scammers operate from. Most large scams are operated outside the US.
- Our DOJ tracker is built by monitoring publicly issued DOJ press releases from US Attorney’s offices. Federal cases that are sealed or that do not generate press releases are not captured.
- Our news-coverage dataset is biased toward outlets we monitor; some regional cases may not appear. We monitor approximately 60 US, Canadian, and selected international outlets.
- “5-year growth” comparisons span 2021–2025 and reflect IC3 reporting changes during that period; some growth is real, some is improved reporting infrastructure.
If you need a deeper methodology brief or have a specific data question, [email protected]. We will respond within 24 hours on business days with primary sources cited.
About HCSK Inc.
HCSK Inc. is a U.S. nonprofit reference site for online scams targeting older adults. We do not sell anti-scam software, do not run a victim-recovery service, do not solicit donations from victims, and do not run advertising on our pages. Our editorial team has backgrounds in cybersecurity and AI. We rely on primary federal data and publicly reported cases; we do not commission proprietary surveys or “industry” research.
Our full press page, including our fact-checking pledge and the topics we can comment on, is at /for-press/.