Senior Scam Prevention and Fraud Resources in Puerto Rico

I. Overview: Puerto Rico’s Senior Population and Key Cities

State of Puerto Rico

As of 2024, Puerto Rico has a population of approximately 3.2 million, with over 860,000 residents aged 65 and older ,  accounting for 26.9% of the total population. This makes Puerto Rico one of the oldest jurisdictions in the United States in terms of age distribution.

Many Puerto Rican seniors live in multigenerational households or rural areas with limited access to broadband or digital literacy resources, making them targets for common scams such as Medicare fraud, fake government calls, lottery scams, and phishing messages. Language barriers and distrust in formal reporting systems can also delay action, increasing victim losses.

The areas with the largest senior populations and highest reported fraud activity are:

  • San Juan (capital; approx. 320,000 people)
  • Bayamón (approx. 160,000 people)
  • Ponce (approx. 130,000 people)

II. 2024 Victim Report: How Scammers Targeted Puerto Rico’s Seniors

In 2024, Puerto Rico had 285 victims aged 60+ who reported losses totaling $20,183,422.

Loss by Crime Type

Crime TypeLoss Amount
Investment$1,611,302
Tech Support$158,869
Government Impersonation$23,000
Romance$1,090,937

III. Emergency and Official Contacts

 Local Police Departments – Elder Fraud and Financial Crimes

1. Puerto Rico Police Bureau – San Juan Command

  • Phone: (787) 343-2020 (island-wide crime reporting line)
  • Website: policia.pr.gov
  • Contact to report elder scams, cyber fraud, or financial exploitation.

2. Bayamón Police Area Command

  • Phone: (787) 269-2424
  • Same island-wide resources apply; use 343-2020 or local station for elder fraud cases.

3. Ponce Police Area Command

  • Phone: (787) 284-4040
  • Also uses centralized reporting structure through 343-2020.

 FBI and Federal Scam Reporting

FBI San Juan Field Office

  • Phone: (787) 754-6000
  • Website: www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/sanjuan
  • Handles high-level elder fraud, romance scams, cybercrime, and federal offenses.

Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)

  • Website: www.ic3.gov
  • Use to report phishing, tech support scams, crypto fraud, and online elder exploitation.

 Puerto Rico Department of Justice – Consumer Protection

Departamento de Asuntos del Consumidor (DACO)

  • Consumer Hotline: (787) 722-7555
  • Website: www.daco.pr.gov
  • Provides consumer fraud investigation and protection services, including for seniors.

 Senior Protection Services and Medicare Fraud Support

Puerto Rico Adult Protective Services (Servicios de Protección para Adultos)

  • Main Contact: (787) 625-4900 (Department of Family Affairs – ADSEF)
  • Website: familia.pr.gov
  • Investigates reports of abuse, neglect, and elder financial exploitation.

Puerto Rico Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP)

  • Phone: (787) 722-1372
  • Website: pradvocates.org
  • Offers fraud prevention education and assistance with Medicare-related scams.

Oficina del Procurador de las Personas de Edad Avanzada (OPPEA)

  • Phone: (787) 721-6121
  • Website: oppea.pr.gov
  • Provides legal advocacy, elder abuse reporting, and assistance to seniors and caregivers.

 Proteja a sus seres queridos. Infórmese. Denuncie.

  • Puerto Rican seniors lose millions of dollars annually to fraud and scams.
  • Saving emergency numbers and reporting early can prevent further harm.
  • Visit our Education Center for tools, red flags, and multilingual guides.
  • Cuando tenga dudas, deténgase, verifique y hable con alguien de confianza.
Puerto Rico Seal

 Share Your Story

Have you or a loved one experienced a scam, or stopped one just in time? Your story could help protect someone else.

Share Your Story