Senior Scam Prevention and Fraud Resources in Rhode Island
Rhode Island seniors reported $22 million in elder fraud losses to the FBI in 2025, with 581 victims aged 60 and older. This page provides Rhode Island-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: Rhode Island’s Senior Population and Key Cities
As of 2024, Rhode Island has a population of approximately 1.1 million, with nearly 200,000 residents aged 65 and older , about 18% of the total population. With one of the oldest populations by percentage in the U.S., Rhode Island’s seniors are a frequent target of online and phone-based scams.
Rhode Island’s seniors face growing threats. In 2025, losses reached $22 million. Investment scams surged 247% to $5.6 million, tech support doubled (+106%), and government impersonation exploded 1,464% from $92K to $1.4 million. Lottery/sweepstakes dropped 86%. Seniors in both urban and coastal areas remain at risk.
The three cities with the highest concentration of seniors and reported scam activity are:
- Providence (approx. 190,000 people)
- Cranston (approx. 82,000 people)
- Warwick (approx. 83,000 people)
II. 2025 Victim Report: How Scammers Targeted Rhode Island’s Seniors
In 2025, Rhode Island had 581 victims aged 60+ who reported losses totaling $21,561,918 — up 79% in victims and 242% in losses compared to 2024 (324 victims / $6M).
Loss by Crime Type
| Crime Type | 2025 Loss | 2024 Loss | Change |
| Investment | $5,622,901 | $1,620,381 | +247% |
| Tech Support | $3,219,973 | $1,560,334 | +106% |
| Romance | $1,546,096 | $1,166,538 | +33% |
| Lottery/Sweepstakes | $27,228 | $195,817 | -86% |
| Extortion | $14,050 | $12,300 | +14% |
| Government Impersonation | $1,439,301 | $92,020 | +1,464% |
Elder Fraud Loss Trajectory — Rhode Island
5-Year Elder Fraud Trend — Rhode Island (2021—2025)
| Year | Victims (60+) | Total Loss | YoY Change | Nat’l Rank |
| 2021 | 230 | $4,284,962 | — | #41 |
| 2022 | 219 | $7,314,666 | +71% | #43 |
| 2023 | 274 | $7,377,668 | +1% | #46 |
| 2024 | 324 | $6,309,411 | -14% | #49 |
| 2025 | 581 | $21,561,918 | +242% | #43 |
| 5-Year Total | 1,628 | $46,848,625 | +403% (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 Rhode Island Seniors (2025 vs. 5-Year)
| Crime Type | 2025 Victims | 2025 Loss | 5-Year Total | Growth (2021—25) |
| BEC | 18 | $7,420,705 | $9,557,589 | +3,012% |
| Investment | 40 | $5,622,901 | $12,646,849 | +1,125% |
| Tech Support | 74 | $3,219,973 | $8,385,931 | +319% |
| Romance | 27 | $1,546,096 | $8,062,462 | -31% |
| Gov. Impersonation | 31 | $1,439,301 | $2,394,561 | +1,499% |
| Personal Data Breach | 28 | $113,206 | $1,171,571 | -48% |
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: Rhode Island’s elder fraud losses reached $22 million in 2025, with 581 seniors victimized (+79%). Investment scams surged 247% to $5.6 million. The most alarming trend: government impersonation exploded 1,464% from just $92K to $1.4 million — one of the steepest increases in this category in the entire country. Tech support doubled (+106%) and romance grew 33%. Lottery/sweepstakes dropped 86%. Statewide, that comes to roughly one senior victim for every 1,914 Rhode Island residents.
National context: Rhode Island ranks #34 in per-capita victim rate (52.23 per 100,000), near the national midpoint. The 1,464% government impersonation surge — from $92K to $1.4 million — is among the largest in the country and may reflect a targeted campaign against the state’s small, densely concentrated senior population. As the smallest state geographically, Rhode Island’s tight communities could be both a vulnerability and an asset for rapid awareness spreading.
For the full national picture, including how Rhode Island 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. Providence Police Department – Financial Crimes Unit
- Phone: (401) 272-3121 (non-emergency)
- Website: providenceri.gov
- Assists with fraud reporting, elder abuse, and scam investigations.
2. Cranston Police Department – Investigative Division
- Phone: (401) 942-2211 (non-emergency)
- Website: cranstonpoliceri.com
- Handles reports of identity theft, financial exploitation, and elder scams.
3. Warwick Police Department – General Inquiries
- Phone: (401) 468-4200 (non-emergency)
- Website: warwickpd.org
- Offers support for elder fraud, suspicious calls, and financial abuse.
FBI and Federal Scam Reporting
FBI Boston Field Office (covers Rhode Island)
- Phone: (857) 386-2000
- Website: www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/boston
Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
- Website: www.ic3.gov
- For reporting online scams, phishing, tech support fraud, and elder cybercrime.
Rhode Island Attorney General – Elder Fraud and Consumer Protection
Office of the Rhode Island Attorney General – Consumer Protection Unit
- Consumer Helpline: (401) 274-4400
- Website: riag.ri.gov
- Investigates elder abuse, phone scams, and deceptive business practices.
Statewide Elder Services and Medicare Fraud Support
Rhode Island Adult Protective Services (APS)
- APS Hotline: (401) 462-0555
- Website: oha.ri.gov
- Assists with cases of elder neglect, abuse, and financial exploitation.
Rhode Island Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP)
- Phone: (888) 884-8721
- Website: oha.ri.gov/SMP
- Helps seniors recognize and report Medicare fraud, billing abuse, and medical ID theft.
Rhode Island Office of Healthy Aging (OHA)
- Info Line: (401) 462-3000
- Website: oha.ri.gov
- Offers elder rights support, scam awareness, legal aid referrals, and caregiver resources.
Stay Safe. Stay Connected. Report Quickly.
- Rhode Island seniors lose millions each year to scams , but early action can stop further harm.
- Save these contacts, stay informed, and check in regularly with family and neighbors.
- Visit our Education Center for scam prevention tools, sample scripts, and reporting guides.
- Never feel pressured to act fast. Slow down, verify, and report. Help is available.
Recent Rhode Island scam news
Recent news coverage of scams affecting Rhode Island seniors, updated from our alerts desk. Each item links to the original outlet; victims and defendants are kept anonymous.
A Rhode Island bank launches 'Age With Wisdom,' a senior scam-prevention education series
Washington Trust has launched 'Age With Wisdom,' a free education series for older adults, families, and caregivers across Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut. Sessions cover how to recognize the warning signs of financial exploitation, impersonation and AI-enabled scams, and information-security basics, along with legal and financial planning topics like powers of attorney and beneficiary designations. The first sessions are scheduled for August 20 at the bank's Charlestown branch and September 9 at the Robert Rock Senior Center in East Providence, with more dates to be added. Free, local programs like this give older adults and the people who care for them a chance to ask questions and get ahead of the tactics scammers are using right now.
Read at Providence Business News →Presentation on elder fraud at Hope Library
A local library will host a presentation to help older adults and families recognize and avoid elder fraud.
Read at Valley Breeze →Washington Trust helps seniors steer clear of scams
A Rhode Island bank is helping older customers learn to recognize and avoid scams.
Read at Johnston Sun Rise →New federal bill would let banks hold transactions up to 90 days to stop wire fraud against seniors
A member of Congress has introduced the Protecting Elders from Wire Fraud Act, which would let banks place a hold of up to 90 days on a transaction leaving a senior's account when financial exploitation is suspected, giving time to determine whether the transaction is legitimate. The bill would also require financial institutions to notify a trusted contact associated with the account when a hold is placed, and it would give banks safe harbor from liability when they act in good faith to prevent a suspected scam. Supporters point to FTC data showing $334 million lost to wire fraud in 2025. The bill is still in the early stages of the legislative process, with no funding details, effective date, or committee action yet reported. The takeaway for families: ask your own bank whether it already offers a trusted-contact option or a hold policy for suspicious transactions, since these tools are becoming more common even before any new federal law passes.
Read at Antelope Valley Press →IRS warns of rising senior scams ahead of National Grandparents Day
Ahead of National Grandparents Day, the IRS and federal investigators are warning that scams targeting older adults keep evolving. In "grandparent scams," callers pose as a grandchild claiming to be hospitalized, in an accident, or under arrest, demanding money right away and pressuring the victim not to contact police or other family members to check the story. In a newer twist on romance scams, criminals target widows and widowers on dating sites, build a relationship over time, then claim an overseas emergency, sometimes using AI to alter their voice or appearance on video calls; victims never meet them in person and only ever send money. Common warning signs across both: contact you did not initiate, requests for personal or financial information, and pressure to act immediately. If you get a call or message like this, slow down, hang up, call the family member directly using a number you already have, and never send money or personal information based on an unverified emergency claim. Report suspected fraud to the National Elder Fraud Hotline, the FBI's IC3.gov, or the DOJ's Elder Justice Initiative.
Read at KATV →Seven Medicare fraud red flags to watch for after CMS blocked $1.6 billion in improper payments
The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services says enforcement actions have stopped more than $1.6 billion in potentially improper Medicare laboratory payments, part of a broader crackdown on Medicare billing fraud. Consumer red flags to watch for include: someone asking for your Medicare number in exchange for a "free" test or product, a lab test or medical equipment showing up that you never ordered, a caller claiming Medicare "wants" you to get something, anyone offering cash, gift cards, or other perks for your Medicare information, a statement listing a diagnosis or service that doesn't make sense, or pressure to ask your doctor for something you don't need. The advice: compare your Medicare claims against your own appointment calendar and receipts, review your Medicare Summary Notice regularly, check your claims through your secure Medicare account online, and report anything suspicious to 1-800-MEDICARE or your state's Senior Medicare Patrol.
Read at Saving Advice →IV. Learn More: Rhode Island Scam Prevention Guides
Explore Rhode Island-specific guides on the most common scams targeting seniors in your state:
- Tech Support Scams in Rhode Island — Learn to recognize fake pop-ups, phone calls, and remote access schemes.
- Investment Scams in Rhode Island — Protect your retirement savings from fraudulent advisors and crypto scams.
- Romance Scams in Rhode Island — Spot the warning signs of fake online relationships designed to steal money.
- Government Impersonation Scams in Rhode Island — Know what real government agencies will never ask you to do.
- How to Report Scams in Rhode Island — 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 Rhode Island compares. Curious where Rhode Island 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.