Senior Scam Prevention & Fraud Resources in Louisiana
Louisiana seniors reported $36 million in elder fraud losses to the FBI in 2025, with 1,906 victims aged 60 and older. This page provides Louisiana-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: Louisiana’s Senior Population & Key Cities
As of 2024, Louisiana has an estimated population of approximately 4.6 million, with over 750,000 residents aged 65 and older, making up about 16.4% of the total population. Louisiana’s seniors are increasingly targeted by fraudsters through scams involving Medicare, imposter calls, sweepstakes, phishing emails, and tech support hoaxes.
Elder-targeted fraud is especially prevalent in the state’s largest cities, including:
- New Orleans (approx. 375,000 people)
- Baton Rouge (approx. 220,000 people)
- Shreveport (approx. 185,000 people)
Scammers continue to target Louisiana’s seniors, but the 2025 data shows a mixed picture. Total losses were $36 million. Two major categories fell: investment scams dropped 36% and government impersonation dropped 68%. Other categories rose sharply: tech support fraud doubled (+102%), romance scams surged 119%, and lottery/sweepstakes losses climbed 138%.
II. 2025 Victim Report: How Scammers Targeted Louisiana’s Seniors
In 2025, Louisiana had 1,906 victims aged 60+ who reported losses totaling $35,856,847 — up 39% in victims but down 4% in losses compared to 2024 (1,371 victims / $38M).
Loss by Crime Type
| Crime Type | 2025 Loss | 2024 Loss | Change |
| Investment | $13,353,766 | $20,842,485 | -36% |
| Tech Support | $8,291,885 | $4,106,472 | +102% |
| Romance | $4,608,623 | $2,107,809 | +119% |
| Lottery/Sweepstakes | $465,688 | $195,923 | +138% |
| Extortion | $136,510 | $66,491 | +105% |
| Government Impersonation | $363,341 | $1,122,021 | -68% |
Elder Fraud Loss Trajectory — Louisiana
5-Year Elder Fraud Trend — Louisiana (2021—2025)
| Year | Victims (60+) | Total Loss | YoY Change | Nat’l Rank |
| 2021 | 730 | $17,153,418 | — | #22 |
| 2022 | 721 | $18,374,982 | +7% | #34 |
| 2023 | 737 | $31,037,438 | +69% | #27 |
| 2024 | 1,371 | $37,512,993 | +21% | #28 |
| 2025 | 1,906 | $35,856,847 | -4% | #37 |
| 5-Year Total | 5,465 | $139,935,678 | +109% (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 Louisiana Seniors (2025 vs. 5-Year)
| Crime Type | 2025 Victims | 2025 Loss | 5-Year Total | Growth (2021—25) |
| Investment | 127 | $13,353,766 | $51,485,034 | +719% |
| Tech Support | 244 | $8,291,885 | $21,988,925 | +685% |
| Romance | 146 | $4,608,623 | $18,999,149 | -44% |
| BEC | 43 | $3,108,888 | $14,746,074 | +25% |
| Personal Data Breach | 129 | $1,477,287 | $5,543,337 | +287% |
| Lottery/Sweepstakes | 50 | $465,688 | $1,461,755 | +267% |
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: Louisiana’s elder fraud losses totaled $36 million in 2025, with 1,906 seniors victimized. Two major crime categories decreased: investment scams fell 36% (from $21 million to $13 million) and government impersonation dropped 68%. Louisiana was one of only a few states where investment fraud actually shrank. Meanwhile, tech support fraud doubled (+102%) to $8.3 million, romance scams surged 119% to $4.6 million, and lottery/sweepstakes losses climbed 138%. Statewide, that comes to roughly one senior victim for every 2,412 Louisiana residents.
National context: Louisiana ranks #46 in per-capita victim rate (41.46 per 100,000), one of the lowest in the country. The decline in investment fraud is nearly unique nationally — most states saw this category surge. The two simultaneous declines suggest either effective local enforcement, shifting scammer focus to other states, or reporting changes. However, the tech support and romance surges show new threats are filling the gap.
For the full national picture, including how Louisiana compares to every other state, visit our national hub page with interactive data and rankings.
III. Emergency & Official Contacts
Local Police Departments – Financial Crimes & Elder Protection
1. New Orleans Police Department – Economic Crimes Division
- Phone: (504) 821-2222 (non-emergency)
- Website: www.nola.gov
- Ask for assistance with financial exploitation or elder fraud.
2. Baton Rouge Police Department – Criminal Investigations
- Phone: (225) 389-2000 (non-emergency)
- Website: www.brla.gov
- Request help with fraud, ID theft, or scams affecting older residents.
3. Shreveport Police Department – Fraud Unit
- Phone: (318) 673-7300 (non-emergency)
- Website: www.shreveportla.gov
- Report suspected scams, financial abuse, or digital fraud.
FBI & Federal Scam Reporting
FBI New Orleans Field Office
- Phone: (504) 816-3000
- Website: www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/neworleans
Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)
- Website: www.ic3.gov
- File a report for phishing, romance fraud, identity theft, or online scams.
Louisiana Attorney General – Elder Fraud & Consumer Protection
Office of the Louisiana Attorney General – Consumer Protection Section
- Consumer Hotline: (800) 351-4889
- Website: www.ag.state.la.us
- Provides resources, complaint forms, scam alerts, and elder fraud prevention tools.
Statewide Elder Services & Medicare Fraud Resources
Louisiana Adult Protective Services (APS)
- Report elder abuse, neglect, or financial exploitation:
Hotline: (833) 577-6532 - Website: ldh.la.gov
- Oversees protection of vulnerable adults through investigations and services.
Louisiana Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP)
- Phone: (877) 272-8720
- Website: goea.louisiana.gov
- Assists with identifying and reporting Medicare and health-related fraud.
Governor’s Office of Elderly Affairs (GOEA)
- Info Line: (225) 342-7100
- Website: goea.louisiana.gov
- Coordinates senior services, legal aid, fraud education, and community outreach programs.
Don’t Stay Silent. Slow Down, Verify, Report.
- Louisiana seniors lose millions of dollars each year to scams, but your report can stop the next one.
- Share these verified contacts with family, caregivers, and community groups.
- Visit our Education Center for common scam examples, red flags, and reporting tips.
- If it sounds too good to be true, or too scary to ignore, take a breath, hang up, and call a trusted source.
Recent Louisiana scam news
Recent news coverage of scams affecting Louisiana seniors, updated from our alerts desk. Each item links to the original outlet; victims and defendants are kept anonymous.
Louisiana family warns others after fake 'bank fraud investigators' took $30,000
An 82-year-old Washington Parish, Louisiana man lost $30,000, about 40 percent of his life savings, after callers claiming to be fraud investigators from his bank told him they needed his help catching a bank employee involved in account fraud. They instructed him to withdraw the cash, told him it would be replaced with counterfeit bills while his real money was held safely in escrow, then directed him to leave the cash in his mailbox for pickup, which happened within minutes. His family is now warning others that caller ID is not proof of who is calling, since scammers can make a call look like it is coming from your real bank. Their advice: hang up on any unexpected call like this and call your bank back yourself, using the number on your card or statement, never a number the caller gives you.
Read at Bogalusa Daily News →Tips to help elders identify and avoid common financial scams
A cybersecurity expert explains why older adults are targeted online and how families can stay safe.
Read at KTAL News →Experts to lead holiday fraud panel as senior scams rise
Experts will hold a holiday fraud panel for older adults as scams targeting seniors climb during the season.
Read at The Advocate →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: Louisiana Scam Prevention Guides
Explore Louisiana-specific guides on the most common scams targeting seniors in your state:
- Tech Support Scams in Louisiana — Learn to recognize fake pop-ups, phone calls, and remote access schemes.
- Investment Scams in Louisiana — Protect your retirement savings from fraudulent advisors and crypto scams.
- Romance Scams in Louisiana — Spot the warning signs of fake online relationships designed to steal money.
- Government Impersonation Scams in Louisiana — Know what real government agencies will never ask you to do.
- How to Report Scams in Louisiana — 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 Louisiana compares. Curious where Louisiana 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.