Senior Scam Prevention & Fraud Resources in Texas

Texas seniors reported $679 million in elder fraud losses to the FBI in 2025, with 14,410 victims aged 60 and older. This page provides Texas-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.

Featured: Every Hour, Another Texas Senior Loses $50,000 to Scammers — In-depth analysis of the elder fraud crisis hitting Texas families.

I. Overview: Texas Seniors & Key Cities

Texas is the second most populous state in the U.S., with an estimated 31.5 million residents as of 2024. Of this population, approximately 4.3 million are aged 65 and older, representing nearly 13.7% of all Texans. As this segment of the population grows, older adults in Texas are becoming more frequent targets for increasingly sophisticated online fraud schemes, especially in fast-growing metropolitan areas.

The three largest cities in Texas, each with substantial senior populations and rising cybercrime reports, are:

• Houston (approx. 2.3 million people)
• San Antonio (approx. 1.5 million people)
• Dallas (approx. 1.3 million people)

These cities are at the frontlines of a growing crisis. In 2025, Texas seniors lost $679 million to fraud — up 39% from 2024. Investment scams dominated at $337 million, followed by tech support fraud ($92 million, +92%) and government impersonation ($43 million, +249%). Despite these staggering totals, Texas ranks just #40 in per-capita victim rate — meaning its large population absorbs the impact more broadly than smaller states.

II. 2025 Victim Report: How Scammers Targeted Texas’s Seniors

In 2025, Texas had 14,410 victims aged 60+ who reported losses totaling $678,564,081 — up 52% in victims and 39% in losses compared to 2024 (9,473 victims / $490M).

Source: FBI IC3 2025 Annual Report. Texas ranked #3 nationally for elder fraud losses. View national statistics.

Loss by Crime Type

Crime Type	2025 Loss	2024 Loss	Change
Investment	$336,806,099	$308,437,815	+9%
Tech Support	$92,484,764	$48,187,907	+92%
Romance	$48,305,099	$36,483,347	+32%
Lottery/Sweepstakes	$10,236,625	$5,685,159	+80%
Extortion	$4,590,816	$941,203	+388%
Government Impersonation	$42,927,096	$12,314,608	+249%

Elder Fraud Loss Trajectory — Texas

5-Year Elder Fraud Trend — Texas (2021—2025)

Year	Victims (60+)	Total Loss	YoY Change	Nat’l Rank
2021	5,667	$124,536,695	—	#4
2022	5,674	$243,067,545	+95%	#3
2023	7,034	$278,372,284	+15%	#3
2024	9,472	$489,737,709	+76%	#2
2025	14,410	$678,564,081	+39%	#3
5-Year Total	42,257	$1,814,278,314	+445% (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: $1.6B (2021), $3.0B (2022), $3.3B (2023), $4.7B (2024), $7.4B (2025) — $20.1 billion stolen from American seniors over five years.

Top Crime Types Targeting Texas Seniors (2025 vs. 5-Year)

Crime Type	2025 Victims	2025 Loss	5-Year Total	Growth (2021—25)
Investment	1,525	$336,806,099	$858,409,530	+1,701%
Tech Support	1,708	$92,484,764	$238,537,582	+512%
Romance	899	$48,305,099	$153,887,819	New
BEC	410	$43,460,216	$162,210,160	New
Gov. Impersonation	955	$42,927,096	$75,968,970	+613%
Personal Data Breach	951	$20,031,499	$54,843,948	+143%

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: Texas ranks #3 nationally in total elder fraud losses at $679 million, up 39% from $490 million in 2024. Over 13,400 seniors were victimized. Investment scams account for nearly half of all losses at $337 million, while government impersonation surged 249% to $43 million — one of the steepest increases of any crime category in the state. Tech support fraud nearly doubled (+92%). On the positive side, lottery/sweepstakes scams decreased 29%, one of few declining categories. Approximately 1 in every 2,172 Texas residents aged 60+ reported being a victim.

National context: Texas ranks #3 in total losses but only #40 in per-capita victim rate (46.08 per 100,000) — one of the largest gaps between total and per-capita rankings of any state. This means that while the dollar figures are enormous, an individual Texas senior is actually less likely to be targeted than seniors in 39 other states. The 39% year-over-year loss increase is below the national average of 57%, suggesting Texas may be benefiting from stronger fraud awareness efforts relative to other states.

For the full national picture, including how Texas compares to every other state, visit our national hub page with interactive data and rankings.

III. Emergency & Official Contacts

 Local Police Departments – Elder Fraud Units

1. Houston Police Department – Financial Crimes Division

• Phone: (713) 884-3131 (non-emergency)
• Website: www.houstonpolice.org
• Tip: Request connection to financial or elder fraud investigators.

2. San Antonio Police Department – Financial Crimes Unit

• Phone: (210) 207-7273 (non-emergency)
• Website: www.sanantonio.gov/sapd
• Elder Fraud Reporting: Ask for white collar/financial crimes division.

3. Dallas Police Department – Economic Crimes Division

• Phone: (214) 671-3001 (non-emergency)
• Website: www.dallaspolice.net
• Request: “Report elder financial exploitation.”

 FBI & Federal Support

FBI Houston Field Office

• Phone: (713) 693-5000
• Website: www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/houston

FBI Dallas Field Office

• Phone: (972) 559-5000
• Website: www.fbi.gov/contact-us/field-offices/dallas

Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3)

• Website: www.ic3.gov
• Note: File fraud complaints here on behalf of yourself or a loved one.

 Texas Attorney General – Elder Fraud & Abuse

Office of the Texas Attorney General – Elder Exploitation Division

• Consumer Protection Hotline: (800) 621-0508
• Website: www.texasattorneygeneral.gov/elder-abuse

They offer:

• Legal aid for elder financial abuse
• Statewide enforcement coordination
• Victim advocacy services

 Additional Official Elder Fraud Resources

Texas Adult Protective Services (APS) 24/7 Hotline

• Phone: (800) 252-5400
• Website: www.dfps.texas.gov

Dallas County District Attorney – Elder Financial Abuse Unit

• Phone: (214) 653-3600
• Website: www.dallascounty.org

Harris County Protective Services – Elder Abuse Services (Houston)

• Phone: (713) 394-4000
• Website: www.hcps.harriscountytx.gov

Texas Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP)

• Phone: (888) 341-6187
• Website: www.txombudsman.org

 Stay Vigilant, Stay Protected

• Save these numbers somewhere visible.
• Don’t hesitate to call if you receive suspicious emails, texts, or financial requests.
• Help others report if they feel unsure or ashamed, scammers count on silence.
• Visit our Education Center to learn the top red flags, prevention tips, and how to take back control after a scam.

IV. Learn More: Texas Scam Prevention Guides

Explore Texas-specific guides on the most common scams targeting seniors in your state:

• Tech Support Scams in Texas — Learn to recognize fake pop-ups, phone calls, and remote access schemes.
• Investment Scams in Texas — Protect your retirement savings from fraudulent advisors and crypto scams.
• Romance Scams in Texas — Spot the warning signs of fake online relationships designed to steal money.
• Government Impersonation Scams in Texas — Know what real government agencies will never ask you to do.
• How to Report Scams in Texas — Step-by-step guide to reporting fraud and starting recovery.
• Every Hour, Another Texas Senior Loses $50,000 — A deep dive into the Texas elder fraud crisis.

For national-level data on each scam type, see our Investment, Tech Support, Romance, and Government Impersonation national guides.

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