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 Over $77,000 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 (9,472 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 | $7,175,114 | +43% |
| Extortion | $4,590,816 | $1,293,066 | +255% |
| 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: $1.7B (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 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 | $187,109,364 | +45% |
| BEC | 410 | $43,460,216 | $188,316,044 | +66% |
| 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 14,400 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%). Lottery and sweepstakes scams rose 43% as well, reaching $10.2 million. Statewide, that comes to roughly one senior victim for every 2,171 Texas residents.
National context: Texas ranks #3 in total losses but only #40 in per-capita victim rate (46.05 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/consumer-protection/seniors-and-elderly
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: resources.harriscountytx.gov
Texas Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP)
- Phone: (888) 341-6187
- Website: texassmp.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.
Recent Texas scam news
Recent news coverage of scams affecting Texas seniors, updated from our alerts desk. Each item links to the original outlet; victims and defendants are kept anonymous.
Security footage shows a rental scam that sent two women to a stranger's occupied home
Security footage from a home in Abilene, Texas shows what a rental scam looks like when it goes wrong: two older women showed up to view a house they had found in an online listing, only to be greeted by the actual homeowner's partner, who asked through a doorbell camera, 'What are you guys doing?' Local police and the Better Business Bureau say scammers are posting fake rental listings, often on sites like Facebook Marketplace, using real addresses without the owner's knowledge, and asking for a deposit before a would-be renter can even see the inside. The BBB warns never to send money through a payment app before viewing a property in person, and recommends checking BBB Scam Tracker to see whether a listing has already been reported. If a landlord pressures you to pay quickly or won't let you see a place first, treat it as a red flag and verify the listing independently before sending anything.
Read at KTXS →Former FBI investigator warns East Texas seniors about common scam tactics
At a presentation in Hudson, Texas, a former FBI investigator walked older residents through the scams most likely to reach them: unsolicited calls or texts posing as a bank or government agency, romance schemes, a 'grandchild in trouble' asking for a rushed wire transfer, fake prize notifications, phony charities, and investment pitches promising guaranteed returns. His advice: never send money to someone you have never met in person, mail checks at the post office rather than a street mailbox, review bank statements regularly, and simply hang up on a call that pressures you to act fast or share sensitive information.
Read at Lufkin Daily News →Dallas seniors take free tech classes to learn how to spot scam emails
At the Singing Hills Senior Center in South Dallas, Texas, older residents are taking free technology classes that teach how to spot fraudulent emails and suspicious links, alongside everyday skills like using medical and pharmacy apps. One participant described how a deceptive email that looked like it came from a friend ended up compromising her computer, a reminder of how convincing these messages can look. The program also provides free computers and tablets to seniors who need one. Building comfort with technology, and learning to slow down before clicking an unexpected link, is one more way older adults can protect themselves online.
Read at NBC 5 DFW →Senior Talk DFW: Don't be a fraud victim
A Texas columnist warns that scammers exploit seniors' silence and technology gaps, and urges older adults to stay alert.
Read at Cross Timbers Gazette →Program to teach seniors how to detect, prevent, and report Medicare fraud
A new program will teach Texas seniors how to spot, prevent, and report Medicare fraud and billing scams.
Read at The Gilmer Mirror →Houston woman scammed out of $90,000 shares warning for seniors
A Houston woman who lost $90,000 to a scam now shares her story to help other seniors stay safe.
Read at Click2Houston →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 Over $77,000 to Scammers — 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.
See how Texas compares. Curious where Texas 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.