Protecting Seniors from Scams and Financial Exploitation

The grandparent scam. The fake Medicare call. The roof repair that never happens. Seniors lose billions to this every single year.

Older adults are targeted relentlessly: imposter calls pretending to be a grandchild in trouble or a government agency, romance scams, fake charities, Medicare fraud, tech-support pop-ups, and door-to-door contractors. And most painfully, a large share of exploitation comes from people the senior knows. Red flags: a secretive new ‘friend,’ unexplained withdrawals, unpaid bills despite adequate income, sudden changes to wills or powers of attorney, gift card purchases, sweepstakes mail piling up. Protections that work: call screening and blocking, bank alerts with view-only access for a trusted adult child, a low-limit card for daily spending, and one family rule — never make a money decision on the phone; hang up and call family first. Suspect exploitation? Report to Adult Protective Services and the bank immediately.

Scam losses are rarely recovered — prevention is the entire game. One family conversation about the playbook above is worth more than any lecture after the money is gone.

This has been Care Without Crisis Explains, presented by Vanguard Care Solutions.

For more free videos and family resources — or when you’re ready to talk about care at home — visit vanguardcaresolutions.com or call 301-327-1444.