Common scams aimed at older parents

The scams that reach older adults most often, how each one works, and one sentence that helps with all of them.

Last updated November 7, 2026

Scammers do not pick on older people because they are foolish. They pick them because many have savings, answer the phone, and were raised to be polite. Careful, smart people get caught every day. Here are the ones to know.

The common ones

• The grandchild in trouble. A caller or texter says a grandchild is hurt or in jail and needs money fast, and asks you to keep it quiet. Read the grandparent scam guide.
• Tech support. A pop-up or a call says your computer is infected and tells you to call a number or let them in. Read the tech support scam guide.
• Gift card requests. Someone, often pretending to be family or the boss, asks you to buy gift cards and read out the numbers. Read the gift card scam guide.
• Fake bank or fraud-department calls. They say your account is in danger and ask you to move your money to a "special account" or read them a code.
• Medicare and insurance calls. They offer a new card, a refund or free equipment, and ask for your Medicare number.
• Romance scams. Someone you met online becomes close, then has an emergency that needs money.
• Prize and lottery notices. You won, but you must pay a fee or taxes first.
• Home repair offers. A stranger says they noticed a problem with your roof and wants cash today.

What they have in common

Almost every scam does the same three things: it rushes you, it asks you to keep a secret, and it asks for money in a way that cannot be taken back. If you notice any one of those, stop and call someone you trust.

One sentence that helps

Setting this up ahead of time works better than trying to remember it in the moment. See how to help your parent avoid scams.

About checks

You can paste a suspicious message into PonchoGuard and get an answer in seconds. Looks OK is never a promise. It means we did not find warning signs, nothing more.