Seniors! 13 ways to protect yourselves from phone scams
When the phone rings, it shouldn’t feel like a trap—but for many seniors, that’s exactly what it has become.
The phone rings during dinner, and for many seniors, it triggers a moment of anxiety rather than connection. Scammers have turned the simple act of answering a call into a high-stakes gamble, with sophisticated tactics designed to drain retirement savings in minutes.
These criminals don’t just rely on luck; they use psychology, fear, and advanced technology to manipulate their targets. Staying safe requires more than just skepticism; it demands a proactive strategy that walls off potential threats before they can do damage. We have compiled thirteen practical methods to help keep you and your loved ones safe from these relentless digital predators.
Let Unknown Calls Go To Voicemail
The simplest defense is often the most effective: if you do not recognize the number, do not answer the phone. According to Yahoo Finance, U.S. consumers were bombarded with a staggering 52.5 billion robocalls in 2025, creating a minefield of potential fraud every single day. Letting these calls go to voicemail allows you to screen them on your own terms without the pressure of a live person on the line.
Most legitimate callers will leave a message if the matter is truly important, giving you time to evaluate the request. If it is a scammer, they will usually hang up and move on to the next target on their list. By refusing to engage, you remove the opportunity for them to use high-pressure scripts or manipulative emotional tactics.
Establish A Family Safe Word
Artificial intelligence has made it terrifyingly easy for criminals to clone voices from short audio clips found on social media. A study by McAfee found that one in four people believe they or someone they know has experienced an AI voice scam, highlighting how widespread this technology has become. To combat this, families should agree on a secret “safe word” that is never shared online or written down.
If you receive a distressed call from a “grandchild” claiming to be in jail or a hospital, ask for the safe word immediately. A scammer will stumble or try to deflect the question, instantly revealing their true nature. This simple verbal key acts as an unbreakable verification method that no amount of technological wizardry can fake.
Hang Up On Urgency
Scammers thrive on creating a false sense of emergency to bypass your logical thinking. They might claim your Social Security number is suspended or that a loved one is in immediate danger. The FBI reports that older victims reported a stunning total loss of nearly $4.9 billion, often driven by these panic-inducing scenarios.
If anyone demands immediate payment or action, it is almost certainly a trap designed to make you act before you think. Take a deep breath, hang up the phone, and call the supposed agency or person back on a verified number. Slowing the conversation down is the most powerful tool you have to break the criminal’s psychological hold.
Don’t Trust The Caller ID
Technology allows fraudsters to “spoof” phone numbers, making their calls look like they are coming from the IRS, Medicare, or your local bank. You might see a familiar name or a local area code on your screen, but it could be a criminal calling from halfway across the world. Never assume a call is legitimate just because the caller ID looks official or friendly.
If the caller claims to be from a specific organization, hang up and look up their official number on a bank statement or official website. Dial that number yourself to verify if they actually tried to contact you. Initiating the call yourself ensures you are speaking to a real representative and not an imposter sitting in a call center.
Guard Your Personal Information
Legitimate organizations will never call you out of the blue and ask for sensitive data like passwords or Social Security numbers. Scammers often fish for this information by claiming they need to “verify” your account or “confirm” your identity. Treat your personal data like the key to your front door and never hand it over to an incoming caller.
Keep a strict rule that you will never share financial details, Medicare numbers, or birthdates on a call you did not start. If a caller asks for this information, it is a major red flag that should end the conversation immediately. Your privacy is your first line of defense against identity theft and financial ruin.
Utilize Call Blocking Apps
Smartphone carriers and third-party developers offer powerful tools that can filter out known spam numbers before your phone even rings. These apps maintain massive databases of blacklisted numbers and can automatically silence calls labeled as “Scam Likely.” Activating these features significantly reduces the number of malicious calls that actually reach you.
Check with your phone provider to see what blocking services they offer for free or a small fee. You can also download reputable apps that rely on community reporting to stay ahead of new scam numbers. Leveraging technology to fight technology levels the playing field and keeps your phone from becoming a source of constant stress.
Watch For Tech Support Fraud
One of the most pervasive tricks involves a criminal claiming to be from Microsoft or Apple, warning you about a “virus” on your computer. The New York Times 403 reported that seniors lost $982 million to tech support scams in 2024, proving this remains a highly lucrative avenue for thieves. They will ask for remote access to your device to “fix” the problem, only to steal your data or install actual malware.
Remember that real tech companies do not monitor your personal computer for viruses or call you to fix them. If a pop-up appears on your screen with a phone number, do not call it. Shut down your computer immediately and consult a local, trusted repair shop if you are worried about your device’s security.
Discuss Finances Openly
Scammers often isolate their victims by telling them to keep the “problem” a secret from their family or bank. Breaking this silence is crucial; talk to a trusted family member or friend about any unusual calls or financial requests you receive. Secrecy is the scammer’s best friend, but transparency is their worst enemy.
Set up a system where you run any large purchase or transfer by a “financial buddy” before you authorize it. This second pair of eyes can spot red flags you might have missed in the heat of the moment. Having a trusted partner to bounce ideas off of can prevent impulsive decisions driven by fear or confusion.
Be Wary Of Yes Questions
A subtle but dangerous tactic involves callers asking simple questions like “Can you hear me?” to get you to say “Yes.” Criminals can record this affirmation and use it to authorize fraudulent charges or changes to your accounts. It sounds like a conspiracy theory, but voice signatures are increasingly valuable in our digital world.
Try to answer with full sentences or different words, such as “I can hear you” or “Who is calling?” If a caller seems to be fishing for a specific one-word answer, it is best to just hang up. Denying them the sound bite they need is a small but effective way to disrupt their scheme.
Monitor Financial Accounts
Regularly checking your bank and credit card statements can help you catch fraud early, before it spirals out of control. With the AARP reporting that investment scams were the most financially damaging category for seniors in 2024, keeping a close eye on your money is vital. Look for small, unexplained charges, as scammers often test a card with tiny amounts before draining the account.
Set up automatic alerts for transactions over a certain dollar amount so you are instantly notified of activity. If you see something suspicious, contact your bank immediately to freeze your card and dispute the charge. Speed is essential when trying to recover funds or stop a compromised account from bleeding further.
Report Suspicious Activity
If you encounter a scam, reporting it helps law enforcement track trends and shut down criminal operations. You can file a complaint with the FTC or the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Your report might seem like a drop in the bucket, but it adds to the data needed to catch these networks.
Share your experience with friends and neighbors to help inoculate your community against similar attacks. Scams cycle through different regions, so your warning could save someone else from becoming a victim. Turning a negative experience into a teaching moment empowers everyone around you.
Learn The Grandparent Scam
This particularly cruel scheme involves a caller pretending to be a grandchild in trouble, begging for money for bail or medical bills. They often beg you, “Please, don’t tell mom and dad,” leveraging your love and desire to help. Emotional manipulation is the core of this fraud, designed to bypass your skepticism with a tug on your heartstrings.
Always verify the story by calling the grandchild’s parents or the grandchild’s known cell phone number directly. Do not rely on the information the caller gives you; look up the number for the police station or hospital they claim to be at. Verifying the facts independently will almost always expose the lie before you send any money.
Refuse Payment By Gift Card
Legitimate businesses and government agencies will never demand payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers. Scammers prefer these methods because they are virtually impossible to reverse once the money is sent. If a caller insists that you go to a store and buy hundreds of dollars in gift cards to pay a bill, it is 100% a scam.
Be firm in your refusal and recognize this specific demand as a clear sign of criminal intent. Explain that you will only pay through official, traceable channels like a credit card or check. Cutting off the payment method they want forces them to abandon the attempt and look for an easier target.
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