Protecting a parent or grandparent

The scams hitting older adults hardest

The family emergency call

A grandchild calls in a panic. There was a wreck, and now they’ve been arrested. Then a “lawyer” or an “officer” takes the phone. Bail is due tonight, in cash, and a courier will come pick it up. The voice can now be a clone of your real grandchild, and the caller ID can be faked to show a local number. A family code word ends this call.

Fake bank, government, or police calls

“This is your bank’s fraud department,” or the FTC, or the sheriff’s office. Your account has been hacked, or there’s a warrant, and you need to move your money somewhere safe. This month, add “this is FEMA” and “this is the county inspector.” Hang up and call the real number yourself.

Fake tech support

A pop-up or a phone call says the computer is infected and asks to “remote in.” Once they’re in, they can see everything, including the bank account. People 60 and over lost more than $1 billion to this in 2025.

The long fake friendship

It often starts with a “wrong number” text like “hi, how are you?” It turns into a friendship or a romance, then a crypto investment that grows on screen, then fees to withdraw. Then they vanish. Investment scams cost older adults more than any other kind of fraud reported to the FTC in 2025.

Bitcoin machines

There are three in Pagosa Springs (both Speedways and Stockton Gas) and seven in Durango. Bitcoin has real uses, but scammers like these machines because a payment can’t easily be pulled back. If someone asks you to go to one while they stay on the phone with you, hang up. If you see a neighbor at one, on the phone, with an envelope of cash, say something.

Colorado law since January (C.R.S. 11-112-103): a new customer can put in at most $2,000 a day, and a first crypto transaction sent to a wallet outside the U.S. must be refunded if the fraud is reported to the company and the police within 60 days.

Someone they know

When banks flag elder financial exploitation, about 1 in 5 cases involve someone the person knew and trusted, and those losses run about three times higher. The best protection is family who stay involved and make it normal to talk about money.

When memory starts to slip

Missed payments can show up as much as six years before a dementia diagnosis, and falling for a scam can be one of the early signs. Treat it as a reason to stay close.

Signs to watch for

• A new “friend” involved in their money
• Changes to accounts or a will
• Missing mail or statements
• Missed bills or late payments
• Unusual withdrawals
• Secrecy or embarrassment about money

More help

• Operation ShamrockFounded by my friend Erin West, who spent 26 years as a prosecutor in Santa Clara County, California. It’s a nonprofit coalition of more than 2,000 law enforcement professionals fighting pig butchering and the scam compounds behind it.
• AARP Fraud Watch NetworkScam alerts, and a free helpline for any age: 877-908-3360.
• FTC consumer advice on scamsThe FTC’s guides to common scams, with what to do if one happens to you.
• Cyber Pro BonoIf a small business, nonprofit, or school you care about gets hacked, I offer free incident response, case by case.

Figures and true stories from the talk: sources for this section