You answer the phone, and it’s your grandson. At least, that’s what the caller wants you to believe. Sounding frantic, he says he was arrested while traveling and needs money right away for bail. He begs you not to tell anyone because he’s embarrassed. The situation sounds urgent… even frightening. You feel anxious and upset.

But in fact, the caller may not be your grandson at all. He could be a scammer.

The “grandparent scam” is merely one example of an imposter scam—one of the most common scams targeting older adults today.

What is an imposter scam?

An imposter scam is a type of fraud in which criminals pretend to be someone you trust to steal your money or personal information. Sometimes they pose as family members. Or they may pretend to be from government agencies like Medicare, Social Security, or the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). They might even claim to be from your bank or a well-known business. In 2025 alone, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received more than 1 million reports of imposter scams, with reported losses reaching $3.5 billion.¹

In one major international case, U.S. federal prosecutors charged 25 Canadians in a $21 million grandparent scam operation that targeted seniors in 46 states. These older adults were told their grandchildren had been arrested after car accidents and needed immediate bail money. According to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), these types of "distress scams" were responsible for over $5 million in reported losses in 2025.²

How can I tell if someone is an imposter scammer?

If someone unexpectedly contacts you, creates a sense of urgency, asks for money or personal information, or tells you not to verify their story, it's likely an imposter scam.

What are some common types of imposter scams?

Scammers are constantly changing their tactics, but many imposter scams follow familiar patterns.

Beyond the grandparent scam example provided earlier, other examples include:

• Someone claiming to be from Medicare asking for your Medicare number (a type of Medicare scam)
• A fake Social Security representative threatening to suspend your benefits (a type of Social Security scam)
• An IRS imposter demanding immediate payment for “unpaid taxes”
• A fake bank employee warning you your account has been compromised
• Someone pretending to be tech support requesting remote access to your computer (a type of “tech support scam”)
• Scammers posing as investment professionals from well-known firms, trying to convince you to make deposits into bogus accounts (a type of “business imposter scam”)

While imposter scams can take many forms, their objective is usually the same: to steal your money and personal information. They use strong emotions and a sense of urgency to pressure you into acting quickly without stopping to verify the situation.

But you can reduce your risk by taking steps to educate yourself (and those you care about). Once you know the warning signs, imposter scams become much easier to recognize and avoid.

What are the warning signs of an imposter scam?

Many imposter scams share the same red flags. Be suspicious if someone:

• Calls unexpectedly claiming they have an emergency, like trouble with the law or a bad accident
• Claims they’re from a familiar organization, like Medicare, your utility company, or a known charity
• Tells you that you won a “prize,” but you have to pay a fee to claim it
• Pressures you to act immediately
• Tells you to keep the conversation secret and not to contact family members or the authorities
• Demands payment through gift cards, wire transfers (e.g., MoneyGram or Western Union), cryptocurrency, or payment apps—scammers prefer these methods of payment because they’re harder to trace
• Threatens you with a loss of your government benefits, account closure, a lawsuit, or even arrest
• Asks for personal information like your Social Security number, Medicare number, or bank account details
• Tells you your computer will be infected with a harmful virus if you don’t download their software or pay a fee

✅ Keep in mind: Legitimate organizations, such as government agencies, typically won’t ask for sensitive personal or financial information through unsolicited phone calls, texts, or emails. Instead, they communicate important matters through official letters, secure online portals (like my Social Security), or verified phone numbers.

How can you protect yourself from imposter scams?

Smart scam prevention habits like those below can help you stay one step ahead of devious criminals:

1. Pause before you respond. Scammers want you to panic and react quickly. Take a moment to slow down before responding to unexpected calls, texts, or emails, even if the situation sounds urgent. Taking a breath can help you avoid making hasty decisions or sharing sensitive information.

2. Verify who’s contacting you. If someone claims to represent Medicare, Social Security, your bank, or even a family member, contact the organization or person directly using a phone number you trust—not the one the caller gives you.

For example:

• Call the number on the back of your bank card.
• Contact Medicare through its official website or customer service line.
• Call your grandchild or another family member directly.

Verification is one of the best defenses against imposter scams.

3. Don’t trust caller ID. Scammers can fake caller ID information to make it look like the call is coming from a government office, local police department, or your bank. This is called “spoofing.” Just because a number appears legitimate doesn’t mean it is.

4. Never pay with gift cards or cryptocurrency. Government agencies and reputable businesses don’t request payment through gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers. If someone asks you to buy gift cards and read the numbers over the phone, it’s almost certainly a scam.

5. Protect your personal information. Never share sensitive information with unexpected callers, including:

• Medicare numbers
• Social Security numbers
• Birth dates
• Bank account information
• Passwords
• One-time security codes

Scammers can use this information to commit identity theft or steal money from your accounts.

6. Talk to someone you trust. Scammers often try to isolate their targets by insisting they keep the situation secret. Before you send money or give out your personal information, talk with a trusted family member or friend. You can also reach out to an attorney or financial advisor for guidance. A second opinion can help you recognize a scam before it’s too late.

7. Hang up if something feels “off”. You should never feel obligated to stay on the phone. Trust your gut. If the caller is aggressive, threatening, or making you uncomfortable, hang up immediately. It’s better to end a legitimate call than risk falling prey to a scam.

8. Keep your devices secure. Use strong passwords and install regular software updates on your phone, tablet, and computer. These updates often include important security protections. Also, be cautious about clicking links in unexpected emails or text messages, especially if they claim there’s a problem with your account. These could be “phishing” scams, designed to trick you into clicking a website link, downloading an attachment, or sharing your personal information.

What should you do if you think you've been targeted by an imposter scammer?

1. Stop communicating with the scammer.
2. Don't send money or share personal information.
3. Contact your bank or credit card company if you shared financial information.
4. Report the scam to the FTC, FBI IC3 (if applicable), or the National Elder Fraud Hotline. (see more information below)
5. Tell trusted family members so they don't become targets too.

Protect yourself and others by reporting scams and fraud

If you think you’ve encountered an imposter scam, reporting it can help protect both yourself and others.

One resource you can turn to is the National Elder Fraud Hotline, which can be reached at 1-833-FRAUD-11 (1-833-372-8311). This hotline is staffed by professionals who help older adults report fraud and connect with local resources.

You can also report scams to:

• The Federal Trade Commission
• Your state attorney general’s office (find yours here)
• Local law enforcement
• Your bank or credit card company

Even if you didn’t lose money, reporting scam attempts can help authorities track fraud trends and issue alerts that notify other consumers.

Awareness is the first step to prevention

Scammers frequently target older adults because they may believe they’re more trusting, more financially stable, or less familiar with newer technology scams. But anyone can fall for a scam, especially when emotions are running high. Fraudsters are skilled at sounding convincing and creating believable and compelling stories.

Falling for a scam is not a sign of weakness or lack of intelligence. These schemes are carefully designed to create panic, confusion, and a sense of urgency that can cause anyone to act before they've had time to think. The more you understand how imposter scams work and recognize their warning signs, the better prepared you'll be to protect yourself and the people you care about.

Want to be more scam-savvy? Check out NCOA’s Scam and Fraud Prevention resource library.

Sources

1. Federal Trade Commission. New trends in reports of imposter scams. May 7, 2026. Found on the internet at https://consumer.ftc.gov/consumer-alerts/2026/05/new-trends-reports-imposter-scams

2. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). Internet Crime Report 2025. Found on the internet at https://www.ic3.gov/AnnualReport/Reports/2025_IC3Report.pdf