Common scam patterns targeting seniors

Grandchild emergency

The caller pretends to be your parent's grandchild — or a friend, lawyer, or police officer calling on the grandchild's behalf. They sound upset and insist your parent keep the call secret from the rest of the family.

Read the Grandparent scam guide →

What it sounds like

"Grandma, it's me — I'm in trouble. I was in a car accident / I'm in jail / I need to leave the country right now. Please don't tell Mom and Dad. Can you wire me $5,000 in the next hour? Please hurry, I'm scared." A second person often joins the call posing as a lawyer, bondsman, or officer who insists everything is legitimate and that the money has to be sent immediately to "resolve" the situation.

Red flags

• The caller is emotional, rushed, and refuses to answer questions from "before" — they cannot tell you their middle name, the last birthday gift you sent, or which school they attended.
• They beg your parent not to call the parents, other grandparents, or anyone else "until this is sorted out."
• They ask for gift cards (Target, Apple, Google), wire transfers (Western Union, MoneyGram), or cryptocurrency — and they want your parent to stay on the phone while they buy them.
• The voice actually sounds nothing like your real grandchild — crying, whispers, or a bad connection are used to explain away the mismatch.

What your parent should do

Hang up. Then call your real grandchild on the phone number you already have for them — not the one that just called. If your parent cannot reach the grandchild, call the grandchild's parents. The "emergency" almost always turns out not to exist. No legitimate grandchild, lawyer, or police officer will ever ask for gift cards to be sent under a time limit.

IRS / SSA impersonation

The caller claims to be from the IRS, the Social Security Administration, or another federal agency. They say there is a problem with the parent's benefits, taxes, or Social Security number — and the only way to fix it is to pay immediately.

Read the IRS impersonation scam guide →

What it sounds like

"This is Officer [Name] calling from the IRS Criminal Investigation Division. There is a federal warrant for your arrest right now because you owe back taxes. If you don't pay $4,800 in Target gift cards within 30 minutes, police will be sent to your home and your Social Security number will be suspended for life." They may use a fake caller ID that appears to come from Washington, DC, or a "1-800" government number.

Red flags

• The real IRS and Social Security Administration never call to demand immediate payment. They communicate by mail first, and they never demand gift cards.
• The caller threatens arrest, deportation, suspension of benefits, or a "federal lock" on the parent's bank account.
• They refuse to let your parent hang up and call back — and they stay on the line to "coach" them through buying gift cards or wiring money.
• They ask for the parent's full Social Security number, bank login, or date of birth "to verify their records."

What your parent should do

Hang up. No real federal agency will call to demand payment over the phone, threaten arrest, or ask for gift cards. If your parent is worried the call might be real, they can call the agency directly using the number printed on an old letter they received, or look up the official number from a paper statement. Do not use any number the caller provides.

Medicare / health impersonation

The caller pretends to be from Medicare, a health plan, or a medical-supply provider. They say your parent's card is expired or that a new Medicare card needs to be verified, then offer "free supplies" such as a brace or diabetic equipment.

Read the Medicare / health impersonation scam guide →

Red flags

• They ask for the Medicare number, Social Security number, date of birth, or payment details to "activate" or mail a new card.
• The "free supplies" offer turns into a shipping fee, card charge, or request to read back a verification code.
• They use a spoofed government-looking caller ID, set a deadline, or tell your parent not to check with family or the number on their card.

What your parent should do

Hang up. Do not share a Medicare number or pay a shipping fee because of an unexpected call. Call the real plan or Medicare using a number from an existing card or statement, and tell a trusted family member before responding.

Bank impersonation

The caller pretends to be from your parent's bank fraud department. They claim suspicious activity was detected, threaten to lock the account, and ask for a one-time code, password, card details, or a transfer to a so-called safe account.

Read the bank impersonation scam guide →

Red flags

• The caller claims to be from the fraud department and says the account must be fixed immediately.
• They threaten to freeze the account, reverse a payment, or close access unless your parent stays on the line.
• They ask your parent to read a verification code, share a password or card number, or move money to a "safe" account.
• They tell your parent not to call the bank using the number on the card or to check with family first.

What your parent should do

Hang up. Call the bank using the number on the back of the card or an existing statement. Never share a one-time code or move money because of an unexpected call, and tell a trusted family member before taking action.

Tech-support refund scam

The caller pretends to be from Microsoft, Apple, Geek Squad, or a similar well-known tech company. They convince your parent that something is wrong with the computer — and that to fix it, the parent has to pay them money or give them remote access to the screen.

What it sounds like

"Hello, this is support calling from Windows Security. We have detected that your computer has been hacked — someone is using your bank account right now. To stop it, I need you to open your computer so I can fix it. I will also need to issue you a $399 refund for the unused antivirus subscription you were charged." They then "accidentally" refund too much — $4,399 instead of $399 — and ask the parent to send the difference back through gift cards to "make the company's books balance."

Red flags

• Microsoft, Apple, Google, and Geek Squad do not call customers out of the blue. Your parent did not ask for this call. That alone is the red flag.
• They ask your parent to install screen-sharing software (AnyDesk, TeamViewer) so they can "see the problem." Real tech support never initiates remote access that way.
• The "refund" math never works out — the caller always pretends to have overpaid, then demands the difference back in gift cards or wire transfers.
• They ask your parent to read out a code from a text message or email, "or the refund will be lost." This is the scammer logging into the parent's bank or email account.

What your parent should do

Hang up. Real tech companies never cold-call customers about viruses, refunds, or account problems. The easiest rule for a parent to remember: never let someone who called them take control of the computer, and never buy gift cards on a phone call. If the parent already gave access, shut the computer down and call you or another trusted contact before turning it back on.

Romance scam

The "relationship" did not start with a phone call — it started online, often weeks or months earlier, on a dating site, in a Facebook group, or in a comment thread. The scammer built friendship and trust, and now the phone call has started to feel urgent: their "sweetheart" needs help, and only the parent can provide it.

What it sounds like

"Honey, I had an emergency overseas — I was stuck at the airport and the bank froze my account. Can you wire me $2,500 so I can fly home? Once I'm back I'll pay you back. I promise. Please, I don't have anyone else I can ask." The voice on the phone is often warm, affectionate, and apologetic. Sometimes it is the same voice the parent has been chatting with online. Sometimes they disappear and a "doctor," "lawyer," or "military officer" calls next to "facilitate the transfer."

Red flags

• They have never met in person, but they have been "in love" for weeks. They always have a reason they cannot meet: deployed overseas, working on an oil rig, stuck in customs.
• The first ask for money is small — a gift card, a wire under $500, an emergency phone bill. After it is paid, the asks grow: medical bills, a sick relative, customs fees, a plane ticket home.
• They discourage your parent from telling family. The scam works in private. If the parent mentions the situation to you, that is already a sign something feels wrong.
• Their photos look like a model or a stock image. A reverse image search will usually reveal the photo has been lifted from somewhere public.

What your parent should do

Hang up — and talk to someone they trust before sending a single dollar. Romance scammers are very patient. They build the relationship for months before the first ask, and the first ask always feels reasonable. Any new online friend who asks for money, gift cards, or wire transfers is almost certainly a scammer, no matter how strong the connection feels. Encourage your parent to talk to you, a sibling, or a friend before sending anything.

Sweepstakes / "you've won" scam

The caller says your parent has just won a big prize — a car, a vacation, a $50,000 cash jackpot — from Publishers Clearing House, a sweepstakes they "entered," or a lottery they "have never entered." There is only one catch: they have to pay taxes, customs, or "delivery fees" before the prize can be released.

What it sounds like

"Congratulations! You've been selected as the lucky winner of our $8.5 million sweepstakes grand prize! To claim the prize, all you need to do is pay $1,200 in taxes and processing fees up front. We'll send a courier to your home tonight to pick up the payment, and the prize delivery team will be there the next morning with the check." They keep your parent on the phone so they cannot call anyone for advice, and they often schedule a follow-up call "in the morning" with another person pretending to be the "delivery driver."

Red flags

• You cannot win a sweepstakes or lottery you never entered. Period.
• Real sweepstakes and lotteries never require winners to pay a fee before collecting. Taxes are deducted from the prize, not paid up front.
• They want payment in gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency — forms of money that cannot be traced or reversed once sent.
• They keep your parent on the phone for the entire conversation, forbid them from hanging up to talk to family, and often call back the next morning pretending to be a different person. This is the "second-act" — the courier or driver who shows up to collect the money.

What your parent should do

Hang up. No legitimate prize requires a winner to pay fees up front — and no courier from any sweepstakes will ever show up at the front door to collect money. Tell your parent: if they did not enter, they did not win. If a real prize ever lands in their lap, they will hear about it through the mail, not with a phone call from a stranger. Want to know what happens after your parent hangs up — how the AI catches the next caller, and how you get the alert? See How CallShield works.