Is my elderly family member at extra risk from scammers and how can I help protect them?
Older adults are disproportionately targeted by scammers. Protective conversations, call-blocking tools, and clear safe-word agreements are among the most effective defences.
Last reviewed: 1 August 2026
Explanation
Scammers disproportionately target older adults because they are more likely to own property, have savings, be home during the day to receive calls, and be less familiar with newer fraud formats. Cognitive decline can also make it harder to detect manipulation. Common fraud types targeting older adults include pension liberation scams, grandparent emergency calls, fake police or bank officers, door-to-door scams, and telephone-based romance fraud. Protective steps families can take include having open, non-shaming conversations about current scam types, setting up call-blocking services, establishing a family safe word to verify emergency calls, and asking the bank to add 'carer flags' or verbal password protections to the account. Scam victims of all ages often feel ashamed — creating a blame-free environment makes it more likely they will report an attempt.
Shame is the mechanism that keeps elder fraud running, and it operates on both sides of the family. Victims hide losses because they fear being seen as incapable — or having their independence reduced — while relatives who discover a scam sometimes react with exasperation that confirms the fear and guarantees the next incident stays hidden. Repeat targeting is the practical consequence: victims' details circulate on lists, and the same person is approached again, often by 'recovery' fraudsters referencing the first loss. A household where scam attempts are discussed like weather — commonplace, no-fault, worth mentioning — is structurally safer than one where they are confessions.
Protective measures work best introduced as collaboration rather than oversight, and before any incident: setting up call blocking together, agreeing the family code word over a meal, adding the bank's trusted-contact option 'because everyone should have one'. Frame the threat accurately — these are professional operations that fool lawyers, accountants, and the confidently tech-literate — because that truth is both accurate and dignity-preserving. The goal is not supervising a vulnerable person; it is giving a capable person better tools and a blame-free channel for the day something almost works.
Common red flags
- Unusual withdrawals or new unfamiliar payees on bank statements
- New 'friend' or 'adviser' figure who discourages family contact
- Unexplained purchases of gift cards
- Increased secretiveness about phone calls or online activity
- Statements that a caller told them not to discuss something with family
What to do now
- Have a calm, non-shaming conversation about common scam approaches
- Set up a trusted contact on their bank account
- Install call-blocking software or register with a telephone preference service
- Establish a family code word to verify any emergency money request
- Report suspected financial elder abuse to adult protective services or equivalent
Frequently asked questions
Should I take control of a family member's finances to protect them?
Taking control of someone's finances without their agreement may be inappropriate or illegal. Consider discussing a lasting power of attorney with a solicitor as a consensual, legal arrangement.
My parent was scammed once — does that make them more or less likely to be targeted again?
More. Victims' details circulate on target lists, and follow-up approaches — especially fake 'recovery' services referencing the first loss — are routine. Treat the period after any scam as one of elevated risk and extra check-ins.
How do I bring up scam protection without insulting their independence?
Frame it as universal, not personal: these operations fool lawyers and professionals daily, and the tools — call blocking, a family code word, a trusted bank contact — are things every household should have. Set them up together rather than for them.