Elder Fraud is Skyrocketing, New Survey Finds

Nearly four in 10 US adults have lost money or had personal data exploited by scammers, with the problem most concentrated among older people, according to a new report by AARP.

Among individuals age 50 and up, 41 percent said they had been scam victims; for adults age 18 to 39 the figure was 35 percent.

The AARP report, “The Fraud Crisis in America: How Adult Consumers Feel, What They Know and Their Exposure to Risk,” was based on a survey of 1,696 adults conducted in January.

While awareness of fraud is increasing, many adults continue to take risks that scammers can easily exploit, the report found. “Every day, we must remember that criminals are constantly looking for new ways to steal our hard‑earned money,” cautioned Amy Nofziger, senior director with AARP’s Fraud Watch Network.

Risky actions include answering phone calls and text messages from unknown parties, using the same passwords in more than one account, and downloading free apps on social media.

AARP’s findings are the latest in a series of reports suggesting a surge in scams, with older consumers a prime target. In 2025, Americans age 60 and up suffered $7.7 billion in fraud-related losses – a whopping increase of 60 percent over the prior year, the FBI reported. Moreover, some experts maintain that the total amount of losses is significantly larger because a great deal of fraud goes unreported. For example, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) found that in 2024 fraud for older Americans may have been as high as $81.5 billion.

Given such high costs, it should not be a surprise that older Americans are increasingly worried about scams. The good news is that certain easy, commonsense practices can give you a lot of protection.

Among the suggestions from AARP’s Fraud Watch Network:

• Steer clear of communications that are unsolicited. “When in doubt, let the call or text go to voicemail,” AARP advises.

• Don’t repeat your passwords. The danger is clear. One successful hack puts other accounts with the same password at risk.

• Be careful about what you reveal on social media. Scammers take note of what you post. Answers you provide to an online quiz or survey potentially give the bad guys info they can use in identity theft.

• Make use of tech defenses that now exist. Antivirus software, antispyware, and pop-up blockers safeguard your data. If you are using public Wi-Fi, turn on a virtual private network (VPN) to thwart any hackers.
• Help law enforcement by reporting fraud. If you have been victimized, don’t be embarrassed to reveal it. Information you possess can help authorities become more effective. You can report fraud to the FTC by clicking on https://reportfraud.ftc.gov.

Posing as NFL Players, Duo Stole Millions to Finance Luxuries

When it comes to imposter scams, you should not believe your own eyes.

In one brazen identify-theft case, a former college football player and his partner stole the identities of famed football players, using wigs, makeup, fake corporations, and altered driver’s licenses to fool investors out of $20 million. They used the money – obtained through fraudulent loans – to buy expensive cars, jewelry and real estate.

Luther Davis, 37, a former defensive tackle for the Alabama Crimson Tides, and CJ Evins, 29, pleaded guilty in late April to federal wire fraud and aggravated theft charges, announced the U.S. Attorney’s Office in the Northern District of Georgia.

“This scheme highlights that anyone can be a target of identity theft,” said U.S. Attorney Theodore S. Hertzberg.

When lenders required that the fake borrowers appear on camera at closings, they masqueraded as NFL players. They then deposited the loan money into bank accounts they controlled. The fraud unraveled when the union that represents the real athletes discovered that the contracts the men were using as collateral were actually fake.

ESPN and The Guardian named the players impersonated in the scheme as former Cleveland Browns tight end David Njoku, Green Bay Packers safety Xavier McKinney – both of whom have played in the NFL’s prestigious Pro Bowl – along with Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Penix Jr. The victims included the Aliya Sports Finance Fund, All Pro Capital Funding and Sure Sports, a brokerage firm that negotiates financial deals with professional athletes, according to The Athletic, a publication owned by The New York Times.

In today’s world of artificial intelligence, such celebrity imposter scams are increasingly popular with fraudsters. AI helps scammers create mirror images of real people along with exact likenesses of their voices. Impersonators have posed as Elon Musk, Dolly Parton, Robert Plant and Blake Shelton in such frauds, AARP reported last year. It said these types of scams were among the top frauds reported to the FTC, with losses nearing $3 billion in 2024.

DOJ Ramps Up Efforts to Fight Health Care Fraud

In response to a wave of health care fraud, the Justice Department has announced the creation of a strike force charged with cracking down on such crimes in California, Arizona, and Nevada. The initiative, dubbed the West Coast Health Care Fraud Strike Force, brings 10 additional federal prosecutors to the effort. The HHS Office of Inspector General, Federal Bureau of Investigation, Drug Enforcement Administration, and other agencies will all take part, according to the May 1 announcement.

“Our message today and every day is simple: If you steal from the American taxpayer, the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners will do everything possible to award you free housing in a federal prison,” Assistant Attorney General Colin McDonald told reporters.

Health care fraud, which often involves fraudulent billing to Medicare and Medicaid, can be harmful to patients and costly to taxpayers. Phony charges can potentially influence medical decisions that affect patients and distort the records of their medical histories. By some estimates, fraudulent health care billings cost the public tens of billions a year and possibly much more.

“Health care fraud is not a victimless crime,” according to the FBI. “It affects everyone – individuals and businesses alike – and causes tens of billions of dollars in losses each year. It can raise health insurance premiums, expose you to unnecessary medical procedures, and increase taxes.”