Help an Older Relative Check Requests and Respond to Scams

If you think money was sent to a scammer, contact the payment provider immediately. Use the number on a statement, payment card or official app. Ask whether it can stop or reverse the payment. Recovery is not guaranteed.

For prevention, agree on a simple checking routine with your parent or relative. Ask what help they want. Do not assume that age means someone cannot manage money.

What the reported losses show

The Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) 2025 Internet Crime Report, page 44, lists complaints filed by people aged 60 and over:

These are reports received by the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), not a survey of every older adult. Complaint growth and loss growth are different measures. They do not predict whether a particular person will be targeted.

Agree how to check an urgent request

Try this with the whole family, including yourself:

1. Pause before paying. An urgent request to move money, buy gift cards or share a verification code needs an independent check.
2. End the unexpected call. Use a saved number for the relative, bank or agency. Do not use caller ID or a number supplied in the message.
3. Check the story separately. A familiar voice, personal details or a family code word alone do not prove identity.
4. Keep account access private. Help someone make an official call without asking for their password or login code.

The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) recovery-scam guidance explains why an unexpected offer to recover money for an upfront fee is another warning sign. Do not pay someone who guarantees recovery.

The family fraud protection kit and voice-clone scam guide provide examples to discuss together. A checking routine reduces reliance on an unexpected caller’s instructions; it cannot make an account scam-proof.

Ask about alerts and a trusted contact

Ask the account owner whether they want transaction alerts and help reviewing statements. The bank or brokerage can explain the choices it offers.

A trusted contact is someone the institution may contact about a concern. That role does not itself permit withdrawals or account changes. A power of attorney is different and can grant financial authority. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau explains these options.

Use the account owner’s permission and the institution’s approved process. Do not add yourself as a joint owner merely to receive alerts. Ownership changes can have consequences beyond helping with bills.

If something has happened

The FTC’s payment-specific checklist explains what to request from a bank, card issuer, wire company, payment app or cryptocurrency service. Act promptly, even if you are unsure whether a reversal is possible.

Keep transaction references, receipts, messages and the contact details used by the suspected scammer. Follow the provider’s instructions for protecting the account. If login details were shared, change the affected credentials through the genuine service and ask about securing access.

Then use the appropriate official report:

• ReportFraud.ftc.gov for scams and fraud.
• IC3.gov for internet crime.
• IdentityTheft.gov if personal information was used for identity theft.

An agency report and a bank dispute serve different purposes. A report does not automatically create a refund or replace the payment provider’s process.

For free support, call the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline at 877-908-3360. It serves members and nonmembers. Do not delay contacting the bank while seeking support.

Find related financial tools in the retiree hub. This guide offers general information, not an account-security guarantee or personalized legal advice. The sources were checked November 1, 2026.