- Adults 60+ reported more than $7.7 billion in fraud losses in 2025, a 37% increase over 2024, with an average reported loss over $38,000.
- Framing matters as much as the advice itself: presenting protections as something for the whole family, not something aimed at one person, tends to land far better.
- Free help exists specifically for this: the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline (877-908-3360) takes calls from anyone, not just AARP members.
The numbers are real and worth taking seriously: the FBI's 2025 Internet Crime Report recorded more than 201,000 victims age 60 and older reporting losses exceeding $7.7 billion, up 37% from the year before, with an average reported loss over $38,000 and at least 12,400 people reporting losses of $100,000 or more. None of that means the conversation with a parent or older relative should start from a place of "you need to be more careful." It should start from "here's something I'm setting up for all of us."
Why framing matters more than the facts
Most adult children reach for facts first: loss statistics, warnings, a list of red flags. The facts are real, but leading with them can land as "I think you're vulnerable," which tends to produce defensiveness rather than openness, especially from someone who has managed their own finances competently for decades.
What tends to work better: present the same protections as a family-wide setup, not a response to a specific worry about them. "I'm setting up a family safe word for all of us, including me" is a very different conversation than "I'm worried you'll fall for something." Same protection, different reception.
A practical way to start the conversation
- Lead with a specific story, not a general warning. A concrete example of how a real scam call unfolds is easier to absorb than an abstract "be careful." Our guide to AI voice clone scams walks through exactly how the modern version of the "grandchild in trouble" call works, which is a useful thing to read together rather than summarize secondhand.
- Make it collaborative, not corrective. Work through the family fraud protection kit together, as something everyone in the family does, including you.
- Normalize verifying, don't frame it as suspicion. "We should have a safe word for real emergencies" is a precaution, not an accusation.
- Respect the line between helping and taking over. The goal is a shared safety net, not managing someone else's accounts unless they've specifically asked for that kind of help.
What actually helps, concretely
- Set up a family safe word together. See the family fraud protection kit for how.
- Turn on account alerts for withdrawals and transfers, framed as something you're doing on your own accounts too.
- Save real bank and family phone numbers in their phone under clear names, so "hang up and call back" is fast rather than something to figure out under pressure.
- Know where to send them if something happens, before it happens: the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline (877-908-3360) is free and open to non-members, and offers real-time support for someone who thinks they may be targeted or already scammed.
If something has already happened
Speed and support both matter more than blame. The AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline (877-908-3360) can walk through next steps regardless of AARP membership. For reporting, the FTC's portal is reportfraud.ftc.gov, and for wire fraud specifically, the FBI's IC3 (ic3.gov). If a bank transfer or Zelle payment was involved, see our guide to Zelle and wire scam refunds for what's actually recoverable and how quickly you need to act.
Quick answers
How common is elder fraud? Adults 60+ reported over $7.7 billion in losses in 2025, up 37% year over year, with an average loss over $38,000.
How do I bring this up without sounding condescending? Frame it as a family-wide setup you're doing for everyone, including yourself, not a response to a specific worry about them.
Where can we get free help? The AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline, 877-908-3360, takes calls from anyone, including non-members.
Sources
- FBI 2025 Internet Crime Report: the source for the elder-fraud loss figures cited above.
- AARP Fraud Watch Network: the source for the helpline number cited above.
- FTC: Report Fraud: federal scam-reporting portal.
Methodology
Loss figures are drawn directly from the FBI's 2025 Internet Crime Report. This is general educational information, not personalized financial or legal advice.
Frequently Asked Questions
How common is elder fraud, really?
How do I bring this up without sounding like I'm questioning their judgment?
What's a good first step that doesn't feel like a big conversation?
Where can we get help if something has already happened?
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