Alert : Scams Targeting Seniors – Fake Relatives, Banks and Officials Multiply the Scenarios

Scams targeting older people often rely on two levers: trust and a sense of urgency. They take many forms — a fictitious loved one in distress, a supposed worried bank adviser, or even a fake police officer, technician or official turning up at the home.

Stay vigilant: a few simple reflexes can often interrupt the scam before a payment is made or sensitive information is shared.

Scams targeting seniors

Fraudsters pose as trusted people or organisations in order to obtain money, banking data, security codes or access to their victim’s home.

The method used

The scammer usually creates an urgent situation: a loved one supposedly has a problem, bank fraud is said to be in progress, a computer is supposedly hacked or a home intervention is claimed to be necessary. The call, SMS or visit may seem credible, and some variants even use an imitated voice to strengthen the illusion. Above all, the fraudster seeks to prevent the victim from checking the situation with a relative, their bank or the organisation concerned.

Warning signs: A request for money presented as extremely urgent, a caller who asks for a PIN, password or code received by SMS, a supposed adviser or police officer who announces that a courier will be sent to collect a bank card, a loved one suddenly communicating from a new number and asking for money, a request to install software allowing remote control of the computer or phone, a person who demands that the situation remain secret or refuses to let you call someone to check, an unexpected visitor invoking a repair, inspection or urgent intervention to enter the home.

A few tips:

• 📞 Hang up when a call pushes you to act immediately about your money or bank account.
• 🔎 Contact the relative, bank, police or public authority yourself using a number you already know or one obtained from an official source.
• 🔐 Never share your passwords, banking codes or verification codes received by SMS.
• 💳 Never hand over your bank card and its code to a courier, employee or visitor.
• 💻 Do not install remote-access software at the request of a caller or after an unexpected alert appears.
• 👨‍👩‍👧 Agree with your loved ones on a word or question that can verify their identity in an unusual emergency.
• ⏳ Before any unusual payment, take a few minutes to ask the opinion of a relative or trusted person.

Conclusion

A familiar voice, a credible phone number or knowledge of some personal information is no longer enough to prove the identity of the person contacting you. If in doubt, interrupt the conversation and always verify the situation through another means.

If money, a card or a bank account is involved, contact your financial institution immediately. Also keep SMS messages, emails, phone numbers, screenshots and other elements that may serve as evidence.

Depending on your country, then report the attempt to the police or the competent official service, such as Report Fraud (UK), ReportFraud.gov (US) or IdentityTheft.gov (US) if identity theft is involved. Our anti-fraud reporting assistant can help you identify the appropriate steps in the United Kingdom or the United States. Also remember to warn those around you: a simple warning can prevent another person from falling into the same trap.

To strengthen your reflexes against scam attempts, several resources can also help:
👉 Consult our practical guide for fraud victims
👉 Test your vigilance with our anti-fraud simulator
👉 Discover the essential reflexes to avoid scams

Written by : René Ronse
Sources & Methodology : This alert is based on regular monitoring of national reporting platforms, feedback from victims, statements issued by the relevant authorities and other information available at the time of writing or the latest update. Its purpose is to identify the method used, the warning signs and the appropriate steps to take when faced with this type of fraud.
About the author : René Ronse, manager of ArnaqueOuFiable.com. Expert in consumer cybersecurity, specialist in detecting online fraud, product transparency, and digital compliance. He has over 20 years of experience analyzing hidden subscription mechanisms, unreadable terms and conditions, aggressive sales tactics, and deceptive commercial practices on the web.
Last updated : 14 August 2026.
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