FBI says more older adults scammed in 2020. Here’s where Missouri and Kansas ranked

Anna Spoerre
·3 min read

Reports of fraud against older adults rose significantly in 2020, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation.

Of the nearly 792,000 fraud complaints filed, approximately 28% of the victims were over the age of 60, according to the FBI’s Elder Fraud Report for 2020. Last year, their reported losses totaled approximately $1 billion — about $300 million more than in 2019.

Missouri ranked 21st among the states with the most victims over 60, with 1,578. Kansas ranked 33rd, with 728. In Missouri, losses to seniors totaled more than $16.2 million in 2020; in Kansas, it was more than $7.3 million.

The most common scams against seniors last year were extortion, non-payment/non-delivery, tech support fraud and identity theft, according to the report.

“The sudden need to shop online and the fear of COVID-19 made older Americans even more of a target for scammers and criminals than they had been in the past,” according to an FBI news release.

Because of the pandemic, more older people took to shopping online, including from false advertisements. As a result, non-delivery of goods was one of the most common schemes older people fell victim to.

“Whether it’s tricking someone into becoming a money mule or trying to convince them they won a non-existent ‘lottery,’ savvy criminals know how to prey on their victims,” the release read.

Seniors are often trusting and polite , and many have financial savings, good credit and own a home, which makes them more likely to be targeted by scammers, according to the FBI.

“Additionally, seniors may be less inclined to report fraud because they don’t know how, or they may be too ashamed at having been scammed,” according to the FBI. “They might also be concerned that their relatives will lose confidence in their abilities to manage their own financial affairs.”

Common scams

Some of the most common scams used against the older population include:

  • Romance scams, when the scammer pretends to be a romantic interest on social media or dating websites.

  • Tech support scams, where criminals pretend to offer help fixing fake computer problems in order to gain remote access to the victim’s device.

  • Grandparent scams, where someone pretends to be a loved one, often a child or grandchild, who is asking for urgent financial help.

  • Government impersonation scams, where scammers imitate government employees. They often say they will arrest or prosecute the victim unless they give them money.

  • Sweepstakes, charity or lottery scams, where criminals pretend to work for charitable organizations, or lie and tell the victim them won a fake lottery or sweepstakes.

How to avoid scams

The FBI released a list of tips to help avoid scams. Their recommendations include:

  • When a scam attempt is recognized, do not continue communicating with the perpetrator.

  • If a proposed offer is received, first search the person or company’s contact information to see whether anyone has posted online warning that it is a scam.

  • If there seems to be a danger, call police immediately.

  • Be wary of unsolicited offers.

  • Do not give any personal information or money to people or businesses that have not been verified.

  • Keep computer anti-virus and security software and malware protections up to date.

  • When online, if a pop-up message appears or the screen locks, disconnect from the Internet and shut down the device immediately. Enabling pop-up blockers can be of help.

  • Do not open email attachments from strangers.

To report elder fraud, contact the local FBI field office or submit a tip online at http://tips.fbi.gov/. Complaints can also be filed with the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center.