Scammers Are Using AI, Making It Harder For Elders To Peep Fraud

Experts told the outlet that elder fraud is underreported, suggesting the actual financial toll could be higher.

Artificial intelligence is giving scammers new tools to target older Americans, adding another financial and emotional burden for adults already caring for aging parents and their own children, USA Today reports. Americans 60 and older filed more than 200,000 cybercrime elder fraud complaints with the FBI in 2025, reporting nearly $8 billion in losses.

Experts told the outlet that elder fraud is underreported, suggesting the actual financial toll could be higher.

The growing threat is particularly concerning for members of the “sandwich generation,” adults simultaneously caring for children and aging parents. Some caregivers are now monitoring their parents’ bank accounts, phone calls, text messages, and mail to help prevent fraud.

Clayton LiaBraaten, senior executive spokesperson for caller ID and spam-blocking app Truecaller, told the outlet that scammers are using AI to identify potential victims and exploit personal information.

In one recent case, a widow lost more than $7,000 after scammers claimed they had worked with her late husband to conceal tax evasion. They told her she needed to pay them to protect what remained of her inheritance.

Using AI, scammers are “scouring obituaries and looking for vulnerabilities,” LiaBraaten said. “It’s so disgusting, I can barely keep my cool about it.”

AI can allow criminals to research potential victims, develop personalized scripts, and generate deepfake images, voices, and videos, according to LiaBraaten. The technology can also enable scammers to make thousands of calls simultaneously.

Ian Bednowitz, general manager at identity theft protection service LifeLock, experienced the effects of elder fraud after his mother’s paid caregiver stole her identity in 2016 and opened fraudulent loans and credit cards.

“I was already under financial stress, taking care of my mom,” Bednowitz said. “I can’t tell you the despair and weight that I felt.”

Cybersecurity expert and author Patrick Coughlin said the consequences can extend beyond financial losses. Shame can cause victims to delay disclosing fraud, potentially allowing scammers to steal more money.

Bednowitz urged families to prioritize financial and data security alongside physical and mental health.

“Don’t wait until something happens, because then it’s a lot harder to resolve,” he said. “Make sure that you’re protecting all of their data, not just their physical and mental health.”

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