Protecting Seniors from Phone Fraud in the U.S.: Family Action Plan

Why seniors are often targeted

Fraud callers exploit trust, routine, and urgency. They often pretend to be from Medicare, banks, or technical support.

Set clear household rules

Create simple rules: never share codes, never pay via gift cards, and always verify via a known official number.

Build a verification workflow

Use a two-step check: end the call, then call a trusted family member or the official institution using saved contacts.

Use device-level protections

Enable spam filtering, silence unknown callers where appropriate, and keep a shared blocklist of repeated scam numbers.

Report quickly

Fast reporting protects both your household and other users. Include exact phrases used by the caller to help pattern detection.