Elder fraud is exploding: Your data is making it worse

June 9, 2025

By Kim Komando

I’ve got bad news: Today’s online scammers know everything about you. They’re scraping your info and everyone else’s from the web and buying the rest from data brokers and people-search sites. 

📈 The stats are scary

Folks age 60-plus are the biggest target. Almost 72% of scams start with personal data grabbed online. Data brokers vacuum up your info like phone numbers, emails, past addresses, income, favorite takeout spots and then auction it off like eBay for creepers.

With this data, they use personalized weapons.

🎯 Criminals know who to target

Study this list. Here’s what these attacks look like:

• AI phone calls that sound like your grandkids.
• Medicare fraud quoting your last doctor visit.
• Calls from “your bank” that know your address.
• Investment traps tailored to your retirement income.
• Romance scams where your “lover” has the same interests.

Live in a state with higher retirement incomes? 

You’re in the bull’s-eye. Texas seniors lost an average of $51,700 per complaint. My state, Arizona, had the highest elder fraud rate per capita (3.5 cases for every 1,000 seniors). Yikes.

🛡️ How to fight back

1. Freeze your credit:
Even if you’re not worried about identity theft, a credit freeze keeps crooks from opening accounts in your name.

2. Use call filtering apps:
Try tools like Hiya, Nomorobo or your carrier’s spam call protection. And never answer unknown numbers, voicemail is your friend.

3. Get a password manager:
Weak passwords make you easy prey. Use a manager like NordPass to generate and store secure logins.*

4. Talk about scams with loved ones:
The people most at risk often don’t think they’re at risk. Share this article with your spouse, parents, grandparents and neighbors.

5. Don’t trust caller ID:
Scammers spoof numbers from banks, hospitals, even relatives. If something feels off, hang up and call the official number directly.

🧠 The smartest move

Truly, the best way to protect yourself is using a data removal service like Incogni. It scrubs your personal info from shady people-search sites and data brokers, so scammers, spammers, stalkers and creeps have nothing to work with. 

Incogni has sent out over 1,400 removal requests for me. The results? No spam texts, no scam calls and way fewer creepy ads that know too much.

✅ Click here to get 60% off with this limited time offer. You can now flag specific links you find online (like your address, phone number or that article that shares way too much). A real person handles the takedown and keeps you updated every step of the way.

You can cover up to five people on one family plan, and there’s a 30-day risk-free trial. Don’t love it? Get your money back, no hoops to jump through.

These scams aren’t slowing down. But if you stay informed and take a few smart steps, you’ll make yourself a much harder target.