OKLAHOMA CITY (May 15, 2025) – Attorney General Gentner Drummond is encouraging Oklahomans to take precautions to guard against elder fraud in recognition of National Senior Fraud Awareness Day today.
“Older Oklahomans deserve to be treated with dignity and respect, yet too often they are targeted by unscrupulous fraudsters,” Drummond said. “This type of senior abuse is inexcusable and I urge all Oklahomans to be vigilant in protecting senior citizens from exploitation.”
According to the FBI, elder fraud is a growing problem with seniors racking up more than $3 billion in losses annually.
Schemes range from fake lotteries to technical support scams, government impersonation, romance scams and more.
To guard against these types of scams:
- Don’t give out personal information over the phone or in response to an email or other message.
- Never click on emailed links or attachments, even if the email appears to be sent by someone you know, unless you first verify that the email was, in fact, sent by that person. Email messages that appear to be from known contacts can be phishing attempts to gain your personal information.
- Be wary of individuals who demand payment upfront or in a certain format (e.g. wire, Venmo/CashApp/Zelle, gift cards, cryptocurrency).
- Check incoming bills for charges that you did not authorize.
- Take your time and reject high-pressure approaches from individuals you do not know. Scammers create a sense of urgency to produce fear and lure victims into immediate action.
- Recognize scam attempts and end all communication with the perpetrator.
- Search online for the contact information (name, email, phone number, addresses) and any proposed offers you receive. Other people have likely posted information online about individuals and businesses trying to run scams.
- Call police immediately if you feel there is a danger to yourself or a loved one.
- Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, mailings and door-to-door services offers.
- Take precautions to protect your identity if a criminal gains access to your device or account. Immediately contact your financial institutions to place protections on your accounts, and monitor your accounts and personal information for suspicious activity.
Senior fraud scams in Oklahoma can be reported to the Attorney General's Office through the Senior Fraud Complaint form.
