Every year, thousands of Canadians lose millions of dollars to fraud, and unfortunately, older adults are among the most frequently targeted victims. In 2022 alone, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre recorded over $530 million in reported losses. Experts actually believe the true number is much higher since many victims never come forward.
Fraud isn’t what it used to be. Today’s scam artists use sophisticated tools, including artificial intelligence, to make their schemes more convincing, more personal, and far harder to detect. From old-school methods like caller ID spoofing and phishing emails to AI-generated voice clones and deepfake video calls, the threats facing older adults have never been more complex.
The good news? Awareness is still your most powerful defence.
The Rising Threat of Fraud and Cybercrime
People may feel ashamed or embarrassed about falling for a scam and may be reluctant to report it to authorities. Furthermore, the RCMP notes that technology has made it easier than ever to commit widespread fraud against unsuspecting people. Because of this, knowing about senior fraud prevention has never been more important. From traditional telephone scams to newer cyber scams, let’s review the various threats and how to better detect them.
Why Seniors Are Most Targeted for Cyber Scams?
The unfortunate reality is that seniors are frequently targeted by scam artists for a variety of reasons; they are often home alone during the day, and they may also be struggling with social isolation and loneliness. Scam artists take advantage of these vulnerabilities. Furthermore, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) reported that older adults are more likely, “to have a ‘nest egg’, to own their home, and/or to have excellent credit, all of which make them attractive to con artists.”
Scam artists don’t choose their victims randomly. They seek our vulnerabilities to take advantage of. Unfortunately, several reasons make older adults disproportionately attractive targets. By learning about these vulnerabilities, you are able to better understand if you yourself are vulnerable. Some of the most common reasons why scammers target older adults are:
Bigger Nest Eggs
It is more common for older adults to have more money saved up and availbale to access. Older adults make for better targets than struggling young people still finding their footing in the world. Older adults have spent a lifetime saving. Retirement nest eggs, home ownership, and strong credit histories make older adults financially appealing to fraudsters looking for a significant payoff.
Social Isolation and Loneliness
Older adults who live alone or have limited social contact may be more vulnerable to unsolicited calls or messages, simply because a human connection feels welcome. Social isolation can have a big impact on the mental health of a senior. Scammers are skilled at building false rapport quickly, and a friendly conversation can quickly turn into manipulation.
Less Familiarity With New Technology
Digital scams, AI-generated voices, and spoofed websites can be harder to recognize for those who didn’t grow up with these tools. Scammers count on that gap.
Modern Techniques Used by Scam Artists
Scam artists have also become more sophisticated over the years and are now using text messages, email, and social media to target people. They even have a new technique to get you to answer the telephone – Caller ID Spoofing. According to the CRTC (the Canadian Radio-Television and Telecommunications Commission of Canada), illegitimate telemarketers or scammers can “change the information that appears on the Caller ID display to misrepresent themselves and to trick Canadians into answering the call.” Many of us have learned not to answer calls from 1-800 numbers or numbers that come up as ‘unknown’. Scam artists get around this by altering the phone number they are calling from, so it looks like a local call from a neighbour or nearby business. It may even show up on the call display as your own telephone number! This is called mirroring, and it’s very tempting to answer a call which seems to be coming from your own telephone number. These tactics are in violation of the Canadian Unsolicited Telecommunications Rules; telemarketers are required to accurately identify themselves.
How AI-Powered Scams Make Older Adults More Vulnerable
For decades, technology has been a reliable tool scammers have used to take advantage of vulnerable individuals like older adults. However, Artificial Intelligence (AI) has given modern-day scammers a new toolbox of resources and methods to extract money from vulnerable individuals. AI has taken scams to a new level. Today’s scam artists aren’t just using generic robocalls or mass emails. They’re using AI to make their deceptions more convincing, more personal, and much harder to detect. For older adults, especially, understanding these new tactics is a critical part of staying safe. Some of the most common AI-assisted scams are:
Voice Cloning: When the “Grandchild” Calling Isn’t Really Them
One of the most alarming AI-powered scams is voice cloning. With just a few seconds of audio, easily gathered from a public social media video or just a few moments on the phone, scammers can use AI tools to create a convincing replica of someone’s voice. They then typically call a grandparent pretending to be a grandchild in crisis: “Grandma, I’ve been in an accident, I need money right now.”
This is an advanced version of the classic “Grandparent Scam,” and the emotional urgency makes it extremely difficult to resist. If you ever receive a call like this, hang up and call your family member directly on their known number before doing anything else. If it’s really them and they really need help, they will be there to answer. Just make sure you don’t call back the number that called you. Make sure to dial the saved number you have in your phone book or contacts app.
Deepfake Video Calls and Fake “Government Officials”
AI can now generate realistic videos of people saying things they never actually said. It can even do this live by applying a face-tracking filter to the scammer’s face and voice. This scam is commonly known as deepfakes. Scammers have begun using this technology to impersonate government officials, bank representatives, or even well-known public figures in video calls or online messages. They may claim you owe taxes, are eligible for a special benefit, or that your accounts have been compromised, all to get your personal or financial information.
Remember: Government agencies like the CRA (Canada Revenue Agency) will never ask for payment via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. If something feels off, it probably is. Hang up and call the organization back directly through their publicly available contact number.
Chatbots That Build False Trust
Scammers can now deploy AI-powered chatbots on fake websites or through messaging apps. These bots are programmed to have lengthy, friendly conversations that build rapport and trust over days or even weeks with their targets, before eventually asking for money or personal information. This kind of prolonged manipulation can be especially effective for older adults who may be experiencing loneliness or social isolation.
Senior Fraud Prevention Tips
So, how can you protect yourself against scams? Awareness is your best defence against scams and the key to prevention. Here is a list of senior fraud prevention recommendations from the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre:
Practice Caution
Be very cautious when it comes to giving personal information over the phone or through text/email messaging. This is one of the most common scams perpetrated against older adults – soliciting and gaining personal information. This includes banking information, passwords, health cards and especially your Social Insurance Number. If you are unsure of the legitimacy of a call or a text, hang up and call the organization in question to verify the caller’s identity. Remember, legitimate telemarketers and businesses have nothing to hide, so ask questions! It’s your right to know who you are talking to. Ask for a callback or reference number if you are unsure. The Anti-Fraud Center has a great slogan – Remember, you can Stop Phone Fraud – Just Hang up!
Verify First!
If someone contacts you claiming to be a family member, government agency, or business, even if they sound or look real, hang up and verify through an independent, known contact number.
Look out for urgency
AI scams are designed to make you act fast before you have time to think. They will often pressure you to take action “right away” and won’t let you hang up to verify first. Slow down, and remember that legitimate organizations will give you time to verify.
Look out For Anything That’s “Too Good To Be True”
If something seems too good to be true, it probably is! If the telemarketer offers you something for free but then asks for your credit card, a red flag should go up immediately. Once again, hang up and call the organization to confirm that this is a legitimate request. The same thing goes for any online offers – scam artists use phishing techniques to hook you into clicking on a fake ad. If you click on the link, you’re redirected to a website that looks real but is actually a spoofed website made to look like a legitimate business. Before entering any personal information, do a quick Google search to see if there are any scams involving this particular website and call the company in question for verification.
Register Your Phone Number On The National Do Not Call List
This will help reduce the number of telemarketers who contact you. Registration is free. Find out more about the DNC list.
Report Scams Right Away!
If you think you have been targeted by a scam artist, you must report it. This is the best way to track scams and collect evidence. You can register a complaint with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre by visiting their website or calling toll-free at 1-888-495-8501.
Victoria Lifeline’s Fraud Message
At Victoria Lifeline, we occasionally hear from concerned customers that they have been targeted by someone claiming to be a representative of Lifeline or a medical alert company. The scam artist then tells them their service will be cut off in 48 hours. In the interest of delivering greater peace of mind to those we serve, here is how you can recognize that you are dealing directly with Victoria Lifeline:
- We do not collect credit card information over the phone for service calls.
- We would never threaten to cancel our service if someone didn’t update their file or provide their credit card information in exchange.
- As a general rule, we do not call to advise of overdue accounts or expired credit cards – we mail statements and or invoices notifying clients directly and request they call us to update their payment preferences.
- We never solicit older adults through the phone book or use telemarketing techniques to sell our service.
- We never share our subscribers’ personal information with third-party vendors.
- We take our subscribers’ privacy seriously in accordance with our privacy policy, which you can read on our website at https://www.victorialifeline.ca/about-us/privacy-policy.
If you ever have any concerns about the legitimacy of a call you received regarding the Lifeline service, you can always push your button or call us to verify that someone from our office called. We are always happy to hear from our clients!