The 10 email scams targeting seniors right now

Older adults are targeted more than any other group because they tend to have savings, good credit and a habit of answering mail. These are the stories that show up most, roughly in order of how often we see them.

1. The fake renewal invoice. "Your Geek Squad / Norton / McAfee plan renewed for $399.99. Call to cancel." There is no link, just a phone number, and the "refund" call ends with remote access to the computer.
2. The locked account. "Unusual sign-in detected. Verify within 24 hours or your account will be closed." The link goes to a copy of the bank or email sign-in page.
3. The delivery problem. A fake USPS, UPS or Amazon notice about a missed package and a small redelivery fee, which captures the card number.
4. Medicare and Social Security. A "new card", a benefits review or a refund that needs the Medicare or Social Security number "to confirm".
5. The grandparent emergency. A grandchild, or a lawyer for one, needs bail or hospital money now, and please keep it quiet. See protecting grandparents.
6. Prizes and inheritances. You won, or a distant relative left you money; just pay the taxes or fees first.
7. Romance. A warm stranger who writes every day, cannot meet in person, and eventually needs help with money.
8. Charity after a disaster. Real-sounding relief appeals with a donation link to a look-alike site.
9. Tax and IRS threats. An unpaid balance and a warrant unless paid today, by gift card or wire.
10. Malware attachments. A "receipt", "photo" or "statement" that is really a program, often disguised like statement.pdf.exe.

The red flags they share

• A deadline. 24 hours, today, before the account closes.
• Unusual payment. Gift cards, wire transfers, crypto, a courier.
• A request for a code or password. Real companies never ask for these by email.
• A sender address that is almost right. support@chase-alerts-secure.com is not Chase.
• Secrecy. "Don't tell anyone."

Spelling mistakes used to be a red flag too. Not any more: AI now writes scam email perfectly.

What to do if one gets through

• Do not click, call the number in the email, or reply.
• Call the company using the number on the card or statement you already have.
• If money was sent, call the bank immediately and report it at ic3.gov and reportfraud.ftc.gov.
• If a password was typed in, change it and follow what to do if a parent's email was hacked.

Stop them before they arrive

Inbox Hero checks every message from a stranger: where its links really go, look-alike addresses, disguised attachments and the sender's authentication. Clear scams are quarantined into a Fraud folder; doubtful ones get a plain-English warning on Gmail. It works with Gmail, Yahoo, AOL and iCloud, and you can set it up for a parent in ten minutes.

Frequently asked questions