They're Are Not After Your Money. They're After Your Trust.

Florida consistently ranks among the top states in the country for elder fraud. That is not because seniors here are naive. It is because scammers are sophisticated, relentless, and very good at what they do. They study their targets. They build rapport. They exploit the values that make older adults remarkable people to know: trust, generosity, loyalty, and a desire to protect their families.

Understanding how these scams work is not a matter of being suspicious of everyone. It is a matter of recognizing the patterns so that when something does not feel right, you have the language and the confidence to stop, step back, and protect yourself.

This post covers the four scams most commonly reported by and affecting seniors in our region, along with concrete, actionable steps to protect yourself and the people you love.

⚠ Florida by the numbers: The FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center reported that Florida seniors lost over $284 million to fraud in a single recent year, the second-highest total of any state. The real number is believed to be far higher, as most victims never report.

SCAM NO. 1

The call comes late at night or early in the morning, when you are not fully alert. A panicked voice on the other end says: "Grandma, it’s me. I’m in trouble. Please don’t tell Mom and Dad."

The caller claims to be a grandchild who has been arrested, injured in an accident, or is stranded in another city or country. Within minutes, a second person gets on the line, posing as an attorney, a bail bondsman, or a police officer, and explains exactly how much money is needed and how to send it. Cash. Gift cards. Wire transfer. They need it now.

This scam works because it targets the most powerful instinct a grandparent has which is the urge to protect a grandchild without hesitation. The urgency is engineered. The secrecy is weaponized.

• Hang up and call your grandchild directly on a number you already have saved.

• Establish a family code word that only genuine family members would know.

• Know that no legitimate attorney or law enforcement officer will ever demand gift cards or wire transfers as payment.

• If someone asks you to keep a call secret from your family, that is the signal to stop the conversation immediately.

SCAM NO. 2

This one takes longer to develop, and it is often the most devastating. A new contact appears on a social media platform or dating site, sometimes even through a simple friend request. The profile is compelling and the attention is flattering. Over weeks and sometimes months, a genuine emotional bond forms.

Then the requests begin. It might be a medical emergency, a business deal gone wrong, or a plane ticket to finally come visit. The amounts start small and escalate. By the time a victim recognizes what is happening, they may have sent tens of thousands of dollars to someone they have never met in person.

The shame associated with romance scams is enormous, which is why they are dramatically underreported. Adult children should know that if a parent seems to be in a new online relationship that is moving quickly and involving any requests for money, that is a serious warning sign regardless of how real the relationship feels.

• Never send money, gift cards, or financial account information to someone you have not met in person.

• Reverse-image search any profile photo using Google Images. Scammer photos are almost always stolen from real people.

• Talk to a trusted friend or family member before deepening any online relationship. A second set of eyes can see patterns you might miss.

• If someone consistently avoids video calls or in-person meetings, treat that as a serious red flag.

SCAM NO. 3

After a hurricane, a storm, or even just a hot South Florida summer, the doorbell rings. A friendly person in work clothes explains they were in the neighborhood doing a job nearby and noticed something wrong with your roof, your driveway, or your AC unit. They can fix it today, before it gets worse, for a very reasonable price.

Sometimes they ask for cash upfront and vanish. Sometimes they do shoddy work that causes real damage. Sometimes they convince a homeowner to sign paperwork that unknowingly assigns their insurance benefits directly to the contractor, a scheme that has proliferated in Florida and left many seniors without recourse.

This scam is especially active after major weather events, when legitimate contractors are backed up and anxiety about property damage is high.

• Never hire a contractor who arrives unsolicited at your door. Reputable contractors do not canvass neighborhoods.

• Always get at least two or three bids for any significant work, in writing.

• Verify a contractor’s license at the Florida Department of Business and Professional Regulation website (myfloridalicense.com) before signing anything.

• Never sign an Assignment of Benefits (AOB) form without consulting your insurance company first.

• Pay by check or credit card, never cash, and never pay in full before work is completed.

SCAM NO. 4

You receive a letter, an email, or a phone call informing you that you have won a substantial prize via a lottery, a sweepstakes, or a cash reward. The amount sounds life-changing. The letter looks official. There is just one requirement. Before the winnings can be released, you need to pay a small processing fee, a tax, or an administrative charge.

Of course, there is no prize. There never was. The fees are the entire scheme. And for every payment made, a new fee is invented. Some seniors have paid thousands of dollars in cumulative fees chasing a windfall that does not exist.

A variation of this scam involves a check being mailed to the victim, who is asked to deposit it and wire back a portion immediately. The check eventually bounces, but by then the wired funds are gone.

• Legitimate lotteries and sweepstakes never require you to pay fees to claim winnings.

• If you did not enter a contest, you have not won one.

• Never deposit a check from an unknown source and wire any portion of the funds. This is always a scam.

• If a prize offer sounds extraordinary, discuss it with a family member or trusted advisor before taking any action.

When you step back and look at these four scams side by side, the architecture is identical. Every single one relies on the same three tools:

• Urgency. There is always a reason you must act now, before you have time to think or consult someone else. Urgency is manufactured specifically to override your judgment.

• Secrecy. You are asked, in some form, not to tell anyone. This is never a coincidence. Isolation from trusted people is how scams survive.

• Emotion. Fear for a grandchild. Excitement about a prize. Affection for a romantic connection. Anxiety about property damage. The emotion is real even when the situation is not.

When you notice any of these three elements in an unexpected contact, treat it as a signal to slow down, not speed up.

Before responding to any unexpected request involving money, information, or a signature, apply this one rule:

"I never make financial decisions on the spot. I always take 24 hours and speak with someone I trust first."

Say it out loud. Write it down somewhere visible. Make it a personal policy you never negotiate with. Legitimate businesses, legitimate emergencies, and legitimate opportunities can all withstand a 24-hour pause. Scams cannot.

• Florida Attorney General’s Fraud Hotline: 1-866-9-NO-SCAM (1-866-966-7226)

• AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline: 1-877-908-3360 (free, staffed by trained volunteers)

• FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center: ic3.gov (for online fraud reporting)

• Adult Protective Services (Florida): 1-800-962-2873 (for suspected elder financial exploitation)