“There is no legitimate government agency, bank, or technology company that’s going to tell you to move money to protect it. They’re not going to tell you to buy gold or cryptocurrency or to keep the transaction secret,”
August 21, 2026 7:39 PM in News – Local Source: KRGV By: Lucy Lopez
The FBI says elder fraud is on the rise, with billions of dollars lost last year alone.
A McAllen (Texas) woman says her mom fell victim earlier this month. Her mother was cooking when she got a phone call from a woman claiming to be with Medicare.
The caller told her she needed to check her Medicare card. Claudia Teer says moments after that call, the woman showed up at her mother’s home.
Teer says the woman photographed both of her parents’ Medicare cards and had them sign documents. The woman did not leave copies of the paperwork or a business card.
When Teer found out, she called McAllen (Texas) police and reported the encounter to Medicare.
“For me, it was very, very, very sad to know that somebody walked into my parents’ home and was so easy for the person to walk in here and talk to them very friendly,” Teer said. “They could have signed the deed to their house.”
Medicare says they will never call to sell anything or visit someone at their home. However, home visits are allowed for certain beneficiaries who have requested or agreed to an appointment.
The family does not know what, if anything, was done with the information.
FBI Assistant Special Agent in Charge Joe Peña says what happened highlights an important rule. When someone you don’t know asks for personal information, slow things down and verify who you’re dealing with.
“The scams are extremely sophisticated. This is not a crime of mental deficiency on behalf of the victim. It’s because these schemes are layered. They are sophisticated,” Peña said.
The FBI says from 2024 to 2025, both elder fraud complaints and losses doubled. In 2025, Americans 60 and older reported more than 200,000 fraud complaints totaling nearly $7.8 billion in losses.
The average loss was about $38,500 per person.
Peña says criminals can use impersonation technology and even artificial intelligence to make their stories more convincing.
“There is no legitimate government agency, bank, or technology company that’s going to tell you to move money to protect it. They’re not going to tell you to buy gold or cryptocurrency or to keep the transaction secret,” Peña said.
Teer says acting fast helped her family ensure no permanent damage was done. By sharing their experience, they hope families will have that conversation before a stranger ever makes it through the door.
“They need to be on the lookout, not be ashamed, and inform their sons or their daughters or whomever is taking care of them or watching over them, because it is important to mobilize yourself as soon as possible,” Teer said.
The FBI says if that conversation comes after someone has already fallen victim, lead with support, not blame.
“Shame only protects the criminals, not the victim, in these kinds of elder fraud examples,” Peña said.
Those wanting to report elder fraud can call the National Elder Fraud hotline at 833-372-8311. In New Hampshire please call 603-271-7014 or report to NH EASY.
Tips should also be submitted to the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
