Family matters: how scammers are targeting families, children, and older adults

In 2024, scammers stole $47 billion from U.S. victims, up $4 billion from the year before. While older adults remain the most financially impacted group, losses for victims under 20 have also surged, reaching $312 million. From “grandparent” schemes to child identity theft, today’s scams are more personal, more convincing, and more costly.

Families in the crosshairs

No one is off-limits, and scammers know it. Children are now frequent targets of identity theft, with 1 in 43 U.S. children having personal information exposed in a breach in 2022. Social media scams, sextortion, and fake giveaways are just a few tactics used to steal information and money.

Older adults continue to face high-risk schemes like tech support fraud ($982M lost in 2024), government imposters ($208M lost in 2024), and romance scams ($389M lost in 2024). These scams prey on trust, fear, and emotional connection.

As technology evolves and scammers gain access to new tools, including AI-generated voices and images, their complex schemes are becoming harder to detect. The ripple effects can be devastating, leaving victims with financial losses, emotional trauma, and years of cleanup.

Want the full picture?

Download the complete report to see the most common scams targeting families, children, and older adults—plus the steps you can take to stop them.