Protect Loved Ones from Senior Scams: Signs to Watch

This article is part of a series on protecting the people and information you care about from fraud and scams. More columns will follow.

Many Canadian seniors were raised in a more polite era, but that courtesy can make them easier targets for digital fraud and identity theft, experts warn.

“I’ve seen many cases where seniors worry about seeming rude,” says Julie Kuzmic, senior compliance officer, consumer advocacy at Equifax Canada. That instinct to be polite—especially on the phone—can lead someone to share information or act before fully checking a situation.

How senior scams work

Scammers commonly contact seniors by phone, email or text, pretending to be a bank, a utility or another organization the person uses. They create urgency—saying an account will be closed, a service suspended or that immediate action is required—or they pose as a relative abroad who needs money after an accident or arrest.

These emergency-style schemes include grandparent scams and the “broken phone” trick, where the sender claims to be using a borrowed device because theirs is lost or damaged. Criminals increasingly use convincing techniques, such as deepfake audio and video, to mimic the voice or face of a family member, making the message seem authentic. Their tone can be demanding and intimidating to push victims into acting immediately.

“Fraudsters try to get people to act before they can think things through,” Kuzmic says. She advises families to tell older relatives it’s OK to be blunt or to end a call. “You don’t owe callers anything—no money, no personal details. Real bank representatives and legitimate family members expect you to hang up and verify independently.”

New scams to beware of in Canada

Scammers continually refine their tools and tactics, so warning seniors about specific frauds is a moving target. New scams may not trigger the same suspicions as older, more familiar tricks.

One emerging tactic uses search-engine results and artificial intelligence to create fake obituaries. A scammer can generate a bogus obituary for someone who is still alive, include a donation link, and have it surface in search results. Donations go straight to criminal accounts.

Bereavement or obituary scams also rely on public notices: fraudsters harvest names of relatives and other details from real obituaries to impersonate family members, steal identities or apply for credit.

Not all scams start by asking for money. Some begin by harvesting personal data—like social insurance numbers or birthdates—which can be sold or used to open accounts and credit in the victim’s name. That makes protecting personal information crucial.

Tips to prevent senior scams

If you have older parents or relatives who may be targeted, consider these practical steps from Kuzmic to reduce the risk of fraud:

• Keep their devices updated and install reputable antivirus and anti-malware software.
• Teach them never to share personal information in response to an unsolicited call, text or email. Instead, they should contact the organization directly using known phone numbers or official websites.
• Create a simple rule for larger purchases or donations—such as checking with a family member before authorizing any payment over $100.
• With their consent, consider enrolling in a family credit monitoring plan so you can watch credit reports for unexpected activity and respond quickly if there’s a problem.

How to communicate with the seniors in your life

Talking about scams can be sensitive. Rather than imposing strict rules, Kuzmic suggests using real-life scenarios to help older relatives recognize warning signs. Share examples of common scams and walk through how to verify requests.

If a senior does fall victim to fraud, respond calmly. Shaming or blaming will only discourage them from reporting the incident and seeking help. Focus on remediation—what can be done now—such as contacting banks, changing passwords and alerting credit agencies.

Prevent senior fraud with Equifax Complete Protection

Awareness is essential, but high-tech threats often require technological defenses. A credit monitoring service can add a layer of protection by detecting suspicious activity early.

Equifax Complete Protection offers several features intended to help detect identity theft and fraud:

• Daily credit monitoring and alerts for key changes to your Equifax credit report
• Dark web scans to find whether personal data appears on illicit sites
• Social media monitoring that flags suspicious account activity
• Encryption and password tools to secure online accounts
• Parental and device protections to reduce the risk of malware and phishing

Read more about fraud prevention:

• How to protect yourself from identity fraud in Canada
• Why do Canadians keep falling for scams?
• What to do if your bank account or credit card is compromised
• Steps to take if someone steals your identity