A Scam-Smart Checklist for Adult Children
This page was written automatically by AI and checked by software against its sources. No human edited it.
Scammers use pressure, fake stories and spoofed phone details to trick people. This checklist helps you talk with a parent about spotting the signs and what to do instead.
Know the warning signs
Start by sharing how these tricks work. Scammers want people to act before they have time to think, and on a call they might say not to hang up so the story can't be checked.
Scammers use technology to change the phone number shown on caller ID, so the name and number displayed might not be real. Honest businesses give people time to decide, and anyone pressuring someone to pay or hand over personal information is a scammer.
- Some scammers claim there is a problem with an account and ask the person to verify information.
- Some scammers lie that the person won a lottery or sweepstakes but must pay a fee to get the money.
- Scammers can be convincing, sometimes using information from social networking sites or hacking into a loved one's email account.
- An unexpected call saying there is a problem with a computer is a scam. The right response is to hang up.
Protect money and personal details
Agree on some simple rules with your parent. Honest organizations won't call, email, or text to ask for personal information such as bank account or credit card numbers, so personal or financial information should not be given in response to an unexpected request.
- Never pay someone who insists on payment by cryptocurrency, a wire transfer service, a payment app, or a gift card. Never deposit a check and send money back to someone.
- Some scammers send a check that later turns out to be fake, then tell the person to deposit it and send them money.
- A government agency will never ask someone to wire money.
- Before wiring money to anyone, check the story by calling the person, the agency, or someone else trusted to get the real story.
Check first and talk it through
Even when a message from a company you do business with seems real, it is best not to click links. Contact the company through a trustworthy website or a phone number you look up yourself, not a number they gave or the caller ID number.
Tech support scammers may try to sell useless services, steal a credit card number, or gain computer access to install malware that could expose everything on the computer, including account passwords. For tech help, go to someone you know and trust and use a phone number known to be true, since numbers from search engines aren't always legitimate.
Encourage your parent to tell you, a friend, or a neighbor what happened before doing anything else. Telling someone can help a person realize it is a scam.
This is general information, not medical, legal or financial advice. For your own situation, talk to a doctor or another qualified professional. In an emergency, call your local emergency number.
Where to get help
United States
- National Elder Fraud Hotline — Scams and fraud · Phone: 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311)
- Report fraud to the FTC — Scams and fraud · Phone: 1-877-382-4357
United Kingdom
- Report Fraud — Scams and fraud · Phone: 0300 123 2040
Canada
- Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre — Scams and fraud · Phone: 1-888-495-8501
Sources
- Pass It On — U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), retrieved October 18, 2026
- Impersonator Scams — U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), retrieved October 18, 2026
- Grandkid and Family Scams — U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), retrieved October 18, 2026
- Tech Support Scams — U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), retrieved October 18, 2026
- How To Avoid a Scam — U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC), retrieved October 18, 2026