An older client calls about moving savings. Someone claiming to be a relative wants documents urgently. A caller knows the client’s name and says an attorney has authorized a payment.
For an elder-law or estate-planning office, these moments deserve a clear response. Staff do not need to diagnose a crime on the spot. They need a reliable way to verify requests, protect client information and bring concerns to the responsible attorney promptly.
What the federal figures show
The FBI’s 2025 IC3 Annual Report records 201,266 complaints from people 60 and older, with $7.748 billion in reported losses. Complaint volume rose 37% and reported losses rose 59% from 2024. Investment fraud accounted for roughly $3.52 billion, followed by tech/customer-support fraud at about $1.04 billion.
These are reported losses, not a measure of every fraud incident. The FTC’s separate 2024 reporting data found that older adults reported losing money less often than younger adults overall, but reported higher median losses and greater exposure to loss in several scam categories. Avoid treating age alone as evidence that a client cannot make decisions.
The practical lesson for a small office is to recognize the request and the pressure around it, rather than rely on assumptions about the person receiving it.
Sources: FBI IC3 2025 Annual Report, pages 44–46; FTC: Protecting older adults, 2024 reporting findings
Four patterns worth discussing with staff
Family-emergency scams
A caller says a grandchild or another loved one needs money immediately. An accomplice may pose as a lawyer, doctor or police officer. The FTC warns that criminals can also imitate a loved one’s voice using AI. A familiar-sounding voice is not enough to verify an emergency. Contact the person through a number already known to be genuine, or check with another trusted person.
Sources: FTC: Scammers use fake emergencies
Tech-support scams
A warning on a screen or an unexpected call says a computer has been compromised. The supposed technician asks for remote access or payment. The FTC describes versions in which a fake technician transfers the victim to a supposed government official, who says the victim must move money to keep it safe. Do not use the number in the warning; contact a trusted support provider independently.
Sources: FTC: Tech support scams
Government impersonation
The caller invokes Social Security, the IRS, Medicare or law enforcement and pressures the person to act. Requests to transfer savings, buy gift cards or provide financial details through an unexpected contact are warning signs. Caller ID can be spoofed. Verify the issue through an independently obtained official contact, not the number supplied by the caller.
Sources: FTC: Government impersonation scams
Investment scams
An attractive opportunity can arrive through social media, messaging or an apparent new relationship. The FTC found that older adults frequently reported social-media contact in investment-scam reports. A professional-looking site or a reassuring conversation should not replace independent due diligence.
Sources: FTC: Protecting older adults, 2024 reporting findings
A New York warning about gold
In an August 7, 2026 alert, the New York Attorney General described scams that begin with a fake computer warning and remote access. A supposed investigator then directs the victim to buy gold bars or coins and give them to a courier. Victims may be told not to discuss the situation with family or bank employees.
The alert reported that the NYPD had investigated more than 100 cases over the preceding two years, involving losses exceeding $100 million. An urgent instruction to convert savings into gold for safekeeping deserves immediate scrutiny.
Sources: New York Attorney General: August 7, 2026 gold-bar scam warning
Build verification into the office routine
Use a number already in the client file to confirm an unexpected request. If the request changes payment instructions, recipients or account details, follow the firm’s established verification process before acting. Do not treat a reply in the same possibly compromised email thread as independent confirmation.
Do not disclose client information to an unverified caller, including confirmation that someone is a client. Record the request and involve the responsible attorney through the office’s normal channels.
Give clients a clear explanation of how the office communicates about payments and sensitive documents. Use wording that accurately matches your practice. For example, explain how a client should verify a request to change payment instructions rather than making a blanket promise that the firm never discusses payments by telephone.
Red flags for the front desk
- A sudden instruction to liquidate assets, buy gold or move money for supposed protection.
- Pressure to keep the matter secret from trusted advisers, family or bank staff.
- An unfamiliar person directing the conversation or demanding immediate changes.
- Payment instructions involving gift cards, cryptocurrency, unusual wire transfers or couriers.
Treat these as reasons to verify and escalate, not proof of wrongdoing. Let the responsible attorney assess the situation, including confidentiality, authority, capacity and any reporting obligations. Staff should not confront a suspected scammer or make legal judgments on their own.
If money or information has already been sent
Act promptly. The IC3 elder-fraud guidance recommends contacting the financial institutions involved. For a wire transfer, ask the bank about a recall and a hold harmless letter. Recovery is not guaranteed, and the bank should explain the options for the particular transaction.
IC3 also advises contacting the major credit bureaus, reporting to local authorities and filing at https://www.ic3.gov. If identity theft is suspected, use https://www.identitytheft.gov as well. Help filing an IC3 complaint is available through the Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-372-8311, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Eastern.
The FTC accepts scam reports at https://reportfraud.ftc.gov. New Yorkers can also report to the Attorney General at 1-800-771-7755 or through the official office website. Keep relevant messages, receipts and transaction details for the bank, investigators and the responsible attorney. Avoid circulating sensitive client material more widely than necessary.
Where exploitation or abuse is suspected, the attorney can assess whether Adult Protective Services or another resource is appropriate and what disclosures are permitted or required.
Sources: IC3: Elder fraud response guidance and hotline; New York Attorney General: August 7, 2026 gold-bar scam warning; New York Attorney General: Smart seniors resources
Common questions
Can a scammer really imitate a relative’s voice?
Yes. The FTC warns about AI voice cloning. Verify through a separate known contact instead of trusting the sound alone.
Will a real government official ask someone to move savings to protect it?
The FTC identifies that instruction as a scam warning. Stop and verify through the actual agency.
Does every unusual request mean fraud?
No. It means staff should use the office’s verification and escalation process. The client’s age, urgency alone or a change of plans does not establish fraud.
Sources: FTC: Scammers use fake emergencies; FTC: Government impersonation scams
Review the systems behind your verification process
For a broader discussion of your office’s IT, see FIX256’s Remote IT Assessment at https://www.fix256.com/assessment. Start with a free 20-minute intro call to discuss fit and scope. The paid assessment is separate and does not replace legal advice or promise fraud prevention or recovery.
This article provides general information, not legal advice. A qualified attorney should assess the firm’s obligations in a specific situation.