How can I protect myself or educate my elderly parents against fraud or scams?

Scammers use various methods to get personal information from you or to gain access to your accounts.

• Beware of fraudulent websites, phone calls, emails, or text messages from anyone you don’t know claiming to need information or offer help.
• Protect your financial and personal information. Never give out your social security number, bank account number, credit card number, or other personal information.
• Never provide any bank account details, including the one-time passcode used for authentication, credit card numbers, or other personal information over the phone unless you originated the contact, and you know that the entity is reputable. Note: Government agencies will never call you to request your personal information.

You should decline requests to cash a check for someone in exchange for a fee. Even if the bank provides you with immediate credit, the check could be fraudulent. When a check is returned as fraudulent, the money is removed from your account.

The Federal Trade Commission has tips to protect yourself from possible scams. Report a matter of fraud or scam to the U.S. Department of the Treasury Fraud, Waste, and Abuse Hotline at (800) 359-3898, option #6.

Last Reviewed: February 2025