Older adults in the United States lost $4.8 billion to online fraud in 2024, according to the FBI’s latest Internet Crime Report. Cybercriminals continue to use various tactics to target this demographic, often compromising their online accounts and attempting to scam their close contacts.
In recognition of Cybersecurity Awareness Month, Meta has highlighted current trends in scams aimed at older adults and introduced new safety tools designed to help users identify and avoid these threats. The company is also sharing advice for older adults and families on how to stay safe online.
Meta reports that scams targeting seniors often involve fake home remodeling services, fraudulent debt relief offers, impersonation of government benefits programs, and deceptive customer service support. Criminals have created websites that appear legitimate—sometimes impersonating agencies like the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center—and used social media platforms such as Facebook, Instagram, Telegram, Threads, TikTok, YouTube, and X to reach potential victims.
The company partnered with open source researchers at Graphika to identify and disrupt these scams where they appeared on Meta’s platforms. Actions included blocking scammers’ websites and removing their accounts.
To help prevent victimization, Meta advises older adults not to share personal or financial information in response to unsolicited communications; pause before responding to urgent requests; consult trusted individuals; and always use official customer service channels when seeking assistance.
Families are encouraged to direct seniors toward resources such as the AARP’s Fraud Watch Network for information on recognizing common scams. Suspected fraud can be reported to local police or federal agencies including the FTC or FBI.
Meta says it continues efforts against cross-border criminal networks that operate large-scale scam centers globally. In the first half of 2025 alone, its teams detected and disrupted approximately 8 million accounts linked with scam centers across Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Philippines. Over 21,000 Pages and accounts pretending to offer customer support were also removed from its platforms.
Recognizing that scammers rarely limit themselves to a single platform or industry sector, Meta emphasizes collaboration with law enforcement agencies and other companies as crucial for effective anti-scam measures. "Meta is joining the National Elder Fraud Coordination Center(NEFCC), a nonprofit that brings together law enforcement, and companies like AARP, Amazon, Capital One, Google, Microsoft, and Walmart to combat fraud targeting older adults. We will be working alongside NEFCC members to combat fraud at the local, state, and national levels focused on protecting older adults by sharing resources and supporting investigations into large-scale fraud operations."
As part of broader initiatives through groups such as the Tech Against Scams Coalition (TASC), Meta recently worked with Match Group to take down Facebook Groups disguised as “dating support services” but actually intended for selling dating accounts used in scams.
Earlier this month in Bangkok, Meta co-hosted “Cyber Smart Senior,” a training session attended by over 100 Thai seniors along with health center staff from public health centers. The event provided instruction on digital literacy skills necessary for spotting scams. Partners included city administration bodies as well as law enforcement agencies.
Global outreach includes partnerships with content creators across Europe—in countries such as the UK (Amanda Lamb), Spain (oliva_sinhache), Poland (Mądra Babcia)—and India (Signboard_wala) using storytelling methods relevant within those cultures. These efforts aim both at raising awareness about common scams among older populations and highlighting security features like two-factor authentication available on Meta platforms.
Among new anti-scam tools introduced:
- WhatsApp now warns users if they attempt screen-sharing during video calls with unknown contacts.
- Messenger is testing enhanced scam detection capabilities which can alert users if messages may be fraudulent.
- Users can set up Passkeys—a method allowing login verification via fingerprint or PIN—on Facebook-owned apps.
- Security Checkup features are available across Facebook and Instagram; Privacy Checkup guides are offered on WhatsApp so users can review settings related to group invitations or password updates.
Meta plans continued updates regarding its work against online scams along with additional safety tips for users worldwide.