Scammers target elderly individuals by posing as their grandchildren in distress. The scammer often contacts the grandparent pretending to be a grandchild who is in urgent need of money due to an emergency, such as an accident or legal trouble. The scammer may request that the money be sent quickly and ask the grandparent not to tell other family members, claiming embarrassment or urgency. 

Scammers pretend to be Medicare representatives and contact individuals and claim that the victim needs to update their information, pay for a new card, or verify their details to avoid losing coverage. These scammers may ask for personal information such as Social Security numbers or bank details. The goal is to steal identities or commit fraud. 

Scammers pretend to be interested in a romantic relationship to gain the victim’s trust and affection. Once the scammer feels they have established a solid connection, they start asking for money, often citing emergencies or personal crises. The victim, believing in the authenticity of the relationship, sends money, only to later discover that the person they trusted was not real.

Scammers contact victims through phone calls, pop-up warnings on computers, or emails, claiming they are from tech support and that there is a serious problem with the victim’s computer that needs immediate attention. The scammers then offer to fix the issue for a fee or asks for remote access to the computer. Once they have access, they may steal personal information, install malware, or charge for unnecessary services.