Hillsborough County
"Grandparent" Scam
$700K+
An 82-year-old woman from the Tampa area made 13 bank withdrawals and handed cash to couriers, convinced her granddaughter was in legal trouble.
Protecting ourselves online
in our Florida community.
Four verified cases in our state. The losses are real — and the victims are our neighbors.
An 82-year-old woman from the Tampa area made 13 bank withdrawals and handed cash to couriers, convinced her granddaughter was in legal trouble.
Six people arrested in June 2024 for using AI-cloned voices to impersonate grandchildren across South Florida. One victim paid more than $54,000.
The FBI and Sarasota County Sheriff's Office reported a surge of seniors losing hundreds of thousands of dollars to fake tech support agents.
A mother sent $15,000 after receiving a call with her daughter's cloned voice claiming she'd been in an accident. She only discovered the fraud after calling her directly.
Why cyber threats hit us especially hard.
How to recognize and avoid deceptive emails and messages.
Protecting your personal and financial information.
A second layer of security for your accounts.
Practical steps to stay safe every day.
Real statistics that show the scale of the threat.
How our community can protect one another.
Who to call if you suspect fraud or need help.
South Florida is one of the fastest-growing retirement destinations in the country. With more seniors online than ever before, cybercriminals increasingly target this group. Awareness and education are our most powerful tools of protection.
"Your account will be closed in 24 hours!"
Hover before clicking — does the link look real?
"You won! Enter your information to claim."
soporte@paypa1.com instead of paypal.com
SMS + Phishing. Fraudulent text messages designed to make you tap a link or call a fake number.
Leads to a fake site that steals your information.
Your bank will never send you a link by text.
Government agencies do not send texts without notice.
If you didn't enter, you didn't win.
Never tap a link in a text you weren't expecting — even if it looks official.
Voice + Phishing. They call you directly, often spoofing a trusted number, to manipulate you into handing over money or information.
"It's me — I'm in trouble and need bail money now. Don't tell anyone."
Always hang up and call back your relative's known number.
"Your Social Security number has been suspended. Call immediately to avoid arrest."
The IRS never calls with threats.
"Your computer is sending us virus alerts. Let us connect to it."
This is always a scam.
"We detected fraud on your account. We need your PIN to stop it."
Your bank will never ask for your PIN over the phone.
Hang up. Look up the real number and call back. Never trust the number that called you.
Identity thieves seek Social Security numbers, bank details, Medicare information, and more. Seniors are a frequent target.
Never share your Social Security, Medicare, or bank number by phone or email.
Monitor your credit regularly at AnnualCreditReport.com.
Shred documents with personal information before throwing them away.
Deepfake scam files surged from 500,000 in 2023 to 8 million in 2025.
The scammer finds voice clips of your grandchild on social media — just 3 seconds is enough.
AI software clones that voice and generates a fake call. It sounds exactly like your relative.
They call you faking a crisis — arrested, in an accident, stranded — and ask you to wire money or send gift cards immediately.
A fake "lawyer" or "police officer" (also AI) calls afterward to pressure you and make the story feel real.
Create a secret family code word for emergencies. Always hang up and call back at a known number.
It verifies that it's really you signing in — even if someone has your password.
Type your username and password as usual.
A one-time code is sent to your phone by text or app.
Enter the code to confirm it's you. Done.
of automated account attacks are blocked by MFA. (Microsoft, 2023)
Turn on MFA first for your email, bank, and social media.
Free apps like Google Authenticator or Microsoft Authenticator.
Don't click links in unexpected emails or messages. Go directly to the website.
At least 12 characters. Mix letters, numbers, and symbols. Never reuse passwords.
Enable two-step verification for email, banking, and social media.
Never give your SSN, Medicare ID, or bank number over the phone — unless YOU placed the call.
Install updates promptly — they fix security flaws that criminals exploit.
Not sure about a message or call? Ask a family member or friend before responding.
lost by adults 60+ to cyber scams in the U.S. in 2025 — a 59% increase over 2024.
Source: FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), Annual Report 2025.
Community is our greatest defense.
We protect one another by sharing what we know.
Tell a neighbor or family member about phishing and MFA. Awareness spreads person to person.
Look for free events at your library, parish, or senior center.
Identify trusted friends or family you can call if something online seems suspicious.
Report it to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or call 1-877-382-4357.
If you suspect cyber fraud or identity theft, report it immediately.
Together, our community can stay protected online.
Questions?