Last year, Americans over 60 lost $3.4 billion to phone scams — more than any other age group. Text message scams (called "smishing") are now the fastest-growing category, because they're cheap to send, hard to trace, and devastatingly effective on people who didn't grow up with smartphones.
If your parent has ever forwarded you a suspicious text and asked "is this real?", this guide is for you.
Why elderly parents are targeted
Scammers are not random. They specifically target seniors because:
- Less familiarity with scam tactics. Fake "your package couldn't be delivered" texts look completely real to someone who doesn't know what smishing is.
- More likely to answer. Younger people ignore unknown numbers. Seniors were raised to respond to messages.
- Higher average savings. Scammers know that people over 60 often have retirement savings, making them more valuable targets.
- Reluctance to report. Many seniors who get scammed don't tell their children out of embarrassment, which means they get targeted again.
The most common text scams in 2026
1. Fake delivery notifications
A text claims your USPS, FedEx, or UPS package couldn't be delivered and asks you to pay a small "redelivery fee" or click a link to reschedule. The fee is fake. The link steals your payment information.
Real carriers never ask for payment by text.
2. Social Security suspension
"Your Social Security number has been suspended due to suspicious activity. Press 1 to speak with an officer or your assets will be seized." This is 100% a scam. The SSA communicates by letter, not text.
3. IRS tax threats
Texts claiming you owe back taxes and face immediate arrest if you don't pay. The IRS does not contact people by text message — ever.
4. Fake bank fraud alerts
"We've detected suspicious activity on your account. Click here to verify your identity." The link goes to a fake bank website that steals your login credentials.
5. Medicare / health insurance scams
Texts offering free medical equipment, COVID tests, or insurance reviews in exchange for your Medicare number. Giving out your Medicare number leads to billing fraud.
6. The grandparent scam
A text pretending to be from your grandchild: "Grandma, I'm in trouble and need money. Please don't tell Mom and Dad." Urgency and secrecy are always red flags.
What to tell your parents right now
The most important rules — simple enough to remember:
- Never click a link in a text from an unknown sender. If it's real, you can find it by going directly to the website.
- Never call a number from a text. Look up the real number independently.
- Never pay anything requested by text. Legitimate organisations don't collect money this way.
- If in doubt, forward it to your family first. It takes 10 seconds and could save thousands of dollars.
The problem with "just ask your kids"
The obvious solution — "call me and I'll tell you if it's a scam" — breaks down in practice:
- Your parent texts you. You're in a meeting. You see it three hours later.
- Meanwhile, they've already clicked, called, or paid.
- Or they didn't want to bother you, so they just... guessed.
The gap between "I should check with someone" and "I already clicked" is often 30 seconds. No human can reliably close that gap.
How Watchover works
Watchover is an AI service that acts as a 24/7 scam checker for your parent. Here's how it works:
- You set up a special phone number and save it in your parent's contacts as something like "Sarah's Scam Check".
- When your parent gets a suspicious text, they forward it to that number — the same way they'd forward it to you.
- Within seconds, Watchover sends them a clear reply: whether it's a scam, what the specific red flags are, and exactly what to do.
No app to download. No new skills to learn. It works on any phone that can send a text message.
If your parent texts something like "I already clicked the link" — Watchover detects the panic and sends immediate step-by-step instructions: which number to call at their bank, whether to change passwords, and what to do next.
You also get a dashboard showing every message your parent has forwarded, with verdicts and risk levels — so you're always in the loop without being on-call 24/7.
Other things that help
Watchover handles the text message angle. A complete protection setup also includes:
- Call blocking app (Nomorobo, Hiya). Blocks known scam numbers before the phone rings.
- Carrier scam filters. Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile all offer free scam call filtering — enable it in the carrier app.
- Register on the Do Not Call Registry at donotcall.gov. Won't stop scammers (they ignore it) but reduces legitimate telemarketing.
- Regular conversations. Scammers evolve their tactics constantly. A monthly 5-minute chat about what's going around goes a long way.
What to do if your parent already got scammed
If it's already happened, act fast:
- Call the bank immediately using the number on the back of the card — not any number from the scam message. Ask to freeze the account and dispute the charge.
- Change passwords for any accounts where the same password was used.
- Report to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov. It won't get money back but helps track patterns.
- Watch for follow-up scams. Scammers share lists of successful targets. A second attempt often follows within weeks.
The most important thing: don't make your parent feel stupid. Scammers are professionals — these texts are designed by people whose full-time job is making them convincing. Anyone can be fooled.