Elders are the population most vulnerable to online scams, as the internet has become a major avenue for fraud and financial exploitation.

Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community members with cell phones might know a thing or two about another type of scam that involves text messages.

If you have received a vague text on your phone seemingly out of the blue claiming there is a “problem with your payment” or that there is some “suspicious activity on your account,” you might recognize it as a scam and delete or report it. However, not all people can tell the difference between a scam text and an actual issue with an account.

The Federal Trade Commission warns not to click on any links from text messages you weren’t expecting, especially if they ask you to give personal or financial information. Legitimate companies won’t ask for information about your account by text.

3 Takeaways:

• Elders are particularly vulnerable to scams, especially text message and internet scams.
• June was Elder Abuse Awareness Month.
• Don’t click on any links inside messages you weren’t expecting, especially if they ask for personal or financial information.

FTC data suggests that American Indians and Alaska Native individuals are more likely to be victims of scams and less likely to report them than other racial or ethnic groups, which makes them an even more attractive target for con artists, according to the Bureau of Indian Affairs. The BIA said fraudsters frequently look to gain the trust of those with ready access to money, which includes individuals receiving trust fund payments and tribal citizens in charge of investment committees.

With June being Elder Abuse Awareness Month, O’odham Action News spoke with SRPMIC Senior Services Adult Protective Services investigator Avarae John to talk about ways that elders have become victims of scams.

Although neglect is the leading form of elder abuse reported in the Community, John said that there have been several referrals involving romance and social-media scams targeting elders and vulnerable adults requesting help in the form of money.

“One scam we have been alerted to is the DMV highway toll scams, where scammers will directly ask over text for immediate payment of funds,” said John. “APS is always here to educate and assist our elders and vulnerable adults. If there is a request for immediate payment, it is almost always a scam.”

John said that it’s a scary situation, with scammers getting more sophisticated in how they request funds.

“It is always a good plan to ask questions, either at the Finance Department, police station or APS,” suggested John.

According to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Internet Crime Complaint Center’s (IC3) 2025 Elder Fraud State Reports, there were 9,834 reported victims of internet crime ages 60 and older in Arizona in 2025, amounting to a total loss of $343,984,935.

Throughout the U.S., in 2025, there were just over 1 million complaints reported to the IC3, with $20.877 billion in total losses, a 26% increase in losses from 2024, with an average loss of $20,699.

In the same year, 201,266 complaints from U.S. citizens ages 60 and older amounted to a total loss of $7,748,911,371. The BIA suggests reporting any scams to the FTC at www.ReportFraud.ftc.gov.