The New Wave of Senior Scams in 2026

Americans aged 60 and over lost nearly $5 billion to scams in 2024, and 2026 is trending worse. Only one in 44 scam cases gets reported, meaning the actual losses are likely far higher. Here's what's happening now and how Golden Shield protects against these specific threats.

Romance Scams Peak in January and February

January and February 2026 have been identified as peak season for romance scams. Criminals use "love bombing" tactics, professing love within days to create emotional bonds. Once trust is established, they request money through cryptocurrency or gold bars—methods nearly impossible to recover. Warning signs include anyone who professes love quickly, refuses to meet in person, or has constant financial emergencies.

How Golden Shield helps: Romance scammers are sometimes the most difficult to fight against. At Golden Shield, our one-click scan feature can easily snap shot any messages received and suggest whether there may be concern or not, giving guidance to seniors when they need it most.

The Medicare Prescription Cap Scam

A new scam emerged in January 2026 exploiting the Medicare Part D prescription drug cap changes. Scammers are calling seniors claiming they need to pay an upfront "processing fee" to qualify for the new benefits, or requesting Medicare numbers and personal information under the guise of enrollment assistance. No legitimate Medicare program requires payment before benefits can be accessed.

How Golden Shield helps: Our phishing protection scans websites against known Medicare fraud sites. If a scammer sends you a link claiming to be from Medicare, Golden Shield alerts you before you enter any personal information.

AI-Powered Grandparent Scams

Voice cloning technology now allows criminals to replicate a grandchild's voice with stunning accuracy. They call claiming to be in an emergency—arrested, in an accident, or stranded—and urgently need money via gift cards or cryptocurrency. Even video calls can be faked with deepfake technology.

How Golden Shield helps: When scammers direct you to purchase gift cards online or access fraudulent payment portals, Golden Shield's real-time detection identifies these known scam sites and blocks access before you can be victimized.

China-Linked "Pig Butchering" Scams

Congressional testimony in January 2026 revealed Chinese-linked criminal networks are running sophisticated "pig butchering" scams against American seniors. Criminals spend weeks or months building trust before convincing victims to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes. Recent cases include a Texas operation moving millions from victims and a California scheme involving $27 million in stolen funds.

How Golden Shield helps: These scams rely on fake investment websites that appear legitimate. Golden Shield's one-click scan feature can be deployed against these sites, cross referencing logos, words, names, addresses, and more against accurate and real companies, ensuring the websites you visit are legitimate.

Tech Support Scams Cost $1.4 Billion

Tech support scams resulted in $1.4 billion in losses in 2024 alone. Scammers pose as Microsoft, Apple, or antivirus representatives, then use remote access applications to gain control of your computer and bank accounts.

How Golden Shield helps: Our software provides instant warnings when you're about to download remote access applications commonly used in tech support scams, preventing criminals from gaining control of your system.

The Bottom Line

Since 2020, seniors reporting losses of $10,000 or more from impostor scams has quadrupled. Losses of $100,000 or more jumped from $55 million to $445 million. Download Golden Shield today for you or your senior parents and give them a tool to fight back against fraudsters online.

Install Golden Shield at www.goldenshieldprotection.com or schedule a free consultation with our founders who can walk you through installation and answer questions.