Older Floridians are frequent targets of phone, online and in-person fraud. Here is how to spot trouble early, lock down a parent's accounts, and report exploitation in Orange, Seminole and Osceola counties.
By Orlando Senior Advisor Care Team · October 4, 2026
Scammers go where the money and the isolation are. Central Florida has a large population of retirees, many of them living alone, many far from adult children, and many with savings, home equity and pensions built up over decades. Newcomers who moved here from out of state may not yet have a trusted local bank, lawyer or neighbor to check with, which makes an unexpected phone call or knock at the door harder to question.
The most common schemes are familiar: callers posing as a grandchild in trouble, someone claiming to be from Medicare, Social Security or the IRS, tech-support pop-ups, romance scams, lottery and sweepstakes notices, and home-repair crews that appear after a storm. After hurricane season, unlicensed contractors asking for large cash deposits are a particular problem in Florida. Exploitation by someone close to the senior, such as a caregiver, relative or new “friend,” is also common and is often the hardest to see.
Look for changes you can verify rather than guessing. Unexplained withdrawals or wire transfers, gift cards in the house, a stack of unopened bills, new names added to bank accounts, sudden changes to a will or power of attorney, and unusual secrecy about money are all red flags. So are a parent who seems anxious after phone calls, who is told not to tell family, or who suddenly cannot afford things they could afford last year.
Cognitive decline raises the risk sharply. A parent with early memory loss may still sound sharp on the phone yet be unable to judge a pitch. If you are noticing missed bills or confusing purchases, that is worth discussing with their physician, and it is also a signal to tighten financial safeguards now rather than after a loss.
Start with the low-friction steps. Register the parent's number on the National Do Not Call Registry, ask the phone carrier about spam-call blocking, and consider a credit freeze with Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, which is free by federal law and stops most new-account fraud. Review statements together monthly, and ask the bank about alerts for large withdrawals or transfers and about adding a trusted contact to the account.
For bigger protection, talk to a Florida elder-law attorney about a durable power of attorney that names an agent you trust and, where appropriate, requires accountability. Pre-arranged bill pay from a single account, with a second account holding only spending money, limits what any one scam can reach. A simple family rule also helps: no one sends money, gift cards or account numbers to anyone who called first, until a second family member has been called back on a known number.
If someone is in immediate danger or a crime is in progress, call 911. For exploitation of a vulnerable adult, the Florida Abuse Hotline takes reports around the clock at 1-800-962-2873 (1-800-96-ABUSE), and Adult Protective Services can investigate. Report the theft or fraud to the local law enforcement agency too, whether that is the Orlando Police Department, the Orange, Seminole or Osceola County Sheriff, or the city police where your parent lives; a police report number makes banks and credit-card companies far more responsive.
For scams, file a report with the Federal Trade Commission at ReportFraud.ftc.gov and with the Florida Attorney General’s consumer protection office. The AARP Fraud Watch Network helpline (877-908-3360) offers free guidance. If the scam involved Medicare, call 1-800-MEDICARE (1-800-633-4227), and Florida’s SHINE counselors, reachable through the Elder Helpline at 1-800-963-5337, can help with suspected Medicare fraud and billing questions. Call the bank or card issuer immediately; speed matters for recovering funds.
If you suspect a caregiver, aide or staff member of taking money or belongings, document what you see, secure valuables and account access, and report it. Assisted living residents can also contact the Florida Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, and complaints about a licensed facility go to the Agency for Health Care Administration. Our guide on reporting problems at an assisted living facility or nursing home walks through that process.
Be aware that victims are often embarrassed. Approach a parent with concern, not blame, and make clear that anyone can be fooled by a skilled professional criminal. Staying involved in a parent’s life, through regular visits, shared calendars and open conversations about money, is the best long-term protection.
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