“Pass It On” to help someone you know avoid a scam
May 11, 2026
Looking for ways to celebrate Older Americans Month? There’s something people of all ages can do to participate and help each other avoid scams: Pass It On. The Federal Trade Commission has a different approach to educating older adults about fraud. Pass It On encourages people to lean into their
invaluable life experience and use the free materials as a way to start a conversation with friends and family. Pass It On resources are short and to-the-point with actionable advice anyone can use. Say, for example:
You don’t know how to bring up scams to your grandchild who thinks he’s found love online. Check out Pass It On’s short article on romance scams — or even send him a copy — to help you start the conversation.
You want to make sure your friend avoids tech support scams when she gets an unexpected popup. Order or print a free bookmark or other materials so you can share with her and other people you know.
You work with older adults and need a little help talking with them about unwanted calls and texts. Download one of Pass It On’s ready-to-use presentations on 13 consumer topics. Use it as-is or customize it for your audience. Or show a video that shares an older adult’s personal experience.
You want to learn more about scams affecting older adults. Attend a free one-hour virtual roundtable with experts discussing how scammers exploit trust to steal money and personal information. Join How Scammers Exploit Trust to Steal Our Money, May 27, 2026 at 2pm ET.
Don’t stop there! Subscribe to get FTC Consumer Alerts to help you and your community stay in the know year-round. And if you spot or suspect a scam, tell the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
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