Not everyone is who they say they are.
Scammers today are using more sophisticated tools — including Artificial Intelligence (AI) — to impersonate loved ones, government agencies, or trusted organizations. These “imposters” sound real, act urgent, and want you to panic. Their goal? To get your personal or financial information before you have time to think.
At SMP Hawaii, we’re here to help protect our kūpuna and caregivers from these evolving threats.
Hawaii leads the nation in life expectancy (80.7 years).
Since 2020, 1 in 4 Hawaii residents is age 60 or older.
By 2037, adults 60+ will make up 33% of the population.
In 2023 alone, Hawaii lost $27.9 million to elder fraud.
Over 450 fraud cases were reported — many involving AI, cryptocurrency, and impersonation scams.
🛑 Urgency or Threats
“Give us your Medicare number or your benefits will be canceled.”
→ This is a scam. Government programs will never threaten you over the phone.
🛑 Fake Government Calls
The IRS, Medicare, Social Security, and other agencies do not call to ask for personal info.
🛑 Weird Payment Requests
If someone asks for Bitcoin, gift cards, or payment apps like Zelle or Venmo, it’s not legit.
🛑 Voice Cloning Scams
AI technology can now mimic voices. If a “family member” calls asking for money urgently, always pause and verify.
If it involves Medicare, contact SMP Hawaii: 📞 1-800-296-9422
📧 info@smphawaii.org
🌐 www.smphawaii.org
If it’s a general imposter scam, report it to the FTC: 🔗 ReportFraud.ftc.gov
Let’s Protect Hawaii’s Kūpuna Together
The best defense is awareness. Please share this information with your community, friends, and family. Together, we can prevent fraud and empower each other to stay safe.
