This Father's Day, a valuable gift may not come in a box, but rather through a dedicated effort to protect fathers from increasingly sophisticated online scams. Experts recommend dedicating time to review and remove personal information from people-search websites, a crucial step in safeguarding seniors from identity theft and financial fraud.

According to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), complaints from victims over 60 reached over 201,000 in 2025, with reported losses exceeding $7.7 billion, a 59% increase from the previous year. The average loss for older victims surpassed $38,000. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) also noted a significant rise in reports from older adults losing substantial amounts to impersonation scams, with combined losses increasing eightfold since 2020. The FTC estimates that actual losses experienced by older adults in 2024 could be as high as $81.5 billion, as much elder fraud goes unreported.

Scammers exploit publicly available personal information found on data broker sites such as Spokeo, WhitePages, and BeenVerified. This data can include names, addresses, phone numbers, previous residences, and even family connections. Such information allows scammers to build detailed profiles, enabling them to execute highly convincing family impersonation scams, bypass bank security questions, and conduct personalized financial fraud.

Protecting Personal Data

The process begins with a proactive search to see what information is publicly accessible. A quick scan on common people-search sites can reveal a person's digital footprint. This information is often gathered without consent from public records like voter registrations, property filings, court documents, and loyalty programs, as well as from other data brokers.

To combat this exposure, a five-step checklist is suggested:

  • Search for existing data: Conduct searches on major people-search sites using the father's name and state to establish a baseline of exposed information. It is also advisable to search one's own name, as personal profiles can serve as an entry point for scammers.
  • Remove information from data broker sites: Systematically submit removal requests through the opt-out links provided by each data broker site. While this can be a manual and sometimes frustrating process, it is a critical step.
  • Update bank security answers: Contact financial institutions together to change knowledge-based security verification questions. Answers to common questions like mother's maiden name or previous addresses are often found on data broker sites. Replacing these with unique, non-public answers is recommended.
  • Create a family code word: Establish a secret word or phrase that only immediate family members know. This code word can be used to verify the identity of callers claiming to be family members, especially in light of AI advancements that can clone voices.
  • Set up ongoing data removal: Recognizing that data brokers constantly refresh their databases, a subscription to an ongoing data removal service is advised. These services automatically resubmit removal requests and monitor for reappearing information, providing continuous protection.

Additionally, a simple but powerful verbal instruction for the father can significantly reduce risk: "If anyone ever calls claiming to be me and asking for money, hang up and call me back directly. I will never reach out through an unknown number."

Experts emphasize that a family plan for data removal services can be particularly beneficial, as family members' exposed data can be interconnected and used to target multiple relatives simultaneously. This proactive approach offers a meaningful way to protect loved ones from the growing threat of elder fraud.