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Maricopa Today
By the People, for the People
Arizona AG Warns Maricopa Seniors About Rising AI Scams
Kris Mayes hosted an elder fraud town hall, offering tips to avoid tech-driven fraud schemes targeting older adults.
Published on Feb. 28, 2026
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Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes warned Maricopa residents that AI-driven scams targeting seniors are on the rise, sharing red flags and prevention tips at an elder fraud town hall. Mayes said fraudsters are using sophisticated tactics like spoofing phone numbers, cloning voices, and emotional manipulation to exploit trust. She urged seniors to be wary of phishing emails, telemarketing scams, and romance scams, noting that once money is wired overseas, it's nearly impossible to recover.
Why it matters
Elder fraud is a growing problem in Arizona, which has the highest rate of cases in the country. Mayes said about 10% of older adults will experience some kind of exploitation or abuse, and scammers are increasingly using advanced technology to target vulnerable seniors.
The details
At the town hall, Mayes offered information on the types of fraud schemes affecting seniors and how they are evolving. Some of the most common scams include phishing emails, telemarketing scams, voice cloning over the phone, and romance scams. Mayes said fraudsters exploit trust through emotional manipulation, and once money is wired overseas, it's nearly impossible to trace and recover.
- The town hall was held this morning at Maricopa City Hall.
The players
Kris Mayes
The Arizona Attorney General who hosted the elder fraud town hall and warned about the rise of AI-driven scams targeting seniors.
Vincent Manfredi
The Maricopa City Vice Mayor who invited Mayes to speak after someone close to him fell victim to a $5,000 scam.
What they’re saying
“We are seeing more and more people throughout the state being targeted by technology-based scams. So, we're out here just trying to let people know about these scams … and collecting information from people who have been scammed.”
— Kris Mayes, Arizona Attorney General (inmaricopa.com)
“Once it's been wired to Nigeria, Russia or some other country, it is really, really hard to trace and really, really hard to get back. We want people to know don't click on that link, don't take that phone call and do delete that text message. Don't get sucked in.”
— Kris Mayes, Arizona Attorney General (inmaricopa.com)
“I had somebody very close to me have $5,000 taken away. I saw [Mayes] doing a town hall in Apache Junction, so I thought it would be a good idea.”
— Vincent Manfredi, Maricopa City Vice Mayor (inmaricopa.com)
What’s next
The attorney general's office encouraged people who suspect scams to contact them at 602-542-2124, email [email protected], or visit the website for more information.
The takeaway
This case highlights the growing threat of technology-driven scams targeting vulnerable seniors in Arizona, where elder fraud rates are the highest in the country. Educating the public and providing resources to identify and prevent these scams is crucial to protecting older adults from financial exploitation.
