Sen. Cathy Tilton warns Alaskans of growing elder fraud crisis after scammers target her own mother

By SUZANNE DOWNING

Feb. 16, 2026 – Alaska State Sen. Cathy Tilton used a moment of personal privilege on the Senate floor on Monday to sound an urgent warning about elder fraud and financial scams, calling it a “silent crisis” that is stealing the hard-earned security of Alaska’s seniors.

Tilton told colleagues the issue became deeply personal for her recently, when scammers targeted her own mother with a frightening impersonation scheme during the Super Bowl game.

“While most of us were happily watching football, my Mom’s phone rang,” Tilton said, explaining that her mother’s hearing aids automatically answer calls, something that likely prevented her from ignoring this particular call, since it was from an unknown number.

The caller claimed to be from the Juneau Police Department and told Tilton’s mother that her daughter, a longtime legislator from Wasilla, had been arrested. Tilton is in Juneau for the legislative session; her mother is back in the Mat-Su Valley. Moments later, a second voice came on the line impersonating Tilton, sounding shaken and distressed. The scammers apparently used an artificially generated version of Tilton’s voice.

The scammers claimed she had been in a serious accident after running a red light, that a woman in the other car had lost her unborn baby, and that Tilton was being charged with driving while under the influence of alcohol. Tilton does not drink alcohol but the caller said it was due to having swallowed some cough syrup.

An “attorney” then entered the call, creating a sense of urgency and walking Tilton’s mother through sending $8,000 through a cryptocurrency kiosk. Her mother complied and lost all $8,000 that day.

Tilton said the experience highlights how sophisticated and emotionally manipulative these schemes have become.

Tilton cited sobering figures from the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center and state reports.

In 2023, Alaskans aged 60 and older reported more than $8.7 million in fraud losses, up from $7.6 million the year before.

In 2024, 466 senior victims reported $8.17 million stolen. Tilton said tech-support scams accounted for more than $3 million, investment fraud $1.7 million, government-impersonation scams nearly $750,000, and romance scams more than $300,000.

She noted that these cryptocurrency schemes represent a growing share of the losses.

“These figures come from the FBI…but everyone who works with elders knows the real toll is far higher,” Tilton said, noting that many victims never report fraud out of shame or fear of losing independence.

Tilton emphasized that Alaska’s geography compounds the problem, especially in rural communities where internet access may be limited and the nearest bank or law enforcement office may be far away.

Scammers often exploit isolation, urgency, and trust — using tactics such as:

• Fake calls from Social Security or government agencies

• “Grandchild in jail” or similar emergency pleas

• Tech-support pop-up scams

• Fraudulent cryptocurrency and investment pitches

• Romance scams targeting lonely seniors

“These predators exploit trust, urgency, and technology with chilling efficiency,” Tilton said.

Tilton urged lawmakers and Alaskans alike to treat elder fraud as a statewide moral issue, not a partisan one.

“Our seniors built this state,” she said. “They deserve to spend their later years with dignity, independence, and peace of mind.”

She called for stronger public education campaigns, increased support for Adult Protective Services, better protocols at banks and credit unions, and promotion of resources such as the national Elder Fraud Hotline and the AARP Fraud Watch Network.

Tilton closed with a message she said every Alaskan family needs to hear: These scams are real, they are growing, and they can happen to anyone.

For Alaska families, the most important step may be the simplest one — talk about it.

Share these warnings with parents, grandparents, neighbors, and friends. Remind seniors that no legitimate police agency or attorney will ever demand money through cryptocurrency kiosks or urgent wire transfers.

Tilton’s message was clear: protecting Alaska’s elders starts with awareness, and the time to spread the word is now.