Why AI scams targeting seniors seem so real—and what families can do
Isak Nti Asare, assistant dean for undergraduate education and student affairs and co-director of the Cybersecurity and Global Policy Program at Indiana University’s Hamilton Lugar School of Global and International Studies, part of the College of Arts and Sciences, was featured in a July 6 ABC57 News story examining how older adults can stay safe as artificial intelligence–powered scams grow more common—and more convincing.
The South Bend station reported that AI-powered scams cost American seniors $352 million in 2025, citing a report from Human Cybersecurity Knowledge for Seniors that counted more than 3,000 victims age 60 or older. A local senior care provider interviewed for the story observed that these scams can appear so realistic that even skeptical people are taken in.
Nti Asare explained that part of what makes AI-driven scams so believable is the material we supply ourselves.
“We put it on the internet to begin with, right, and so our voices, our images, information about where we are, where we’ve been, the human knowledge compendium that we put online” he said.
In the broadcast segment, he encouraged families to talk openly about digital trust.
“We shouldn’t be so trusting in online environments, and we should be having those conversations with our family members, particularly the elderly—and the vulnerable—about trust in the digital age,” he said.
Understanding the human side of cybersecurity is at the heart of the B.S. in Cybersecurity and Global Policy, a joint degree between the Hamilton Lugar School and the Luddy School of Informatics, Computing, and Engineering. Students in the program pair technical training with the study of policy, languages, and cultures—learning to address exactly the kinds of challenges highlighted in the story. Through the IU Cybersecurity Clinic, which Nti Asare directs, students also partner with municipalities, nonprofits, and small businesses to strengthen digital resilience in Indiana communities.
Nti Asare’s commentary reflects the Hamilton Lugar School’s mission of connecting global challenges to everyday life, preparing students to lead in cybersecurity, technology policy, and international affairs.
Watch the full ABC57 story on how seniors work to stay safe as AI scams rise.