New York Senator: Scams Using AI Deceive Aging Americans, Seniors To Pay 40% More For Medicare Prescription Benefits, Supporting Housing For Seniors, Disabled – Legislation: UPDATED AG ALERT

See below for the full senate committee hearing followed by the senator’s virtual press conference about the prevalence of and her responses to AI scams, particularly those targeting seniors. 

Editor’s note: The kind of issues described during this hearing are very much related to a lack of public education about what’s possible for a scammer to do.  Can they show a video or play audio of your loved one to pretend they’ve kidnapped them? Yes.  Can they impersonate a beloved doctor or celebrity to promote snake oil and fake supplements? Again, yes.  The scams are the same, the scammers are the same, but the technology gives them tools that lends their operations a sophistication they didn’t have before.  A public awareness campaign run through multiple media channels focusing on distrusting the uninvited and unexpected phone call would be a start.  Callers impersonate banks, credit card companies, credit repair companies, the IRS, government officials, relatives and loved ones, medical doctors, and more. As the testimony from the elderly person at the hearing whose daughter’s voice was impersonated to scam her out of over $5,500 demonstrated, people need to know these scams exist.  Such a campaign needs to reach seniors where they are but be broad and far reaching. Think of the “your brain on drugs”commercials from the 80s – only successful instead of just memorable. There’s the Real Texans Don’t Litter campaign, which was highly effective in changing behavior. We reviewed Contagious, a book that discusses why some ads work while others fail flat, which all comes down to psychology. 

U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) held a virtual press conference to push her plan to crack down on artificial intelligence (AI) scams against seniors.  This press conference is at the end of the above video, after the Aging Committee hearing.

According to the FBI, seniors lost nearly $8 billion to scammers in 2025, with an average loss of $39,000 per person. This includes over $350 million lost in AI-related scams. Total losses increased by 59% from 2024.

Yesterday, Gillibrand held a Senate Aging Committee hearing to examine the ways that AI has fueled an alarming rise in financial scams against seniors. She also sent a letter to the CEOs of top AI companies requesting details about how they are protecting seniors who use their AI companion chatbots. Finally, Senator Gillibrand released a bipartisan report outlining the effects of AI on seniors.

AT 0:30 – ON A SENATE AGING COMMITTEE WITNESS WHO LOST MORE THAN $5,000 TO SCAMMERS WHO CLONED HER DAUGHTER’S VOICE:

GILLIBRAND SAID: “Yesterday, I hosted a Senate Aging Committee hearing to discuss how AI is being used to perpetrate scams. What I heard was astonishing. One of the witnesses at the hearing, Deborah, shared her experience with an AI scam. Earlier this year, she received a call from a man who claimed that Deborah’s daughter had been kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel. The scammer played what Deborah believed to be proof—her daughter’s voice having a panic attack, telling her mom that she loved her and was sorry. Fearing for her daughter’s life, Deborah stayed on the phone with the scammer for five hours while the caller issued a series of urgent demands. Over the course of that deeply distressing phone call, Deborah wired the scammer more than $5,000. But Deborah’s daughter was completely fine. The scammer had used artificial intelligence to clone her voice. They used Deborah’s good nature, her love for her daughter, to take advantage of her. Deborah never got her money back from the scammers. That’s hard-earned money that she needs for healthcare, food, and retirement. It’s a devastating story that is, unfortunately, all too common.”

AT 1:34 – ON AI CONTRIBUTING TO LAST YEAR’S 50+% INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF MONEY SENIORS LOST TO SCAMS:

GILLIBRAND SAID: “In 2025, seniors lost nearly $8 billion to scams. That’s up over 50% from the year before, due in part to the increasing sophistication of AI technology. Scammers use AI to generate deepfake images, clone voices, and launch phishing attacks that drain seniors’ savings. In many cases, AI didn’t invent these scams—it supercharged them, making old cons more convincing and easier to pull off. We must do more to make sure that AI is developed responsibly—with seniors in mind—and to give our government the tools it needs to catch scammers.”

AT 2:10 – ON HER LETTER TO LEADING AI COMPANIES PRESSING FOR TRANSPARENCY ON HOW THEY PROTECT OLDER ADULTS:

GILLIBRAND SAID: “Yesterday, I sent a letter to nine leading AI companies—including OpenAI, Meta, and X—asking them to explain how they safeguard their companion products for older adults and people with disabilities. I expect these companies to respond promptly and fully. That letter is a first step, but it cannot be the last. We need a bipartisan framework to govern AI. In thinking about how to develop this framework, I consider Pope Leo’s wisdom in his first encyclical, which speaks directly to how we must navigate faith, technology, and humanity in the age of AI. The pope warns that the very technologies that can connect us can easily be turned against us and against the most vulnerable, like our seniors.”

Gillibrand Slams Trump Administration For Medicare Cuts, Raising Drug Prices For Seniors

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U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) held a virtual press conference to slam the Trump administration for its recent decision to end subsidies that lower prescription drug costs for Medicare enrollees.

In 2025, these subsidies lowered average premiums for seniors with Medicare Part D standalone prescription drug plans by 40% per month. While increases may vary based on where seniors live and how the plan premiums are calculated, by ending these subsidies, the Trump administration is raising costs for as many as 25 million Americans on Medicare, including up to 1.3 million New Yorkers.

Readers can find a recording of Senator Gillibrand’s remarks here.

AT 0:05 – ON THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION’S BACKWARDS PRIORITIES THAT FUND VANITY PROJECTS AND FOREIGN WARS AT THE EXPENSE OF AMERICA’S SENIORS:  

GILLIBRAND SAID: “President Trump is asking for tens of billions more for taxpayer dollars for his war with Iran. He has spent an estimated 1.2 billion dollars on vanity projects—like building a lavish ballroom, painting the reflecting pool blue, and covering statues in gold. But now, for no good reason, the Trump administration is ending the Medicare subsidies that help millions of seniors afford life-saving medications. This administration has money for bombs abroad, but not for our seniors here at home. It’s a betrayal of our values, and it’s completely unacceptable.”

AT 0:38 – ON HOW ENDING MEDICARE SUBSIDIES WILL DEEPEN THE AFFORDABILITY CRISIS FACING OLDER ADULTS:

GILLIBRAND SAID: “These subsidies help keep prescription drug premiums down for people on Medicare. Ending them will make life harder for seniors who are already being stretched thin by rising costs in President Trump’s America. Thanks to the president’s reckless foreign policy and cost-increasing tariffs, seniors are already having to pinch pennies at the grocery store, at the gas pump, and when paying utility bills. At the same time, Americans are struggling to afford their prescription drugs. By the time they turn 60, most Americans are taking at least one prescription medication, and many say it’s difficult to afford them. Some are skipping doses, cutting their pills in half, or simply going without essential medications because of these outrageous prices.”

AT 2:13 – ON GILLIBRAND’S CALL TO IMMEDIATELY REVERSE THE MEDICARE SUBSIDY CUTS TO AVOID DEVASTATING HARM TO SENIORS ON FIXED INCOMES:  

GILLIBRAND SAID: “Our seniors deserve better. This is just another example of the Trump administration’s backwards priorities, which are making Americans poorer, sicker, and more vulnerable. Because we know these subsidies have worked as intended. They reduced the average monthly premium by 40 percent last year. I’m urging the administration to reconsider the cruel decision to end these subsidies and work with drug plan sponsors to insulate consumers from dramatic premium increases next year. These price hikes may seem trivial to President Trump and his big money donors, but they are devastating for seniors living on fixed income.”

GILLIBRAND INTRODUCES TWO BILLS TO SUPPORT ACCESSIBLE HOUSING FOR SENIORS AND PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

Washington, D.C. – This week, U.S. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced two bills to support accessible housing for seniors and people with disabilities. The Senior Accessible Housing Tax Credit Act would create a new tax credit for seniors to install essential modifications to their homes to help them age in place. The Visitable Inclusive Tax Credits for Accessible Living (VITAL) Act would expand the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit program to support the construction of more affordable housing units with accessible features.

“A safe, accessible place to live should be a right, not a privilege, for our seniors,” said Senator Gillibrand. “The VITAL Act would help ensure that affordable housing meets the mobility and accessibility needs of New York seniors and people with disabilities, allowing them to age comfortably in the communities of their choice. Additionally, the Senior Accessible Housing Tax Credit Act would help seniors age with dignity by assisting with the cost of home modifications related to mobility needs. As the top Democrat on the Senate Aging Committee, I am committed to doing everything I can to remove barriers to accessible housing, and I’m fighting hard for these bills to pass.”

By 2060, an estimated one in every four Americans will be age 65 or older. Currently, about 44% of adults 65 and over have a disability. As people age, they need structurally and mechanically safe housing to accommodate their disabilities. However, as of 2011, less than 4% of our national housing supply was accessibly designed. The Senior Accessible Housing Tax Credit Act and the VITAL Act would help increase the amount of accessible housing available to American seniors and people with disabilities.

The Senior Accessible Housing Tax Credit would create a nonrefundable tax credit for taxpayers aged 60 or older for expenses related to certain home modifications on their principal residence or a qualifying second home. The credit would be equal to the cost of eligible expenditures, such as wheelchair ramps, handrails, chair lifts, shower seats, and more, with an annual credit limitation of $10,000. Qualifying expenditures would also include certain labor costs related to the preparation, assembly, or installation of an eligible modification. U.S. Senator Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD) co-leads this legislation.

The Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) is a federal program providing tax credits to developers who build new housing for lower-income renters. The VITAL Act would add incentives for the LIHTC program to increase the number of accessible homes so that more people with disabilities and older adults can live in the communities they choose. It would also require that the states administering LIHTC ensure that at least 20% of their LIHTC units are accessible and/or walkable and rollable. U.S. Senator Amy Klobuchar (D-MN) co-leads this legislation.

CONSUMER ALERT:
Attorney General James Warns New Yorkers of Gold Bar Scam Targeting Seniors

AG James Provides Tips for New Yorkers to Protect Themselves from Scams Targeting Their Bank Accounts

NEW YORK – New York Attorney General Letitia James today issued a consumer alert warning New Yorkers of increasingly common “gold bar scams” and providing tips to protect themselves. These scams usually start with a fake pop-up message on victims’ computers, claiming their computer or financial accounts have been compromised or linked to criminal activity. The scammers convince the victim to give them remote access to their computer and then persuade the victim to convert their money into gold bars to protect their life savings. These gold bars are later collected and laundered by the scammers. The New York City Police Department (NYPD) has investigated more than 100 gold bar scam cases over the past two years, with total losses exceeding $100 million. Attorney General James is providing New Yorkers with tips on how to protect themselves from these scams and is encouraging those who are contacted by scammers to file a complaint with the Office of the Attorney General (OAG).

“Targeting older adults with seemingly legitimate claims that their life savings are in immediate danger is flat-out cruel,” said Attorney General James. “Seniors deserve to live comfortably without fear of losing their hard-earned savings to a manipulative scam. I am urging all New Yorkers to beware of these gold bar scams and report suspicious messages related to this scam to my office.”

These gold bar scams typically use a fraudulent pop-up message on victims’ computers, designed to resemble a legitimate cybersecurity warning. Victims are directed to provide remote access to their computer, allowing scammers to access victims’ financial information or online bank accounts. The scammers create fake evidence of hacking activity on the victims’ computer in order to further their scheme.

Victims are then connected to an individual posing as a law enforcement officer or government investigator. The scammer claims that the victims’ accounts have been compromised, and in order to protect their money, they must withdraw their savings and purchase gold bars or coins from legitimate dealers and turn these bars over to the purported authorities to keep them safe. Victims are instructed to keep the matter confidential and not discuss it with bank employees or family members. The scammers will then use couriers to collect the gold from the victim.

Attorney General James is providing the following tips to help New Yorkers avoid falling victim to these sorts of scams, as well as other similar financial scams:

• Do not call the number provided in a pop-up, text, or email.
• Never give someone you don’t know remote access to your computer.
• Never move money out of your bank account at the urging of someone over the phone.
• If someone claims there is an issue with your bank account, hang up and contact your financial institution by calling the number printed on your bank statement instead.
• Remember, a scam is effective because the scammer creates a false sense of urgency, pressuring the victim into life-altering decisions on the spot and swearing them to secrecy. The best way to combat this is to hang up and contact someone you trust and let them know your situation.

New York City residents who think they have been a victim of this scam are encouraged to contact their local NYPD precinct.

If you or someone you love is a victim of a scam, please contact the Office of the Attorney by filing an online complaint or calling 1-800-771-7755

Banner Image: AI Scamming Seniors hearing.  Image Credit – Sen. Gillibrand