Digital Fraud Prevention and Loneliness Among Older Adults In the Rio Grande Valley: A Community-Engaged Pilot Study

Background and Purpose: Digital fraud poses a growing public health and equity challenge for older adults in the United States, particularly in Texas, which tops state rankings nationally in total older adults’ fraud losses in 2025. Limited research on the digital and psychosocial determinants of health among individuals with intersectional identities leaves vulnerable adults who engage online at heightened risk for digital fraud victimization. Risks are intensified along the U.S.–Mexico border region an under resourced region, where lower broadband access and digital literacy rates intersect with higher disease burdened populations living in poverty. More than 38,000 RGV adults aged 65+ live below the federal poverty level, amplifying financial harm, social isolation, and psychological distress following fraud exposure.

Methods: The research focuses on survey data collected from a mixed-methods pilot study aiming to exam and understand digital fraud victimization in South Texas. First, 27 older adults (mean age = 61.64; 59% female; majority Hispanic/Latino) participated in a bilingual, two-day community conference focused on digital literacy and fraud prevention. Post-event surveys assessed feasibility, accessibility, and appropriateness of the intervention. Second, a cross-sectional online survey was conducted with 19 older adults (mean age = 59.95, SD = 6.20; 57.9% caregivers), assessing digital literacy, fraud experience, loneliness, perceived social support, and caregiver strain. Researchers used nonparametric analyses (Spearman correlations; Mann–Whitney U tests) were used to examine preliminary associations.

Results: Findings indicated high feasibility and acceptability, with participants emphasizing the value of interactive, bilingual, and culturally responsive programming and the importance of caregiver involvement in digital safety. Survey results showed high levels of internet engagement (82.4% daily use), primarily via mobile devices (68%), alongside moderate digital literacy (M = 63.36, SD = 13.94). Exposure to digital fraud was widespread: 92.3% of respondents reported experiencing a suspected scam, though most incidents involved contact without financial loss. High rates of help-seeking, including reporting to formal institutions such as the Federal Trade Commission (89%) and law enforcement (84%) were reported. Psychosocial findings indicated moderate loneliness (M = 5.40, SD = 0.99), with 36.8% meeting the threshold for loneliness, and moderate perceived social support (M = 38.85, SD = 10.98). A strong positive association was observed between digital literacy and social support (ρ = .77, p = .005), suggesting that social networks may facilitate digital engagement. In addition, loneliness was moderately associated with caregiver strain (ρ = .46) and negatively associated with social support (ρ = −.35), though these relationships were not statistically significant.

Conclusions and Implications: Findings highlight the urgent need for community-based, culturally responsive interventions that move beyond general digital literacy to address digital fraud-specific skills and coping strategies. Strengthening social support networks may be a critical pathway for enhancing digital resilience and reducing loneliness. By addressing digital inclusion and fraud prevention as issues of social justice, this work advances the role of social work research in promoting democratic participation and protecting vulnerable populations in increasingly digital societies.