Two Democrats on the Senate Special Committee on Aging, Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) and Mark Kelly (D-Ariz.), have sent a letter to Meta seeking details on the safeguards the company has in place to protect "at-risk users" from AI-related scams. They highlighted that cognitive changes in older adults increase their susceptibility to confusion and deception, raising concerns about their interactions with generative AI chatbots. The senators also inquired whether Meta tracks user ages in connection with incidents involving its AI products.

The letter referenced a focus group where older adults expressed feelings of "loss of control" over generative AI, with one participant stating that older adults "have no say and representation" in the technology.

The issue comes amid a surge in AI-enabled scams across the United States. The FBI reported that cyber-enabled crimes defrauded Americans of nearly $21 billion, with AI-related complaints among the costliest. Notably, Americans over 60 reported losses of approximately $7.7 billion, a 37 percent increase from 2024. A survey by Gallup and the Stop Scams Alliance found that 40 percent of scams involved fraudulent websites, while nearly half used phone, text, and email communications.

On Wednesday, July 29th, 2026, the Senate Aging Committee held a hearing on the problem. Witnesses included Deborah Del Mastro, a victim of an AI-enabled scam where a caller falsely claimed her daughter had been kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel. Del Mastro told an ABC news affiliate she heard her daughter's voice in distress during the call, which led her to wire $5,400 to the scammers. She is expected to share her experience alongside legal and fraud experts during the hearing.

Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

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