Blind giving predicts longitudinal increases in scam susceptibility in later life

Background and Objectives Financial fraud is a common and consequential threat among older adults, with estimated prevalence rates ranging from 4% to 17% annually. Although cognitive decline has been widely studied as a risk factor, less is known about behavioral characteristics that may predict changes in scam susceptibility. In the present study, we examined whether blind giving predicted trajectories of scam susceptibility across a two-year period and whether this association differed as a function of age. Research Design and Methods One hundred and sixteen cognitively unimpaired older adults (aged 51 to 83; 72% female) completed a behavioral economic measure of blind giving at baseline and a self-report measure of scam susceptibility annually across three visits. Results Linear mixed-effects models revealed a significant interaction between time, blind giving, and age (p = .022), such that greater baseline blind giving was associated with increasing scam susceptibility over time among relatively older participants, whereas scam susceptibility remained stable across levels of blind giving among relatively younger participants. Blind giving was not associated with scam susceptibility at baseline (p = .515), and the longitudinal association persisted after separately adjusting for global cognition, socioeconomic status, and race (all ps ≤ .026). Discussion and Implications Greater blind giving predicted longitudinal increases in scam susceptibility over a two-year period, with this pattern observed specifically in advanced age. These findings suggest that prosocial tendencies may become maladaptive in later life, underscoring the importance of identifying at-risk individuals to inform prevention efforts in aging populations.