Most financial-security mistakes don’t feel risky when they’re part of a routine you’ve followed for 20 years. Maybe your wallet stays in the center console, your Social Security card has lived behind your driver’s license forever, or you routinely carry several credit cards “just in case.” The problem is that losing one wallet, phone, or piece of mail can expose enough information to create considerably more trouble than replacing a few pieces of plastic. That’s worth taking seriously at any age, especially because the Federal Trade Commission says adults 60 and older reported $2.4 billion in fraud losses during 2024, four times the amount reported in 2020. These seven financial safety habits after 65 can reduce what a thief or scammer has to work with if something goes wrong.
