Mexico City Citizen Council warns of ‘pensionazo’ fraud targeting seniors

The Citizen Council for Security and Justice of Mexico City has issued an alert regarding a new fraud scheme targeting senior citizens known as the ‘pensionazo’. Scammers target elderly individuals by promising to manage procedures that supposedly increase their pension amounts.

Criminals initiate contact through social media, telephone calls, or in person. Facebook is the most common platform, accounting for 33% of cases, followed by phone calls at 24%. The perpetrators request sensitive personal and financial documents, including official identification, CURP, social security numbers, and AFORE-related information.

Victims are typically asked for upfront payments for alleged administrative fees or taxes, with amounts ranging from 4,000 to 70,000 pesos. In 81% of reported cases, money was handed over. Furthermore, in 20% of cases, scammers applied for loans in the victims' names, resulting in debts that are subsequently deducted directly from the seniors' pensions.