The relevance of the topic is determined by the fact that modern society faces growing digital threats, among which telephone fraud, including that targeting elderly people, is of particular importance. The purpose of this study is to identify key determinants of victimization among the elderly population in the context of telephone fraud, as well as to develop practical recommendations for improving preventive measures. The empirical and informational basis of the study included the results of a quota-based population survey, in-depth interviews with law enforcement experts, media analysis of news sources from 2022 to 2023, and the VCIOM survey “Telephone Fraud” (2024). A multidisciplinary approach combining concepts from sociology, economics, and law was used for data analysis. The study found a consistent correlation between the fi nancial behavior patterns of elderly individuals and their vulnerability to fraudulent schemes. The research revealed that: fi rstly, the fi nancial practices of older generations are characterized by conservatism and cautious attitudes toward fi nancial products, which paradoxically increases their susceptibility to social and psychological manipulation by telephone scammers (their preference for traditional banking institutions, combined with low digital literacy, creates favorable conditions for criminal exploitation); secondly, age-specifi c victimization manifests in psychological, social, and economic factors; thirdly, institutional protection mechanisms for elderly citizens against telephone fraud show limited eff ectiveness (low reporting and clearance rates indicate the need to revise prevention and investigation approaches). It is concluded that promising directions for combating telephone fraud may include: enhancing interagency cooperation (banks, law enforcement, social services, public organizations, housing committees); implementing age-targeted fi nancial literacy programs; improving technological solutions for fraud detection; developing specialized communication strategies to inform elderly citizens.