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Why do some older adults fall for financial scams? scientists probe Decision-Making biases

NCT ID NCT07682727

Knowledge-focused Sponsor: The University of Texas Health Science Center, Houston Source: ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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Recruitment status, easiest to join first

Recruiting now
This trial is taking on new participants right now.
Not yet recruiting This study
Registered, but not yet taking participants.
By invitation only
Not open to general applications. Only people the study team invites can take part.
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Paused for now. It may or may not start again.
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Running, but no longer taking on new participants.
Completed
The trial has finished. Results may not be published yet.
Stopped early
Stopped early, before it reached the end. That can be for many reasons, including safety.
Cancelled
Cancelled before anyone took part.

Expanded access (not trials)

Expanded access
Not a trial. This treatment can be requested outside a study, case by case, for people who qualify.
Expanded access (paused)
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Expanded access (ended)
Not a trial. The treatment could once be requested outside a study, but no longer can.
Approved
The treatment has been approved, so it is available normally rather than through this programme.

When the status isn't known

Details not published
The full record has not been published yet, so there is little to show here.
Status unknown
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First seen Jul 06, 2026 · Last updated Jul 08, 2026 · Updated 2 times

Summary

This study investigates how older adults make financial decisions, especially those who may be vulnerable to exploitation. Researchers will use computer-based tasks with real monetary rewards to measure risk tolerance, trust, altruism, patience, and loss aversion. Some participants will also have their heart rate, skin conductance, eye movements, and facial expressions monitored during the tasks. The goal is to identify behavioral patterns and biases that could inform strategies to protect older adults from financial harm.

What this could mean

Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.

What this could lead to
If successful, this research could point toward better ways to protect older adults from financial exploitation by understanding their decision-making patterns.
What could go wrong
This is an observational study, not a treatment trial. It may identify patterns but cannot guarantee that any intervention will reduce exploitation risk.

This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.

Study facts

What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.

Participants

About 400 people

The number the study aims to enrol. It can still change while the study runs.

Expected to start

Aug 2026

An estimate. Start dates often move.

Expected to finish

Dec 2027

An estimate. End dates often move.

Lead sponsor

Other sponsor

The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.

Who can take part

This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.

Who is studied

For online-only participation, 200 older adults (OAs) recruited via Prolific, a crowdsourcing platform. Those participating in-lab at the Health Decision Science Lab will include 200 OAs recruited from the Houston area (that is, participants who signed up to the study team's SONA system database).

Ages

60 years and older

Sex

Anyone

Healthy volunteers

Accepted

You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.

Show the full entry requirements

Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.

Inclusion Criteria: * Adults over the age of 60 * English speakers, to ensure comprehension of study tasks Exclusion Criteria: * Less than age 60 * Non-English speaker

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As listed by the trial registrant

The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.

Financial decision making among vulnerable older adults Financial exploitation of older adults

How to take part

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  1. The places running it

    1 site. The list below names each one and where it is.

  2. The official record

    ClinicalTrials.gov lists the study team's own contact details, including names and phone numbers. We don't republish those.

    Open the record ↗

  3. A doctor treating you

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Contacts and locations

Locations

  • The University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

    Houston, Texas, 77030, United States

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