Robocall & Phone Scam

Scammers in Southern California are impersonating LA County Sheriff's deputies to extort money from residents by claiming they have arrest warrants and threatening immediate arrest or jail time. The scammers use caller ID spoofing technology to display official law enforcement numbers, obtain personal information from public voter records and online data brokers, and pressure victims to pay bogus fines via cryptocurrency or wire transfers, with at least one victim losing $1,200 before realizing the fraud. Law enforcement warns that legitimate agencies never call to demand payment and advises residents to hang up and verify claims by contacting the actual agency directly.

A financial columnist for New York magazine fell victim to an elaborate multi-stage scam in which fraudsters impersonating Amazon, the Federal Trade Commission, and a CIA investigator convinced her to withdraw $50,000 and hand it to them in cash over the course of a five-hour phone call. The scammers exploited her vulnerability by threatening her family and creating a false sense of urgency, using isolation tactics to prevent her from seeking help or verification. She came forward with her story to highlight that scam victims span all demographics and professions, and that sophisticated scammers are skilled at identifying and exploiting individual vulnerabilities.

This is an introduction to a free educational workshop on art scams, hosted by artists who aim to share their personal experiences and knowledge of common scams targeting artists. The workshop covers various types of scams that artists encounter regularly, with plans for a live Q&A session to address participant questions and concerns. No specific scam details or victim information is provided in this excerpt.

A couple fell victim to a spoofing scam when scammers impersonated Chase Bank, claiming suspicious account activity and convincing them to provide access codes to their accounts. Despite the victims' attempts to verify the caller and quickly seek help at multiple bank branches, a $49,500 wire transfer was initiated before their account was frozen 4.5 hours later; the couple is now working with the FBI and lawyers to recover the funds.

**Pig Butchering Scams Overview** "Pig Butchering" is a romance/investment scam that typically begins with unsolicited text messages appearing to be sent to the wrong person, establishing false familiarity and trust. Scammers then gradually build relationships with victims and persuade them to invest money in fraudulent cryptocurrency or trading schemes, often resulting in significant financial losses. The scam gets its name from the process of cultivating ("fattening") victims before extracting ("butchering") their money.

Multiple women have accused Las Vegas reality TV star Liel Birch (also known as "Mocha Blast") of romance scamming them after initiating contact via Facebook with charming messages and promises of monogamous relationships. Birch, who appeared on the show "Life After Lockup," allegedly deceived these women out of money; the investigation emerged following a 2023 incident in which he fatally shot a man during a live YouTube interview, which prosecutors ruled self-defense in a love triangle dispute.

A Glenwood, Illinois man named Elliot Lawson Henderson defrauded multiple people through discounted travel deals advertised on social media and a dedicated website. One victim, Pinky Jackson, paid Henderson for flights, a hotel room, and Broadway tickets for a New York City trip, but upon arrival discovered the hotel booking was never actually paid for, forcing her family to pay full price on the spot. Multiple individuals report that Henderson takes payment for travel packages and then fails to complete the bookings, leaving customers stranded without accommodations.

Kayoga County Prosecutor Michael Mali is conducting public education meetings during National Consumer Protection Week to warn seniors about increasingly common scams, particularly government impersonation schemes where fraudsters pose as law enforcement and claim a grandchild needs bail money. Mali, whose own mother was targeted by such a scam, emphasizes the widespread nature of the problem, noting that dozens of residents per hundred fall victim to these schemes. The educational initiative aims to help seniors recognize warning signs and stop scams before losing money.

Fraudulent activity in Canada increased 133% in 2023, with common scams including Interac e-Transfer fraud, job scams, fake credit card transaction calls, and fraudulent Canada Post delivery messages that are becoming increasingly sophisticated. Those aged 18-24 are more vulnerable to online scams, while people over 45 are more susceptible to email and phone call fraud, with women reporting scams more frequently than men. The scams vary seasonally, with fraudsters adapting their tactics throughout the year.

Janice Swafford fell victim to a "malicious tagging" scam on Facebook when she clicked a link in what appeared to be a message from a friend about someone's death. After clicking the fake link, scammers gained access to her account and sent messages to her contacts claiming she had been hacked, then an unknown person offered to secure her account for $100. Security experts warn this type of emotionally manipulative scam is on the rise on Facebook, using provocative posts and artificial intelligence to create convincing fraudulent messages that trick users into clicking malicious links.