Elder Fraud in Washington

This educational awareness piece highlights two prevalent scams targeting consumers: Amazon smishing, where scammers text victims impersonating Amazon to trick them into entering personal and purchasing information through fraudulent links under the guise of refunds or recalls; and fake sports gambling sites, where scammers operating unsecured platforms steal users' private information and refuse payouts or demand money after losses. The article recommends avoiding unexpected message links, using official Amazon customer service channels, and relying only on licensed sportsbooks when gambling online.

The Justice Department filed a civil forfeiture complaint against $868,247 in Tether cryptocurrency that was allegedly stolen through investment scams operated by the LME Crypto Group, which impersonated the London Metal Exchange and defrauded at least four victims across DC, Texas, Illinois, and Florida between September 2022 and February 2025. The scheme involved criminals establishing trust through misdirected text messages, then directing victims to fake investment platforms that displayed false profits before locking victims out of their accounts and stealing their funds, with one victim losing $1.3 million and another losing $30,000. The FBI recovered and is forfeiting the laundered cryptocurrency funds that were transferred through

Georgia ranks 7th nationally for senior fraud losses, with older residents losing an estimated $1.57 million per 100,000 people in 2024, while seniors across the U.S. reported $4.8 billion in fraud losses total. The most common scams targeting older adults include imposter scams, shopping fraud, and high-stakes crypto and romance schemes, with individual crypto and romance fraud cases averaging over $108,000 in losses. Experts recommend families discuss scams with elderly relatives, watch for pressure tactics and unusual payment requests, and report suspicious activity to protect the state's 1.7 million residents over 60.

A Western Australian resident lost nearly $250,000 in a sophisticated phone scam where someone impersonated the Australian Cyber Security Centre, convincing the victim their money was at risk and using remote access software to control their computer over several months from January to December 2024. The scammers, believed to be based overseas, used a local contact to meet the victim in person and facilitate cash transfers, ATM withdrawals, and gift card purchases, a tactic that experts note is becoming increasingly common as victims grow more aware of traditional email and phone scams. Police are investigating the case as part of a broader trend in Australia, where nearly 250,000 scams were reported in 2024

The Washington County Sheriff's Office held a press conference to alert seniors about recent scam incidents in the area, with Sheriff Kevin Crews warning that scammers specifically target older adults. The article emphasizes the need for seniors to remain vigilant against fraud, though specific scam details, victim counts, or financial losses are not provided.

**Summary:** Dr. Gary Grajales-Reyes, an assistant professor at Washington University School of Medicine, pleaded guilty to embezzling $412,000 by submitting false requisition requests for computer equipment that he then sold on eBay and Amazon for personal use. Over his scheme, Grajales-Reyes submitted 73 fraudulent requisitions for approximately 761 computer parts, which the university purchased and paid for before the equipment was diverted. He faces sentencing on December 4 with potential penalties of up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 in fines for the three counts of wire fraud.

Oluwasegun Baiyewu, 37, of Richmond, Texas, was convicted by a federal jury in Puerto Rico for conspiracy to launder funds from large-scale fraud schemes including romance scams, pandemic relief fraud, and business email compromise attacks that disproportionately targeted elderly and vulnerable Americans. Baiyewu and four co-conspirators routed stolen proceeds through multiple accounts to conceal their origin, then used the funds to purchase used cars shipped to Nigeria and distribute money to other co-conspirators between 2020 and 2021. The defendants will be sentenced by the District of Puerto Rico court.

A federal jury in Puerto Rico convicted Oluwasegun Baiyewu and four co-conspirators of money laundering involving proceeds from romance scams, pandemic relief fraud, unemployment insurance fraud, and business email compromise schemes that primarily targeted elderly and vulnerable Americans. The defendants laundered stolen funds through hundreds of transactions in 2020-2021, including purchasing used cars shipped overseas to Nigeria, with the conspiracy affecting victims across multiple states and Puerto Rico.

Jonathan Tudor, a 64-year-old West Hollywood man, was arrested in July and is facing 78 criminal charges including elder theft, securities fraud, grand theft, money laundering, and forgery after defrauding 38 victims out of approximately $500,000. Tudor posed as a BMW luxury car executive and investment advisor, promising high-end vehicles and doubled investment returns that never materialized; detectives recovered over $250,000 in luxury goods from his home and found no evidence the vehicles existed. The scam victimized people across California, New York, and Washington dating back to 2023, with Tudor allegedly using funds from new victims to pay smaller returns to earlier victims in

Andrea Estell Cochran, a 51-year-old from Houston, accepted a plea deal for a multi-state bank fraud scheme in which she used fake passports to impersonate account holders and withdraw thousands of dollars from banks across Washington and Maine between May and August 2024. She faces federal charges including bank fraud, identity theft, and false use of a passport, with potential sentences up to 30 years, plus additional state charges in multiple Washington counties. Her plea hearing is scheduled for August 28, with specific agreement details pending release.

Andrea Estell Cochran, a 51-year-old from Houston, was arrested and charged with federal bank fraud after using forged passports to impersonate account holders and withdraw approximately $11,000 from multiple banks across Washington state and Maine in 2024. She faces up to 30 years in federal prison plus additional state charges, with a plea deal hearing scheduled for August 28, 2025. A separate study by VPNPro found that seniors aged 60 and older across all U.S. states lost significant sums to fraud in 2022, with losses ranging from approximately $3 million to $31 million per state, highlighting the widesprea

Andrea Estell Cochran, a 51-year-old from Houston, was arrested and charged with federal bank fraud after using fake passports to impersonate account holders and withdraw approximately $11,000 from multiple Washington state banks in 2024, with similar attempts in Maine; she faces up to 30 years in prison and state charges across multiple Washington counties. Additionally, a VPNPro study reveals that seniors aged 60 and over across all U.S. states lost substantial sums to fraud in 2022, with per-victim losses ranging from $13,118 to $30,150 depending on the state, highlighting seniors as prime targets for scammers

Scammers posing as banks, government agencies, and businesses are increasingly targeting retirees by creating fake crises around account fraud, identity theft, or computer security to pressure victims into transferring money. According to a new FTC report, reported losses from business and government impostor scams among adults 60+ have surged dramatically, with losses exceeding $100,000 increasing nearly sevenfold between 2020 and 2024, with many victims losing tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. The FTC advises never transferring money in response to unsolicited calls or messages, verifying requests through independently confirmed contact information, and remembering that legitimate government agencies never demand immediate money transfers

The article discusses a surge in impersonation scams targeting seniors, where scammers pose as government agencies or trusted businesses (like Amazon) to convince victims to transfer money for "protection," ultimately stealing it. The FTC reports a nearly 200% increase in reports of older Americans losing up to $10,000 since 2020, with a 400% increase in losses exceeding $100,000, and younger Americans are increasingly affected. The piece provides protective advice including being wary of money transfer requests, refusing demands for gift cards or cryptocurrency transfers, and hanging up to independently verify caller claims.

The Federal Trade Commission warned renters during peak moving season to avoid online rental listing scams, which often feature non-existent properties advertised at attractive prices to solicit upfront payments before victims discover the fraud. Red flags include payment demands via wire transfer, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or money transfer services, as well as hidden fees buried in fine print; the FTC recommends verifying properties in person, researching landlords online, and using secure, traceable payment methods only after confirming lease legitimacy.