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This article is not related to elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It concerns a political dispute between state lawmakers and the U.S. Postal Service regarding mail delivery delays caused by operational changes, specifically the consolidation of mail processing into regional centers like the Palmetto facility in Georgia. This falls outside the scope of Elderus, which focuses on fraud and abuse targeting elderly individuals.

This educational segment from the Better Business Bureau of Central Georgia provides fraud prevention advice for 2025, emphasizing identity theft as a persistent threat. The key recommendation is to monitor credit reports two to three times per year (utilizing the free weekly access available since COVID-era policy changes) to quickly detect unauthorized accounts and address identity theft before significant damage occurs.

Romance scammers stole $1.14 billion from victims in 2023, with authorities warning Americans—particularly seniors—about this growing fraud. Scammers use fake identities to build trust quickly, then fabricate emergencies (medical or travel expenses) to solicit money; notable cases include a 76-year-old Georgia woman who lost her $70,000 life savings and a French woman defrauded of $850,000 by scammers using AI-generated deepfakes of celebrity Brad Pitt.

The Paulding County Sheriff's Office in Georgia is warning residents to watch for storm recovery scams following tornado damage in the area. Scammers pose as contractors to target vulnerable residents; authorities urge people to only pay for work after it is completed rather than upfront.

A Georgia family lost over $1,200 to a scam targeting grieving relatives, in which an impostor claiming to represent a Veterans Affairs Cemetery convinced the victim to purchase a fake burial cost insurance policy. Secretary of State Brad Raffensperger urged state residents to remain alert when selecting funeral and cemetery services following a loved one's death. The scam exploits vulnerable families during their time of grief to fraudulently sell nonexistent insurance products.

Congressman Sanford Bishop questioned SEC Commissioner Atkins about investor protection for elderly Americans, noting that investor advocacy legal clinics assisting seniors defrauded by brokers and advisors have declined from 24 clinics to only 10 across the country due to depleted funding from FINRA and state regulators. Bishop asked what the SEC can do to prevent further clinic closures and promote resources to at-risk populations, with Atkins indicating support for expanding these consumer protection initiatives.

A Georgia woman lost nearly $30,000 in a "task scam" after responding to a text about a part-time remote job. The scammers posed as a legitimate company, provided fake credentials, paid her for initial training tasks to build trust, then demanded she invest her own money to continue work, ultimately revealing the entire job opportunity was fraudulent. The Federal Trade Commission reports that such schemes are surging, typically starting with text messages promising work like app optimization or product boosting, using small initial payouts to establish credibility before escalating financial demands.

Fulton County launched a free online training program called "Avoid Cyber Threats" to help seniors recognize and avoid digital scams, following FBI data showing seniors suffered approximately $5 billion in financial losses last year. The program was created in response to the vulnerability of older adults to cyber fraud, illustrated by a resident's experience losing $2,000 to a phishing scam, and addresses the fact that Georgia ranks seventh nationally for internet crime losses.

Malcolm Walker, a man with nearly 80,000 Facebook followers, is accused of defrauding families across multiple states, including a 77-year-old Douglas County woman and her son who claim he took significant money from them while promising to promote their product line and arrange meetings with business coaches in Colorado that never materialized. Walker has been the subject of multiple investigations by Fox 5 News throughout the year, with victims in other Georgia counties also reporting similar schemes involving unfulfilled promises and financial loss.

This article focuses on unsolved homicides rather than elder fraud. Two mothers in Milledgeville, Georgia—Dermetrics Warren and Khadijah James—are seeking answers about the murders of their loved ones: Warren's son Diquan Key (killed in 2015) and James's mother and uncle (killed in 2021), with little progress from law enforcement after 9 and 3 years respectively. Both families plan to attend a Baldwin NAACP forum to demand accountability and information from city officials and law enforcement.

A 62-year-old man in Haralson County, Georgia was charged with exploitation of an elder person, identity theft, and financial transaction card fraud after investigators discovered he had made unauthorized credit card purchases and transactions in the victim's name without consent. The investigation was initiated in September 2023 following a report from the victim's family, who provided financial records documenting a pattern of fraudulent activity.

A 28-year-old business manager at Countryside Healthcare in Buchanan, Georgia, Johnna Hannah, was arrested and charged with 78 counts of fraud and elder abuse after stealing over $53,000 from at least 39 patients' accounts between June 2023 and February 2024. Hannah used fraudulent invoices, company checks, debit cards, and mobile banking to drain patient accounts, including those of eight deceased residents; police discovered the scheme after a questionable $880 withdrawal was reported, prompting a forensic audit. She was released on a $50,000 bond, and authorities indicate additional charges are likely pending a second audit.

A 28-year-old woman named Johnna Hannah was accused of stealing over $50,000 from elderly patients at Countryside Health Center in Buchanan, Georgia, where she managed patient accounts. Hannah faced more than 70 counts of fraud and elder abuse for exploiting her position of trust to commit the theft.

**Summary:** Romance scammers increasingly target online dating and social media users by creating fake profiles to build relationships and extract money through manipulation. In 2021 alone, approximately 24,000 Americans lost nearly $1 billion to romance fraud, while the UK reported £92 million in losses; scammers use increasingly sophisticated tactics including deepfake technology and AI-generated content. Key warning signs include love bombing, persistent excuses to avoid in-person meetings, escalating money requests, and requests for explicit photos; individuals should verify contacts through reverse image searches, use privacy settings, and avoid sharing personal information or money with online contacts.

Georgia residents lost $234.3 million to fraud in 2023 across 65,825 reported incidents to the FTC, ranking the state 15th most defrauded nationally. The three most common scam types were Credit Bureaus/Information Furnishers (25% of reports), Identity Theft (23%), and Imposter Scams (9%), with victims advised to monitor credit reports, avoid sharing personal information unsolicited, and never send money to unknown parties.

I cannot provide a summary of this article because the content itself is not available—only a subscription paywall message is shown. The actual article about scams, fraud, or elder abuse has been archived and requires a paid subscription to The Georgia Gazette to access. To complete a summary for the Elderus database, please provide the full text of the article.

An 85-year-old Atlanta man claims his stepson forged his signature on three deeds filed between July and September to illegally transfer ownership of his home, in which he had invested over 50 years of equity. The forged deeds were notarized despite signatures not matching Robert Elder's authentic signature on official documents, exploiting a Georgia law that does not require identification to file property paperwork. The case highlights deed theft as a widespread crime in Georgia and underscores vulnerabilities in the notarization process.

South Carolina state Rep. Brandon Guffey's teenage son Gavin died by suicide after falling victim to a sextortion scam in which criminals posing as a young female on social media demanded money after he sent explicit photos. Guffey filed an 81-page wrongful death lawsuit against Meta, alleging the company failed to prevent the scam and contributed to mental health crises among young people, while the FBI reports sextortion cases in Georgia increased 700% since 2021. In response to his son's death, Guffey passed "Gavin's Law," making it a felony to target minors or at-risk adults in sextortion schemes.

This article is not relevant to the Elderus database. It describes a drug trafficking case involving cocaine seized at a hotel, not elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. Please submit articles related to financial exploitation, scams targeting seniors, or elder abuse for summarization.

This article does not involve elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It describes a drug trafficking case where a hotel housekeeper discovered cocaine in a guest room closet, leading to the arrest of a 24-year-old suspect. This is outside the scope of Elderus, which focuses on fraud and abuse targeting older adults.

A 64-year-old Georgia man was targeted by scammers impersonating police officers who demanded $5,000 in gift cards, claiming he owed a court fine. After purchasing $2,000 in cards at one Walmart location, a vigilant self-checkout worker at a second store overheard the ongoing scam call, took the phone, and refused to complete the transaction, preventing the victim from losing an additional $3,000.

A Georgia woman, Syretta Scherer, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for her role in a romance scam that defrauded seniors across multiple states, including Rhode Island, of at least $5.8 million. Scherer laundered nearly $1.1 million of the stolen proceeds by creating a fake company called Precise Carriers and opening multiple bank accounts at different banks to receive victim funds, primarily from widows who were deceived into sending money for fabricated medical emergencies. Two co-conspirators, Sade Mills and Dominique Golden, also pleaded guilty or were sentenced in connection with the scheme.

**Summary:** Syretta Scherer, a 42-year-old Georgia woman, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison on March 7, 2024, for her role in a romance scam conspiracy that defrauded seniors across multiple states of at least $5.8 million. Scherer laundered approximately $1.1 million of the scheme's proceeds by creating a fake company called Precise Carriers, opening multiple bank accounts at different banks, and recruiting others to deposit victim funds that were primarily stolen from widows through online romance scams conducted via app-based communication platforms between February 2018 and November 2019.

Syretta Scherer, 42, from Georgia was sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison for her role in a multi-state romance scam that defrauded seniors of approximately $5.8 million. Scherer laundered close to $1.1 million of the conspiracy's nearly $3 million in stolen funds by creating fake bank accounts under a fictitious company and directing victims—primarily widows—to send money via wire transfer or mail based on fabricated emergencies. Operating from February 2018 to November 2019, she used structured transactions across multiple banks and recruited accomplices to open additional accounts to evade detection.

Syretta Scherer, 42, of Georgia was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for her role in a multi-state romance scam that defrauded seniors of at least $5.8 million. Scherer laundered approximately $1.1 million of the stolen funds by creating a fake company called Precise Carriers and opening multiple bank accounts to receive money that scammers had convinced victims to send under false pretenses such as medical emergencies. From February 2018 to November 2019, she structured deposits across multiple banks and recruited others to open accounts to further obscure the money trail.

Syretta Scherer, a 42-year-old Georgia woman, was sentenced to nearly four years in prison in March for her role in a romance scam conspiracy that defrauded at least 28 seniors across multiple states of $5.8 million between February 2018 and November 2019. The scheme involved cultivating fake online relationships through dating apps, then pressuring victims to send money for fabricated emergencies; Scherer laundered approximately $1.1 million through bank accounts created under a sham company called Precise Carriers. Multiple co-conspirators were also prosecuted, with one receiving 78 months in prison and ordered to pay over $

Johnna Hannah, a 28-year-old former business manager at Countryside Health Center in Buchanan, Georgia, faces 86 total felony charges (78 initial plus 8 additional) for embezzling over $60,000 from nearly 40 elderly patients over 18 months, including forging signatures and closing out bank accounts. The investigation, prompted by a forensic audit and subpoena of her personal bank records, revealed a pattern of financial exploitation of vulnerable residents, some of whom were deceased. The nursing home is working to repay victims' families as police indicate more charges are likely.

Georgia seniors lost over $775,000 to financial scams in 2022, with the state ranking among the top five most scammed states nationally and the FBI reporting a surge in deceptive practices targeting those over 60. Senator Jon Ossoff launched an inquiry with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to review the effectiveness of their senior protection resources and improve communication, noting that 68% of elderly fraud victims reported substantial emotional impact from their experiences.

A 76-year-old Georgia widow lost her life savings of approximately $78,700 in a romance scam after meeting a man claiming to be a doctor working for the Red Cross in Yemen on Facebook. The scammer, using the name Caleb, built a months-long relationship with Jennifer Dennis and convinced her to wire money toward purchasing a home in North Carolina together, but the property was already occupied and the scammer disappeared after sending a final photo claiming he had been beaten. Dennis and her son ended up homeless and sleeping in their car until receiving a camper from their church, and she now warns others about romance scam red flags.

A 28-year-old Georgia woman, Johnna Hannah, faces approximately 93 combined charges of account fraud and elder exploitation after a February investigation uncovered financial abuse at Countryside Healthcare where she worked as a business manager. The investigation revealed 39 initial victims whose credit/debit cards and funds were fraudulently used, with a subsequent bank records review uncovering additional victims, including an elderly man defrauded of money he intended for funeral expenses. The total amount misappropriated exceeded $64,000 across multiple fraudulent transactions and elderly exploitation counts.

Johnna Hannah, 28, of Carrollton, Georgia, was charged with fraud and exploitation of the elderly after a February investigation revealed she illegally accessed credit/debit cards and forged checks belonging to residents at Countryside Healthcare, affecting 39 victims. Police discovered approximately 93 combined charges of account fraud and elder exploitation totaling $64,381, including funds from a 78-year-old former steelworker who believed he was paying for funeral expenses.

Senator Jon Ossoff launched an inquiry with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to address the escalating problem of financial scams targeting Georgia seniors, following reports that Georgia seniors lost over $775,000 to scams in 2022 and that Georgia ranks among the top five most financially scammed states. Ossoff is requesting the CFPB review the effectiveness of its protective resources and improve communication to seniors, as the state has experienced a surge in deceptive practices targeting those over 60 in recent years.

Georgia ranks as the third most dangerous state for online dating according to a Privacy Journal survey analyzing romance scams, identity theft, violent crime, and STDs. The state leads the nation in identity theft and fraud reports, with 985 STD cases per 100,000 residents, though it has a relatively low romance scam rate of 3.9 per 100,000. Nevada is the most dangerous state overall, while Vermont is the safest, and the article recommends online daters use Facebook groups to identify and avoid scammers.

Clinton Chukwudi Uchendu, 26, of Georgia, was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering, mail fraud, and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business for his role in a romance scam that defrauded victims of over $600,000 between February and October 2018. As a "picker," Uchendu provided U.S. bank accounts to receive funds from romance scam victims who were deceived by "Yahoo Boys" operating from Nigeria posing as soldiers, businessmen, or celebrities, then laundered the money to Nigeria while retaining a portion. He received funds from dozens of victims across the United States, several of whom testified to losing hundreds of

Clinton Chukwudi Uchendu, a 26-year-old from Georgia, was convicted by federal jury in March 2024 for operating as a "picker" in a $600,000 romance scam conspiracy, laundering money from victims who were deceived by overseas "Yahoo Boys" posing as soldiers and businessmen. Uchendu provided U.S. bank accounts to collect victim funds and transfer money to Nigeria while concealing the transactions' origins, and was found guilty of conspiracy to commit money laundering, mail fraud, and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. He is scheduled for sentencing in June 2024.

Former Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health-care fraud after ordering unnecessary medical tests through a Texas lab in exchange for $260,000 in kickbacks, working with Dr. Jeffrey Gallups. The scheme involved submitting fraudulent insurance claims exceeding $2.5 million to private insurers, which paid the lab nearly $700,000, and included obstruction of justice when Oxendine instructed Gallups to lie to compliance officers and federal agents. Oxendine faces sentencing in July.

The Botetourt County Sheriff's Office warned residents about traveling door-to-door home improvement scams involving driveway paving, sealing, and barn roof painting, typically perpetrated by groups from South Carolina and Georgia who target elderly homeowners with diluted, poor-quality materials and low prices. The scammers often work in groups to distract homeowners while stealing valuables, and investigators recommend only hiring contractors you know or have researched, verifying solicitor permits, and never allowing unsupervised access to your home.

Two retired Georgia law enforcement veterans with combined 75+ years of experience—Joe Gavalis and Dan Flynn—volunteer with the North Georgia Elder Abuse Task Force Foundation to combat elder fraud through training, education, and prevention work. They have facilitated over 60 law enforcement trainings and reached approximately 8,000 older adults with fraud prevention presentations covering common scams like credit card fraud, grandparent scams, and romance schemes. Their work addresses a critical gap, as Americans reported 2.6 million fraud incidents in 2023 with $10 billion in losses, with elder victims often experiencing catastrophic financial impact.

A Gulfport woman was targeted in a "warrant for arrest" phone scam where con artists impersonated the Harrison County Sheriff's Office and demanded up to $14,000 in bond payments, claiming she had missed a court hearing. The scam affected at least three victims in the area, with two others losing up to $28,000 total at the Biloxi Courthouse before the fraud was discovered. A 24-year-old suspect from Georgia was arrested on felony charges, and authorities are investigating additional suspects believed to be operating the scam across multiple states.

Six collegiate track and field athletes, including four from William Carey University, were prosecuted for operating an unlicensed money transmission business as part of overseas fraud schemes originating in Nigeria between 2018-2022. The athletes received funds from over 100 victims and transferred more than $820,000 abroad through romance scams, fraudulent goods scams, and military scams; Aniekeme Etim, the last defendant sentenced, received three years probation and was ordered to pay $74,847.52 in fines plus $123,116.50 in restitution. All six defendants face potential deportation and were ordered to make restitution to their respective victims

Six collegiate track athletes, including former William Carey University athlete Aniekeme Etim, were prosecuted for operating an unlicensed money transmission business that facilitated overseas fraud schemes between 2018 and 2022. Nigerian-based fraudsters used romance scams, fraudulent goods scams, and military scams to target over 100 U.S. victims, with the athletes receiving and transferring more than $820,000 overseas; Etim received a three-year probation sentence, a $74,847.52 fine, and was ordered to pay $123,116.50 in restitution.

Between 2018 and 2022, six collegiate track and field athletes at U.S. universities received and transferred over $820,000 in proceeds from Nigerian-based fraud schemes (romance, goods, and military scams) that targeted more than 100 American victims. Aniekeme Etim, a 24-year-old from Georgia, was sentenced to three years of probation, a $74,847.52 fine, and $123,116.50 in restitution for her role as a money conduit, while her co-defendants received prison sentences ranging from 36 to 46 months and remain subject to deportation.

On August 2, 2022, Antavious Bailey, 38, invaded the home of an 88-year-old woman in Brookhaven, Georgia, robbed her at gunpoint, and stole her wallet, cell phone, identification documents, and financial cards after forcing her to reveal her debit card PIN and tying her up. Bailey was arrested hours later with the victim's credit cards and a firearm in his possession, and subsequently pleaded guilty to ten charges including home invasion, armed robbery, elder abuse, and fraud. He was sentenced to 15 years in prison without the possibility of parole.

Uwemedimo Umoren, a Georgia man, was sentenced to three years in prison for laundering over $8 million in proceeds from a Nigeria-based fraud enterprise that operated from 2016 to 2021. The criminal scheme primarily targeted vulnerable elderly Americans through investment, business email compromise, and romance scams, with at least 17 victims suffering significant financial and emotional harm, including one elderly man whose stress-induced stroke contributed to his death. Umoren was ordered to forfeit $8.23 million and pay $1.24 million in restitution for his role in receiving and laundering the fraud proceeds through shell company bank accounts he controlled.

A PrivacyJournal study ranking online dating safety across U.S. states found Nevada, Georgia, and Alaska to be the most dangerous for romance scams and related fraud, while Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine emerged as the safest. Texas ranked 43rd out of 50 states, placing it in the top 10 most dangerous, based on per capita metrics including reported romance scams, identity theft, fraud, sex offenders, and STD cases.

STAR of Coastal Georgia will host a free educational workshop on April 16 for senior citizens focused on recognizing and protecting against elder fraud, scams, and identity theft, with presentations from Bank of America representatives. Registration is required by calling 912-265-0620 or visiting starofcoastalga.org for the 9:30-11 a.m. event at their Brunswick location.

**Deed Fraud Case – Property Theft** Robert Elder, 85, lost ownership of his Atlanta home of 50 years after his former stepson, Torrey Elder, allegedly forged multiple deeds and filed them at the county clerk's office between July and September of last year, transferring the property to himself. The retiree's attorney argues the forged signatures do not match Elder's authentic signature, and questions whether notaries properly verified the signer's identity before stamping the fraudulent documents. Georgia's lack of identification requirements for filing property paperwork and the notarization process failures enabled the deed theft to occur.

Sir Maejor Page, 35, of Toledo, was convicted of wire fraud and money laundering after creating a fraudulent Facebook-based charity called "Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta" and soliciting donations under false pretenses. Page used donor contributions—intended for social justice causes—to purchase personal items including a house and furniture, even after the organization's tax-exempt status was dissolved in 2019. The jury found him guilty following a six-day trial, though sentencing has not yet been scheduled.

The North Georgia Elder Abuse Task Force, a nonprofit organization of law enforcement and social service professionals, trains investigators and conducts prevention workshops to combat elder abuse and financial exploitation in Georgia. The organization identifies "romance scams" as the most prevalent type of fraud targeting seniors over 65, in which scammers build fake romantic relationships through social media and dating sites to manipulate lonely, isolated older adults into sending money or serving as money mules for laundering schemes. Victims often delay reporting because they are embarrassed by significant losses and reluctant to accept they were deceived, with only about one in 30 victims filing police reports.

Lawrence Montgomery, Jr. pleaded guilty to exploiting his 77-year-old mother, Ruth Montgomery, who had Alzheimer's disease, by diverting her social security checks to himself over five months (October 2019–February 2020) while she was in a nursing home, putting her at risk of discharge. He was sentenced to 10 years of probation, ordered to pay restitution, and barred from serving as a guardian or power of attorney. Georgia's Attorney General emphasized that protecting seniors from family-member exploitation remains a priority and noted that the state's Medicaid Fraud Division has secured 90 convictions for elder abuse and fraud since 2019.