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Scammers are impersonating real federal law enforcement agents and calling New Jersey residents, using the names of actual FBI employees and spoofed federal agency phone numbers to gain victims' trust and solicit money. The scheme is an evolved version of traditional federal impersonation fraud that makes it particularly difficult for victims and agencies to identify as fraudulent, with some scammers even creating fake virtual meetings with FBI office backdrops. The FBI Newark field office has documented multiple victims of this scam but has not disclosed specific dollar amounts stolen.

The New York State Police Troop K warns residents to be cautious of scams that use fear, urgency, or false claims to obtain money or personal information. The agency encourages community members to discuss these scam tactics with elderly family members, friends, and neighbors to raise awareness and prevent victimization.

Nahtahla Castner, 46, of Dansville, New York, was sentenced to 4 years in prison for stealing over $252,673 from an elderly neighbor between July 2020 and February 2023. Working with an accomplice, Castner gained the victim's trust to obtain bank information, then conducted unauthorized ATM withdrawals, money transfers, and debit card purchases, while also committing identity theft by opening three fraudulent credit cards in the victim's name. She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.

This article contains entertainment news about television and streaming releases, premieres, and renewals—not information about scams, fraud, or elder abuse. It is not appropriate for an elder fraud research database summary.

Political consultants and Democratic Party operatives have built a sophisticated text message fundraising campaign that targets elderly donors with alarmist messages about Social Security ending and election crises, collecting hundreds or thousands of dollars from small numbers of frightened and sometimes mentally unwell seniors. According to political scientist Adam Bonica, this practice has grown substantially over the past decade and can be characterized as elder fraud, funneling money from vulnerable elderly donors into party operations and consultant pockets. The research documenting this scheme was reportedly spiked by The New York Times after months of fact-checking due to pressure from political consultants.

New York Attorney General Letitia James and 17 other state attorneys general are opposing the Digital Asset Market Clarity Act, warning that it would strip states of their authority to protect investors from cryptocurrency fraud and scams. The coalition cites an epidemic of crypto fraud, with the FBI reporting $11.4 billion in cryptocurrency-related losses in 2025 and New York alone reporting nearly $500 million in crypto scam losses over five years. States have successfully brought over 330 anti-fraud enforcement actions against crypto scammers since 2017, and the attorneys general argue that preserving state oversight is critical to continuing this consumer protection work.

Wrestling legend Ric Flair, 77, is suing talent agency FAM Networks for $10 million, alleging the company fraudulently induced him to sign a contract that grants them perpetual rights to his name, image, and likeness while promising speaking engagements and social media revenue that were never delivered. FAM allegedly collected $15,000-$20,000 monthly from Flair's Facebook page without accounting and transferred ownership to themselves, costing Flair at least $250,000 in lost revenue. The lawsuit, filed in New York in September, seeks $5 million in compensatory damages for breach of contract and another $5 million in compensatory and punitive

Alexander Almaraz, a Freeport contractor, was sentenced to four years in federal prison for defrauding over 20 Hurricane Sandy victims of approximately $2.5 million in storm-recovery funds between 2015 and 2019. Almaraz collected payments from homeowners through the New York Rising program to lift and rebuild their flood-damaged homes, but instead spent the money on luxury vehicles and real estate while leaving the construction projects incomplete. The scheme caused over $1.5 million in losses to the state program and affected victims who had relocated and paid rent while waiting for their homes to be repaired.

Nassau County authorities have arrested Aurelia Soogea, 39, and William Fickbohm, 71, for an elaborate home rental scam involving breaking into properties, stealing keys, and posing as homeowners to collect deposits and rent payments from unsuspecting tenants. The initial known victim lost $7,000 in a July 17 incident, but police believe the suspects operated across multiple towns and may have defrauded additional victims. The duo faces charges including second-degree burglary, third-degree grand larceny, and first-degree scheme to defraud.

Two Thai businessmen sued Tether in New York federal court over $42.4 million in USDT that was frozen in October 2025 after an informal government request, claiming the freeze occurred without a warrant, court order, or prior notice. The case stems from a pig-butchering scam investigation, and the plaintiffs argue that Tether lacked legal authority to blacklist their wallets and seek damages for the frozen funds and lost income from reserves. The brothers question whether Tether has the right to burn or reissue privately held USDT based on government requests alone.

Nev Schulman, former host of MTV's "Catfish: The TV Show," discusses how romance scams and real estate fraud have evolved with advances in artificial intelligence, advising people to assume all communications could potentially be scams. Schulman, who documented romance scams on his show from 2012-2025 and now works as a real estate agent in New York City, warns that scammers continue their activities despite increased awareness. The interview reflects on how AI technology is making it increasingly difficult to distinguish legitimate communications from fraudulent ones.

Scammers are exploiting confusion created by recent Trump administration changes to federal student loan repayment programs, including elimination of the SAVE plan, to defraud New York borrowers seeking affordable payment options. New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a consumer alert warning residents about these student loan scams and urging borrowers to report fraudulent practices to her office. No specific dollar amounts or victim counts were mentioned in the alert, which encouraged New Yorkers to follow protective measures to avoid becoming targets.

Two Thai businessmen sued Tether in New York federal court after the company froze $42.4 million in USDT across ten Ethereum addresses in October 2025, allegedly following an informal request from Homeland Security Investigations without a court warrant. The freeze was reportedly connected to a pig-butchering fraud investigation, and a North Carolina court later issued a seizure warrant in February 2026 directing Tether to burn and reissue the tokens to a government-controlled wallet. The plaintiffs challenge Tether's authority to blacklist and freeze their funds before judicial authorization and seek unfreezing of the assets, damages, and recovery of reserve yield earned while their funds were frozen.

Former New York congressman George Santos has been permanently banned from prediction market platform Kalshi and penalized $71,356 for allegedly engaging in insider trading by placing bets on his own attendance at the 2026 State of the Union address and making public statements to influence contract prices, earning over $17,500 in the process. Santos, who had previously agreed to pay $35,000 to settle a federal Commodity Futures Trading Commission investigation and received a three-year trading ban, refused to cooperate with Kalshi's compliance investigation, making him the first person to receive a lifetime ban from the platform.

New York's Department of State issued a consumer alert warning that AI-powered investment scams cost Americans over $8 billion in 2025, with 144,041 reported victims and a 38% surge in fraud compared to 2024. Scammers use AI-generated deepfakes of celebrities and voice cloning to promote counterfeit cryptocurrency platforms and trading sites that show fake profits before disappearing with victims' money, a tactic known as "pig butchering." The median individual loss reached $10,560, with victims directed to fraudulent platforms mimicking legitimate exchanges, often through social media, dating apps, and email, with particularly high losses occurring through romance-investment fraud schemes.

A New Jersey resident on a student visa was arrested at Toronto's airport while attempting to flee the U.S. after serving as a money mule for overseas scammers based in India. The suspect collected approximately $90,000 in cash and gold from at least nine victims in their 70s and 80s in New York and New Jersey who were deceived by callers impersonating law enforcement officials claiming issues with drugs or identity theft. He faces charges of wire fraud and money laundering, each carrying up to 20 years in prison.

Jay Sunilbharthi Goswami, 21, an Indian citizen, was arrested on charges of wire fraud and money laundering after acting as a "money mule" in an elder fraud scheme targeting elderly victims in New York and New Jersey. In at least nine instances, Goswami collected cash and gold from victims aged 59 to 87 who had been deceived into believing their bank accounts were compromised, resulting in total losses of approximately $7.56 million. He was apprehended while attempting to flee to Qatar through Canada after his initial court appearance in August 2026 and faces extradition to the United States.

Jay Sunilbharthi Goswami, a 21-year-old Indian national, was arrested at Toronto Pearson International Airport while attempting to flee after being released on pretrial conditions, accused of serving as a courier in an internet- and telephone-based fraud scheme. The scheme targeted elderly residents in western New York and other parts of the United States, totaling approximately $7.5 million in fraudulent losses. Canadian authorities detained Goswami after discovering he had booked a flight to Qatar departing the same evening.

Jay Sunilbharthi Goswami, 21, an Indian national living in New Jersey, was arrested at Toronto Pearson International Airport after fleeing the US while on pretrial release for his alleged role in a $7.5 million elder fraud scheme. He acted as a "money mule," collecting cash and gold from elderly victims aged 59 to 87 across New York and New Jersey who were deceived into believing their bank accounts were compromised. Goswami faces charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Jay Sunilbharthi Goswami, a 21-year-old Indian national, was arrested at Toronto Pearson International Airport after fleeing the United States while on pretrial release in a $7.5 million elder fraud case. Goswami allegedly acted as a "money mule" in a nationwide phone and internet scam that targeted elderly victims aged 59-87 in New York and New Jersey, frightening them into liquidating their assets and collecting approximately $7.6 million in cash and gold across at least nine instances. He faces charges including wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and money laundering, with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

A 21-year-old Indian national, Jay Sunilbharthi Goswami, was arrested in Canada while attempting to flee to Qatar after being charged in the US for his role as a "money mule" in a multi-million-dollar fraud scheme targeting elderly victims. Goswami allegedly collected cash and gold from at least nine victims aged 59 to 87 across New York and New Jersey, resulting in approximately $7.5 million in losses. He faces charges including wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy, with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

An elderly Virginia woman lost $77,000 after scammers impersonated Amazon, Bank of America, and FTC officials to convince her that her identity was linked to criminal activity and drug trafficking. The scheme escalated over several days with false claims about a handgun purchase and threats to suspend her Social Security number, ultimately pressuring her to withdraw and send the money via cashier's check to an account in New York. The victim discovered the fraud after checking the FTC's website on July 1st and confirming the agency does not demand money from victims this way.

An Ocean County senior citizen was scammed out of $50,000 after receiving a fake Microsoft pop-up warning that directed her to call a fraudulent number, where scammers impersonating Microsoft and Wells Fargo employees convinced her to mail a cashier's check. When the scammers attempted to collect an additional $30,000 via courier, 24-year-old Gurdutt Singh of South Richmond, New York was arrested at the victim's home and charged with conspiracy to commit theft by deception and money laundering.

Washington Trust Company launched the Age With Wisdom™ education series to help older adults in Rhode Island and southeastern Connecticut prevent financial fraud and exploitation through fraud prevention training, financial planning guidance, and AARP BankSafe® education. The initiative addresses the growing threat of financial scams targeting seniors in a region where approximately 31% of Rhode Island residents are age 55 and older. Washington Trust, the nation's oldest community bank, has previously intervened to protect customers from significant financial losses, as highlighted in a New York Times article about banks' growing role in preventing elder financial exploitation.

Eleven people have been charged in a multimillion-dollar marriage fraud scheme that facilitated over 1,000 sham weddings for Chinese nationals seeking green cards, with US citizens paid up to $30,000 per bogus marriage and defendants charging immigrants up to $100,000 per green card. The decade-long operation, orchestrated from New York and orchestrated by naturalized citizens originally from China, generated tens of millions of dollars and is being called one of the largest marriage fraud prosecutions in US history. The defendants also staged fraudulent family photos and helped immigrants navigate the permanent resident application process to make the scheme appear legitimate.

Eleven people in New York were arrested for operating an international marriage fraud scheme that facilitated sham marriages between American citizens and foreign nationals, primarily Chinese, seeking green cards and U.S. citizenship over more than a decade. Foreign nationals paid up to $100,000 each for assistance in arranging fraudulent marriages complete with staged ceremonies, with prosecutors estimating the network generated tens of millions of dollars from hundreds of victims. The defendants face up to 10 years in federal prison if convicted in what authorities describe as one of the largest marriage fraud prosecutions in U.S. history.

A stolen vehicle recovered in Virginia led authorities to discover gold coins and a gold bar connected to a $2 million fraud scheme targeting elderly victims who were persuaded to purchase gold for scammers. The investigation identified at least one victim in James City County who made multiple payments to the suspects, with approximately $2 million expected to be recovered. The multi-state scheme, involving suspects who transported the gold to New York to be melted down, is believed to extend across Pennsylvania, Illinois, Virginia, Ohio, Maryland, and New York.

Mohamed Coulibaly, a 23-24-year-old man connected to NFL coaches, executives, and players, allegedly ran a fraudulent investment scheme involving fake Shopify stores that resembled a Ponzi scheme, defrauding multiple victims including former Cardinals GM Steve Keim of substantial sums. On the day he was found dead in his swimming pool, Coulibaly was desperately seeking a $75,000 loan from a New York man to whom he already owed $1 million, offering fake collateral including counterfeit Rolex watches and an unauthenticated signed Messi cleat. His death is under investigation as authorities work to determine whether it was a

Fraudsters are impersonating FCC officials via calls and texts, claiming victims' phone numbers are under investigation and demanding money or personal financial information, with the FCC warning that it never contacts people this way. The article also highlights related scams including gold bar schemes targeting seniors (with losses exceeding $100 million in New York alone) and recovery scams that prey on previous fraud victims by promising to return lost money for an upfront fee.

Police in the Bronx are searching for a man who defrauded three victims in a rental scam in May, collecting a total of $3,900 in security deposits for a nonexistent apartment near the Botanical Garden. Each victim gave money to the suspect after being shown what appeared to be a legitimate apartment listing near Marion Avenue. No injuries were reported in the incident.

New York State Police warn of a growing scam targeting older adults in which fraudsters build trust through unsolicited contact, then convince victims to purchase cryptocurrency or gold bars that are handed over to couriers or shipped away, often resulting in loss of life savings. The scams typically begin with fake investment opportunities on fraudulent websites showing high returns, and victims are instructed to keep transactions secret from family and banks. Police stress that legitimate financial institutions and government agencies never ask people to purchase gold, transfer cryptocurrency, or hand assets to couriers.

State Police in New York are warning older adults about a sophisticated scam involving fake cryptocurrency investments and gold purchases, where scammers build trust through unsolicited online contact before convincing victims to withdraw cash or buy gold bars, which are then handed to couriers or shipped away and rarely recovered. The scammers use increasingly advanced tactics, falsely promising high returns on investments or cryptocurrency conversions. Victims are advised to stop contact with suspected scammers, report to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, and contact their financial institutions.

Scammers targeting seniors across multiple states, including New York, have stolen over $100 million in the past two years using a gold bar scheme that begins with fake pop-up messages claiming financial compromise, followed by impersonators posing as law enforcement who direct victims to purchase gold bars or coins as "protection" for their accounts. Victims are instructed to keep the scam secret and then hand over the gold to couriers, with one notable case involving an 85-year-old man in Washington DC who was targeted for $200,000 before a gold dealer recognized the scheme and alerted authorities. New York's attorney general is warning the public not to call numbers in unsolicited messages, grant remote computer

New York Attorney General Letitia James is warning residents about a rapidly growing "gold bar" scam targeting New Yorkers, particularly seniors, in which fraudsters pose as law enforcement and convince victims to liquidate their life savings to purchase gold bars that are then stolen by couriers. The scam typically begins with fake pop-up messages claiming a computer or financial account has been compromised, followed by fake law enforcement officials instructing victims to buy gold and hand it over for "safekeeping" while demanding secrecy. The NYPD has investigated over 100 cases in the past two years with reported losses exceeding $100 million.

A gold bar scam targeting older New Yorkers has defrauded victims of over $100 million, with individual losses reaching as high as $9 million, according to the NYPD's Financial Crimes Task Force. The scheme begins with fake Microsoft pop-ups that give scammers remote access to victims' computers, after which callers impersonating federal agents convince retirees to convert their savings into physical gold bars for a courier to collect. The scam reflects a broader national trend, with gold courier fraud generating $311.8 million in losses from approximately 725 complaints nationwide in 2025, contributing to a 59% surge in overall financial fraud targeting Americans 60 and older

Mohamed Coulibaly, 24, the alleged mastermind of a million-dollar investment scam targeting NFL players and other athletes, was found dead in a swimming pool in Harrison Township, New Jersey. The scam involved luring ex-NFL players into purchasing stakes in bogus websites disguised as legitimate business investments, with at least three former players losing over $1 million combined, including ex-New York Giants linebacker Tae Crowder who invested $500,000 of his life savings. No criminal charges had been filed at the time of Coulibaly's death.

Multiple Social Adult Day-Care centres in Flushing, Queens billed New York's Medicaid programme approximately $733 million between 2018 and 2024, with journalists discovering locked doors and empty facilities despite claims of serving tens of thousands of seniors. The 77 centres within a one-mile radius account for roughly 14 percent of the state's entire social adult day-care spending, prompting investigations from state and federal authorities into allegations of illegal kickbacks and Medicaid fraud. While no centres have been officially charged, the scandal reveals severe oversight vulnerabilities, with evidence suggesting taxpayer money may be siphoned off using vulnerable seniors as billing cover.

The Chautauqua County Office for Aging Services is hosting a Fraud and Scam Prevention Program on August 27, 2026, to educate older adults about increasingly sophisticated scams targeting seniors through phone calls, emails, text messages, and social media. Common scams affecting older New Yorkers include impersonation scams, fake government agency calls, romance scams, Medicare fraud, tech support scams, and grandparent scams, with criminals often requesting payment via gift cards or cryptocurrency. The program will teach participants to recognize warning signs and follow the "Stop. Verify. Protect." rule: never act under pressure, independently verify callers using trusted phone numbers, and never share personal

New York Attorney General Letitia James testified before Congress that cryptocurrency fraud complaints to her office have nearly tripled in three years, driven by scams including "pig butchering," romance schemes, and investment frauds perpetrated largely by anonymous overseas actors. James urged Congress to strengthen cryptocurrency oversight and reject the CLARITY Act, arguing it would preempt state laws and weaken state and local law enforcement's ability to prosecute crypto fraud, and she recommended requiring crypto platforms to comply with anti-money laundering requirements and hold them financially liable for consumer protection failures.

Two men from Brooklyn, New York pleaded guilty to a $750,000 theft scam targeting a Jackson County, Tennessee resident who was duped by fake Treasury Department calls into liquidating investment certificates and purchasing gold. The victim was told a courier would secure the gold until his identity threat was resolved, but after three successful thefts totaling $750,000, he contacted authorities on a fourth attempt, leading to the suspects' arrest during a controlled operation in October 2024. Both defendants were sentenced to 20 years in prison with no parole eligibility until full restitution of $750,000 is paid to the victim.

Senior New Yorkers are vulnerable to financial abuse involving loss of control over bank accounts, pension checks, and property, often perpetrated by trusted individuals including relatives and caregivers. Popular Bank and NYC Aging partnered during June's Elder Abuse Awareness Month to train staff to recognize and respond to signs of elder financial abuse, with bank employees trained to isolate customers for private conversations and take protective actions such as blocking transactions or redirecting payments. The initiative highlighted that victims often don't report abuse due to embarrassment or concern for their abusers, and that financial institutions are frequently positioned to detect suspicious activity before authorities intervene.

A 21-year-old New York man, Ravi Punia, was extradited to North Carolina and charged with defrauding an elderly Lenoir County resident through a federal impersonation scam in May 2026. The victim was tricked into sending money via wire transfers, mailed cash, and Apple gift cards after scammers falsely claimed her bank accounts were compromised. Punia faces charges including obtaining property by false pretenses, possession of stolen goods, and identity fraud.

A 21-year-old New York man was extradited to Lenoir County after being identified as a participant in an impersonation scam targeting an elderly woman who believed her bank accounts had been compromised. The victim was defrauded after scammers posing as federal government representatives instructed her to send funds through wire transfers, mailed cash, and Apple gift cards. Ravi Punia of Jamaica, New York, was arrested in June 2026 and charged in connection with the scheme.

Thomas M. Copeland's new play "LOVEBOMB," directed by Melvin Tunstall III, will receive developmental staged readings on August 1, 2026, at 124 Bank Street Theater in New York City. The play centers on a family torn apart by an online romance scam while exploring themes of aging, loneliness, and inherited trauma, with the cast examining how people often choose illusions rather than simply fall for them.

A state audit found that New York City's Department for the Aging failed to properly oversee providers handling elder abuse referrals, with two main providers frequently missing deadlines for contacting clients and conducting assessments, and many workers lacking required abuse detection training. The audit identified serious gaps affecting over 210,000 elderly New Yorkers who depend on these services, including 17 high-risk cases involving physical violence or food insecurity that received no services within required timeframes. The comptroller recommended stronger oversight, improved staff training, and better monitoring, while urging seniors and their families to report suspected abuse immediately rather than waiting for the system to respond.

New York Times reporter Carlos Barragán discovered an organized romance scam network operating from Nigeria after his own mother fell victim to one of these schemes, prompting him to travel there and investigate. The scammers, known as "Yahoo Boys," target vulnerable and lonely people seeking emotional connection, causing serious emotional and financial harm to victims across the globe. To protect yourself, be cautious of online relationships that move quickly toward declarations of love or requests for money, verify the identity of people you meet online, and be skeptical of romantic interests who claim to need financial help or have sudden emergencies.

A 76-year-old California widow lost $425,000—including proceeds from selling her home—to a romance scammer she met on a dating app who posed as a wealthy oil rig worker named "Dean Ramirez" and promised marriage and financial security. Over two years, the scammer repeatedly convinced her to wire money by claiming he needed funds to unlock a frozen $7 million fortune, even sending fake bank screenshots as proof. Experts and law enforcement warn vulnerable individuals—particularly widows, divorced people, and those experiencing isolation or cognitive decline—to be skeptical of online suitors who quickly profess love and ask for money, and to verify claims through independent research before sending any funds.

Two New York residents have been charged with laundering over $43 million stolen from victims of "pig butchering" investment scams—a fraud scheme where scammers build trust through social media and dating apps before directing victims to fake cryptocurrency trading platforms that show fabricated profits. The defendants allegedly operated a network of shell companies and bank accounts to move the stolen money to China. To protect yourself, be wary of unsolicited investment offers on social media or dating platforms, especially those promising high returns in cryptocurrency, and verify any investment opportunity through official channels before sending money.

U.S. prosecutors charged two New York residents, Zhuoying Chen and Haojie Zhang, for laundering at least $43 million stolen from victims of "pig butchering" investment scams—elaborate online fraud schemes where scammers pose as romantic interests or investment advisors to trick people into sending money. The operation, which ran from 2020 to 2022, involved a network of shell companies and bank accounts used to move stolen funds to China. To protect yourself, be cautious of unsolicited investment opportunities or romantic connections online, verify investment opportunities through official channels, and report suspicious financial activity to authorities immediately.

Two Chinese citizens operating in New York have been charged with money laundering after allegedly managing a network that funneled over $43 million in stolen funds from "pig butchering" investment scams to accounts in China between 2020 and 2022. The scam targets victims through social media and messaging apps by building trust and promising fake high-return investments before stealing their money. To protect yourself, be cautious of unsolicited investment offers from online contacts, verify investment opportunities through official channels, and never send money to unknown individuals or accounts.