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The FTC, along with Utah and Nevada Attorneys General, sued contact lens retailer Lens.com for deceptive pricing practices that artificially lowered advertised prices while charging consumers substantially higher prices through hidden "Taxes & fees" charges at checkout, routinely doubling the advertised price and costing consumers hundreds of millions of dollars. The company also used deceptive practices with its "AutoRefill" subscription plan, which automatically charged consumers for recurring shipments while obscuring the true total cost and preventing price comparisons with competitors.

Since 2020, Utahns have lost nearly $450 million to scams and financial crimes, with losses reaching $108.4 million in 2025 alone. Utah Attorney General Derek Brown launched the Utah Financial Crimes Intelligence Center, a statewide team of investigators, prosecutors, and financial analysts designed to identify fraud patterns, connect related cases, and investigate crimes spanning multiple jurisdictions. The center will coordinate investigations involving identity theft, romance scams, elder fraud, cryptocurrency schemes, and other financial crimes while providing training and resources to law enforcement and financial institutions.

Utah Attorney General Derek Brown launched a new Financial Crimes Intelligence Center to combat fraud in the state, where Utahns have lost approximately $450 million since 2020, with $60 million lost in 2025 alone. The center will investigate identity theft, bank fraud, elder fraud, romance scams, money laundering, and cryptocurrency scams by tracing funds, connecting cases, and helping authorities hold perpetrators accountable. The center aims to address increasingly sophisticated and organized financial crimes by providing investigators a centralized hub and training resources to police and financial institutions statewide.

Utah's Attorney General has launched the Financial Crimes Intelligence Center (FCIC) to coordinate investigations across jurisdictions and financial institutions, targeting identity theft, account takeovers, romance scams, elder fraud, cryptocurrency schemes, and money laundering. Utahns have lost approximately $450 million to financial crimes since 2020, with $108.4 million lost in 2025 alone and nearly $60 million reported so far in 2026. The FCIC will bring together investigators, prosecutors, and financial analysts to identify fraud patterns, connect related cases, and provide specialized training and resources to law enforcement and financial institutions statewide.

Utah's Attorney General's Office launched a Financial Crimes Intelligence Center (FCIC) to investigate and prosecute financial crimes across the state, citing that Utahns have lost nearly $450 million to fraud and scams since 2020, with $108.4 million lost in 2025 alone and nearly $60 million reported so far in 2026. The FCIC will coordinate investigations across jurisdictions involving identity theft, romance scams, elder fraud, cryptocurrency schemes, and other financial crimes by bringing together investigators, prosecutors, financial analysts, and financial institutions to identify larger criminal networks. Attorney General Derek Brown emphasized that financial criminals are increasingly sophisticated and target various victims including business owners, investors, and financial

Utah has established a new Financial Crimes Intelligence Center in the attorney general's office to combat increasingly sophisticated scams, with state residents losing $108 million to financial crimes last year and nearly $60 million so far this year. The center, funded at $1.7 million annually, aims to connect disparate reports from banks, police departments, and victim hotlines to identify patterns and organized crime rings, utilizing artificial intelligence to enhance detection capabilities. The center's team includes prosecutors, investigators, a forensic accountant, and other specialists working to return restitution to victims and prevent future fraud.

Utah has launched the Financial Crimes Intelligence Center to combat the state's rapidly growing fraud problem, where residents lost nearly $450 million since 2020 and $108.4 million in 2025 alone. The center brings together investigators, prosecutors, financial analysts, and financial institutions to identify fraud patterns, connect related cases, and support multi-jurisdiction investigations across the state. Attorney General Derek Brown emphasized that financial criminals are sophisticated and organized, and the center aims to help law enforcement stay ahead of evolving threats and hold criminals accountable.

Utah launched its first Financial Crimes Intelligence Center with $1.7 million in annual funding to investigate and prosecute financial fraud after the state experienced a five-fold increase in fraud losses over five years, reaching $108 million in the past year and $59.8 million already in the current year. The center will coordinate with federal agencies and financial institutions to investigate identity theft, elder fraud, romance scams, investment scams, and other financial crimes that are often perpetrated by sophisticated international crime rings. Howard Headlee, executive director of the Utah Bankers Association, noted that consumers nationwide reported losing over $20 billion to online scams last year, with three in four adults experiencing some form of online scam

Daejon Labrayae Love, 35, and Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, face federal charges for running a romance and investment scam that defrauded 26 women of over $1.3 million between February 2022 and their August 2026 arrest. Love posed as an undrafted San Francisco 49ers wide receiver on social media, using fake NFL credentials, luxury car photos, and manipulated Google search results to maintain the deception, while the 49ers confirmed he had no affiliation with the team. The pair operated across multiple states (Oregon, California, New Mexico, Nevada, and Utah) and were arrested at Boise Airport when authorities caught them attempting

Internet scams cost Americans over $20 billion last year, with older adults particularly targeted through schemes like fake credit card breach calls and cryptocurrency fraud. Congress and Utah lawmakers are working to combat fraud by improving law enforcement information-sharing, implementing transaction limits on cryptocurrency kiosks, and requiring scam warnings to help people recognize and avoid schemes that prey on emotional reactions. The FBI reported Americans lost more than $11 billion to cryptocurrency scams and nearly $900 million to AI-based scams in 2025.

Utah lawmakers are working to address fraud targeting elderly residents and retail theft that spans across state lines. The article discusses legislative efforts to combat these crimes, though specific details about particular cases, amounts, or victims are not provided in the excerpt given.

Utah lawmakers are advancing legislation including the "Combating Organized Retail Crime Act" (CORCA) to address retail theft across state lines, which costs the state nearly $1 billion annually when accounting for security expenses and consumer impact. Congresswoman Celeste Maloy and the Utah Chamber of Commerce are also supporting the "GUARD Act" to provide federal resources to rural police departments to combat fraud targeting elderly residents, with emphasis on prevention since stolen money is difficult to recover once transferred.

A 53-year-old man has been extradited from Illinois to Utah to face felony charges for an elaborate romance scam that defrauded an Arizona woman of over $82,500 between August 2024 and July 2025. Todd Joseph Sweet posed as a retired Army sergeant major involved in classified operations and manipulated the victim into providing cash, credit card information, and $27,000 from her retirement funds, while also taking possession of her $65,000 pickup truck that he never returned. Investigators discovered Sweet has a pattern of similar romance scams across multiple states, including a 2010 Tennessee case where he swindled another victim out of $19,000 and

The FTC, along with Utah and California authorities, sued telehealth provider Hims & Hers for charging consumers for prescriptions immediately after intake form submission without clear disclosure, despite claiming consultations would occur first, and for sharing sensitive health information with third-party platforms like Meta and Snap without consent. The company also made it difficult for consumers to cancel subscriptions by hiding cancellation options and failing to clearly disclose refill dates. The deceptive practices generated numerous consumer complaints about unexpected charges and privacy violations.

Rental scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated as criminals use AI to clone legitimate online listings and pose as landlords, often targeting vacation rentals in popular Utah destinations like Park City and Moab by copying photos and descriptions from platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and Zillow. Scammers pressure victims to pay via wire transfer, Venmo, or cryptocurrency outside official rental platforms, with one elderly woman losing money to a fake listing in Salt Lake City before discovering the property was already occupied. To avoid these scams, renters should verify properties independently using Google Maps, insist on live video walkthroughs, keep transactions on official booking platforms, pay by credit card, and resist pressure to act quickly

Utah victims of romance and job scams have unknowingly become "money mules" by transferring stolen funds and merchandise, with some facing criminal charges despite being defrauded themselves. Law enforcement struggles to distinguish between willing participants and manipulated victims, leading prosecutors to charge first and investigate later, though Utah law requires proof that defendants knew property was stolen. Victims can protect themselves by immediately ceasing suspicious activities, preserving all communications and records, and reporting to banks, local police, and the FBI.

A Utah woman discovered her elderly brother fell victim to a pig-butchering scam that drained most of his savings, and when she tried to use her legal power of attorney to dispute fraudulent charges (including a $1,000+ MacBook purchase) on his Capital One credit card, the company repeatedly refused to recognize her authority despite her submitting multiple legal documents. Capital One's confusing response—claiming it could only communicate with her because she was already listed as his power of attorney—left her unable to help recover the stolen funds or protect his estate from potential liability. Under Utah law, financial institutions must accept or properly request certification of a power of attorney within seven days, a requirement Capital One appears to have violated by dragging out the process for weeks.

U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak launched a statewide Fraud Prevention Initiative in Utah to help seniors recognize and avoid scams, which are becoming increasingly common and sophisticated, particularly imposter scams where criminals pose as government officials or banks to steal money and personal information. The key advice for older adults is to slow down when receiving unexpected requests, verify callers independently, and never share sensitive information or make payments based on phone calls, texts, or emails alone. Anyone who suspects they've been targeted by a scam should report it to the Federal Trade Commission.

Utah seniors aged 60 and older lost nearly $66 million to fraud last year, with criminals using common tactics like impersonating government agencies, family members, or businesses to pressure victims into sending money or sharing personal information. U.S. Attorney Melissa Holyoak is conducting statewide presentations to help older adults recognize scams before becoming victims, noting that many cases go unreported due to embarrassment or fear of losing independence. To protect yourself, be suspicious of urgent demands for payment, unexpected prizes, and unsolicited contact claiming to represent trusted organizations—always verify requests independently before sending money or sharing personal details.

Utah's top federal prosecutor is touring the state to warn seniors about AI-powered scams that impersonate banks, the IRS, and family members, which have caused reported losses to adults over 60 to skyrocket from $600 million in 2020 to over $3 billion in 2025. The scams often involve imposter schemes, investment fraud, and romance scams that target older adults with increasingly sophisticated tactics. Seniors are being urged to stay calm when contacted by unknown callers or messages, verify identities independently, and ask detailed questions before sharing any financial information—especially when feeling pressured or hearing from someone claiming to be a trusted contact.

A woman in Utah lost nearly $850,000 in a sophisticated romance scam that began with a fake LinkedIn message from someone posing as an oil rig engineer named "Pedro." The scam is part of a larger trend called "pig butchering" where international fraud rings (often based in Nigeria and Ghana) use stolen photos or AI-generated faces to build trust with victims before manipulating them into fake investments. To protect yourself, be cautious of unsolicited romantic advances on professional platforms, verify identities independently, and never send money to people you've only met online.

A recent study by Protect My Data found that Utah ranks as the second-worst state in the nation for senior fraud, with seniors experiencing high rates of cybercrime and suffering significant financial losses—$17.53 million per 100,000 seniors in 2025. Seniors are particularly vulnerable to these increasingly sophisticated scams because they tend to rely on trust and may find digital tools unfamiliar, making them easier targets for cybercriminals. The research suggests that seniors should be cautious about urgent communications, verify requests through independent channels before sharing personal information, and consider asking trusted family members or friends to help evaluate suspicious offers or requests.

A 52-year-old man named Todd Joseph Sweet is wanted in southern Utah for allegedly running a romance scam that defrauded one woman of over $80,000, and police believe he may still be targeting victims while evading arrest. Sweet uses aliases and false claims about being ex-military or providing security for high-profile clients to build trust with vulnerable women before stealing money or vehicles from them. Police warn that Sweet is charismatic and manipulative, and advise people to be skeptical of romantic interests who claim to be military personnel working on classified missions, particularly those who ask for money or make excuses to avoid in-person meetings.

Police in New York arrested two men after discovering three cash-filled packages at an abandoned house that were connected to fraud scams targeting seniors across multiple states, including a $6,700 bank con from Utah, a $12,500 computer virus scam from Illinois, and a $24,500 FBI impersonation scam from Colorado. The suspects were caught retrieving the packages containing a total of $43,700 in stolen funds. Seniors should be cautious of common scams like grandparent schemes, romance fraud, and government impersonation, and verify requests for money by contacting financial institutions or government agencies directly using official phone numbers.

Utahns lost over $2.5 million to scams in 2025, with romance scams, identity theft, and impostor business schemes being the most common threats targeting the community. Scammers typically build false trust by impersonating businesses, government agencies, or romantic interests, then use fear tactics to pressure victims into sending money. To protect yourself, experts recommend preparing a "rehearsal script" in advance and staying vigilant about verifying the identity of anyone requesting money or personal information before engaging further.

Utahns lost over $2.5 million to scams in 2025, with romance scams, identity theft, and impostor business schemes being the most common threats, particularly targeting older adults. Scammers use psychological manipulation—building trust, creating fear, or impersonating businesses and government agencies—to convince victims to send money or share personal information. To protect yourself, experts recommend preparing a "rehearsal script" in advance, verifying requests through official channels before responding, and being cautious of anyone pressuring you for immediate action or asking for personal financial information.

Residents in Utah are experiencing a surge in scam text messages that trick people into clicking malicious links or revealing personal information, often impersonating government agencies, delivery services, or financial institutions with urgent claims about fines or account verification. The Better Business Bureau advises recipients to avoid clicking links from unknown numbers and instead verify suspicious messages directly through official websites or contact the organizations directly. People can also report these scam texts to their mobile carriers to help combat the problem.

A Utah resident lost over $200,000 in a "pig butchering scam" operated by APL Finance, where scammers posed as financial advisors and lured victims with promises of high returns before freezing their accounts and demanding additional payments to unlock funds. The FBI has documented over 30 victims of this scheme, with millions in total losses, and California authorities have flagged APL Finance as fraudulent after another victim lost $1.2 million. To protect yourself, be wary of unsolicited investment offers promising quick gains, verify any financial advisor's credentials through official channels, and never wire money to personal accounts or pay fees to "unlock" investment funds.

A Utah resident lost over $200,000 in a "pig butchering scam" involving a fraudulent investment company called APL Finance, where scammers posed as financial advisers, encouraged increasingly larger investments that appeared to show gains, then demanded additional payments to "unlock" frozen funds. The FBI has identified more than 30 victims of this scheme in the past year, with millions of dollars lost overall. To protect yourself, be suspicious of unsolicited investment offers on social media platforms like WhatsApp, verify any investment company through official financial regulators, and never wire money to personal bank accounts for investments or to "unlock" promised returns.

# Sextortion Scam Summary A devastating sextortion scam—where scammers trick victims into sharing explicit photos and then threaten to distribute them unless paid—claimed the life of Jake George in 2015, prompting his mother Cindy to join advocacy efforts to raise awareness about this growing threat. In these scams, hackers manipulate victims by either obtaining or falsely claiming to have explicit images, then demand money under threat of sharing the photos with family and friends, often causing victims to take their own lives within hours due to shame and panic. If you or someone you know becomes a victim of sextortion, seek help immediately from trusted adults, law enforcement, or organizations like Promise2Live rather than paying the scammers or acting in isolation—victims should know they are not alone and that help is available.

Artificial intelligence is making scams more convincing, and older adults—particularly those over 80 in Utah—are being hit hardest, with losses averaging $7,675 per person in 2025, exemplified by one 90-year-old who lost over $500,000 to a fake sweepstakes scam. Researchers tested four popular scam-detection apps (McAfee Scam Detector, Trend Micro Scam Check, Norton Genie, and BitDefender Scamio) and found that Norton Genie performed best, though none reliably caught all scam types, with only one app detecting phishing emails while all four flagged vishing (spoofed caller ID) scams. The takeaway: while scam-detection apps offer some protection, no single tool is foolproof, so people—especially seniors—should remain vigilant by verifying contact

# Financial Crime Summary Financial criminals frequently steal personal information like Social Security numbers and financial account details to make unauthorized purchases, open fraudulent accounts, or commit identity theft, leaving victims with serious financial and legal consequences. To protect yourself, stay informed about common scams, report suspicious activity promptly, and monitor your accounts and credit for warning signs of fraud. The Utah Attorney General's office and resources like the Stop Fraud Utah website, Division of Consumer Protection, and FBI website provide practical guidance on recognizing scams, understanding your rights, and reporting suspected fraud.

Researchers tested four popular scam detection apps and found that they are largely ineffective at catching common fraud tactics, with only Norton Genie successfully identifying a phishing email while the others failed to flag suspicious messages. Older adults in Utah are particularly vulnerable to scams, with people aged 80 and over losing an average of $7,675 to fraud in 2025—nearly 40 times more than younger people—exemplified by one 90-year-old man who lost over $500,000 to a fake sweepstakes scheme. To protect yourself, experts recommend being skeptical of unsolicited messages and calls offering prizes or requesting immediate payment, and consider consulting cybersecurity professionals or trusted contacts before responding to suspicious communications.

A Louisiana man has been charged with fraud for allegedly running a "warrant scam" where he posed as a law enforcement officer and tricked a Utah victim into sending $2,900 through Apple Pay by claiming the victim had missed jury duty and faced arrest. Warrant scams have become increasingly common, with scammers calling people, demanding immediate payment to avoid jail time, and then disappearing with the money. To protect yourself, remember that legitimate law enforcement will never demand payment over the phone or through apps—if you receive such a call, hang up and contact your local police department directly.

In 2025, KSL Investigations exposed several significant issues affecting Utah residents, including the overuse of seclusion rooms in schools for children with behavioral issues and failures by the parole board to notify crime victims about their perpetrators' hearings. These investigations prompted meaningful reforms: lawmakers enacted restrictions on school seclusion practices (including a kindergarten ban), and the state implemented a new victim-centered notification system for parole proceedings. Residents concerned about their children's school practices or crime victim rights should contact local school districts and the Utah Board of Pardons and Parole to understand these new protections.

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Linda Karlinsey, a Utah Medicare beneficiary, was targeted by Almaz Med Supply, a New York-based company that fraudulently billed Medicare over $10,800 for unauthorized medical supplies she never ordered or received, including glucose monitors and wound dressings. While Medicare rejected the initial $2,600 glucose monitor charges, the company successfully frauded the system for $6,300 in wound dressing claims that were paid before detection. The case highlights the importance of Medicare beneficiaries reviewing their statements carefully and reporting suspicious charges, as Medicare fraud costs approximately $60 billion annually.

Christine Joan Echohawk, 54, of Pawnee, pleaded guilty to five felony charges for laundering approximately $1.5 million obtained through online romance scams targeting four elderly women (ages 64-79) in Florida, Utah, and Texas between September and December 2024. One victim sold her house to send $600,000 to the scammer; Echohawk received the funds through various accounts, converted them to cryptocurrency, and sent payments to an unidentified accomplice using the alias "Maurice Dinero." She was sentenced to 62 years in prison (8 years to serve, 54 suspended) and ordered to pay $621,750 in

Utahns lost nearly $115 million to phone call fraud in 2024, with the FTC reporting that scam calls remain prevalent despite technological countermeasures, costing Americans $1 billion nationally. These operations are sophisticated organizations operating from call centers with trained employees using VoIP technology and spoofed local numbers, making them difficult to block or trace, particularly when based overseas. Experts recommend registering with the National DoNotCall Registry, verifying caller identity through official company numbers, and being cautious about sharing personal information over the phone.

Over 180 Utahns attended a Scam Jam event presented by AARP Utah and the FBI to learn fraud prevention strategies, as Utah residents had lost more than $15.4 million to fraud in 2025, with $12 million of that from people aged 50 and older. The event featured FBI officials, state consumer protection leaders, and media experts who shared real victim stories, including a text scam and a romance scam that cost one woman $90,000, while emphasizing prevention tactics such as scrutinizing email addresses for typos and reporting fraud quickly to authorities.

Sandy Hunter fell victim to a text message toll scam in January after receiving a fraudulent text requesting payment for tolls from her cross-country trip; she clicked the link and made a payment, resulting in $300 in unauthorized purchases on her credit card in California. The scam exploited her hurried state and emotional response to the threat of driver's license suspension, demonstrating how toll text scams are currently common in Utah. Hunter and FBI officials at a Scam Jam awareness event in Salt Lake City advised victims to verify sender information (checking country codes), avoid using debit cards for online payments, and take time to review websites carefully before entering payment information.

Scam Jam, an educational event held in Sandy, Utah, brought together FBI and AARP experts to educate residents about common fraud schemes including romance, internet, cryptocurrency, and tech support scams. The event featured a personal testimony from Rita, who lost several thousand dollars to a romance scam impersonating a celebrity, emphasizing the importance of reporting fraud despite the emotional and financial toll. Utah reported over 150,000 fraud cases totaling $61 million in losses, with experts stressing that fraud prevention through awareness and recognizing red flags is more effective than recovery efforts.

A Utah woman received a phishing text claiming she owed a fine to the Utah Department of Transportation, with a URL designed to mimic an official state website. The scam directs victims to a fake UDOT site requesting login credentials or payment information, using a fraudulent domain that closely resembles the legitimate .gov address. The FBI advises verifying domain names carefully, as scammers can create convincing lookalike websites, and legitimate government sites only use official .gov domains.

This article is about Boulder, Colorado being selected as the new home for the Sundance Film Festival starting in 2027, after the festival outgrows its longtime location in Park City, Utah. The move is expected to bring significant economic benefits to Boulder, with Colorado providing a $34 million tax incentive; the festival generated $132 million in economic impact and 1,730 jobs in Utah in 2024. CU Boulder and local institutions are preparing to support the festival's logistics and integrate it into academic programming and community partnerships.

Christine Joan Echohawk, 54, of Pawnee, Oklahoma was charged with five felonies for laundering approximately $1.5 million obtained through online romance scams targeting four elderly women (ages 64-79) in Florida, Utah, and Texas between September and December 2024. The victims, who believed they were in romantic relationships with a man using the alias "Maurice Dinero," sent funds via Apple gift cards, cash, checks, and wire transfers to accounts Echohawk controlled, which she converted to cryptocurrency and forwarded to an unknown suspect. If convicted, Echohawk faces 24 to 62 years in prison and up to $260,

I don't have access to the full article content, as it appears to be behind a paywall. Based only on the available headline and introduction, I can provide this limited summary: Box Elder County Commission approved its annual fraud risk assessment, scoring 375 out of 395 points and achieving a "very low risk" category rating as required by the Utah State Auditor's Office. The assessment is completed internally using a standardized questionnaire to evaluate the county's fraud vulnerabilities. To provide a more complete summary relevant to elder fraud research, the full article text would be needed.

Phishing and email scams pose growing cybersecurity risks to college students, with scams becoming increasingly sophisticated and sometimes targeting students directly through fake payment links and malicious emails. University of Utah IT officials and students recommend strategies to reduce vulnerability, including avoiding suspicious links, using password managers with unique passwords, reviewing cookie policies, utilizing pop-up blockers, and reporting suspicious activity to IT support. The article emphasizes that even tech-savvy individuals can fall victim to phishing scams, highlighting the importance of vigilance and awareness when handling online communications and data collection.

A woman in Heber City, Utah received a fraudulent call on March 11 impersonating her bank, claiming fraudulent activity on her account and successfully obtaining her username and account details before her husband, a police chief, recognized the scam and advised her to hang up and verify directly with the bank. The couple lost no money and shared their experience to raise awareness that such phishing scams can target anyone, emphasizing the importance of independently verifying suspicious calls rather than following caller-provided instructions.

Christine Joan Echohawk, 54, of Pawnee was charged with laundering approximately $1.5 million from elderly women (ages 64-79) in Oklahoma, Florida, Texas, and Utah who believed they were sending money to romantic interests between September and December. Echohawk received funds through various methods, converted most to cryptocurrency, and transferred the funds to an unidentified male subject while using some proceeds personally and lying to banks about the money's source. She faces multiple felony charges including unlawful use of criminal proceeds and violations of the Oklahoma Computer Crimes Act, with charges filed by the Oklahoma Attorney General's Office.

Christine Joan Echohawk, 54, of Pawnee, Oklahoma, was arrested and charged with laundering approximately $1.5 million from online romance scams targeting elderly women aged 64-79 in Florida, Texas, and Utah between September and December 2023. The victims, believing they were in relationships with men, sent money through various methods including Apple gift cards, cash, and wire transfers, which Echohawk deposited into her bank accounts, converted to cryptocurrency, and transferred to an unidentified male subject. Echohawk faces five felony counts carrying potential sentences of 24 to 62 years in prison and fines up to $260,000, with notable individual