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KTLA 5
· 2024-02-18
Scammers in Southern California are impersonating LA County Sheriff's deputies to extort money from residents by claiming they have arrest warrants and threatening immediate arrest or jail time. The scammers use caller ID spoofing technology to display official law enforcement numbers, obtain personal information from public voter records and online data brokers, and pressure victims to pay bogus fines via cryptocurrency or wire transfers, with at least one victim losing $1,200 before realizing the fraud. Law enforcement warns that legitimate agencies never call to demand payment and advises residents to hang up and verify claims by contacting the actual agency directly.
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CNN
· 2024-02-19
A financial columnist for New York magazine fell victim to an elaborate multi-stage scam in which fraudsters impersonating Amazon, the Federal Trade Commission, and a CIA investigator convinced her to withdraw $50,000 and hand it to them in cash over the course of a five-hour phone call. The scammers exploited her vulnerability by threatening her family and creating a false sense of urgency, using isolation tactics to prevent her from seeking help or verification. She came forward with her story to highlight that scam victims span all demographics and professions, and that sophisticated scammers are skilled at identifying and exploiting individual vulnerabilities.
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Milan Art Institute
· 2024-02-21
This is an introduction to a free educational workshop on art scams, hosted by artists who aim to share their personal experiences and knowledge of common scams targeting artists. The workshop covers various types of scams that artists encounter regularly, with plans for a live Q&A session to address participant questions and concerns. No specific scam details or victim information is provided in this excerpt.
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Tamron Hall Show
· 2024-02-21
Charlotte Kohls, a financial advice columnist for New York Magazine, fell victim to an elaborate scam that began with a fake Amazon call claiming $8,000 in fraudulent charges on a non-existent business account. The scammer then posed as an FTC agent investigating her for money laundering and financial crimes, ultimately convincing her to withdraw and hand over $50,000 in cash to a stranger. Kohls's experience serves as a warning that even financially knowledgeable individuals are vulnerable to sophisticated social engineering scams.
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FOX 5 San Diego
· 2024-02-22
A couple fell victim to a spoofing scam when scammers impersonated Chase Bank, claiming suspicious account activity and convincing them to provide access codes to their accounts. Despite the victims' attempts to verify the caller and quickly seek help at multiple bank branches, a $49,500 wire transfer was initiated before their account was frozen 4.5 hours later; the couple is now working with the FBI and lawyers to recover the funds.
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FOX59 News
· 2024-03-12
Americans lost $10 billion to scams in 2023, a $1 billion increase from 2022, with investment scams being the costliest at $4 billion (averaging $7,000 per victim), followed by imposter scams at $2.7 billion and social media scams at $1.4 billion. The FTC is responding with increased enforcement actions, including 180 actions against telemarketers and new rules being drafted against impersonation fraud with tougher penalties. Consumers can protect themselves by guarding personal information, avoiding unsolicited links, and using unique passwords across accounts.
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CTV News
· 2024-03-29
84-year-old Canadian Mabel successfully resisted two grandparent scams targeting her within a year. In the first incident, a caller claimed to be her grandson arrested with drugs and demanded $7,500; Mabel became suspicious at the bank and did not withdraw funds. In the second attempt over a year later, scammers again posed as her grandson and an RCMP officer requesting $88,000 bail, but Mabel demanded the grandson's last name, which prompted the fraudster to hang up, and she verified her grandson was safe at home.
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The Deshbhakt
· 2024-04-02
This video essay discusses political corruption allegations in India, focusing on how the BJP appears to avoid corruption charges while opposition parties face various scams and legal actions. The video then explains the 2G spectrum scam of 2008, where the Indian government allocated mobile spectrum to companies at artificially low prices through administrative allocation rather than auction, resulting in an estimated loss of 1.76 lakh crore to the national treasury—a controversy that contributed to the fall of the UPA government and led the Supreme Court to cancel 112 spectrum licenses in 2012.
**Note:** This is a political commentary/educational piece rather than a scam affecting individual elders, so it falls outside the typical scope of
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ABC News
· 2024-04-04
As tax day approaches, IRS Commissioner Danny Worle warns the public about increased tax scam activity and identifies common red flags in fraudulent emails impersonating the IRS. Key warning signs include references to expired programs (like 2021 economic impact payments), claims of first-time contact via email (the IRS initiates contact by mail), suspicious formatting, and requests to click links that are designed to steal personal information and funds.
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FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation
· 2024-04-15
This is not an article about elder fraud or elder abuse. Director Wray's speech discusses the FBI's response to the 1963 bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, which killed four young girls and injured 16 others, and reflects on the civil rights movement and law enforcement's evolving commitment to justice. While historically significant, this content falls outside the scope of Elderus, which focuses on scams, fraud, and elder abuse.
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COURT TV
· 2024-04-20
An 81-year-old man, William Brock, fell victim to a grandparent scam in which callers threatened that his nephew was in jail and demanded $112,000, arranging for an Uber driver to pick up the money at his residence. When Uber driver Ioltha Hall arrived for the supposed package pickup, Brock confronted her with a gun, apparently believing she was connected to the scammers, resulting in a deadly shooting. Brock was arrested and charged in connection with Hall's death.
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WCPO 9
· 2024-04-22
Impersonation scams via text messages and emails are increasingly common, with the U.S. Postal Service being the most impersonated organization in 2023, followed by Amazon, Publishers Clearing House, Geek Squad, and Norton. The Federal Trade Commission received over 330,000 reports of business impersonation scams and nearly 160,000 government impersonation scams last year, with fraudulent messages about package delivery delays and expired subscriptions designed to trick recipients into providing personal information.
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News 4 Tucson KVOA-TV
· 2024-04-24
Several Arizona residents lost their entire savings to a phantom hacker scam that begins with a fake error message claiming computer compromise, followed by fake customer service representatives gaining remote access and then coordinating with fake bank officials to convince victims to transfer funds to cryptocurrency ATMs. The FBI recommends avoiding unknown calls, educating family members, and immediately reporting suspicious online interactions to ic3.gov.
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WENY TV NEWS
· 2024-04-25
This is an educational interview featuring Sheila Brewer-Montero, a scams prevention coordinator from Lifespan of Greater Rochester, discussing fraud schemes targeting older adults. The conversation introduces the top scams affecting seniors in the Southern Tier area, with government impersonator scams (Social Security Administration and IRS) identified as a primary threat, though the full details of prevention strategies and other scam types are cut off in the provided transcript.
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NBC4 Washington
· 2024-05-03
A Montgomery County man posing as a federal agent scammed a senior citizen into converting nearly $250,000 in retirement savings into gold bars under the pretense of protecting him from identity theft. Police arrested the suspect (identified as Raingo Maton, a German citizen) as he picked up a box containing $23,000 in gold bars that was actually filled with tools; a vigilant friend's intervention prevented the victim from handing over the full amount.
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CBS Miami
· 2024-05-05
Florida ranks second-highest in the nation for elderly fraud, with adults over 60 reporting nearly $3.5 billion in losses nationally and approximately $300 million in Florida losses, according to FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center data. Tech support scams led fraud cases in 2023, with scammers increasingly using artificial intelligence to disguise their identities. Law enforcement advises seniors not to answer calls from unknown numbers and to be aware that legitimate authorities will not call ahead to warn of warrants or missed jury duty.
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WFLA News Channel 8
· 2024-05-09
Bradenton police are intensifying efforts to combat financial fraud targeting elderly residents, with citizens losing over $2.5 million to financial crimes in the past year. Scammers from across the country use intimidation tactics and various schemes—including Bitcoin fraud—to frighten victims into surrendering their life savings, with police chief Melanie Bevon pledging increased resources to combat the victimization.
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FOX NASHVILLE
· 2024-05-11
In Tennessee, 1,577 seniors over age 60 lost a combined $43 million to fraud in one year, according to the FBI. A retired insurance salesman fell victim to a sophisticated impersonation scam where fraudsters posing as Amazon and Social Security Administration officials convinced him his identity had been compromised and involved in money laundering. Remarkably, this victim recovered his stolen money—an extremely rare outcome in elder fraud cases.
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FOX 13 Tampa Bay
· 2024-05-15
An 80-year-old veteran in Braton lost $1.5 million in a multi-state scam involving impersonators posing as federal agents who claimed to need his help with a Social Security fraud sting operation. Over the course of a month, the scammers convinced him to transfer his retirement funds into gold bars and conduct organized drop-offs at multiple locations, ultimately leading to the arrest of one woman allegedly connected to the operation. Police report this is a trending scheme affecting multiple states and have launched a new unit to combat elder fraud.
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News4JAX The Local Station
· 2024-05-17
In 2022, older Americans lost over $1.6 billion to fraud, with investment impersonation and tech scams being the most common schemes. The FTC recommends that family members help victims recover funds by contacting banks/credit card companies to reverse fraudulent charges, contacting gift card issuers, and securing compromised accounts by changing passwords. To prevent future victimization, family members should consider helping install password managers, monitor for identity theft, and prepare loved ones in advance about common scams.
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FOX59 News
· 2024-05-24
Elder fraud scams targeting seniors in Indiana have increased in sophistication, with over 1,100 victims age 60 and older reporting approximately $26 million in losses last year. Scammers are leveraging evolving technology—including AI-generated voices and deepfakes—alongside traditional techniques to make frauds more convincing, with common red flags including artificial urgency and unsolicited requests for personal information like Social Security numbers or bank account details. The FBI Indianapolis and Citizens Academy Alumni Association are hosting a free workshop on June 10th at Westfield High School to educate the public on recognizing and preventing these scams.
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FOX5 Las Vegas
· 2024-06-04
A North Las Vegas woman fell victim to a phone scam in which a caller impersonating her bank reported fraudulent charges on her account and convinced her to hand over her credit card to a courier who arrived at her door within 10 minutes. The scammer obtained thousands of dollars and demonstrated knowledge of security access codes to gain her trust. Police across the Las Vegas Valley are increasingly concerned about this evolving tactic where scammers escalate phone fraud by dispatching in-person couriers to collect victims' payment information.
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WFMY News 2
· 2024-06-05
This is an educational segment featuring AARP representatives discussing elder fraud and abuse prevention, with a focus on the Piedmont Triad Area Agency on Aging's Elder Abuse Awareness Day event scheduled for June 15th at Triad Park. The free event will include document shredding, medication disposal, and informational vendors to help seniors and families protect themselves against financial elder abuse and fraudulent activities.
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KTSM 9 NEWS
· 2024-06-17
The FBI El Paso office reports a double-digit increase in elder fraud cases, with the most common schemes involving tech support scams, romantic/confidence scams, investment fraud, and government impersonation. The agency recommends elders verify unknown contacts through independent online research, be wary of unsolicited phone calls and mailings, and never share personally identifiable information.
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FOX 2 St. Louis
· 2024-06-20
This educational piece from the Better Business Bureau provides prevention strategies for older adults and caregivers to protect against scams. Key recommendations include verifying requests with trusted contacts before sharing personal information, never voluntarily providing Social Security or Medicare numbers to unsolicited callers, avoiding clicking suspicious links, and being cautious of urgent language designed to pressure quick decisions. Caregivers should watch for warning signs such as increased junk mail, secretive behavior, unexpected account charges, or sudden financial difficulties, while also helping reduce solicitations by registering on do-not-call and do-not-mail registries and screening incoming calls.
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FOX 2 St. Louis
· 2024-06-28
Gino Reaves was convicted of defrauding an elderly woman of over $1 million for a home remodel that was never properly completed, exploiting her loneliness and medication-induced confusion to manipulate her into the scheme. Evidence revealed minimal work was done despite the massive payment, and the victim eventually lost control of her assets after being moved to a nursing home, where a public administrator discovered the fraud. The judge sentenced Reaves, calling his actions "evil, callous and egregious," while prosecutors work to recover the stolen funds.
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WCBD NEWS 2
· 2024-07-09
The City of Charleston is hosting educational workshops to protect seniors from phone and online scams, which generate $36 billion annually in the United States with older adults as primary targets. The initiative focuses on teaching seniors to recognize common scams—such as lottery/prize winnings requiring upfront payments—and know what steps to take if targeted, as demonstrated by one senior who avoided losing money to a fake lottery scheme promising half a million dollars.
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WCBD NEWS 2
· 2024-07-09
The City of Charleston is working to protect senior citizens from phone and online scams through educational workshops that teach seniors to recognize common fraud tactics and warning signs. Scams targeting elderly people cost the United States $36 billion annually, with seniors being particularly vulnerable due to their trusting nature; the city's initiative focuses on raising awareness about scam types and advising victims on appropriate responses.
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CBS4 Indy
· 2024-07-16
During Amazon Prime Day, scammers use over 1,200 fake Amazon copycat websites and fraudulent emails to steal login credentials and payment information from shoppers. To protect themselves, consumers should verify URLs carefully, use strong passwords, avoid sharing unnecessary personal information, and use credit cards instead of debit cards for online purchases due to stronger fraud protections.
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KRQE
· 2024-07-17
This New Mexico news podcast episode features an educational discussion on avoiding financial scams, hosted by Gabrielle Burkhart with guest Brian Watson, a former federal law enforcement officer who spent 28 years investigating financial crimes, including work as an IRS criminal investigator. The segment addresses how scams—particularly phishing and online fraud—affect people across demographics, including older adults, and aims to help listeners and their families recognize red flags and protect themselves from increasingly sophisticated scams.
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Central Florida Public Media
· 2024-07-19
Volusia County Sheriff's Office partnered with a free community screening of the film "Thelma"—which depicts a 93-year-old grandmother being scammed—to raise awareness about elder fraud, which costs older Americans billions of dollars annually and significantly affects Central Florida seniors. Law enforcement officers provided prevention advice to attendees, emphasizing strategies such as not answering unknown phone numbers, ignoring unfamiliar text messages, and contacting police or trusted neighbors when uncertain.
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WESH 2 News
· 2024-07-24
The IRS flagged nearly 2 million tax returns for potential identity theft during the tax season and warned about ongoing impersonation scams targeting vulnerable populations, including the elderly. Scammers impersonate IRS agents via calls, emails, and texts, threatening non-existent tax debts and demanding payment via credit cards or prepaid debit cards, while also using social media to promote fake "life hacks" for obtaining non-existent IRS credits. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel advised the public that the IRS communicates by mail, never demands immediate payment by credit card, and does not threaten repossession or deportation.
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WAAY 31 News
· 2024-07-30
The Alabama Regional Council of Governments is hosting an educational event to help senior citizens protect themselves from online scams, which affect thousands of Alabama seniors annually. The event will feature presentations from the Huntsville Police Department, Better Business Bureau, and Alabama Securities Commission discussing current fraud schemes and practical prevention strategies, designed to be accessible to seniors regardless of their technology proficiency level.
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WGN News
· 2024-07-31
A Chicago widow lost over $100,000 in an online romance scam after meeting a man named "Gregory" on a dating site who gradually requested increasing amounts of money under various pretexts, eventually stopping contact once she ceased sending funds. The victim, living on a fixed income, cashed out an annuity to meet his escalating demands despite growing suspicions, driven by fear of losing the promised relationship and money. The case highlights how romance scams—which reported nearly 1.3 billion in losses nationally in 2022—use emotional manipulation and increasingly sophisticated AI-altered photos and videos to deceive victims, with arrests remaining rare and funds rarely recovered.
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Lawfare
· 2024-08-07
This is a podcast introduction featuring Arun Rao, Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ's Consumer Protection Branch, discussing the growing sophistication of fraud schemes targeting consumers and elders. Rao explains how technological advances such as robocalls, text, email, and social media have enabled fraudsters to refine their tactics and target victims with greater precision. The discussion covers the DOJ's consumer protection work, cybercrime, elder fraud, and data privacy issues.
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WENY TV NEWS
· 2024-08-07
This educational episode of The Senior Notebook Show features Stacy Pierce, a member service specialist with Corning Credit Union, discussing fraud prevention for seniors. Pierce identifies seniors over 60 as primary fraud targets because they are more likely to be home, answer phone calls, and open mail, and emphasizes that fraud affects people of all races and backgrounds without discrimination. The discussion provides awareness about who is vulnerable to scams and encourages seniors to be informed about fraud risks.
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NBC4 Washington
· 2024-08-13
Scammers impersonating law enforcement are targeting seniors in Montgomery County and the DC area, convincing them to convert large sums of money into gold bars and surrender them for "safekeeping." Authorities have charged four men in connection with these scams, which have affected approximately 20 victims ranging from 61 to 94 years old, with losses totaling millions of dollars and a single largest loss of $2.3 million.
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CBC News
· 2024-08-16
This article discusses Canada's temporary foreign worker program, which approved 240,000 workers in the past year—double the number from two years prior—while 1.4 million Canadians remain unemployed. Economists argue the program, originally designed as an emergency measure with a 7% approval rate, has evolved into a permanent solution with a 97% approval rate, particularly in low-wage sectors like restaurants and retail, raising concerns about negative impacts on young Canadian job seekers.
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NewsNation
· 2024-08-16
**Graceland Fraud Scheme**
A Missouri woman, Lisa Janine Finley, was arrested by the Department of Justice for allegedly attempting to defraud Elvis Presley's family of millions of dollars and steal their ownership interest in Graceland. Finley falsely claimed that Elvis's daughter Lisa Marie had pledged the Memphis home as collateral for a $3.8 million loan, and she forged loan documents, a deed of trust, and filed false claims in California court in an attempt to foreclose on the property while posing as multiple fictitious lenders.
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FBI – Federal Bureau of Investigation
· 2024-08-19
The FBI and Connecticut Attorney General warn of three prevalent scams targeting elders: grandparent scams requesting bail money, fake bank security calls, and impersonation of the IRS demanding immediate tax penalty payments. These scams manipulate victims emotionally through urgency, secrecy, and threats, often resulting in loss of life savings. The agencies advise victims to pause, verify with trusted contacts, research details, and never send money or information in response to unsolicited requests.
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FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth
· 2024-08-20
**Summary:**
This is an educational piece from IRS Commissioner Danny Worel explaining how to recognize tax scams that operate year-round, not just during filing season. The IRS warns that scammers impersonating the agency typically demand immediate payment via phone calls, texts, or emails and threaten legal action or deportation—tactics the real IRS never uses, which instead communicates through official letters to homes or businesses.
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FOX 2 St. Louis
· 2024-08-22
Bait-and-switch scams on social media exploit emotional posts about missing children or lost pets by using localized Facebook groups with minimal oversight. Scammers edit these posts to redirect users to sales listings, rental scams, job opportunities, or donation requests, then manipulate victims' social networks when they share the content. The Better Business Bureau advises consumers to watch for red flags including urgent emotional language, disabled comments, missing contact information, and newly created profiles, and to report suspected scams to both the BBB Scam Tracker and Facebook directly.
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NEWS CENTER Maine
· 2024-08-27
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is warning the public about emerging scam tactics including "smishing" (fraudulent text messages claiming to be from USPS requesting address confirmation through malicious links) and "vishing" (spoofed voicemails impersonating government employees with fake callback numbers). To protect themselves, recipients should avoid clicking links in unsolicited messages and instead call official government phone numbers directly rather than using numbers provided in suspicious communications.
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FOX 2 St. Louis
· 2024-08-29
The FBI warns that scammers are targeting older adults by posing as police, the FTC, or bank representatives and convincing them to cash out retirement accounts like 401(k)s and convert the funds into gold or bitcoin. From May to December 2023, this scheme resulted in over $55 million in losses, with scammers either claiming to hold the gold for safekeeping or pressuring victims to convert it into cryptocurrency. Authorities advise verifying any urgent financial requests by independently contacting your bank and discussing suspicious calls with trusted family members.
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WGN News
· 2024-08-31
Federal Trade Commission data shows American consumers lost over $10 billion to fraud in 2023, with digital platforms making it easier for scammers to target victims. Common scams include romance/relationship scams on Facebook where perpetrators build trust before requesting money, "pig butchering" investment schemes promising fake returns, and grandparent scams, with reported losses ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. Protection strategies include verifying urgent requests by hanging up and calling back the person directly, avoiding quick money transfers, researching websites and investment opportunities, and reporting scams to law enforcement and platforms to help track and recover stolen funds.
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FOX8 WGHP
· 2024-09-03
An elderly woman in Asheboro was defrauded of $25,000 after scammers used fear tactics and impersonation of law enforcement to manipulate her into withdrawing cash and purchasing gift cards. The suspect met the victim at a gas station to collect a large cash withdrawal before fleeing in a white van, and Detective Marcus Pierce is actively investigating the case while advocating for awareness of common red flags like requests for gift card payments.
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WYFF News 4
· 2024-09-09
Bill Vickery, owner of Just Call, provides elder fraud prevention advice, emphasizing that most scams begin with phone calls, texts, or emails targeting seniors unfamiliar with modern technology. Key prevention strategies include not answering calls from unknown numbers, hanging up immediately if feeling suspicious, avoiding saying "yes" (which scammers may record and manipulate), and never verifying personal information over the phone with unknown callers. Vickery advocates for a proactive, educational approach to help seniors and their families recognize and avoid scams before they occur.
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WYFF News 4
· 2024-09-09
This segment from WYFF News Four's "For the Record" series features Anderson County Sheriff Chad McBride discussing the growing scam problem affecting community members of all ages, though elderly victims are particularly targeted. The sheriff highlights multiple prevalent scam types including Facebook Marketplace deposit schemes (where sellers request $250-$1,000 deposits for vehicles that don't exist), fake jury duty calls falsely claiming to be from law enforcement demanding payment or gift cards, and other phone and internet-based fraud tactics that exploit personal information obtained from legitimate people-search websites.
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NBC10 Philadelphia
· 2024-09-13
Kate Kleiner became a victim of a romance scam in 2020 when she accepted a Facebook friend request from someone claiming to be "Tony," a surgeon working for the UN in Iraq. The scammer built an emotional connection with Kleiner by mirroring her interests and eventually manipulating her into sending money. According to the Federal Trade Commission, romance scams stole $1.14 billion from Americans last year, though experts believe the actual figure is significantly higher due to underreporting from embarrassed victims.
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NBC10 Boston
· 2024-09-17
Bitcoin ATM scams are increasing at an alarming rate, with fraud losses exceeding $65 million in the first half of 2024 according to the Federal Trade Commission. Scammers use government impersonation, business impersonation, and tech support tactics to trick consumers into depositing cash into Bitcoin ATMs by claiming it will protect their money or resolve fake security problems, with one victim losing $34,000. Consumers should hang up suspicious calls, verify contacts independently, and be cautious of these sophisticated schemes.