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Cindy Burns of Winter Springs, Florida, lost $15,000 to scammers who impersonated bank and Apple employees through a text message phishing scheme, ultimately convincing her to convert the money to Bitcoin. The Federal Trade Commission reported Americans lost $12.8 billion to fraud last year, with imposter scams ranking third; experts emphasize that social engineering exploits trust and manipulation to compromise personal information. To protect yourself, independently verify suspicious account alerts by calling official numbers directly, never provide information to unsolicited callers, and immediately recognize cryptocurrency conversion requests as likely scams.

A woman in Jensen Beach, Florida, lost $800 to a Facebook scam in which a fraudster impersonating Elon Musk promised her a Tesla and $250,000 in cash, then repeatedly requested Apple Gift Card payments for supposed delivery fees. The scammer used a fake profile with copied images and AI-generated content, moved the conversation to WhatsApp, and exploited urgency and flattery to manipulate the victim into sending multiple payments before she recognized the pattern. Gift cards are favored by scammers because they are untraceable, fast, and nearly impossible to recover once redeemed.

A 2025 national health care fraud takedown resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants across 50 federal districts for schemes involving over $14.6 billion in alleged fraud, with 19 individuals charged in Florida's Middle District alone for defrauding Medicare and programs serving elderly and disabled beneficiaries. Key defendants included William Balsamo, charged with operating a telemedicine kickback scheme that caused at least $9 million in Medicare losses, and Edward Cannatelli, Robbyn Cannatelli, Thomas Farese, and Virginia Lockett, charged with conspiracy to defraud Medicare through medically unnecessary physician orders generated via telemarketing

An older Florida couple lost more than $80,000 in a PayPal phishing scam after responding to a fraudulent text message claiming an unauthorized charge on their account, then following the scammers' instructions to wire funds and hand over cash to a courier. The scammers impersonated Norton Security representatives and exploited the victims' confusion about a $50,000 deposit to extract additional payments. This case reflects a broader trend of rising phishing and text message scams, with Americans losing nearly $500 million through text scams in 2024, with seniors over 60 suffering disproportionate losses totaling nearly $5 billion annually.

A Putnam County woman lost over $7,500 and her car to a romance scam in which a fraudster impersonated actor Jason Momoa through Facebook and messaging apps, using AI-generated videos to build trust before requesting money via Bitcoin and CashApp. Romance scams are increasingly costly across Florida, with the FTC reporting over 42,000 reports in 2023 alone resulting in $823 million in nationwide losses, and scammers now employing sophisticated technology including deepfake videos and cloned faces. Experts recommend verifying digital contacts' identities, avoiding sharing personal information, never sending money to unknown individuals, and immediately reporting suspected scams to law enforcement an

Tens of thousands of Americans have lost significant sums investing in fraudulent Chinese stocks promoted through fake financial reports, false influencer endorsements, and fabricated news stories on social media platforms like Reddit and TikTok. Notable victims include a Texas investor who lost over $40,000, a Florida teacher who lost her entire retirement savings to a nonexistent company, and an Illinois man who lost his children's college fund. To protect yourself, avoid "secret tips" promising high returns, verify information through trusted sources like the SEC and Bloomberg rather than social media, and be skeptical of hype-driven investment promotion.

**Summary:** Dongdong Ye and Mei Mei Dong, owners of Da Sushi restaurant in Rockledge, Florida, face felony theft charges in Wisconsin for allegedly operating a multi-state gift card scam targeting elderly victims. The scheme involved fraudulent tech support pop-ups that tricked victims into purchasing and providing gift card information; investigators traced gift card usage to store purchases in Florida and Canada, identifying Ye through surveillance footage showing distinctive tattoos. At least three elderly victims lost substantial amounts ($4,300, $25,000, and $75,000), with suspicious deposits totaling tens of thousands of dollars linked to the couple's bank account from victims in multiple states.

Following the 2025 hurricane season, officials warn residents to be cautious of unlicensed contractors and scammers seeking to exploit storm damage. The Better Business Bureau recommends vetting contractors in advance of needing repairs to protect oneself from hurricane-related fraud schemes.

The Florida Department of Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles is warning the public about a scam involving fraudulent text messages impersonating the DMV, which falsely claim recipients have unpaid traffic tickets and direct them to fake websites designed to look legitimate. The FBI is investigating the scheme, which has generated 450 complaints in Florida (70 from Orange County), with scammers attempting to collect fake fines and extract personal banking information from victims, including one incident where a victim's daughter nearly provided her full bank account number before stopping herself. Authorities advise recipients to ignore these messages, avoid clicking links or sharing financial information, and contact the DMV directly or report the fraud to local law enforcement if concerned.

I appreciate you providing this article, but I need to note that this content is **not relevant to the Elderus database scope**. This article describes a criminal case involving a child's death, not elder fraud, financial scams, or elder abuse. The Elderus database focuses specifically on scams and fraud targeting older adults. If you have an article about elder fraud, financial exploitation of seniors, or elder abuse, I'd be happy to summarize it for the database.

Mei Dong and Dong Ye, owners of a sushi restaurant in Rockledge, Florida, were arrested in June 2024 after a Wisconsin police investigation dating to 2023 uncovered an alleged tech support scam targeting seniors across multiple states. A 76-year-old victim was deceived into purchasing $4,300 in gift cards and wiring $10,000 to California after his computer was compromised, with investigators tracing the gift card purchases to the suspects through store surveillance and receipts. Both suspects bonded out of Florida jail and face theft and false representation charges in Wisconsin.

Charles Uchenna Nwadavid, a 35-year-old, admitted to orchestrating a romance scam that defrauded at least six women across multiple states of millions of dollars by posing as different men (including "Williams Moore" and "Manuel Sykes") claiming to need financial help due to oil rig injuries. Victims from Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Kansas were manipulated into opening cryptocurrency accounts and transferring funds totaling millions, with individual losses ranging from $235,000 to $896,000, which Nwadavid then laundered through his own Bitcoin wallets. The case reflects a broader trend of romance fraud, with the

Charles Uchenna Nwadavid, a 35-year-old married Nigerian real estate worker, pleaded guilty to running a sophisticated romance scam that defrauded six women across Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Kansas of approximately $1.88 million between January and June 2019. Using fake identities, he posed as men working on oil rigs or in overseas positions, love-bombing vulnerable victims and convincing them to send money for medical emergencies or travel expenses, with one victim losing over $896,000. The case reflects a broader epidemic of romance scams targeting older adults, with the FBI reporting nearly 18,000 complaints in 2024

A 35-year-old Nigerian man, Charles Uchenna Nwadavid, pleaded guilty to operating a romance scam that defrauded six women across Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, and Kansas of approximately $1.88 million between 2019 and 2024. Using fake identities such as "Williams Moore," "Manuel Sykes," and "Edward Nowak," Nwadavid posed as an oil rig worker and other professionals to build romantic relationships with vulnerable women online, then solicited money under false pretenses including medical emergencies and inheritance claims. The case highlights the growing threat of romance scams targeting women over 60, which

Michel Duarte Suarez, a 50-year-old Cuban national, pleaded guilty to orchestrating a scheme from Panama to steal approximately $803,000 from an 82-year-old victim's bank account over four months using forged checks and fraudulent signatures. Suarez and his South Florida-based co-conspirators laundered the stolen proceeds through his Miami company, Online Electronics, with co-conspirators returning 50% of the fraud to Suarez. He faces up to 30 years in prison on charges of conspiracy to commit bank fraud and mail fraud, plus a mandatory additional two years for aggravated identity theft, with sentencing scheduled for September 29, 2025

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Microsoft 365 and Outlook users are being targeted by a phishing scam that injects fake billing alerts directly into calendars via meeting invites, bypassing traditional email filters. The scam uses official-looking payment failure or account suspension notices, sometimes with malicious attachments, and exploits default calendar settings to appear without user interaction, creating urgency and panic. Users should avoid interacting with suspicious calendar events and verify their subscription status independently rather than responding to or deleting invites, as these actions may confirm their email is active to scammers.

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A Florida mother lost $15,000 after scammers used artificial intelligence to clone her daughter's voice and request bail money in an emergency call. The AI-generated voice was convincing enough to deceive the mother into sending the funds before discovering the scam was fraudulent.

Venice, Florida residents were targeted by phone scammers impersonating police captains who claimed victims had missed jury duty or faced legal trouble, demanding payment via cryptocurrency or gift cards to resolve fabricated charges. One resident's wife was contacted with false allegations of fentanyl trafficking linked to Homeland Security, but the family recognized it as a scam when payment was demanded. Venice Police warn residents to hang up immediately on such calls and contact the non-emergency police line to verify any legal claims.

A Florida woman was defrauded of $15,000 by scammers who used artificial intelligence to clone her adult daughter's voice during a phone call, convincing her the daughter had been in a car accident and needed bail money. After an initial $15,000 withdrawal, the scammers attempted to obtain an additional $30,000 by claiming the accident victim's child had died, but the scheme unraveled when the woman's grandson called to confirm her daughter was safe. The family believes the scammers obtained voice samples from the daughter's social media accounts (Facebook and Snapchat) to create the AI replica.

Jared Borgesto Murray, 41, of St. Petersburg, Florida, defrauded Lowe's Hardware Store of $1,260,495.89 between January 2019 and September 2020 while serving a state prison sentence for robbery, using contraband phones to impersonate customers and fraudulently purchase products on credit that he and co-conspirators then resold online. Murray used some of the proceeds to purchase materials for a home in Lake Placid, which authorities later seized along with $43,550 from his bank accounts. He was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.

Sharon Brightwell of Florida lost $15,000 to scammers who used AI-cloned audio of her daughter's voice in a fake emergency scheme. On July 9, Brightwell received a call mimicking her daughter's number where she heard AI-generated crying claiming a car crash occurred; a fake attorney then demanded $15,000 bail, which she paid, and scammers attempted to extort an additional $30,000 by claiming the daughter had caused a miscarriage. The daughter's son intervened and confirmed via a three-way call that she was safe at work, and the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office is investigating the case.

In 2023, elder fraud complaints increased 14% with losses totaling $3.4 billion, prompting Sen. Rick Scott and a bipartisan group of lawmakers to urge federal agencies to coordinate efforts against international scams targeting older Americans, particularly those originating from foreign criminal networks operating "scam labor camps" in Southeast Asia. The senators called for increased interagency coordination, stronger international law enforcement partnerships, and expanded public awareness campaigns, noting that over 120,000 people have been trafficked to conduct cyber fraud operations.

A Florida mother, Sharon Brightwell, lost $23,000 in July after scammers used AI voice cloning technology to impersonate her daughter, claiming she had been in a car accident and needed bail money. The scammers obtained audio from the daughter's social media to replicate her voice convincingly, and later attempted to extort an additional $46,000 by claiming an unborn child had died in the accident. The fraud was discovered when the daughter's grandson arranged a phone call that revealed the daughter had been safe the entire time, and the family reported the case to the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office.

Bipartisan senators, led by Sen. Rick Scott, urged federal agencies to increase efforts combating international scams targeting older Americans, citing $3.4 billion in losses during 2023 and transnational criminal networks operating scam labor camps in Southeast Asia. Elder fraud complaints rose 14% in 2023, with many scams originating overseas and linked to trafficked labor, prompting lawmakers to call for coordinated investigations, stronger international law enforcement partnerships, and expanded public awareness campaigns.

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**Title:** Fact-check of Governor Newsom's claims about Florida's rankings This article fact-checks California Governor Gavin Newsom's claim that Florida ranks worst nationally in mental health care, home insurance costs, elder fraud, and rent increases. Regarding elder fraud specifically, FBI reports show Florida ranked second to California in raw numbers of fraud complaints from people over 60 as of 2024, though another report ranked Florida first per capita in complaints from all age groups in 2024. Overall, Newsom's claims are partially accurate—Florida does lag in these areas but doesn't consistently rank dead last in each category.

A New Jersey man, Pranav Patel, was sentenced to over six years in federal prison for acting as a "money mule" in a nationwide elder fraud scheme that defrauded 11 seniors across seven states of nearly $1.8 million between October and December 2023. Overseas scammers impersonated U.S. Treasury agents, convincing elderly victims they were under investigation and needed to surrender cash and gold for "safekeeping," with two Florida victims losing $170,000 and $732,000 respectively. Patel collected and transported the stolen funds and was arrested during a sting operation in December 2023; he was ordered to forfeit $1,

A multi-state fraud operation that stole $8.8 million from 235 predominantly elderly victims was dismantled, resulting in eight arrests in Polk County, Florida. The scheme involved three M&T Bank employees in Maryland who sold stolen customer data via Telegram to fraudsters, who then used the credentials to drain bank accounts and purchase luxury items. The perpetrators, including bank insiders Antonio Penn, Roshado Durrant, and others, face racketeering and related felony charges with bonds exceeding $1 million.

Eight people have been charged in a sophisticated $8.8 million bank fraud operation that victimized over 230 people, many of them seniors, after three Maryland bank employees allegedly used their access to steal customer information including Social Security numbers and account details, which co-conspirators then used to open fraudulent accounts and transfer funds. The defendants, arrested across multiple states, face charges including racketeering, conspiracy, identity fraud, and unauthorized computer access, with bonds ranging from $10,000 to $1,020,000. Authorities recovered some stolen funds that were spent on personal purchases including vehicles, and the case involved coordination between Florida, Maryland, Virginia, and Missouri law enforcement agencies.

Congressman Byron Donalds announced a free, in-person scam awareness workshop in Bonita Springs, Florida, co-hosted with regional FBI partners for constituents of Florida's 19th Congressional District. The workshop aims to educate attendees about common scams and elder fraud prevention strategies.

U.S. Sen. Ashley Moody joined a bipartisan group of lawmakers in sending a letter to federal officials demanding coordinated efforts to combat international financial scams targeting seniors, which cost victims over $3.4 billion annually. The letter, signed by senators including Rick Scott, Mark Kelly, and Kirsten Gillibrand, requested enhanced investigations, increased foreign law enforcement partnerships, public awareness campaigns, and improved interagency coordination. Moody, a member of the Senate Special Committee on Aging, has prioritized senior fraud issues, previously recovering millions of dollars for victims as Florida's Attorney General and supporting the designation of National Slam the Scam Day.

A Jacksonville, Florida woman named Sarah called a financial advice show seeking guidance on helping her widowed father, who has lost a substantial portion of his remaining savings to multiple scams over five years, including a romance scam costing $80,000-$90,000 and a cryptocurrency scam. The father, now retired at 65 after caring for his late wife's medical expenses, shows signs of financial desperation including taking out a home equity line of credit and buying lottery tickets. Financial advisors cautioned Sarah against providing financial assistance, noting that helping family members requires their willingness to accept help and that mixing finances with someone resistant to intervention can be problematic.

An $8.8 million fraud ring targeting 235 elderly victims across multiple states was dismantled following a suspicious $250,000 transfer detected by Synchrony Bank in April 2023. The scheme involved eight suspects and three bank employees, including insider Antonio Penn, who stole customer banking data and sold it via Telegram to accomplices who opened fraudulent accounts and laundered the stolen funds. The 15-month investigation, led by the Polk County Sheriff's Office with support from the Florida Attorney General and multi-state agencies, recovered the full $8.8 million and highlighted the importance of transaction alerts, financial monitoring services, and bank fraud protections to prevent insider fraud targeting seniors.

**Summary:** California Governor Gavin Newsom claimed Florida ranks #51 in mental health care, #1 in elder fraud, #1 in home insurance costs, and #1 in rent increases. PolitiFact's fact-check found mixed accuracy: while Florida consistently ranks poorly in mental health care spending (lowest per capita at $36.05), other mental health rankings place it 21st nationally; elder fraud claims were not evaluated in this excerpt; and analyses confirm Florida leads in home insurance costs and rent increases, though specific rankings vary by source.

**Summary:** This PolitiFact article fact-checks California Governor Gavin Newsom's claim that Florida ranks worst nationally in mental health care, home insurance costs, elder fraud, and rent increases. The analysis finds Newsom's accuracy is mixed: Florida consistently ranks among the lowest in mental health spending (lowest per capita at $36.05), but other mental health metrics place it 21st or 46th depending on the measure; the article excerpt does not provide conclusions on the remaining claims about insurance, elder fraud, and rent.

**Summary:** A multi-state investigation called Operation Teller-to-Telegram resulted in the arrest of eight individuals, including three Maryland bank employees, who allegedly stole $8.8 million from elderly customers through a coordinated fraud ring. The bank employees Barbara Frazee, Camala Shafer, and Antonio Penn sold senior customers' personal information via the encrypted app Telegram to co-conspirators who used the stolen account details, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth to drain victims' savings accounts. All eight suspects face RICO charges, identity theft felonies, and other serious charges.

A 90-year-old Fort Myers man nearly lost $1,020 to scammers impersonating Xfinity representatives who exploited his recent billing inquiry by offering an unusually low rate and requesting payment via Target gift cards. A quick-thinking Publix employee recognized the scam when the victim, who uses a walker and oxygen tank, struggled to locate the gift card section while remaining on the phone with the fraudster. This scam targeting Xfinity customers has been reported multiple times across the country, and authorities recommend initiating contact with service providers through official numbers rather than responding to incoming calls.

Leon County, Florida is developing an educational program in partnership with community leaders to help seniors detect and avoid online scams while learning to use artificial intelligence safely. The initiative will offer 1.5-hour seminars at public libraries and online, addressing the growing threat of sophisticated scams that exploit seniors—who lose an average of $34,000 per incident according to FBI data. The program aims to launch in fall with a focus on digital literacy and building confidence in navigating technology in a trusted environment.

Technical support scams disproportionately affect elderly victims, representing approximately 60% of cases in Pima County, Arizona. A 62-year-old Green Valley man lost $53,000 after responding to a fake Bank of America text directing him to withdraw funds and mail them to Florida; authorities recovered the full amount by intercepting the packages in New Mexico. The Pima County Sheriff's Department reports 260 tech support scams out of 550 total fraud cases this year and advises residents to avoid clicking unsolicited links, never provide banking information to callers, and hang up immediately on suspected scammers before verifying any request directly with their bank.

Senator Ashley Moody testified before the Senate Special Committee on Aging about Florida's elder abuse prevention efforts, highlighting her Senior Protection Team's success in recovering millions for fraud victims and advocating for federal support to expand these programs. She emphasized the need to identify and raise awareness about scams targeting seniors and proposed additional strategies to protect elderly Floridians from exploitation nationwide.

U.S. Senator Ashley Moody testified before the Senate Special Committee on Aging about her efforts as Florida's former Attorney General to combat elder fraud, citing her establishment of the Senior Protection Team in 2019 to address civil, criminal, and health care fraud targeting seniors. Moody highlighted that while an estimated 1 in 10 seniors experience abuse, only 7% of cases reach law enforcement, and emphasized that financial scams targeting older Americans cost victims over $3.4 billion annually. She and other senators have called for coordinated federal efforts to dismantle international scam networks targeting the elderly, proposing her Florida model as a potential national approach to elder fraud prevention.

Two women in Florida lost a combined $210,000 in a romance scam involving AI-generated voice and video impersonating actor Keanu Reeves; the scammers made initial contact through word games like Scrabble, built romantic connections with the victims, then requested money for fabricated reasons such as divorce or cancer research, with funds ultimately sent to Bitcoin accounts in Nigeria. Authorities indicated the victims have virtually no chance of recovering their money.

Senator Rick Scott led a bipartisan effort to introduce the GUARD Act, legislation designed to equip local and state law enforcement with advanced tools—including blockchain tracing technology—to investigate and combat financial scams targeting older Americans. The bill addresses a growing crisis: Americans over 60 lost $4.8 billion to scams in 2024, while those aged 50-59 lost an additional $2.5 billion, with estimates suggesting total fraud losses affecting seniors range from $28.3 billion to $137 billion annually. The legislation aims to expand federal grant programs for specialized training and improve coordination between federal and local agencies to prosecute scammers and recover stolen funds.

A 24-year-old Tampa woman was arrested for operating a "tap-in" ATM fraud scheme via social media, in which she recruited people to allow access to their bank accounts, deposited counterfeit checks, and withdrew cash before the checks bounced. During a July 2025 search warrant, authorities recovered 117 fraudulent credit cards, card-making equipment, $6,292 in cash, and stolen financial documents from her home. The case highlights a growing social media scam trend where fraudsters lure victims with promises of quick money by offering a percentage cut, putting participants at risk of bank fraud charges and identity theft.

BreadXPay is a fraudulent fintech platform orchestrated by Joshua Sneider that targets retirees worldwide with promises of cross-border payment solutions and high investment returns (up to 10% monthly). The scam operates through shell companies registered in jurisdictions like Canada and the UK with puppet directors, funneling victim deposits through offshore accounts where they disappear; one documented case involved a 72-year-old Florida teacher who lost her $25,000 life savings after receiving fabricated account statements and being blocked from withdrawals. Elder financial abuse through schemes like this costs seniors over $28.3 billion annually globally.

The Ocala/Marion County Mobile Integrated Senior Crisis Response Team, a collaborative effort of over 20 local agencies, was presented to Florida State Senator Darryl Rouson as an effective model for addressing non-law enforcement crises affecting seniors. The team addresses issues including elder exploitation, dementia-related wandering, hoarding, and financial fraud, while reducing excessive 911 calls and avoiding service duplication. Since its organization began in 2020 by Marion Senior Services, the team has provided unified care coordination and rapid response for seniors experiencing mental health crises, exploitation, and other supportive care needs.

According to a Pew Research Center report, nearly three-quarters of Americans have experienced some form of online scam or attack, with 21% reporting actual financial losses. Common attacks include stolen credit card information (nearly 50%), hacked personal accounts (30%), fraudulent emails or texts leading to information disclosure (25%), and ransomware incidents (10%), with fraudsters increasingly exploiting untraceable payment methods like gift cards and payment apps. The FBI reported $16 billion in losses from cyber-enabled crime in the past year, a 33% increase, though experts note that many scams go unreported due to shame or awareness gaps.

U.S. Senator Rick Scott held a roundtable in Florida to address the escalating threat of scams and fraud targeting seniors, highlighting common schemes including grandparent scams, fraudulent investments, and government imposter emails. Speakers emphasized that seniors lose significant sums—including one case where a victim lost over $400,000—and that many large-scale operations originate from foreign call centers, constituting a national security concern; they also noted that Medicare fraud alone costs tens of billions of dollars annually through false billing and manipulation of member numbers. The roundtable stressed that awareness, prevention, and stronger legal penalties are essential to combat this crisis, while acknowledging that embarrassment often prevents victims from reporting