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in Robocalls / Phone Scams
1news.co.nz
· 2026-08-30
Cambodia's government claims to have completely eliminated online scam compounds that have operated across the country, announcing the eradication at a meeting with foreign diplomats; however, independent anti-trafficking experts and organizations express skepticism, asserting that significant scamming operations and recruitment of foreign workers continue. These scam operations—primarily "romance" and cryptocurrency scams involving thousands of trafficked foreign nationals working under near-slavery conditions—caused an estimated US$88.3 billion to US$114.1 billion in losses globally in 2025, according to the UN Office on Drugs and Crime.
theguildng.com
· 2026-08-30
INTERPOL's eight-month Operation Jackal IV (November 2025-June 2026) arrested 58 people and identified 263 suspects across 22 countries involved in West African organised crime networks perpetrating romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, investment scams, and business email compromise. Key operations included dismantling a €143 million investment scam in Romania, seizing $2.67 million in South Africa from romance and investment fraud targeting retirees, and uncovering a €845,000 money-laundering network in Italy. The investigation also exposed emerging threats including sextortion schemes targeting minors as young as 14 years old via social media.
dailydemocrat.com
· 2026-08-30
An elderly man over 80 was scammed out of $6,650 in cash plus $158 in fees after receiving a phone call claiming his daughter had been kidnapped following a traffic accident, with the scammer demanding $2,000 initially and then an additional $5,000 after he wired the first amount. The article also describes the author's own experience losing $8,000 to a scam involving a fake accidental bank deposit, emphasizing that anyone can fall victim to convincing phone scams regardless of intelligence and recommending families stay in regular contact to protect against such fraud.
bbc.com
· 2026-08-30
Jersey police report that 75 Revolut customers lost approximately £180,000 in a surge of impersonation scams over four weeks, with the majority of incidents involving fraudsters posing as bank or Revolut support staff to trick victims into sharing security information or transferring funds. The scammers typically claimed suspicious transactions or account compromise risks to persuade victims to provide access to their accounts. Revolut has urged customers to remain vigilant and reminded them that the company will never request passwords, security codes, or transfers to "safe accounts."
ekathimerini.com
· 2026-08-30
Three suspects in western Greece were identified for a phone scam targeting an elderly woman who lost €76,500 in savings after being deceived by callers posing as electricity company employees. In a similar scheme on Crete, five suspects were arrested for defrauding nine elderly people of €21,450 in cash and €38,000 in jewelry using the same method of impersonating utility workers. These scams, which persuade victims to leave valuables at their home entrances for false safety reasons, remain effective despite public awareness campaigns.
theguardian.com
· 2026-08-30
Scammers are impersonating banks and trusted institutions through texts and calls claiming unauthorized payments have been made on victims' accounts, then persuading them to transfer savings or hand over debit cards under the guise of protecting their money. Lloyds Bank reported a 10% increase in fraud losses year-over-year with an average loss of £3,516 per victim, while Santander has seen over £3 million stolen through bank impersonation scams this year with an average loss of £6,000 per victim. Experts advise customers to ignore messages from mobile numbers, hang up and call their bank directly using trusted numbers if suspicious, rather than following numbers provided in unsolicited messages
japantoday.com
· 2026-08-30
Between January and end of July in Fukuoka Prefecture, 1,061 phone-based fraud cases resulted in approximately 6.77 billion yen in losses, with social media investment fraud accounting for 3.24 billion yen of that total. Scammers lure victims through social media with promises of guaranteed profits and principal protection using tactics involving AI automated trading, pre-IPO shares, and limited-time opportunities. Police are urging the public to avoid engaging with such unsolicited offers.
kitchener.citynews.ca
· 2026-08-30
Guelph Police have warned of a banking scam targeting seniors in which callers impersonate bank or credit bureau officials, claiming suspicious account activity, and then request card numbers and PINs. A person then arrives at the victim's home to collect the cards under the pretense of replacement, after which scammers use the stolen information to charge thousands of dollars to victims' accounts. Police advise residents to verify such calls directly with their bank using trusted contact numbers rather than information provided by the caller.
latintimes.com
· 2026-08-30
AI-powered deepfake scams targeting remittance transfers to Latin America have surged dramatically, with digital identity theft cases climbing 84 percent and account-takeover attempts in Mexico rising 324 percent between 2024 and early 2026. Criminals use AI-cloned voices and deepfake videos to impersonate family members demanding urgent wire transfers, with the FBI reporting over $350 million in AI-linked fraud losses among victims 60 and older in 2025 alone. The scams threaten the $173.7 billion in annual remittances flowing from the U.S. to Latin America, often used by families for essential expenses like rent and medicine.
vietnam.vn
· 2026-08-30
During Vietnam's holiday periods, cybercriminals impersonate banks, airlines, and travel companies through fake websites and fan pages to commit online fraud, using urgency tactics and slightly discounted prices to pressure victims into quick payments. The scammers collect deposits, send fake confirmation documents, then request additional payments or steal personal data for identity theft, with reported losses of approximately 1,500 billion VND in the first half of the year. Experts recommend victims verify information directly through official channels, avoid clicking suspicious links, and never share passwords, OTP codes, or personal identification data with unknown callers claiming to represent financial institutions or government agencies.
loudounnow.com
· 2026-08-29
Virginia seniors reported losses exceeding $220 million in 2025, part of a $7.7 billion total in fraud losses among Americans aged 60 and older—a 59 percent increase from the previous year. Scammers increasingly use artificial intelligence, particularly voice-cloning technology, to make traditional impersonation and urgency-based schemes more convincing, with AI-related fraud accounting for over $352 million in losses among seniors. The article recommends five protective habits including enabling two-factor authentication, independently verifying urgent callers, establishing family passwords, and automating security updates to combat these evolving threats.
cryptobriefing.com
· 2026-08-29
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.
strabaneweekly.co.uk
· 2026-08-29
Police in Derry City and Strabane issued a warning following a recent report of romance fraud in which a victim lost money to someone they met online. Romance scammers use varying methods to manipulate victims into sending money, causing both financial and emotional harm. Authorities advise people to never send money to individuals they haven't met in person and to recognize that requests for money are a red flag that the relationship is not genuine.
theguardian.com
· 2026-08-29
A Guardian Money reader recounted how he strung along scammers impersonating his bank for three hours by posing as a confused elderly man, fabricating details like an £80,000 account balance and fake PIN and card numbers. The fraudsters, who initially targeted him with a fake Barclays alert about a £1,000 unauthorized purchase, eventually attempted to arrange a courier pickup for his debit card after he provided false information. The reader's account demonstrates common bank impersonation tactics, including requests for sensitive information and urgent pressure to act on weekends when banks are closed.
wsbtv.com
· 2026-08-29
The Bartow County Sheriff's Office warned residents about bank impersonation scams in which fraudsters use spoofed phone numbers to pose as bank fraud department representatives and convince victims to withdraw large amounts of cash for courier pickup or drop-off at specified locations. Authorities advised residents to hang up on suspicious calls and verify directly with their financial institution rather than trusting information from unsolicited callers.
clickorlando.com
· 2026-08-29
Scammers in Lake County, Florida are spoofing caller IDs to impersonate local banks and credit unions, attempting to trick residents into sharing personal financial information and changing passwords. One victim, Donna Rider, received a fraudulent call appearing to come from McCoy Federal Credit Union shortly after an online purchase, but avoided the scam by refusing to provide additional information. Law enforcement warns residents to never share personal information over the phone and instead to hang up and call their financial institution directly using an official phone number.
cyberdaily.au
· 2026-08-28
Between January and June 2026, bank impersonation scams resulted in $3.25 million in losses across 5,262 reported cases in Australia, with phishing accounting for 52 percent of all scam cases. Mortgage brokers have highlighted settlement fraud schemes where scammers impersonate solicitors using nearly identical email addresses to redirect client funds, with one documented case involving an $80,000 loss that took over two years to recover. Experts recommend verifying account details by phone before transferring funds, as many scam victims fail to confirm information due to embarrassment, overconfidence, or not perceiving the need to verify.
captivasanibel.com
· 2026-08-28
Romance scams have become increasingly sophisticated, with criminals using AI-generated fake profiles, deepfake videos, and voice cloning across social media and dating platforms to build trust before requesting money, personal information, or intimate content. Common schemes include "pig butchering" where scammers pose as investment advisors after months of relationship-building, as well as in-person meetings arranged online that result in theft, extortion, or blackmail. The Sanibel Police Department warns victims to be alert to red flags such as rapid declarations of love, requests for secrecy, demands for money or intimate photos, and pressure to move conversations off dating platforms.
daltoncitizen.com
· 2026-08-28
"Pig butchering" scams have cost victims an estimated $75 million over the last four years by building trust through romantic relationships before directing victims to fake investment opportunities. Scammers initiate contact via text or social media, move conversations to anonymous messaging apps like WhatsApp, and use emotional manipulation and exclusivity claims to encourage victims to invest money through fraudulent websites or apps. Law enforcement advises victims to report the scams despite difficulty in recovering funds, as these operations typically originate outside the U.S. and are increasingly difficult to detect due to AI technology.
wired.com
· 2026-08-28
A Chinese woman lost over $100,000 in a romance scam where a fraudster posing as a Microsoft researcher lured her into cryptocurrency investment schemes on Microsoft Teams, with dozens of other victims in China reporting similar losses ranging from $1,500 to $300,000 through the same platform. The scammers instructed victims to download Teams and log in with credentials they provided, then disappeared with their money, leaving victims unable to access chat logs or recover funds. Microsoft has since added warning banners for Teams users in China and discontinued the personal version of the app in the country, while local law enforcement agencies have issued explicit warnings about Teams and similar platforms being used for fraud.
channelnewsasia.com
· 2026-08-28
Muhammad Firdaus Abdul Rahman, a 37-year-old Singaporean, was sentenced to 60 months' jail for participating in a Cambodia-based organized scam syndicate that defrauded at least 14 Singapore victims of nearly S$656,800 through government official impersonation scams. Firdaus worked in a Cambodia office with about 60 scammers (including those running romance fraud operations) making fraudulent calls claiming to be from Singapore's Cyber Emergency Response Team, and later collected money packages in Singapore on behalf of the syndicate while knowing they were proceeds from crime. He re-offended during his remission period from a previous cheating conviction, resulting in
rollingout.com
· 2026-08-28
Two men, Daejon Labrayae Love and Taylor Jamie Chan, face federal wire fraud charges for running a romance-and-investment scam from February 2022 to August 2024 that defrauded at least 26 women of approximately $1.3 million across multiple states. Love posed as a San Francisco 49ers player on dating apps, using a Google AI Overview screenshot as false proof of his identity, then convinced victims to invest in fake opportunities with promises of high returns. When victims ran out of money, Love allegedly cut contact and kept the funds, with none of the identified victims recovering any money.
news.immigration.gov.tw
· 2026-08-28
Taiwan's 165 Anti-Fraud Hotline has identified five prevalent scams in 2026, including fake investment schemes, AI deepfakes, romance scams, impersonation of police or prosecutors, and phishing messages, with scammers using various deception tactics to gain trust and solicit money or personal information. The hotline advises the public to verify suspicious requests, stay calm when asked to transfer funds or provide sensitive data, and contact 165 for assistance when encountering potential fraud.
eu.36kr.com
· 2026-08-28
A criminal gang in China used AI-generated images of wealthy, eligible men to scam middle-aged and elderly women through fake matchmaking services, defrauding at least 50 victims of over 1 million yuan in total. One victim paid 2,000 yuan for matchmaking services and was given a fake contact for an AI-generated man named "Brother Li" who could never be reached. Police arrested 28 suspects after discovering the company used AI images in live streams with carefully scripted interactions designed to manipulate victims.
kcra.com
· 2026-08-28
Scammers are impersonating MyChart, a patient portal used to communicate with healthcare providers, through fake emails, texts, and websites to steal login credentials and financial information. Two prevalent scams include one that uses fake medical result notifications with malicious links leading to fake sign-in pages that install malware, and another offering free Medicare health kits that collect personal and credit card information. MyChart advises users to verify sender email addresses and website URLs, use official apps or bookmarks instead of clicking links in messages, and immediately reset passwords or contact banks if personal information was compromised.
abc-7.com
· 2026-08-28
Scammers are impersonating MyChart, a patient health portal, through fraudulent emails, texts, and fake websites to steal login credentials, personal information, and payment data. Two common scams identified include a fake medical results scheme that directs users to a phishing page and attempts to install malware through keyboard commands, and a fake Medicare kit giveaway that collects personal and credit card information under the guise of a free $149 health kit. MyChart advises users to verify sender addresses and website URLs, use official apps or bookmarked sites rather than clicking email links, and report suspicious messages immediately.
dakotanewsnow.com
· 2026-08-28
The Minnehaha County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about a "courier cash" scam targeting senior citizens, in which scammers call victims, pressure them to withdraw large amounts of cash, deceive bank staff, and direct the funds to addresses controlled by criminals. The scam is rapidly growing in the area, and law enforcement is urging community members to discuss the scheme with elderly loved ones to help prevent victimization.
newson6.com
· 2026-08-28
A Tulsa woman received a text claiming to be from her bank about a fraudulent $476 transaction, followed by a call from a scammer posing as a bank representative who attempted to convince her to transfer her entire account balance via Apple Pay. Although the scammer had her personal information including the last four digits of her Social Security number, Simmons recognized the fraud before losing money and is warning others to always call their bank directly using a known number rather than responding to unsolicited fraud alerts.
ktre.com
· 2026-08-28
Scammers in Angelina County, Texas are impersonating sheriff's deputies through spoofed phone calls, threatening victims with arrest for missing jury duty or court appearances and demanding payment via Bitcoin kiosks to avoid arrest. At least two victims lost significant sums—one person transferred $35,000 through a Bitcoin kiosk and another attempted to pay $10,000—with tens of thousands of dollars total lost in the area, as scammers use pressure tactics and stay on the line while victims complete transactions.
community.triblive.com
· 2026-08-28
Pennsylvania patients using the MyChart patient portal are being targeted by phishing scams impersonating MyChart and offering a fake "MyChart Medicare Kit" reward to trick users into clicking malicious links and revealing passwords and personal information. Scammers are sending fraudulent emails and text messages designed to gain unauthorized access to patients' MyChart accounts and steal their personal data. The Pennsylvania Attorney General warns patients to delete suspicious messages without clicking links, never reply with passwords or verification codes, and contact their medical provider directly through official MyChart channels if unsure.
abcnews.com
· 2026-08-28
Cambodia's government claims it has eliminated all online scam compounds after a major crackdown that investigated 793 suspected locations, raided 624 sites, and detained nearly 30,000 suspects from 39 nationalities between July 2025 and August 2026. These compounds were responsible for estimated losses of $88.3 billion to $114.1 billion in 2025 through romance and cryptocurrency scams, while also engaging in human trafficking of thousands of foreign workers. However, independent anti-trafficking experts remain skeptical of the government's claims, noting credible indicators that significant scamming operations and worker recruitment continue despite reported decreases in trafficking victim reports.
attorneygeneral.gov
· 2026-08-28
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday is warning residents about a phishing scam targeting MyChart patient portal users, where scammers send emails and text messages falsely offering a "MyChart Medicare Kit" reward to trick recipients into clicking malicious links and surrendering passwords and personal information. The scam allows hackers to gain unauthorized access to victims' MyChart accounts and steal their data. Pennsylvanians who suspect they've been victimized can file complaints with the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection.
wxyz.com
· 2026-08-28
Scammers have been impersonating Blackthorne Social Club, a tattoo shop in Washtenaw County, Michigan, on TikTok by messaging the shop's real clients to request deposits, schedule fake appointments, and collect payments while stealing the shop's photos and videos. The fraudulent activity has been ongoing for weeks and affects multiple businesses across the region. Shop owners are warning customers to verify they are communicating directly with the business before sending money or booking appointments.
sports.yahoo.com
· 2026-08-28
Daejon Love, 35, was arrested on federal wire fraud charges after allegedly posing as a San Francisco 49ers player on dating apps to scam at least 26 women out of approximately $1.3 million. Working with an 18-year-old "financial advisor" named Taylor Chan, Love created fake dating profiles using multiple pseudonyms and convinced victims he was a wealthy player interested in romantic relationships and investment opportunities, using fabricated bank statements and social media accounts to appear legitimate. The victims were coerced into investing in nonexistent equities and business ventures, with none receiving any return on their money before Love blocked contact with them.
hoodline.com
· 2026-08-27
A 26-year-old Simi Valley man has been charged with stealing nearly $100,000 from an 89-year-old Thousand Oaks resident by befriending him, gaining access to his home and phone PIN, and conducting approximately 91 unauthorized transactions to cryptocurrency accounts over 14 months. William Bao Khoa Ly faces felony charges including grand theft and elder fraud, with prosecutors alleging he exploited a position of trust; the victim's bank recovered over $50,000 of the stolen funds. The case highlights a broader pattern of trust-based elder fraud schemes, as California seniors lost $1.4 billion to financial fraud in 2025, a
foxnews.com
· 2026-08-27
Scammers build target lists months in advance of Medicare Open Enrollment (Oct. 15-Dec. 7) and Social Security COLA announcements to prepare for fraud campaigns in fall, using purchased consumer data to identify vulnerable older Americans. The article details a case where two former Epsilon Data Management employees sold targeted consumer lists to fraudsters who defrauded over 218,000 victims of more than $23.7 million, resulting in Epsilon paying $150 million in penalties and victim compensation. The article urges Americans to protect their data in August to avoid becoming targets for anticipated scams including fake Medicare cards and urgent Social Security warnings.
cryptonews.net
· 2026-08-27
TRM Labs appointed former Monetary Authority of Singapore official Ziqing Ang as Head of Policy for Asia-Pacific to address rising cryptocurrency crime, which reached over $103 billion in adjusted volume in 2025. Investment scams, including pig-butchering schemes, accounted for 62% of fraud inflows last year, with criminal groups increasingly using cryptocurrency and AI-enabled technologies like deepfakes to conduct fraud operations across the region. Ang will work with regulators, policymakers, and law enforcement to develop policy responses as governments create rules for digital assets and artificial intelligence.
crypto.news
· 2026-08-27
This article is not about a scam or fraud incident—it is a news announcement about TRM Labs hiring a former Singapore regulatory official as their Asia-Pacific policy head. The article discusses the appointment and background of Ziqing Ang, as well as TRM Labs' research on cryptocurrency crime trends in the region, including investment scams and AI-enabled fraud, but does not describe an actual fraud case or victim impact.
thereview.ca
· 2026-08-27
The Hawkesbury OPP reported two recent fraud schemes that caused victims to lose more than $380,000 combined. Fraudsters used romance and investment scams, typically initiating contact through dating apps or social media, building trust, and then convincing victims to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency opportunities. Additionally, scammers impersonated financial institutions and law enforcement through phone calls, emails, and texts to trick victims into believing fraudulent transactions had occurred on their accounts.
legit.ng
· 2026-08-27
The US Department of State issued an advisory warning Americans about growing scam threats both domestically and abroad, emphasizing that scams aim to extract money from victims through various methods including romance schemes and fake emergency appeals. The agency provided six protective measures including never sending money to people met only online, avoiding sharing personal details, verifying claims of distressed US citizens through the nearest embassy or the Overseas Citizens Services hotline (888-407-4747), and using secure money transfer methods that require photo ID. The warning is particularly relevant for individuals with family abroad or those engaged in online relationships with people claiming to be outside the US.
allafrica.com
· 2026-08-27
An eight-month international operation coordinated by INTERPOL across 22 countries arrested 58 suspects and identified 263 others linked to West African organized crime networks, including the Black Axe group. Police seized $2.67 million, blocked 257 bank accounts, and recovered $379,000 in cash and cryptocurrency while dismantling networks responsible for romance scams, investment fraud, cryptocurrency schemes, and business email compromise targeting victims globally. The operation also revealed an emerging threat of sextortion targeting minors as young as 14 by West African crime groups operating through social media.
police.statesvillenc.net
· 2026-08-27
Fraudsters are impersonating bank employees in phone scams targeting the Statesville area, claiming suspicious account activity to trick victims into revealing personal information, account credentials, and verification codes. Scammers use caller ID spoofing to make calls appear legitimate and may reference personal information already known about the victim. The police department advises hanging up on unsolicited calls and independently verifying any concerns by contacting your bank directly.
cbsnews.com
· 2026-08-27
Scammers in Jefferson County, Colorado are targeting domestic violence victims by calling them within hours of their abuser's arrest, impersonating jail deputies and demanding money via Cash App, Venmo, or gift cards to post bond, with victims losing hundreds to thousands of dollars. The scammers exploit victims' vulnerable state by creating urgency and using publicly available information combined with social media data to appear legitimate, knowing that domestic violence survivors may be emotionally devastated and financially controlled by their abusers. Officials warn that legitimate jail, court, and district attorney offices will never call demanding immediate payment through digital payment services, and urge victims to verify calls independently and report scams to local authorities.
livonia.gov
· 2026-08-27
Scammers are impersonating City of Livonia departments and employees through phone calls, emails, text messages, and social media to fraudulently request personal information, payments, or account access from residents. The City advises residents to verify any suspicious communications by contacting official city phone numbers listed on Livonia.gov/Directory rather than calling numbers provided in the suspicious messages, and to report suspicious activity to help track emerging scam patterns.
wrnjradio.com
· 2026-08-27
Newton police are warning residents of an increasingly common phone scam where callers impersonate federal agents or government agencies like the FTC or Social Security Administration, claiming victims' identities are linked to criminal activity or money laundering to create urgency. Scammers pressure victims to withdraw cash, ship money, hand funds to fake couriers, or purchase gold and valuables to hand over, using spoofed numbers and official-sounding details to appear legitimate. Police advise residents to hang up, verify caller identity through official government numbers, and never provide money or personal information to callers claiming to be federal agents.
krebsonsecurity.com
· 2026-08-27
Australian authorities arrested two men aged 21 and 23 from Western Australia suspected of being members of TeamPCP, a prolific cybercrime group that conducted the longest-running software supply chain attack spree by embedding malicious code in open-source software tools to extort thousands of global businesses. TeamPCP used a self-propagating worm called Shai-Hulud to compromise developer credentials and inject malware into widely-used software libraries, with one attack on LiteLLM affecting over 2,500 organizations and another compromising at least 3,800 code repositories on GitHub. The group also conducted recruitment contests offering $1,000 in cryptocurrency to participants who could conduct the
moaa.org
· 2026-08-26
Over 201,000 Americans age 60 and older lost approximately $7.7 billion to cyber-enabled crimes in 2025, with an average loss of $38,000 per victim and military retirees accounting for over half a billion dollars in fraud losses. Scammers increasingly target older adults through impostor schemes, romance fraud, and tech-support scams, exploiting vulnerabilities including loneliness, financial assets, unfamiliarity with technology, and cognitive decline, with artificial intelligence tools making these scams more sophisticated and effective. The FBI reported a 37% spike in complaints from 2024 to 2025, though experts believe actual losses are significantly higher due to underre
straitstimes.com
· 2026-08-26
Singapore lost $410.6 million to scams in the first half of 2026, a decrease from $500.2 million in the same period of 2025, with 16,821 cases reported. Eight in 10 victims were manipulated into voluntarily transferring money to scammers rather than having their accounts directly compromised, with elderly victims (65+) suffering the highest average losses at $42,347 per person. The most common scam types were e-commerce ($8 million in losses), investment scams ($169.8 million), and government official impersonation scams, with notable increases in Pokemon card trading scams rising from 279 to 605
brokerdaily.au
· 2026-08-26
Between January and June 2026, Australian brokers and banks reported escalating scam activity, with the National Anti-Scam Centre receiving 5,262 bank impersonation reports resulting in $3.25 million in losses, while phishing scams accounted for 52% of cases at Bankwest. A mortgage broker shared a case where a client lost $80,000 to a sophisticated email impersonation scam impersonating a solicitor during settlement, taking over two years to recover the funds. Experts recommend verifying account details by phone and checking sender information directly to prevent such fraud, as nearly one in seven Australians experienced personal fraud in 2024–25.
chinadaily.com.cn
· 2026-08-26
Fraudsters are increasingly targeting minors in China through telecom scams involving fake job offers, impersonation of police officers, and fraudulent gaming transactions, with cases spiking during summer holidays when children spend more time online. Victims include primary and middle school students who have lost amounts ranging from several hundred to over 74,000 yuan after being pressured or intimidated into transferring money through various schemes involving social media, gaming platforms, and messaging apps. Authorities are urging parents to restrict payment functions on children's devices and advise minors to report suspicious requests to parents immediately rather than attempting to handle situations alone.