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in Financial Crime
seattletimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Jackie Kirks, a 70-year-old in Long Beach, California, discovered that someone had used a card skimming device to steal over $4,000 from her SNAP food assistance account in December. Skimming schemes—where criminals install devices to read magnetic stripe data from payment cards at ATMs and stores—have surged since 2022 and disproportionately target welfare recipients because EBT cards use outdated magnetic stripe technology without the fraud protections and chip encryption standard on commercial credit and debit cards.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
This article is an educational piece about common banking scams in 2024, reporting that consumers lost over $10 billion to fraud in 2023. It describes seven prevalent scams—including fake bank websites, malicious apps, phishing communications, check washing, check overpayment schemes, money transfer fraud, and account takeover attacks—and provides protective measures for each, such as verifying bank legitimacy through official channels, downloading only reputable apps, and monitoring bank statements regularly.
click2houston.com
· 2025-12-08
Regina Lynn Thomas and her son Isaiah Thomas were charged with conspiracy and 67 counts of wire fraud after Regina posed as a nurse caring for an elderly parent while living in the couple's home, then falsely told them federal authorities suspected them of FEMA fraud and collected money for supposed attorney fees that was actually deposited into Isaiah's account. If convicted, both face up to 20 years in prison and potential fines of up to $250,000 per count.
losalamosreporter.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, 759 New Mexico residents over age 60 lost more than $17.7 million to online fraud, with the costliest schemes being romance scams ($4.9 million), investment scams ($4.6 million), and tech support scams ($3.1 million). The FBI emphasizes that older adults are particularly vulnerable due to financial stability and potential isolation, and urges prevention through awareness and family education, with victims encouraged to report incidents to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
manchestereveningnews.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Peter Gray, 35, was convicted and sentenced to 56 months in prison in February for defrauding four women of approximately £80,000 through romance scams on Tinder. Rather than directly requesting money, Gray gained victims' trust as a romantic partner, then secretly photographed their identification documents and bank cards to steal their identities and take out loans in their names, with individual victims losing between £9,000 and £20,000. His victims reported feeling intuitive red flags about his behavior, including suspicious gestures like sending flowers to addresses he shouldn't have known and taking unauthorized photos of personal documents.
dhs.gov
· 2025-12-08
A Nigerian national, Amos Prince Okey Ezemma, pleaded guilty to operating a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded over 400 elderly and vulnerable U.S. victims of more than $6 million. The scheme involved sending personalized letters falsely claiming victims were entitled to multimillion-dollar inheritances from overseas relatives, then requesting upfront payments for delivery fees and taxes before the funds could be released. Ezemma faces up to 20 years in prison upon sentencing, and five other co-conspirators have already been convicted in connection with the scheme.
khou.com
· 2025-12-08
Regina Lynn Thomas, 56, and her son Isaiah Thomas, 38, were arrested and charged with 67 counts of wire fraud and conspiracy after defrauding an elderly Houston couple of over $1 million between 2017-2019. Thomas, who posed as a registered nurse and attorney, exploited the family's vulnerability following Hurricane Harvey by falsely claiming one family member faced arrest for a fraudulent FEMA claim and directing them to send wire transfers for fake legal fees. Both face up to 20 years in federal prison if convicted.
shorenewsnetwork.com
· 2025-12-08
Vidal Roquez, 39, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for his role in a "grandparent scheme" that defrauded over a dozen seniors in Rhode Island and Massachusetts by convincing them to send cash for a relative's bail. He pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy and was ordered to pay $130,300 in restitution, perform 60 hours of community service educating seniors about scams, and serve three years of supervised release.
the-sun.com
· 2025-12-08
An elderly woman from Sullivan County, Tennessee was defrauded of over $130,000 after scammers used a fake Microsoft pop-up warning to trick her into purchasing Apple gift cards and eventually withdrawing cash from her bank account. The scheme involved multiple contacts claiming to remove illegal content from her computer, and culminated with a man collecting $130,000 in person at her home. A 29-year-old suspect, Hang Zhan, was arrested and charged with theft and financial exploitation of an elderly person, though as of May 2, no funds had been recovered.
wgal.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI warns that tech support fraud is the most commonly reported scam targeting seniors nationwide, where scammers pose as tech representatives to access sensitive information, though investment scams caused the greatest financial harm with over $50 million in reported losses last year. To protect themselves, seniors should avoid unsolicited contacts, never open attachments from unknown sources, resist pressure to act quickly, and never share personal information or money with unverified people.
thetimes.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Olamide Shanu, a 33-year-old Nigerian, was arrested and faces extradition to the United States on charges related to a sextortion scam that allegedly generated up to £2 million. Shanu is accused of posing as a teenage girl online to coerce boys into sending sexually explicit images, then blackmailing them with threats to share the photos with their families and friends unless they paid money; his cryptocurrency account received over 6,000 payments from hundreds of victims over three years. The case coincides with a surge in sextortion scams targeting minors in the UK and US, with at least three British children having taken their own lives after being vict
siliguritimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A Siliguri resident, Tanmay Khemka, lost Rs 11 lakh in February after transferring money to Saurabh Daruka of Jaipur for copper plates that were never delivered. Police arrested Daruka in Rajasthan following Khemka's complaint at Bhakti Nagar police station, and the suspect was brought to Siliguri on transit remand for further investigation.
tucson.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers stole over $3.4 billion from Americans over age 60 last year, an 11% increase from the previous year, with the FBI receiving more than 100,000 complaints and nearly 6,000 victims losing over $100,000 each. Tech support scams remain the most common fraud, with criminals impersonating officials to convince victims their accounts are compromised and directing them to transfer funds or withdraw cash/gold for in-person courier pickup. The FBI warns that these increasingly sophisticated schemes represent organized, transnational criminal enterprises using romance scams, investment fraud, and other tactics that can leave vulnerable seniors financially destitute.
parkrapidsenterprise.com
· 2025-12-08
Minnesota's senior financial fraud investigator Lisa Lovering states that awareness of scam tactics reduces victimization risk by 80% and significantly loss severity by 40%. According to AARP's 2023 data, seniors lost $28.3 billion to elder exploitation and fraud, with those over 80 experiencing average losses of $1,674 compared to $548 for young adults, though underreporting is widespread. Lovering advises avoiding payments via cash, gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency to unknown contacts; being skeptical of unsolicited calls from government agencies or businesses; and recognizing common tactics like imposter scams, romance scams, and lottery schemes that
thegardenisland.com
· 2025-12-08
Hawai'i seniors over 60 lost $27.96 million to fraud schemes in 2023, a dramatic increase from $10 million in 2021, with 453 complaints filed to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, ranking the state 37th nationally. The most common scams targeting older Americans include investment fraud, tech support schemes, romance cons, and extortion, with nationwide losses exceeding $3.4 billion in 2023. Law enforcement officials urge seniors and their families to report suspected fraud to the FBI and educate themselves about these schemes, noting that many cases go unreported.
ladailypost.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, 759 New Mexico residents over age 60 lost more than $17.7 million to online fraud, with the costliest scams being confidence/romance schemes ($4.9 million), investment fraud ($4.6 million), and tech support scams ($3.1 million). The FBI emphasizes that older adults are vulnerable targets due to financial stability, potential isolation, and lower awareness of online threats, and urges seniors and families to educate themselves about these scams and report incidents through ic3.gov or their local FBI office.
columbian.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers stole more than $3.4 billion from Americans over 60 last year, representing an 11% increase from the previous year, according to an FBI report. The FBI received over 100,000 complaints from older victims, with common schemes including tech support scams, romance fraud, investment fraud, and increasingly sophisticated courier-based schemes where criminals trick victims into withdrawing cash or precious metals for pickup. The rise in losses reflects organized criminal enterprises exploiting vulnerable populations through multiple tactics, with the FBI warning that actual losses are likely higher than reported.
shorenewsnetwork.com
· 2025-12-08
Vidal Roquez, 39, from Providence, Rhode Island, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for his role in a grandparent scam that victimized at least thirteen seniors in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, where he personally collected cash from victims after they were deceived into believing a relative needed bail money. He was sentenced to twelve months and one day in federal prison, ordered to pay $130,300 in restitution, and required to perform community service by educating senior citizen groups about the scam and fraud prevention after his release.
ca.movies.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
A U.K.-based influencer with 4 million followers was extradited to the U.S. and accused of running romance scams targeting older Americans between 2013 and 2019, earning approximately $2 million. Prosecutors allege she deceived victims into believing they were in romantic relationships with her, then convinced them to send money under false pretenses—including one victim who transferred $89,000 across 82 wire transfers after the influencer claimed she needed funds to save her father's farm in Ghana. Montrage has been charged with wire fraud, money laundering, and related conspiracy counts, each carrying up to 20 years in prison; she pleaded not guilty and bail
ca.movies.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Okechukwu Nwofor, a 32-year-old from Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to approximately six years in prison for leading a romance and business email compromise scam network that defrauded victims of nearly $1 million between July 2018 and November 2019. The scheme, which involved money mules transferring stolen funds through multiple accounts, devastated victims—causing one woman's inability to care for her disabled son, another's home foreclosure, and one victim's suicide—resulting in a restitution order of nearly $400,000. Four of Nwofor's co-conspirators pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy, with three
indystar.com
· 2025-12-08
Indiana seniors over 60 reported $26.5 million in financial losses across approximately 1,170 fraud cases in 2023, driven primarily by investment schemes ($12 million), tech support fraud ($8.9 million), and romance scams. Nationally, seniors suffered over $3.4 billion in losses—an 11% increase from 2022—with tech support fraud being the most commonly reported crime type and investment scams proving the costliest. The FBI released this data to educate the public and prevent further victimization, noting that some victims have taken extreme measures such as remortgaging homes and depleting retirement accounts to cover losses.
tampabay.com
· 2025-12-08
Over 50 elderly Americans in Broward County fell victim to lottery scams between 2020-2021, losing more than $6.6 million collectively after being told they won prizes and asked to pay upfront fees for shipping and taxes. Florida ranked second nationally for elder fraud in 2023 with residents over 60 losing nearly $300 million, reflecting a broader U.S. trend where elderly victims lost $3.4 billion that year to investment fraud, romance scams, tech-support scams, and government impersonation schemes. The crimes remain significantly underreported due to victim embarrassment and fear of losing independence, with experts estimating only one-
fox26houston.com
· 2025-12-08
A mother-son duo from Houston were charged with defrauding an elderly couple of over $1 million through an elaborate scheme in which Regina Thomas posed as a nurse and later claimed federal authorities were investigating the couple for FEMA fraud. She then connected them with a fake attorney (actually her son Isaiah Thomas), who they paid for legal services, with the money being deposited into the son's account. Both face up to 20 years in prison and $250,000 fines per count if convicted.
ajc.com
· 2025-12-08
Two retired law enforcement officers, Joe Gavalis (77) and Dan Flynn (72), volunteer with the North Georgia Elder Abuse Task Force Foundation to combat elder fraud and abuse in Georgia. Through their work with the foundation, they have facilitated over 60 training sessions for law enforcement, distributed consumer education guides to senior centers and community groups reaching approximately 8,000 people, and provide ongoing guidance to active officers on financial crime investigations. Their efforts address a critical gap, as most police officers in Georgia lack specialized training in investigating financial crimes against elderly citizens.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Emmanuel Quamey, a 36-year-old Ghanaian national, was sentenced to 48 months in prison for money laundering connected to romance scams that defrauded over a dozen vulnerable and elderly U.S. victims between September 2019 and March 2023. Quamey received and laundered approximately $3.8 million in fraud proceeds through multiple bank accounts in the United States and Ghana, and was ordered to pay $3.3 million in forfeiture and restitution to victims. Romance scams involve perpetrators posing as romantic partners on social media and dating websites to trick victims into sending money under false pretenses.
wyso.org
· 2025-12-08
Richard Opoku Agyemang, a Cincinnati man, was indicted on 11 counts including money laundering and wire fraud conspiracy for scamming dozens of victims out of more than $2 million through fake online romance profiles, requesting money for medical expenses and gold transportation before laundering funds to China. He faces up to 30 years in prison. The U.S. Secret Service recommends verifying online profiles, being skeptical of requests for money or photos, and avoiding sending funds to people you have not met in person.
wthr.com
· 2025-12-08
An FBI report found that scammers stole $3.4 billion from people over 60 in 2023, an 11% increase from the previous year, with tech scams, data breach scams, and romance/confidence scams being the most common. Key prevention strategies include ignoring suspicious fraud alerts and calling card numbers directly, verifying data breach notifications through official mail channels, freezing credit with major bureaus, and being alert to scams that create urgency or demand immediate action. Educating older adults about these tactics is critical to preventing them from losing retirement savings or Social Security benefits.
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
AARP's Fraud Watch Network Helpline director Amy Nofziger discusses six fast-growing scams identified through thousands of annual helpline calls, including celebrity impersonation, check fraud, sweepstakes and grandparent scams, voice printing fraud, and Olympics-related schemes. The Fraud Watch Network offers free resources to consumers of any age, including a helpline staffed by 150 trained fraud specialists who provide support and guidance to scam victims and those seeking fraud prevention advice.
fox5dc.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers in Montgomery County are targeting seniors with cash-to-gold schemes, convincing victims that converting their savings into gold bars will protect them from fraud—a tactic that has resulted in over $55 million in losses nationwide from May to December 2023. A 26-year-old man was arrested after attempting to defraud an elderly victim of $200,000 by posing as a federal agent, while another suspect was indicted in a case where a 64-year-old woman lost $700,000; authorities note that scammers exploit gold bullion websites because these transactions appear routine compared to large cash or gift card withdrawals that trigger bank alerts.
goldrushcam.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, the FBI reported that Americans over 60 lost $3.4 billion to fraud—an 11% increase from 2022—with tech support scams and investment schemes causing the most damage at $600 million and $1.2 billion respectively. Call center schemes were particularly devastating for seniors, accounting for nearly $770 million in losses and reportedly leading some victims to remortgage homes, drain retirement accounts, and in extreme cases, take their own lives. California reported the highest losses nationally at $620 million across over 11,000 complaints from elderly victims, and the FBI recommends seniors verify unsolicited contacts, resist pressure to act quickly, and report suspecte
consumerfinancemonitor.com
· 2025-12-08
FinCEN's 2023 Financial Trend Analysis examined 155,415 Bank Secrecy Act filings reporting approximately $27 billion in elder financial exploitation (EFE) between June 2022 and June 2023, with scams accounting for 80% of reports and theft for 20%, where family members—particularly children—perpetrated 40% of theft cases. The analysis found that perpetrators primarily use unsophisticated methods avoiding direct contact with financial institutions, such as account takeover (22% of scams), tech support scams (10%), and romance scams (9%), with funds typically transferred via checks, wires, and online transfers, averaging
waff.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI reports that seniors over 60 are prime targets for fraud, with Alabama residents in this age group losing over $33 million to scams. Elder fraud complaints increased 14% in 2023, with tech scams, personal data breaches, and romance scams—particularly the "grandparent scam"—leading the way, as scammers increasingly use urgency and fear tactics to pressure victims into sending money or revealing sensitive information. Experts recommend that seniors and their family members hang up immediately when pressured for banking information, gift cards, or cryptocurrency, as these are hallmarks of fraud.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
A 56-year-old Houston woman, Regina Lynn Thomas, and her 38-year-old son, Isaiah Thomas, were charged with defrauding an elderly couple of over $1 million through an elaborate scheme in which Regina posed as a nurse and convinced the victims they needed to pay for legal representation related to false FEMA fraud allegations. The defendants allegedly funneled the victims' payments into Isaiah's account and shared the proceeds, facing up to 20 years in federal prison and $250,000 fines per count if convicted.
pymnts.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, elder fraud complaints increased 14% with losses rising 11%, as individuals age 60+ reported 101,068 scams totaling $3.4 billion, averaging $33,915 per victim, according to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. Tech support scams were the most frequently reported fraud type (17,696 victims), while investment scams proved costliest at $1.2 billion in losses, followed by tech support scams ($590 million) and business email compromise scams ($382 million). The actual numbers are believed to be significantly higher due to underreporting and incomplete victim age data in crime reports.
wsfa.com
· 2025-12-08
A 36-year-old Montgomery man, Nicholas Allen, was sentenced to 64 months in state prison for financial exploitation of the elderly, securities fraud, and theft after defrauding multiple elderly victims of over $200,000 through misrepresentations and solicitations. Allen's state sentence runs concurrently with a 76-month federal sentence imposed in February 2024, and he was ordered to pay approximately $370,000 in restitution and permanently barred from the securities industry in Alabama.
wvua23.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers stole more than $3.4 billion from Americans over age 60 last year, representing an 11% increase from the prior year, according to an FBI report. The FBI received over 100,000 complaints from older victims, with nearly 6,000 losing more than $100,000 each, and investigators warn of rising sophistication in schemes including tech support scams, romance fraud, investment fraud, and in-person courier pickups of cash and precious metals. The losses may be significantly underreported, and experts caution that these crimes can leave elderly victims financially devastated and destitute.
winchesterstar.com
· 2025-12-08
An FBI report revealed that scammers stole over $94 million from Virginia residents over age 60 in 2023, representing a 56% increase from the prior year and moving the state into the top 10 nationally for elder fraud losses. Tech support fraud was the most commonly reported scam type, with victims over 60 losing more than all other age groups combined, some resorting to remortgaging homes and emptying retirement accounts to cover losses. The significant increase has been partially attributed to increased virtual activities and isolation following the COVID-19 pandemic, with experts noting that many cases go unreported to law enforcement.
wpxi.com
· 2025-12-08
A business owner lost $125,000 in a Publisher's Clearing House prize scam involving cashier's checks, while another victim was manipulated into converting $28,000 to cryptocurrency via Coinstar machines; police note that perpetrators often operate internationally, making prosecution difficult. To protect themselves, people should hang up on unusual calls, never share personal or account information with unknown contacts, and avoid clicking links in unsolicited emails or texts.
nbcphiladelphia.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scammers stole $1.1 billion from consumers in 2023, targeting people across all backgrounds through classic manipulation tactics. NBC10 reporter Tracy Davidson documented her interaction with a scammer posing as "James Williams," a military surgeon supposedly working for the United Nations in Syria, who built trust over two weeks before requesting $14,000 in bitcoin to fund a fake vacation certificate—a scheme involving fake UN emails, money mules, and grammatical red flags that Secret Service investigators confirmed followed standard romance scam protocols. The article illustrates how scammers operate as organized operations using multiple identities and aliases, targeting lonely individuals through relationship-building techniques before requesting money.
click2houston.com
· 2025-12-08
Cryptocurrency investment scams—often initiated through dating apps, LinkedIn, or text messages—have caused over $82.7 million in losses across the Houston area in the last 16 months, with the FBI receiving new reports approximately weekly. Scammers build romantic relationships with victims over weeks or months, then convince them to invest in fake cryptocurrency schemes that show fraudulent gains; one Harris County man lost over $800,000 after being lured through a dating app. Once funds are transferred, most money moves overseas within minutes to southeast Asia and west Africa, making recovery extremely difficult, though one victim was ordered restitution of less than 20 percent of his losses.
abc7ny.com
· 2025-12-08
People over 60 lost $3.4 billion to scams in 2023, representing an 11% increase from 2022, with 101,068 complaints filed—a 14% rise—and an average loss of $33,915 per victim, according to the FBI's 2023 Elder Fraud Report. Tech support fraud was the most common scam type targeting seniors, while investment scams caused the greatest financial losses at over $1.2 billion; the FBI urged financial institutions to strengthen protections and victims to report losses quickly, noting that scammers often operate from call centers in India, Western Africa, Laos, and Cambodia.
timberjay.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center reported a 14% increase in elder fraud complaints in 2023, with financial losses exceeding $3.4 billion and an average victim loss of $33,915. Over 101,000 seniors aged 60+ reported fraud to IC3, with investment scams, tech support scams, and romance scams being among the most common schemes, while cryptocurrency scams affected over 12,000 seniors. The report notes that actual fraud rates are likely higher due to underreporting, and scammers are increasingly using artificial intelligence to create convincing deepfakes and chatbots to target elderly victims.
nypost.com
· 2025-12-08
Baby Boomers lost over $3.4 billion to fraud in 2023, with the FBI receiving more than 100,000 complaints from Americans over 60—an 11% surge from the previous year. The most common scams involved phone calls from fraudsters impersonating tech support or banking officials, tricking victims into transferring funds to fake accounts, liquidating assets for gold, or using courier services and cryptocurrency transfers, with some victims losing over $100,000 and becoming destitute. The actual financial losses are likely higher, as only half of reported complaints included victim age data, and these schemes have expanded to include dangerous in-person courier pickups.
news4jax.com
· 2025-12-08
Online vehicle scams have increased significantly, with reports rising to 256 cases in 2023, affecting predominantly buyers aged 45 and above who account for over three-quarters of victims. Scammers employ multiple tactics including listing non-existent vehicles on fake or real websites, creating fraudulent vehicle history lookup sites (up 30% in 2023), and impersonating dealerships—particularly targeting high-end classic car buyers—often using fake escrow companies to steal money before disappearing. The BBB advises consumers to view vehicles in person before purchasing and avoid sending money through payment services to unknown sellers.
murrayledger.com
· 2025-12-08
At least two people in Calloway County, Kentucky fell victim to an impersonation scam over the weekend in which fraudsters posed as sheriff's deputies and claimed victims had missed jury duty and had active arrest warrants, demanding immediate payment via electronic transfer, wire services, or Bitcoin to avoid arrest. One victim lost approximately $900. Sheriff Nicky Knight emphasized that legitimate law enforcement will never solicit money over the phone or in person for warrants or charges, and warned that scammers are becoming more sophisticated by spoofing official phone numbers and using publicly available information to appear credible.
wisbusiness.com
· 2025-12-08
Moving scams cost victims a median of $350 in 2023, with the Better Business Bureau receiving 5,918 complaints against moving companies that year. Common scams include no-shows, unexpected upcharges, weight-based extra fees, and theft of belongings or hostage-holding for additional payment. To protect themselves, consumers should verify a company's licensing and insurance, avoid large upfront payments, get all terms in writing, maintain an inventory of belongings, and check the company's FMCSA and DOT numbers before hiring.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
U.S. seniors over 60 experienced record elder fraud losses of $3.4 billion across over 101,000 reported complaints in 2023, with a 14% increase from 2022, according to an FBI report. Investment scams, tech support scams, romance scams, and "grandparent scams" were identified as the most costly schemes, with individual victims losing over $100,000 in some cases. The FBI urged financial institutions to implement stronger safeguards and emphasized that early reporting and public education are critical to preventing victims from completing fraudulent transfers.
usatoday.com
· 2025-12-08
Sixteen people were charged in connection with a "grandparent scam" that defrauded hundreds of older Americans across the Northeast out of millions of dollars between January 2019 and December 2023. Scammers operating call centers in the Dominican Republic used spoofed phone numbers to call elderly victims, impersonating distressed grandchildren or relatives needing bail money, then posed as attorneys and officials to extract payments via couriers or mail. The charges carry penalties up to 20 years in prison, with elder fraud complaints rising 14% nationally and victims losing an average of $33,915 each in 2023.
foxbusiness.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, Americans over 60 lost more than $3.4 billion to fraud schemes, with 101,068 complaints filed—an 11% increase from 2022—according to an FBI report compiled by the Internet Crime Complaint Center. Tech support scams were the most common fraud type targeting this age group, followed by personal data breaches, romance scams, and investment fraud, with investment crimes alone costing victims over $1.2 billion. Cryptocurrency was involved in $1.1 billion of losses, while the FBI noted these figures likely underestimate actual fraud against seniors since only about half of all complaints included age data.
northjersey.com
· 2025-12-08
Sixteen individuals were charged in a "grandparent scam" that defrauded hundreds of elderly people in the Northeast out of millions of dollars by impersonating their relatives and claiming they needed bail money for legal emergencies. The sophisticated scheme involved "openers" making initial contact, "closers" impersonating lawyers or police officers, couriers collecting cash from victims' homes, and dispatchers operating a call center in the Dominican Republic that used technology to spoof U.S. phone numbers. Of the 16 charged, 11 were from the Dominican Republic and 5 from New York areas, facing charges including wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering conspiracy.