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in Money Mules / Laundering
itwire.com
· 2026-06-22
Online fraud victims in St. Louis and beyond are increasingly turning to lawsuits to recover losses from scams—particularly romance and investment schemes that use fake dashboards and emotional manipulation to extract money through escalating wire transfers and cryptocurrency purchases. These "pig butchering" and investment grooming frauds typically involve scammers building trust with victims over time, then blocking withdrawals and demanding fake "taxes" or compliance fees before victims realize the gains were fabricated. Affected individuals are pursuing legal action to identify liable parties (including financial platforms that routed funds) and recover damages after traditional dispute methods fail, so victims should document all communications, transaction records, and warning signs they missed, and consult with a lawyer experienced in fraud recovery to understand their options.
aol.com
· 2026-06-21
Sam Little, a former contestant on BBC's The Traitors, lost his entire £40,000 life savings to a phishing scam after receiving fake text messages from what appeared to be his bank, which led him to unknowingly grant scammers access to his cryptocurrency account. According to UK statistics, 4.6 million people fall victim to cybercrime and fraud annually, with cases increasing 31% between 2024 and 2025. To protect yourself, be wary of unexpected messages claiming urgent account issues and remember that legitimate banks will never ask you to log into accounts during calls, and avoid keeping large sums in cryptocurrency without proper security measures.
cryptopolitan.com
· 2026-06-21
Cryptocurrency fraud has become the leading cybercrime category in America, with victims losing over $11 billion last year, particularly affecting elderly Americans and residents of California, Florida, and Texas through investment scams and fake platforms. FBI Director Kash Patel has warned crypto fraudsters that law enforcement will pursue them across borders by following money trails and leveraging international partnerships, with recent successes including 300 arrests in Dubai and recovery of over $500 million in illicit assets. People should be especially cautious of unsolicited investment opportunities involving cryptocurrency, verify platforms through official channels before depositing funds, and report suspected scams to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
mexc.com
· 2026-06-21
FBI Director Kash Patel has warned cryptocurrency fraudsters that law enforcement will pursue and prosecute them, as crypto-related scams have become the dominant form of cybercrime in America—with Americans losing over $11 billion to digital asset fraud last year alone, particularly affecting elderly citizens and residents in California, Florida, and Texas. The FBI is intensifying efforts by following money trails and partnering with foreign governments, recently freezing over 3,000 illicit crypto wallets and recovering more than $500 million in stolen assets. To protect yourself, be extremely cautious of unsolicited investment opportunities involving cryptocurrency, verify the legitimacy of platforms before depositing funds, and never send money to unknown parties or click links from unsolicited messages.
en.bloomingbit.io
· 2026-06-20
FBI Director Kash Patel has pledged to aggressively pursue cryptocurrency fraudsters, stating the bureau will find and prosecute offenders involved in crypto-related crimes. Recent enforcement efforts by the FBI and Department of Justice have targeted investment fraud, romance scams, and money laundering schemes involving digital assets. While regulators are cracking down on fraud, they're simultaneously working to support legitimate cryptocurrency industry growth.
bitdefender.com
· 2026-06-20
Cybercrime in Asia and the South Pacific has grown so rapidly that it now rivals traditional crime, with organized scam operations accounting for over 30% of all recorded crime in more than half of surveyed countries. The threats are evolving fast—criminals are increasingly using AI, ransomware, sophisticated phishing schemes, and infostealer malware to steal credentials and launch attacks on digital banking and financial platforms. To protect yourself, be wary of phishing emails, use strong unique passwords, enable multi-factor authentication, and avoid clicking suspicious links or downloading unexpected files.
livemint.com
· 2026-06-20
Former MP Naresh Gujral lost ₹7.8 crore when scammers impersonated him on a messaging app and tricked his company's CFO into making four wire transfers over four days in June. The fraud was discovered by Gujral's daughter when she noticed suspicious transactions, and she quickly contacted cybercrime authorities who managed to freeze ₹4.28 crore of the stolen funds. To protect yourself, verify any urgent financial requests directly with the person through a known contact method, be cautious of messages requesting large transfers, and monitor your company accounts for unauthorized activity.
yahoo.com
· 2026-06-19
A young man named Richie from Lagos, Nigeria, who had a difficult childhood marked by parental separation and family conflict, eventually became involved in romance scams targeting older women—a scheme detailed in a new book about Nigerian scammers. The excerpt traces his path from working as an underpaid baker's apprentice at age 16 to his later involvement in fraud, illustrating how economic hardship and personal circumstances can lead people into criminal activities. For protection, people—especially older adults—should be cautious about online relationships with individuals they've never met in person, verify claims through independent research, and be wary of requests for money or personal financial information.
bitdefender.com
· 2026-06-19
The "Muse Scam" targets social media users by posing as artists who offer payment for using victims' photos in art projects. Scammers send fake checks for more than the promised amount, then ask victims to wire back the "overpayment" for supplies or fees—by the time the check bounces, the victim's real money is already gone to the scammer. To protect yourself, never wire money based on a check deposit and verify large payments directly with your bank before transferring funds elsewhere.
iomtoday.co.im
· 2026-06-17
Asian scam rings exploited lax oversight of the Isle of Man's online gambling sector to run fraudulent "pig butchering" schemes that defrauded victims, particularly in China, of millions of dollars. A Bloomberg investigation reveals that government regulators were "dangerously inattentive" and failed to act on multiple warning signs, with a major police raid on King Gaming's offices in 2024 uncovering the operation. To protect yourself, be cautious of unsolicited investment or gambling opportunities, verify the legitimacy of gaming platforms through official regulatory bodies, and never send money to unknown contacts promoting financial schemes online.
irs.gov
· 2026-06-17
The IRS Criminal Investigation division is warning of a sharp rise in fraud targeting elderly Americans, with 161 new cases opened in the past 18 months and over $885 million in alleged fraud from 2021-2026. Common schemes involve criminals using deceptive tactics to steal money and personal information from seniors, with nearly 97% of prosecuted cases resulting in convictions and average prison sentences of four years. Older adults and their family members are encouraged to stay vigilant, report suspected fraud to their local IRS Criminal Investigation office, and not feel embarrassed about falling victim to these increasingly sophisticated scams.
pymnts.com
· 2026-06-17
Google filed a civil lawsuit against Outsider Enterprise, a China-based criminal network accused of using AI tools like Gemini to mass-produce phishing websites at an unprecedented scale—creating over 9,000 fake sites and 1.5 million fraudulent URLs designed to steal banking credentials and personal data. The scam primarily targeted Android users through deceptive text messages mimicking bank alerts and package deliveries, with the operation generating more than two complaints per minute during peak activity. To protect yourself, be suspicious of unsolicited texts from banks or delivery services, never click links in these messages, and instead contact companies directly using verified phone numbers or official apps to confirm any alerts.
siliconcanals.com
· 2026-06-16
In October 2025, the US Justice Department seized 127,271 bitcoin (worth $15 billion) in what it called the largest asset seizure in its history—coins that had sat untouched on the blockchain for five years with no police reports or public filings. The bitcoin is allegedly connected to Chen Zhi, a Cambodian businessman accused of running forced-labor scam operations across Southeast Asia alongside his legitimate business conglomerate, Prince Group. The case is unusual because such a massive theft typically generates immediate police reports and regulatory filings, but this one unfolded in complete silence, making the absence of any public reporting itself a key part of the investigation.
analyticsinsight.net
· 2026-06-16
As cryptocurrency use grows worldwide, so do crypto-related scams—including pig butchering schemes, rug pulls, exchange hacks, and Ponzi schemes—leaving victims needing specialized legal help beyond traditional services. Affected individuals and businesses require a combination of blockchain forensic analysis, asset tracing, legal expertise, and international regulatory knowledge to recover losses and navigate the complex digital asset landscape. When facing crypto fraud, victims should seek out law firms with proven experience in cryptocurrency disputes, blockchain investigations, and cross-border asset recovery rather than attempting to resolve these issues alone.
asiaone.com
· 2026-06-16
A 70-year-old man in Singapore was targeted by scammers impersonating government officials and a Harvey Norman employee, who convinced him he was involved in money laundering and tricked him into transferring $17,000 as "protection money." He recovered the full amount after quickly reporting the scam to police and contacting his bank to freeze the account, with additional help from local authorities and his MP. The key takeaway: if government officials ask you to transfer money or give bank access over the phone, it's a scam—contact police and your bank immediately rather than complying out of fear.
citizen.co.za
· 2026-06-16
A financial manager in Middelburg was targeted by sophisticated scammers who impersonated her bank (Absa) via WhatsApp and phone calls, tricking her into approving electronic transfers during a nearly four-hour call, resulting in over R21.5 million being drained from business accounts. The money was traced across a network of accounts, and a court has frozen the funds following an investigation by the Financial Intelligence Centre. To protect yourself, be wary of unsolicited bank alerts, never approve links or transactions based on incoming calls (legitimate banks won't ask you to do this), and contact your bank directly using a known number if you're unsure about suspicious activity claims.
floridapolitics.com
· 2026-06-15
Florida seniors face growing threats from sophisticated cybercriminals using AI, cryptocurrency, and the dark web to commit identity theft and financial fraud. While Congress considers the CLARITY Act to help law enforcement combat these crimes, the author warns that the bill contains problematic exemptions that would allow certain cryptocurrency intermediaries to avoid the anti-money laundering oversight that traditional banks must follow, potentially making it easier for criminals to hide their tracks. The recommendation is for Congress to strengthen the bill by removing these exemptions and requiring crypto platforms to meet the same transparency and reporting standards as banks in order to better protect vulnerable seniors.
spacedaily.com
· 2026-06-15
"Pig butchering" is a sophisticated scam where criminals pose as romantic interests or investment advisors, building trust over weeks or months before convincing victims to invest in fake cryptocurrency accounts that show impressive returns until the scammers disappear with the money. The FBI reported over $5.8 billion in losses from this type of fraud in 2024 alone, with victims typically being contacted through fake "accidental" text messages that initiate seemingly genuine relationships. To protect yourself, be skeptical of unsolicited messages from strangers, never invest based on advice from people you've only met online, and verify investment platforms through official regulatory agencies before sending any money.
deccanherald.com
· 2026-06-14
Cybercriminals are shifting from the dark web to mainstream social media platforms like Telegram, WhatsApp, Facebook, and Instagram to conduct scams more easily, with Karnataka police dismantling hundreds of suspicious groups in 2025. The most prevalent scam is "pig butchering," where fraudsters create fake investment groups promising returns of 500-1,000% to lure victims into cryptocurrency and stock market schemes. To protect yourself, be skeptical of unsolicited investment offers on social media, verify that investment firms are legitimate through official channels, and avoid joining unfamiliar groups or clicking links from unknown contacts.
newsghana.com.gh
· 2026-06-14
Moroccan police arrested a 40-year-old Ghanaian man at Casablanca airport based on a US-backed Interpol warrant alleging he operated an online romance scam targeting victims in the US, Ghana, and other countries by building fake relationships to steal money. The arrest reflects a broader crackdown on West African romance fraud networks, with an Interpol operation across 14 African countries making 260 arrests last year, including 68 in Ghana. To protect yourself, be cautious of online romantic interests who quickly ask for money, verify identities through video calls, and never send funds to strangers or international accounts for personal reasons.
businessday.ng
· 2026-06-13
Carlos Barragán's book "The Yahoo Boys" documents the reality of romance scams through the stories of Nigerian scammers like "Biggy," who earned approximately $30,000 over a decade by posing as women online to build trust with lonely victims—primarily men in the United States—before requesting money through fabricated emergencies. The book reveals how these scams operate through patience and emotional manipulation rather than single large thefts, affecting vulnerable people seeking genuine connections while showing the economic desperation that drives perpetrators in Lagos. To protect yourself, be cautious of online romantic interests who quickly build intimacy, request money for emergencies, or resist video calls, and verify identities through reverse image searches before developing emotional or financial commitments.
pulse.com.gh
· 2026-06-13
A 40-year-old Ghanaian man was arrested in Morocco after being flagged by Interpol as wanted by U.S. authorities for allegedly operating an international romance scam that targeted victims in the United States, Ghana, and other countries. The scheme involved creating fake online romantic relationships to manipulate victims into sending money, and the suspect is also accused of laundering millions of dollars from the fraud through complex international bank transfers. To protect yourself, be cautious of unsolicited romantic connections online, especially from people who quickly ask for money or claim to need financial help—verify identities through video calls and never send money to people you haven't met in person.
salazar.house.gov
· 2026-06-12
Lawmakers have introduced bipartisan legislation to combat crypto ATM scams that cost Americans over $333 million in 2025, with seniors age 60 and older accounting for more than 85% of losses. The Stop Crypto ATM Scams Act would establish new safeguards, strengthen transparency requirements for crypto ATM operators, and give law enforcement better tools to investigate and prosecute these crimes. If you're a senior or helping elderly relatives manage finances, be wary of unsolicited requests to withdraw money and transfer it via cryptocurrency ATMs, and report suspected scams to the FBI immediately.
valdostatoday.com
· 2026-06-12
The IRS is warning seniors about a surge in financial fraud, with losses reaching $7.748 billion in 2025—a 59% increase from the previous year. Older adults are targeted through various schemes including government impersonation, fake investments, identity theft, and romance scams across phone calls, email, and social media. To protect themselves, seniors should verify any unexpected contact through official phone numbers and never send money via gift cards or wire transfers to unknown parties.
mcguirewoods.com
· 2026-06-12
McGuireWoods law firm partners examined how cryptocurrency assets pose national security risks including theft by state-sponsored actors (such as North Korea's Lazarus Group, which stole approximately $2 billion in 2025), sanctions evasion, money laundering, and ransomware attacks. The authors noted that while crypto presents novel risks derived from blockchain technology, many can be addressed through traditional financial compliance methods combined with new technological tools, public-private partnerships, and legislation like the GENIUS Act. To protect themselves, individuals and organizations should implement robust compliance programs, stay informed about emerging threats, and support coordinated law enforcement efforts to combat cryptocurrency-related crimes.
tech-ish.com
· 2026-06-12
Kenyan consumers lost significant money to digital fraud in 2025, with nearly 40% of reported losses coming from scams on legitimate shopping platforms where fraudsters pose as third-party sellers and disappear after taking payment. While Kenya's overall fraud rate (2.3%) is below the global average, victims here suffer the highest median losses in Africa at over 108,000 Kenyan shillings. Consumers should be cautious when buying from individual sellers on trusted platforms—verify seller credentials, use secure payment methods, and check reviews before completing transactions.
bitdefender.com
· 2026-06-10
Scams now cost consumers and economies over $450 billion annually—equivalent to the GDP of entire developed nations—and have evolved into a sophisticated, borderless underground economy operating across multiple channels including websites, SMS, WhatsApp, social media, and phone calls. Victims of all types are targeted through diverse methods like fake ads, phishing messages, and fraudulent investment platforms, making it increasingly difficult to avoid scams through a single channel. To protect yourself, stay vigilant across all communication platforms, verify requests for personal or financial information independently, avoid clicking links in unsolicited messages, and report suspicious activity to relevant authorities.
newsweek.com
· 2026-06-10
The FBI released an updated list of most-wanted fraudsters accused of schemes costing victims tens of millions to over $1 billion, including healthcare fraud, investment scams, mortgage fraud, and money laundering. Notable cases include Herbert Leon Kimble, who allegedly orchestrated a $1.2 billion Medicare fraud scheme using call centers to push unnecessary orthopedic braces, and Michael Lizaso Marasigan, accused of stealing over $10.7 million from a charitable bingo operation meant to fund children's medical programs. The FBI is asking the public to report any information about these suspects, emphasizing that citizens are crucial to locating fugitives and that even small details can help investigators.
sg.news.yahoo.com
· 2026-06-10
Since February, scammers in Singapore have stolen at least $1.7 million from victims by posing as Microsoft tech support through fake pop-up alerts that claim devices have been hacked. Victims are tricked into calling fraudulent support numbers, then transferred to scammers impersonating police officers who convince them to transfer money or grant remote access to their bank accounts. To protect yourself, remember that Microsoft never includes phone numbers in alerts—ignore suspicious pop-ups, don't click links within them, and verify any support requests directly through Microsoft's official channels.
yahoo.com
· 2026-06-09
An Ohio man lost over $416,000 in a romance scam after meeting a woman named "Aggie Gonzales" online who asked him to help pay for medical equipment and hospital bills; the scammers used fake documents, emotional messages from supposed doctors, and a fraudulent cryptocurrency investment platform to keep him sending money. Kenny Osas Okuonghae, 38, from New Jersey, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for his role in laundering the stolen money from this and other internet scams. To protect yourself: be extremely skeptical of online relationships asking for financial help, verify medical claims independently, never invest through unsolicited platforms promising unusually high returns (like 10% monthly), and avoid sending money through cryptocurrency or wire transfers to unknown people.
telegraph.co.uk
· 2026-06-09
Nigerian romance scammers are defrauding lonely people in Western countries out of billions of dollars by creating fake online personas and building emotional connections before requesting money or valuables. The article follows the case of Silvia Barragan, a 56-year-old dentist who nearly fell victim to a scammer posing as an American soldier before her sons discovered the emails were originating from Lagos, Nigeria. To protect yourself, be cautious of online dating matches who quickly profess deep feelings, avoid sending money or valuables to anyone you haven't met in person, and use verification tools to check the geographic origin of suspicious communications.
the420.in
· 2026-06-08
"Pig Butchering" is a financial scam originating from organized crime syndicates that targets Indian tech professionals, retirees, and homemakers by building false trust over weeks through fake messages and fabricated luxury lifestyles before convincing victims to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency or forex trading apps. The scam typically begins with a deliberate "wrong number" text on WhatsApp or LinkedIn, followed by the scammer moving the conversation to encrypted messaging platforms to avoid detection while establishing emotional dependency. To protect yourself, be cautious of unsolicited messages from strangers, verify any investment opportunities independently before sending money, never trust overly curated luxury lifestyle claims, and report suspicious financial schemes to local authorities or cybercrime units immediately.
uk.news.yahoo.com
· 2026-06-07
Federal prosecutors charged five defendants with operating a romance scam that defrauded over 130 older Americans of more than $15 million between July 2024 and April 2026 by using AI-generated videos and fake female personas on dating websites to build trust before requesting wire transfers. The victims were targeted on dating and social media platforms with fabricated stories, and the stolen money was funneled to accounts controlled by the defendants, primarily based in Ghana. To protect yourself, be cautious of online dating matches who quickly profess feelings, refuse video calls with real-time interaction, or ask for money—especially wire transfers—and verify identities through independent means before sending any funds.
wpgtalkradio.com
· 2026-06-06
A New Jersey man was sentenced to 51 months in prison for laundering over $1.2 million obtained from various internet scams between 2019 and 2023, including "pig butchering" schemes where scammers build fake romantic relationships to manipulate victims into fraudulent investments. Okuonghae used multiple bank accounts across seven different banks to move the stolen money, and victims of romance scams, rental fraud, and investment schemes were affected. To protect yourself, be cautious of online relationships that quickly turn to investment opportunities, verify rental listings independently, and never send money to people you've only met online.
aol.com
· 2026-06-06
A 38-year-old Edison man was sentenced to 51 months in prison for laundering approximately $1.3 million in proceeds from internet scams between 2019 and 2023, including rental scams, romance scams, and "pig butchering" schemes—where victims are lured into fake romantic relationships and persuaded to invest in fraudulent ventures. The defendant opened multiple bank accounts to facilitate the transfer of criminal money, highlighting how scammers rely on accomplices to move stolen funds. To protect yourself, be cautious of unsolicited romantic connections online and investment opportunities from people you've only met digitally, verify rental listings through official channels, and never wire money to unfamiliar bank accounts.
ewn.co.za
· 2026-06-06
Four suspects, including a Real Housewives of Cape Town cast member, have been convicted of running a romance scam that defrauded two women (one American and one Canadian) of R3.2 million by creating fake dating profiles posing as an American engineer and laundering the stolen money through various bank accounts, including a church account. The suspects are set to be sentenced on Friday, with one suspect having absconded while on bail, causing the others' bail to be revoked and resulting in their imprisonment since their March conviction. General advice for avoiding such scams includes being cautious of online romantic connections with people claiming to need money, verifying the identity of people you meet online, and never sending money to strangers, especially those you've only met digitally.
irs.gov
· 2026-06-05
A Jamaican national named Jordan Trought has pleaded guilty to leading an international sweepstakes scam that defrauded over 200 elderly American victims of more than $9 million between 2015 and 2025. The scheme involved scammers calling or texting victims claiming they had won money and prizes, then convincing them to pay "taxes" or "fees" upfront and in some cases gaining access to their bank accounts to steal additional funds. To protect yourself, be cautious of unsolicited calls or texts about sweepstakes winnings, never pay upfront fees to claim a prize, and verify any legitimate prize claims by contacting the official company directly.
tradingview.com
· 2026-06-05
Polish and Ukrainian authorities shut down a major forex fraud scheme operating through fake call centers, arresting 23 suspects and affecting at least 2,000 investors who lost a minimum of 80 million Polish zlotys. The scammers operated fake trading platforms that simulated investment growth while redirecting deposited funds to themselves. To protect yourself, be skeptical of unsolicited investment offers, verify that brokers are properly licensed and regulated, and never send money to platforms you cannot independently verify.
financemagnates.com
· 2026-06-05
Polish and Ukrainian authorities shut down three call centers operating a fake forex trading scheme that defrauded thousands of investors who believed they were making legitimate currency trades. The organized crime group behind the scam operated fake investment platforms and simulated trades rather than conducting real ones, resulting in multiple arrests and asset seizures. Investors should be cautious of unsolicited investment offers and verify that any forex broker is properly licensed and regulated before sending money.
justice.gov
· 2026-06-04
During "Disruption Week," a coordinated effort between the U.S. Department of Justice and private tech companies, authorities disrupted millions of fraudulent social media and email accounts operated by organized crime groups in Southeast Asia that were targeting American victims with cryptocurrency and investment scams. The operation resulted in freezing over $3.8 million in stolen cryptocurrency and removed criminal networks from major U.S. internet platforms. To protect yourself, remain vigilant about unsolicited investment offers, verify the legitimacy of online financial opportunities, and report suspected fraud to authorities immediately.
lovinmalta.com
· 2026-06-04
A Maltese resident lost approximately €18 million in a romance scam orchestrated by Nigerian criminals, with a mother-daughter duo arrested for allegedly receiving and laundering the stolen funds through multiple bank accounts. The scam involved identity theft and computer fraud, with a third suspect still at large. To protect yourself, be cautious of online relationships that quickly turn romantic or involve requests for money, verify identities through video calls, and never send funds to people you haven't met in person.
iol.co.za
· 2026-06-04
Scammers are using high-pressure video calls where they impersonate police officers and falsely accuse victims of serious crimes—such as drug trafficking or sexual assault—to pressure them into sending money under the guise of "security checks." A 50-year-old woman in Stellenbosch lost nearly R10,000 after being terrorized into believing she was a wanted drug lord, only to realize the money would never be returned. To protect yourself, be aware that legitimate police will never contact you via video call demanding immediate payment, and verify any such claims by contacting your local police station directly using an official phone number.
globalcryptopress.com
· 2026-06-01
Federal authorities seized approximately $8 billion in cryptocurrency in "Operation Blackout," the largest crypto forfeiture in U.S. history, disrupting an international scam network operating from compounds in Cambodia that had stolen funds from American bank accounts and resulted in nearly 300 arrests and the rescue of about 2,000 trafficking victims. The seized funds were primarily connected to romance and friendship scams, where victims are lured through text messages or social media and tricked into depositing cryptocurrency into fraudulent trading platforms. To protect yourself, be cautious of unsolicited contact from strangers online, verify investment opportunities through official channels before sending money, and never deposit funds into platforms you cannot independently verify as legitimate.
cryptorank.io
· 2026-06-01
The FBI dismantled a massive cryptocurrency fraud network operating across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and the UAE, seizing over $8 billion in assets including 127,000 bitcoin linked to Cambodian businessman Chen Zhi. The criminal operation combined online investment and romance scams with human trafficking and money laundering, affecting victims worldwide and resulting in the rescue of nearly 2,000 trafficked workers. To protect yourself, be wary of unsolicited investment opportunities and romantic advances online, verify the legitimacy of investment platforms before sending money, and report suspicious activity to authorities.
aol.com
· 2026-06-01
A 20-year-old named Marlon Ferro was sentenced to 6.5 years in prison for his role in an international cryptocurrency theft ring that stole $263 million from victims over two years. The sophisticated crime operation used various tactics including phishing, hacking, impersonation, and burglary—with Ferro specializing in physically breaking into homes to steal hardware wallets containing cryptocurrency. To protect yourself, use strong security measures for crypto accounts, enable two-factor authentication, store assets in secure offline wallets, and be skeptical of unsolicited investment opportunities or calls from people claiming to be government officials.
startupfortune.com
· 2026-05-31
The FBI seized approximately $8 billion in cryptocurrency from an international scam network that used online investment fraud, romance scams, and fake trading platforms to defraud victims at scale, marking the largest cryptocurrency forfeiture in U.S. history with hundreds of arrests. The operation is significant because it shows law enforcement is now targeting the infrastructure behind "pig-butchering" fraud schemes rather than just investigating after victims report losses. To protect yourself, be wary of unsolicited contact offering investment opportunities, never use unknown trading platforms, and verify investment platforms through official channels before sending money.
timesnownews.com
· 2026-05-30
Romance scams, where fraudsters pose as attractive strangers online and build emotional relationships to extract money, cost Japan ¥324.11 billion in 2025 alone, with romance scams accounting for ¥55.22 billion across thousands of cases. The scam typically begins with a wrong-number message that evolves into an attentive, patient relationship over weeks, after which the victim is manipulated into sending large sums of money; this pattern is now rapidly spreading to Indian cities like Pune, Lucknow, and Surat. To protect yourself, be wary of unsolicited messages from strangers, verify identities through video calls or in-person meetings before trusting someone, and never send money to people you haven't met in person.
foxnews.com
· 2026-05-30
The FBI seized a record $8 billion in cryptocurrency and arrested hundreds of suspects during "Operation Blackout," a major crackdown on international scam compounds and organized crime groups that targeted Americans with online fraud schemes. The operation, which included the arrest of Cambodian Prince Holding Group CEO Chen Zhi, dismantled criminal enterprises across Asia, Africa, and the Middle East that stole millions from U.S. victims and trafficked workers. To protect yourself, remain vigilant about unsolicited online offers, verify the legitimacy of investment opportunities and contacts before sending money, and report suspected scams to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
bleepingcomputer.com
· 2026-05-30
A North Carolina man was sentenced to over 10 years in prison for selling the personal information of more than 7 million elderly Americans to Jamaican scammers between 2016 and 2023, earning over $5.2 million while victims lost at least $9.5 million to lottery fraud schemes. Elderly Americans aged 60 and older are increasingly targeted by scammers, with over 200,000 fraud complaints filed in 2025 alone—a 37% increase from the previous year. To protect yourself, be cautious about unsolicited lottery or prize notifications, never share personal information with unknown callers, and report suspicious activity to local law enforcement or the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
the420.in
· 2026-05-30
Troy Murray, a North Carolina man, was sentenced to over 10 years in prison for selling the personal data of more than 7 million elderly Americans to scammers between 2016 and 2023, resulting in over $9.5 million in victim losses from lottery fraud schemes. Murray sold detailed lead lists containing names, phone numbers, and addresses to scammers primarily in Jamaica, earning hundreds of thousands of dollars annually until wire services blocked him and he switched to accepting prepaid gift cards. Elderly Americans should be cautious of unsolicited lottery or prize notifications, verify any winnings through official channels before sharing personal information, and report suspicious calls or messages to authorities.