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moneywise.com
· 2026-08-30
Daejon Labrayae Love and Taylor Jamie Chan allegedly defrauded 26 women of $1.3 million through a romance and investment scam, with Love posing as an NFL player or wealthy real estate investor on social media and convincing victims to invest in fictitious opportunities. The scam, known as "pig butchering," targeted women across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California, with both men arrested in Boise and charged with wire fraud conspiracy.
nationalinsightnews.com
· 2026-08-30
Oluwasegun Baiyewu, a 40-year-old Nigerian national based in Houston, was sentenced to 95 months in prison for leading a money laundering conspiracy involving over $3.1 million in fraud proceeds from 2020-2021. The scheme involved at least six co-conspirators who used illicit funds from business email compromise, romance scams, and unemployment insurance fraud to purchase vehicles in the United States for export to Nigeria, including one case where a Puerto Rican renewable energy company was defrauded of approximately $280,000.
focusonafrica.info
· 2026-08-30
Operation Jackal IV, a coordinated international law enforcement effort involving 22 countries, resulted in 58 arrests and the seizure of $2.67 million in assets targeting West African criminal networks including Black Axe, which operate romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, and Business Email Compromise schemes. The eight-month investigation across six continents identified 263 additional suspects and disrupted extensive Crime-as-a-Service networks that provide logistical and money laundering support to cybercriminals globally.
teddington.nub.news
· 2026-08-30
Hu Xiaowei (alias Mr Wu), a high-ranking member of the Cambodian criminal group The Prince Group linked to romance scams, investment frauds, and forced labor, purchased Udney Park Playing Fields in Teddington for £35 million in 2022 but was arrested in Japan after being sanctioned by the US and UK. The 13-acre fields have remained unused for over a decade, and the Udney Park Community Fields Foundation is now urging Richmond Council to compulsorily purchase the site, as sanctions restrictions prevent any transfer without breaching Sanctions Law.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2026-08-30
Daejon Labrayae Love, 35, allegedly defrauded 26 women of $1.3 million by posing as a San Francisco 49ers player or wealthy real estate investor on social media, then convincing them to invest in fictitious opportunities with accomplice Taylor Jamie Chan. Love would forge romantic relationships with victims in Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California before directing them to fake investments that promised large returns, ultimately blocking them once their money ran out. Both men were arrested in Boise, Idaho and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud.
thestarnews.com
· 2026-08-30
Romance scammers in San Diego County are targeting victims by posing as romantic interests and financial mentors, convincing them to invest in foreign currency markets and cryptocurrency through fake platforms. California reported 2,593 romance and confidence scam victims in 2025 with losses exceeding $158.9 million, an increase from 2024's $112.4 million in losses. One victim lost hundreds of thousands of dollars after initially seeing $1,000 in profits on a $5,000 investment through a fraudulent dashboard operated by someone claiming to be a woman in Japan.
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.
pulse.ng
· 2026-08-30
A 35-year-old man was arrested in August 2024 for running a four-year romance and investment scam, posing as a San Francisco 49ers player to defraud 26 women of $1.3 million. He created a fake Instagram presence with photos of rented luxury cars and false bank statements, manipulated online search results to support his fabricated NFL career, and convinced victims to invest in non-existent schemes before disappearing with the funds. An 18-year-old accomplice posed as his financial advisor, and both face wire fraud charges carrying up to 20 years in prison.
emeraldbook.org
· 2026-08-30
Daejon Love, 35, and Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, were arrested in Boise, Idaho in August 2026 after scamming 26 women out of approximately $1.3 million through romance fraud on dating apps. The pair posed as wealthy NFL players and financial advisors, using fake social media profiles, fabricated banking screenshots, and AI-generated false information to build emotional connections and manipulate victims into transferring money and taking out loans for fake investments. Not a single victim recovered any funds, and the scheme exploited structural vulnerabilities in social media platforms and AI search engines that inadvertently validated their false identities.
fox17.com
· 2026-08-30
A man has been accused of running a romance scam impersonating a San Francisco 49ers player, defrauding victims of approximately $1.3 million. The suspect, identified as Daejon Love, used the fake identity to build romantic relationships and convince victims to send money. Video evidence has emerged showing the accused in connection with the scheme.
newsmakerslive.org
· 2026-08-30
A federal jury in Puerto Rico convicted Nigerian national Oluwasegun Baiyewu for his role in a money-laundering conspiracy that processed proceeds from romance scams, pandemic unemployment fraud, and business email compromise schemes targeting elderly and vulnerable Americans between 2020 and 2021. Baiyewu and four co-defendants laundered funds generated from victims across multiple states through hundreds of financial transactions, using some proceeds to purchase vehicles shipped to Nigeria. The case marks the fifth conviction in the conspiracy, with sentencing pending before U.S. District Judge Raúl M. Arias-Marxuach.
malaymail.com
· 2026-08-29
A family of four died at a Desa ParkCity condominium in Kuala Lumpur, with police investigating whether financial pressure from a RM260,000 loss due to a love scam and involvement in an illegal investment scheme prompted the 48-year-old father to kill his wife, two children, and himself. The wife had allegedly fallen victim to a romance scam, and relatives were aware of both the scam and the illegal investment entanglement before the deaths occurred.
newswav.com
· 2026-08-29
A family of four died at a Desa ParkCity condominium in Kuala Lumpur, with police investigating whether financial pressures from a RM260,000 (approximately USD 55,000) loss drove the 48-year-old father to kill his wife, two children, and himself. The couple had been victimized by both a love scam and an illegal investment scheme, with relatives aware of both financial entanglements. A note believed to have been left by the father was discovered at the scene, and police are continuing to investigate the circumstances surrounding the deaths.
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.
nypost.com
· 2026-08-29
Daejon Love, 35, allegedly stole $1.3 million from over 26 women across multiple states by impersonating a San Francisco 49ers wide receiver, creating an elaborate online persona using fake contract videos, custom 49ers gear, helmets, and social media posts over four years. Love and accomplice Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, were arrested at Boise Airport in August 2024 and charged with wire fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, with investigators believing there are additional victims beyond the identified 26.
crypto.news
· 2026-08-29
A 22-country INTERPOL operation arrested 58 suspects and identified 263 additional individuals involved in West African organized crime networks running romance scams, fake cryptocurrency investment schemes, and money laundering operations, resulting in $2.67 million seized. The eight-month Operation Jackal IV targeted criminal groups including Black Axe, with major enforcement actions in South Africa (39 arrests), Argentina (17 arrests), and Romania (11 arrests), dismantling call centers and Crime-as-a-Service networks that defrauded victims globally of approximately €143 million.
kucoin.com
· 2026-08-29
INTERPOL's Jackal IV operation, conducted across 22 countries from November 2025 to June 2026, resulted in 58 arrests and 263 identified suspects targeting online financial crimes including romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, and investment schemes. Major actions included South African police seizing $2.67 million from romance and investment scams targeting retirees, Argentine dismantling of a Crime-as-a-Service network with 17 arrests, and Romanian authorities shutting down an investment fraud syndicate. Italian authorities also identified a suspect involved in a €845,000 money laundering operation across Europe.
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.
saharareporters.com
· 2026-08-29
Oluwasegun Baiyewu, a 40-year-old Nigerian national residing in Houston, Texas, was sentenced to 95 months in prison for laundering over $3.1 million in fraud proceeds through a conspiracy involving business email compromise, romance scams, and unemployment insurance fraud between May 2020 and October 2021. Baiyewu led a network of at least six co-conspirators across the U.S. and Nigeria who used encrypted messaging to coordinate the purchase of used and salvaged vehicles in America, which were then exported to Nigeria to convert the illicit proceeds into physical assets. The scheme included laundering approximately $280,000 stolen from a Puerto R
newsmobile.in
· 2026-08-29
A 35-year-old man and his 18-year-old accomplice were arrested in Idaho for allegedly posing as a San Francisco 49ers player on dating apps to defraud 26 women of approximately $1.3 million through romance scams and fake investment schemes. The perpetrators used fake identities, social media photos, and false promises of romantic relationships and investment returns to manipulate victims across California, Idaho, Washington, and Oregon, then disappeared once victims ran out of money. Authorities believe there may be additional unreported victims and continue investigating the scheme.
bantugazette.com
· 2026-08-29
Interpol's African Cyberthreat Assessment Report warns that artificial intelligence is enabling criminals to create synthetic identities using stolen photographs and personal data, which have successfully defeated biometric verification systems in Kenya and Tanzania to commit fraud including SIM swap scams and mobile money theft. Reported cybercrime losses across Africa more than doubled to $484 million in 2025 from $192 million in 2024, affecting 87,000 identified victims, with AI now involved in 55% of reported cybercrimes on the continent. Kenya experienced a 327% surge in SIM swap fraud in 2025, with over 123,000 fraudulent SIMs issued and an estimated $3
punchng.com
· 2026-08-29
Oluwasegun Baiyewu, a 40-year-old Nigerian national based in Houston, Texas, was sentenced to 95 months in prison for laundering over $3.1 million in proceeds from business email compromise, romance, and unemployment insurance fraud schemes targeting US citizens between May 2020 and October 2021. Working with at least six co-conspirators in the US and Nigeria, Baiyewu used encrypted messaging apps to coordinate the purchase and shipment of salvaged vehicles to Nigeria, including laundering $280,000 stolen from a Puerto Rican renewable energy company through a business email compromise scam.
yahoo.com
· 2026-08-29
Daejon Love, 35, allegedly stole $1.3 million from over two dozen women across multiple states by impersonating a San Francisco 49ers wide receiver over four years, using elaborate tactics including fake contract videos, custom 49ers merchandise, personalized cakes, and fabricated NFL imagery. Love and accomplice Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, were arrested in August 2024 and charged with wire fraud conspiracy, with federal investigators identifying 26 confirmed victims and suspecting there are additional victims. Love maintained the deception by claiming an injury prevented him from playing and even manipulated search results to appear as a legitimate NFL player.
freemalaysiatoday.com
· 2026-08-28
A 48-year-old man in Kuala Lumpur killed his wife, 47, and two children (ages 9 and 7) before taking his own life, allegedly motivated by financial and emotional distress after his wife lost RM260,000 to a love scam and continued contact with the scammer. The suspect left a suicide note expressing regret and stating he could not bear the RM260,000 in losses, debt, and embarrassment to their children from the 10-year marriage. Police recovered a knife and gloves believed used in the killings from the family's condominium unit.
scmp.com
· 2026-08-28
A 48-year-old Malaysian man allegedly killed his wife and two young children before taking his own life, with police finding a suicide note blaming the deaths on a US$61,000 loss from an online romance scam targeting his wife. The man stated in the note that he was distraught over his wife's continued contact with the scammer despite the family's financial devastation and felt shame before their children. The tragedy highlights the severe emotional and financial toll that romance scams can inflict on families.
kclyradio.com
· 2026-08-28
Kansas residents are being warned about investment fraud schemes including romance scams and "pig-butchering" scams, where scammers use AI-generated photos and scripts to build false relationships or convince victims to repeatedly invest in fake opportunities. According to Kansas's Assistant Commissioner of Insurance, these schemes target people across all communities and age groups, with victims often not realizing they've been defrauded until significant money has been lost. Warning signs include promises of guaranteed returns, requests to use crypto ATMs, and pressure to invest more after initial investments show fake profits on fraudulent websites.
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.
justice.gov
· 2026-08-28
Oluwasegun Baiyewu, a 40-year-old Nigerian national from Houston, was sentenced to 95 months in prison for laundering over $3.1 million in fraud proceeds from business email compromise, romance, and unemployment insurance scams targeting U.S. citizens between May 2020 and October 2021. Baiyewu led a conspiracy with six co-conspirators to convert the illicit funds into used cars and ship them to West Africa, including in one instance laundering approximately $280,000 stolen from a Puerto Rican renewable energy company through a business email compromise scheme.
investmentnews.com
· 2026-08-28
Two men were arrested for defrauding over 26 women out of $1.3 million through a romance scam where one posed as a San Francisco 49ers player and the other as his financial advisor, using fake investment accounts and dating apps to gain victims' trust across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California. Daejon Love, 35, and Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, used mobile applications to create fictitious bank and investment balances, convincing victims their money was being invested while some were pressured to take out personal loans; no victims received any returns or account information. The pair were arrested in Boise on August 24 and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud
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.
thebiglead.com
· 2026-08-28
A 35-year-old man was charged with federal crimes for impersonating a San Francisco 49ers player and allegedly defrauding 26 women out of $1.3 million through romance and investment scams over four years. The perpetrator, using aliases including Daejon Love, created a fake Instagram profile and used AI-generated content to enhance his false NFL persona, meeting victims through dating apps and convincing them to send money directly or take out personal loans. An 18-year-old accomplice posed as his financial advisor, and the FBI believes there may be additional victims beyond the 26 identified women from California, Oregon, Washington, and Idaho.
foxnews.com
· 2026-08-28
Daejon Labrayae Love, 35, and Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, were charged with wire fraud conspiracy for allegedly defrauding 26 women out of approximately $1.3 million across Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and California. Love posed as a San Francisco 49ers player using fake videos, custom helmets, and fictitious investment accounts, while Chan posed as his financial advisor to convince victims to send money. Neither Love nor Chan had legitimate NFL employment, and investigators found no identifiable income sources supporting their claimed lavish lifestyle.
bitdefender.com
· 2026-08-28
Over 120 major technology, cybersecurity, financial and infrastructure organizations have issued an open letter warning that companies and governments must urgently strengthen digital defenses before advanced AI systems enable attackers to conduct sophisticated cyberattacks faster and at lower cost. The coalition, including Amazon Web Services, Google, Microsoft, Mastercard and Visa, argues that organizations have a limited window to address existing security vulnerabilities—such as unpatched software and weak authentication—before AI capabilities become widely available to malicious actors. The letter emphasizes that while AI can help security teams find and repair weaknesses, basic cyber hygiene practices remain essential, particularly for critical infrastructure like hospitals, water treatment facilities and government systems.
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
thealpinesun.com
· 2026-08-28
Romance scams in San Diego County involve scammers posing as romantic interests who build trust over weeks or months before convincing victims to invest in fake cryptocurrency or foreign currency platforms. California reported 2,593 romance scam victims in 2025 with losses totaling $158.9 million, including one case where a victim lost hundreds of thousands of dollars after initially receiving $1,000 in fake profits on a $5,000 investment. Victims should be wary of online contacts who quickly express romantic feelings, refuse video chat, promise extraordinary investment returns, or encourage secrecy.
yahoo.com
· 2026-08-28
A 35-year-old man and his 18-year-old accomplice allegedly defrauded 26 women of over $1.3 million through a romance and investment scam by impersonating an NFL player on fake social media accounts over four years. The perpetrator created a fake Instagram profile claiming to be a San Francisco 49ers player, used AI-generated content to enhance his false persona, and convinced victims from multiple states to send money directly or take out personal loans. The FBI suspects there may be additional victims beyond the 26 identified cases.
dailymail.com
· 2026-08-28
Joseph Gibson, a 35-year-old Tinder user, defrauded four victims of £68,000 between July 2020 and October 2021 by posing as a wealthy multimillionaire with cancer who claimed to own luxury yachts and have served in the Special Boat Service. He used fake hospital photos, fabricated trading portfolios, and elaborate excuses to convince victims to hand over their savings and take loans for fake investments. Gibson was sentenced to three years and two months in prison after admitting four counts of fraud, leaving his victims with severe financial hardship and lasting psychological damage.
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.
chronicle.ng
· 2026-08-28
Nigerian police arrested seven suspects in cybercrime operations including a Lagos-based individual linked to a sophisticated business email compromise scheme targeting companies across 50 countries, from which he allegedly made over N100 million. A second suspect, a technology company owner, was arrested for operating an investment fraud scheme that defrauded victims of N56.3 million through a fake WhatsApp trading platform and converted approximately N3.6 billion in proceeds into cryptocurrency. Two additional suspects were arrested in Anambra for identity theft and impersonation using unregistered SIM cards to create fraudulent social media accounts.
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.
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.
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.
cryptonews.net
· 2026-08-27
A Cobb County investor lost hundreds of thousands of dollars to a fake cryptocurrency platform after a scammer gained trust through social media and mutual acquaintances, initially allowing small withdrawals and displaying fake profits to encourage larger deposits. Georgia's Attorney General's office traced the funds to a cryptocurrency exchange and obtained a court order to recover the victim's money, with the scheme matching the "pig butchering" fraud pattern where scammers build trust over time before disappearing. This recovery is part of an increasing trend of crypto scam cases in Georgia, coinciding with new state legislation requiring virtual currency kiosk regulations and fraud protections.
trmlabs.com
· 2026-08-27
TRM Labs appointed Ziqing Ang as Head of Policy for Asia-Pacific to help regulators and institutions combat fraud and criminal networks in the region. The announcement highlights that crypto crime has surged from $123 million in 2020 to over $103 billion in 2025, with investment scams like "pig butchering" accounting for 62% of fraud losses, while AI-enabled scams have increased 40% as criminals use deepfakes and fabricated dashboards.
vice.com
· 2026-08-27
Romance scams cost Americans $1.14 billion in losses through the first nine months of 2025, with reports up 22% year over year according to the FTC. Most dating apps provide minimal protection against scammers, but Seeking.com uses AI-assisted selfie verification to filter out over 90% of fraudulent accounts before they can message users, including fake profiles using stolen or AI-generated photos. The article highlights how dating platforms could better protect users by treating romance scam prevention as a core product feature rather than a secondary safety concern.
tvcnews.tv
· 2026-08-27
Nigeria Police arrested seven suspects involved in multiple cyber crimes including business email compromise, sextortion, romance scams, and money laundering schemes. One suspect allegedly made over N100 million from a sophisticated email compromise operation targeting 12.5 million victims across 50 countries, while another defrauded investors of N56.3 million through a fake WhatsApp trading platform and laundered approximately N3.6 billion in cryptocurrency through peer-to-peer transactions.
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.