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journal-news.net
· 2025-12-08
Scammers increasingly target seniors in the Eastern Panhandle and across the country through phone calls, emails, texts, and in-person visits, impersonating government agencies, tech companies, or family members to trick victims into revealing personal information or sending money. Common schemes include fake arrest/bail demands, Medicare card warnings, and suspicious transaction alerts that create artificial urgency. Experts recommend verifying caller identity independently, never sharing personal information unsolicited, avoiding gift cards and wire transfers, and reporting suspicious activity, while family members can support prevention through regular communication and vigilance.
ket.org
· 2025-12-08
This educational forum featuring experts and fraud victims discusses common scams targeting elderly people, including email/social media schemes, tech support scams, and impersonation of law enforcement or government officials. Seniors are frequent targets because they may be lonely, vulnerable, or less technologically savvy, and scammers exploit urgency and fear to manipulate victims; real victims lost thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, including one woman who lost over $400,000 and now owes the IRS $100,000 in additional taxes. The discussion emphasizes that fraudsters use sophisticated, multi-layered schemes designed to be difficult to trace and recommends awareness and verification of unexpected contacts as prevention strategies.
ket.org
· 2025-12-08
This educational forum features elder fraud experts discussing common scams targeting seniors, including email, social media, tech support, and phone-based schemes. Elderly individuals are frequent targets because they have more free time, may be lonely or financially worried, and scammers exploit urgency and fear to manipulate them. The panel shares real victim experiences—including a woman who lost over $400,000 to an imposter federal agent scam and now owes $100,000 in taxes—and emphasizes that scams use multiple layers of deception designed to be difficult to trace before funds are depleted.
fox5vegas.com
· 2025-12-08
Investment scams, particularly those involving cryptocurrency, remained the top cybercrime reported to the Better Business Bureau, with over 80% of reported scams falling into this category and victims losing an average of $5,000. Scammers typically initiate contact via social media, ads, or email, then build trust over weeks or months before offering fake investment opportunities that show false returns until the scammer and funds disappear. The BBB recommends never investing with unknown individuals and verifying investment opportunities through the SEC or FINRA before committing money.
ironmountaindailynews.com
· 2025-12-08
Michigan State Police warn of an imposter scam where callers falsely claim to represent MSP and tell residents they have missed court dates or committed violations to pressure them into providing personal information. MSP clarified they never call to request sensitive data or payments, and legitimate law enforcement makes in-person contact for official matters. The advisory recommends never providing personal information to unsolicited callers, hanging up on suspected scams, and reporting incidents to the Federal Trade Commission at 877-382-4357.
uk.finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
This is not an article about elder fraud, scams, or abuse. This is a standard privacy and cookie consent notice from Yahoo outlining how the company uses cookies and personal data for site functionality, security, analytics, and advertising purposes.
yesweekly.com
· 2025-12-08
An increasing wave of AI-generated celebrity romance scams has defrauded Americans of millions of dollars, with victims including a 73-year-old who lost over $100,000 to a fake Kevin Costner on Facebook and an elderly woman scammed by a deepfake Liam Neeson voice. According to FBI data, Americans reported $672 million in losses to romance and confidence scams in 2024 alone, with elderly victims averaging $83,000 per person, though many cases go unreported due to embarrassment. The article emphasizes that while scammers continue to evolve their tactics using new technology and platforms, vigilance and skepticism—particularly about uns
timesnewsgroup.com.au
· 2025-12-08
The Bellarine Police Station's Community Engagement Unit is conducting educational presentations to help seniors identify and resist scams, with over 50 sessions delivered to local groups and aged care communities. The program addresses the shame and intimidation victims feel, particularly when scammers impersonate tax authorities, and aims to build confidence in recognizing common scams like phishing. Data shows Australians lost $13.7 million to scams in the first four months of 2025, with phishing scams causing the largest losses, prompting warnings for seniors to scrutinize suspicious emails and text messages claiming to be from the ATO.
wealthsolutionsreport.com
· 2025-12-08
Ultra-high net worth (UHNW) individuals face increasingly sophisticated scams that exploit publicly available data, AI technology, and deep social engineering to target them with highly personalized fraud schemes. The article identifies seven major scam types affecting wealthy Americans: whaling (executive phishing), deepfake-driven impersonation and family emergency scams, synthetic identity fraud, tax and authority impersonation scams, and romance scams—each using tailored personal details and urgent requests to extract sensitive information, authorize fraudulent transfers, or manipulate victims into fake investments. Wealth managers and advisors are advised to educate clients on red flags including unusual communication changes, urgent financial requests from trusted sources, and demands
wtxl.com
· 2025-12-08
Leon County, Florida is developing an educational program in partnership with community leaders to help seniors detect and avoid online scams while learning to use artificial intelligence safely. The initiative will offer 1.5-hour seminars at public libraries and online, addressing the growing threat of sophisticated scams that exploit seniors—who lose an average of $34,000 per incident according to FBI data. The program aims to launch in fall with a focus on digital literacy and building confidence in navigating technology in a trusted environment.
gillibrand.senate.gov
· 2025-12-08
New Yorkers lost over $540 million to fraud in 2024. Senator Kirsten Gillibrand introduced the Stop the Scammers Act to restore Consumer Financial Protection Bureau funding that was reduced by a Republican tax bill, and to authorize the CFPB to reward whistleblowers who report financial crimes and fraud targeting seniors.
ocalagazette.com
· 2025-12-08
An 82-year-old Ocala woman lost $7,300 in cryptocurrency and nearly lost $160,000 in cash converted to gold in a multi-stage scam involving a fake computer hack, fraudulent bank officer call, and an accomplice attempting to pick up the gold at her home—the plot was foiled by law enforcement and a gold exchange company alert, resulting in the arrest of Jiann Cao. Local agencies report approximately $1 million stolen monthly from elder fraud victims in Marion County, with common scams including tech support fraud, romance scams, and investment schemes; officials recommend verifying the authenticity of unsolicited communications and emphasize education and reporting as key prevention strategies.
oakdaleleader.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, fraud cost Americans an estimated $158.3 billion, with new federal initiatives like the National Elder Fraud Coordination Center launching to combat organized fraud schemes through investigation and prosecution. The article highlights three prevalent scams: fake travel websites that appear in search results, utility company impersonators threatening service shutoff, and increasingly sophisticated grandparent scams enhanced by AI technology that create false emergencies to pressure victims into sending money via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency.
escalontimes.com
· 2025-12-08
**Fraud Overview & National Response:**
The Federal Trade Commission reported fraud theft reached $158.3 billion in 2023 ($434 million daily), prompting the creation of the National Elder Fraud Coordination Center to investigate and prosecute fraud criminals at scale.
**Common Summer Scams:**
Three prevalent scams target consumers: fake travel websites appearing in search results, utility company impersonators threatening service shutoff and demanding gift cards or wire transfers, and AI-enhanced grandparent scams using realistic voice manipulation to pressure victims into sending money for fabricated emergencies. Protection strategies include researching unfamiliar companies, contacting official numbers directly, and pausing before responding
iomtoday.co.im
· 2025-12-08
Phishing emails impersonating Manx Telecom have been sent to manx.net addresses, directing recipients to fake billing pages designed to steal personal information and passwords. The scam has resulted in dozens of account compromises, with victims losing access to email and social media accounts. The Cyber Security Centre for the Isle of Man advises users not to click suspicious links, verify sender authenticity, and avoid responding to time-sensitive requests, and recommends reporting suspected scams to a dedicated email address.
trendmicro.com
· 2025-12-08
According to a July 2025 Trend Micro survey of over 1,000 Australians, two-thirds have been targeted by online scams and 27% have fallen victim, with nearly 30% of victims only discovering the fraud after significant financial loss or non-delivery of goods. Scammers increasingly use emotional, personalized social engineering on mobile platforms, exploiting the fact that 47% of Australians use no mobile security software despite spending 1-8+ hours daily on their phones. The research highlights that embarrassment prevents many victims from reporting scams, and recommends education, awareness, and mobile security software as critical protective measures.
m.independent.ie
· 2025-12-08
Jadwiga Lewandowska, a 54-year-old woman, fell victim to a sophisticated scam advertised on Snapchat and unknowingly facilitated the theft of €8,002.53 from Donegal man Matthew Byrne's Bank of Ireland account in August 2021, with €7,000 subsequently transferred to cryptocurrency. After being informed by the bank that her account had been used for fraud, Lewandowska authorized full reimbursement to the victim and pleaded guilty to money laundering, receiving 75 hours of community service instead of a six-month sentence.
financial-planning.com
· 2025-12-08
Pig butchering scams—which begin with casual text messages and evolve into romantic relationships—are rising in prevalence and causing significant financial harm. Scammers establish trust, often through romance and cryptocurrency investment promises, then direct victims to fraudulent trading platforms where they see initial gains but cannot withdraw funds due to fabricated fees; victims experience both financial loss and emotional trauma from the manufactured relationship. Financial advisors can help by monitoring for unusual withdrawal patterns and having nonjudgmental conversations with clients, while recognizing that many scammers themselves are human trafficking victims forced to operate from compounds in Southeast Asia run by organized crime networks.
womansworld.com
· 2025-12-08
The author nearly fell victim to medical debt scammers who sent repeated texts claiming she owed money for her emergency retinal surgery, with amounts differing from her actual hospital bill. Medical debt scams occur when fraudsters impersonate hospital staff or debt collectors to demand payment for inflated, duplicate, or fabricated medical charges, and can be avoided by verifying bills directly with the hospital through patient portals and contacting legal authorities if contacted by scammers. The CFPB reports that 100 million Americans owe $220 billion in medical debt, and scammers violate federal Fair Debt Collection Practices Act regulations that carry potential jail time and fines.
fox5vegas.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational alert warns about phishing scams using fraudulent email attachments disguised as legitimate communications from companies like Microsoft, DocuSign, and PayPal. Scammers use official-looking logos and urgent subject lines to trick recipients into opening malicious PDFs or downloading malware-laden software, and may impersonate customer service agents to steal sensitive account information. The key advice is to avoid opening unsolicited attachments, verify sender information through official websites or apps, and recognize that legitimate companies rarely send urgent messages via attachment.
wezl.iheart.com
· 2025-12-08
The Bobby Bones Show highlighted three technology-based scams currently circulating: fake social media accounts impersonating celebrities' family members to solicit private messages; fraudulent artist accounts offering to paint or create murals as a pretext to steal personal information; and text message scams claiming unpaid DMV tickets require immediate payment. The show advises listeners to avoid engaging with suspicious messages, delete suspicious accounts, and verify DMV communications by calling local DMV offices directly rather than clicking links in unsolicited texts.
kgun9.com
· 2025-12-08
Technical support scams disproportionately affect elderly victims, representing approximately 60% of cases in Pima County, Arizona. A 62-year-old Green Valley man lost $53,000 after responding to a fake Bank of America text directing him to withdraw funds and mail them to Florida; authorities recovered the full amount by intercepting the packages in New Mexico. The Pima County Sheriff's Department reports 260 tech support scams out of 550 total fraud cases this year and advises residents to avoid clicking unsolicited links, never provide banking information to callers, and hang up immediately on suspected scammers before verifying any request directly with their bank.
bobbybones.iheart.com
· 2025-12-08
The Bobby Bones Show highlighted three technology-based scams: fake social media accounts impersonating celebrity family members to initiate contact; fraudulent artist accounts offering to create portraits or murals as a pretext to steal personal information; and text message scams impersonating the Department of Motor Vehicles claiming unpaid tickets to pressure victims into payment. Listeners are advised to avoid engaging with unknown accounts claiming to be family members of public figures, delete suspicious artist solicitations immediately, and verify DMV communications by calling the local office directly rather than responding to unsolicited messages.
theregister.com
· 2025-12-08
A violent border clash between Thailand and Cambodia near an ancient temple was linked to cyber-scam slave camps operating in Cambodia, where an estimated 100,000+ people are forced to run romance and investment scams targeting primarily Chinese and other Asian citizens. Thailand's threat to cut off internet and electricity to disrupt these camps—which generate an estimated $12.5 billion annually and allegedly involve high-level Cambodian government officials—contributed to escalating tensions between the two nations. The camps are documented by Interpol and the UN as severe human rights violations, with workers enslaved and forced to perpetrate financial fraud.
gmtoday.com
· 2025-12-08
Vineyard Church in Grafton hosted a free community education event called Scam SINGO on August 8, designed to help older adults recognize and avoid common fraud schemes. The interactive bingo-style game combined music with learning about scam types including phishing, romance scams, and fake IRS calls, aiming to empower participants with fraud prevention knowledge.
oag.ca.gov
· 2025-12-08
California's Attorney General issued a consumer alert during Military Consumer Month warning service members, veterans, and their families about targeted scams, noting that military consumers reported over 99,400 fraud complaints nationwide last year, including 44,587 imposter scams costing over $199 million. The alert identifies key fraud tactics targeting the military community—including charity scams using deceptive veteran-related names, predatory for-profit schools using high-pressure tactics, and home loan scams impersonating government agencies—and advises victims to verify charities through the Registry of Charitable Trusts and to pause before accepting offers that seem too good to be true.
unfilteredwithkiran.com
· 2025-12-08
Louisiana residents are warned of a summer surge in scams including vacation rental fraud, AI voice cloning impersonations, toll violation/DMV phishing texts, and jury duty scams. Scammers are using increasingly sophisticated tactics—from fake travel listings requiring upfront wire transfers to AI-generated voices claiming relatives are in emergencies—to steal identities and drain bank accounts. Authorities recommend victims verify requests through official channels, resist immediate action, and never provide personal information to unsolicited contacts.
abc10.com
· 2025-12-08
Recent high school graduates and young adults are increasingly targeted by scammers offering fraudulent scholarships, fake jobs, loan forgiveness schemes, and bogus rental listings, with Americans losing over $16 billion to scams in 2024—a 33% increase from the previous year. To protect themselves, students should watch for red flags like unsolicited messages and unrealistic offers, verify sources before clicking links, and consult trusted adults before sharing personal or financial information. Victims should immediately report scams to their bank, police, and the FTC, then monitor their credit reports for fraudulent accounts.
paymentsjournal.com
· 2025-12-08
This article discusses consumer-engaged fraud, which breaks into two categories: "misuse" (when consumers falsely report legitimate transactions as fraudulent, such as buyer's remorse claims) and "persuaded" fraud (when scammers manipulate consumers into unauthorized payments through impersonation, phishing, or other schemes). Consumer-engaged fraud has become a leading source of fraud losses for financial institutions and merchants as criminals have shifted focus from attacking businesses to exploiting consumers, though tracking and defining these fraud types remains challenging across institutions.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Social Security scams employ three primary tactics: fake remote job offers that request personal information and upfront fees, phishing emails impersonating the Social Security Administration to direct victims to fraudulent websites, and in-person schemes where imposters posing as government officials convince victims to provide cash or valuables. Recent cases include a victim who gave $2 million in gold bars to someone claiming to be a CIA agent and an Ohio woman who liquidated $500,000 in retirement savings to purchase gold for phone scammers. Protect yourself by avoiding unsolicited job offers and payment requests, verifying emails end in ".gov," and reporting suspicious activity to the Social Security Administration or Office of the Inspector General.
pewresearch.org
· 2025-12-08
Online scams and internet crimes reached a record $16.6 billion in losses reported to the FBI in 2024, with 73% of U.S. adults reporting they have experienced at least one type of online scam or attack. The most common scams involve fraudulent credit card charges (48%), counterfeit or undelivered online purchases (36%), and hacked personal accounts (29%), with a majority of Americans receiving scam communications via phone calls, emails, and text messages at least weekly. While older adults are perceived as more vulnerable, significant portions of both younger and older adults have been victimized, with Black, Hispanic, and Asian adults reporting higher rates of experiencing multiple types of frau
portal.ct.gov
· 2025-12-08
Attorney General William Tong warned servicemembers, veterans, and their families about scams that specifically target the military community, noting that the Federal Trade Commission reported nearly 100,000 fraud cases in 2024 costing over $580 million. The press release detailed common scams including payday loan schemes, benefits fraud targeting senior veterans, OTP bot scams, loan and credit card fraud, car sales scams, fraudulent use of Military OneSource branding, fake military charities, and job scams. The Attorney General urged military community members to remain vigilant and report suspected fraud immediately, emphasizing that scammers often appear legitimate and exploit detailed knowledge of military incomes and benefits.
soycarmin.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article identifies 11 common "silent scam" billing schemes targeting seniors, including deceptive free trials, fake magazine renewals, hidden medical alert fees, identity protection upsells, and difficult-to-cancel gym memberships. These subtle, recurring charges exploit seniors' trust and digital literacy gaps, accumulating significant financial losses over time despite individual charges being small. The article recommends protective measures such as carefully reading fine print, using virtual credit cards with spending limits, verifying billing sources directly, and scrutinizing contracts before purchase.
wellingtonadvertiser.com
· 2025-12-08
A Rockwood senior lost $24,500 after seeking help from an online chatbot for computer issues; the scammer gained remote access to the computer, then demanded payment to remove a fake virus and threatened to expose allegedly leaked personal information, with the victim eventually providing cash at a parking lot and gift cards over the phone. Police were alerted on July 28 after a family member became suspicious. The article warns of common scam indicators including unsolicited communications at odd hours, false urgency, poor grammar, and generic company names.
inkl.com
· 2025-12-08
Modern scams targeting older adults are increasingly sophisticated and personalized, exploiting seniors' trust, digital inexperience, fixed incomes, and desire to help family members. According to the FBI, older adults lost over $3 billion to scams in recent years, with many victims unaware they've been defrauded or too embarrassed to report it. The article identifies 10 warning signs including urgent demands for action, requests for untraceable payments (gift cards, wire transfers, cryptocurrency), instruction to keep the scam secret, too-good-to-be-true offers, callers claiming government authority, and requests for personal information confirmation.
fox43.com
· 2025-12-08
An elderly Adams County, Pennsylvania resident was targeted by an impersonation scam in which a caller claiming to be an FBI agent demanded $20,000, stating the resident's account had been compromised and arranging for an Uber driver to transport him to the bank. A vigilant bank teller recognized the scam and prevented the loss. Local police departments are increasing community awareness by reminding residents that government agencies never request cash via unsolicited phone calls and advising people to independently verify any such contact before responding.
cbs8.com
· 2025-12-08
**San Diego County elder fraud losses reached nearly $70 million in the first half of the year, with officials projecting the total will exceed last year's $98 million in losses.** The most prevalent scam type is "tech support fraud," where seniors receive fake pop-up messages instructing them to call a number for device repair. Local authorities have established the Elder Justice Task Force and encourage reporting suspected scams to the National Elder Fraud Hotline (833-372-8311), though recovery remains difficult especially for international operations.
wgal.com
· 2025-12-08
A text message scam targeting Pennsylvania residents falsely claims to be from the state's DMV threatening vehicle registration and driver's license suspension over unpaid traffic tickets, with messages originating from an Oregon area code and containing links to fraudulent payment pages. The scam uses non-existent Pennsylvania administrative codes and has been linked by the FBI to Chinese hacking groups, with recent reports showing messages sent to multiple recipients in group texts. Residents are advised not to click links in suspicious text messages, as the legitimate DMV does not handle traffic ticket enforcement.
malwarebytes.com
· 2025-12-08
In May, a 67-year-old Ohio man was targeted by scammers who falsely claimed his Apple ID was compromised with $27,000 in fraudulent charges, then sent an accomplice to his home to collect cash in person; the victim handed over money before becoming suspicious, leading to the arrest of 42-year-old Liwei Zhang on charges of theft, identity fraud, and telecommunications fraud. Similar in-person collection scams have targeted multiple elderly victims across the country, with perpetrators like Canadian citizen Jia Hua Liu collecting over $300,000 from vulnerable seniors. The article advises victims to verify suspicious texts independently using official phone numbers, never send money
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A sophisticated malvertising campaign on Facebook has been deceiving users with fake ads impersonating popular cryptocurrency exchanges like Binance and MetaMask, using celebrity faces such as Elon Musk to appear legitimate. When users click these ads, they are directed to counterfeit websites that trick them into downloading malware disguised as desktop applications, which then installs a silent server capable of receiving malicious instructions while evading detection. The campaign, which has been running for several months and involves hundreds of fake Facebook accounts posting thousands of ads daily, primarily targets men interested in technology and finance, particularly in Bulgaria and Slovakia.
legaltalknetwork.com
· 2025-12-08
This is an educational podcast episode featuring cybersecurity expert Steve Weisman discussing scam prevention and identification strategies. The episode covers various scam types (including VA imposter and "free piano" scams), the role of AI in modern fraud schemes, and protective measures such as a "zero trust" verification approach where all transactions—particularly checks—must be independently confirmed before trusting them.
newschannel6now.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
AI-powered tools have enabled scammers to automate and personalize attacks at scale, making fraudulent calls, emails, and text messages more convincing and widespread than ever. AI researcher Thomas Fellows recommends establishing safety phrases and code words with family members to verify identity and prevent impersonation scams, and advises victims to contact police rather than attempting to handle scams independently.
upi.com
· 2025-12-08
According to Pew Research Center data, nearly 75% of U.S. adults experience online scams or cyber attacks weekly, with Americans reporting over $16.6 billion in scam losses during 2024. Common attacks include fraudulent credit card charges, counterfeit purchases without refunds, personal information breaches, and scam calls/texts that trick victims into sharing personal data, with young adults aged 18-29 experiencing the highest victimization rates despite the perception that older adults are most vulnerable.
cybershack.com.au
· 2025-12-08
Research from Trend Micro reveals that 1 in 4 Australians have fallen victim to online scams, with 30% of victims only discovering the fraud after losing money or not receiving goods. Scammers increasingly exploit social media, messaging apps, and mobile phones—which nearly half of Australian users operate without security software—using tactics like fake marketplace products, impersonation, and mid-conversation app switching to appear legitimate. The article recommends Australians verify sources, avoid switching apps during sensitive conversations, use mobile security software, pause before clicking suspicious links, and stay informed about evolving scam tactics.
newskarnataka.com
· 2025-12-08
A man received a spoofed call impersonating Blue Dart delivery service and was tricked into dialing a number that activated call forwarding on his phone, allowing the scammer to intercept SMS messages and hijack his WhatsApp account. Though he recovered access to both services and prevented financial loss by quickly blocking credit cards and emptying UPI apps, the incident highlights the vulnerability of phone-based authentication to coordinated social engineering attacks. The victim recommends verifying caller information through official channels, immediately dismissing suspicious on-screen codes, and enabling two-factor authentication on messaging apps.
goldrushcam.com
· 2025-12-08
**Military Consumer Fraud Alert** - California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a consumer protection alert warning service members, veterans, and their families about targeted scams, noting that military consumers nationwide reported over 99,400 fraud complaints last year, including 44,587 imposter scams costing victims and families over $199 million. The alert identifies common threats including charity scams (fake veteran organizations), predatory schools using high-pressure tactics to exploit GI Bill benefits, and home loan scams impersonating government agencies, advising consumers to pause on seemingly too-good-to-be-true offers and verify legitimacy before engaging.
digitalreviews.net
· 2025-12-08
A June 2025 Trend Micro study of 1,025 Australian consumers found that 65% have been targeted by online scams and 27% have fallen victim, with nearly a third of victims unaware they were scammed until experiencing significant financial loss. Scammers increasingly use social engineering tactics including fake marketplace listings (25% of victims), investment/loan offers (19%), fake official warnings (18%), and impersonation of trusted contacts, often requesting victims switch to less secure communication apps. The research reveals that nearly half of Australians lack mobile security software despite heavy phone usage and reliance on banking apps, with many falsely believing their devices or personal caution provide sufficient protection,
eftm.com
· 2025-12-08
Research from Trend Micro found that 1 in 4 Australian consumers have fallen victim to online scams, with common schemes including fake products on social media (25% of victims), investment scam texts (under 20%), and fake urgent messages from organizations (18%). Scammers are increasingly sophisticated, with 39% of users targeted to switch to unsecured apps during conversations and one-third of victims only realizing they were scammed after losing money or ordered goods never arriving. The research emphasizes that despite nearly half of Australians using phones for banking and shopping daily, nearly half lack mobile security protection, making education and security software essential defenses against evolving scam tactics.
uk.news.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
This is not an article about scams, fraud, or elder abuse. It is a cookie consent notice from Yahoo's privacy policy explaining how the company uses cookies and personal data for site functionality, security, analytics, and advertising purposes. No summary is needed for the Elderus database.
berkshireeagle.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI's Boston Division has reported a spike in "vishing" scams across New England in which callers impersonate law enforcement and government officials to extort money or steal personal information, with recent cases in Berkshire County demanding $2,500 for fake warrant clearances. In 2024, approximately 17,367 people nationwide reported losses exceeding $405 million from government impersonation scams, with over 500 Massachusetts victims losing around $9.5 million. Legitimate law enforcement agencies never call threatening arrest or demanding immediate payment; victims should verify caller identity, avoid engaging, and report suspected scams to local police and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.