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richmondmagazine.com
· 2025-12-08
Teens are the fastest-growing victims of online scams, with losses to those 20 and younger increasing from $8.2 million in 2017 to $210 million by 2022, according to the FBI. Common scams targeting teens include phishing emails, deceptive pop-up ads, direct message offers, and catfishing schemes on social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. Parents and educators can reduce risk by teaching teens to verify sources, recognize red flags like poor grammar and suspicious links, adjust privacy settings, and maintain open communication about online dangers.
herald-review.com
· 2025-12-08
A Mount Zion woman was charged with stealing over $100,000 in cash and property from an elderly female victim between May 2022 and July 2023. Ali L. Fisher, 31, faces two counts including financial exploitation of an elderly person and obtaining control of property through deception, with the alleged theft totaling more than $40,000 in additional cash. Fisher was arrested on May 14 and released on pretrial release pending a preliminary hearing scheduled for June 24 in Macon County Circuit Court.
wgal.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Scammers are sending phishing emails and texts to streaming service subscribers claiming payment has been declined, with links directing users to lookalike websites designed to steal login credentials and install malware. Victims who enter their user ID and password on these fraudulent sites risk having their streaming accounts and payment information compromised. To protect yourself, verify you are on the official website by carefully checking the URL, and be skeptical of sponsored search results, as scammers use paid ads to make fake sites appear at the top of search results.
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-08
A Fredericton woman nearly fell victim to a sophisticated Interac e-transfer scam after listing a table for sale on Facebook Marketplace; a scammer used a fake e-transfer interface to attempt stealing $3,000 from her bank account, but she escaped the fraud by exiting the loading page early and her bank caught the suspicious activity. According to a local cybersecurity expert, online organized crime is increasingly sophisticated, with $600 million in fraud reported to Canadian authorities last year (believed to represent only 10% of actual losses), and scammers are using stolen e-transfer email templates while actively harvesting credentials during fake transaction screens.
97x.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers in South Carolina are using AI-generated text messages designed to mimic legitimate bank communications to trick people into clicking malicious links that grant access to their bank accounts. The Better Business Bureau warns consumers to be vigilant about unsolicited texts from unfamiliar numbers, suspicious URLs with extra characters, and to never click links in messages unless they can verify the source is their actual bank.
khaleejtimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A WhatsApp-based fake job scam has defrauded an estimated Dh400 million from thousands of victims globally, according to cybersecurity firm CloudSEK. The scheme lures victims with promises of easy money for simple tasks like rating restaurants on Google Maps, then requires increasingly larger upfront payments to complete higher-paying tasks, ultimately preventing withdrawals through additional fees or endless new tasks. A Dubai hotelier lost nearly her entire life savings of Dh66,000 to the scam after paying Dh46,000 in deposits and an additional Dh20,000 in fraudulent "taxes."
groww.in
· 2025-12-08
Lottery scams in India are targeting unsuspecting individuals who receive unsolicited messages claiming they have won prizes, then demanding advance payments for taxes and fees before releasing non-existent winnings. Recent cases include a 45-year-old Bengaluru woman who lost ₹18.4 lakh, a 50-year-old goldsmith defrauded of ₹74,000, and a Kerala woman who lost ₹1 crore after making 263 transfers. To protect yourself, ignore unsolicited lottery claims, never pay upfront fees, avoid sharing personal information, and report suspicious activity to authorities immediately.
choice.com.au
· 2025-12-08
A CHOICE survey of 280 scam victims in Australia found that four out of five victims reported their banks failed to flag suspicious transactions before money was transferred to scammers, and about half received inadequate support afterward. Australians lost $2.7 billion to scams last year, with over half of initial contact occurring on websites or social media platforms, yet banks and tech companies face minimal consequences while victims often suffer shame and financial loss with little recourse for recovery.
washingtontimes.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, scammers impersonating Best Buy and Geek Squad generated the most reports (52,000) targeting consumers with fake renewal payment prompts, resulting in $15 million in losses, while Microsoft impersonators caused the largest financial damage at $60 million across 7,000+ reports using fake security warnings. Amazon imposters ranked second with 34,000 reports and $19 million in losses, and Publishers Clearing House scammers collected $49 million by falsely claiming prize winnings, with email and phone calls serving as the primary contact methods for all impersonation scams.
cnbc.com
· 2025-12-08
Deepfake scams utilizing generative AI have stolen millions from companies globally, with a Hong Kong finance worker defrauded of over $25 million after being deceived by digitally recreated colleagues on a video call. Cybersecurity experts warn that the accessibility of AI tools like ChatGPT has lowered barriers for criminals to execute increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes, including voice spoofing, phishing, and impersonation of company executives to authorize fraudulent transfers. Beyond direct theft, deepfakes pose broader risks including stock price manipulation, brand defamation, and misinformation campaigns.
foxbusiness.com
· 2025-12-08
The FTC released a report identifying the companies most commonly impersonated by scammers, with Best Buy's Geek Squad, Amazon, and PayPal being the most frequently mimicked brands, while Microsoft and Publishers Clearing House impersonation scams generate the highest financial losses. Scammers primarily use email and phone contact, though social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are increasingly being exploited, and emerging threats include text-message phishing ("smishing") targeting highway toll payment systems.
news.ncsu.edu
· 2025-12-08
Researchers analyzed 67,991 SMS phishing messages collected over 396 days and identified 600 distinct phishing operations using 35,128 unique campaigns. The study found that scammers impersonate trusted entities like banks to trick people into sharing sensitive information via text, and surprisingly, many operations use mainstream infrastructure and openly advertise services on platforms like LinkedIn rather than hiding on the dark web. The findings highlight the scale of SMS phishing threats to consumer privacy and security, while identifying avenues for law enforcement to combat these operations.
fronterasdesk.org
· 2025-12-08
The FBI is hosting an educational seminar in Tucson to help seniors recognize phone and internet scams, following reports that fraud targeting people 60 and older caused over $3 billion in losses nationwide last year—a 10% increase from 2022. Local church members prompted the event after experiencing spam calls and falling victim to increasingly sophisticated scams, including AI-generated voice impersonation and phishing emails. The free public seminar covers scam identification and prevention techniques.
mirror.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Between April 2023 and March 2024, British courier fraud scams targeting elderly people resulted in £28.7 million in losses, with victims averaging £20,000 each. People in their 80s were most vulnerable, accounting for 43% of victims, with approximately 85% of all victims aged 60-90; fraudsters posed as police officers or bank officials to trick targets into handing over money, valuables, or bank cards by claiming to investigate account issues or fraudulent business activity. City of London Police conducted a joint operation across England and Wales in May, making five arrests and receiving over 100 referrals from 26 forces, while recommending call-
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-08
A Go Public investigation found dozens of Facebook account takeovers targeting users, where scammers hijack accounts and impersonate victims to defraud their friends by posing as the account owner selling items (hot tubs, trucks, tractors) on behalf of an elderly parent in long-term care. In one documented case, Lesa Lowery's account was compromised in March after she clicked a phishing email link, and her friends were swindled out of a combined $2,500 before Meta responded, despite multiple reports during the active scam. Cybersecurity experts say Meta's failure to provide customer service or quickly address the widespread scam represents a basic security
manchestereveningnews.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
A 42-year-old single mother from Cheshire lost her entire £6,000 life savings to a romance scammer on Tinder who posed as "James" and convinced her to invest in cryptocurrency through a fake trading platform. The scammer manipulated her by showing false profits (displaying $86,000 before reducing it to zero) and requesting tax payments, ultimately disappearing after she confronted him about the scheme. She has reported the fraud to Action Fraud and hired a solicitor in hopes of recovering her money.
auburnpub.com
· 2025-12-08
A workshop titled "Seniors in the Know" was scheduled for June 14, 2024, in Auburn, New York, to educate seniors on fraud and scam awareness as well as patient rights and healthcare advocacy. The $40 event, presented by the Cayuga County Council of Senior Citizens and the State-Wide Finger Lakes Chapter, included a buffet lunch and required reservations by May 31.
thestar.com.my
· 2025-12-08
Between 2021 and 2023, senior citizens comprised 6.4% of online scam victims in Malaysia but suffered disproportionate losses of RM552.5 million (20% of the RM2.7 billion total), with telecommunication scams accounting for 47.6% of senior citizen victimization. The trend has accelerated in 2024, with 990 senior citizens losing RM130.4 million as of mid-May, representing 27.7% of total online scam losses despite being only 8.3% of cases. Authorities attribute the vulnerability to seniors' lack of internet knowledge and recommend immediately hanging up on calls from unknown
wsbradio.com
· 2025-12-08
Malachi Mullings, a Sandy Springs man, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for laundering over $4.5 million stolen from romance fraud schemes and business email compromise scams between 2019 and 2021. Mullings operated 20 fraudulent bank accounts under a fake company name to hide proceeds from schemes targeting elderly victims and healthcare programs, using some stolen funds to purchase luxury items including a Ferrari purchased with $260,000 taken from an elderly romance fraud victim. He was ordered to pay restitution and faces three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
nzherald.co.nz
· 2025-12-08
An Auckland woman in her 50s lost at least $34,000 to a romance scam involving an Instagram user claiming to be "Harry Lugard," who fabricated stories about needing money for travel and later claimed arrest in Dubai. After the scammer stood her up at the airport, she fell victim to a recovery room scam when a fake "private investigator" found on Quora threatened her and her family while attempting to extract further funds. Experts warn that scammers often target people who have already lost money, may use AI to create convincing fake identities, and advise never sending money to people you've only met online.
securelist.com
· 2025-12-08
Online marketplace scammers increasingly operate under a "Fraud-as-a-Service" model, targeting message board users through two main schemes: impersonating sellers to deceive buyers, or impersonating buyers to trick sellers into entering payment card details on phishing sites. Scammers strategically target sellers with promoted ads and mobile payment preferences, using convincing conversations to build trust before sending fake payment links that harvest financial information and drain bank accounts.
kiplinger.com
· 2025-12-08
Older adults, despite 88% using the internet, are increasingly targeted by scammers who exploit fears and lack of technical knowledge to steal identities and money. The author, a 50-year finance professional, fell victim twice to tech support scams that tricked him into providing sensitive information including his Social Security number and credit card details. FBI data shows elder fraud complaints rose 14% recently with victims averaging losses of $33,915, and common scams targeting seniors include fake tech support calls, Medicare/health insurance fraud, internet pop-up viruses, and telemarketing schemes.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
The FTC identified the 10 companies most impersonated by scammers, including Amazon, Microsoft, Apple, PayPal, and major banks, with scammers using phone calls, emails, and social media to contact victims and requesting payment via gift cards, bank transfers, or Zelle. Gift cards from Apple, Target, eBay, Walmart, and Amazon were the most common payment method used in 2023, with social media scams resulting in the highest financial losses despite email and phone being more frequent contact methods. The FTC recommends verifying requests independently, avoiding unfamiliar links and caller IDs, and refusing to send money through single payment methods, while also suggesting protective
kplctv.com
· 2025-12-08
A text scam circulating in Lake Arthur, Louisiana falsely claims recipients must appear in court and directs them to call "Pretrial Services of Acadia Parish" at an out-of-area number, threatening dispatch of local authorities. Lake Arthur Police Department advises residents to discard these messages and report them to Louisiana State Police, as the scam is designed to extract money or personal information from victims.
ballmergroup.org
· 2025-12-08
Fraudsters are impersonating Ballmer Group and its employees through email, social media, and phone calls to solicit monetary deposits, personal identification, investment opportunities, and registration fees from the public. Ballmer Group does not request payments, personal information, donations, or membership fees, and advises recipients of suspicious communications claiming to be from the organization to report them directly or to the Federal Trade Commission.
clarksvilleonline.com
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau warns military members and veterans to be alert for scams around Memorial Day, which typically include high-priced military loans with hidden fees, fake rental properties using stolen photos, misleading vehicle sales targeting deployed soldiers, and fraudulent charities mimicking legitimate nonprofits. The BBB recommends avoiding wire transfers, protecting computers from phishing, placing active duty alerts on credit reports, researching businesses and charities before engaging, and reporting suspected fraud through BBB.org/Scamtracker.
columbiatribune.com
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau has received multiple reports of phishing text messages impersonating toll collection services, demanding payment of small amounts (typically $12) with threats of larger late fees to trick travelers into clicking malicious links and providing personal or payment information. Scammers exploit the fact that road travelers may not track tolls closely, with recent cases including fake messages spoofing the Illinois Tollway and fraudulent "Missouri Toll Services" texts directing payments through SunPass, a Florida-based toll agency that does not operate in Missouri. To avoid these scams, consumers should independently verify outstanding tolls through legitimate agency websites or phone numbers rather than clicking links in unsolicited text messages.
wsbtv.com
· 2025-12-08
Malachi Mullings of Sandy Springs was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for laundering over $4.5 million obtained through romance fraud and business email compromise schemes between 2019 and 2021. Mullings opened 20 fraudulent bank accounts to hide proceeds from scams targeting elderly victims and private companies, using stolen funds to purchase luxury items including a Ferrari bought with $260,000 stolen from an elderly romance fraud victim. He was ordered to pay restitution to victims and serve three years of supervised release following his prison sentence.
marketrealist.com
· 2025-12-08
Malachi Mullings, 31, from Sandy Springs, Georgia, was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison for laundering over $4.5 million stolen through business email compromise (BEC) scams, romance fraud, and healthcare benefits fraud. Mullings opened approximately 20 shell company bank accounts between 2019 and 2021 to launder the proceeds, which he spent on luxury items including a Ferrari purchased with $260,000 fraudulently obtained from an elderly romance scam victim. His criminal network targeted businesses, healthcare programs, and vulnerable elderly individuals across the United States.
ca.style.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Winnipeg and Manitoba experienced a 160% increase in cybercrime reports from 2015 to 2016 (rising from 123 to 321 cases in Winnipeg), significantly exceeding the national average of 34%, though police acknowledge many incidents go unreported due to victim embarrassment. Online scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated and targeting diverse populations—from job seekers and romance scam victims to businesses through "spear phishing" schemes, such as the fraudulent email that cost an Edmonton university $11.8 million. Police advise verifying unusual requests for money or transfers with trusted colleagues and exercising caution when dealing with unknown parties online.
theworldlink.com
· 2025-12-08
Elderly Oregonians lost $44 million to internet scams in 2023, with FBI data showing a 14% increase in elder fraud complaints and an 11% rise in associated losses that year. The average victim aged 60 and older lost $33,915, with over $3.4 billion in total losses nationwide, with tech support scams being the most commonly reported type and investment scams causing the greatest financial damage at over $1.2 billion.
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-08
An elderly woman in the tri-state area nearly lost $25,000 in an elaborate phishing scam involving fake Geek Squad invoices that escalated when the scammer showed up at her home to collect cash in person. The victim provided her bank account number and computer access after receiving a phishing email, then was pressured to withdraw $20,000 in cash based on a false claim of an accidental $25,000 refund; authorities arrested the scammer during the pickup. The article advises victims to verify subscriptions, track invoice patterns, contact companies through official websites, and watch for unprofessional language or threats from callers requesting sensitive information.
mlive.com
· 2025-12-08
Two members of an international fraud conspiracy targeting senior citizens were sentenced to federal prison: Jmyla Elaine Sha'Taria White received eight years, one month and was ordered to pay $3.2 million in restitution, while McKhaela Katelynn McNamara received four years, three months and $693,073 in restitution. The scheme used fake tech support warnings and fake federal agents to deceive elderly victims into sending money, with one West Michigan resident losing $398,000 and total losses reaching millions of dollars. Victims can report suspected elder fraud at ic3.gov or contact the FBI at 313-965-2323.
birminghammail.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
An identity theft victim in Birmingham discovered fraudsters had stolen their personal details to purchase a Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra phone (£1,099) from Curry's in London using a fake contract in their name, only realizing the fraud after receiving suspicious emails from Curry's and Vodafone over a 36-hour period. The victim successfully reported the fraud to Vodafone, avoided financial loss, though experienced temporary credit rating damage, and now emphasizes the importance of immediately verifying suspicious communications rather than dismissing them as phishing scams. The incident highlights that identity fraud remains the most common type of fraud in the UK, with Cifas reporting over 237,000
keysnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams cost consumers $1.3 billion in 2022, with cybercriminals cultivating online relationships for months before requesting money. Experts recommend moving relationships slowly, watching for red flags (requests to move off dating apps, refusal to video call, generic terms of endearment), conducting reverse image searches on profile photos, and avoiding any money transfers or financial exchanges with people you have not met in person.
newstalkzb.co.nz
· 2025-12-08
A New Zealand woman lost over $580,000 to an international romance scam spanning 14 months between November 2019 and December 2020, after meeting a scammer posing as a US oil rig worker named "Scott Thomas" on Tinder. The perpetrator convinced her he needed funding for an oil project and claimed access to a $3 million UK bank account that had been hacked, promising to repay her once he regained the funds and traveled to New Zealand to marry her. The victim made 21 international transfers from her own and her elderly father's accounts before the scam was discovered by a family member who found an incriminating email; she
sudbury.com
· 2025-12-08
Fraud losses in Canada surged from approximately $165 million in 2020 to $569 million in 2023, according to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, though officials estimate actual losses may be 10-20 times higher since only 5-10% of victims report incidents. Common scams include grandparent schemes and romance fraud, with fraudsters increasingly leveraging generative AI, making phishing attacks a daily threat for Canadians with email and cellphones.
arabnews.pk
· 2025-12-08
The Saudi Central Bank (SAMA) launched a new "Account Finder" service to help retail banking customers verify account ownership and reduce risks of unauthorized access, impersonation, and suspicious transactions. The initiative is part of SAMA's broader efforts to combat financial fraud in Saudi Arabia, where a joint study with Interpol identified five major types of fraud affecting Arab countries—including investment scams, business email compromise, romance scams, and sextortion—with fraudulent sites receiving over 137,000 daily visits from potential victims.
whig.com
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau received multiple reports in spring 2024 of phishing text messages impersonating toll collection services, claiming recipients owe small amounts (typically $12) with threats of larger late fees ($50) to trick them into clicking malicious links and entering personal or payment information. Scammers exploit the likelihood that travelers won't track tolls closely, using fake URLs and spoofed agency names; consumers should verify any toll balance directly through the legitimate agency website or phone number rather than clicking unsolicited text links.
cnet.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, Best Buy and Geek Squad were the most impersonated companies in scams, with approximately 52,000 FTC reports, followed by Amazon (34,000 reports) and PayPal (10,000 reports). However, Microsoft and Publishers Clearing House impersonation scams resulted in significantly higher financial losses—$60 million and $49 million respectively—as scammers typically claimed software had expired or computers were infected, then requested payment or personal information through untraceable methods like gift cards and cryptocurrency. Best Buy advised consumers to verify contact through official channels and report suspected fraud to the company and local authorities.
wbiw.com
· 2025-12-08
This article outlines six common PayPal scams affecting thousands of users in 2024, including fake payment confirmation emails, fraudulent invoices, accidental transfer schemes, cryptocurrency fraud, shipping address manipulation, and misuse of the "Friends and Family" payment option. The piece provides practical prevention advice for each scam type, emphasizing direct verification with PayPal, avoiding unsolicited links, and using secure payment categories for transactions with unknown parties.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Cryptocurrency scams resulted in over $24 million in losses during 2023, with common schemes including high-yield investment scams (Ponzi schemes), phishing attacks on fake trading platforms, and impersonation of celebrities or authorities. Users are advised to verify investment authenticity, access platforms only through official channels, avoid suspicious links, use strong cybersecurity software, and authenticate payment requests through official channels before providing personal information or funds.
theworldlink.com
· 2025-12-08
**Elder fraud targeting Oregonians increased significantly in 2023, with individuals aged 60 and older losing $44 million in that state alone and $3.4 billion nationally—a 14 percent increase in complaints and 11 percent increase in losses compared to 2022.** Tech support scams were the most commonly reported type of elder fraud, while investment scams caused the highest losses at over $1.2 billion; other prevalent schemes included romance scams, government impersonation, and cryptocurrency fraud. The average elderly victim lost $33,915, with over 101,000 Americans aged 60+ reporting elder fraud to the FBI's Internet Crime
currypilot.com
· 2025-12-08
Internet scams targeting elderly Oregonians increased significantly in 2023, with individuals aged 60 and over losing $3.4 billion nationally and $44 million in Oregon alone, according to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center report. Over 101,000 victims aged 60+ reported fraud to the IC3, with tech support scams being most common and investment scams causing the largest losses (over $1.2 billion). Local law enforcement in Oregon has also documented cases involving seniors being defrauded of homes and retirement savings through online scams and identity theft.
bhamnow.com
· 2025-12-08
A Birmingham FBI agent specializing in financial crimes identified six common scams targeting seniors in Alabama—including lottery/sweepstakes, tech support, romance, grandparent, home improvement, and government impersonation scams—noting that elder fraud is rising in the state and that scammers create artificial urgency to pressure victims into quick decisions. The article advises seniors and their families to secure social media accounts, seek second opinions before acting on urgent requests, and contact law enforcement if targeted, while noting that many victims don't report scams due to shame, embarrassment, or fear of retaliation.
kiplinger.com
· 2025-12-08
Reports of job-related scams to the Better Business Bureau more than doubled in 2023, with the FTC logging over 107,000 fraudulent job opportunities resulting in approximately $491 million in losses. Scammers use artificial intelligence and social media to target job seekers with "work from home" schemes, extracting personal information for identity theft or requesting up-front payments. Key warning signs include recruiters asking for Social Security numbers or bank account information before discussing the position, and victims should verify job offers through legitimate company contact information rather than recruiter-provided links.
searchlight.vc
· 2025-12-08
St. Vincent and the Grenadines police have warned residents about rising online financial scams, particularly romance scams involving fake identities (catfishing) and phishing attacks targeting confidential information. Victims are predominantly older persons in their late 40s to 50s, with local law enforcement receiving reports of these incidents twice monthly. Authorities advise downloading apps only from official app stores and caution the public about fraudulent emails and websites, noting that identity-related crimes can result in fines up to $200,000 or three years imprisonment under the 2016 Cyber Crime Act.
ftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
Scammers frequently impersonate well-known companies like Best Buy's Geek Squad, Amazon, PayPal, Microsoft, and Publishers Clearing House to deceive victims, with Microsoft and Publishers Clearing House impersonation scams resulting in the highest reported losses in 2023. While email and phone calls are the most common contact methods, scammers achieve the largest financial losses through social media-initiated investment scams paid via cryptocurrency or bank transfers, along with romance and tech support scams demanding payment through gift cards (particularly Apple gift cards). The FTC advises consumers to verify unexpected communications through official channels, avoid clicking links from unknown sources, and refuse payment methods that scammers insist
chroniclejournal.com
· 2025-12-08
Thunder Bay police are warning residents about two scams: one involving mailed letters falsely claiming personal information was leaked on the dark web and requesting victims to call a number to provide personal details, and another using emails about unauthorized recurring charges to solicit contact information and financial details. Both scams may escalate to requesting wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency payments, and police recommend vulnerable individuals and their family members be alerted to these threats.
wrat.com
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau warns consumers about fake streaming service activation scams targeting Netflix, Disney+, Hulu, and PBS Passport users through fraudulent emails and text messages with lookalike websites designed to steal personal information or distribute malware. Scammers exploit the familiarity of legitimate subscription communications by creating official-looking prompts to "activate" or "update" accounts, tricking new or returning subscribers into clicking malicious links. The BBB recommends verifying official URLs before clicking links, avoiding sponsored search results, and never entering login credentials on unofficial sites or sharing passwords with customer service representatives.