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therecord.media
The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Myanmar militia group Karen National Army (KNA) and its leader Saw Chit Thu for profiting from large-scale cyber scam operations, particularly in Shwe Kokko where industrial scamming compounds force trafficked workers to defraud victims through fraudulent investment schemes. The KNA leases land to criminal groups, provides security, and facilitates human trafficking to support these operations, which have caused Americans to lose over $6.5 billion to cryptocurrency investment fraud alone. The sanctions block the militia leader and his family from U.S. business dealings and follow international designations by the UK and EU, as well as broader Treasury actions against money laun
theguardian.com
A sophisticated scam targets older adults through WhatsApp and text messages, with fraudsters impersonating family members or close friends claiming to have lost their phone and urgently needing money for various reasons. According to Santander data, scammers posing as sons are most successful, with schemes evolving to include AI voice impersonation technology to increase credibility. Victims are advised to verify requests by contacting the person directly on their known number, establish family passwords, and report suspicious messages through their bank, the messaging app, or Action Fraud.
indeonline.com
The Better Business Bureau alerts adults 55 and older that investment/cryptocurrency scams, online purchase scams, and romance scams pose significant risks to this demographic. The BBB recommends protecting yourself by avoiding unsolicited calls and unverified callers, researching investments thoroughly, recognizing red flags like pressure tactics and requests for unusual payment methods, and being cautious of too-good-to-be-true offers for home improvement, medical equipment, and charities. Specific threats include phone fraud where scammers impersonate government agents or banks, Medicare fraud involving fake durable medical equipment, and malware from suspicious links in emails or social media.
cantonrep.com
The Better Business Bureau warns adults ages 55 and older that investment/cryptocurrency scams, online purchase scams, romance scams, and home improvement scams pose the greatest risks to this demographic. The BBB recommends protecting oneself by being skeptical of unsolicited calls (especially those impersonating government agencies), recognizing common scam red flags like pressure to act quickly or requests for unusual payment methods, researching investments carefully, and avoiding clicking links in unsolicited emails or messages.
finance.yahoo.com
An 83-year-old Tampa woman lost $4,500 after clicking a link in a text message impersonating Florida's SunPass toll system, which led her to enter her debit card information on a fake payment portal; scammers then made 25 fraudulent purchases at Staples stores over three days. This case exemplifies a national surge in toll-related phishing scams, with the FTC reporting Americans lost $470 million to text-message scams in 2024—five times the 2020 total—and older adults facing particularly high vulnerability. To protect themselves, consumers should avoid clicking unsolicited links, verify messages directly with official agencies, be w
independent.co.uk
The "hi mum" WhatsApp scam, where fraudsters impersonate children or close relatives to request emergency money transfers, is rapidly evolving with the use of AI voice impersonation technology to make deceptions more convincing. Between 2023 and 2025, UK victims lost £226,744 to this scam, with sons being the most successfully impersonated relatives according to Santander UK data. Experts recommend verifying unexpected money requests by calling the person directly, asking security questions only they would know, or waiting to see them in person.
abc.net.au
Hywel Rowlands and Tra My Tran, who met on an online dating site two years ago, were both targeted by romance scammers before finding genuine love with each other. Romance scams cost Australians over $156 million last year, with scammers using emotional manipulation and fabricated stories to request money for various needs like visa fees and gift cards. Despite encountering multiple scammers—Ms. Tran had a 50% strike rate with four online matches, two of whom asked for money—the couple persevered and have built a successful relationship.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
A 55-year-old woman in Nagpur was defrauded of Rs 16 lakh (approximately $19,000 USD) by a cybercriminal posing as a wealthy American boyfriend on social media who claimed to be sending her an expensive gift. The scammer used emotional manipulation and fake documentation to convince her that customs fees needed to be paid to clear a parcel, extracting money through multiple transactions. Police traced the funds to an NRI's Indian bank account with links to Dubai, successfully blocked the account, and recovered a portion of the stolen money, highlighting the importance of quick reporting in romance scams.
aol.com
The "Hi Mum" WhatsApp scam, which targets parents by impersonating their children to solicit money for emergencies, has caused £226,744 in losses to UK victims between 2023-2025 and is evolving rapidly, including the use of AI voice impersonation technology to increase authenticity. Fraudsters typically claim to have lost their phone or need money urgently for bills or rent, and request transfers to unfamiliar bank accounts. Experts recommend verifying requests by calling the person directly on their known number, asking security questions only they would know, or establishing family passwords, and advise reporting suspected scams immediately to banks and relevant authorities.
theeagleonline.com.ng
Two Ghanaian women—Anastasia Arthur (aka Baidoo), 48, and Amaseerwaa Konadu—were kidnapped in Nigeria after falling victim to a Facebook romance scam and were successfully rescued by the Nigeria Police Force's Intelligence Response Team in May 2025. The investigation led to the arrest of four suspects operating an international kidnapping syndicate across Ghana and Nigeria, including Peter Okoye (the prime suspect) and Emeka Christian, who received GH10,000 Cedis in ransom money. The police have urged the public to remain vigilant against online romance scams and report suspicious activity to law enforcement.
signalsaz.com
Fraud affects all age groups but scammers tailor tactics to exploit generation-specific vulnerabilities: Gen Z faces employment and crypto scams via social media, Millennials encounter investment fraud through spoofed communications, Gen X targets investment schemes, and Seniors are most susceptible to romance, investment, and home improvement scams resulting in losses of $10,000 to $100,000 or more. Desert Financial Credit Union advises recognizing red flags such as unsolicited contact, requests for money or wire transfers, urgency, and coaching about what to tell financial institutions, recommending victims pause to research claims and consult trusted contacts before authorizing any transactions.
hometownnewsbrevard.com
Helping Seniors of Brevard partnered with AARP Florida to present a free educational event called "Scam Jam" on May 16 in Melbourne designed to help seniors recognize and protect themselves from common fraud schemes. The event features workshops on prevalent scams including Nigerian lottery schemes, romance scams, government impersonation, tech support fraud, grandparent scams, and identity theft, with experts emphasizing warning signs such as pressure tactics, requests for gift cards or wire transfers, and poor grammar. The organization stresses that seniors should slow down, verify requests with others, and report suspicious activity to local law enforcement to help prevent victimization.
aol.com
An 83-year-old Tampa woman lost $4,500 to a phishing scam after clicking a link in a text message impersonating Florida's SunPass toll system, which led to 25 fraudulent charges at stores in Connecticut and Massachusetts. The scam exemplifies a national surge in toll-related phishing fraud, where scammers send mass texts threatening license suspension or credit damage to pressure victims into entering payment information on fake portals. To protect yourself, avoid clicking unsolicited text links, verify messages directly with agencies through official websites, be skeptical of urgent threats, enable bank alerts, and report suspicious messages to 7726 (SPAM).
mypolice.qld.gov.au
This is an educational awareness piece, not a news event about a specific fraud case. The Queensland Police Service Financial and Cybercrime Group will host a free cyber safety presentation on May 19, 2025, for Sunshine Coast residents aged 50+ to address vulnerabilities seniors face online. The session will cover Queensland scam statistics, how to identify and report scams, cybersecurity tips, and victim support resources available to fraud victims.
highlandcountypress.com
Ohio's Departments of Commerce and Aging are warning seniors about escalating financial fraud, noting a 22% increase in scam complaints in Ohio (302 in 2024 vs. 247 in 2023) and $1.6 billion in elder fraud losses nationally from January-May 2024. Scams have become increasingly sophisticated, utilizing AI voice cloning and cryptocurrency transfers, with older adults aged 60+ now 60% more likely than younger adults to lose over $100,000. The departments recommend protective measures including verifying unfamiliar contacts, resisting pressure tactics, monitoring accounts regularly, and reporting suspected fraud immediately.
businessinsider.com
This article is not about elder fraud, scams targeting seniors, or elder abuse. It is a profile piece about Michelle Obama sharing a career lesson from her Princeton experience regarding overcoming self-doubt and societal underestimation as a young Black woman in higher education. It does not contain information relevant to the Elderus fraud research database.
dispatch.com
Seniors are frequently targeted by scammers through multiple channels including impersonation, tech support fraud, romance scams, and AI deepfakes, often resulting in significant financial losses including entire life savings. Columbus police and banking experts identify seniors as especially vulnerable due to lower tech literacy and greater trust in communications, and recommend protective measures such as verifying unexpected contacts independently, avoiding unsolicited links, and using video calls to confirm romantic connections. Families should discuss specific scam examples with seniors to help them recognize and prevent fraud.
koco.com
Oklahoma seniors lost approximately $50 million to scams in 2024, more than doubling the $22 million lost in 2023, according to FBI data. The most common scams targeting seniors include tech support, investment, romance, and phishing schemes, often delivered via cellphone. The FBI advises seniors to stop and walk away from any situation involving pressure for financial transactions, and to contact trusted loved ones or institutions through independently verified channels.
aol.com
A Cambodia-based gang with North Korean ties operating under the Huione Group has stolen billions of dollars from Americans through "pig butchering" romance scams and investment fraud since August 2021, according to federal officials. Between August 2021 and January 2025, Huione raked in at least $4 billion in proceeds, with the operation facilitating payments and cryptocurrency exchanges that enabled the scams targeting US retirees and others through dating apps and social media. The US Treasury Department has proposed a federal rule to sever Huione Group's access to the US financial system, with one victim, Beth Hyland, losing $26,000 to a Tinder sc
mylloydminsternow.com
Lloydminster residents attended a fraud prevention awareness event featuring experts who highlighted two major scam types: grandparent scams and romance scams. Key recommendations included establishing a family safe word to verify callers' identities (which has saved three Alberta families), performing reverse image searches on potential contacts, and avoiding sending money to unknown individuals, particularly those with red flags like new social media accounts or out-of-country connections. The presenters emphasized that romance scam victims—who may lose hundreds of thousands of dollars—should not be shamed for falling victim to emotionally manipulative predators, and encouraged all victims to report fraud to police and family despite embarrassment.
wired.com
Researchers disclosed multiple vulnerabilities in Apple's AirPlay platform that could allow attackers on the same Wi-Fi network to take over third-party devices like speakers and TVs, though patches have been released with uncertain adoption rates among manufacturers. The article also reports that three major British retailers—Co-op, Marks & Spencer, and Harrods—were recently hit by cyberattacks, with ransomware group Scattered Spider allegedly responsible for at least the Marks & Spencer breach that began in February and disrupted online orders and store operations.
whec.com
A widespread phishing scam targeting Facebook users, which the Better Business Bureau reports has significantly increased since 2022, tricks victims into clicking malicious links by falsely claiming their accounts will be permanently deleted for violating community or trademark standards. The scammers use deceptive URLs that appear to be from Meta but actually redirect to fraudulent domains like rebrand.ly, atplink.com, and my-review-checker.xyz; once victims click the links, scammers gain account access and impersonate them to solicit money from their friends and contacts. The key warning sign is the artificial urgency of the message threatening immediate account deletion, which victims should recognize as a red flag and ignore.
unionleader.com
Elder fraud has become a significant threat to adults age 60 and older in the digital age, with the U.S. Department of Justice's Elder Justice Initiative working to educate seniors about common scams. The article outlines five major fraud schemes targeting seniors: Social Security impostor scams (falsely claiming account suspension and requesting funds via gift cards), tech support scams (claiming virus detection and requesting remote device access), lottery scams (falsely informing victims of foreign lottery winnings and demanding fees), and romance scams (exploiting victims through dating platforms to solicit money).
bucyrustelegraphforum.com
The FBI warns of an escalating "smishing" scam targeting E-ZPass users and other toll service customers with fraudulent text messages claiming unpaid tolls of $3.95-$12.55, designed to trick recipients into clicking malicious links and surrendering personal and financial information. Similar scams are circulating about undelivered packages, unpaid taxes, and overdue bills, with scammers increasingly using AI and spoofing techniques across multiple states. The FBI advises recipients to delete suspicious texts immediately without clicking links, verify account status through official channels, and report incidents to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
ca.cair.com
CAIR-CA reported scams where callers impersonated ICE agents and threatened U.S. citizens and international students with deportation or fines unless they filed AR-11 forms (which only immigrants need to submit). The calls used spoofed ICE hotline numbers and appeared to target students, people with Arab or Muslim names, and Gaza advocacy supporters. Victims are advised not to engage with suspicious calls, never share personal information with callers claiming to be government agents, and contact immigration attorneys or report incidents to CAIR-CA.
finance.yahoo.com
Pump-and-dump stock scams, which have existed for centuries, involve fraudsters accumulating low-priced "penny stocks," artificially inflating their value through promotional campaigns (increasingly via encrypted social media platforms), and then selling their shares at peak prices, leaving other investors unable to sell as the price crashes. These schemes exploit investors' fear of missing out (FOMO) by creating artificial urgency and buzz around stocks with little public information available. Protection strategies include avoiding investment advice from strangers, being cautious of social media investment ads, and conducting thorough research before investing in low-priced securities.
saltwire.com
Luiggi Giovanni Yataco, 35, was sentenced for his role in the "Grandparent Scam," defrauding seniors in St. John's and Gander of nearly $27,900 in October 2023 by posing as a lawyer and claiming grandchildren needed bail money for car accidents. Yataco pleaded guilty to four counts of fraud and one count of wearing a disguise, claiming he was merely a "money mule" collecting cash envelopes, though he was arrested when police caught him attempting to pick up money from one of the victims. The scam is part of a broader pattern affecting Canadian seniors, with over $23
islandssounder.com
This article is an educational awareness piece and community announcement from the Orcas Senior Center. The key fraud prevention advice includes attending an in-person discussion on May 14 led by Jennifer Tourjé from the FTC's Northwest Region, who will share tips on spotting, reporting, and avoiding scams, with additional resources available at www.consumer.ftc.gov. The remainder of the announcement promotes various senior center programs including peer support groups, chair yoga, meditation, and ukulele classes.
newsbreak.com
Wesley Pines Retirement Community is hosting its second annual Scam Jam event on May 7 to educate seniors aged 60+ about common fraud schemes, including crypto, romance, and Medicare card scams. According to a 2025 National Council on Aging report, seniors lost over $3 billion to fraud in 2023, affecting more than 100,000 people. The free event will feature speakers from financial institutions and law enforcement, plus a document shredding service to help attendees safely dispose of personal information.
newsandsentinel.com
The First United Methodist Church in Parkersburg hosted an elder fraud awareness and prevention event attended by 56 seniors, featuring FBI Special Agents Jonas Lagergren and Aaron Lee from the FBI Pittsburgh Division. The agents presented updated data on common fraud schemes from the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center Annual Report and provided guidance on protecting against fraudulent activity and reporting procedures to the FBI.
wgal.com
Scammers are increasingly using AI-generated "wrong number" text messages with innocuous content to trick recipients into engaging and confirming active phone numbers for future fraud schemes. In 2024, consumers lost $470 million to text-based scams, according to the FTC, which notes a 98% text message open rate. Consumers should avoid replying to unexpected texts, clicking links, or assuming unverified messages from companies are legitimate—instead contacting organizations directly using known contact information.
hindustantimes.com
The FBI has issued a nationwide warning about fake discount medical insurance scams that have defrauded victims across the country out of millions of dollars. These scams target vulnerable individuals seeking affordable healthcare through unsolicited contact (calls, texts, emails) promising low premiums and comprehensive coverage, but deliver no actual insurance, leaving victims responsible for medical bills and unable to cancel charges. The FBI urges victims to report suspected fraud to the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
cleveland.com
The FBI warns of a rapidly spreading scam involving fake discount medical insurance plans that have cost victims millions of dollars. Fraudsters posing as insurance representatives use unsolicited contact and false urgency to convince people to pay for non-existent coverage, often promising full medical/dental benefits, preferred doctor access, and bonus benefits like grocery or gas aid. Documented cases include a Pennsylvania couple who received emergency room bills they thought were covered and a Texas senior who had to cancel his credit card to stop unauthorized charges after enrolling in a fraudulent dental plan.
rmpbs.org
An 86-year-old Colorado resident named Beverly Russman has been repeatedly targeted by multiple scams over several years, including fake urgent payment demands, ATM withdrawal schemes, and the "Grandparent Scam," which nearly cost her thousands of dollars before bank tellers and family intervention stopped her. According to the FBI's 2023 Elder Fraud Report, Colorado ranks seventh nationwide in senior fraud complaints, with scammers stealing over $54 million from seniors that year, with perpetrators often using personal information gleaned from social media and obituaries to target victims. Experts note that seniors are prime fraud targets due to their financial assets, and victims can report fraud to the FTC but
pcmag.com
**Article Type:** Educational/Awareness piece on elder fraud prevention
Kerry Tomlinson, a cybersecurity expert and former TV reporter, presented research at RSAC 2025 on why older adults (60+) are vulnerable to online scams and fraud. Older adults lost an average of $83,000 per scam in the past year, primarily through social engineering attacks that exploit stress, fear, and urgency by impersonating authority figures. Tomlinson emphasizes that retirement, cognitive changes, physical limitations (vision and hearing loss), and loss of self-efficacy contribute to vulnerability, and recommends approaching elder protection with empathy rather than frustration or removing
aol.com
Scams and fraud are surging at alarming rates, affecting millions of Americans and causing significant financial and emotional harm. The U.S. Government Accountability Office has called for a national strategy to combat fraud, including standardized definitions and measurements, with proposed legislation like the GUARD Act aimed at requiring federal agencies to report on the scope of scams to Congress. Industry leaders and policymakers argue that comprehensive federal data collection and cross-sector collaboration between government, financial institutions, technology companies, and law enforcement are essential to developing targeted fraud prevention strategies and protecting vulnerable consumers.
fingerlakes1.com
Senator Kirsten Gillibrand warned that proposed cuts to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)—including elimination of nearly 90% of staff and the Office of Financial Protection for Older Americans—will leave seniors vulnerable to fraud and scams. In 2023 alone, over 4,300 older New Yorkers lost more than $200 million to scams, and the CFPB has historically returned over $21 billion to victims while providing critical financial education and fraud prevention resources. Gillibrand called for full restoration of CFPB staffing to maintain protections against elder fraud and financial exploitation.
robesonian.com
Wesley Pines Retirement Community is hosting its second annual Scam Jam awareness event on May 7, targeting seniors 60+ who are particularly vulnerable to fraud schemes including cryptocurrency, romance, and Medicare card scams. According to the National Council on Aging, individuals over 60 lost over $3 billion to fraud in 2023, affecting more than 100,000 people. The free event will feature educational speakers from financial institutions, Social Security, and law enforcement, along with a document shredding service to help attendees safely dispose of personal information.
nbcpalmsprings.com
Palm Springs Police issued a warning to seniors about sophisticated scam tactics targeting older adults, highlighting the growing threat of phone-based fraud in the community. The alert emphasized the importance of financial safety and fraud prevention measures for vulnerable populations.
newsbreak.com
A retired caregiver in Fresno, California discovered her identity had been stolen in a cryptocurrency investment scam when friends congratulated her on launching a crypto business; the fraudulent Facebook post falsely claimed she was a certified "Expert Crypto Trader" and garnered 160+ responses, though the actual number of victims who sent money remains unknown. California's Department of Social Services received over 190,000 reports of financial abuse against seniors between January 2022 and February 2025, with experts noting that older adults are particularly vulnerable to sophisticated scams involving cryptocurrency, phishing, impersonation, and romance fraud, especially as AI technology makes these schemes more convincing.
abcactionnews.com
A 37-year-old convicted felon, Otiz Swinton Jr., was arrested in Orlando for defrauding a 92-year-old Sun City Center man of over $800,000 through a romantic deception scheme involving bank fraud. The perpetrator drained the victim's accounts through multiple methods including cryptocurrency transfers, ATM withdrawals, and counterfeit checks totaling $14.3 million, and was apprehended after being caught on camera using the victim's Wells Fargo card at a Publix store. Swinton Jr. was charged with multiple counts including fraudulent use of personal information of an elderly person, credit card fraud, and ut
mississauga.com
A 28-year-old Toronto man was charged with defrauding two victims of over $610,000 through a romance scam conducted between June 2021 and July 2023, in which he posed as an oil rig owner seeking urgent financial assistance while communicating only electronically and never meeting the victims in person. The suspect, who faces multiple fraud and money laundering charges, was previously accused of using the same method to steal over $250,000 from another victim in November 2023, and police believe he is part of a larger criminal network targeting vulnerable users on dating websites.
dubawa.org
A Facebook romance scam used an unauthorized image of Liberian Senator Edwin Melvin Snowe to solicit women across Africa for fake long-term relationships, with the fraudulent page accumulating over 17,000 followers and generating thousands of engagements since its creation in May 2023. The scam employed classic grooming and trafficking tactics including false identity, promises of financial stability, and redirection to WhatsApp for private contact, exposing vulnerable women to potential exploitation. Despite Facebook rebranding the page after complaints, the fraudulent content remained active, highlighting broader vulnerabilities in digital safety as romance scams caused victims an estimated $1.3 billion in losses in
theregister.com
Generative AI has significantly enhanced phishing and fraud schemes by producing grammatically correct, localized content in regional languages and dialects that previously escaped scammers' reach, making traditional red flags like poor spelling obsolete. AI chatbots now effectively initiate romance scams and impersonation fraud, while AI-generated audio deepfakes are already being used in real-time to target company employees, though video deepfakes remain less convincing despite high-profile cases like the $25 million Hong Kong fraud.
bbc.com
Music fans lost money to ticket resale scams on social media during Bank Holiday events, with victims paying £60-£90 via bank transfer to sellers on X (formerly Twitter) who then blocked them without providing tickets. Two victims recovered partial refunds through their banks (Monzo and Barclays), though not all losses were recovered, while scammers exploited high demand for sold-out events like Thorpe Park parties and London RnB gigs. Action Fraud reports £9.7 million was lost to ticket fraud in the previous year, and experts advise buyers to use only authorized ticket sellers and be suspicious of last-minute deals on social media.
commercialappeal.com
Task scams targeting job seekers have "skyrocketed," with reports quadrupling from 5,000 in 2023 to 20,000 in the first half of 2024, according to FTC alerts. These scams lure victims through unsolicited texts or WhatsApp messages promising online work through gamified apps, then request victims invest their own money (often in cryptocurrency) with promises of commissions, resulting in losses of hundreds to thousands of dollars per victim—with task scams accounting for nearly 40 percent of the $220 million in total job scam losses in early 2024. The FTC and BBB advise avoiding unsolicited job
b105country.com
Wisconsin Public Service warned customers of a scam in which fraudsters impersonate utility company representatives and demand immediate payment to avoid service disconnection, creating false urgency to panic victims into providing banking information for theft. The scam targeted residential customers, businesses, and religious organizations across Wisconsin, with scammers requesting payment details to steal money and personal identity information. WPS advised customers to hang up suspicious calls and contact the company directly to verify any service issues.
theacorn.com
In April, a crew of grifters posing as landscapers targeted the Morrison Ranch neighborhood in Agoura Hills, California, perpetrating a mulch-laying scam that overcharged residents thousands of dollars using intimidation tactics. One homeowner agreed to mulch work at $10 per bag but was presented with 250 mostly empty bags and demanded $2,500; she negotiated down to $500 with help from an attorney, while a neighboring widow reportedly paid the full $4,000 demanded out of fear. The scam involved deceptive practices such as using empty bags and previously used bags with minimal mulch, with the perpetrators becoming aggressive and refusing to leave until
foxnews.com
Scammers are using advanced tools like generative AI to defraud mobile consumers, with annual losses exceeding $1 trillion globally according to the Global Anti-Scam Alliance. Google is rolling out AI-powered scam detection features for Android users, including real-time warnings in Google Messages and phone call analysis, while experts recommend supplementing these tools with additional security measures like strong antivirus software to stay ahead of evolving fraud tactics.
khou.com
**Summary:**
The FBI has issued a warning about fraudulent discount medical insurance schemes that cost victims millions annually, targeting people seeking affordable healthcare with misleading offers that promise coverage but provide none. Scammers use unsolicited contact and high-pressure tactics to pressure victims into quick sign-ups, with documented cases including a Pennsylvania couple and Maryland resident who discovered their policies provided no coverage after medical events, leaving them responsible for thousands in bills. The FBI recommends verifying insurance through state commissioners or the Better Business Bureau, reviewing policy documents carefully, and avoiding upfront payments to protect against these scams.