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New York State Senator Zellnor Myrie introduced the "RIPOFF Act," a bill that would allow judges to strip large corporations (making over $100 million annually) of stock shares when convicted of financial crimes like fraud, bribery, and money laundering, with proceeds going to crime victims. The legislation aims to close legal loopholes that have allowed white-collar criminals to avoid serious punishment and to modernize fraud laws that haven't been updated in decades as criminal tactics have become increasingly sophisticated. Myrie emphasized the need for stronger state-level enforcement since federal agencies may scale back financial crime investigations, urging residents to stay vigilant about protecting their hard-earned money from corporate scams.

New York State officials warned consumers about the rising threat of AI-powered shopping scams during Cyber Monday, when shoppers spend billions online. Last year, New Yorkers lost over $17 million to online shopping scams and another $41 million to business impostor schemes, with fraudulent websites and counterfeit products being the most common problems. To protect yourself, research sellers before purchasing, be cautious about unfamiliar online shops, and verify website authenticity before entering payment information.

Thirty-five-year-old Esther Marie Jones of Rochester appeared in federal court as one of eight suspects accused of running fraud schemes targeting dozens of senior citizens in Western New York. According to the criminal complaint, Jones was found in possession of 31 fraudulent identification cards, 4 stolen social security cards, and 65 fraudulent bank cards, which she allegedly used to steal money from seniors and open businesses under their identities. A fraud prevention expert noted that elder fraud victims often suffer devastating consequences, as seniors who lose their life savings lack the financial resources to recover, unlike younger fraud victims.

Eight suspects were charged federally for operating fraud schemes targeting over 139 senior citizens across Western New York, resulting in approximately $11 million in losses. The schemes employed multiple tactics including romance scams, account hacking, and identity theft, and were dismantled by a newly formed Department of Justice task force based in Rochester.

The New York Attorney General warned seniors about the "Phantom Hacker" scam, a three-phase fraud in which victims receive unsolicited contact claiming their bank account has been hacked, are tricked into downloading remote-access software, and then receive follow-up calls from scammers posing as their bank or government officials to convince them their funds are compromised. Since last year, over $1 billion has been stolen nationwide from people near or in retirement through such schemes, and authorities advise seniors to avoid clicking unsolicited links, never grant remote computer access, and call their bank directly using a known number if they receive fraud alerts.

Money transfer apps like Zelle and Venmo lack fraud protections comparable to credit cards, leaving users vulnerable to scammers who have stolen over a billion dollars through these platforms. New York's Attorney General is suing Zelle, claiming inadequate consumer safeguards, while experts warn users to avoid unsolicited calls/emails from these apps, never search for help online (risking fake support scammers), and understand that funds sent to the wrong person are typically unrecoverable. To use these apps safely, only transfer money to trusted contacts you know.

Federal authorities arrested 13 people involved in a transnational grandparent scam that defrauded at least 400 elderly victims nationwide of approximately $5 million, with funds funneled to the Dominican Republic. Scammers called victims from call centers in the Dominican Republic, impersonating grandchildren in distress and requesting urgent wire transfers, sometimes using ride-share drivers to collect cash in person. An elderly couple from Cayuga County, New York, was among the victims, losing nearly $25,000 to the scheme.

Text message scams impersonating the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles are increasing, threatening recipients with driver's license revocation or prosecution unless they pay outstanding fees. Red flags include checking the sender's phone number country code (the example showed +63 from the Philippines, when legitimate DMV messages would come from domestic numbers) and avoiding clicking suspicious links that request payment or personal information. Recipients should delete such messages rather than engage with them, as the links may contain malware or be designed to steal credit card and personal data.

The House has approved a 3.5% tax on international money transfers sent by non-citizens to foreign countries as part of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act, pending Senate action. The proposed tax raises concerns among low-income immigrant families, particularly those in New York sending remittances to Mexico and the Dominican Republic, as it would reduce the amount of money available to vulnerable relatives abroad.

Two New York City women paid $3,000 each in 2024 for a cosmetics training course offered by Florida-based influencer "Melanie" through her company The Luxury Inc. Show, but were subsequently ghosted with no course delivery, communication, or refunds. Both victims filed police reports in Miami after months of contact attempts went unanswered, losing a combined $6,000 to what appears to be a course scam promoted through the influencer's social media posts.

A Long Island couple, Pat and Valerie Policcastro, lost $23,000 to Crafty Getaways Travel Agency after paying in full for a two-week European vacation in October that was never booked. When they returned to the travel agency's Miller Place office in February to check on their reservations, they found it abandoned with no way to contact the company. The New York Attorney General's office is investigating the travel scam, and the couple is among multiple victims who were defrauded.

Scammers steal approximately $23,000 per hour from New Yorkers, with older adults over 60 losing more than $200 million annually to fraud schemes in New York alone. One victim, Torchy Massie, was convinced by an online acquaintance to invest all her savings into a fake investment opportunity. Advocacy groups are pushing for state funding to combat these increasingly sophisticated scams, while noting that many victims remain unreported due to embarrassment.

New York State enacted legislation requiring dating apps to notify users when they interact with fake or scam accounts, following reports that approximately 7,000 Americans fell victim to romance scams in 2022. The law addresses concerns about the prevalence of fraudulent profiles on platforms like Tinder, with some users reporting that roughly one in five profiles may be fake or bot accounts designed to deceive online daters.

Robert Giuliano, a multi-state romance scammer wanted out of New York for forgery, grand larceny, and identity theft, was arrested in Scottsdale but released on parole supervision by a Bronx Supreme Court Judge after extradition to New York. His victims expressed disappointment at his release, feeling "victimized twice," though legal experts note that judges often release defendants facing nonviolent crimes without substantial criminal histories pending trial.

Lifespan of Greater Rochester held an educational presentation at Elmira Heights Village Hall to inform senior citizens about common scams and fraud schemes. According to Lifespan, New York State recorded over 260,000 fraud reports in 2023 with total losses of $4.9 million, with the top scams being foster scams, online shopping fraud, internet services scams, prize/sweepstakes schemes, and healthcare fraud. The organization distributes educational pamphlets and offers one-on-one assistance to fraud victims through their website and support team.

The Niagara County Clerk's Office has issued alerts about phishing scams targeting residents through text messages that impersonate E-ZPass and toll service authorities. Scammers are sending texts claiming to collect tolls on behalf of New York or E-ZPass services, with links directing victims to fraudulent websites designed to steal personal information. The Thruway Authority emphasizes that it will never request sensitive personal information via unsolicited communications.

Phishing scams are reaching record numbers, with reports doubling between 2022 and 2023, according to the Better Business Bureau of Upstate New York. Common scams include fraudulent text messages about unpaid tolls (the "Throughway text scam") that trick victims into providing credit card information, and extortion emails claiming to have compromising pictures and threatening to release them unless payment is made. Victims are advised to verify requests directly with official sources, never click links in unsolicited messages, and report suspicious communications to authorities.

Phishing scams are increasing dramatically in Western New York and nationwide, with Upstate New York experiencing a 140% increase in reports last year and nearly 10,000 reports nationally. Scammers are using new technology including AI to target victims via email, text message, and voicemail, crafting increasingly sophisticated messages designed to trick people into revealing personal information. Experts advise not clicking suspicious links or entering personal information online, as compromised data allows scammers to access victims' accounts and sensitive information.

This article is not relevant to elder fraud research. It is an educational piece about the FBI Police force—a few hundred sworn law enforcement officers established in the late 1980s who protect FBI personnel, facilities, and information across the Eastern seaboard, particularly in Washington D.C., New York, and West Virginia. The article, published in honor of National Police Week 2024, profiles FBI Police Chief David Sutton and Officer Briana Chapman, describing their training, authority, duties, and community engagement role.

An 83-year-old man in Great Neck was scammed out of tens of thousands of dollars after a pop-up appeared on his computer claiming it was locked and instructing him to call a number. The scammers impersonated authorities, falsely claiming he had unauthorized charges ($15,000 and $16,000) on his bank account related to illegal gun purchases and gambling, and pressured him to withdraw cash to "fix" the problem; they also intercepted his phone calls by rerouting them to their own personnel. Two suspects, Zen Shen Yu and Rong Chen, were arrested and pleaded not guilty to the fraud charges, with police capturing video of the pickup attempt.

Officials in New York seized nearly two dozen web domains from IP addresses in China used to conduct "pig butchering" cryptocurrency scams, which operate across multiple states including California, Illinois, and Pennsylvania. Scammers use dating apps and group chats to build trust with victims before convincing them to invest in cryptocurrency schemes that appear to generate returns, then steal their money; reported losses include $16,000 and $118,000 from individual victims in Brooklyn.

A Glenwood, Illinois man named Elliot Lawson Henderson defrauded multiple people through discounted travel deals advertised on social media and a dedicated website. One victim, Pinky Jackson, paid Henderson for flights, a hotel room, and Broadway tickets for a New York City trip, but upon arrival discovered the hotel booking was never actually paid for, forcing her family to pay full price on the spot. Multiple individuals report that Henderson takes payment for travel packages and then fails to complete the bookings, leaving customers stranded without accommodations.

Charlotte Kohls, a financial advice columnist for New York Magazine, fell victim to an elaborate scam that began with a fake Amazon call claiming $8,000 in fraudulent charges on a non-existent business account. The scammer then posed as an FTC agent investigating her for money laundering and financial crimes, ultimately convincing her to withdraw and hand over $50,000 in cash to a stranger. Kohls's experience serves as a warning that even financially knowledgeable individuals are vulnerable to sophisticated social engineering scams.

A financial columnist for New York magazine fell victim to an elaborate multi-stage scam in which fraudsters impersonating Amazon, the Federal Trade Commission, and a CIA investigator convinced her to withdraw $50,000 and hand it to them in cash over the course of a five-hour phone call. The scammers exploited her vulnerability by threatening her family and creating a false sense of urgency, using isolation tactics to prevent her from seeking help or verification. She came forward with her story to highlight that scam victims span all demographics and professions, and that sophisticated scammers are skilled at identifying and exploiting individual vulnerabilities.

The FBI issued a warning about online romance scams, reporting that in 2022 alone it received 19,000 complaints totaling $740 million in losses. Scammers troll social media and dating sites to build trust with victims before fabricating emergencies to solicit money, with seniors being of particular concern due to isolation and fixed incomes. The FBI recommends limiting personal information shared online, using established dating platforms, and being cautious of matches who avoid meeting in person or pressure you to communicate exclusively online.