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in Grandparent Scam
shropshirestar.com
· 2025-12-08
A police officer in Telford, PC Robert Hughes, revealed that a family member fell victim to a "Hi Mum/Dad" impersonation scam via text message, where a scammer posed as him claiming to need urgent help and requesting contact on a new number. Although no money was lost after the family realized the scam in time, PC Hughes warns that this tactic exploits people's natural instinct to help relatives and advises verifying requests by calling or texting known phone numbers and using resources like Action Fraud and the "Who called me?" website to identify scammers.
ibtimes.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
An 83-year-old San Francisco Bay Area resident lost $50,000 in a cryptocurrency scam after receiving a call from someone impersonating her grandson who claimed to be arrested and needing bail money. The scammers instructed her to deposit cash into Coinstar cryptocurrency ATMs over multiple days, using escalating claims of additional charges and fees to extract more funds. Although her bank flagged suspicious withdrawals and a concerned bystander urged her to verify the story, she only discovered the fraud after directly contacting her grandson, and cryptocurrency's irreversible nature made fund recovery impossible.
futurism.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers attempted to defraud a Florida title company by using an AI-generated deepfake video to impersonate a missing woman and fraudulently sell a vacant property. The scheme was caught before completion, but property appraiser Marty Kiar warns that AI-enabled title fraud will likely increase as criminals leverage automated tools to synthesize public property records and create sophisticated impersonations faster than ever before.
theconversation.com
· 2025-12-08
Fraud is now the leading crime against Canadian seniors, with scammers increasingly exploiting technological tools to create more sophisticated schemes including grandparent fraud (2,494 victims, $9.4 million in losses), romance scams ($59 million in 2022), and phishing attacks ($58 million in 2022). Seniors are particularly vulnerable due to social isolation, limited digital literacy (only 26% feel confident with technology), accessible savings, and the emotional manipulation that can override caution despite public awareness campaigns.
analyticsinsight.net
· 2025-12-08
Social media scams resulted in over $1.2 billion in losses last year, with common schemes including phishing (fake profiles impersonating organizations), romance scams (which cost nearly $1 billion in 2021), fake investment opportunities (over $330 million lost in 2022), fraudulent giveaways (40% of respondents affected in 2021), and impersonation scams targeting friends and family. Users can protect themselves by verifying account authenticity, avoiding suspicious links, staying informed about current scams, and reporting fraudulent activity to platforms.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
BBC Scam Safe Week is a multi-platform educational initiative launching programs across television, radio, and online to help the public recognize and avoid scams, which have become increasingly prevalent during the cost-of-living crisis. Expert contributors highlight that "pig butchering" romance-to-investment scams are currently the most profitable fraud scheme, with victims losing tens of thousands of pounds or more, and emphasize that people of all ages—particularly 16-34 year-olds—are vulnerable targets. The campaign stresses that self-education is essential since authorities can only convict 0.1% of fraud cases, and that scamming has become a sophisticated criminal enterprise rather than isolated incidents.
bilyonaryo.com
· 2025-12-08
Fraud against seniors in Canada is rapidly increasing and now represents the leading crime against this population, driven by sophisticated technologies including voice simulation, AI-generated profiles, and automated phishing systems. Seniors are particularly vulnerable due to social isolation, limited digital literacy (only 26% feel confident with technology), and accessible savings, making them targets for scams like grandparent fraud ($9.4 million in losses), romance scams ($59 million in 2022), and phishing ($58 million in 2022). To protect themselves, seniors should never share personal information via unsolicited calls or messages, verify requests independently, and remain cautious of emotional appeals even when awareness campaigns exist.
interest.co.nz
· 2025-12-08
Fraud is now the leading crime against seniors in Canada, with scammers increasingly exploiting advanced technology including voice simulation, AI, and fake identities to conduct grandparent scams, romance fraud, and phishing schemes. Notable losses include $9.4 million from grandparent fraud and $59 million from romance scams in 2022 alone. Seniors remain vulnerable due to social isolation, limited digital literacy (only 26% feel confident with technology despite 67% using the internet), and scammers' ability to create emotionally manipulative scenarios that override caution and awareness campaigns.
portageonline.com
· 2025-12-08
A senior in Portage la Prairie avoided a "grandparent scam" after receiving a call from someone impersonating her nephew, claiming he had been arrested with marijuana and needed $7,000 bail. The caller, posing as a police officer named "Const. Michael Riley," became suspicious when he refused to allow her to verify his identity at the local detachment, prompting her to hang up and confirm her nephew was actually at a dentist's appointment. The RCMP reports this scam is widespread across Canada and advises anyone receiving similar emergency calls to hang up and contact their local detachment directly to verify, as police never request bail payments by phone.
usatoday.com
· 2025-12-08
Americans lost an estimated $12.5 billion to online scams in the past year, with the FBI reporting that 39% of victims were targeted through AI-generated "deepfake" videos used in investment schemes, romance scams, and other frauds. Scammers are increasingly using artificial intelligence to duplicate voices, create convincing fake videos of business leaders and celebrities, and attempt account breaches, making these crimes harder to detect and recover from, as 96% of reported losses are never recovered. The article recommends using strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and watching for telltale signs of deepfakes such as unnatural facial movements, inconsistent lighting, and audio irreg
santaclaritamagazine.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article discusses the growing threat of senior scams and identifies common tactics used by scammers, including impersonation, fake charities, sweepstakes/lottery schemes, romance scams, and fraudulent investment offers. The article attributes the rise in senior scams to increased isolation, digital communication channels, and cognitive decline that make elderly individuals more vulnerable to manipulation. To protect seniors, the article emphasizes the importance of community awareness programs, educational campaigns, and open family communication to help elderly individuals recognize and avoid scam tactics.
thesun.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
A 68-year-old woman named Jean was defrauded of £169,000 over seven years by a Facebook romance scammer posing as "Maxwell Johnson," a fake US Air Force serviceman whose profile image was stolen from a real military officer. The scammer, traced to Nigeria and linked to the "Yahoo Boys" sextortion gang, manipulated Jean—a disabled pensioner who used a wheelchair—by claiming he loved her and would move to the UK to marry her, while repeatedly requesting money for flights and expenses that never materialized. Jean accumulated significant debt (£9,000 to energy companies and £8,000 to caregivers) through pension and disability benefit transfers via
seacoastcurrent.com
· 2025-12-08
The article outlines several prevalent scams targeting Mainers, particularly seniors, including fake jury summons demanding payment via gift cards, the "grandparent scam" where callers pose as jailed relatives requesting bail money, online dating scams that build trust before requesting funds, and caller ID spoofing that masks scammers' true identities. Key advice includes never sharing personal information or sending money to strangers, avoiding suspicious links, and warning elderly relatives about these common fraud schemes.
ncoa.org
· 2025-12-08
Deepfakes are AI-generated videos, photos, and audio that realistically fabricate or alter someone's likeness, increasingly used by criminals to execute scams targeting older Americans, who lost $3.4 billion to fraud in 2023. Common deepfake scams include investment schemes (such as an 82-year-old losing $690,000 to a fake Elon Musk video), romance scams (with victims in Hong Kong losing over $46 million), political misinformation, extortion/grandparent scams (which generated over $13 million in losses from 2020-2021), and celebrity endorsement frauds. Understanding
ncoa.org
· 2025-12-08
AI-powered scams represent an emerging threat to consumers, particularly older adults, utilizing artificial intelligence tools to create highly convincing impersonations and fraudulent messages at scale. Scammers employ four main tactics: voice cloning to impersonate family members or authority figures, deepfake videos to pose as public figures, sophisticated phishing emails that bypass spam filters, and fake websites promoting fraudulent investments. The FBI has warned that as AI technology advances, cybercriminals' ability to execute personalized, authentic-seeming fraud campaigns will continue to increase.
rcmp-grc.gc.ca
· 2025-12-08
This is not a news article or detailed account of a specific scam or fraud case. Rather, it is an informational webpage from the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) outlining their services and areas of focus, including a general mention that Canadians lose millions yearly to fraud and that the RCMP operates an Anti-Fraud Centre to help stop scams. The page provides links to resources and does not contain specific information about victims, scam types, dollar amounts, or outcomes related to elder fraud.
wtop.com
· 2025-12-08
Four suspects were arrested in Prince George's County, Maryland on October 25 after scamming a 74-year-old woman out of over $30,000 in a "pigeon drop" scheme, where they posed as people who found money and convinced the victim to deposit funds into an account to avoid tracing. The suspects, with addresses in Alabama and Tennessee, allegedly approached elderly victims alone in parking lots claiming they had found cash and needed help laundering it through the victim's bank account before splitting the proceeds. Police warn that this scam targets seniors with promises of quick financial gain or threats of legal trouble, and urge families to discuss such schemes with elderly relatives.
local.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
This article presents educational advice from a Scam Jam event in Richmond, Virginia, where experts from organizations including AARP Virginia and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service provided seniors with strategies to protect themselves against fraud. Speakers described various scams targeting older Americans, including durable medical equipment fraud, mail theft, identity theft, phishing, and AI-powered impersonation calls, and advised attendees to avoid unsolicited contacts, protect personal information, and use secure mailing practices. The event emphasized that fraudsters use both low-tech methods like mail theft and high-tech tactics like voice manipulation, and stressed that seniors should be skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true.
pressdemocrat.com
· 2025-12-08
Alfred Mancinelli, a 79-year-old widower, lost approximately $1 million in retirement savings and his granddaughter's college fund to romance scammers impersonating professional wrestler Alexa Bliss and others over several years. Despite his son Chris's attempts to intervene and protect his assets, Alfred remained convinced he was in a genuine romantic relationship and even sued his son, demonstrating how romance scams isolate victims and make them resistant to help. The case illustrates a broader trend where older Americans are disproportionately targeted for costly online scams, with Americans losing an estimated $652 million to romance and confidence scams in 2023 alone.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
This article covers a "Scam Jam" educational event in Richmond, Virginia organized by AARP Virginia where law enforcement and fraud prevention experts educated about 30 seniors on common scams targeting older adults. Presenters from the U.S. Postal Inspection Service and Virginia Senior Medicare Patrol discussed various fraud schemes including mail theft, identity theft, durable medical equipment fraud, and AI-powered impersonation scams, while offering practical protective strategies such as mailing checks directly to post offices and shredding personal documents.
qcountryfm.ca
· 2025-12-08
Two senior citizens in the Portage la Prairie area of Manitoba fell victim to "grandparent scams" in late October 2024, where callers impersonating lawyers claimed their grandchildren were in jail and needed bail money; the victims transferred funds either at their homes or at bank locations. The RCMP warned that similar scams had occurred across Manitoba and advised the public to hang up on such calls, verify claims by contacting family directly, and never provide money to unknown callers, noting that bail cannot be paid in cash or cryptocurrency under Canadian law.
wtop.com
· 2025-12-08
Four suspects from Alabama and Tennessee were arrested in Maryland after scamming a 74-year-old woman out of over $30,000 in a "pigeon drop" scam, where they approached her in a parking lot claiming to have found money that needed to be deposited into an account to avoid tracing before being returned to her. The suspects, ranging in age from 36 to 77, may be connected to similar frauds across multiple states, and police emphasize that elderly citizens should be wary of unsolicited interactions involving monetary gain or urgent requests for money or account information.
winnipeg.citynews.ca
· 2025-12-08
The RCMP investigated multiple grandparent scams in Manitoba where callers impersonated lawyers claiming victims' grandchildren were in jail and needed bail money; victims in Portage la Prairie, MacGregor, Minnedosa, Kleefeld, and East St. Paul lost significant sums, with suspects either collecting cash in person or driving seniors to banks. Police warned that scammers are increasingly confident and using social media information to target vulnerable seniors, recommending victims verify caller identity through direct family contact and report suspicious calls.
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-08
At least four Manitoba seniors fell victim to "grandparent scams" within one week in late October and early November 2024, in which fraudsters impersonated lawyers and claimed the victims' grandchildren were in jail and needed bail money. The scams escalated to include in-person contact, with perpetrators either coming to seniors' homes or driving them to banks to withdraw "significant amounts" of money. RCMP noted the scammers' increasing confidence and use of social media information, and urged the public to verify such claims by contacting family members directly before sending money.
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-08
At least four Manitoba seniors fell victim to "grandparent scams" within one week, where fraudsters impersonated lawyers claiming their grandchildren were in jail and needed bail money. In some cases, scammers made in-person contact, including driving one East St. Paul senior to a bank and collecting money from victims' homes, with police reporting "significant" amounts were lost in multiple incidents. RCMP noted the increasing sophistication and boldness of perpetrators who use social media information to target victims, and urged Manitobans to verify such claims by contacting family members directly rather than sending money to unknown callers.
journee-mondiale.com
· 2025-12-08
The United States observes National Slam the Scam Day on March 7th annually, an awareness campaign established by the Federal Trade Commission in 2020 to educate the public about fraud prevention. Common scams include phishing emails, fake charities, tech support schemes, romance scams, and grandparent scams targeting the elderly—such as the case of 78-year-old Martha, who lost $5,000 after receiving a fraudulent call claiming to be from her grandson. The FTC recommends protecting oneself by verifying information, never sharing personal details unsolicited, monitoring credit reports, and reporting suspicious activity to authorities.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A Massachusetts woman lost thousands of dollars in a sophisticated impersonation scam when callers posing as Border Patrol and U.S. Marshals convinced her that a package with her name contained drugs and contraband. Despite verifying the callers' names and phone numbers on official federal websites (a technique called "spoofing"), she was directed to deposit money into a Bitcoin machine under the false premise that freezing her accounts would protect her assets. The scam, which uses advanced technology including AI voice replication and data scraping, has been reported nationally, and the victim now struggles to afford rent at her affordable housing complex.
westerniowatoday.com
· 2025-12-08
Senior citizens in rural areas are prime targets for scams due to isolation, with scammers primarily seeking money or personal information. The "Grandparent Scam" is one of the most common schemes, where fraudsters impersonate grandchildren, medical professionals, or law enforcement to pressure seniors into sending money via wire transfers or gift cards. Experts recommend families establish code words to verify caller authenticity and prevent falling victim to these frauds.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A woman in her 60s from Noida lost Rs 50,000 in a money transfer scam when a caller impersonating her husband's client convinced her to transfer funds; the scammer deactivated their phone number before she realized the fraud. Money transfer scams exploit trust and urgency through impersonation, emotional manipulation, and complex schemes, with seniors increasingly targeted. Protection strategies include verifying caller identity through independent channels, avoiding urgent payment requests, using strong passwords with two-factor authentication, and reporting suspected fraud to authorities.
firstpost.com
· 2025-12-08
Fraud is now the leading crime against seniors in Canada, with sophisticated scams exploiting technological vulnerabilities and seniors' social isolation. Common schemes include grandparent fraud ($9.4 million in losses from 2,494 victims), romance scams (Canadians lost $59 million in 2022), and phishing attacks ($58 million in losses in 2022), all enhanced by AI and voice simulation technology. Despite widespread awareness campaigns, seniors remain vulnerable due to lower digital confidence (only 26% feel very confident with technology) and emotional manipulation that overrides caution.
portageonline.com
· 2025-12-08
On October 30, the RCMP received multiple reports of grandparent scams across Manitoba, with seniors in Portage la Prairie, MacGregor, Minnedosa, Kleefeld, and East St. Paul targeted by callers posing as lawyers claiming their grandchildren were in jail and needed bail money. Victims ranging from one to several individuals handed over cash to suspects who either picked it up at their homes, met them on the street, or drove them to banks to withdraw funds. The RCMP suspects scammers are obtaining personal information from social media and urges seniors to verify emergency calls by hanging up and calling family members directly, never to hand money to stran
abc6.com
· 2025-12-08
Roberto Munoz and Jason Rhodes were indicted on federal charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for operating as "couriers" in grandparent scams targeting seniors across multiple states including Rhode Island and Massachusetts. The scammers impersonated grandchildren in legal trouble, convincing victims to wire money for bail and legal fees, with one Rhode Island couple losing $18,000 before being asked for an additional $40,000; police arrested both men during a sting operation and recovered over $60,000 in cash, with evidence suggesting they targeted victims in at least 14 cities across nine states.
abc6.com
· 2025-12-08
Taunton Police Department is warning residents about phone scams in which callers impersonate police officers and claim victims have outstanding warrants or fines requiring immediate electronic payment, sometimes falsely claiming a relative was arrested overseas. The scammers spoof legitimate Taunton Police Department phone numbers to appear authentic. Police emphasize that law enforcement never requests payment over the phone and urge residents to hang up and contact the department directly if they receive such calls, as electronically sent money is rarely recoverable.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Two men were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for operating as couriers in grandparent scams targeting elderly victims across multiple states in early 2024. Roberto Munoz and Jason Rhodes collected approximately $230,000 from victims in Rhode Island and Massachusetts by posing as lawyers or law enforcement officials claiming grandchildren needed bail money, with evidence suggesting victims in at least nine additional states were also targeted. The defendants were apprehended after police set up surveillance at a victim's home where one defendant allegedly came to collect money, and investigators seized over $60,000 in cash from their vehicle and hotel room.
wired.com
· 2025-12-08
**Scammer Payback Answers Scam Questions** (11/05/2024)
YouTube scambaiter Pierogi from Scammer Payback identifies key red flags of scams, including pressure to make quick decisions, requests for remote computer access, and demands for payment via gift cards, Cash App, wire transfers, or Bitcoin. The video addresses common scam types including tech support pop-ups, romance scams (citing a case where a 90+ year old woman was defrauded of tens of thousands of dollars by someone posing as a celebrity), and explains why scammers prefer gift cards for money laundering and anonymity, while demonstrating
thesunchronicle.com
· 2025-12-08
I cannot provide a summary of this text. This appears to be a country dropdown list or reference document rather than an article about elder fraud, scams, or abuse.
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foxnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Jason Rhodes and Robert Munoz were charged with federal wire fraud and identity theft conspiracy for operating grandparent scams in Rhode Island and Massachusetts, collecting approximately $230,000 from elderly victims. The scammers posed as attorneys or family members calling seniors to claim a relative needed bail money, with Rhodes and Munoz acting as couriers to collect cash; they were arrested in March after police set up an operation at a victim's residence and seized $60,000 in cash and evidence from a hotel room. Victims are urged to contact local police or the National Elder Fraud Hotline (1-833-372-8311) if they believe they've been targeted.
boston25news.com
· 2025-12-08
Two men from New York and Florida were arrested in March for serving as couriers in grandparent scams targeting seniors across multiple states, collecting approximately $230,000 from victims in Rhode Island, Massachusetts, Iowa, and beyond. Roberto Munoz and Jason Rhodes allegedly received victim names and addresses from scam organizers and traveled to collect bail payments that victims believed were needed for arrested grandchildren, with one victim pair paying $18,000 before recognizing the scheme. Both men were released on unsecured bond with GPS monitoring while the investigation continues, with authorities believing numerous additional families across Rhode Island and Massachusetts were victimized.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Two men from New York and Florida were arrested in March for their roles as couriers in grandparent scams targeting seniors across Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and multiple other states. In early March, Roberto Munoz and Jason Rhodes allegedly collected approximately $230,000 from victims in over a dozen communities before police arrested them during a surveillance operation at a victim's home in Warwick, Rhode Island. The scams involved fraudsters posing as family members, attorneys, or law enforcement to convince elderly victims to send cash via couriers, with evidence suggesting the scheme targeted victims across at least nine additional states.
dhs.gov
· 2025-12-08
Two men, Roberto Munoz (29) of Florida and Jason Rhodes (34) of New York, were charged federally in November 2024 with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft for operating as couriers in grandparent scams targeting elderly victims across multiple states. Operating in March 2024, Munoz and Rhodes collected approximately $230,000 from victims in over a dozen communities in Rhode Island and Massachusetts by posing as family members, attorneys, or law enforcement and directing seniors to pay fake bail or legal fees; they were arrested after police set up surveillance at a victim's home where one grandparent couple had already paid $18,000.
crypto.news
· 2025-12-08
Coinbase's Chief Information Security Officer identifies social engineering scams as the top threat to crypto users, advising people to ignore unsolicited calls from exchanges, verify contacts through official channels (which can prevent up to 80% of such scams), and avoid sending crypto to unknown individuals. Additional threats include deepfake technology used to impersonate leaders and romance scams exploiting emotional vulnerabilities, with Coinbase addressing these risks through AI-driven fraud detection and machine learning monitoring, while advocating for industry-wide information sharing through initiatives like the Crypto Information Sharing and Analysis Center.
nemasket.theweektoday.com
· 2025-12-08
Two men, Roberto Munoz and Jason Rhodes, were arrested for serving as couriers in a multi-state "grandparent scam" that targeted elderly residents, including those in Lakeville, collecting approximately $230,000 from victims across Rhode Island and Massachusetts in early March. The scam involved fraudsters posing as family members, attorneys, or law enforcement officials to convince elderly victims their grandchildren needed bail money, which the couriers then collected in person. Both men faced federal charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and aggravated identity theft.
usatoday.com
· 2025-12-08
Global scam losses reached $1.03 trillion in the past 12 months, with U.S. victims experiencing the highest average loss per scam at $3,520, according to the 2024 Global State of Scams report. Scammers are increasingly using artificial intelligence for attacks like deepfake grandparent scams and CEO fraud, with only 4% of victims recovering their money and 70% failing to report scams to law enforcement. Despite 67% of survey respondents claiming they can identify scams, the rising frequency of attacks—nearly half of people encounter scams weekly—demonstrates that education alone is insufficient to prevent victimization.
irishtechnews.ie
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece discusses the prevalence and types of online scams targeting seniors, drawing parallels between modern cyber-scammers and historical fraud schemes. In 2023, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre processed 62,365 fraud reports totaling over $554 million in losses, with seniors especially vulnerable due to their trust and familiarity with traditional communication. Common scams include phishing emails, tech support pop-ups, fraudulent government calls threatening legal action, and romance scams, with the article emphasizing that skepticism, verification of requests, and avoiding hasty responses are key protective measures.
globalnews.ca
· 2025-12-08
This was an educational event hosted by the Mayfair Hub Club where Saskatoon Police Sergeant Les Brauner presented information on common scams targeting older adults, including romance scams, lottery scams, grandparent scams, phishing, and Bitcoin fraud. The free, no-registration-required event also included blood checks, refreshments, and programming at Mayfair United Church in Saskatoon.
lowellsun.com
· 2025-12-08
This article contains two unrelated pieces: The first describes UMass Amherst researchers developing a cheaper, portable device to detect PFAS (toxic "forever chemicals") in water, reducing testing costs from millions to thousands of dollars. The second reports the arrest of two men, Roberto Munoz and Jason Rhodes, who allegedly served as couriers in grandparent scams targeting elderly victims across Massachusetts and Rhode Island, collecting approximately $230,000 from victims in over a dozen communities.
sentinelandenterprise.com
· 2025-12-08
This article contains two unrelated stories. The first discusses UMass Amherst researchers developing an inexpensive, portable device to detect PFAS (harmful "forever chemicals") in drinking water, reducing testing costs from millions to thousands of dollars. The second describes the arrest of two men accused of operating a grandparent scam courier network that collected approximately $230,000 from elderly victims across Massachusetts and Rhode Island by posing as family members in legal trouble.
keysnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A California financial advisor, Paul Horton Smith, was convicted in January of operating a $24 million Ponzi scheme called "Northstar" from 2000 to 2020, defrauding hundreds of elderly victims who believed they were investing in annuities or real estate. Elder fraud reports nationally increased 14% in 2023 with losses exceeding $3 billion annually, taking forms ranging from investment scams and romance scams to government impersonation, with emerging threats including AI-generated voice impersonation. To protect themselves, seniors should verify advisor credentials through BrokerCheck and IAPD databases, work with transparent advisors who maintain client fund access,
cleveland.com
· 2025-12-08
Scam losses in Cuyahoga County, Ohio more than doubled in the first 10 months of 2024, with 890 reported scams totaling $2.9 million (averaging $25,610 per victim), up from 774 scams and $1.2 million the previous year. The majority of scams (53%) now involve criminals posing as trusted companies or government employees, with particularly sophisticated schemes including fake tech support pop-ups leading to remote computer access and unauthorized fund transfers, fake sheriff impersonations threatening arrest for missed jury duty, and targeted email/pop-up alerts that convince victims to move all their savings to bitcoin accounts—some victims lost
jamaica-gleaner.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article outlines key strategies for protecting oneself from cyberscams, emphasizing the "three S's": stay suspicious, stop to think, and stay protected. Common scam tactics exploit fear, urgency, and money as bait, with particular vulnerability among seniors and isolated individuals through romance scams, job scams, robocalls, and impersonation schemes; experts recommend verifying contacts through official channels and using reverse-image searches to identify fake profiles.