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in Robocalls / Phone Scams
wgal.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scammers are increasingly targeting vulnerable individuals, particularly widows and widowers, through social media by building emotional connections before requesting money for investments, emergencies, or other financial needs. The Federal Trade Commission reports these scams stole billions of dollars last year, with recent victims in the Susquehanna Valley losing up to $40,000 or more. To protect themselves, people should verify online profiles, move slowly in relationships, avoid sending money to online contacts, and be suspicious of those who avoid meeting in person or push for isolation from friends and family.
blockonomi.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Federal Trade Commission warns about cryptocurrency romance scams in which fraudsters pose as romantic partners online, build emotional trust, and convince victims to invest in fake cryptocurrency schemes promising high returns with no risk. Over $75 billion was lost to these scams between January 2020 and February 2024. The FTC advises victims to cease communication immediately if an online love interest requests money via gift cards, payment apps, or cryptocurrency, and to report suspected scammers to both the social media platform and the FTC.
weareiowa.com
· 2025-12-08
According to the FBI's 2023 Elder Fraud Report, elderly people lost more than $3 billion to scams in 2023, with common schemes including romance scams (one victim lost over $300,000), lottery scams, and impersonation scams involving fake law enforcement or family members in distress. Clive Police Detective Maurio Coleman advises victims to establish code words with loved ones, verify claims by calling the person directly, avoid paying through gift cards or cryptocurrency, and report suspected fraud to local law enforcement or ic3.gov to help identify patterns across jurisdictions.
azfamily.com
· 2025-12-08
Senior citizens lost $3 billion to financial scams and fraud in the past year, with an average loss of $33,915 per victim, according to the FTC and FBI. Scammers target adults 60 and older through imposter scams (posing as banks, utilities, or the IRS with false urgency claims) and romance scams (developing fake relationships on social media before requesting payment via gift cards or cryptocurrency). Experts recommend that families discuss these fraud tactics with older relatives as a preventive measure, particularly during June's Elder Abuse Prevention Month.
newportnewstimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Social media scams are currently the most prevalent fraud type, surpassing phone and text fraud. The article identifies four common tactics: giveaway scams requiring personal information or suspicious link clicks, investment scams promising unrealistic returns, fake shopping deals with pressure tactics and unusual payment requests, and impersonation scams where fraudsters pose as trusted contacts requesting urgent financial assistance. Protection strategies include verifying account authenticity, avoiding unsolicited offers, using secure payment methods, enabling two-factor authentication, and confirming unexpected requests through independent contact channels.
nbclosangeles.com
· 2025-12-08
Consumer protection agencies are warning about a shift in social media scam tactics, where impostors now impersonate major brands like Best Buy's Geek Squad (52,000 reports), Amazon (34,000 reports), and PayPal (10,000 reports) rather than federal agencies to steal money and personal information. Key protective measures include ignoring unsolicited calls, texts, and emails requesting financial or account information; monitoring credit reports regularly; and verifying communications directly with known company phone numbers or websites. Organizations including the FTC, AARP, and Better Business Bureau are providing resources in multiple languages to combat these increasingly sophisticated impersonation scams.
turnto10.com
· 2025-12-08
A survey by MedicareFAQ.com found that nearly 40% of seniors have fallen victim to scams, with victims losing an average of $3,500, though most never report the crimes due to not knowing where to report, embarrassment, or believing losses were too small. Common scam methods include phishing emails, fake tech support, phony shopping offers, phone calls, and text messages, and experts recommend seniors ignore unsolicited communications, monitor financial accounts closely, and set up transaction alerts to protect themselves.
theconversation.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2021, the FBI reported over 90,000 older adult victims of fraud losing $1.7 billion, a 74% increase from 2020, though actual numbers likely exceed reported cases due to underreporting. Financial exploitation—the most common form of elder abuse—often comes from trusted individuals and is enabled by cognitive decline with age, emotional vulnerabilities like loneliness and isolation, low digital literacy, and specific genetic risk factors associated with Alzheimer's disease. Research shows that older adults' susceptibility to deception varies based on individual characteristics (cognition, memory, mood, social support) and the method of targeting (phishing emails, fake news, deepfakes), with
kare11.com
· 2025-12-08
A Maple Grove senior lost $20,000 in a phone scam after accidentally dialing an incorrect number and reaching scammers posing as Xfinity customer service. The scammer convinced the victim that his accounts had been hacked and pressured him to withdraw cash and deposit it into a Bitcoin ATM; a gas station clerk intervened during the final transaction, preventing the loss of an additional $5,000. Brooklyn Park police report that residents lost over $1 million to cryptocurrency scams in 2024, with recovery being nearly impossible once funds are transferred between digital wallets, particularly when scammers operate overseas.
vieravoice.com
· 2025-12-08
This article is an educational awareness piece announcing a World Elder Abuse Awareness Day event hosted by the Brevard Commission on Aging on June 14. The piece highlights that millions of older adults annually fall victim to various scams including fraudulent phone calls, emails, and in-person interactions, with research suggesting only about 1 in 14 cases are reported to authorities. The free community event will feature expert speakers discussing internet and telephone scams, legal protections, and benefits for seniors over 65, with resources and reporting information provided for suspected elder abuse.
denver7.com
· 2025-12-08
A Commerce City woman fell victim to a loan scam when fraudsters impersonated her bank (Navy Federal Credit Union), obtained a loan in her name, and then called her claiming suspicious activity on her account—instructing her to transfer $12,000 back through Zelle transfers, which she did before verifying the call. Despite her attempts to dispute the loan, Navy Federal is holding her responsible for the $400-monthly payments on the fraudulently obtained loan, leaving her facing potential bankruptcy.
says.com
· 2025-12-08
Deepfake videos featuring former Malaysian badminton champion Datuk Lee Chong Wei are circulating on social media promoting fake investment schemes. Lee warned the public to verify claims through his official social media accounts and advised remaining vigilant against "too good to be true" offers, noting that fellow shuttler Lai Pei Jing lost most of her life savings to a similar bogus investment scheme. Lee is collaborating with Malaysian authorities to combat scams, which resulted in RM1.218 billion in losses from 34,497 reported cases in 2023.
capitalgazette.com
· 2025-12-08
Maryland policymakers held a public awareness event warning older residents about financial fraud, which affected 1,985 adults age 60+ in the state last year. A 79-year-old Montgomery County woman lost over $500,000 to an FBI imposter scam involving fake fentanyl trafficking investigations, experiencing severe physical and psychological health consequences. State officials announced expanded protections for seniors and encouraged fraud victims to report incidents to law enforcement at 833-372-8311, emphasizing that reports help build cases against scammers targeting vulnerable populations nationwide.
fox5atlanta.com
· 2025-12-08
An imposter posing as a Coweta County Sheriff's sergeant scammed a 68-year-old Georgia resident out of $7,200 by claiming the victim had a federal warrant and ordering him to deposit money into a Bitcoin machine while keeping him on the phone; this was the third successful scam targeting seniors in Coweta County within one month, totaling approximately $18,000 in losses. Police advise that legitimate law enforcement never requests deposits of any kind and recommend that potential victims verify threats by calling a trusted contact or actual law enforcement before complying.
publicnewsservice.org
· 2025-12-08
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day and AARP Maryland's PROTECT Week highlight the rising threat of elder financial abuse, with FBI data showing Americans age 60+ lost over $3.4 billion to scams in 2023, an 11% increase from the prior year. Common fraud schemes targeting seniors include tech support scams, phishing via email and text, and the "grandparents scam"—increasingly sophisticated with AI-generated voice mimicry and caller ID spoofing—with Maryland seniors alone reporting nearly $72 million in losses from nearly 2,000 complaints in 2023. Advocates stress that fraudsters often pose as trusted individuals like caretakers or neighbors
mageenews.com
· 2025-12-08
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15, 2024) was recognized by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Mississippi to promote awareness of elder fraud and abuse. The Justice Department highlighted common scams targeting seniors—including Social Security impostor schemes, tech support fraud, and lottery scams—and emphasized that information and vigilance, along with partnerships between law enforcement and the public, are key to prevention. Resources like the Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force and Senior Scam Alerts are available to help older individuals and families identify and avoid fraudulent activity.
wmdt.com
· 2025-12-08
During Maryland's PROTECT Week, state officials highlighted efforts to combat elder financial abuse, which affects one in five adults over 65 and costs seniors $2.9 billion annually, despite younger Americans being more frequent targets. Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown and Comptroller Brooke Lierman announced that their offices are working through Project SAFE and other initiatives to educate seniors and pursue asset recovery, emphasizing that scammers—including trusted family members and neighbors—specifically target seniors' life savings. The officials provided protective tips including letting unknown calls go to voicemail, guarding personal information, and regularly monitoring financial statements, while encouraging victims to seek help without shame.
local12.com
· 2025-12-08
Scams targeting people 60 and older have increased 14 percent, with victims collectively losing $3.4 billion, according to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center. The most common scam involves fraudsters calling or emailing victims claiming they've won a prize or contest, then requesting payment for taxes before disappearing with the money. Protection strategies include being skeptical of unknown callers, consulting trusted contacts before responding, verifying suspicious communications, contacting police if necessary, and using data removal services to reduce exposure of personal information.
wymt.com
· 2025-12-08
FEMA issued a warning to survivors of April 2 storms in Kentucky about fraudsters using stolen personal information (names, addresses, Social Security numbers) to apply for disaster assistance on their behalf. Officials advise disaster survivors to verify FEMA communication through the official helpline (800-621-3362), avoid anyone demanding payment for disaster grants, and never share banking information with individuals claiming to be FEMA housing inspectors, as legitimate inspectors never request personal financial data.
kiiitv.com
· 2025-12-08
A 2023 Better Business Bureau report shows phishing scam reports nearly doubled compared to 2022, with first quarter 2024 numbers on track to exceed last year's totals. U.S. consumers lost over $10 billion to fraud in 2023, with a couple billion attributed to imposter and phishing scams, including losses exceeding $1 million in Corpus Christi alone (though only 3-5% of victims report scams). Experts advise verifying unsolicited contacts by calling official business numbers independently and avoiding urgent pressure tactics and threats commonly used by scammers to extract personal information.
wsaz.com
· 2025-12-08
Following severe weather in Kentucky on April 2, scammers targeted disaster survivors by fraudulently applying for FEMA assistance using stolen personal information including names, addresses, and Social Security numbers. FEMA warned survivors to verify their own applications and contact authorities if they receive unsolicited FEMA correspondence or inspectors, and advised that legitimate FEMA representatives carry official identification, never charge fees, and do not collect banking information. Survivors should report suspected scams to local law enforcement, the Kentucky Attorney General, or FEMA's fraud hotline.
kait8.com
· 2025-12-08
The Mississippi County Sheriff's Office warned residents of a phone scam in which a caller impersonating Officer Rodney Barnett claims victims have arrest warrants and demands bond payments via Cash App, PayPal, Venmo, or gift cards. The sheriff's office emphasized that legitimate law enforcement never accepts payment through these methods or requests personal information over the phone.
moneymarketing.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Fraud affects one in 17 people in the UK and comprises 38% of all crime, according to an Anti-Money Laundering Professionals Forum. The article outlines seven increasingly sophisticated fraud types targeting victims: impersonation fraud (posing as banks or authorities), social media fraud (fake websites and phishing), cryptocurrency investment scams (promising false high returns), courier fraud (impersonating officials to extract money), romance fraud (building fake relationships to steal assets), investment fraud (promoting worthless overseas properties or shares), and payment diversion (using nearly-identical email addresses to redirect payments). Pension providers and authorities must work together to combat these scams through reporting and vigilance.
commbank.com.au
· 2025-12-08
One in four Australians have been exposed to tax-related scams, with SMS phishing being the most reported scam type during tax season. Scammers impersonate myGov and the Australian Tax Office to trick recipients into clicking fake links and entering bank card details on fraudulent websites that mimic official pages. Australians are advised to verify suspicious messages by contacting organizations directly using verified phone numbers or official websites rather than following links in unsolicited texts or emails.
vancouversun.com
· 2025-12-08
The RCMP and B.C. Securities Commission delivered warning letters to 10 suspected "money mules" on May 29 who were allegedly laundering proceeds from offshore investment scams involving hundreds of thousands of dollars through cash and cryptocurrency transfers. The operation targets individuals who may be unwittingly assisting criminals, willfully ignoring the illegal activity, or knowingly participating in money laundering schemes that originate from Eastern Europe, Africa, and Southeast Asia. British Columbians reported $46.4 million in investment scam losses in 2023, though authorities estimate actual losses are significantly higher, with the true figure likely in the hundreds of millions of dollars.
9news.com.au
· 2025-12-08
As Australia's financial year closes, authorities warn residents about tax phishing scams, with new Commonwealth Bank research revealing that while 90 percent of Australians are confident in identifying scams, only 69 percent successfully identified all three test examples, and 28 percent fell for a sophisticated MyGov impersonation scam. Around one in four Australians have been exposed to tax-related scams, with the Australian Tax Office receiving over 22,000 reports last year and phishing losses totaling approximately $4.7 million in 2024, averaging $2,000 per victim. The alert emphasizes that phishing scammers impersonate government organizations through fake links
saharareporters.com
· 2025-12-08
Sextortion scams have been linked to over 27 suicides in the US, with 17-year-old Jordan Buta becoming a tragic victim in 2022 after scammers posing as a teenage girl on Instagram manipulated him into sharing explicit photos, then demanded hundreds of pounds while threatening to share the images with his friends. Jordan took his own life six hours after the scam began; the perpetrators, Nigerian brothers Samuel and Samson Ogoshi, were arrested, extradited to the US, and faced child exploitation charges. Jordan's mother, Jennifer Buta, has since become an advocate raising awareness about sextortion through social media, helping other families recognize
wiscassetnewspaper.com
· 2025-12-08
This AARP awareness piece highlights elder financial exploitation as a multi-billion dollar crime and promotes a free educational event on June 20 featuring Philip Marshall, whose grandmother Brooke Astor (a wealthy New York philanthropist) was isolated, manipulated, and financially exploited by her son in her later years. The article encourages the public to learn scam prevention through AARP's Fraud Watch Network and upcoming speaker programs.
businessinsider.com
· 2025-12-08
The city of Fresno lost over $600,000 to a phishing scam in 2020 when criminals sent a fraudulent contractor invoice with the legitimate contractor's letterhead but an incorrect account number. A civil grand jury determined that city officials failed to notice conspicuous red flags, including inadequate approval procedures for large payments and unwritten finance department policies, and that the fraud went undetected until 2022. Mayor Jerry Dyer stated that Fresno has since implemented improved training and updated fraud prevention procedures to prevent similar incidents.
eyeonannapolis.net
· 2025-12-08
Attorney General Anthony G. Brown warns of increasingly sophisticated imposter scams that use AI-generated voices to mimic trusted figures such as government officials, banks, law enforcement, and family members in order to steal money or personal information. Common scam types include government imposters threatening legal action, family/friend imposters claiming emergencies, and tech support scams, which typically involve unsolicited contact, urgency tactics, requests for sensitive data, or payment via gift cards or cryptocurrency. Consumers can protect themselves by hanging up on suspicious calls, independently verifying caller identity through official contact numbers, never sharing personal information, and reporting suspected scams to the Attorney General, FTC, AARP Fraud Watch Network,
thestar.com
· 2025-12-08
Scams involving sensitive personal and financial information are increasingly sophisticated, with Canadians losing over $554 million to fraud in 2023. Experts advise verifying the identity of callers by independently contacting the organization through official channels rather than using provided phone numbers, and warn against sharing personal information like social insurance numbers or clicking suspicious links, as scammers often use urgency and AI-generated voices to deceive victims.
clareherald.com
· 2025-12-08
Irish police issued a warning about evolving fraud tactics following recent incidents in Clare, including CEO fraud where an employee received a fraudulent email appearing to be from their supervisor requesting voucher purchases, and phone fraud where a victim provided security codes to someone posing as a financial institution representative, resulting in account theft. Police recommend companies implement employee training, clear verification procedures, and mandatory additional confirmation methods such as direct phone calls to senior management to prevent these scams.
aimamedia.org
· 2025-12-08
This article alleges that India's State Department of Information and Public Relations (I&PR) engaged in a systematic accreditation scam over five years, where media credentials were sold for Rs. 10,000-20,000 to YSRCP political party workers, supporters, and unqualified individuals instead of legitimate journalists. The scheme reportedly involved high-ranking I&PR officials who granted accreditations at the direction of YSRCP ministers and MLAs, with over 40 accreditations given by one minister alone and more than 1,700 issued in Krishna district, effectively sidelining genuine news organizations.
aimamedia.org
· 2025-12-08
Unable to provide a reliable summary. This article lacks clear factual reporting with verifiable details about a specific scam. The text is heavily opinionated, contains unclear allegations against political figures and officials without documented evidence, dollar amounts, or identified victims, and appears to be a political critique rather than a documented case of elder fraud or financial scams affecting seniors.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A Kolkata resident who fell victim to sextortion via Skype in January—where scammers posed as police after obtaining a compromising screenshot—transferred Rs 10 lakh to the fraudsters before police recovered the stolen funds five months later. Though the money was traced and accounts were frozen, the investigation to identify and arrest the perpetrators remains ongoing.
mirror.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Russian judge Natalia Larina, 50, died after falling from her Moscow apartment window; authorities are investigating claims she was a victim of a financial scam in which she lost a substantial sum of money after being deceived by telephone scammers posing as bank security officials warning of fraudulent transfers related to Ukraine's armed forces. Larina, known for sentencing political opponents and "traitors" to Kremlin authorities during her 15-year judicial career, reportedly left a note after discovering she had been deceived, though the circumstances of her death remain under investigation.
sportskeeda.com
· 2025-12-08
A Counter-Strike 2 player lost over $2,000 worth of in-game skins, including a rare Gamma Doppler Falchion Knife, through an API scam that used a phishing link to fraudulently authorize trades without a trade request or Steam Guard notification. API scams in CS2 work by sending fake links that direct victims to fraudulent Steam pages where scammers collect login credentials and execute unauthorized trades. Community responses included filing Steam support tickets, sharing similar experiences, and emphasizing the importance of verifying API pages and avoiding suspicious links to prevent such theft.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
A 19-year-old California man was indicted for stealing over $20,000 from a 74-year-old Kettering woman through a tech support scam that began with a phishing email. The victim was manipulated into mailing cash and transferring funds through multiple interactions before police arrested the suspect during an attempted in-person money exchange. The case highlights the prevalence of tech support scams targeting seniors, which the FBI identified as the most common elder fraud type in 2023, with victims aged 60+ losing an average of $33,915 each.
theintermountain.com
· 2025-12-08
After disasters, scammers target vulnerable survivors through impersonation of government workers, fake aid offers, unlicensed contractors, and fraudulent charity solicitations. FEMA advises residents to verify the legitimacy of disaster assistance contacts by checking official ID badges, calling (800)-621-3362 to confirm personnel, and reporting suspicious activity to the FEMA Disaster Fraud Hotline at (866)-720-5721.
abc.net.au
· 2025-12-08
A scam-baiter named Jim Browning exposed a cryptocurrency investment scam operation based in Georgia, Eastern Europe, that targets victims worldwide by posing as financial advisors and recovery services. The scammers use fake celebrity endorsements and fraudulent websites to lure victims, then display fake cryptocurrency portfolios to convince them their money is growing, with some victims—including an Australian man Browning monitored in real-time—losing thousands of dollars. Australians reported losing over $2.74 billion to scams in the previous year, with attackers particularly targeting older adults with retirement savings.
wflx.com
· 2025-12-08
Callers impersonating St. Lucie County Sheriff's deputies are using spoofing technology to contact residents and demand payment via Bitcoin or gift cards, claiming they have outstanding warrants to avoid arrest. Law enforcement emphasizes that legitimate officers never demand payment through unconventional methods and advises residents to hang up on such calls and report them to the Sheriff's Office. No specific losses are mentioned, but the scam highlights the importance of verifying caller identity before providing any personal information or payment.
elliptic.co
· 2025-12-08
AI-enhanced scams are emerging as a potential threat in the cryptocurrency ecosystem, though not yet widespread. Criminals are exploiting AI technology through deepfake videos of celebrities and public figures to promote fake crypto investment schemes, and by creating fraudulent "AI-related" tokens designed for pump-and-dump schemes and rug-pulls that defraud investors. Elliptic released a horizon scanning report identifying five typologies of AI-enabled crypto crimes and recommends industry stakeholders implement best practices and develop strategies to prevent these threats from becoming mainstream.
the-sun.com
· 2025-12-08
"Grief harvesting" scams targeting recently bereaved individuals in the UK exploit publicly available social media data and obituaries to conduct identity theft, impersonate funeral homes and charities, and manipulate grieving families emotionally. Fraudsters harvest personal information from deceased individuals' public profiles and social media accounts to send convincing phishing emails, open fraudulent loans or credit cards in the deceased's name, and solicit donations through fake charities. Cybersecurity experts recommend that people plan ahead for data protection after death, verify charity communications, and adjust Facebook privacy settings, as current data protection regulations leave a legal grey area regarding personal data after death.
wptv.com
· 2025-12-08
The St. Lucie County Sheriff's Office warned residents about an impersonation scam where callers falsely claim to be deputies and demand payment via Bitcoin or gift cards to avoid arrest for alleged outstanding warrants. The scammers use spoofing technology to make calls appear to originate from local numbers or the Sheriff's Office itself, and residents are advised to hang up and not provide personal information or payment. Reports of such calls can be submitted to the Sheriff's Office to help law enforcement track emerging scam patterns.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers used social engineering tactics to trick a Gooding, Idaho city employee into sending $1,092,519 intended for a wastewater project contractor to the criminals' account instead, by impersonating the contractor and providing fraudulent banking information. The small town of approximately 3,700 residents has not yet recovered the funds, and the Gooding Sheriff's Office and FBI are investigating the case. Recovery of the money is expected to be difficult, as banks and law enforcement typically struggle to retrieve funds diverted to scammers' accounts.
troyrecord.com
· 2025-12-08
New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a consumer alert about "pig butchering" romance scams, where fraudsters build romantic relationships with victims on dating apps and social media before convincing them to invest money in fake cryptocurrency or currency schemes. Victims typically deposit tens of thousands to over a million dollars before discovering they cannot withdraw funds or are asked to pay fake fees, at which point the scammers disappear. The Attorney General recommends verifying people's identities, consulting financial advisors before investing, and reporting suspected scams to law enforcement and the relevant platforms.
theguardian.com
· 2025-12-08
This article describes a growing scam involving fraudulent QR codes, where scammers place fake QR codes over legitimate ones—such as on parking meters or in messages—to direct victims to phishing websites designed to steal financial information. The article cites the example of David Birch's sister, who nearly lost money after scanning a malicious QR code at a parking facility but was saved when her bank blocked the fraudulent transactions. The US Federal Trade Commission has issued consumer alerts about QR code scams, which have become increasingly prevalent as the technology spreads and criminals exploit the difficulty in verifying whether codes are legitimate.
nypost.com
· 2025-12-08
New York Attorney General Letitia James warned of rising "pig butchering" romance scams in which fraudsters use dating apps and social media to build fake romantic relationships with victims before pressuring them to invest in cryptocurrency schemes. Victims have lost between tens of thousands and over $1 million, with two-thirds of the Attorney General's cryptocurrency complaints tied to these online crimes. The scammers typically move conversations to encrypted platforms like WhatsApp or WeChat before directing victims to fraudulent investment platforms, often operated by overseas perpetrators.
patch.com
· 2025-12-08
Americans lost over $10 billion to scams last year, with organized criminal networks operating from India and Nigeria using US "cash mules" to launder money through untraceable Bitcoin accounts. Seniors with landlines are particularly targeted through various schemes including romance scams (with victims losing up to $2.5 million), fake emergency calls from supposed grandchildren, phishing emails, suspicious text messages, and fake billing notifications. The article advises never sharing personal or financial information with unsolicited callers, texts, or emails, and recommends blocking suspicious contacts, verifying charges directly with banks, and reporting fraud to email service abuse addresses.
timesnownews.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Romance scammers in Indian metro cities create fake identities on dating apps to build emotional connections with victims before luring them to expensive restaurants or clubs where accomplices present inflated bills ranging from 20,000 to 40,000 rupees. To protect themselves, users should verify identities through reverse image searches and video calls, meet in public places of their own choosing, avoid rushing into emotional commitments, and remain cautious about sharing financial information with online contacts they haven't thoroughly vetted.