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makeuseof.com
· 2025-12-08
A phishing email impersonating PayPal nearly deceived the author by mimicking legitimate invoice formatting, proper spelling and grammar, and passing Gmail's initial filters, claiming a $999 eBay purchase the author had not made. The author identified the scam by noting the absence of Gmail's verified checkmark, recognizing the non-official email domain, and checking for unauthorized PayPal notifications. To minimize damage, the author avoided replying to the scam email, did not disclose sensitive information, changed their PayPal password, enabled two-factor authentication, and reported the incident to authorities.
makeuseof.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece provides guidance on responding to phishing attacks and malware infections. It advises users who suspect malware exposure to run antivirus scans and quarantine suspicious files, and those with compromised login credentials to immediately change passwords on critical accounts (starting with banking) using a separate device and contact their bank if credit card information was exposed. The article emphasizes prevention strategies including maintaining skepticism toward emails, avoiding clicking links, and manually verifying URLs before visiting websites.
wcpo.com
· 2025-12-08
Online puppy scams defraud victims by using fake websites, stolen photos, and impersonated breeders to sell non-existent puppies at discounted prices. One victim, Bridget Huddleston, lost hundreds of dollars after being directed to pick up a Yorkie at an airport where no dog existed, with some victims losing $6,000-$7,000 before realizing the scam. To avoid these frauds, experts recommend requesting videos and live video chats, verifying sellers through online reviews, meeting dogs in person, and remembering that legitimate breeders have long wait lists and charge fair market prices.
cadillacnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Lake City businesses are warning each other about an email scam in which fraudsters pose as event planners requesting large catering orders (such as 300 cupcakes), then ask the business to process a payment on their behalf, promising to reimburse them later. Red flags include unusually large order sizes, poorly worded emails suggesting use of an online translator, mentions of hiring professionals like DJs or event planners, and the scammer's refusal to communicate by phone (claiming hearing impairments). Business owners recommend verifying legitimacy through direct phone calls before accepting orders or making payments.
bulawayo24.com
· 2025-12-08
South Africans lost R1.1 billion to digital banking fraud in 2023, a 47% increase from R735,000 in 2022, with banking app fraud comprising 60% of digital incidents and averaging R19,793 per victim. The rise is attributed to social engineering techniques and vishing (voice phishing), where scammers impersonate bank officials to extract sensitive information like passwords and usernames. As the holiday shopping season approaches, consumers are urged to verify website legitimacy, be skeptical of deals that seem too good to be true, and use secure payment methods to prevent fraud.
irs.gov
· 2025-12-08
Three individuals were sentenced for their roles in a Ghana-based romance scam targeting elderly U.S. victims between March 2019 and March 2022: Sadia Alhassan (18 months prison), Shawn William Smith (1 day prison), and Mohammed Saaminu Zuberu (5½ months prison). The defendants served as money launderers and intermediaries, receiving funds that scam victims wired or mailed after being deceived into believing they were in romantic relationships with military personnel, with total restitution ordered at $581,261.67.
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
A Colorado woman named Debbie Fox fell victim to a romance scam after meeting a man named Russell online who posed as a successful businessman; after weeks of communication, he manipulated her into sending him nearly $60,000 by claiming he needed help with a work crisis overseas and appealing to her guilt when she initially refused. The scam highlights how fraudsters exploit emotional connections and personal values to persuade victims to transfer funds, and the podcast episode features Debbie's courageous decision to share her story publicly to help raise awareness about this common type of elder fraud.
giant.fm
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Ogheneofejiro Godswill Uzokpa, a 28-year-old Nigerian national, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for conducting a romance scam that defrauded at least a dozen victims, primarily elderly or disabled women, of hundreds of thousands of dollars between March 2020 and February 2021. Uzokpa and co-conspirators created fake online identities posing as professionals abroad, built romantic relationships with victims to gain trust, then requested money under false pretenses such as processing fees, using U.S.-based "money mules" to transfer the stolen funds to Nigeria. The court ordered Uzokpa to pay $329
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are impersonating legitimate bail bond companies in North Alabama, contacting relatives of jailed inmates and demanding payment via Cash App or prepaid gift cards before disappearing with the money. Red flags include requests for payment through apps or gift cards and communication only by phone or email, whereas legitimate bail bond companies require in-person office visits and signed contracts. At least two reported cases in Huntsville and Florence resulted in losses of $1,120 and similar amounts, with vulnerable populations like elderly family members and concerned parents being particularly susceptible to this fraud.
thedailycougar.com
· 2025-12-08
Young adults aged 18-24 experienced higher financial losses from scams than other age groups according to the Better Business Bureau's 2023 report, as scammers target vulnerable university students unfamiliar with protecting personal information. Common scams affecting college students include scholarship scams requesting application fees, textbook scams involving discounted or counterfeit books, job scams promising unrealistic pay and remote work, and housing scams using fake rental listings to solicit deposits. Students should verify websites and sources, avoid unsolicited offers that seem too good to be true, and use trusted campus resources like career fairs and verified recruiters to stay safe.
techradar.com
· 2025-12-08
A Netskope report found that approximately three in every 1,000 banking employees fall victim to phishing scams monthly, meaning over 1,000 UK bank workers are potentially clicking malicious links each month. Hackers succeed by designing fake websites mimicking legitimate banks to steal login credentials and account information, with Russian criminal groups identified as the primary threat actors using malware families like SLoad and AgentTesla. The report recommends banks implement stronger security measures including multi-factor authentication, employee training, email verification practices, and thorough inspection of downloads to prevent fraud.
home.barclays
· 2025-12-08
Barclays warns that purchase scams are rising significantly, with 72% originating on social media, and the average claim exceeding £700 in 2024. Despite 55% of Black Friday shoppers expressing concern about scams, only 51% conduct any checks before purchasing and 84% are overconfident they won't be victimized—with 37% citing scam fears as their reason to avoid the sales entirely. The bank recommends shoppers verify retailer legitimacy and reviews before checkout, as the pressure of limited-time deals (FOMO) increases vulnerability to fraud.
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.
quintenews.com
· 2025-12-08
The Ontario Provincial Police and Northumberland OPP are conducting fraud awareness initiatives during Crime Prevention Week 2024, with Community Safety Officers delivering presentations to seniors at community organizations and clubs. The presentations distribute resources including the Competition Bureau's "Little Black Book of Scams" and Elder Abuse Prevention Ontario materials, along with practical anti-fraud tools like RFID-blocking cards and tips on recognizing common scams across phone, email, and in-person contact methods. The initiative emphasizes the key message that if an offer sounds too good to be true, it likely is, and encourages community members to request voicemails for important contacts to verify legitimacy.
wydaily.com
· 2025-12-08
Online scams caused an estimated $1 trillion in global losses in 2023, with Americans over 60 experiencing more than $3.4 billion in losses that year, primarily through tech support scams and investment schemes involving cryptocurrency. Experts are convening at the Global Anti-Scam Summit in November 2023 to develop cross-industry and international strategies to combat increasingly sophisticated scams that operate across multiple countries. The FBI advises people to consult trusted friends and family before responding to suspicious communications and warns of scammers exploiting the 2024 election for fraud.
ag.state.mn.us
· 2025-12-08
Attorney General Keith Ellison warned Minnesota veterans about "claim shark" scams operating before Veterans Day, in which unauthorized individuals and companies illegally charge veterans large fees or a percentage of benefit increases to assist with VA benefit claims they falsely promise to expedite or guarantee. Claim sharks use aggressive advertising, deceptive contracts, and high-pressure tactics while impersonating authorized representatives, and veterans can protect themselves by using only VA-accredited attorneys, claims agents, and Veterans Service Organization representatives who offer free assistance and by never sharing login credentials or signing contracts outside official VA representation forms.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
Durham County Council warned residents about a fake dental practice scam operating via social media in Shildon, after receiving five complaints about a supposed new NHS dentist opening promoted through the account "The Dental Surgery." The scam used a professional-looking website with an NHS logo and payment options to solicit personal and banking information; at least one victim, Jacqui Nicholson, paid £53 per appointment for herself and her husband before discovering the deception. Similar dental scams have been reported across multiple regions in the UK, exploiting people's frustration with NHS dentist shortages and lengthy waiting times.
indiatoday.in
· 2025-12-08
Multiple victims in India lost significant sums—including a man from Udupi who lost Rs 14 lakh and a 63-year-old from Hyderabad who lost Rs 50 lakh—after being added to WhatsApp groups by scammers posing as financial advisors offering stock market tips and high returns. The scammers directed victims to download fraudulent investment apps (such as "Causeway" and "Skyrim Capital"), where victims initially saw fake profits but were then locked out when attempting to withdraw funds. The article advises protecting oneself by avoiding unknown contacts online, being wary of guaranteed or extremely high returns (a hallmark of fraud), an
indiatvnews.com
· 2025-12-08
An Udupi man lost Rs 14 lakh and a 63-year-old Hyderabad man lost Rs 50 lakh in fake investment scams involving WhatsApp groups promoting bogus trading apps ("Causeway" and "Skyrim Capital") that promised unrealistic returns and locked victims out of their accounts after deposits. Scammers exploit seniors' unfamiliarity with technology by adding them to fraudulent investment groups and fake apps designed to appear legitimate, making it critical for users to verify apps through official stores, avoid unsolicited investment groups, and consult certified financial advisors rather than relying on messaging app recommendations.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
A Nigerian national, Ogheneofejiro Godswill Uzokpa, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for operating a romance scam that defrauded at least a dozen victims—primarily elderly and disabled women—of hundreds of thousands of dollars between March 2020 and February 2021. Uzokpa and his co-conspirators posed as romantic interests online, built trust with victims, then requested money under false pretenses such as processing fees, using U.S.-based money mules to transfer funds to Nigeria. The judge ordered him to pay $329,470 in restitution to his victims.
wsiltv.com
· 2025-12-08
A 28-year-old Nigerian man, Ogheneofejiro Godswill Uzokpa, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for operating a romance scam that defrauded at least a dozen victims, primarily elderly or disabled women, of hundreds of thousands of dollars between March 2020 and February 2021. Uzokpa and co-conspirators posed as American professionals abroad using false identities, built romantic relationships to gain trust, then solicited money for fabricated emergencies like "processing fees," with U.S.-based accomplices acting as "money mules" to transfer funds to Nigeria. The court ordered Uzokpa to pay $329
southernillinoisnow.com
· 2025-12-08
A 28-year-old Nigerian national, Ogheneofejiro Godswill Uzokpa, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for operating a romance scam that defrauded at least a dozen elderly and disabled women across the United States of hundreds of thousands of dollars between March 2020 and February 2021. Uzokpa and his co-conspirators posed as romantic interests online to gain victims' trust, then used U.S.-based "money mules" to collect and transfer stolen funds totaling at least $329,470, which he was ordered to repay in restitution.
lawandcrime.com
· 2025-12-08
Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, a 40-year-old Nigerian national, was indicted on 14 counts of wire fraud for operating a romance scam between December 2019 and December 2023, defrauding multiple women out of more than $3 million. Operating under various aliases (Giovanni, Tony Giovanni, David Giovanni, Antoni Giovanni) on dating websites, Nwadialo targeted older, often widowed or divorced women by posing as a U.S. military officer deployed overseas, then requesting money for fabricated expenses such as military fines, funeral costs, and tuition. One victim liquidated her deceased husband's retirement account, took
kmvt.com
· 2025-12-08
The Office on Aging in Ketchum, Idaho reported a rise in financial scams targeting elderly residents and hosted a fraud prevention seminar on November 7 featuring officials from the Idaho Department of Finance, AARP, and Idaho Commission on Aging. The event aimed to educate the community about common scams affecting seniors, including fake virus pop-ups and romance scams that exploit lonely individuals for significant sums of money.
timesofsandiego.com
· 2025-12-08
The San Diego Seniors Community Foundation and FBI are hosting free Elder Fraud Prevention seminars during International Fraud Week to educate seniors about recognizing and avoiding scams. In 2023, seniors over age 60 reported losses exceeding $3.4 billion to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, with tech support fraud being the most common crime type affecting this age group ($600 million in losses) and investment scams being the costliest ($1.2 billion). The seminars will cover common fraud schemes including romance scams, tech support fraud, cryptocurrency scams, and investment fraud.
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.
observernews.net
· 2025-12-08
The Florida Securities Dealers and Advisors Association will host a free panel discussion on November 8 in Sun City Center addressing fraud targeting veterans and their families, featuring experts from law enforcement, financial regulatory authorities, and consumer protection services. According to the Federal Trade Commission, veterans lost an estimated $292 million to fraud in 2022, with common schemes including identity theft, phishing scams, romance scams, and investment fraud, with benefits recipients being particularly vulnerable targets.
kgun9.com
· 2025-12-08
Arizona experienced a 36% surge in elder fraud cases from 2022 to 2023, prompting the Green Valley Council to host Fight Fraud Day at a local recreation center, where the Pima County Sheriff's Department warned residents about evolving scams including voice cloning, number spoofing, and romantic fraud schemes that increasingly target the retirement community. The presentation demonstrated how artificial intelligence and voice cloning technology are being weaponized to impersonate family members and create fraudulent stories, with Green Valley residents reporting 2-3 scam attempts daily ranging from telephone fraud to compromised bank accounts. The PCSD provided fraud prevention resources and encourages residents to remain skeptical of unsolic
sdvoice.info
· 2025-12-08
The Department of Justice's annual report documented over 300 enforcement actions against more than 700 defendants targeting older adults, recovering nearly $700 million and disrupting major transnational schemes. Notable cases included convictions of two Pittsburgh nursing homes for falsifying Medicare and Medicaid records to hide inadequate care, and investigations into New Jersey Veterans Memorial Homes finding constitutional rights violations through poor infection control and medical care. The DOJ also addressed broader elder fraud affecting over 225,000 seniors through romance scams and government impersonation schemes, stopped $27 million in fraudulent transfers, and advanced prevention through nearly 1,000 elder justice events and a National Elder Fraud Hotline that handle
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Job scams are increasing as scammers impersonate recruiters and companies on online employment platforms to steal money and personal information from job seekers. A 28-year-old quality assurance analyst lost $1,000 after depositing a fraudulent check and unknowingly sharing personal information with scammers who posed as a marketing technology company. To protect themselves, job seekers should research companies and recruiters before engaging, avoid clicking links or responding to unsolicited messages, never deposit suspicious checks, and remember that legitimate employers typically only request basic information (skills, experience, contact details) before making a job offer.
cincinnati.com
· 2025-12-08
Racist spoof text messages were sent to Black Americans across multiple states and college campuses, including Clemson University, telling recipients they were selected for enslavement. Spoofing is a scam technique where senders disguise their identity to appear as trusted sources, and while the practice itself is legal, using it to steal money or personal information is criminal; victims can block numbers, contact their carrier, file complaints with the FCC and FTC, or use spam-blocking apps to protect themselves. Although spoof numbers are difficult to trace, affected individuals can check public forums to identify others receiving the same messages.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
This AARP article identifies six major holiday scams affecting U.S. consumers: card declined scams that result in double charges; fake delivery/order notifications designed to collect shipping fees or harvest personal information; charity fraud using legitimate-looking solicitations; online shopping scams through fake websites and social media ads; travel scams offering unrealistic discounts; and gift card theft through tampering or code theft. The article provides protective measures for each scam type, including verifying websites independently, researching charities through tools like Charity Navigator, using credit cards for donations, and registering gift cards when possible.
dispatch.com
· 2025-12-08
Spoofing is when callers or texters falsify their caller ID to hide their identity, often impersonating government agencies or companies to extract personal information—a scam that recently targeted Black Americans with racist text messages using spoofed numbers. The FCC recommends avoiding spoofing scams by not answering unknown numbers, never responding to requests for personal information, verifying calls by hanging up and calling official numbers independently, and using call-blocking tools. While spoofing is illegal under the Truth in Caller ID Act of 2009 and can result in fines up to $10,000, there is no surefire way to prevent your number from being spoofed, though
androidpolice.com
· 2025-12-08
A federal court ruled that Google has no obligation to refund victims of Google Play gift card scams, dismissing a class-action lawsuit from a victim who lost $1,000 to a government grant impersonation scam. Google Play gift cards account for 20 percent of reported gift card scams in the United States, totaling over $17 million in losses between 2018 and 2021, yet the judge found that Google shares no liability since scammers—not the company—committed the fraud. The ruling underscores that consumers bear responsibility for protecting themselves, as digital gift card issuers have no legal duty to warn or compensate victims of third-party scams.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Check washing, where scammers steal mailed checks and use chemicals to remove ink before altering payee names and amounts, has increased 365% since the pandemic, according to the Allegheny County District Attorney's office. The scam has particularly targeted older adults, with postal inspectors recovering over $1 billion in counterfeit checks and money orders annually. To protect themselves, residents should pay bills electronically when possible, use blue collection boxes for mailing checks, write with non-erasable gel ink, avoid blank spaces on checks, and monitor bank accounts regularly within the 30-day fraud reporting window.
uscourts.gov
· 2025-12-08
Attorneys nationwide received fraudulent emails impersonating the federal judiciary's CM/ECF system, directing recipients to malicious websites containing computer viruses through fake Notices of Electronic Filing. To protect against this scam, users should validate cases directly through legitimate CM/ECF systems, avoid clicking links or downloading attachments from questionable sources, and contact their local federal court before opening suspicious court-related emails.
ketv.com
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission warns that scammers are sending phishing emails directing travelers to fake TSA PreCheck websites to steal enrollment and renewal fees. Travelers can avoid this scam by remembering that first-time TSA PreCheck applications require in-person payment at a TSA enrollment center, while renewals are only conducted online at the official site tsa.gov/precheck.
kiro7.com
· 2025-12-08
The Thurston County Sheriff's Office warned of a rise in scam calls where fraudsters impersonate law enforcement and claim victims have arrest warrants, then demand payment to resolve them. The sheriff's office emphasized that legitimate law enforcement never demands money over the phone to clear warrants, and advised residents to treat any such call requesting payment as a scam.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
During Medicare's open enrollment period (October 15–December 7), scammers impersonate Medicare representatives to steal personal information and Medicare numbers from beneficiaries through unsolicited calls and high-pressure tactics, sometimes fraudulently claiming extra benefits for early enrollment or offering unnecessary services. AARP Pennsylvania advises beneficiaries to review Medicare statements carefully, reject unsolicited offers, and verify that legitimate contact comes only after they initiate calls to Medicare, with scams reportable to law enforcement or AARP's fraud hotline at 1-877-908-3360.
republicanherald.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece outlines nine common scam tactics and warning signs, including unsolicited phone calls claiming to be from banks or government agencies, requests for untraceable payment methods (gift cards, prepaid debit cards), poor quality communications with misspellings, upfront payment demands, and pre-checked boxes for recurring donations. The author advises readers to verify caller identity independently, watch for threats or "too good to be true" offers, and report suspected scams to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office.
thecourier.com
· 2025-12-08
This does not appear to be an article about elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. The content consists of standard website notification messages and a reference to local news about Hancock County schools. It is not relevant to the Elderus database and cannot be summarized as fraud or scam-related content.
wfhb.org
· 2025-12-08
This article describes a longstanding con technique that thrives in the digital age through emails and social media, where scammers establish false premises (unrelated to money initially) to build trust before requesting financial transfers. Once victims are persuaded of the fabricated facts, fraudsters use them as justification to solicit money, which victims are unlikely to recover once sent.
regtechtimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, a 40-year-old Nigerian man, was arrested upon arrival at a Texas airport and charged with 14 counts of wire fraud for operating a romance scam that defrauded victims of over $3.3 million. Using fake dating profiles under the alias "Giovanni," Nwadialo posed as a U.S. military member overseas and convinced victims to send money through various pretexts, including military fines and investment opportunities, with one victim losing over $2.4 million. If convicted, Nwadialo faces up to 20 years in prison per count.
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.
northdallasgazette.com
· 2025-12-08
The Department of Justice released its annual elder fraud report detailing over 300 enforcement actions against more than 700 defendants that resulted in nearly $700 million in recoveries, including high-profile convictions of two Pittsburgh nursing homes for falsifying Medicare compliance records and investigations into New Jersey veterans' facilities for constitutional rights violations. The DOJ's broader anti-fraud initiative addressed over 225,000 seniors affected by romance scams and government impersonation schemes, preventing $27 million in fraudulent transfers and handling over 50,000 calls through its National Elder Fraud Hotline. The department emphasized prevention through nearly 1,000 elder justice events, including a national law enforcement summit bringing together
riverreporter.com
· 2025-12-08
The New York StateWide Senior Action Council warned seniors about Medicare scams during the open enrollment period ending December 7, advising people to avoid sharing personal information with unsolicited callers claiming to represent Medicare, as the agency never cold-calls and Part D enrollment is voluntary, not mandatory. Seniors who suspect their Medicare or Social Security numbers have been compromised or were enrolled in plans without permission can contact the NYS Senior Medicare Patrol at 800/333-4374.
whdh.com
· 2025-12-08
Job seekers fell victim to a reshipping scam in which fraudsters posed as legitimate shipping companies (Black Stone Shipping and Juneu Ship) and hired workers for remote "inspection specialist" positions paying $4,000 monthly. Victims received packages purchased with stolen credit cards at their homes and were unknowingly used to help criminals hide their involvement by shipping items to other locations. The Better Business Bureau reported dozens of victims across the state, and both men mentioned contacted police upon discovering the scheme.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A federal judge ruled that Google is not liable for losses from Google Play gift card scams, determining the company did not cause the fraud or knowingly receive stolen funds. Plaintiff Judy May lost $1,000 after being tricked into buying gift cards by a scammer posing as a relative, but the court found Google's retention of standard 15-30% commissions on fraudulent purchases was unrelated to the initial scam. The judge dismissed the lawsuit and class action claim for triple damages, though May was permitted to refile her case.
livemint.com
· 2025-12-08
A 63-year-old man from Hyderabad lost ₹50 lakh after being recruited into a fraudulent stock market scheme via WhatsApp, where a scammer posing as financial advisor "Kunal Singh" promised exceptional returns and directed victims to invest through a fake platform called "Skyrim Capital." The article also documents two separate cases in Bengaluru where victims lost money (including ₹19 lakh) after being deceived by deepfake videos featuring prominent business figures promoting fraudulent trading platforms. Authorities advise elderly citizens to avoid joining unverified investment groups on messaging apps and recognize guaranteed high returns as a major red flag.
indiatoday.in
· 2025-12-08
A 63-year-old man from Hyderabad lost Rs 50 lakh after joining a WhatsApp group called "Stock Discussion Group" where a scammer posing as financial advisor Kunal Singh promised returns as high as 500 percent and directed victims to invest through a fraudulent platform called Skyrim Capital. The victim was initially shown small profits to build confidence, then pressured to make increasingly larger investments across multiple accounts before discovering the scam when withdrawal requests were denied. The article advises elderly individuals to avoid investment groups on messaging platforms unless verified, to be wary of guaranteed high returns, and to consult certified financial advisors before investing.