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In June 2023, a WhatsApp phishing scam targeted UK users with a fake Guinness Father's Day promotion promising a "fridge full of beer" to those who completed a quiz and shared the link with friends or groups. Diageo (Guinness's parent company) publicly debunked the scam, warning users not to click the link or provide personal details, while Meta advised victims to report the incident and update their security settings.

In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Month, the U.S. Department of Justice announced reinvigorated efforts to prosecute transnational elder fraud schemes that cost American seniors billions of dollars. Recent prosecutions in the District of Rhode Island include: a British national convicted in a multi-state construction fraud targeting seniors across four states for over $1 million; eight individuals indicted for orchestrating transnational tech support scams that defrauded approximately 300 seniors across 37 states of over $5 million; and two residents charged with grandparent scams that defrauded seniors in Rhode Island and Massachusetts of at least $230,000. The DOJ urged seniors an

In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the U.S. Department of Justice announced reinvigorated prosecutorial efforts against transnational and domestic elder fraud schemes that cost seniors billions of dollars annually, highlighting recent cases involving romance fraud, lottery fraud, tech support fraud, and grandparent scams. A notable Montana case resulted in the arrest of a man involved in an India-based scheme impersonating U.S. Marshals that defrauded an elderly victim of over $1 million. The DOJ emphasizes the importance of community vigilance, victim restitution efforts, and encourages seniors and their families to contact the free National Elder Fraud Hotline for assistance with

A 65-year-old Houston man lost approximately $500,000 of his life savings in a government impersonation scam after receiving a call from someone claiming to represent the Vietnamese Embassy warning him of identity theft and money laundering in his name. The scammer exploited the victim's prior receipt of an official IRS identity theft warning, then directed him over five months to transfer funds via wire transfer while communicating through encrypted messaging and using forged documents and AI-generated videos. The loss has forced him to sell his home and reconsider retirement, though his daughter has launched a GoFundMe that has raised five figures to help him recover.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced reinvigorated efforts to combat transnational elder fraud schemes costing billions of dollars, with recent prosecutions targeting romance fraud, lottery fraud, tech support fraud, and grandparent scams. Key cases include Troy Murray, who sold a database of over seven million elderly Americans' personal information to Jamaican lottery fraudsters and laundered $1.6 million in proceeds, and Dennis Anderson and Frank Angelori, who brokered lead lists to Jamaica-based scammers from 2015-2020. Individual victims lost significant sums, with one Arizona victim losing over $400,000 to a lottery fraud scheme.

Randy Hutchinson, CEO of the Better Business Bureau of the Mid-South, warns of rising sweepstakes and lottery scams in which fraudsters impersonate legitimate organizations and trick victims into paying upfront fees or taxes by falsely claiming they've won prizes. Red flags include winning contests never entered, requests for payment to improve odds, and solicitations for financial or personal information.

Android is launching enhanced security features across Android 16 and select earlier devices to combat phone scams, fraud, and theft. Key protections include in-call blocks that prevent scammers from manipulating device settings during calls with non-contacts, AI-powered scam detection in Google Messages that identifies suspicious patterns in real-time, and Key Verifier for identity verification through encrypted keys. These features are designed to protect users from toll road scams, cryptocurrency fraud, financial impersonation, and tech support scams, with most analysis occurring on-device to maintain privacy.

Jamaican national Sherwayne Benjamin Bellinfantie was extradited to the United States in June 2025 to face charges for participating in a romance and lottery sweepstakes scheme that defrauded an 85-year-old Arizona resident of over $400,000 between 2015 and 2019. Bellinfantie and co-conspirators posed as romantic interests and falsely claimed the victim had won lottery prizes, requesting money for taxes and fees, while sending flowers to reinforce the deception. He faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, each carrying a maximum 20-year prison sentence.

California seniors lost nearly $833 million to scams in 2024, a 43% increase from the previous year, with romance and technology scams being the most prevalent in Bakersfield and Kern County. The FBI highlighted a case involving a retired educator who was defrauded after being contacted by a scammer posing as an attractive woman through a text message, demonstrating how emotional vulnerability can be exploited. To protect themselves, seniors should independently verify claims, check with the Better Business Bureau, resist pressure to act quickly, and never send money or gift cards to unverified individuals.

**Seniors and Financial Fraud - Overview and Rising Threats** People age 60 and over lost $3.4 billion combined to fraud in 2023, with scammers increasingly targeting older adults through evolving methods including phone impersonation, online platforms like Facebook, and cryptocurrency schemes. Common scams include the grandparent scam, tech support fraud, romance scams, and investment schemes that exploit seniors' trust and lower technological proficiency. Law enforcement notes that fraudsters now use sophisticated tools and AI to appear more credible, making it essential for seniors to remain vigilant about unsolicited contact and requests for personal or financial information.

The U.S. Attorney's Office in Atlanta is participating in a national initiative to prosecute perpetrators of elder fraud through cooperation with domestic and international law enforcement agencies. The office employs a two-pronged strategy combining prosecution of offenders with community education and prevention efforts, as these scams—including romance fraud, lottery fraud, tech support fraud, and grandparent scams—cost seniors billions of dollars annually and often deplete life savings. Victims or those aware of elder fraud can report incidents to the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-372-8311.

U.S. Attorney General Pamela Bondi and the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Georgia announced increased efforts to combat elder fraud schemes—including romance fraud, lottery fraud, tech support fraud, and grandpament scams—that cost victims billions of dollars and deplete life savings. The office employs a two-pronged approach: prosecuting domestic and foreign criminals involved in elder fraud and money laundering, and conducting outreach to law enforcement and community groups on prevention and detection. The National Elder Fraud Hotline (833-372-8311) provides free support to seniors age 60 and older who have experienced financial fraud, offering victim assessment, reporting assistance,

Pushpalata Jharia, a 36-year-old ASHA health worker from Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, lost ₹4 lakh over 1.5 months in an elaborate lottery scam involving fake prize claims, emotional manipulation, and staged kidnapping threats. After being coerced into traveling across multiple cities and recording a distressing video, she was located in Greater Noida following a habeas corpus petition filed in the High Court, though she remains psychologically manipulated and believes the scammers are "good people" and her prize is real. Authorities are working to trace the foreign-based perpetrators while providing counseling to help Push

This educational article presents a quiz-format overview of common elder fraud schemes and prevention strategies, based on insights from a Texas Elder Justice Coalition summit. Key scams covered include romance/pig butchering scams, tech support fraud, impersonation scams using AI, fake lottery schemes, and caregiver theft, with recommendations including reporting to IC3.gov, using family code words, and recognizing warning signs like secretive apps and unusual bank activity.

According to the FTC's October 2024 report, Americans lost an estimated $158.3 billion to scams in 2023 (approximately $433 million daily), with roughly 21 million U.S. citizens successfully scammed annually after adjusting for significant under-reporting. The top scams include investment fraud (often initiated through fake text messages leading to cryptocurrency schemes), fake job postings on legitimate employment sites, romance scams enhanced by AI deepfakes, tech support scams impersonating major tech companies, and fake vendor schemes.

A Jamaican man, Sherwayne Benjamin Bellinfantie, was extradited to Arizona and charged with wire fraud and money laundering for deceiving an 85-year-old woman in Vail, Arizona into sending nearly $400,000 between 2015 and 2019 through a romance scam involving fake lottery winnings. The FBI reports that online lottery scams targeting seniors in Arizona increased 400% between 2023 and 2024, with such international prosecutions being exceptionally rare. The article notes common scams include "pig butchering" schemes involving cryptocurrency and tech support frauds, and recommends avoiding unknown contacts, urgent messages, an

The U.S. Justice Department announced increased prosecution efforts against elder fraud schemes, which cost victims billions of dollars annually and often deplete life savings. The Northern District of Georgia has prosecuted multiple cases including an Indian call center scam where perpetrators impersonated government officials to fraudulently obtain funds, resulting in convictions and money laundering charges against Pradip Parikh, Alpesh Patel, and others. The Justice Department employs a two-pronged approach combining criminal prosecution with community outreach and education about common elder fraud schemes including romance fraud, lottery fraud, tech support fraud, and grandparent scams.

A Philadelphia man lost over $1 million in two consecutive scams orchestrated by a fraudster posing as "Daisy" from Apple customer support. The scam began when he called a fake Apple support number, and evolved from a customer service fraud (where he was tricked into buying gift cards) into a romance scam that built trust over months of daily communication, ultimately resulting in him handing over $780,000 in precious metals to a money mule. The article warns consumers to watch for red flags including fake customer support numbers, lookalike websites, unsolicited contact, and suspicious requests for money or assets.

An 87-year-old Portland man was scammed out of $11,500 in a fake Publishers Clearing House prize scheme after being told he had won $850,000, a Mercedes SUV, and cash. The scammer, posing as "Michael," instructed the victim to withdraw money from his bank and purchase gift cards at CVS, then disappeared after collecting the funds via mail and gift card codes. The victim and his wife are concerned about additional personal information that may have been compromised and have filed a police report, though surveillance footage collection has been delayed.

State Senator Monique Limón is hosting a free Senior Scam Prevention Seminar in Goleta on June 27 to educate older adults about protecting themselves from fraud, following warnings from law enforcement in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties about recent scam calls impersonating officers. Experts from the California Department of Insurance, Consumer Affairs, and Department of Justice will present information on common scam tactics including fake tech support, grandparent scams, fake lottery winnings, and phony home repair offers that frequently target seniors.

This educational resource presents a chart detailing common scams targeting consumers, including AI scams (deepfake impersonations), bank text scams (phishing for account information), billing/invoice scams (fake invoices demanding payment), brushing scams (unsolicited items to boost reviews), and charity scams. The guide identifies shared scammer tactics such as impersonation, creating urgency, and pressuring victims to share personal information, while offering specific identification and prevention strategies for each scam type. The material encourages sharing this information with friends and family as a primary defense against fraud.

Jamaican man Sherwayne Benjamin Bellinfantie was extradited to Tucson to face federal charges for orchestrating a romance and sweepstakes scam targeting an 85-year-old Vail woman from 2015 to 2019. The victim lost $400,000 after being deceived into believing she was in a romantic relationship and had won a lottery; she has since passed away. This case reflects the FBI's growing concern over romance and lottery scams in Arizona, which saw a 400 percent increase in lottery scams between 2023 and 2024.

Prize scams trick victims with unsolicited calls or texts claiming they've won money, cars, or other valuable items, then demand upfront payment for taxes, processing fees, or shipping. Scammers impersonate legitimate companies like Publishers Clearing House and create urgency to prevent victims from thinking critically about the offer. Legitimate sweepstakes never require payment to claim prizes; any demand for money is a clear indicator of fraud.

A woman in Jensen Beach, Florida, lost $800 to a Facebook scam in which a fraudster impersonating Elon Musk promised her a Tesla and $250,000 in cash, then repeatedly requested Apple Gift Card payments for supposed delivery fees. The scammer used a fake profile with copied images and AI-generated content, moved the conversation to WhatsApp, and exploited urgency and flattery to manipulate the victim into sending multiple payments before she recognized the pattern. Gift cards are favored by scammers because they are untraceable, fast, and nearly impossible to recover once redeemed.

Lunch with Friends hosted over 100 seniors on June 18th at Marco Lutheran Church, where Lieutenant Joseph Belardo from the Marco Island Police Department presented on elder fraud prevention. Lt. Belardo warned that scammers stole $3.4-$6.1 billion from older Americans last year, with tech support scams, government impostor scams, and AI-powered voice cloning being among the most common threats; he advised seniors to be skeptical of unsolicited calls/texts/emails, avoid clicking suspicious links, and verify requests by calling trusted phone numbers directly. The presentation also covered ransomware, malware, and deepfakes, with recommendations to update security software, use V

Patrick Fraser, a 44-year-old Canadian national, was extradited to the United States and charged with conspiracy and mail fraud for operating prize notification schemes that targeted vulnerable individuals, particularly elderly Americans, by falsely claiming they had won large cash prizes (typically over $1 million) if they paid a small fee. Fraser was arrested in June 2023 and faces up to 20 years in prison per count on a nine-count indictment filed in the District of Las Vegas.

INTERPOL issued a warning that organized scam centres have rapidly expanded globally from traditional Southeast Asian bases into Africa, Latin America, and beyond, with criminal groups trafficking thousands of people across borders under false job promises and forcing them to conduct online scams (romance, cryptocurrency, and sextortion schemes) from guarded compounds. Recent enforcement operations including Operation Storm Makers II and Operation Serengeti resulted in over 1,000 arrests and identified nearly 35,000 trafficking and cyber fraud victims, though these criminal networks continue generating billions annually through sophisticated use of AI, cryptocurrency, and other advanced tools. INTERPOL called for increased international cooperation, stronger border controls, public awareness campaigns, and closer coordination between financial

Joseph Badu Boateng, a prominent Ghanaian businessman known as "Dada Joe Remix," was extradited to the United States on July 1, 2025, to face charges of wire fraud and money laundering for operating a romance and inheritance scam targeting elderly Americans. Between 2013 and March 2023, Boateng and his co-conspirators defrauded US victims of millions of dollars by falsely claiming to possess gold and jewels that required payment of taxes and fees to release. He is one of ten Ghanaians pursued by US authorities as part of a broader crackdown on transnational fraud schemes, with arrests coor

Paul Davis, a 43-year-old man from Southampton, lost £200 to a deepfake scam after being deceived by a fake Jennifer Aniston account on Facebook that sent convincing videos claiming to love him and requesting money for Apple subscriptions. The scam is part of a broader trend of AI-powered fraud where criminals create realistic deepfake videos of celebrities to manipulate victims into sending cash or personal information, with Paul reporting he has been targeted daily for five months and knows of others who lost over £1,000 to similar schemes.

A 43-year-old man from Southampton was scammed out of £200 by a fraudster impersonating Jennifer Aniston using AI-generated videos and deepfakes on social media; the scammer claimed to need money for Apple subscriptions and sent fake identification before receiving non-refundable gift cards. The victim's case is part of a broader wave of deepfake romance scams targeting vulnerable individuals, with another documented case involving a French woman losing nearly £700,000 to someone posing as Brad Pitt over the course of a year.

Amazon Prime Day (July 8-11) attracts scammers who use fake order confirmations, price adjustment notices, and gift card offers via email and text to direct shoppers to counterfeit Amazon login pages and steal credentials and payment information. With 200 million Prime members and $14 billion in annual Prime Day sales, thousands of victims fall prey to these schemes yearly. Consumers should protect themselves by never clicking links in unsolicited messages and instead verifying orders directly through the official Amazon app or website, and parents should educate children about these online safety risks.

Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, a 41-year-old Nigerian national, pleaded guilty to operating a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded over 400 elderly and vulnerable Americans of more than $6 million. The scheme involved sending personalized letters falsely claiming to represent Spanish banks and promising nonexistent inheritances, then convincing victims to send upfront fees for taxes and delivery costs through a network of U.S.-based intermediaries. Akhimie faces a maximum 20-year prison sentence, and the case highlights the broader crisis of elder fraud in the U.S., with 147,127 complaints totaling $4.

Financial scams targeting seniors are rising and stealing billions of dollars, with scammers using impersonation, urgency tactics, and AI-generated voice cloning to manipulate victims into revealing personal information or transferring money through digital payment services. Elderly individuals are particularly vulnerable targets because they are often more trusting, less tech-savvy, and less likely to report fraud, while also possessing strong credit and substantial savings. The FBI recommends protecting yourself by refusing to share sensitive information with suspicious callers, verifying contact information through official company websites, and immediately ceasing communication if a scam is identified.

Older adults lost nearly $5 billion to fraud and scams in 2024, with losses increasing 41% from $3.4 billion in 2023 and average individual losses reaching $83,000, according to a U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging report. The report highlights an alarming rise in AI-powered schemes and traditional fraud methods including imposter scams, investment fraud, healthcare scams, and gift card fraud, with cryptocurrency losses alone reaching nearly $3 billion. The number of older adults reporting fraud jumped 43% in 2024, prompting calls for increased federal protection and consumer education initiatives.

Financial scams targeting elderly residents in Shelby County, Ohio have become increasingly sophisticated, with people age 60 and over losing a combined $3.4 billion to fraud worldwide in 2023 alone. Scammers employ methods including Social Security imposter scams, grandparent schemes (enhanced by AI-generated voices and videos), and fake law enforcement threats to extract personal information and money from victims. Elderly individuals are particularly vulnerable due to accumulated wealth, health-related sensory impairments, and reluctance to report fraud due to embarrassment or fear of losing independence.

Smishing is a text message-based scam where cybercriminals impersonate banks, delivery services, government agencies, or other trusted entities to trick recipients into clicking malicious links, sharing personal information, or downloading malware. Common smishing tactics include fake delivery updates, account alerts, prize giveaways, government impersonations, and job offers that create artificial urgency to bypass critical thinking. To avoid smishing scams, recipients should pause before clicking unfamiliar links, verify unexpected messages directly with the claimed sender, and look for suspicious domain names or grammatical errors in the text.

The FBI and FTC are warning the public about evolving scams that exploit advancing technology, including AI-generated voice impersonations of law enforcement and government officials. Elderly Americans are particularly vulnerable to romance scams, tech support scams, grandparent scams, government impersonation scams, sweepstakes scams, and home repair scams, with millions falling victim annually. The agencies also warn against business email compromise, charity fraud (especially after disasters), cryptocurrency job scams, VA benefits overpayment scams, and card skimmers, recommending victims verify charitable organizations through trusted databases and use credit cards rather than cash, gift cards, or wire transfers for donations.

An Eastern Oregon woman lost $600,000 in life savings to a "gold bar scam" in which scammers impersonated federal agents, claimed her accounts were at risk, and convinced her to purchase gold bars for "safekeeping"; local law enforcement prevented an additional $300,000 loss after her sister reported the scheme to the Oregon Department of Justice Consumer Hotline. The scam typically involves fraudsters creating false urgency about compromised finances, instructing victims to convert assets into gold, and dispatching couriers to collect the valuables before disappearing. The Oregon DOJ warns that no legitimate government agency requests gold purchases or home visits for money collection, and urges victims to hang up

Seniors aged 60 and older face significant financial fraud threats, prompting the U.S. Department of Justice's Elder Justice Initiative to coordinate education and prevention efforts. Common scams targeting older adults include Social Security impostor scams (using caller ID spoofing to demand fund transfers to gift cards), tech support scams (requesting remote device access and fabricating charges), lottery scams (claiming foreign winnings while requesting fees), and romance scams (exploiting dating platforms to solicit money). Additional resources on these scams are available through the Justice Department's elder justice website.

This educational guide identifies five common warning signs of scams that target people across all age groups through various channels including email, phone calls, texts, social media, and mail. Key red flags include: scammers impersonating trusted figures or organizations (using spoofed caller ID and AI voice cloning), creating false problems or urgent situations, requesting account access or passwords, demanding immediate action under threat, and insisting on specific payment methods like wire transfers or gift cards. The article emphasizes that anyone can be victimized by increasingly sophisticated scams and recommends consulting the Federal Trade Commission and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau for additional protection resources.

A 36-year-old Canadian man, Jia Hua Liu, was arrested in July after conducting a multi-state door-to-door scam targeting seniors across Ohio, Indiana, New Mexico, and Tennessee, defrauding victims of an estimated $309,000 total. One Charlestown, Indiana resident was tricked into withdrawing $27,000 from his retirement accounts and handing it over in cash; three additional attempted scams in Indiana, Kentucky, and Michigan were prevented by family members, potentially saving another $70,000 in losses. Liu was apprehended at Louisville airport while attempting to flee the country and faces charges including theft, fraud, conspiracy, an

A 2025 bipartisan report highlights that fraud and scams cost seniors $4.8 billion in 2024, with investment, cryptocurrency, and romance scams posing the greatest risks to older adults who are often targeted due to politeness, trust, and unfamiliarity with digital technologies. Common scams include Medicare fraud ($80.5 million in losses), imposter scams ($789 million in losses), phishing, and deepfakes, which cause not only financial devastation but also significant emotional and physical health impacts on victims.

North Branford police conducted an elder fraud awareness presentation at Evergreen Woods Community to educate seniors on prevention strategies. The presentation highlighted that seniors lose more than $3 billion annually to various fraud schemes including romance scams, tech support scams, grandparent scams, and government impersonation scams, with tips provided on how to recognize and protect against these threats.

The article describes five active scams in the Valley area: fake delivery drivers posing as legitimate couriers to extort payment for nonexistent packages, sweepstakes fraud schemes that have resulted in losses exceeding $100,000, fraudsters using stolen personal information to open vehicle accounts in victims' names, scammers impersonating police officers and bail bondsmen to extort payment, and unlicensed door-to-door salespeople operating without required permits. Residents are advised to verify identities before sharing personal information, hang up on suspicious callers, and familiarize themselves with local soliciting regulations to protect against these schemes.

Regina Police Service and Moose Jaw Police Service in Saskatchewan issued warnings about a STARS Lottery scam in which victims receive calls or emails claiming they won a prize and are pressured to send money via money order or gift cards to claim the winnings. Police emphasized that legitimate lottery prizes are never claimed by sending advance payments, and any such request is fraudulent.

The Lyon County Sheriff's Office warned of rising scams targeting older adults in the region, including grandparent scams, government imposter schemes, tech support fraud, and sweepstakes scams that aim to steal money and personal information. According to the FBI's Internet Crime Report, Americans over 60 lost $1.7 billion to fraud in the previous year, with Lyon County seniors being frequent targets due to their trust, limited tech skills, and fear of reporting. The sheriff's office is offering community presentations on fraud prevention and recommends residents use the STOP, LEAVE, ASK, WAIT, ACT protocol to identify and avoid suspicious calls.

The Lyon County Sheriff's Office issued a scam alert after handling numerous identity theft and phone scams, warning that seniors are frequently targeted by fraudsters impersonating government officials or offering financial assistance. Americans over 60 lost $1.7 billion to fraud in the past year according to the FBI, with seniors vulnerable due to trust in authority figures, substantial savings, limited tech literacy, and reluctance to report being scammed. Common scams affecting Lyon County seniors include grandparent scams, government imposter schemes, financial abuse by trusted individuals, tech support fraud, and lottery scams.

In 2025, Nigeria has seen a surge in increasingly sophisticated scams targeting citizens across multiple platforms including WhatsApp, Instagram, and fake websites. Common scams include fake remote job offers requiring upfront fees, fraudulent bank alerts, Instagram seller fraud, investment/crypto Ponzi schemes, POS machine cloning, fake scholarship/visa websites, and celebrity impersonation giveaways. The article advises victims to verify payments through official banking apps, check seller credentials before purchasing, avoid "too good to be true" investment promises, protect PIN numbers, and only trust verified social media accounts.

Scammers stole $390 million from consumers nationwide last year using digital payment apps like Venmo, Zelle, and Cash App, with schemes becoming increasingly sophisticated through fake profiles, sweepstakes, and fraudulent "accidental transfers," according to a New York Department of State alert. The alert recommends users limit funds held in payment apps, send money only to trusted contacts, avoid linking entire bank accounts, use maximum security settings, and report suspected fraud to the payment app, bank, FTC, and FBI.

Fraudsters are operating a network of over 1,200 fake online gambling and wagering websites advertised on Discord and social media, using fake endorsements from celebrities like MrBeast and offering $2,500 free credits to lure victims. Once users attempt to cash out winnings, the sites demand cryptocurrency "verification deposits" (typically $100+) that are never returned, with all displayed winnings being fabricated. The scam network uses identical technical infrastructure, unique Bitcoin wallets per domain, and AI-assisted support to prevent withdrawals and block victims.