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in Robocall / Phone Scam
mylondon.news
· 2025-12-08
Roberto Mobile, 53, fell victim to an elaborate pickpocketing scam in South London in February where a man pretended to return his stolen phone to a bar, then observed his passcode while standing nearby—a ploy that allowed the thief to steal the phone again moments later and drain nearly £10,000 from his account through contactless payments and casino bets. The victim's bank delayed freezing his account for over 24 hours despite his early morning alert, and seven other phones were reportedly stolen the same night, suggesting organized crime involvement. Mobile eventually recovered his funds after three weeks but experienced significant emotional distress and financial hardship while waiting for reimbursement.
redhotcyber.com
· 2025-12-08
Elena, a 35-year-old housewife, was targeted by a romance/advance-fee scam in which a fraudster posing as "Jean-Pierre," a terminally ill Italian-French man, promised her a $2.5 million inheritance donation. After she provided personal and banking information, a fake lawyer demanded a €5,000 upfront tax payment to release the funds, at which point Elena recognized the scam and reported it to police. The incident exposed her to potential identity theft and financial fraud, and authorities indicated she was one of many victims of this widespread international scheme.
fox7austin.com
· 2025-12-08
The Round Rock Police Department warned residents about scammers impersonating law enforcement officers and IRS representatives who contact victims via phone, email, or text to create urgency and extract personal or financial information using tactics like caller ID spoofing and threats of arrest. Police advised verifying caller identity through official agency numbers, never sharing personal information unsolicited, resisting intimidation tactics, and reporting suspected incidents to the Federal Trade Commission, while noting that legitimate government agencies never demand payment over the phone or via gift cards.
wvlt.tv
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, Tennesseans lost $161 million to scammers, with tech support fraud, investment fraud, and business email compromise being the most prevalent schemes. The FBI reported this represented a significant increase from previous years, part of a nationwide trend where Americans lost $12 billion to fraud in 2023. Experts advise heightened vigilance, recommending that people verify company information independently and report suspected scams to the Better Business Bureau, FTC, or FBI.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Scams in Colorado increased 34% year-over-year leading up to the April 15 tax deadline, with the FTC reporting that Coloradans lost $164 million to fraudsters in the previous year. Experts advise consumers not to respond to urgent money requests via messages and recommend freezing credit with the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to protect against identity theft, which can take years to recover from.
ottplay.com
· 2025-12-08
**"Bogus Phone Operators" Documentary**
A 44-minute documentary investigates call center scams operating from India (particularly Thane, Ahmedabad, and Gujarat) that target elderly people in the United States by impersonating government officials and IRS agents. In 2022 alone, these scams defrauded approximately 15,000 US citizens of $800 million, with perpetrators using various payment methods including cryptocurrency, gift cards, NFTs, and Hawala transfers to extract funds and inflict severe psychological harm on victims, including cases leading to suicide.
mustangnews.net
· 2025-12-08
A college student's parents nearly fell victim to a voice cloning scam in which scammers used AI technology to imitate their son's voice, claiming he had been in a car accident and needed $15,000 for bail. The scam involved fake audio of the student, followed by impersonators posing as a police officer and public defender who instructed the parents to withdraw cash for a courier pickup. While voice cloning technology is becoming increasingly common in scams, experts note that scammers cannot replicate a person's unique speaking style and vocabulary, and recommend verifying callers' identities by asking personal questions or calling back at known phone numbers.
chandlernews.com
· 2025-12-08
Joyce Petrowski, president of Resources/Outreach to Safeguard the Elderly (R.O.S.E.), will present fraud awareness and prevention strategies at the Sun Lakes Jewish War Veterans post meeting on March 17, focusing on scams targeting seniors including internet imposters, phone/robo calls, IRS fraud, and romance scams. R.O.S.E., a nonprofit founded after Petrowski's personal experience with elder fraud, delivers face-to-face education programs across Arizona to help older adults and families recognize and prevent victimization. The presentation aims to reduce both financial losses and the number of elderly fraud victims in the community.
southeastiowaunion.com
· 2025-12-08
Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen conducted a statewide "Stop the Scammers" educational tour in Mt. Pleasant to inform older residents about common fraud schemes including romance scams, grandparent scams, investment scams, and pig butchering scams. Ommen emphasized that scammers exploit emotional vulnerabilities and target older Iowans by conducting personal research and creating deceptive relationships to extract thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars. The campaign aimed to educate residents so they could share protective information with family and friends to help prevent fraud victimization.
marinij.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scammers exploit dating sites by building trust with victims through fabricated shared interests, then engineer financial emergencies or investment opportunities to extract money. Victims are often isolated from family and friends to prevent outside scrutiny; experts recommend showing any monetary requests to trusted contacts and remaining cautious of online partners requesting funds.
securityboulevard.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance and investment scams caused over $10 billion in reported losses in 2023, with 64,000 romance scams ($1.1 billion) and 108,000 investment scams ($4.6 billion), though actual losses are estimated at $10-80+ billion annually due to significant underreporting. Scammers use researched targeting and manipulation to build trust with victims through text messages, social media, and dating sites, increasingly leveraging generative AI to create convincing deepfakes and multilingual communications that enhance credibility. Effective prevention requires cross-industry coordination to identify and block scams at their initiation points, particularly on messaging platforms like Telegram an
wsmv.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, Americans lost $10 billion to scams, with imposter scams being the leading fraud category at $2.7 billion in reported losses, followed by social media scams ($1.4 billion) and investment scams (with median losses rising to $7,700). Tennessee ranked 16th nationally for fraud reports, with email being the scammers' primary contact method and bank transfers and cryptocurrency the most common payment methods exploited.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are impersonating legitimate recruitment companies by posting fake job advertisements on sites like Indeed.com and contacting job seekers via WhatsApp to steal personal information such as passports, bank details, and national insurance numbers. Multiple UK recruitment firms including 2i Recruit, Nolan Recruitment, and HR Heads reported being targeted, with 2i Recruit alone receiving calls from 25 victims; one victim, Bella Betterton (18), lost £3,000 to the scam. Reports of recruitment fraud to Action Fraud are rising, with scammers exploiting reputable job websites and damaging the reputations of the legitimate companies whose names they
castlegarnews.com
· 2025-12-08
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newsweek.com
· 2025-12-08
A Truecaller survey of 2,000 Americans found that Gen Z and millennials (ages 18-44) are three times more likely to fall victim to phone scams than Baby Boomers, with Americans losing $25 billion to phone scams in 2023 and scam victims losing an average of $450 each. Latino and Black Americans were twice as likely as white Americans to be scammed, and younger adults lost proportionally more money—three times the amount older adults lost—partly due to their higher risk-taking behavior with emerging technologies like cryptocurrency and their less developed skepticism about offers that seem too good to be true. Experts warn that advancing AI technology will enable
todayonline.com
· 2025-12-08
A 29-year-old woman in Singapore was charged with cheating after allegedly scamming victims of Taylor Swift concert tickets on the online marketplace Carousell, defrauding one victim of S$350 in September and believed to be involved in additional similar offences totaling over S$24,000 in losses. She accepted payments via PayNow or bank transfer but failed to deliver the tickets and became unreachable. The incident occurred amid a broader wave of Taylor Swift ticket scams that affected at least 334 people with total losses of S$213,000 between January and February.
courierjournal.net
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
A scam technique called "smishing" (SMS phishing) targets people by spoofing legitimate company phone numbers and sending text messages claiming suspicious account activity, then requesting victims to share their two-factor authentication codes. The scammer already possesses the victim's username and password and uses this social engineering tactic to gain full account access. The advice provided warns that legitimate companies never request 2FA codes, victims should change their passwords immediately if they receive such messages, and using authenticator apps instead of SMS-based authentication provides better security.
clickorlando.com
· 2025-12-08
The Titusville Police Department held an educational scam seminar at the public library to warn seniors about common frauds including IRS scams, utility fraud, fake prizes, tech support scams, and impersonation schemes. The city's Criminal Investigations Division receives approximately 15 new fraud cases per week involving thousands of dollars, with seniors being the primary targets; police emphasized that scammers exploit vulnerabilities and continuously update their tactics, and advised seniors to safeguard personal information and verify callers' identities before engaging further.
winnipegfreepress.com
· 2025-12-08
The "grandparent scam" has significantly increased across Canada, targeting seniors through phone calls from scammers impersonating grandchildren in crisis situations (legal trouble, illness, etc.) to pressure victims into sending money urgently via courier or bank withdrawal. In 2022, this scam resulted in losses exceeding $9.2 million nationally, with Manitoba victims losing over $313,000. Protection strategies include not answering unknown numbers, calling trusted family members to verify urgent requests, and remembering that police never demand bail money directly.
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-08
A 79-year-old Manitoba senior lost $16,000 in a "grandparent scam" in which a caller impersonated her grandson, claiming he had been arrested after a car crash and needed bail money; a second caller posed as his lawyer, instructing her not to tell anyone and arranging courier pickup of cash from her home. Since the start of 2024, approximately 13 similar scams have been reported in southern Manitoba, resulting in roughly $70,000 in losses, with scammers increasingly targeting less tech-savvy victims by requesting in-person cash withdrawals rather than online transfers. A 32-year-old courier who was intercepting the final payment
sentinelandenterprise.com
· 2025-12-08
Two bank branch managers in Massachusetts prevented an elderly couple in their mid-70s from losing $80,000 in March 2024 after scammers posed as law enforcement, claiming the couple needed to transfer funds due to alleged illegal images and money laundering on their computer. Branch Manager Kim Giammasi at Hanscom Federal Credit Union became suspicious and required the couple to complete the transfer in person, allowing her colleague Melody Anoli to contact Billerica police, who confirmed the scam and secured the couple's accounts. The article emphasizes the importance of bank employee vigilance and provides Federal Trade Commission guidance on avoiding such schemes, including never clicking unexpected links, refusing unsolicited payment requests
brooklyn.news12.com
· 2025-12-08
New York City seniors attended an educational session at the Brooklyn Public Library where NYPD's Crime Prevention Division provided information on recognizing common scams targeting older adults, including jewelry scams, purse snatching, ATM fraud, and phone/email schemes that evolve with technology. Officers warned seniors to watch for red flags such as urgent demands, spelling errors, suspicious attachments in emails, and callers impersonating law enforcement or the IRS requesting payment via apps, wire transfers, or gift cards. The department emphasized that tech-enabled scams cause significant financial harm to seniors' life savings and recommended contacting 311 for assistance if victims suspect fraud.
foxbusiness.com
· 2025-12-08
Mega Millions and Powerball issued warnings about lottery scams coinciding with nine-figure jackpots, noting that scammers use emails, text messages, social media, and phone calls to deceive people into believing they won prizes and either extract money or personal information. Red flags for lottery fraud include requests for upfront fees or taxes to claim prizes, notifications of wins from lotteries the person never entered, and instructions to keep winnings secret—practices legitimate lotteries never employ.
wfdd.org
· 2025-12-08
The North Carolina Department of Justice Consumer Protection Division received over 21,000 complaints in the past year, with scams being a major category. The top three scams in the Triad region included online purchase fraud (255 reports, ~$150,000 in losses), employment scams ($70,000 lost through fake job postings), and phishing schemes targeting personal and financial information via email, text, and phone. Police recommend caution with suspicious contacts and note that voluntarily sent funds to scammers are typically unrecoverable.
support.anydesk.com
· 2025-12-08
Remote access software is frequently exploited by scammers who impersonate legitimate companies or technicians and cold-call unsuspecting users to gain device access for theft and data extraction. Best practices for protection include verifying website authenticity, never sharing access codes, demanding identity verification before granting access, and ignoring unsolicited contact requests. Users should report suspicious activity to local authorities and understand that legitimate companies never cold-call for technical support or unsolicited remote access.
wcvb.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece outlines five common tax scams affecting taxpayers, with $5.5 billion stolen in tax fraud last year. The scams include phishing emails and texts, imposters posing as IRS agents, fraudulent tax preparers, phishing attacks targeting tax preparation businesses, and "Offer in Compromise" schemes that falsely promise to settle IRS debts. The article provides protective measures for each scam type, such as verifying communications directly with companies, never clicking unsolicited links, using legitimate tax preparers with IRS credentials, and contacting the IRS directly regarding tax debts.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission identifies 10 common lies scammers use to defraud victims, including creating false urgency, isolating targets from trusted advisors, making arrest threats, and instructing victims to move money, buy gift cards or cryptocurrency, or withdraw cash. These tactics are increasingly sophisticated and sometimes aided by artificial intelligence, as exemplified by a recent $50,000 scam targeting a New York Magazine columnist. The FTC advises people to hang up, delete messages, and report suspicious contact to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
itweb.africa
· 2025-12-08
Online romance scams are increasingly prevalent in South Africa, particularly targeting middle-aged and elderly women seeking companionship through social media and dating sites, with organized criminals now operating these schemes at larger scale and sophistication. Fraudsters exploit emotional connections to convince victims to send money for fabricated emergencies, and victims often refuse to accept warnings even from financial institutions detecting fraudulent transactions. The article advises potential victims to be suspicious of online romantic interests requesting money, to consult trusted advisors before any financial transactions, and to recognize red flags such as refusal to meet in person or on video.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston filed a civil forfeiture action to recover approximately $2.3 million in cryptocurrency from a "pig butchering" romance scam that defrauded a Massachusetts resident of over $400,000 in spring 2023. The seized cryptocurrency from two Binance accounts was traced to fraud affecting 37 victims across the United States, with the scammer using manipulative online tactics to build trust before luring the victim into fraudulent cryptocurrency investments.
cnbc.com
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission refunded $4.1 million to 27,584 consumers who were defrauded by student debt forgiveness scams operated by Mission Hills Federal and Federal Direct Group since 2014. The scammers charged illegal upfront fees, falsely promised to lower monthly payments or eliminate balances, and often intercepted consumers' loan payments after claiming to take over loan servicing. To protect themselves, borrowers should recognize red flags like urgency, unrealistic promises, and requests for personal information, and instead use legitimate free assistance programs such as income-driven repayment plans offered by the Department of Education.
bigcountrynewsconnection.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are impersonating Amazon through spoofed phone calls and text messages claiming suspicious account activity, then using fabricated identity theft threats to pressure victims into transferring money from their bank and retirement accounts. The scam relies on psychological manipulation—creating urgency through false arrest threats and claims that someone opened fraudulent accounts using the victim's Social Security number. Victims should verify account issues directly through Amazon's website or app, never call back suspicious numbers, check their credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com, and remember that legitimate organizations will never demand secrecy or immediate money transfers.
arabianbusiness.com
· 2025-12-08
"Pig butchering" romance scams, where criminals build fake romantic relationships to defraud victims of money and cryptocurrency, have surged 85-fold in revenue since 2020, generating approximately $75 billion in illicit gains with victims losing roughly $1 billion to related approval phishing scams since May 2021. These scams exploit loneliness by using messaging apps and social media to establish trust before directing victims toward fraudulent investment schemes, while a single scam address stole an estimated $44.3 million and a U.S. bank CEO lost $47 million to such a scam. The scam ecosystem is compounded by a humanitarian crisis, as many
choice.com.au
· 2025-12-08
Australians with disability are more than twice as likely to experience romance scams, with scammers exploiting limited romantic exposure and vulnerability. The article follows Chris, a 26-year-old man with disability in Adelaide, who encountered at least eight romance scammers on social media platforms like Snapchat in 2023, where scammers encouraged him to move conversations to encrypted apps (Telegram, WhatsApp) before requesting money or gift cards. Advocates and consumer organizations emphasize that people with disability face disproportionate risk and call for better protections from online dating platforms and related businesses.
glasgowcourier.com
· 2025-12-08
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen warned residents during National Consumer Protection Week (March 3-9) about three rising scams: law enforcement impersonation scams where fraudsters call claiming victims have arrest warrants and demand immediate payment via wire transfer or gift cards; cryptocurrency investment scams that use threats of arrest to convince people to deposit money into crypto ATMs, which cannot be recovered; and tech support scams involving fake pop-up alerts that trick users into calling scammers who then take control of computers and demand payment. The state's Office of Consumer Protection advises Montanans to avoid third-party payment apps and cryptocurrency ATMs, verify business information, and consult trusted contacts before sending money.
hillsborofreepress.com
· 2025-12-08
The North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging and Kansas Legal Services launched the "Scam Scan" educational seminar series, offering free presentations to the public on recognizing and preventing common scams. Two seminars were held in Marion County on March 20, with managing attorney Corinne Petrik providing prevention tips and strategies to help older adults protect themselves, their money, and personal information from fraud.
winnipeg.ca
· 2025-12-08
The "grandparent scam" has significantly increased across Canada, with scammers impersonating grandchildren in distress to pressure seniors into sending money urgently, often through couriers. In 2022, Canadian seniors lost over $9.2 million to this scam, with Manitoba losses exceeding $313,000. Protection strategies include ignoring unknown callers, verifying requests by calling trusted family members, and remembering that police never demand money directly for bail.
goldrushcam.com
· 2025-12-08
Two suspects were arrested in Moorpark, California on March 7, 2024, for identity theft and conspiracy charges after intercepting packages containing significant sums of cash mailed by elderly victims from Texas, South Dakota, and Florida who had fallen victim to scams. Detectives identified the scheme after the first victim's adult child reported their elderly mother had mailed currency to the suspects' address, leading investigators to surveil and apprehend the two men when they arrived to retrieve a third package from a Florida victim. The suspects face multiple felony charges including grand theft, conspiracy, theft by false pretenses, and identity theft from an elder or dependent adult.
valleybreeze.com
· 2025-12-08
The Burrillville Police Department warned residents about the "grandparent scam," in which callers impersonate grandchildren in distress to convince seniors to withdraw and send money, often instructing victims not to tell bank tellers about the transfers. An elderly couple in Burrillville was recently targeted, and the FBI reports seniors lost over $3 billion to online scams in 2023. Police Chief Stephen Lynch recommends residents slow their response, verify claims with family members, and report suspicious calls to local authorities.
fox23maine.com
· 2025-12-08
Maine seniors lost $12.7 million to fraud in 2022, a dramatic increase from $2 million in 2021, with victims over 60 nationwide experiencing skyrocketing losses according to FBI data. One Maine senior fell victim to a tech support scam involving deceptive popups claiming she had a virus and requesting access to her savings account information. Experts emphasize that education and awareness are critical to protecting Maine's aging population, the oldest in the nation, from increasingly prevalent fraud schemes.
wltx.com
· 2025-12-08
A New York Magazine financial columnist lost $50,000 to an elaborate con scheme, prompting the Federal Trade Commission to publicize ten common lies fraudsters use to manipulate victims into sending money, including creating false urgency, isolating victims from trusted advisors, making arrest threats, and directing victims to move funds via gift cards, cryptocurrency, precious metals, or cash transfers. The FTC warns that any pressure to act quickly, secrecy, threats of legal consequences, or instructions from strangers regarding financial transfers are reliable indicators of fraud, and recommends victims hang up, delete communications, and report suspected scams to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
abc7ny.com
· 2025-12-08
AI-powered voice cloning is being used in increasingly sophisticated tax season scams, with fraudsters impersonating the IRS or tax professionals to steal personal information and money. McAfee reported over one million suspicious tax-related URLs clicked in February alone, with scammers using realistic American-accented AI voices and phishing through calls, texts, and emails threatening back taxes or offering fake tax forgiveness. The IRS never initiates contact by phone or email and will not demand payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or payment apps—legitimate tax notices arrive by mail first.
placer.ca.gov
· 2025-12-08
A victim lost $23,000 in a Bitcoin scam after receiving calls claiming their email and bank account were compromised; the scammer initially posed as a bank representative and convinced the victim to transfer $15,000 to Bitcoin, then a second caller posing as the FBI persuaded them to transfer an additional $8,000 before the victim grew suspicious. The Sheriff's Office warns that legitimate banks and law enforcement never request transfers to Bitcoin or gift cards, and residents should immediately contact authorities if they receive urgent calls or emails demanding money transfers.
govexec.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece highlights warning signs of government imposter scams, particularly targeting Social Security beneficiaries and federal employees. The author shares a personal near-miss with a gift card scam impersonating a local NARFE president, then outlines four key red flags scammers use (impersonation, claiming problems/prizes, demanding immediate action, and requesting specific payment methods) and lists tactics Social Security will never employ, such as threatening arrest, demanding gift cards, or pressuring immediate payment. The article warns against a fraudulent phone number (888-353-9450) being used by scammers targeting federal employees and annuitants.
fox23maine.com
· 2025-12-08
Maine seniors lost $12.7 million to fraud in 2022, a dramatic increase from $2 million in 2021, according to FBI data. One victim fell prey to a tech support scam involving fake virus warning popups that prompted her to call scammers who attempted to access her savings account information. Experts emphasize that education and community awareness are critical tools in combating fraud targeting Maine's elderly population, the oldest in the nation.
localprofile.com
· 2025-12-08
Plano Police Detective Vidmar was honored for his role in recovering over $8 million in stolen funds from victims of sweetheart scams, business email compromises, and other fraudulent crimes through his work with the U.S. Secret Service North Texas Financial Crimes Task Force. Working with Judge Ben Smith, Vidmar secured nearly 70 expedited search and seizure warrants targeting fraudulent bank accounts in Plano, Texas, which allowed authorities to freeze assets before criminals could withdraw stolen money. The collaborative effort successfully returned 99.8% of the recovered funds to victims across the United States and Canada over a 3.5-year period.
wgme.com
· 2025-12-08
Fraud losses among Maine seniors have surged dramatically, increasing from $2 million in 2021 to $12.7 million in 2022, with tech support scams being among the most common threats to the state's aging population. One Maine senior fell victim to a tech support imposter scam involving malicious popups claiming she had a virus, which prompted her to call a fraudulent number where scammers attempted to access her savings account information. Experts emphasize that education and awareness are critical to protecting Maine's elderly residents, who represent the nation's oldest state population and face heightened vulnerability to fraud schemes.
nzherald.co.nz
· 2025-12-08
Brent Carey, CEO of New Zealand's Netsafe (which receives 15,000 scam reports annually with 25% year-over-year growth), discusses the expanding fraud landscape affecting victims across all demographics. Romance scams and sextortion are particularly devastating, with sextortion complaints up 88% and primarily targeting young males who are blackmailed after sending intimate images to fraudsters posing as young women. A Netsafe and Global Anti-Scam Alliance survey found New Zealanders lost over $2 billion to scams, with the average victim losing $3,165, contrary to the misconception that only elderly people are targeted.
wfft.com
· 2025-12-08
Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita warns residents to watch for storm repair scams where fraudsters pose as contractors, promise immediate repairs, collect down payments, and disappear with the money. The alert advises Hoosiers to verify contractor credentials and insurance, obtain multiple written estimates, avoid upfront full payment, and never use wire transfers or cash, while warning that legitimate FEMA assistance never requires application fees. Those who suspect scams can contact the AG's office at 800-382-5516.
ncdoj.gov
· 2025-12-08
This is an educational advisory from March 2024 providing consumer protection tips for travelers during spring break. The guidance emphasizes verifying travel companies' legitimacy through online research and the Better Business Bureau, reading contracts carefully, obtaining written trip details and confirmations, paying by credit card for refund protection, and reporting suspected scams to the state's Consumer Protection Division. The article does not describe specific incidents or fraud losses but rather aims to prevent travel-related scams before they occur.
adirondackdailyenterprise.com
· 2025-12-08
Scams targeting vulnerable populations, particularly the elderly, are rising statewide through phone calls, social media, and online channels. Common scams include Social Security imposter schemes (threatening suspended benefits or arrest), gift card fraud (posing as government agencies), fake rental listings, and warrant payment demands, with scammers using fear, fake documents, and fraudulent letterhead to coerce victims into providing personal information or money. Authorities recommend verifying caller identity by hanging up and calling agencies directly, never sending gift cards or money to unknown callers, and reporting scams to relevant agencies like the SSA's Office of the Inspector General.