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7,257 results in General Elder Fraud
scdailypress.com · 2025-12-08
The operators of Kids in Need of Support Services (KISS), a nonprofit after-school program in Silver City, New Mexico, were charged with submitting over $1.6 million in fraudulent Medicaid claims for services never rendered and committing identity theft using the Social Security numbers of dozens of children and adults in their care. CEO Susanne Kee and her daughter Bethanne Kee face multiple counts of fraud, identity theft, and conspiracy, with investigators finding evidence of impossible billing schedules (including psychotherapy claims for infants under 30 days old) and families confirming they never authorized or received the billed services. The investigation, conducted by the N.M. Department of
financial-planning.com · 2025-12-08
Stanley and Riki Tulin, an elderly couple, filed a federal lawsuit against JPMorgan alleging the bank failed to prevent investment advisor Scott J. Mason from defrauding them of over $19 million through forged signatures and fraudulent transfers. Mason pleaded guilty in January to schemes defrauding clients of more than $23 million and was sentenced to over eight years in prison, while the Tulins accuse JPMorgan of negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and failing to properly oversee their accounts despite years of fraudulent activity.
cnycentral.com · 2025-12-08
A married elderly couple from Throop, New York lost nearly $25,000 in a grandparent scam where callers impersonated their grandchild in distress; three local suspects were arrested in February 2023 and all funds were recovered. The Department of Justice charged 13 people involved in a sophisticated transnational elder fraud scheme that defrauded over 400 victims nationwide of $5 million total, with operations run from Dominican Republic call centers specifically designed to target elderly Americans, particularly those over 80 years old.
justice.gov · 2025-12-08
Edward L. Stief, Jr., a 42-year-old from Effingham County, Illinois, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, mail fraud, and unlawful monetary transactions after exploiting an elderly victim out of approximately $338,773. Stief gained the victim's trust by offering lawn care services, then convinced him to grant financial and healthcare power of attorney, subsequently withdrawing life insurance funds, stealing valuables including gold coins and jewelry, and coercing him to leave a nursing home for inadequate care. He faces up to 20 years imprisonment for the fraud convictions and up to 10 years for the monetary transaction charge at his December 2 sentencing hearing.
regulatoryoversight.com · 2025-12-08
On June 18, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes partnered with the Better Business Bureau to launch an educational campaign featuring four PSA videos designed to help Arizona residents—particularly seniors—recognize and avoid common scams. The campaign addresses fraudulent celebrity scams using AI deepfakes, moving company hostage loads, cryptocurrency scams (which cost Scottsdale residents over $5 million recently), and AI-based scams, with Arizona residents losing approximately $392 million to consumer fraud in 2024.
athensreview.com · 2025-12-08
The Athens Rotary Club received a presentation from local authorities highlighting how elder fraud scams are increasingly sophisticated and costly, with perpetrators exploiting trust, loneliness, and routine to drain bank accounts. Common schemes in Henderson County include grandparent scams, jury duty payment demands, romance scams, and fraudulent online sales, with victims losing tens of thousands of dollars; authorities warned residents never to trust caller IDs, to verify requests with known local numbers, and to report suspicious activity to prevent further victimization.
theborneopost.com · 2025-12-08
A 69-year-old man in Kuching lost RM91,720.76 after being lured by a fake online job recruitment website (https://pro-urdcareer.top/login) in July, where he was instructed to make 16 payments to different bank accounts under the guise of earning commissions. Police are investigating the case as a cheating offense, noting that similar scams in Kuching have resulted in 34 cases and RM1.43 million in losses since January. Authorities advise the public to remain cautious of unknown contacts on social media platforms and job websites.
roughdraftatlanta.com · 2025-12-08
Fulton County Department of Senior Services launched Avoid Cyber Threats (A.C.T.), a free online training program in August targeting residents aged 55 and older to help them recognize and avoid cyber scams including phishing, voice cloning, and impersonation schemes. The initiative responds to a 60 percent rise in scams targeting seniors over five years, with Americans aged 60+ losing nearly $4.9 billion to fraud in 2024 and Georgia ranking seventh nationally for senior fraud losses; the program aims to train 2,000 seniors by December, with research showing trained seniors are 80 percent more likely to recognize and avoid scams.
wired.com · 2025-12-08
Organized crime gangs operating scam compounds in Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos) have been linked to billions of dollars in fraud over the past decade, and new research reveals these compounds are also connected to child sextortion operations. International Justice Mission researchers found that at least 493 child exploitation reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and approximately 18,000 additional reports containing IP addresses from known scam compound locations, are linked to these operations where an estimated 200,000 trafficking victims are forced to run scams 24 hours daily. The findings represent the first clear evidence connecting forced scamming operations to global child sextortion cases, which have
morningjournalnews.com · 2025-12-08
Scammers are increasingly targeting older residents across the country with sophisticated fraud schemes, including requests for payment via Bitcoin, gift cards, or other virtual currencies, often using urgent or threatening language about fines, arrests, or endangered loved ones. Ohio reported 16,741 financial exploitation referrals of older residents between July 2024 and June 2025. The key protective measures include verifying contact through official channels, researching businesses before sending money, avoiding unsolicited requests for personal information, and trusting instincts when offers seem too good to be true.
newamerica.org · 2025-12-08
Chicago residents identified online fraud as a major concern, with 90 percent of survey respondents rating protection from it as "important" or "very important." The Federal Trade Commission received 2.6 million fraud reports in 2024 resulting in $12.5 billion in losses, with Illinois accounting for over 186,000 fraud reports, and the article provides expert guidance on identifying, avoiding, and responding to various types of fraud including account fraud, non-delivery scams, and impersonation schemes.
ainvest.com · 2025-12-08
A senior UK bank professional lost £13,000 in a pump-and-dump scam involving Pheton Holdings, a Chinese Nasdaq-listed company, after investing over six weeks based on convincing deepfake social media advertisements featuring financial sector figures and professional-looking market updates. The trader's investment initially doubled before the share price crashed, wiping out his gains entirely. This case reflects a broader trend of coordinated pump-and-dump schemes targeting micro-cap stocks, with the FBI reporting a 300% increase in related complaints year-over-year.
investopedia.com · 2025-12-08
AI-powered bank impersonation scams are surging, with cyber fraud losses reaching a record $16.6 billion in 2024 (up 33% from 2023). Scammers now use artificial intelligence to create legitimate-looking emails, texts, and calls with perfect grammar and spoofed phone numbers, exploiting consumers' trained panic responses to fraud alerts. Key red flags include urgent requests for immediate action, unusual payment methods (cash withdrawals, bitcoin transfers, new accounts), and the article advises consumers to hang up and call the number on their debit card to verify any bank communication.
Crypto Investment Scam Investment Fraud Government Impersonation Law Enforcement Impersonation Bank Impersonation Cryptocurrency Crypto ATM Wire Transfer Cash Bank Transfer Check/Cashier's Check
cnn.com · 2025-12-08
Financial scams have become increasingly prevalent and sophisticated, with the FBI reporting $16.6 billion in cybercrime losses in the past year—a 33% increase over the prior year with an average loss of $19,372 per victim. The FTC documented a more-than-four-fold increase between 2020 and 2024 in reports of older Americans (age 60+) losing $10,000 or more to scams, with some victims emptying entire bank accounts and retirement funds. Common schemes include imposter scams masquerading as government agencies or businesses, tech support scams, and prize/sweepstakes frauds, with red flags
kshb.com · 2025-12-08
The Palmer Center in Independence, Missouri hosted its annual "Scamboree" event to educate approximately 175 senior attendees about fraud prevention, featuring resources on common scams including investment fraud and utility company impersonation schemes. According to the Senior Medicare Patrol program, Medicare loses an estimated $60 billion annually to fraud, errors, and abuse, with participants advised to avoid sharing personal information with unknown callers and to hang up immediately on suspicious calls.
wfiwradio.com · 2025-12-08
Edward L. Stief, Jr., a 42-year-old from Effingham County, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, mail fraud, and unlawful monetary transactions after exploiting an elderly victim out of over $338,000. Stief gained the victim's trust through lawn care services, then obtained power of attorney, gained access to bank accounts, liquidated life insurance policies, and stole personal assets including gold coins and jewelry; he also removed the victim from a nursing home and failed to provide necessary medical care. Sentencing is scheduled for December 2nd, with potential penalties of up to 20 years for the fraud charges.
cleveland.com · 2025-12-08
Cuyahoga County First Assistant Prosecutor Diane Russell and local law enforcement held an educational presentation at the Parma Heights Senior Center to inform approximately 80 seniors about current fraud and scam tactics targeting older adults. The presentation emphasized that most scams begin with unsolicited phone calls or texts, and advised seniors to hang up, verify caller identity independently, and consult trusted contacts or police before responding to suspicious communications.
woay.com · 2025-12-08
Older adults in West Virginia are frequently targeted by scammers using robocalls, texts, and social media schemes that exploit personal information to build false credibility. Common tactics include impersonating legitimate businesses, the IRS, or family members in distress, then pressuring victims to purchase Green Dot cards, Bitcoin, or other untraceable payment methods. Police advise seniors to question callers without disclosing personal information and recognize that legitimate businesses never operate through unsolicited contact demanding immediate payment.
myfoxzone.com · 2025-12-08
Texas seniors lost over $480 million to scams in 2024, ranking second nationally according to FBI data, with common schemes including charity fraud, romance scams, and jury duty threats targeting vulnerable older adults. Local organizations like San Angelo's Better Business Bureau and retirement communities are addressing the surge through education programs that teach seniors to recognize red flags, avoid panic-driven decisions, and report crimes without shame. Experts note that official complaint numbers likely underrepresent the true scope, as many victims fail to report due to embarrassment.
ktvo.com · 2025-12-08
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird warned seniors about common scams ahead of National Senior Citizens Day, including impostor schemes where scammers pose as family members or falsely claim victims are involved in crimes requiring payment. The article highlights a case where victim Lynne Caltrider was scammed out of a considerable amount of money directed to a cryptocurrency ATM, though authorities recovered a portion and arrested individuals involved; Caltrider received recognition for sharing her story to help law enforcement. The attorney general urges older Iowans to remain cautious, recognize warning signs, and report suspected scams to the Iowa Attorney General's office.
fox5atlanta.com · 2025-12-08
Fulton County, Georgia launched the Avoid Cyber Threats (A.C.T) Training campaign, a free self-paced program for residents 55 and older to help recognize and prevent online scams. The initiative responds to a surge in senior fraud cases—seniors account for nearly 40% of all fraud-related losses, and Americans 60+ lost $4.9 billion to scammers in 2024, with the average victim losing $83,000. The program covers phishing scams, personal information safeguarding, and emerging threats like AI voice cloning, with a county goal of training 2,000 seniors and caregivers by year's end.
foxnews.com · 2025-12-08
This educational piece explains how criminals target retirees' retirement accounts and personal data, noting that elder fraud caused over $4.9 billion in losses in 2024, with 72% of cases involving personal data found online. The article advises retirees to remove their information from data broker websites and databases—either manually or through automated removal services—to reduce their vulnerability to identity theft, phishing attacks, and social engineering scams. Taking these protective steps helps secure hard-earned retirement savings by limiting the personal information scammers can use to craft convincing fraud attempts.
states.aarp.org · 2025-12-08
Elder financial exploitation is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the Virgin Islands, prompting AARP Virgin Islands and the VI Department of Human Services to host the Elder Justice Summit 2025 on August 21, 2025, specifically targeting financial professionals, law enforcement, legal services, and government partners. The summit will feature keynote speaker Zoimé Álvarez Rubio (President & CEO of the Puerto Rico Bankers Association) and a panel of local experts discussing strategies to detect, prevent, and respond to financial fraud targeting vulnerable older adults before it depletes their savings and independence.
michigan.gov · 2025-12-08
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released an Elder Abuse Task Force newsletter featuring legislative updates, educational resources, and information on scam psychology to help protect older adults. The newsletter highlights new legislation (House Bills 4418-4419) regarding patient consent decisions, free downloadable Power of Attorney forms, and the Michigan Guardianship Diversion Project, while reminding residents that over 100,000 Michigan seniors are victims of elder abuse annually and can report suspected cases by calling 800-24-ABUSE.
pasadenanow.com · 2025-12-08
California seniors lose an average of $46,000 daily to scammers, ranking the state third-worst nationally for elder fraud losses. In 2024, investment scams caused $1.8 billion in losses to older adults, while phishing and spoofing attacks surged 700% year-over-year, with 72% of cybercrimes enabled by exposed personal data. In response to rising elder abuse cases in LA County, the La Pintoresca Branch Library in Pasadena is hosting a free bilingual "Financial Exploitation Prevention Workshop" to educate seniors on recognizing and preventing fraud.
yahoo.com · 2025-12-08
Federal investigators charged 13 people, including alleged ringleader Oscar Manuel Castanos Garcia, in connection with a "grandparent scam" operation based in the Dominican Republic that defrauded approximately 400 elderly victims (average age 84) of over $5 million. The scammers posed as grandchildren in distress and used accomplices posing as lawyers to pressure victims into withdrawing cash, which was then collected by Uber drivers and laundered; Uber's security team helped the FBI uncover the scheme by flagging suspicious activity. Many victims lost tens of thousands of dollars each, and authorities warn that most will not recover their money, with four suspects still at large.
portageonline.com · 2025-12-08
Two retired servicemen in Portage la Prairie—retired RCMP officer Colin Wilcox and Canadian Armed Forces veteran Glen Jones—launched a grassroots fraud prevention education program in March 2024 that has since delivered about 20 presentations to seniors' groups across Manitoba and neighbouring communities, distributing hundreds of pamphlets and pointer cards with fraud prevention tips. The presentations have documented significant losses, including one case where a woman lost $7,500 to a scammer posing as a friend, and highlight common schemes such as the "grandparent scam" and computer-generated robocalls. The program emphasizes prevention strategies, such as recognizing the telltale
timesofindia.indiatimes.com · 2025-12-08
Three senior citizens in Hyderabad—an 81-year-old retired government employee, a 58-year-old school headmaster, and an 86-year-old retired physician—were collectively defrauded of approximately 48 lakh rupees in separate "digital arrest" scams between August 1-19. Fraudsters impersonated police and CBI officers, threatening the victims with arrest based on false charges (money laundering, obscene calls, human trafficking) and coercing them to transfer funds for "verification" or to prevent arrest. Cases were registered at Cyberabad, Siddipet, and Warangal police stations
cointelegraph.com · 2025-12-08
A North Wales Police investigation revealed that a scammer impersonated a senior UK law enforcement officer to steal £2.1 million ($2.8 million) worth of Bitcoin from a victim, likely identified through a data breach. The scammer created urgency by claiming the victim's identification documents were found on an arrested person's phone, then directed the victim to enter their crypto wallet seed phrase into a fake website, gaining full access to the funds. Police emphasized that they never contact people unexpectedly about crypto assets or request seed phrases, and advised victims to hang up on suspicious calls and verify directly with law enforcement.
portageonline.com · 2025-12-08
Two retired servicemen in Portage la Prairie—retired RCMP officer Colin Wilcox and Canadian Armed Forces veteran Glen Jones—launched a grassroots fraud prevention education program in March 2024, distributing hundreds of pamphlets and presenting to seniors' groups across Manitoba after witnessing a sharp increase in scams targeting older adults. Their presentations, supported by local businesses and the National Association of Federal Retirees, have reached several hundred people and highlighted real cases including a woman who lost $7,500 to a scammer impersonating a friend and the "grandparent scam" where callers claim a grandchild is in jail. The initiative emphasizes prevention strategies such as
kimt.com · 2025-12-08
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird warned seniors on National Senior Citizens Day about scams targeting older residents, particularly impersonation schemes where fraudsters pose as family members or claim legal troubles to extract money. The attorney general's office runs "Stop the Scammers" educational events; one victim, Lynne Caltrider, helped authorities recover some lost funds and was awarded for her assistance in the investigation. Residents can report suspected scams to the Iowa Attorney General's office at 1-888-777-4590 or online.
republicanherald.com · 2025-12-08
David P. Shallcross, director of the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Senior Protection Unit, conducted a fraud awareness seminar for approximately 25 seniors in Friedensburg, highlighting common scams targeting older adults including the "Sweetheart Swindle" (where scammers pose as romantic interests to extract money), lottery/investment schemes, and cryptocurrency fraud. Shallcross provided protective strategies such as verifying information sources, recognizing red flags like unsolicited requests for gift card payments, and using verification tools like the SEC's EDGAR database and FINRA.org; he noted that the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office returned $1.2 million to scam victims in
wbbjtv.com · 2025-12-08
Senior citizens reported $3.4 billion in fraud losses last year, an 11% increase, with scammers increasingly using AI-powered tools such as voice cloning and deepfakes to impersonate loved ones and gain access to bank accounts. Banks are developing new fraud-detection software using AI technology to identify check fraud, wire fraud, and ACH fraud, while experts recommend seniors enable call-blocking features, verify transactions with banks, and consult trusted contacts when suspicious activity occurs. Experts emphasize that financial institutions will never pressure seniors into quick transactions, and early detection is critical for recovery.
commonsenseinstituteus.org · 2025-12-08
Financial fraud in Oregon resulted in an estimated $201 million in reported losses and $1.2 billion in unreported losses in 2025, with the FBI and FTC reporting significant increases in fraud cases nationwide. The state's economy faces a projected $3.9 billion reduction in GDP, $2.6 billion reduction in personal income, and approximately 15,000 job losses due to all financial fraud (reported and unreported). Oregon ranks 26th-28th among states for cyber-enabled crime losses and elder fraud complaints, with fraud cases up 3,336 since 2022 and total losses up 285% since 2020.
Romance Scam Crypto Investment Scam Investment Fraud Inheritance Scam Lottery/Prize Scam Cryptocurrency Wire Transfer Gift Cards Payment App Check/Cashier's Check
fox4news.com · 2025-12-08
A 22-year-old woman was arrested in Garland, Texas for allegedly scamming an elderly couple out of $25,000 through an impersonation scheme in which she posed as an FBI agent and convinced them to withdraw cash from their bank account after a fake Chase Bank and FBI phone call. Jessica Bahu of Frisco was charged with exploitation of the elderly, a third-degree felony, and released on a $100,000 bond while the FBI investigates potential federal charges and police explore whether others were involved.
newschannel9.com · 2025-12-08
A Chattanooga man lost $254,000 in a romance scam after meeting a scammer on a dating app who promised marriage and a life in Florida; he quit his job, sold his home, and showed up at the airport only to discover the ticket didn't exist and his accounts were emptied. Hamilton County investigators recovered $159,987.69 from the scammer's accounts. In a separate case, detectives recovered the full $54,000 stolen from another victim who was targeted by someone impersonating a U.S. Department of the Treasury representative demanding payment via cashier's check and gift cards.
Romance Scam Government Impersonation Law Enforcement Impersonation Phishing Identity Theft Cryptocurrency Wire Transfer Gift Cards Cash Bank Transfer Check/Cashier's Check
stthomassource.com · 2025-12-08
Banking and financial service workers in the Virgin Islands attended an Elder Justice Summit workshop to address the rising financial abuse of elderly residents, particularly since the COVID-19 pandemic when isolated seniors became more vulnerable to exploitation by family members, caregivers, and strangers. The workshop featured presentations on common fraud schemes and bank protocols for assisting victims, with participants emphasizing that combating elder financial exploitation requires collaborative efforts across law enforcement, financial institutions, and government agencies. A third workshop is planned for September to include seniors and caregivers in the ongoing educational efforts.
timesofsandiego.com · 2025-12-08
A 35-year-old Chinese national, Jiaci Liu, was sentenced to two years in prison for his role in a tech support scam that defrauded six elderly victims in California and Arizona of over $200,000 in a single week. Liu collected cash from victims who were deceived by fake pop-up virus warnings and fraudulent bank representatives claiming unauthorized transfers were occurring; he was arrested at a Poway victim's home in June 2023 after the 63-year-old victim became suspicious when told a U.S. Marshals representative would pick up his $28,000 withdrawal. Liu pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and at least one
wjcl.com · 2025-12-08
Chatham County police arrested 20-year-old Pranavkumar Baria for defrauding an elderly victim of over $500,000 through a sophisticated scheme in which he posed as a financial institution representative, convincing the victim their bank account had been hacked and arranging transfers of money and precious metals. Authorities believe there may be additional victims and are urging the public to report suspected fraud, emphasizing that victims should not feel ashamed and reminding people never to provide sensitive financial information over the phone or transfer funds based on unsolicited calls.
savannahbusinessjournal.com · 2025-12-08
A Chatham County Police Department investigation resulted in the arrest of 20-year-old Pranavkumar Baria in connection with a phone fraud scheme that defrauded an elderly victim of over $500,000 through impersonation of a bank representative and false claims of account compromise. Baria convinced the victim to transfer money and precious metals, and was arrested on August 14, 2025, when he arrived at the victim's home to collect additional precious metals. Police believe there may be additional victims and urge the public to report suspected fraud without fear or embarrassment.
justice.gov · 2025-12-08
Jiaci Liu, a Chinese national, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for his role in a multinational fraud conspiracy targeting seniors in Southern California and Arizona. The scam involved posing as tech support specialists, bank representatives, and government officials to convince victims to withdraw cash under false pretenses; Liu personally collected over $202,000 from elderly victims in a single week in June 2023, with a 63-year-old Poway resident thwarting the scheme by reporting his suspicions to authorities before Liu could retrieve the victim's $28,000 withdrawal.
wtoc.com · 2025-12-08
A 20-year-old man was arrested in Chatham County, Georgia, in connection with a fraud scheme that defrauded an elderly victim of over $500,000. The scam involved impersonating a bank representative over the phone, claiming the victim's account was hacked, and convincing them to transfer money and precious metals; the suspect was arrested on August 14, 2025, when he arrived at the victim's home to collect additional precious metals. Police believe there may be additional victims and urge the public to avoid providing financial information over the phone and to verify caller identity by contacting their bank directly.
fox10tv.com · 2025-12-08
Multiple scams are circulating across the Gulf Coast region, including online gambling schemes, bank fraud, and elder theft. The report outlines warning signs to recognize and steps victims should take if targeted. An additional safety alert advises residents to check their freezers for undisclosed items.
fox6now.com · 2025-12-08
Banks warn seniors to beware of phone scams involving "spoofing," where fraudsters impersonate legitimate financial institutions to steal personal and account information. Common scams targeting seniors include grandparent schemes, romance fraud, and business-targeted phishing calls; while there is no guarantee victims will recover lost funds, banks advise never sharing passwords or account details over the phone and hanging up to independently verify any suspicious calls before providing information.
kstp.com · 2025-12-08
Mavious Redmond, a 54-year-old from Austin, Minnesota, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for impersonating her deceased mother to fraudulently collect Social Security benefits over 25 years, netting over $360,000. Beginning in 1999, Redmond deliberately circumvented Social Security Administration reporting requirements by forging signatures, using false personal information, and impersonating her mother in phone and in-person interactions. She was also ordered to serve supervised release following her prison term for this scheme that defrauded the Social Security program and taxpayers.
terracestandard.com · 2025-12-08
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whiznews.com · 2025-12-08
The Ohio Department of Jobs and Family Services warned of rising cryptocurrency scams targeting the elderly, with victims in Muskingum County losing over $138,000 in 2025 alone due to the irreversible nature of crypto transactions. Officials advise Ohioans to be skeptical of urgent requests for crypto or gift cards from phone calls or emails claiming to be from banks or government agencies, and to report suspected elder exploitation of individuals 60 and older to local Adult Protective Services.
Crypto Investment Scam General Elder Fraud Cryptocurrency Gift Cards
newsbreak.com · 2025-12-08
1K
The article discusses a surge in impersonation scams targeting seniors, where scammers pose as government agencies or trusted businesses (like Amazon) to convince victims to transfer money for "protection," ultimately stealing it. The FTC reports a nearly 200% increase in reports of older Americans losing up to $10,000 since 2020, with a 400% increase in losses exceeding $100,000, and younger Americans are increasingly affected. The piece provides protective advice including being wary of money transfer requests, refusing demands for gift cards or cryptocurrency transfers, and hanging up to independently verify caller claims.
Lottery/Prize Scam Government Impersonation Law Enforcement Impersonation Bank Impersonation Phishing Cryptocurrency Crypto ATM Wire Transfer Gift Cards Check/Cashier's Check
sacobserver.com · 2025-12-08
A Chase Bank and AARP awareness event in Sacramento educated approximately 50 seniors about fraud prevention after California consumers lost over $1.7 billion to fraud in 2024, with people aged 60+ suffering hundreds of millions in losses. Experts highlighted common scams targeting older adults through fear (utility shutoffs), excitement (lottery wins), and romance schemes, emphasizing that identity theft is the #1 form of fraud occurring every two seconds in the U.S. The presentation recommended securing personal documents in safes, updating passwords regularly, avoiding unsolicited calls and links, and reporting suspicious activity to prevent emotional and financial devastation.
birminghamtimes.com · 2025-12-08
Chase Bank and the Birmingham Police Department hosted a scam prevention education event for seniors at Five Points West Library, where attendees including Denise Biddings shared experiences of falling victim to fraud—Biddings' household lost nearly $600 to a gift card scam targeting her husband. Speakers emphasized that seniors are frequently targeted because scammers exploit their trustworthiness, unfamiliarity with technology, loneliness, and desire to help, with common scams including impersonation, romance, and unsolicited calls demanding personal information. Experts advised seniors and their families to avoid giving personal information over the phone, hang up and verify through official channels, and treat requests for secrecy as