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in Robocalls / Phone Scams
michigan.gov
· 2025-12-08
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel reissued a ticket purchasing alert ahead of the 2024 NFL Draft in Detroit, warning consumers about scams targeting ticket buyers. Scammers use fake websites, counterfeit tickets, and peer-to-peer payment apps to defraud fans purchasing VIP draft tickets (priced from hundreds to thousands of dollars), while general entry remains free through official registration. The AG recommends buying only from reputable vendors using credit cards, researching sellers through the Better Business Bureau, and avoiding P2P payment apps like Venmo and Cash App that offer no fraud protections.
local12.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Colerain Township Police warn of a wave of impersonation scams targeting elderly residents in Greater Cincinnati, where callers pose as loved ones in danger to extort money, often using personal information gleaned from social media. To protect yourself, avoid answering calls from unknown area codes, verify the caller's identity by asking personal questions, independently contact the alleged person in distress, and never send money or gift cards. Victims should report suspected fraud to the Hamilton County Prosecutor's Elder Justice Unit.
kios.org
· 2025-12-08
A 71-year-old woman and 68-year-old man in Lancaster County lost $115,000 in gold bars after receiving a call from someone posing as an FBI agent who falsely claimed they were under investigation for child pornography. The scammers instructed the couple to purchase gold bars and hand them over to an unknown person, claiming the bars would be taken to Washington D.C. as part of the investigation. The Sheriff's Office reported this as the largest fraud case by dollar amount in their jurisdiction for 2024.
jdsupra.com
· 2025-12-08
On April 16, the FTC proposed extending the Telemarketing Sales Rule to cover inbound calls for technical support services in response to advertisements, allowing the agency to pursue civil penalties and consumer redress against tech support scammers. Consumer complaints about tech support scams rose from 40,000 in 2017 to nearly 115,000 in 2021, with reported losses exceeding $55 million in 2018, disproportionately affecting seniors over 60 years old. The proposed rule defines technical support services broadly to address evolving scam tactics and seeks public comment by June 17.
latintimes.com
· 2025-12-08
From June 2022 to June 2023, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) recorded 155,415 suspicious Elder Financial Exploitation (EFE) filings totaling $27 billion, affecting victims across racial and ethnic groups. Elder financial crimes fall into two categories: elder theft (misappropriation by trusted individuals) and elder scams (deceptive transfers to strangers), with the latter predominating through schemes like tech support scams and romance scams that exploit cognitive decline, loneliness, and social engineering tactics. Victims—79.7% White, 9.5% Hispanic, and
boredpanda.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece outlines common online and phone scams while providing prevention advice from SafeWise safety expert Rebecca Edwards. Key recommendations include not answering unknown calls, changing passwords every six months, avoiding suspicious links and unreviewed websites, and recognizing common schemes like extended warranty calls, fake giveaways, and ticket scams. According to Gallup data, 8% of Americans fell victim to scams in the past year, with Edwards attributing the rise in scams to increased internet reliance, weak law enforcement consequences, and online anonymity that embolden fraudsters.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Laura Kowal, a widowed healthcare executive, lost her $1.5 million nest egg to a romance scammer operating under the name "Frank Borg" on Match.com, who manipulated her through months of calls and emails before pressuring her into fraudulent investments and coercing her to help defraud other victims; she was found dead in the Mississippi River. The FBI and Justice Department reported over 64,000 American romance scam victims in 2023 (with experts believing the true number is significantly higher due to underreporting), with financial losses ballooning from $500 million in 2019 to $1.14 billion in
spectrumlocalnews.com
· 2025-12-08
The Maui Police Department warned residents about a recurring scam in which callers using spoofed phone numbers impersonate police and claim victims have pending warrants, missed jury duty, or legal sanctions, then demand payment via gift cards or cash. Legitimate law enforcement never request payment, financial information, or gift cards over the phone to resolve legal matters. Residents are advised not to provide information to such callers, to verify organizations directly through official websites rather than provided contact information, and to report suspected scam calls to the FBI or Maui Police Department.
tulsaworld.com
· 2025-12-08
Arvest Bank offered financial literacy guidance to help people avoid fraud scams, emphasizing the importance of spotting potential fraud and managing money wisely. According to the Federal Trade Commission, people reported losing $10 billion to scams in 2023—$1 billion more than 2022—with a median loss of $300 per person, while Oklahoma residents reported $29.8 million in total fraud losses with a median loss of $430 per person. The article highlighted imposter scams as the top fraud category in 2023, accounting for $2.6 billion in losses, and recommended steps such as avoiding suspicious links, contacting official business numbers directly, and researching before
thehindubusinessline.com
· 2025-12-08
Sterling Holidays and Resorts, a vacation ownership company with over 100,000 members in India, warned members of a phone scam in which fraudsters impersonated company representatives and pressured members to sell their memberships at inflated prices. Members reported receiving calls with threats that their memberships would lapse, and became abusive when offers were refused; Sterling Holidays confirmed no data breach occurred and advised members to use only official contact channels and avoid sharing personal information over the phone.
breitbart.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI issued a warning about a "smishing" scam active since March 2024 that uses fake SMS text messages claiming recipients have unpaid toll fees, directing them to fraudulent websites to steal payment information or malware. Over 2,000 complaints were received across three states, including Pennsylvania and Illinois, with scammers impersonating legitimate toll services and threatening late fees. Victims are advised to verify toll balances through official channels, avoid clicking suspicious links, delete fraudulent messages, and report incidents to the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3).
the420.in
· 2025-12-08
This compilation covers six major elder fraud and scam cases: Nigerian "Yahoo Boys" used AI-generated deepfakes in romance scams causing $650 million in losses (2021), with recent cases totaling $25 million and a Salt Lake City jury indicting seven members for laundering $8 million; a Montreal woman lost $25,000 to a crypto scam featuring a fake Elon Musk deepfake; Greek police arrested nine individuals who defrauded victims of €305,789 through phone impersonation scams; a Myanmar trafficking operation forced victims into romance scams via torture and exploitation; and a UK survey found 22% of young adults
boothbayregister.com
· 2025-12-08
Government impostor scams targeting Social Security impersonation caused victims to report nearly $617 million in theft in 2023, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Criminals use emotional manipulation—such as fear about suspended numbers or excitement about benefit increases—to bypass victims' logical thinking and extract money or sensitive information. Victims should hang up on unsolicited Social Security calls and verify contact by looking up official agency numbers at ssa.gov/locator, then report suspicious activity to local law enforcement or the AARP Fraud Watch Network.
businessinsider.com
· 2025-12-08
Nigerian-based online criminals known as "Yahoo Boys" conduct romance scams that cost Americans $1.3 billion in 2022, with victims—often elderly people targeted for retirement funds and life savings—losing substantial amounts; the scam has become more sophisticated as perpetrators now use AI-generated deepfakes and video calls to impersonate romantic interests and financial officials. A 69-year-old widow lost $39,000 of her life savings, and in Utah alone, victims lost $3.6 million to these scams in 2022, prompting law enforcement to recommend reverse image searches and caution against sending money to people met only online.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
A 24-year-old Sri Lankan man named Ravi was trafficked to a scam center in Myanmar under false pretenses of a data entry job, where he and approximately 40 other migrant workers were forced to conduct romance scams targeting wealthy Western men, working up to 22 hours daily and facing torture and sexual violence when they resisted. According to UN estimates from August 2023, over 120,000 people—predominantly Asian men—have been enslaved in Myanmar scam centers that generate billions of dollars for Chinese crime syndicates and armed groups, with romance scams alone accounting for $652 million in losses across 17,000+ US complaints in
wired.com
· 2025-12-08
The article highlights a romance scam trend where a group of con artists known as "Yahoo Boys" use AI-powered face-swap technology to deceive victims during video calls, impersonating different people to solicit money. The piece also covers several other cybersecurity issues including UK websites blocking deepfake nude image generators, a ransomware attack on Change Healthcare resulting in $872 million in response costs, and various other cybercriminal activities.
latimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are impersonating Medicare and conducting a growing phone scam targeting Medicare beneficiaries, falsely claiming to issue new cards and requesting verification of Medicare numbers and personal information. Victims report receiving numerous unsolicited calls daily, with scammers using professional tactics and detailed personal information to build trust. Medicare clarifies that it does not call beneficiaries, already has their information, and completed distribution of new Medicare cards by January 2019; the public should report suspected fraud to the California Senior Medicare Patrol at 1-855-613-7080.
baytoday.ca
· 2025-12-08
Police in Ontario and Quebec arrested 14 individuals involved in an organized emergency grandparent scam that defrauded seniors across Canada of over $2.2 million since February 2022. The scammers impersonated officers or lawyers claiming victims' grandchildren were in custody and demanded bail money, often using money mules to collect funds and instructing victims not to tell anyone due to fake "gag orders." Between January and April 2024 alone, 126 victims lost approximately $739,000, with investigators successfully preventing or recovering $559,000 in losses through coordination with financial institutions.
nevadaappeal.com
· 2025-12-08
Carson High School's Interact Club, a student service organization of about 20 members, has been volunteering at the Carson City Senior Center since February to provide technology assistance to elderly residents, helping them with computers, phones, tablets, apps, photos, and scam awareness. The program addresses both a practical need for tech support and an important social need, as it creates meaningful intergenerational connections that reduce senior isolation while allowing students to learn from older adults' life experiences and career knowledge.
dailykos.com
· 2025-12-08
A television advertisement by Hearing Life Hearing Centers promoting a "30-day risk-free challenge" for mini digital hearing aids was criticized for using deceptive marketing tactics targeting seniors, including emotionally manipulative language framing the product as a healthcare necessity and omitting clear financial obligations after the trial period. The ad exploits elderly consumers' health anxieties and fear of isolation while concealing high-pressure sales tactics and expensive pricing, representing a broader pattern of predatory healthcare marketing toward vulnerable populations on fixed incomes. Consumer education about deceptive marketing signs and stricter legislative guidelines on healthcare advertising disclosures are recommended to protect seniors from such exploitation.
saltwire.com
· 2025-12-08
Omar Zanfi, 25, of Quebec pleaded guilty in December to eight fraud-related charges stemming from a bail scam that targeted seniors in the Halifax area in late 2022, where he and associates impersonated police and lawyers to convince elderly victims their relatives were in custody, then collected cash from their homes—defrauding seven seniors of amounts ranging from $5,000 to larger sums. His sentencing hearing, originally scheduled for May 16, was adjourned after he switched lawyers, as his new counsel indicated potential disagreement with facts related to criminal organization charges and needs time to review evidence. The Crown is seeking a federal penitentiary sentence of at least two years
mirror.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
The Metropolitan Police contacted 25,000 UK residents via text and email on April 18 after shutting down "Labhost," an online platform used by over 2,000 criminals since 2021 to create phishing websites impersonating banks, healthcare providers, and postal services. Around 70,000 people in the UK fell victim to the scams, having their card numbers, PINs, and passwords stolen before the operation was dismantled. Recipients of the police notification should verify its authenticity, change passwords on sensitive accounts, monitor for suspicious activity, and report any confirmed fraud to Action Fraud or their bank immediately.
housingwire.com
· 2025-12-08
Between June 2022 and June 2023, FinCEN reported over $27 billion in suspicious activity across 155,000 filings related to elder financial exploitation (EFE), with account takeovers being the most common typology and adult children perpetrating nearly 40% of documented cases. Perpetrators primarily used unsophisticated methods like compromised passwords and phishing emails to avoid in-person detection, while financial institutions also reported increases in tech support and romance scams targeting seniors. FinCEN emphasized the critical role of financial institutions in identifying, preventing, and reporting suspected EFE to protect older adults' financial security and well-being.
vindy.com
· 2025-12-08
AARP identifies four emerging scams to watch for in 2024: check cooking (using software to digitally alter stolen checks rather than chemical washing), voiceprint scams (using deepfake technology to impersonate victims' voices for financial fraud), delayed-action sweepstakes scams (collecting personal information for identity theft that may be exploited gradually), and virtual celebrity scams (exploiting fans' connection to online celebrity presence). Prevention strategies include using safer payment methods, avoiding phone calls from unknown numbers, never providing personal information to unsolicited callers, and remaining skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true.
waka.com
· 2025-12-08
Tax impersonation scams cost Americans over $300 million last year, with thousands of victims targeted by callers posing as IRS agents who threaten arrest and demand payment via gift cards or personal information. Scammers use caller ID spoofing technology and fear-based tactics to pressure victims, though the IRS confirms it rarely initiates contact by phone and instead communicates through mailed or certified letters. The best defense is to hang up on suspicious calls, avoid clicking links in suspicious emails claiming to be from the IRS or tax software companies, and verify tax matters directly through IRS.gov.
thesun.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Wendy Falconer, 63, lost £400 to a phone scammer who spoofed her bank's phone number in Wales; the fraudster emotionally abused her during the call, mocking her with the words "you're so thick," which traumatized her more than the financial loss itself. Police warn that scammers commonly impersonate banks, Amazon, utilities, tech companies, and even healthcare providers using caller ID spoofing, and advise people never to give personal information or take financial actions based on incoming calls, regardless of the displayed phone number.
the-sun.com
· 2025-12-08
Connie Seddon, a retired radiation technician from Arizona, lost $35,000 to scammers who impersonated McAfee through a phishing email in January. After calling the fraudulent number, the scammer convinced her that money had been incorrectly deposited into her account and instructed her to withdraw cash and deposit it into Bitcoin machines at gas stations, with the bank teller's concerns dismissed by Seddon's false claim that she was buying a car. Seddon reported the incident to local police, the FBI, and the FTC, though authorities indicated recovery of the funds was unlikely.
onlineathens.com
· 2025-12-08
Two Athens residents were victimized by telephone scams in early April: a 69-year-old senior woman lost her complete savings of $20,000 after being impersonated by a caller claiming to be from Vystar Credit Union who instructed her to withdraw cash and transfer it via a bitcoin machine, and an 18-year-old teenager lost $3,500 after receiving calls impersonating Wells Fargo and FBI officials who convinced him to purchase gift cards and send pictures of them. Both victims reported the incidents to Athens-Clarke police, though the woman stated there was no way to recover her funds.
deseret.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI has warned of a widespread smishing scam targeting residents across multiple states by impersonating highway toll services through fraudulent text messages containing fake links and phone numbers. Smishing (SMS phishing) scams have cost victims approximately $300 million, with over 400,000 texts sent daily, and the FBI advises recipients to delete messages immediately, verify toll status through official state websites, and report incidents to the Internet Crime Complaint Center. To protect against future attacks, users should avoid clicking suspicious links, enable multifactor authentication, keep devices updated with security features, and watch for red flags such as urgent language, typos, and requests to act immediately.
the-independent.com
· 2025-12-08
An 81-year-old Ohio man, William Brock, fatally shot Uber driver Loletha Hall, 61, on March 25, 2024, after both became victims of a bail scam in which he was contacted by scammers claiming a relative was in jail and demanding cash. Brock, who had been threatened by the scammers and was instructed to have Hall pick up a package at his home, confronted her with a gun when she arrived; when she attempted to escape, he shot her multiple times, killing her. Brock was charged with murder, felonious assault, and kidnapping, and authorities continue investigating to identify the scammers who orchestrate
michigan.gov
· 2025-12-08
Dr. Rainna Furnari Brazil, a 57-year-old Michigan osteopathic physician, was bound over for trial on charges of insurance fraud after allegedly collecting over $400,000 in disability insurance payments from Unum Life Insurance Company between 2017 and 2021 while continuing to work as a physician. Brazil is charged with multiple felonies including three counts of False Pretenses for amounts over $100,000, insurance fraud, and failure to file taxes, and is accused of repeatedly lying to the insurance company about her employment status. The case was referred by the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services Fraud Investigation Unit to the Attorney General's office for prosecution.
wired.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scammers known as "Yahoo Boys," primarily based in Nigeria, are increasingly using deepfake and face-swapping technology in real-time video calls to impersonate fake romantic partners and defraud victims of thousands of dollars each. The FBI reports over $650 million was lost to romance fraud last year, with the scammers openly sharing their techniques and recruiting accomplices across Telegram and social media platforms. These experienced con artists, who have evolved their tactics as AI technology has improved, operate in loosely organized clusters without formal leadership structure and show little fear of consequences.
frontiersman.com
· 2025-12-08
Alaska State Troopers and the Alaska Bureau of Investigations warned residents of two active scams operating statewide: a "Cash for Gold" scheme where perpetrators offer to exchange counterfeit jewelry for cash under the pretense of replacing lost IDs or fixing vehicles, and a "Violin" scam (details not fully specified in excerpt). The Cash for Gold scam has resulted in several confrontational and physical incidents with victims.
cnet.com
· 2025-12-08
Zelle, a peer-to-peer payment service owned by major U.S. banks and launched in 2017, has experienced hundreds of millions of dollars in consumer losses due to fraud since its inception. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed a lawsuit against Early Warning Services (Zelle's operator) in December alleging the platform failed to safeguard against fraud, with scammers exploiting the service's instant, irreversible transfers and minimal verification requirements through social engineering tactics like phishing and impersonation of banks and utilities. Protection strategies include avoiding responses to unsolicited messages and verifying requests independently by calling official bank numbers.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Americans lose millions of dollars annually to wire transfer fraud scams, with the Senate Banking Committee reporting over $10 billion in consumer fraud losses in 2023. The committee is pressing JP Morgan Chase, Citibank, Bank of America, and Wells Fargo to provide reimbursement and strengthen security measures, though banks argue they are generally exempt from reimbursing wire transfer losses under the Electronic Funds Transfer Act. Individual victims profiled—including Jennifer Davis ($25,000), Andrew Semesjuk ($15,000), and Nikki Kelly ($48,000)—reported being denied reimbursement by Chase despite being deceived into authorizing the transfers.
kvue.com
· 2025-12-08
Drivers across Texas received fraudulent text messages claiming unpaid toll road balances with threats of escalating late fees, directing recipients to fake websites impersonating legitimate toll services like TxTag or the Central Texas Mobility Authority. The FBI identified these "smishing" messages as social engineering scams designed to steal personal information and money, and advised recipients to avoid clicking links, file complaints with the Internet Crime Complaint Center, monitor accounts, and contact actual toll services directly to verify legitimacy.
coastalbreezenews.com
· 2025-12-08
Since April 4, 2024, Collier County residents reported nine phone scams in which fraudsters impersonated law enforcement and court officials, claiming victims had failed jury duty, had arrest warrants, or owed traffic fines, and demanded $500 to $10,000 via cash or electronic payment apps. Two victims lost money ($1,800 and $3,500 respectively), while a third's attempted $10,000 withdrawal was stopped by a bank employee; scammers used spoofed caller IDs, blocked numbers, and real employee names and badge numbers to appear legitimate. Residents are advised to avoid answering unknown numbers, never provide financial information to strangers
shu.edu
· 2025-12-08
Job scams targeting the Seton Hall community are on the rise, with fraudsters impersonating legitimate employers or university staff to lure job seekers into revealing personal and banking information through fake job offers that appear too good to be true. Victims are typically asked to deposit counterfeit checks and transfer funds, risking financial losses and potential legal consequences for facilitating criminal activity. The university recommends verifying sender information through official channels, avoiding unsolicited job offers, and reporting suspicious messages to IT Security.
9to5mac.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scammers are using increasingly sophisticated tactics involving face-swap technology to conduct convincing live video calls with victims, employing setups with dual phones or laptop-based deepfake software to impersonate their fabricated identities. These "Yahoo Boys" scammers use the video calls to build trust before requesting money for fake emergencies, with the technology becoming so advanced that victims may see convincing alterations to facial features, skin tone, hair, and voice. Protection involves remaining cautious on dating apps, immediately suspecting anyone requesting money, and avoiding social media apps that request face photos, as this data is used to train face-swap technology.
mirror.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Hertfordshire Police are investigating a romance scam artist operating under the aliases "Stefano Armani" and "Stefano Khalide" who used dating apps to build fake relationships with male victims and defraud them of over £50,000. The suspect, believed to be from London, exploited vulnerable singles by gaining their trust online before manipulating them into sending money under false pretenses. Police are appealing for information from victims or anyone with knowledge of the suspect's whereabouts.
kob.com
· 2025-12-08
Tax scammers impersonate IRS agents via spoofed phone calls and phishing emails, threatening victims with jail time for unpaid taxes and demanding payment via gift cards. Over $300 million was lost to government impersonation scams last year, with losses jumping $150 million between 2022 and 2023. The IRS never contacts people by phone, email, or social media—legitimate contact comes only by postal mail, often certified—so recipients should hang up on callers and delete suspicious emails without opening links.
moco360.media
· 2025-12-08
A Silver Spring woman lost nearly $800,000 in a gold bar scam after receiving a fraudulent call claiming to be from the FTC's Office of the Inspector General, instructing her to convert assets to gold for "safekeeping" by the FBI and Treasury Department. Montgomery County police report approximately a dozen similar victims in the past year losing over $5 million total, with only one arrest made—courier Wenhui Sun, 34, who allegedly picked up gold bars from victims; scammers target this method because gold is untraceable and has universal value across countries. The FBI warns that government agencies and legitimate businesses never request citizens purchase gold or precious metals, and urges
wbez.org
· 2025-12-08
Older adults collectively lose $28.3 billion annually to scams and financial exploitation, with particularly severe consequences since retired individuals cannot recoup these losses. Victims often fail to report fraud due to embarrassment or, in cases of abuse by trusted individuals, fear of damaging relationships or involving the criminal justice system. The article provides practical prevention strategies including using caller ID, avoiding pressure to act quickly on financial requests, verifying sender identity before clicking links, consulting with lawyers or financial advisors, and reporting suspected exploitation to banks or Adult Protective Services.
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
The AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline, a free service staffed by over 160 trained volunteers nationwide, responds to approximately 150 calls daily from fraud victims seeking support and guidance. A caller named Becky lost $16,000 in a PayPal impostor scam after clicking a malicious link in a phishing email, and volunteer Dan Smith helped her understand next steps including malware removal and account security measures. The helpline, which has operated for a decade, provides victims with crime reporting assistance, financial counseling referrals, and emotional support during what are often devastating financial losses.
ktvq.com
· 2025-12-08
A 69-year-old Billings resident received a fraudulent Medicare impersonation call from someone claiming to be with Medicare who possessed his personal information including date of birth and address. The scammer was exposed when the caller provided an incorrect date for when Kunnemann received his Medicare card, prompting him to verify with the legitimate Medicare hotline and confirm it was a scam. Kunnemann's warning emphasizes that Medicare and other government agencies will not initiate calls requesting personal information unless the agency has been breached or the recipient contacted them first.
wrdw.com
· 2025-12-08
Tax impersonation scams cost Americans over $300 million last year, with thousands of victims receiving threatening phone calls from individuals posing as IRS agents who use spoofing technology and demand immediate payment via gift cards or personal information. The IRS rarely initiates contact by phone and instead communicates through mailed or certified letters, making unsolicited calls a clear indicator of fraud. To protect yourself, hang up on suspicious calls, avoid clicking links in suspicious emails, and contact the IRS directly through www.IRS.gov if you have concerns about your account.
kwch.com
· 2025-12-08
Over $300 million was lost last year to IRS impersonation scams, in which fraudsters use spoofing technology to spoof caller IDs and threaten victims with arrest to pressure them into sending money via gift cards or revealing personal information. The IRS rarely initiates contact by phone—it communicates through mailed letters—so recipients should hang up on such calls and be cautious of phishing emails claiming to be from the IRS or tax software companies. The best defense is to avoid clicking links in suspicious emails and to contact the IRS directly through www.IRS.gov if questions arise.
tucsonlocalmedia.com
· 2025-12-08
Oro Valley residents are being heavily targeted by scammers who initiate contact via phone, email, text, and online, then exploit fear, greed, or isolation to request payment through cryptocurrency, gift cards, or payment apps. Attendees at a local "Outsmarting Scammers" presentation shared losses ranging from $15,000 to half their fortunes, with common scams including romance schemes ("pig butchering"), tech support fraud, and grandparent impersonation scams. Law enforcement emphasized that scams follow predictable patterns and are nearly impossible to recover from, advising residents to verify suspicious emails, avoid providing remote computer access, and remain skeptical of unsolicite
moneysense.ca
· 2025-12-08
Young Canadians aged 18-34 are increasingly targeted by phishing scams, with nearly one-third falling victim despite being digitally native. Common schemes include fake boss emails requesting gift card purchases, fake delivery notifications from online shopping, employment scams offering unpaid gig work, and romance scams involving coerced intimate photos, with fraudsters contacting victims via email/text (74%), phone calls (64%), social media (43%), and online dating apps (10%). Cybersecurity experts recommend vigilance against authority figures requesting unusual favors and caution when sharing personal information in response to unsolicited messages.
prnewswire.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are using caller ID spoofing to impersonate Medicare, Social Security, and doctors' offices in order to steal seniors' personal and medical identity information. The New York StateWide Senior Action Council highlighted this as its April Medicare Fraud of the Month, recommending seniors hang up on unexpected calls, verify caller identity through trusted numbers, never share personal information with unsolicited callers, and regularly review Medicare statements for suspicious claims. Medicare fraud costs taxpayers over $60 billion nationally per year.