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kpax.com
Aging services agencies in Montana are warning Medicare enrollees about a scam where fraudsters pose as government officials and offer free medical equipment (such as catheters) in exchange for Medicare numbers, which are then used to commit identity theft and fraud. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General reports that scammers contact victims via phone, email, or social media claiming to represent Medicare or state health departments, requesting personal information under false pretenses like settling debts or providing grants. Medicare beneficiaries are advised to hang up immediately on unsolicited offers of free equipment, never provide their Medicare number to callers, review Explanation of Benefits statements, and report suspected fraud to the H
thestar.com
**Summary:**
Montreal native Patrice Runner was sentenced to 10 years in prison for leading a mass-mailing fraud scheme that defrauded 1.3 million people in Canada and the U.S. between 1994 and 2014, collecting US$175 million through personalized letters featuring fake psychic predictions and bogus shamans targeting elderly victims. While traditional mail-fraud operations have declined due to investigative efforts, seniors remain vulnerable to evolving scams including emergency and romance fraud, with authorities and prosecutors in Canada criticized for failing to take adequate action against elder fraud despite the low reporting rates and lenient sentencing compared to other crimes.
latintimes.com
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
punekarnews.in
A 35-year-old woman from Pune lost Rs 19 lakhs in April 2024 to cybercriminals posing as Mumbai police and FedEx, who claimed she was involved in drug trafficking to Iran. The scammers used a fake video call to show her fabricated evidence of illegal substances and threatened her with legal consequences, coercing her to transfer the money immediately. Police registered a case against the unidentified perpetrators under multiple sections including impersonation and cheating.
cbsnews.com
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
tulsaworld.com
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
the420.in
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
mdjonline.com
The North Georgia Elder Abuse Task Force, a nonprofit organization of law enforcement and social service professionals, trains investigators and conducts prevention workshops to combat elder abuse and financial exploitation in Georgia. The organization identifies "romance scams" as the most prevalent type of fraud targeting seniors over 65, in which scammers build fake romantic relationships through social media and dating sites to manipulate lonely, isolated older adults into sending money or serving as money mules for laundering schemes. Victims often delay reporting because they are embarrassed by significant losses and reluctant to accept they were deceived, with only about one in 30 victims filing police reports.
thecable.ng
Oluseun Omole, a Texas-based Nigerian, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud after defrauding victims of over $12 million in consumer electronics between February 2018 and March 2023. Operating through a shell company called Tobylink Impressions and as part of a Nigeria-based criminal group called "Enterprise," Omole orchestrated online marketplace scams, romance scams, and employment scams to trick thousands of victims into sending electronics, which he repackaged and shipped overseas for profit. He faces up to 20 years in prison and has agreed to pay restitution and forfeit seized goods and currency, with sentencing scheduled for
wired.com
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.
readthereporter.com
American Senior Communities partnered with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana to present free educational sessions on avoiding elder fraud, which costs seniors over $5.9 billion annually through scams involving impersonation, romance schemes, and fake investment opportunities. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Eakman will teach seniors how to identify common scams, recover from them, and report fraud to appropriate authorities. The series begins April 22 at The Commons on Meridian assisted living community in Indianapolis.
baytoday.ca
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.
weny.com
This article is not about elder fraud, scams, or abuse. It is a political interview with a Pennsylvania District Attorney candidate discussing his qualifications and priorities for Attorney General, which include mentions of protecting elders and children alongside fentanyl, mental health, and violent crime initiatives. This content is outside the scope of the Elderus elder fraud research database.
housingwire.com
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.
thestatehousefile.com
This article is not related to elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It covers Indiana state political appointments, utility rate decisions, and reproductive health policy matters. It does not contain content relevant to the Elderus elder fraud research database.
military.com
Specialist Sanda G. Frimpong, a Fort Liberty soldier, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to three counts of money laundering related to romance scams that defrauded victims of over $350,000. Frimpong and co-conspirators posed as romantic interests, military personnel, diplomats, and other personas to manipulate victims into sending money, often laundering the funds through contacts in Ghana. The case highlights the prevalence of romance scams targeting vulnerable populations, including seniors and military veterans, with the FTC reporting nearly 70,000 Americans lost $1.3 billion to romantic fraud in 2022.
stripes.com
Sanda Frimpong, a 33-year-old Army specialist, was sentenced to more than three years in prison for operating romance scams that defrauded vulnerable individuals including widows, widowers, and divorcees of approximately $357,961 over two years while stationed at Fort Liberty, North Carolina. Frimpong posed as different people online (including "Catherine White" and "Tom Tanner") to convince victims to wire money under false pretenses involving gold transfers and marriage proposals, and he also conspired to fraudulently collect COVID-19 pandemic unemployment benefits using stolen identities across multiple states. He was ordered to pay hundreds of thousands in restitution after pleading guilty to
taskandpurpose.com
Sanda G. Frimpong, an E-4 soldier stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, orchestrated multiple online romance and fraud schemes between December 2019 and February 2022, defrauding victims of thousands of dollars by impersonating romantic interests, military personnel, and officials. One victim lost over $150,000 after being convinced by a fake soldier to send money for gold and diamond transfers, while another victim sent over $7,000 after being targeted with a romance scam involving fake inheritance claims. Frimpong was arrested in 2023, pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering, and was sentenced to 40 months in
vindy.com
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
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.
community.triblive.com
Federal officials seized four web domains linked to a Russian spoofing service called LabHost that had stolen personal information from over 1 million victims, including two Pittsburgh-area elderly residents who lost $967 and $25 respectively to unauthorized transactions. The LabHost platform created more than 40,000 spoofed websites impersonating legitimate businesses like Amazon, Netflix, and major banks to trick victims into revealing personal and financial information. The domain seizure was coordinated with international law enforcement arrests of dozens of LabHost administrators and customers across 17 countries.
the-sun.com
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.
fincen.gov
Between June 2022 and June 2023, FinCEN identified 155,415 suspicious activity filings involving elder financial exploitation totaling approximately $27 billion, with approximately 80% involving elder scams (where perpetrators pose as trusted entities to obtain money) and 20% involving elder theft by known individuals. FinCEN's analysis found that account takeover was the most common scam method, adult children were the most frequent theft perpetrators, and perpetrators typically used unsophisticated methods to minimize contact with financial institutions. Financial institutions are encouraged to refer suspected EFE victims to the National Elder Fraud Hotline (833-372-8311) and recommend victims
bankingjournal.aba.com
Financial institutions reported approximately $27 billion in suspicious activity related to elder financial exploitation between 2022 and 2023, according to FinCEN's analysis of Bank Secrecy Act reports. The majority of cases involved elder scams with unknown perpetrators (80% of reported activity), particularly account takeovers using unsophisticated methods like password guessing, while elder theft by known perpetrators—most frequently adult children—comprised the remainder. Banks filed 72% of all elder exploitation-related reports, demonstrating their critical role in identifying and preventing such financial abuse.
wbrc.com
AARP highlights that elder financial exploitation is a widespread but underreported issue, citing recent arrests for elder fraud in Alabama. The organization recommends protective measures including completing estate planning early, establishing legal paperwork, and designating a trusted person to consult on financial decisions, while noting that caregivers and close contacts are often the first to notice exploitation.
chicago.suntimes.com
Helen Grace Caldwell, a 59-year-old former Citibank wealth adviser in Chicago, was sentenced to 2½ years in prison for defrauding three elderly clients of nearly $1.5 million through a scheme in which she convinced them to invest their life savings in her film production company, Canal Productions, then diverted the funds to personal expenses. Caldwell, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud, told victims their money would fund movie productions and generate profits, but instead transferred hundreds of thousands of dollars to her personal accounts to pay for home renovations, car repairs, and other personal purchases. The judge rejected her plea for probation, stating that probation would be "
justice.gov
A 70-year-old Carlsbad retiree was defrauded of $1.335 million over several months by a multinational scam operation that began with a fake pop-up warning about a hacked computer. The scammers, posing as tech support, bank, and government employees, manipulated the victim into purchasing Bitcoin and gold bars under the false premise of securing her assets, with perpetrator Xilin Sun arrested in February 2024 during a controlled FBI delivery attempt when he was caught receiving a package meant to contain $100,000 in gold.
spotonalabama.com
Five people, including two residents of Moody, Alabama, were charged in an elder fraud scheme, according to a U.S. Attorney announcement in April 2024. The indictment, filed in March, contained twelve counts against the defendants. The article does not provide specific details about the fraud method, victims affected, or dollar amounts involved.
justice.gov
Sir Maejor Page, 35, of Toledo, was convicted of wire fraud and money laundering after creating a fraudulent Facebook-based charity called "Black Lives Matter of Greater Atlanta" and soliciting donations under false pretenses. Page used donor contributions—intended for social justice causes—to purchase personal items including a house and furniture, even after the organization's tax-exempt status was dissolved in 2019. The jury found him guilty following a six-day trial, though sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
nhbr.com
Gift card draining—a scam where fraudsters obtain card codes from retail displays, reseal the packaging, and drain the balance once consumers load money—resulted in $217 million in losses in 2023 as part of a broader $10 billion fraud crisis. States including New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island have enacted laws requiring retailer warnings and employee training, while Maryland recently approved legislation mandating secure packaging to conceal activation information, though retailers and manufacturers have resisted such regulations.
cbsnews.com
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.
coastalbreezenews.com
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
justice.gov
Sanda G. Frimpong, a 33-year-old active-duty Army servicemember stationed at Fort Bragg, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison for laundering hundreds of thousands of dollars from romance scams. Frimpong and co-conspirators impersonated romantic interests, military personnel, diplomats, and other personas to defraud victims—including seniors and military veterans—before funneling the illicit proceeds through his bank accounts across state lines and contacts in Ghana. He was ordered to pay substantial restitution to the victims of these elaborate fraud schemes.
wral.com
Sanda Frimpong, a 33-year-old active-duty soldier stationed at Fort Liberty, was sentenced to over three years in prison in 2024 after pleading guilty to three counts of money laundering related to romance scams. Frimpong impersonated love interests, diplomats, military personnel, and others to deceive victims and steal thousands of dollars, which he laundered through personal bank accounts across state lines and to contacts in Ghana. In addition to his prison sentence, Frimpong was ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution to his victims.
wral.com
Sanda Frimpong, a 33-year-old Fort Liberty soldier, was sentenced to over three years in prison in 2024 after pleading guilty to three counts of money laundering for his role in romance scams. Frimpong impersonated love interests, military personnel, and other figures to defraud victims of thousands of dollars, which he laundered through personal bank accounts across state lines and to contacts in Ghana, targeting vulnerable populations including seniors and military veterans. He was ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution to his victims.
mirror.co.uk
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.
moco360.media
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
thesentinel.com
A 34-year-old California man was arrested for his role in a government-imposter gold bar scam that defrauded an elderly Leisure World resident of over $700,000 in Montgomery County, Maryland. The scammer impersonated FTC and FBI officials, falsely claiming the victim was an identity theft victim requiring protective measures, and instructed her to purchase gold bars from an online retailer; the victim wired approximately $788,000 in two transactions and handed over the gold bars to couriers in parking lots before realizing the theft. This represents one of a dozen similar incidents reported in Montgomery County over six months, targeting vulnerable seniors in the community.
banking.senate.gov
U.S. Senators Brown and Reed urged the CEOs of JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Citi to strengthen protections against wire fraud and provide data on fraudulent transactions at their institutions. Wire fraud causes significant financial harm to consumers—often wiping out savings during major purchases—and consumers lost over $10 billion to fraud in 2023, with bank transfers being the most common fraud payment method. The senators called on banks to improve fraud prevention, monitor unauthorized transactions more proactively, and reimburse customers when they fail to prevent fraud.
justice.gov
Five individuals were charged in a coordinated elder fraud scheme spanning from 2020-2022, in which in-home caretakers Mykia Henderson and Cynthia Mixon (mother and daughter), along with accomplices Corey Webb, Whitney Wallace, and Shakira English, defrauded an elderly victim of over $173,000 through unauthorized credit card charges, fraudulent checks, and identity theft using Square and Stripe payment accounts. The defendants face charges including wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, with potential sentences up to 20 years imprisonment.
wbrc.com
Five people were charged in a central Alabama elder fraud scheme involving multiple forms of financial exploitation. The defendants—including two caretakers, a house cleaner, a hairdresser, and the caretaker's husband—allegedly defrauded an elderly victim of approximately $213,000 between December 2020 and March 2022 through unauthorized credit card charges, forged checks, identity theft, and fraudulent Square account transactions. The defendants face charges including wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and aggravated identity theft, with maximum penalties of 20 years in prison.
wbez.org
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.
kwch.com
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.
moneysense.ca
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.
mirror.co.uk
An 81-year-old Ohio man was charged with murder after shooting and killing Uber driver Loletha Hall, 61, on March 25, believing she was working with scammers who had called him claiming to be court officials demanding money for a supposed arrested family member. The scammer had actually ordered the Uber to pick up money from Brock's home, making both Brock and Hall unwitting victims of the same fraud scheme; Brock shot Hall three times when she arrived, and she died from her injuries. Brock was indicted on three counts of murder, felonious assault, and kidnapping, facing up to life in prison with a minimum of 15
iredellfreenews.com
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina is warning residents about IRS imposter scams and other fraud schemes that disproportionately target older adults, with the FBI's 2023 Internet Crimes Report noting that individuals 60 and above filed 101,068 complaints and sustained $3.4 billion in losses—the highest among all age groups. Common scams include government impersonation (IRS, SSA, sheriff's office), tech support scams, romance scams, grandparent scams, and non-delivery schemes, with authorities emphasizing that reporting fraud helps recover stolen funds and identify emerging criminal trends.
newstopicnews.com
The U.S. Attorney's Office issued a warning about IRS imposter scams and other financial fraud schemes disproportionately targeting older adults, which cause substantial monetary losses and emotional distress. According to the FBI's 2023 Internet Crimes Report, individuals aged 60 and above filed 101,068 complaints and sustained $3.4 billion in losses, with tech support scams, government impersonation, romance scams, and non-delivery schemes being the most common schemes. Federal prosecutors conducted educational "Fraud Bingo" sessions at senior centers to help older adults recognize scam tactics and encourage fraud reporting to authorities.
wimsradio.com
The U.S. Marshals Service and FBI are alerting the public to widespread imposter scams in which callers falsely claim to be law enforcement officials, telling victims their identities have been stolen and instructing them to withdraw cash and purchase gift cards—tactics that are entirely fraudulent. The Marshals Service has received daily inquiries from victims nationwide who have lost tens of thousands of dollars, and emphasizes that it never requests money, financial information, or monetary instruments by phone. Victims are urged to report suspected scams to the FBI and Federal Trade Commission, or contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-372-8311.
cpr.org
Internet scammers targeted over 10,000 Coloradans in the past year, stealing $187.6 million, with investment fraud, business email compromise, and tech support scams causing the largest losses statewide. People 60 and older were the most victimized group and suffered the greatest financial losses, while tech support scams and extortion schemes saw notable increases; nationally, phishing, personal data breaches, and cryptocurrency investment fraud (up 50% in losses) emerged as significant threats.
nasdaq.com
This educational piece identifies six scams targeting Costco members: fake Costco websites mimicking the real site, phishing emails/texts offering fake giveaways or membership renewals, fraudulent reimbursement texts requesting banking details, delivery scams impersonating postal services, and fake job offers with unusually high pay or upfront fees. The article advises members to verify URLs and sender addresses, navigate directly to Costco.com rather than clicking suspicious links, and call Costco directly about any concerns instead of responding to unsolicited communications.