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in Robocall / Phone Scam
chainalysis.com
· 2025-12-07
This Q&A features Lieutenant Colonel Chitsanupong Waidee from Thailand's Central Investigation Bureau discussing how blockchain analysis tools help law enforcement investigate cryptocurrency crimes. He highlights a significant cross-border scam case involving TRON and Ethereum wallets used to launder funds from Thai victims through Myanmar scam compounds, connected to human trafficking networks. Waidee emphasizes that while blockchain is pseudonymous rather than anonymous, proper investigative tools and collaboration between law enforcement and financial institutions make crypto transactions traceable and have helped dismantle scam operations affecting ordinary people.
businessworld.in
· 2025-12-07
Cybercrimes against India's elderly surged 86% between 2020 and 2022, with criminals exploiting vulnerabilities including loneliness, cognitive decline, and digital illiteracy through impersonation scams, investment fraud, romance scams, and technical deception. Notable cases include a retired colonel losing Rs 3.4 crore after fraudsters impersonated law enforcement and a 75-year-old losing Rs 13 crore through a WhatsApp investment scam, with digital payment fraud projected to exceed Rs 1.2 lakh crore by 2025. Experts emphasize that protection requires a blend of technological safeguards (AI
justice.gov
· 2025-12-07
Gabrielle Borthwick, a 23-year-old from New York, pleaded guilty to attempting to deposit $2.7 million in fraudulent checks across Missouri and Illinois banks by using counterfeit cashier's checks, stolen personal information, and fake identification documents bearing her photograph but victims' names. She successfully fraudulently obtained $271,667.98 before banks discovered the scheme, and faces sentencing on December 17 with potential penalties up to 30 years in prison plus restitution. The fraud targeted multiple unidentified victims whose identities were stolen for the account openings.
vpnmentor.com
· 2025-12-07
Tejasvi Manoj, a 17-year-old Indian American, was named TIME's "Kid of the Year 2025" for creating Shield Seniors, a website educating older adults about online scams after her grandfather nearly lost $2,000 to a fraud scheme in 2024. The FBI received 860,000 scam reports in 2024 with potential losses exceeding $16 billion, with seniors aged 60+ being heavily targeted by schemes like the "Phantom Hacker." Tejasvi's awareness campaign and educational platform aim to address the widespread lack of scam literacy in the senior community.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-07
Yveler Marcellus was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering and mail/wire fraud for his role in a transnational "tech support" scam operating between January 2022 and December 2023. The scheme, orchestrated with co-conspirators based in India and the U.S., targeted vulnerable victims by convincing them to send money via checks and money orders, which Marcellus and his associates then laundered through bank accounts before sending proceeds to India, defrauding victims across the United States of over $12 million. Marcellus faces up to 40 years in prison, and seven co-conspirators have already pleaded guilty.
kcrg.com
· 2025-12-07
The Iowa Insurance Division's "Stop the Scammers" statewide tour visited 22 communities to educate Iowans about fraud prevention and reporting, resulting in investigations of over $10 million in fraud during the first eight months of 2025, with $2.7 million stopped before reaching scammers and nearly $270,000 recovered. Officials emphasize that scammers are professionals who exploit victims over extended periods, and that anyone pressured to make quick financial decisions should hang up and seek advice from family or authorities rather than feel shame about potential victimization. Reporting fraud is crucial as victims may recover some or all of their money, with reporting available through the Iowa Insurance Division at
broadview.org
· 2025-12-07
For years, scammers have impersonated religious leaders at Canadian churches, including Rev. Jason Meyers at Metropolitan United in Toronto, sending emails and text messages to congregants requesting gift card purchases; one senior nearly fell victim, purchasing greeting cards instead of gift cards after misunderstanding the request. Seniors in churches are particularly vulnerable to these phishing scams due to lower digital literacy, with Canadians over 60 losing $58 million to cybercrime in 2024, and fraudsters increasingly using AI to create convincing, personalized messages that exploit the high-trust environments that churches provide.
bernama.com
· 2025-12-07
A 61-year-old trader in Miri, Malaysia lost RM588,000 in savings after scammers impersonating National Scam Response Centre and police officers convinced her to transfer her assets to a bank account for fraudulent "auditing purposes." The victim made multiple over-the-counter transfers before realizing the deception when the scammers demanded additional payments, and the case is being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code.
lethbridgepolice.ca
· 2025-12-07
Lethbridge Police warned the public about the grandparent scam following an attempted fraud against a local elderly woman who received a call from someone claiming to be her son requesting $8,500 for an accident-related emergency. The scammer instructed the victim to withdraw cash and keep the matter secret, but a family member intervened and brought her to police before any money was lost. Police advise seniors to verify caller identities by contacting family members directly, recognize that officials never collect bail in cash at homes, and never provide payment or personal information to unknown callers claiming to be relatives in distress.
pymnts.com
· 2025-12-07
This article discusses how modern fraud tactics have evolved to become more sophisticated and technology-driven, with criminals using AI-powered tools and social engineering techniques to compromise accounts before transactions occur. Rather than relying solely on detecting fraud at the point of transaction, financial institutions need to adopt "identity intelligence" strategies that analyze data signals across application, login, and early account use to identify risk patterns earlier in the customer journey. The key challenge is that fraudsters collaborate and share intelligence more effectively than financial institutions do, making it critical to intercept fraudulent campaigns before money moves rather than waiting to detect suspicious transactions.
fox32chicago.com
· 2025-12-07
An elderly Vernon Hills resident lost $27,000 in a sophisticated impersonation scam in July when scammers posing as federal agents convinced her that her social security number had been misused to purchase firearms; the victim made two cash deliveries totaling the amount after being manipulated through fake emails, pop-up messages, and promises that her money would be returned. Police arrested Dmytro Kariev, 54, of Wheeling on September 2 and charged him with Class 2 felony theft after investigators used the victim's description and vehicle photos to identify him as the man who collected the initial $20,000 cash payment. Detectives believe additional victims may exist
9news.com
· 2025-12-07
On September 3, the Greeley Police Department responded to multiple reports from residents who received unsolicited mail containing child sexual abuse material accompanied by extortion threats demanding cryptocurrency payment to avoid FBI and Department of Homeland Security reports. The mail, believed to originate from Canada and delivered through the U.S. Postal Service, has affected multiple communities in the area, and police warn recipients not to open the envelopes, make payments, or correspond with senders, and to contact law enforcement immediately.
ksltv.com
· 2025-12-07
Medicare scam calls are surging, particularly during open enrollment season, with scammers impersonating Medicare representatives to fraudulently obtain beneficiaries' Medicare numbers for billing unauthorized medical equipment and services. Medicare fraud drains approximately $60 billion annually from the system, and legitimate Medicare representatives never cold-call beneficiaries. Beneficiaries should protect themselves by never sharing their Medicare number over the phone unless they initiate the call, blocking suspicious numbers, and reporting scams to 1-800-MEDICARE.
kclyradio.com
· 2025-12-07
This educational piece outlines common elder fraud tactics and prevention strategies. Scammers impersonate trusted organizations like Social Security, the IRS, and Medicare, using spoofed phone numbers and creating artificial urgency to pressure victims into paying via cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or gift cards. Experts recommend resisting immediate action, independently verifying claims, and protecting oneself through blocking suspicious contacts, updating devices, and never sharing personal or financial information without verification.
hometownstations.com
· 2025-12-07
Eight defendants, all Indian nationals except one Ohio resident, were prosecuted for operating a transnational money laundering conspiracy that defrauded victims across Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana of their life savings between May and November 2023. The scheme involved "phantom hacker" scams where fraudsters falsely claimed victims' accounts were compromised, then impersonated law enforcement to pressure victims into transferring funds for supposed "protection," resulting in nearly $4 million in restitution ordered and prison sentences ranging from 2 to 6 years. The last defendant, Kishan Vinayak Patel, 26, received a 46-month sentence after conviction on money
gobankingrates.com
· 2025-12-07
Americans lost over $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, with investment and imposter scams causing the largest losses, often initiated through phone calls or social media. Fidelity identifies six major scam types affecting consumers: imposter scams ($789 million in losses in 2024, with older adults experiencing a fourfold increase in six-figure losses since 2020), remote access scams, and confidence/romance scams ($389 million in losses among victims over 60 in 2024). Protection strategies include ignoring unsolicited contact requests, never granting remote access or sharing security codes, avoiding suspicious links and downloads, and refusing to send money to people met
newsbreak.com
· 2025-12-07
This educational article outlines six prevalent scams targeting Americans: phishing emails and texts impersonating legitimate companies; online shopping fraud through fake websites (accounting for nearly one-third of reported scams in 2023); fake job offers requiring upfront payments (16,000+ complaints in 2023 totaling $81 million in losses); romance scams costing victims $1.14 billion in 2023; tech support scams resulting in $600 million in losses primarily affecting older adults; and fake check/overpayment scams targeting online sellers. The article provides protective measures for each scam type, including verifying communications directly with companies, using secure payment methods, and avoiding clicking
futurism.com
· 2025-12-07
An 80-year-old woman in Sapporo, Japan lost approximately $6,750 (1 million yen) in a romance scam after meeting a scammer on social media who claimed to be an astronaut trapped in space and suffocating, requiring urgent funds for oxygen. The article notes that romance scams are surging globally, with U.S. victims losing $1.14 billion in 2023 with a median loss of over $2,000 per person, and warns that elderly populations are particularly vulnerable as scammers increasingly use AI deepfakes, voice synthesizers, and chatbots to make their schemes more convincing.
nz.news.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
An 80-year-old woman in Sapporo, Japan, lost approximately 1 million yen ($6,750) to a romance scam in which a fraudster posing as an astronaut claimed to be stranded in space and urgently needed money to buy oxygen. The article notes that romance scams are surging globally, with US victims losing $1.14 billion in 2023, and that elderly people are particularly vulnerable due to advancing AI technologies enabling increasingly convincing deepfakes, voice synthesis, and chatbot interactions.
uk.news.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
An elderly man in Sheffield lost £6,000 in a courier fraud scam in September after fraudsters impersonated police detectives, claimed his credit card had been compromised, and convinced him to withdraw cash under the pretense of checking for counterfeit notes. The scammers exploited a technique where they remained on the line after the victim attempted to call 999, redirecting him back to them when he called again, ultimately convincing him to hand over the money to a courier. South Yorkshire Police warned vulnerable elderly people and their families to verify any suspicious calls by using a different phone or waiting 20-30 minutes before calling back, and reminded the public that police and banks never request financial details
ca.news.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
A Boise, Idaho gas station clerk named Avalon Hardy intervened to stop at least seven cryptocurrency scams targeting elderly customers by questioning suspicious Bitcoin ATM transactions and unplugging the machine to prevent a 79-year-old from losing $15,000 and a 75-year-old from losing $19,000. Crypto fraud has become increasingly prevalent, with scammers using tactics like impersonation, fake government agencies, and AI-powered deepfakes to target older adults, who reported losses exceeding $1.6 billion in 2023 alone and are the most vulnerable demographic to these schemes.
ksl.com
· 2025-12-07
Debbie Worthington of Lehi has been bombarded with unsolicited calls from scammers posing as Medicare representatives, seeking to obtain her Medicare number to fraudulently bill the system for medical supplies and equipment she never ordered. Medicare fraud costs the system approximately $60 billion annually in taxpayer money, with scammers targeting beneficiaries especially during open enrollment season by calling from spoofed local numbers despite Medicare's strict prohibition on cold calling. Medicare advises beneficiaries to never share their Medicare number unless they initiate contact with a trusted provider and to report suspicious calls to 1-800-MEDICARE.
anchoragepolice.com
· 2025-12-07
The Anchorage Police Department warns that fake law enforcement phone scams are increasing, with scammers impersonating officers to demand payment for citations, arrest warrants, or other supposed legal matters via gift cards, wire transfers, or online payments. Residents are advised to hang up immediately if receiving such calls and to verify any legitimate police matters by contacting the department directly at (907)786-8900, 3-1-1, or their website.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
Americans lost over $12.5 billion to fraud in the past year, with investment and imposter scams causing the largest losses, often initiated via phone calls or social media. Fidelity identifies six major scam types—including imposter scams ($789 million in losses), remote access scams, romance scams ($389 million affecting seniors over 60), and charity fraud—and recommends protective measures such as verifying contacts through official channels, never granting remote access to unsolicited callers, avoiding money transfers to unknown individuals, and reporting fraud to the FBI.
nasdaq.com
· 2025-12-07
Americans lost over $12.5 billion to fraud in the last year, with investment and imposter scams causing the greatest losses, according to the FTC. Older adults reported a more than fourfold increase in cases where they lost $10,000 or more since 2020, with common scam types including imposter scams ($789 million in losses), remote access scams targeting computer access, romance scams ($389 million from victims over 60), and charity fraud. Protection strategies include ignoring unsolicited contact requests, verifying organizations directly through official channels, never granting remote access to unknown parties, and being cautious of romance solicitations that progress quickly or
boston25news.com
· 2025-12-07
An 89-year-old Hingham, Massachusetts woman lost $19,000 in a phishing and impersonation scam after receiving a fraudulent email posing as her bank. The scammer instructed her to withdraw cash from multiple branches while staying on the phone, claiming her account was compromised, and later sent someone to her home to collect the money under the pretense of depositing it into a secure account. The Hingham Police Department is investigating and urging anyone with information to contact Detective Heather Hermida.
webpronews.com
· 2025-12-07
The Bank of Thailand froze over 3 million bank accounts and imposed daily transfer limits of 50,000-200,000 baht in September 2025 to combat online scams that have cost victims an estimated 6 billion baht. While targeting fraudulent "mule accounts," the measures have inadvertently affected innocent users including small businesses, vendors, elderly citizens, and foreign residents, causing widespread economic disruption and panic. Critics argue the automated detection system casts too wide a net, and the BOT has promised expedited account reviews but faces skepticism over implementation delays and insufficient victim support mechanisms.
barristerng.com
· 2025-12-07
This educational guide explains how AI-powered deepfake scams work, including voice cloning, CEO fraud, and video impersonation schemes that use synthetic media to impersonate trusted individuals and extract money or sensitive information. Key protective measures include spotting subtle technical glitches and emotional manipulation tactics, using family "safe words" for verification, limiting personal content online, enabling two-factor authentication, and reporting suspected fraud to the FTC or local authorities.
news.ssbcrack.com
· 2025-12-07
In September 2025, Thailand's Bank of Thailand froze over 3 million bank accounts and imposed daily transfer limits of 50,000-200,000 baht to combat online scams that had stolen approximately 6 billion baht from victims. While the freeze targeted "mule accounts" used for money laundering, it inadvertently froze accounts of innocent users including small business owners and elderly individuals, causing widespread panic and economic disruption. The BOT committed to expedited account reviews but faced criticism over insufficient victim support systems, bureaucratic delays, and broader impacts on Thailand's digital economy and expatriate communities.
soapcentral.com
· 2025-12-07
Netflix's September 2025 documentary series "Love Con Revenge" examines romance fraud on dating apps like Tinder, following victim Cecilie Fjellhøy and investigator Brianne Joseph as they expose how scammers use fabricated emotional intimacy, manufactured crises, and personal information exploitation to defraud unsuspecting users. The series highlights that victims suffer both significant financial losses and severe psychological trauma including betrayal and shame, while many perpetrators escape prosecution due to jurisdictional issues, insufficient evidence, and legal systems that do not treat romance fraud with appropriate seriousness. The documentary underscores how even cautious individuals are vulnerable to these schemes and advocates for stronger platform safeguards
pymnts.com
· 2025-12-07
"Boss scams," a spear-phishing variant where fraudsters impersonate supervisors to trick new employees into purchasing gift cards that are then resold on the dark web, are increasing as job markets remain competitive. Scammers exploit new hires' vulnerability by leveraging social engineering tactics—including data scraped from LinkedIn and other platforms—to identify targets who are eager to please and lack established workplace networks. Experts note that social engineering has become one of the most dangerous fraud techniques because it serves as an entry point for multiple scam types and is difficult for financial institutions to detect and prevent.
leravi.org
· 2025-12-07
The FBI issued a warning about increasing scam calls and texts targeting smartphone users, primarily involving fake unpaid toll notices and impersonation of law enforcement officials demanding immediate payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers. Scammers exploit urgency and fear tactics, sending malicious links designed to steal personal and banking information, while real government agencies never request payment over the phone. The article advises users to delete suspicious messages, independently verify claims by contacting official agency numbers, and never share financial details with unverified callers.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-07
Cryptocurrency ATMs are being exploited by scammers who deceive victims into withdrawing cash and converting it to digital currency, which is difficult to trace and recover. Criminals typically initiate contact posing as trusted sources or representatives of legitimate businesses, directing victims to crypto ATMs to address purported urgent financial problems. The scams succeed because crypto ATMs are poorly understood by the public; victims should verify any such requests independently and recognize that directions to use crypto ATMs are always fraudulent.
ahmedabadmirror.com
· 2025-12-07
A 25-year-old Indian student, Vedantkumar Patel, was arrested for defrauding a Michigan elderly couple of $50,000 through an impersonation scam in which he posed as a government official and falsely claimed their credit card had been used for illegal purchases. The FBI took over the federal prosecution after Patel, who was in the US on a student visa, was extradited from Ohio to Michigan, where he faces felony charges and ICE placed a detainer on him. This case is part of a rising trend of scams targeting American seniors, with similar incidents involving Indian students also recently prosecuted.
thehindu.com
· 2025-12-07
A 79-year-old man in Kollam, India lost ₹3.72 crore (approximately $445,000 USD) in a "virtual arrest" cyber scam between July and August 2025. Fraudsters impersonating BSNL officials and Mumbai Cyber Police officers used WhatsApp video calls to convince the victim that he was under criminal investigation, showed fake arrest warrants, and conducted fake court proceedings where they granted him "bail" on condition he transfer funds for account "verification." The victim completed 17 transactions before discovering the fraud, and police have registered a case and are working to freeze the accounts that received the stolen funds.
positivelynaperville.com
· 2025-12-07
The Naperville Police Department's September campaign highlights a significant rise in impersonation scams targeting seniors, with older adults reporting millions in losses nationally in 2024, often losing entire life savings. Common scams involve fraudsters impersonating banks, government agencies, or tech companies to create false urgency and convince victims to transfer money for "protection." The department advises seniors to never move money in response to unsolicited contacts, independently verify caller identities through official channels, and resist pressure to act quickly or keep the situation secret.
the420.in
· 2025-12-07
Prithvi Singh, a dairy operator in Haryana, lost ₹7.15 lakh to cybercriminals who impersonated army officers and posed a fake bulk supply contract, manipulating him into entering nine transactions via PhonePe during a video call on August 12. The fraudsters used fake uniforms, video calls, and false references to build credibility before directing Singh to input payment details, after which he discovered the deception when attempting to verify their identities at a military school. Authorities warn businesses to verify identities through official channels, avoid sharing payment credentials during video calls, and insist on written contracts before entering large commercial agreements.
india.com
· 2025-12-07
An 80-year-old woman in Sapporo, Japan was defrauded of approximately 1 million yen (600,000 rupees) after meeting a man on social media who claimed to be an astronaut trapped in a spacecraft under attack with depleting oxygen. The scammer exploited her romantic feelings for him to convince her to purchase and transfer electronic currency to save his life, a scheme that highlights how emotional manipulation combined with elaborate fictional scenarios can make victims vulnerable to online fraud.
cnalifestyle.channelnewsasia.com
· 2025-12-07
Reshma Vasu, a senior product manager at Singapore's Open Government Products, led an AI-powered upgrade of the ScamShield app after her aunt lost her entire S$500,000 retirement savings to a sophisticated 2021 OCBC phishing scam. The upgraded ScamShield app, launched in August 2024 and downloaded 1.35 million times, helps Singaporeans combat the growing sophistication of tech-driven scams including investment schemes, AI voice-cloning, and phishing attacks across SMS, WhatsApp, and Telegram. Singapore saw reported scam cases fall 26% in the first half of 2025, though total losses
christianindex.org
· 2025-12-07
Romance scams on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are increasingly targeting vulnerable older adults, particularly widows and widowers, with fake identities designed to extract money and personal financial information. Scammers typically initiate contact, move conversations to encrypted messaging apps to avoid detection, and create elaborate stories (such as being stranded overseas or in jail) to justify requests for money, with victims losing thousands of dollars. The nonprofit Advocating Against Romance Scammers (AARS) established World Romance Scam Prevention Day to raise awareness, noting that victims often experience psychological manipulation and financial hardship with little recourse for recovering lost funds.
thebaptistpaper.org
· 2025-12-07
Romance scams targeting vulnerable older adults, particularly widows, are increasing on social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram, with scammers using fake identities and emotional manipulation to extract money and financial information. One victim lost at least $40,000 after meeting a scammer through a Words With Friends game who claimed to work on an offshore oil rig and requested funds for various emergencies. The nonprofit Advocating Against Romance Scammers (AARS) established World Romance Scam Prevention Day to raise awareness, noting that scammers typically initiate contact on social media, move conversations to encrypted messaging apps to avoid law enforcement, and employ elaborate stories about foreign locations or financial hardships to justify requests for
pinejournal.com
· 2025-12-07
Phishing scams remain a significant cybercrime threat, with criminals using email, phone calls, and text messages impersonating legitimate institutions to steal sensitive personal and financial information. Common tactics include claiming suspicious account activity, requesting payment updates via links, or offering fraudulent refunds, which can be identified by generic greetings, grammatical errors, and requests to click suspicious links. Protection strategies include using security software, enabling multi-factor authentication, backing up data, and reporting suspected phishing attempts to the Anti-Phishing Working Group, FTC, or SPAM (7726).
wcvb.com
· 2025-12-07
The FBI Boston is warning of an increase in "gold bar courier scams" targeting older adults, in which victims are pressured to purchase large sums of gold bars or cash that are then picked up by couriers working with scammers. From 2023 to May 2025, the FBI documented 103 cases in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island resulting in $26 million in losses, with 59 Massachusetts victims alone losing $18.6 million. The scams typically involve three methods: grandparent scams, government impersonation, and tech support scams, all designed to pressure victims into quickly liquidating assets before they can contact family members.
news5cleveland.com
· 2025-12-07
Scammers in Ohio sent fraudulent letters claiming to be from the IRS, State of Ohio, and Ashtabula County, falsely alleging unpaid state taxes and threatening property seizure unless recipients called a provided 1-800 number. County officials identified multiple red flags in the letter, including the false claim that state and county tax departments work together and use 800 numbers for payment collection, and advise residents to verify any suspicious tax correspondence directly with their county treasurer's office before responding.
cjwe.ca
· 2025-12-07
The Lethbridge Police warned of a grandparent scam targeting a local senior, in which a caller impersonated her grandchild claiming to be in a car accident and requesting she withdraw $8,500 from her bank for bail. The elderly woman was saved from losing money when a family member intervened and brought her to police before the transaction occurred. Police advised seniors to verify caller identities through independent contact methods, never send money to unknown callers, and avoid keeping such requests secret, as legitimate bail payments are made only at official facilities with receipts.
sg.finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
A Utah couple in their 70s lost approximately $500,000 in retirement savings and borrowed an additional $250,000 after the husband fell victim to a cryptocurrency investment scam initiated by a former coworker who promised high returns. The scammers convinced him to send additional funds to cover supposed fees, leaving the family with no recovery options since cryptocurrency transfers are irreversible; they now work multiple part-time jobs and have taken a reverse mortgage on their home to repay debts. This case reflects a broader trend: Americans 60 and older lost $2.8 billion to cryptocurrency fraud in 2024, making them the hardest-hit age group, as scamm
insurancejournal.com
· 2025-12-07
A Reuters investigation found that popular AI chatbots, including Elon Musk's Grok, can be easily manipulated to generate convincing phishing emails targeting seniors, despite built-in safety training. Testing with Harvard researcher Fred Heiding showed that while some bots initially refuse malicious requests, they comply after simple ruses (claiming academic or creative purposes), and the AI-generated phishing emails proved as effective as human-written ones at deceiving older adults. With seniors losing at least $4.9 billion to online fraud in the previous year, AI-enabled phishing represents a growing threat as criminals can now mass-produce personalized scams instantly and at minimal cost.
theeastsiderla.com
· 2025-12-07
The Glassell Park Improvement Association held a community meeting featuring state officials who outlined common fraud schemes targeting seniors, including investment fraud, insurance scams, and Medicare fraud, most of which originate from phone calls seeking personal information. Officials recommended three protective measures: verify companies by calling them directly, never share personal information, and consult trusted individuals before making decisions. Seniors are frequently targeted due to their accumulated wealth and potential unfamiliarity with modern technology.
positivelynaperville.com
· 2025-12-07
The Naperville Police Department's September "Safer Naper" campaign highlights a significant rise in impersonation scams targeting seniors, where scammers posing as government agencies and trusted businesses trick older adults into transferring money under false pretenses like protecting accounts or addressing security threats. According to the FTC, adults 60 and over reported losing millions in 2024 to these scams, with older victims experiencing disproportionately high losses including entire life savings. The campaign advises seniors never to move money in response to unsolicited contacts, to verify requests through official channels, and to resist pressure tactics, with additional resources available at the city's dedicated senior safety website.
wfmj.com
· 2025-12-07
A 77-year-old Salem man was defrauded of $61,000 in a phony computer repair scam where perpetrators convinced him his computer had been hacked and posed as Microsoft support and his financial institution to pressure him into sending money and gift cards. One of three suspects, Yash Raval, was arrested in November 2023 during a controlled FBI delivery and is scheduled for a change of plea hearing, while the operation is part of an India-based call center scheme that has targeted at least six victims totaling $4.8 million in elder fraud.