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markets.financialcontent.com
· 2025-12-07
A Colorado man lost his entire life savings of approximately $1.4 million to a "pig butchering" cryptocurrency romance scam after being lured by a woman on Ashley Madison who posed as a successful crypto trader on WhatsApp. Over six weeks, the victim was manipulated into transferring funds to a fraudulent investment app displaying fake profits, and the scam was only exposed when he was asked to pay an additional $400,000 in "fees" to withdraw his earnings. The case, under investigation by the Colorado Bureau of Investigations, highlights the vulnerability of individuals facing personal difficulties and the difficulty in recovering cryptocurrency funds once they enter anonymous wallets.
yourvalley.net
· 2025-12-07
**Summary:**
A Safety and Fraud Townhall is scheduled for Wednesday, Oct. 8 at Sundial Auditorium featuring local officials including Maricopa County Sheriff Jerry Sheridan, County Attorney Rachel Mitchell, and Supervisor Debbie Lesko discussing fraud prevention strategies. The event highlights the growing threat to seniors, with those over 60 reporting more than $3.4 billion in losses to scams in 2023, representing an 11% increase from 2022.
aol.com
· 2025-12-07
A Colorado man lost $1.4 million in retirement savings to a romance scam after meeting a woman on Ashley Madison who convinced him to invest in cryptocurrency over a six-week period. The scammer posed as an attractive woman with business expertise and exploited the man's unhappiness in his marriage, eventually transferring his funds to a fake crypto account; investigators traced the money to a digital wallet but recovery is unlikely without cooperation from crypto exchanges. The victim emphasized the importance of meeting people in person and verifying identities before engaging in financial decisions with online contacts.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
A 68-year-old Texas woman named Cathy lost $487,000 of her retirement savings to an online investment scam and also convinced her brother to invest, resulting in his $110,000 loss; when the fraudulent investment group froze accounts and disappeared, Cathy was left living on $2,000 monthly Social Security with $33,000 in debt and no viable recovery options. Financial advisors on "The Ramsey Show" told her that the retirement funds were unrecoverable and recommended she seek employment to rebuild her finances, as options like bankruptcy or reverse mortgages would not adequately address her situation.
bostonherald.com
· 2025-12-07
The Boston Police Department warns that older residents are being targeted by multiple scam types, including cryptocurrency investment schemes (which caused Boston residents over $9 million in losses in 2024 alone), home improvement fraud by door-to-door contractors, imposter scams, and unwitting money mule schemes. Police advise seniors to research investments thoroughly, verify contractor credentials, be skeptical of unsolicited offers on social media and dating apps, and hang up on suspicious callers to independently verify identities before transferring money or cryptocurrency.
mitrade.com
· 2025-12-07
The Colorado Bureau of Investigations investigated a crypto-linked romance scam in which a Colorado man lost $1.4 million from his retirement savings after being deceived by someone posing as "Erin" on a dating website who convinced him to invest in cryptocurrency. The scammer initially built romantic trust before transitioning conversations to financial investment, directing the victim to send funds first to legitimate crypto apps and then to a fake application controlled by the scammer. CBI Special Agent Zeb Semester noted this was the largest crypto scam loss he had witnessed, and authorities emphasized that romance scams combined with cryptocurrency investment schemes are increasingly common and difficult to recover from due to the unregulated nature of
theconversation.com
· 2025-12-07
In 2024, Australians lost over A$2.03 billion to scams across 494,732 reported cases, with most enabled through online or phone contact. Scammers exploit universal psychological principles—such as appeals to need/greed, authority, kindness, distraction, and social proof—that are similar to legitimate persuasion techniques used in sales and marketing. To protect yourself, evaluate whether a request has legitimate intent, who benefits, and whether you have a free, informed choice.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-07
David Cornejo Fernandez, a Peruvian national, was sentenced to 80 months in prison and ordered to pay over $3 million in restitution for providing technology infrastructure—including internet phone lines, caller-ID spoofing services, and pre-recorded messages—to fraudulent call centers that impersonated U.S. government officials to extort Spanish-speaking victims. The scheme defrauded over 8,800 U.S. victims of more than $3 million by falsely threatening legal consequences if they did not pay for unsolicited English-language learning products. Cornejo is the ninth defendant extradited from Peru and convicted in this transn
cnynews.com
· 2025-12-07
On September 24th in Colonie, New York, an elderly man was nearly defrauded of $30,000 in a phone scam where he was told to withdraw funds for a "construction project." Alert employees at Community Resource Federal Credit Union recognized the man's confusion and notified police, leading to the swift arrest of two suspects, Huifeng Jin and Qinghua Wang of Flushing, New York, who were charged with grand larceny and related offenses.
newsbreak.com
· 2025-12-07
**Summary:**
A bank employee at Community Resource Federal Credit Union in Colonie, New York prevented a $30,000 elder fraud scam on September 24, 2025, by recognizing that an elderly customer appeared confused while attempting to withdraw cash for a suspicious "construction project" and alerting police. Officers arranged a sting operation posing as the victim, leading to the arrest of two men from Queens—Huifeng Jin and Qinghua Wang—on charges including grand larceny and felony assault. Police credited the bank staff's vigilance with protecting their customer and urged families to discuss scam awareness with elderly relatives, emphasizing the importance of not sharing financial information over the phone.
kttn.com
· 2025-12-07
Five individuals pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud in a tech support scam that defrauded elderly victims across ten states of an estimated $9.3 million. The scheme involved overseas scammers contacting seniors by phone and email, falsely claiming their accounts were compromised, and directing them to purchase gold bars or coins that domestic couriers and handlers collected for the conspirators. Lambert and Stevens served as couriers, while Parekh, Darji, and Singh acted as handlers; one documented victim, an 82-year-old woman, lost approximately $250,000 before federal agents intercepted the courier at her home.
spectrumlocalnews.com
· 2025-12-07
A bank employee in Colonie, New York alerted police when an elderly customer attempted to withdraw $30,000 after being directed to do so by an unknown person over the phone, leading to the arrest of Huifeng Jin and Qinghua Wang from Queens on charges including grand larceny and assault. This marked the second similar $30,000 fraud attempt targeting an upstate New York senior in one week, part of a broader pattern of elder fraud involving romance scams, account hacking, and identity theft that has defrauded seniors of over $11 million. Police urge families to discuss these scams with elderly relatives and remind residents not to disclose personal information or make financial arrangements over
crypto.news
· 2025-12-07
A 71-year-old retiree in Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia lost RM525,000 (approximately $100,000) after responding to a Facebook advertisement for a cryptocurrency investment scheme that promised $500,000 in returns. The victim made seven transactions between August 20-27 using retirement savings, and police suspect an organized syndicate orchestrated the scam; no arrests had been made at the time of reporting. Malaysian authorities have noted a rising trend of crypto fraud targeting senior citizens, with scammers using sophisticated tactics including fake celebrity endorsements, deepfakes, and impersonation of financial institutions.
wdbj7.com
· 2025-12-07
The 3rd Annual Senior Legal Safety Conference in Roanoke, Virginia brought together experts to educate seniors on critical planning decisions including powers of attorney, medical directives, and end-of-life care. The conference highlighted major threats to seniors including fraud, scams, and Medicare fraud, which costs Virginia approximately $2 billion annually, with attendees learning how to recognize double billing, verify charges, and protect their personal information. The sponsoring organization also began offering Medicare Open Enrollment counseling sessions to help seniors navigate this complex process with fewer mistakes and financial losses.
rappler.com
· 2025-12-07
Rappler organized a community forum called "Lolo at Lola laban sa Scam" at Far Eastern University on September 16, bringing together over 200 senior citizens and students to learn about scam prevention and digital safety. The event featured talks and panel discussions led by cybercrime experts from the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center and the National Commission of Senior Citizens, covering the dangers of online scams, anti-scam tips, and fact-checking methods. The initiative was part of Rappler's #ScamAlert campaign to empower communities with information to combat fraud and disinformation.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-07
**Summary:**
Tochuwku Albert Nnebocha, a 43-year-old Nigerian national extradited from Poland, was charged in federal court for operating a transnational inheritance fraud scheme targeting American seniors over more than five years. The scheme sent fraudulent letters falsely claiming victims had inherited millions from deceased relatives in Spain and demanded upfront fees for delivery and taxes, with victims sending money through a network of compromised U.S. bank accounts and never receiving promised funds. Nnebocha faces charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud with a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison, and two co-defendants have already been sentenced to approximately 97 months incarceration.
salemnews.net
· 2025-12-07
**Summary:**
An identity protection workshop in Columbiana educated seniors on recognizing and preventing common scams, with instructor Dave Long noting that single seniors and those over 60 are particularly vulnerable targets due to their trustworthiness and the fact that Americans age 60+ hold 70 percent of the nation's wealth. Key protective strategies include freezing credit files, recognizing red flags such as unsolicited requests for quick action or gift cards, verifying contact by calling companies directly, and understanding that legitimate entities never request personal information via unsolicited contact. The workshop emphasized that awareness and education are the FBI's recommended best defense against fraud, with attendees encouraged to hang up on scammers rather than engage with
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
Americans age 60 and older lost over $3 billion to scammers in 2023, with reported elder fraud complaints to the FBI increasing 14% year-over-year, though actual losses are likely much higher due to underreporting and unreported phone, mail, and in-person scams. Older adults are particularly vulnerable due to greater trustworthiness, financial assets, and unfamiliarity with technology, with tech-support scams being most common but investment scams proving costliest, while fraudulent call centers—increasingly using AI voice-cloning and deepfakes—accounted for at least $770 million in losses. Prevention through education on
abc3340.com
· 2025-12-07
Scammers are increasingly using artificial intelligence and phone number spoofing to commit sophisticated fraud, as demonstrated when an Etowah County resident nearly fell victim to a fake sheriff's deputy scam that kept her on the phone for 40 minutes while impersonating law enforcement and requesting bail money. Experts warn that these organized international crime operations disproportionately target senior citizens, who lose more money per scam despite younger age groups being victimized more frequently, and advise the best defense is awareness, verification of legitimate requests, and refusing to share personal information or transfer money over the phone.
patch.com
· 2025-12-07
A 76-year-old Newton psychologist, Eric Brown, pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering after falling victim to an internet romance scam and misusing a patient's $700,000 trust fund. Brown fraudulently invested approximately $600,000 of the trust overseas and deceived a family member into lending him an additional $310,000, sending both sums to the scammer he believed was his online romantic partner. The charges carry a potential sentence of up to 30 years in prison.
consumer.ftc.gov
· 2025-12-07
During Medicare Open Enrollment Period (October 15-December 7), scammers impersonate Medicare representatives and contact seniors unsolicited, falsely claiming they need a new Medicare card and requesting Medicare numbers, bank account information, or payments—when legitimate Medicare cards are free and automatically mailed. To protect themselves, seniors should ignore unexpected requests for personal or financial information, verify caller identity by hanging up and calling 1-800-MEDICARE directly, and use official resources like Medicare.gov or their State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP) for plan comparisons. Suspected Medicare fraud should be reported to 1-800-MEDICARE and the FTC at ReportFrau
cbs6albany.com
· 2025-12-07
An alert teller at Community Resource Federal Credit Union in Latham, New York stopped an elderly man from losing $30,000 in a tech support scam on September 24 when she recognized signs of fraud and called police; the man had been contacted by scammers posing as Microsoft support who convinced him his accounts were compromised. Police arrested two suspects—Huifeng Jin and Qinghua Wang from Flushing, New York—after undercover investigators posed as the victim and arranged a meeting at the man's home, though one investigator was seriously injured during the arrest. The credit union reported preventing nearly $70,000 in fraudulent transactions that week and emphasized that customers
uppermichiganssource.com
· 2025-12-07
Seniors in Marquette, Michigan are being targeted by a Medicare fraud scam involving false claims for unnecessary medical equipment, such as diabetic supplies for non-diabetics and orthopedic braces for those without medical needs. The scam uses stolen personal information including names and Social Security numbers, though fraudsters are often located outside the area, making them difficult to track. Victims can report suspected fraud by calling 1-800-MEDICARE or contacting the Marquette Senior Center for assistance.
royalnews.com.ng
· 2025-12-07
Tochuwku Nnebocha, a 43-year-old Nigerian, was extradited from Poland to face federal charges for operating a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded elderly Americans of millions of dollars over five years. The scheme involved sending personalized letters to seniors falsely claiming they were entitled to multimillion-dollar inheritances from deceased relatives in Spain, then requesting upfront fees that were routed through U.S.-based accomplices. Nnebocha faces charges including mail and wire fraud carrying a maximum sentence of 20 years, with two co-conspirators having already pleaded guilty and received 97-month sentences each.
newsbreak.com
· 2025-12-07
On September 24, 2025, an elderly man in Colonie, New York, received a phone call instructing him to withdraw $30,000 for a "construction project" in what was identified as an elder fraud scam. Alert employees at Community Resource Federal Credit Union recognized the victim's confusion and notified police, leading to the swift arrest of two suspects: Huifeng Jin and Qinghua Wang of Flushing, NY. Jin was charged with felony assault on a police officer and felony grand larceny, while Wang faced felony grand larceny charges and was released on probation.
nypost.com
· 2025-12-07
Financial management difficulties can be an early warning sign of dementia, with common indicators including missed payments, unexplained cash withdrawals, unusual purchases, and trouble with online banking. A neuropsychologist from the University of Miami notes that while normal aging causes occasional memory lapses, regularly missing payments and confusion about time or people warrant medical evaluation. To protect seniors with cognitive decline, families should set up automated bill pay, use spending trackers with fraud alerts, enable power of attorney arrangements, and remain vigilant against sophisticated scams targeting the elderly.
regtechtimes.com
· 2025-12-07
Tochuwku Albert Nnebocha, a 43-year-old Nigerian national, was extradited from Poland to the United States to face federal charges for allegedly operating a large-scale inheritance scam that defrauded elderly Americans over five years. The scheme involved sending personalized letters claiming victims had inherited millions from deceased relatives in Spain, then requesting fees and taxes upfront that victims never recovered. Nnebocha faces mail fraud, wire fraud, and conspiracy charges carrying potential sentences up to 20 years, while two co-conspirators have already pleaded guilty and received sentences exceeding eight years each.
sun-sentinel.com
· 2025-12-07
Tochukwu Albert Nnebocha and seven co-conspirators defrauded over 400 elderly victims in South Florida of more than $6 million between May 2017 and December 2023 through an inheritance scam, posing as attorneys and bank representatives to convince victims they were rightful heirs to deceased individuals' fortunes. The defendants purchased victim lists targeting people over 65, sent fake government documents, and demanded advance fees for "delivery," "taxes," and anti-terrorism certificates, instructing victims to send money through couriers who unknowingly facilitated the scheme. Nnebocha was extradited from Poland to face up to 20
uscis.gov
· 2025-12-07
Operation Twin Shield, a coordinated investigation by USCIS, ICE, and FBI across the Minneapolis-St. Paul area from September 19-28, identified suspected fraud in 275 immigration cases (44% of 900+ cases interviewed), including marriage fraud, fake death certificates, and visa overstays. Notable cases involved fabricated documents, marriage fraud targeting an elderly U.S. citizen spouse (including elder abuse and exploitation), and applicants with terrorism connections; USCIS issued Notices to Appear in 42 cases and apprehended 4 individuals, with additional enforcement actions expected as investigations continue.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-07
Tochuwku Albert Nnebocha, a 43-year-old Nigerian extradited from Poland, faces federal charges for operating a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded elderly American victims over five years by falsely claiming they had unclaimed inheritances from Spain and requesting upfront fees for delivery and taxes. Victims sent money through a network of compromised U.S. accounts and never received promised funds, with Nnebocha facing up to 20 years in prison if convicted; two co-conspirators have already been sentenced to 97 months incarceration each.
ftc.gov
· 2025-12-07
This educational piece advises Medicare beneficiaries and those who know them on avoiding scams during the Medicare open enrollment period (October 15 – December 7). Scammers commonly impersonate Medicare representatives to steal personal information or money by falsely claiming beneficiaries need to provide Medicare numbers, Social Security numbers, or bank details for new cards or fake medical equipment claims—all services Medicare provides for free. The article recommends never sharing personal information with unexpected callers claiming to be from Medicare, verifying calls by hanging up and calling 1-800-MEDICARE directly, and reporting suspected scams to that same number or through the local Senior Medicare Patrol.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-07
An 83-year-old retired mental health consultant in Pune lost Rs 28.5 lakh in February 2024 to a digital arrest scam in which fraudsters posing as law enforcement officials convinced him he was under investigation for a foreign parcel containing drugs and contraband. The victim was kept on camera for two days under the guise of a "verification process" and transferred money to four bank accounts in Gurugram and Delhi before his family discovered the fraud months later and filed a police complaint. An FIR was registered, and cybercrime police traced the fraudulent accounts used in the scheme.
wrcitytimes.com
· 2025-12-07
Wisconsin Rapids police warned of a surge in scams targeting older residents, with victims losing tens of thousands of dollars through schemes where fraudsters impersonated government officials and banks via unsolicited calls, emails, and texts to convince victims to transfer funds via cryptocurrency or gift cards. Notable cases included a $600,000 Bitcoin conversion, a $30,000 Bitcoin ATM deposit, and a $14,000 cash handoff, with authorities noting that cryptocurrency transfers and overseas origins make these scams difficult to trace. Police advised residents that legitimate agencies never demand payment in Bitcoin, gift cards, or cash, and urged potential victims to verify requests through trusted sources and contact law enforcement before sending money.
mypolice.qld.gov.au
· 2025-12-07
A 68-year-old man was extradited from New Zealand to Queensland to face fraud charges after allegedly stealing over $1.145 million from an 83-year-old elderly woman he knew between 2014 and 2018, including unauthorized purchases and withdrawals totaling over $150,000 using her debit card. The investigation began in January 2021 following a complaint from the Public Trustee, and the man appeared in Brisbane Magistrates Court on charges of fraud with dishonesty causing detriment of at least $100,000.
newindianexpress.com
· 2025-12-07
A retired banker in Delhi lost ₹23 crore (approximately $2.76 million) in a "digital arrest" scam where fraudsters impersonated police and RBI officials via phone calls and WhatsApp, threatening him with false criminal accusations and coercing him to transfer funds over the course of a month. The article identifies this as India's largest elder cyber-scam and highlights how elderly individuals are particularly vulnerable due to their respect for authority, social isolation, and unfamiliarity with digital fraud tactics, while advocating for comprehensive awareness campaigns and stronger legal protections similar to successful international models.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
A Nigerian man, Tochuwku Albert Nnebocha, was extradited from Poland to face federal charges for orchestrating an elaborate inheritance scam that defrauded over 400 elderly victims in South Florida of more than $6 million between May 2017 and December 2023. The scheme involved posing as attorneys and bank representatives who sent fake letters claiming victims were entitled to multimillion-dollar inheritances, then demanded advance fees for delivery, taxes, and government certificates before the victims could receive the non-existent funds. Seven co-conspirators were also charged or convicted in the scheme, with two having already received sentences exceeding eight years in prison.
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-07
Shane Strebly, a courier, was sentenced to three years in prison for his role in a grandparent scam that defrauded eight seniors aged 73-89 of over $30,000 between January and December 2024. Strebly picked up cash and e-transfers from victims who had been called by scammers impersonating their relatives claiming emergencies, and the judge characterized the crime as "essentially elder abuse," noting most victims will never recover their losses and experienced lasting psychological harm including isolation and loss of independence.
nclc.org
· 2025-12-07
Consumers lose $158 billion annually to fraud affecting approximately 57,000 new victims daily, according to a National Task Force on Fraud and Scam Prevention report. The report recommends that financial institutions, telecom companies, social media platforms, and tech companies implement stronger protections and accountability measures, while advocating for Congress to close consumer protection gaps, strengthen the Telephone Consumer Protection Act, and hold VoIP providers accountable for facilitating scam calls and texts on their networks.
prnewswire.com
· 2025-12-07
The Massachusetts Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) Program issued a warning during Medicare's 2025 Open Enrollment period (October 15-December 7) about a surge in scams targeting beneficiaries, including unsolicited calls, fraudulent mailings, and misleading offers of free benefits or refunds. The program advises seniors to protect their Medicare numbers, avoid clicking suspicious links, hang up on unknown callers, and verify plan information only through official Medicare.gov channels or by calling 1-800-MEDICARE. Residents can receive free, unbiased assistance from SHINE counselors by contacting MassOptions at 1-800-243-4636 or report suspicious
bitdefender.com
· 2025-12-07
This educational piece observes International Day of Older Persons to highlight the vulnerability of seniors to online scams, including tech support fraud, phishing, investment schemes, and romance/grandparent scams that exploit their trust and relative unfamiliarity with digital threats. The article provides practical cybersecurity advice for older adults—such as pausing before clicking links, verifying urgent money requests, using strong passwords, and enabling two-factor authentication—and describes how comprehensive security solutions with multi-layered protections can help families safeguard seniors' digital lives.
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-07
Shane Strebly, a courier in a grandparent scam operation, was sentenced to three years in prison for defrauding eight older adults (ages 73-89) out of more than $30,000. The scam involved fraudsters impersonating relatives in distress and asking for money for emergencies like car accidents or jail bail, with Strebly collecting the cash from victims living in seniors residences and assisted-living facilities. The judge described the crime as "despicable" and "essentially elder abuse," noting that most victims did not recover their losses and suffered lasting psychological harm including isolation, embarrassment, and loss of independence.
gbhackers.com
· 2025-12-07
In August 2025, Australian authorities issued scam alerts after fraudsters created fake Facebook groups promoting "active senior trips" to lure seniors into downloading the "Datzbro" Android Trojan malware, which operates as a device-takeover tool capable of stealing banking credentials, intercepting PINs, and enabling remote device control through fake credential-entry screens and overlay attacks. The scam, which operated across multiple countries including Singapore, Malaysia, Canada, South Africa, and the United Kingdom, targeted vulnerable seniors by using AI-generated posts about social events and requesting nominal sign-up fees that led to payment-card theft via phishing. ThreatFabric researchers discovered the
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
A scammer's attempt to fraudulently obtain a reverse mortgage on an elderly Ohio homeowner's property was prevented by EquityProtect's SmartPolicy fraud prevention technology, which flagged the unauthorized loan request and alerted the homeowner's daughter who held Power of Attorney. The incident illustrates growing financial crime targeting seniors, with the FBI reporting $4.88 billion in losses from 147,127 elder fraud complaints in 2024, a 46% increase in complaints year-over-year.
oklahoman.com
· 2025-12-07
An Oklahoma woman developed an online friendship with someone claiming to work on an oil rig, which led to a scam targeting senior adults in the state. The article highlights various types of scams that exploit older Oklahomans, including online relationship-based fraud where perpetrators build trust before exploiting victims financially.
morningstar.com
· 2025-12-07
A scammer attempted to defraud an elderly Ohio homeowner by convincing him to take out a reverse mortgage to steal his home equity, but the scheme was foiled when EquityProtect's Property Title Lock service detected the unauthorized loan application and notified the homeowner's daughter, who held Power of Attorney over the property. The incident highlights growing financial crimes against seniors, with the FBI reporting $4.88 billion in losses from 147,127 elder fraud complaints in 2024, a 46% increase from the previous year.
mysuncoast.com
· 2025-12-07
Senior Friendship Centers in Sarasota is offering free and low-cost services to older adults, including flu and RSV vaccines, Medicare counseling, and scam-prevention workshops, in response to rising financial and health challenges facing seniors. The initiative addresses a poverty rate of 15 percent among Americans 65 and older and record fraud losses of $12.5 billion last year, with workshops and clinics scheduled throughout October 2025.
fox26houston.com
· 2025-12-07
AARP and Senior Planet have partnered to offer a free 5-Day Digital House Cleaning Challenge designed to help seniors protect their personal information and accounts from scams and fraud. The challenge provides video tutorials covering password security, privacy settings, account configurations, digital document storage in secure vaults, and digital storage practices across healthcare, insurance, financial, and social media accounts. This educational initiative aims to help seniors tighten their digital security in an accessible, step-by-step format.
fox8.com
· 2025-12-07
The Westlake Police Department warned residents about the "Pigeon Drop Scam," an in-person fraud targeting seniors in which scammers approach victims in public places claiming to have found cash, then request "good faith" money before switching the bag containing promised funds with worthless material, leaving victims with nothing. Police advise residents to avoid giving money to strangers, be suspicious of unsolicited offers to share found money, and report suspicious activities immediately.
aol.com
· 2025-12-07
**Educational/Awareness Piece**
Older adults lose billions annually to online scams, with phishing, tech support scams, and extortion topping the list—the FBI reported $4.8 billion in losses to people age 60+ in 2024 alone. Cybercriminals target seniors believing they have accumulated savings and exploit stereotypes about technological comfort, though scams can deceive anyone regardless of age or tech-savviness. Key protection strategies include avoiding suspicious email links, verifying unexpected messages directly with senders, installing security software, and resisting pressure to act quickly—treating internet navigation as defensive driving that requires constant vigilance.
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-07
Shane Strebly, a courier, was sentenced to three years in prison for his role in a grandparent scam that defrauded eight seniors aged 73-89 out of more than $30,000. Strebly picked up money from victims who had been manipulated by phone scammers impersonating relatives claiming emergencies like car accidents, jail, and hospital bills, with the judge calling the crime "despicable" elder abuse that left victims feeling frightened, embarrassed, and unlikely to recover their losses.