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cbsnews.com
The Federal Trade Commission identifies 10 common lies scammers use to defraud victims, including creating false urgency, isolating targets from trusted advisors, making arrest threats, and instructing victims to move money, buy gift cards or cryptocurrency, or withdraw cash. These tactics are increasingly sophisticated and sometimes aided by artificial intelligence, as exemplified by a recent $50,000 scam targeting a New York Magazine columnist. The FTC advises people to hang up, delete messages, and report suspicious contact to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
wfdd.org
The North Carolina Department of Justice Consumer Protection Division received over 21,000 complaints in the past year, with scams being a major category. The top three scams in the Triad region included online purchase fraud (255 reports, ~$150,000 in losses), employment scams ($70,000 lost through fake job postings), and phishing schemes targeting personal and financial information via email, text, and phone. Police recommend caution with suspicious contacts and note that voluntarily sent funds to scammers are typically unrecoverable.
newstalkkgvo.com
Montana State Auditor and Commissioner of Insurance Troy Downing is conducting statewide educational tours to help elderly residents and caregivers recognize and avoid financial scams, which account for 70-75 percent of fraud cases investigated by his office. The tours highlight common scams targeting seniors, including schemes that pressure victims to pay quickly using gift cards or cryptocurrency, and are being held across multiple Montana communities to reach elderly populations, families, caregivers, and law enforcement.
cbc.ca
A 79-year-old Manitoba senior lost $16,000 in a "grandparent scam" in which a caller impersonated her grandson, claiming he had been arrested after a car crash and needed bail money; a second caller posed as his lawyer, instructing her not to tell anyone and arranging courier pickup of cash from her home. Since the start of 2024, approximately 13 similar scams have been reported in southern Manitoba, resulting in roughly $70,000 in losses, with scammers increasingly targeting less tech-savvy victims by requesting in-person cash withdrawals rather than online transfers. A 32-year-old courier who was intercepting the final payment
winnipegfreepress.com
The "grandparent scam" has significantly increased across Canada, targeting seniors through phone calls from scammers impersonating grandchildren in crisis situations (legal trouble, illness, etc.) to pressure victims into sending money urgently via courier or bank withdrawal. In 2022, this scam resulted in losses exceeding $9.2 million nationally, with Manitoba victims losing over $313,000. Protection strategies include not answering unknown numbers, calling trusted family members to verify urgent requests, and remembering that police never demand bail money directly.
justice.gov
Joseph Beach, a 54-year-old West Virginia man, pleaded guilty to wire fraud after stealing $253,867.12 from his elderly father while serving as his fiduciary, misappropriating veteran's disability, retirement, and social security benefits for personal use. The victim, who resides in a veterans' care facility, was defrauded by his own son over an extended period. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office and investigated by the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, and the Social Security Administration.
wvnews.com
**Summary:**
Joseph Beach, a 54-year-old from Inwood, West Virginia, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for stealing $253,867.12 from his elderly father, a veteran in care facility, by misappropriating his father's disability, retirement, and Social Security benefits while serving as his fiduciary. The case was investigated by the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, and Social Security Administration, with prosecution by the U.S. Attorney's Office.
freepressjournal.in
This article describes the conviction of Mukhtar Ansari, a mafia don-turned-politician, who received a life imprisonment sentence from a Varanasi court in a 30-year-old case involving fraudulent procurement of an arms license using forged signatures of government officials. Ansari was fined Rs 2,02,000 and faces multiple concurrent sentences under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and Arms Act, marking his second life sentence under the current Yogi government. This case is not related to elder fraud or elder abuse and appears to be outside the scope of an elder fraud research database.
todayonline.com
A 29-year-old woman in Singapore was charged with cheating after allegedly scamming victims of Taylor Swift concert tickets on the online marketplace Carousell, defrauding one victim of S$350 in September and believed to be involved in additional similar offences totaling over S$24,000 in losses. She accepted payments via PayNow or bank transfer but failed to deliver the tickets and became unreachable. The incident occurred amid a broader wave of Taylor Swift ticket scams that affected at least 334 people with total losses of S$213,000 between January and February.
patch.com
Syretta Scherer, 42, of Georgia was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for her role in a multi-state romance scam that defrauded seniors of at least $5.8 million. Scherer laundered approximately $1.1 million of the stolen funds by creating a fake company called Precise Carriers and opening multiple bank accounts to receive money that scammers had convinced victims to send under false pretenses such as medical emergencies. From February 2018 to November 2019, she structured deposits across multiple banks and recruited others to open accounts to further obscure the money trail.
keysnews.com
Americans lost a record $10 billion to scams and fraud in 2023, a 14% increase from 2022, with investment scams causing the largest losses at $4.6 billion followed by imposter scams at $2.7 billion, according to FTC data from 2.6 million consumer complaints. Fraudsters increasingly used cryptocurrency and bank transfers, while imposter schemes targeting vulnerable populations through government and business impersonation saw significant growth, with Florida ranking among the top states for per capita fraud complaints at 1,563 per 100,000 residents.
nzherald.co.nz
An Auckland man lost $569,000 in a romance scam after meeting a woman on Tinder who posed as a Singaporean investor and convinced him to send money to a Hong Kong bank account for a Bitcoin investment scheme. Despite the victim's complaints that Westpac should have flagged red flags before processing the large international transfer, the bank initially denied liability but later made a confidential "goodwill" settlement payment. The case highlights the challenge victims face when scammers operate offshore—police declined to investigate, the Banking Ombudsman refused involvement due to the amount exceeding their $350,000 threshold, and recovery proved impossible.
shorenewsnetwork.com
Syretta Scherer, 42, from Georgia was sentenced to nearly four years in federal prison for her role in a multi-state romance scam that defrauded seniors of approximately $5.8 million. Scherer laundered close to $1.1 million of the conspiracy's nearly $3 million in stolen funds by creating fake bank accounts under a fictitious company and directing victims—primarily widows—to send money via wire transfer or mail based on fabricated emergencies. Operating from February 2018 to November 2019, she used structured transactions across multiple banks and recruited accomplices to open additional accounts to evade detection.
patch.com
Naperville police reported over $750,000 in cryptocurrency losses since February, with four cases involving residents aged 43-83 in March alone. Scammers employed various tactics including hacking, romance scams, arrest scams, and sextortion to manipulate victims into sending funds. Police advise residents to avoid sharing personal information, resist pressure to act immediately, consult trusted individuals before responding, and refuse requests for payment via cryptocurrency, gift cards, or wire transfers.
justice.gov
**Summary:**
Syretta Scherer, a 42-year-old Georgia woman, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison on March 7, 2024, for her role in a romance scam conspiracy that defrauded seniors across multiple states of at least $5.8 million. Scherer laundered approximately $1.1 million of the scheme's proceeds by creating a fake company called Precise Carriers, opening multiple bank accounts at different banks, and recruiting others to deposit victim funds that were primarily stolen from widows through online romance scams conducted via app-based communication platforms between February 2018 and November 2019.
pbn.com
A Georgia woman, Syretta Scherer, was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for her role in a romance scam that defrauded seniors across multiple states, including Rhode Island, of at least $5.8 million. Scherer laundered nearly $1.1 million of the stolen proceeds by creating a fake company called Precise Carriers and opening multiple bank accounts at different banks to receive victim funds, primarily from widows who were deceived into sending money for fabricated medical emergencies. Two co-conspirators, Sade Mills and Dominique Golden, also pleaded guilty or were sentenced in connection with the scheme.
irs.gov
Prince Oduro of Westerville was sentenced to 102 months in prison for wire fraud and money laundering schemes spanning multiple years, including stealing bank customer information while employed at JPMorgan Chase Bank and operating online romance scams that defrauded victims of over $1.8 million. Oduro continued committing romance fraud even after his initial arrest, causing an additional $709,500 in losses, and was ordered to pay approximately $1.8 million in restitution. Victims were deceived by elaborate stories involving medical emergencies, military service, overseas construction projects, and inherited assets, with one victim alone losing $390,300.
interpol.int
INTERPOL's Global Financial Fraud Assessment reveals that organized crime groups are increasingly using AI, large language models, cryptocurrencies, and phishing-as-a-service models to conduct sophisticated fraud campaigns targeting vulnerable people worldwide at relatively low cost. Key fraud trends include investment fraud, romance baiting (which combines romance and investment schemes), advance payment fraud, and business email compromise, with human trafficking networks increasingly forced into call centers to execute these schemes. The report emphasizes the urgent need for international law enforcement cooperation, data sharing, and public-private partnerships to combat this escalating global threat; since 2022, INTERPOL's I-GRIP mechanism has helped intercept over $500 million in criminal proceeds
insideedition.com
Violet Alberts, a 96-year-old widow living in Montecito, California, was defrauded of her multi-million-dollar home (valued between $4-11 million) through an elaborate scheme beginning with a fraudulent reverse mortgage offer from Pauline Lisa Macareno, who then orchestrated a murder-for-hire plot that resulted in Alberts' death by asphyxiation in May 2022. Macareno was sentenced to six years in prison on elder abuse and fraud charges and faces additional murder solicitation charges, while three men arrested in connection with the actual murder (Ricardo MartinDelCampo, Harry Bas
news.yahoo.com
Violet Evelyn Alberts, a 96-year-old California widow, was murdered in May 2022 in a murder-for-hire plot orchestrated as part of a larger financial exploitation scheme. Pauline Macareno, who befriended the vulnerable elderly woman, engaged in elder abuse and fraud by forging documents to fraudulently acquire Alberts' property through a reverse mortgage scheme, then arranged her death to accelerate gaining control of her estate. Four suspects have been arrested and charged, with Macareno sentenced to six years in prison for fraud and the other three charged with murder and conspiracy to murder.
people.com
In May 2022, 96-year-old Violet Alberts was found dead in her Montecito, California home and ruled a homicide by asphyxiation; authorities later determined her death was part of a murder-for-hire plot following financial fraud and elder abuse. Pauline Macareno was sentenced to six years in prison for forging documents and establishing fraudulent entities to gain control of Alberts' assets, while Henry Rostomyan and Ricardo Martin Del Campo were charged with murder and conspiracy to commit murder in connection with the scheme.
shorenewsnetwork.com
Fei Liang was arraigned in Queens on charges related to a scheme that defrauded senior citizens across the United States of $628,278 through impersonation calls claiming to be from the Social Security Administration, banks, or vendors requesting fund transfers for "safekeeping." The 39-year-old Flushing resident faces multiple counts of criminal possession of stolen property and could receive up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
ottplay.com
**"Bogus Phone Operators" Documentary**
A 44-minute documentary investigates call center scams operating from India (particularly Thane, Ahmedabad, and Gujarat) that target elderly people in the United States by impersonating government officials and IRS agents. In 2022 alone, these scams defrauded approximately 15,000 US citizens of $800 million, with perpetrators using various payment methods including cryptocurrency, gift cards, NFTs, and Hawala transfers to extract funds and inflict severe psychological harm on victims, including cases leading to suicide.
fox7austin.com
The Round Rock Police Department warned residents about scammers impersonating law enforcement officers and IRS representatives who contact victims via phone, email, or text to create urgency and extract personal or financial information using tactics like caller ID spoofing and threats of arrest. Police advised verifying caller identity through official agency numbers, never sharing personal information unsolicited, resisting intimidation tactics, and reporting suspected incidents to the Federal Trade Commission, while noting that legitimate government agencies never demand payment over the phone or via gift cards.
m.economictimes.com
A Navi Mumbai builder lost Rs 60.6 lakh in an impersonation scam when a fraudster posed as the builder and sent fake bank details to the company accountant, who transferred the funds without verifying the instructions directly with the builder. Cyber police are investigating the case, though no arrests have been made yet.
dailyhodl.com
Prince Oduro, a 34-year-old former JPMorgan Chase employee in Columbus, Ohio, was sentenced to 8.5 years in federal prison for stealing $1.8 million from bank customers through wire fraud and money laundering, while simultaneously operating an online romance scam where he posed as a soldier, medical patient, or gold dealer to manipulate victims into sending money. One victim alone lost approximately $400,000 after Oduro convinced her that her deceased husband had stolen valuable artwork. Oduro was initially arrested in 2022, rearrested in November 2023 for continuing his scams, and has been ordered to repay all stolen funds.
golocalprov.com
Two men from Florida and New York—Jason Rhodes, 34, and Robert Munoz, 29—were arrested in Warwick, Rhode Island in connection with a "grandparent scam" targeting elderly residents in Warwick and Coventry after police executed a controlled money delivery on March 8, 2024. During a search of a hotel room, detectives seized evidence linking the suspects to multiple grandparent scams and a large sum of cash, with the investigation ongoing. Warwick Police are urging other potential victims throughout Rhode Island to report similar scams to their local police departments.
thestarphoenix.com
Saskatoon Police Service partnered with the Electronic Recycling Association to offer free secure destruction of electronics and confidential documents on March 14 as part of Fraud Prevention Month awareness efforts. The initiative comes as Canadian fraud losses reached $567 million in 2023, with investment scams, spear phishing, and romance scams causing the most financial damage, while fraud methods have evolved to include cryptocurrency schemes and sophisticated phishing techniques targeting both individuals and institutions.
wtop.com
Fairfax County, Virginia police warned residents about ongoing scam calls impersonating bank fraud departments or police officers that pressure victims into purchasing gift cards or making Bitcoin ATM deposits, with reported losses ranging from $10,000 to $31,100 per victim. Police advise hanging up suspicious calls, independently contacting financial institutions through legitimate channels, and never sharing personal information with callers claiming to represent banks or authorities.
yahoo.com
A 96-year-old California woman, Violet Evelyn Alberts, was killed in May 2022 as part of an elaborate murder-for-hire and reverse-mortgage scam orchestrated by Pauline Macareno, who sought to gain control of Alberts' valuable Montecito home. Macareno forged documents and established fraudulent entities to illegally take over the property, then arranged for her murder when authorities determined Alberts' asphyxiation was a homicide; four people have been arrested, including Macareno (sentenced to six years in prison for fraud in 2022) and three men charged with murder and conspiracy.
cnn.com
A 96-year-old California woman, Violet Evelyn Alberts, was murdered in May 2022 as part of an elaborate scheme involving reverse-mortgage fraud and murder-for-hire orchestrated by Pauline Macareno, who sought to illegally gain control of the victim's valuable Montecito home. Four individuals have been arrested: Macareno (sentenced to six years in prison for fraud in 2022 and now facing additional charges), Ricardo MartinDelCampo and Henry Rostomyan (charged with murder and conspiracy), and Harry Basmadjian (charged with conspiracy); investigators determined Alberts died by asphyx
krocnews.com
Scammers are using AI-generated deepfakes to target real estate transactions in Minnesota, impersonating agents, lenders, and other professionals to trick buyers and sellers into revealing sensitive information that allows them to redirect funds. The National Association of Realtors is urging industry professionals to increase cybersecurity training and implement verification protocols, including confirming communications through known contact information, using encrypted channels, and adding watermarks to documents. A recent survey found that 60% of home buyers and sellers received little to no education about wire fraud threats from their real estate professionals.
boston25news.com
A 96-year-old woman, Violet Evelyn Alberts, was murdered in Montecito, California in May 2022 as part of a murder-for-hire plot initiated by Pauline Macareno, who had been defrauding the victim using fraudulent real estate documents to access her house and money. Macareno was arrested in June 2022 and sentenced to six years in prison for elder abuse and fraud, while three accomplices (Harry Basmadjian, Henry Rostomyan, and Ricardo MartinDelCampo) were arrested in connection with the murder-for-hire scheme after Macareno decide
myfox28columbus.com
Prince Oduro, a 34-year-old from Westerville, Ohio, was sentenced to 102 months in prison for conducting romance scams and money laundering schemes between 2015 and 2020. During his employment at JPMorgan Chase Bank, Oduro stole personal information from at least five customers and used it to launder over $1 million obtained through online romance scams; he continued committing fraud even after his initial arrest in February 2022, resulting in an additional $709,500 in losses. He was ordered to pay $1.8 million in restitution for his crimes.
usatoday.com
A 96-year-old California woman, Violet Evelyn Alberts, was murdered in May 2022 as part of a murder-for-hire scheme orchestrated by Pauline Macareno, who had befriended the vulnerable widow and exploited her through financial fraud, forged documents, and a fraudulent reverse mortgage scheme to gain control of her property. Four suspects were arrested in connection with the case, with Macareno sentenced to six years in prison for elder abuse and fraud, while three others face murder and conspiracy charges; authorities determined the motive was to accelerate Alberts' death to fraudulently obtain her estate. Alberts was found dead from
nbcnewyork.com
A 96-year-old widow, Violet Evelyn Alberts, was murdered in her Montecito, California home in May 2022 as part of an alleged murder-for-hire plot connected to financial exploitation. Pauline Macareno, identified as the central figure, had manipulated Alberts starting in 2020 through forged documents and fraudulent reverse mortgage schemes to gain control of her valuable property, and was sentenced to six years in prison for fraud; three additional men were arrested on murder and conspiracy charges in connection with the case.
yahoo.com
Prince Oduro, a 34-year-old former JPMorgan Chase employee in Columbus, was sentenced to 8.5 years in prison for stealing $1.8 million from bank customers through wire fraud and money laundering between 2015 and 2020. Oduro accessed at least five customers' bank information and funneled stolen funds through PayPal accounts, which he also used to run concurrent romance scams where he posed as someone needing medical help or injured military personnel; one victim alone lost nearly $400,000. He was arrested in 2022, pleaded guilty in January 2023, but continued committing romance scams while awaiting sentencing, defr
marketrealist.com
Romance scammers are systematically stealing images of U.S. military personnel to create fake profiles on social media and dating sites, deceiving victims into sending money. In 2023, the FTC received over 64,000 romance scam reports resulting in $1.14 billion in losses (median $2,000 per victim), with one Air Force flight chief's photos alone linked to $180,000 in victim losses. The article outlines red flags including requests for money, inability to video chat, and claims about bank access issues, and notes that a Texas man was sentenced to over three years in prison in 2023 for using stolen military identities to defraud victims of
southcoasttoday.com
The "grandparent scam" has stolen millions from elderly Americans by impersonating lawyers, bail bondsmen, or family members to claim a grandchild is in legal trouble or distress and urgently needs cash sent via wire transfer, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. The FBI reported over 92,000 older fraud victims lost $1.7 billion in 2021, with scammers exploiting psychological tactics—calling at odd hours and inducing fear—and now increasingly using AI voice cloning to impersonate relatives. Law enforcement recommends not answering unknown callers, hanging up on urgent money requests, and independently verifying any family emergency by calling the relative directly rather than engaging with the
bbb.org
This educational piece outlines common tax scams targeting U.S. taxpayers, primarily involving scammers impersonating the IRS through phone calls, emails, and mail. Common tactics include demanding immediate payment via untraceable methods (wire transfers, prepaid debit cards) for alleged back taxes, offering fake refunds in exchange for personal information, and committing tax identity theft using Social Security numbers to file fraudulent returns. Key protective measures include recognizing red flags such as pressure for immediate payment, unsolicited phone/email contact, and knowing that the legitimate IRS initiates contact by mail and never demands specific payment methods or personal financial information over the phone.
newsweek.com
The Social Security Administration warned of a 61.7 percent increase in reported scams between 2022 and 2023, with fraudsters using sophisticated tactics like impersonation, threats of benefit suspension, and demands for immediate payment to steal personal information and benefits from recipients. Scammers employ the "five P's" strategy (Pretend, Prize or Problem, Pressure, Payment) and falsely claim to represent the SSA through fake letterhead, badge numbers, and social media imposter pages. Seniors aged 70-84 lost the highest average amounts ($14,459 per victim in Q3 2023), though those under 50 were statistically more likely to
nbcmiami.com
Americans aged 60 and older lost $3.1 billion to cyberfraud in 2022, with over 88,000 victims experiencing an average loss of $35,101 per person, according to FBI data. Elder fraud is escalating through sophisticated schemes including phishing and impersonation scams that exploit older adults' loneliness, social isolation, and cognitive decline, with women disproportionately affected due to demographic factors. Warning signs include suspicious emails with misspellings, vague signatures, urgent language, requests for personal information, and out-of-character behavior from purported family members.
fcpdnews.wordpress.com
Bank imposter scams, ranked by the FTC as the top scam of 2022, involve fraudsters posing as banks via unsolicited calls or texts to request personal and banking information, with a median reported loss of $3,000 from 2019-2022. The Fairfax County Police Department advises against sharing financial information with unsolicited callers, recommends independently verifying bank contact information through official channels, and warns that legitimate institutions never request payment via gift cards, wire transfers, or remote computer access.
justice.gov
Michael Watts, a 68-year-old former registered broker, was sentenced to five years in federal prison for participating in a securities fraud and market manipulation scheme involving Hydrocarb Energy Corp. and other companies from 2014 to 2016. Operating from a boiler room in Melville, New York, Watts and his co-conspirators used high-pressure cold calls and lies to defraud vulnerable investors, particularly seniors on fixed incomes, inflating the stock price by over $147 million and personally dumping over $2 million in shares before the company's 2016 bankruptcy. The court ordered Watts to pay $560,000 in forfeiture and $4.
yahoo.com
A 96-year-old widow in Montecito, California, was murdered in May 2022 as part of an elaborate fraud and murder-for-hire scheme orchestrated by Pauline Macareno, who posed as a real estate agent to fraudulently gain control of the victim's home and assets. After a 22-month investigation, detectives arrested Macareno along with three additional suspects (Harry Basmadjian, Henry Rostomyan, and Ricardo MartinDelCampo) for their roles in the premeditated killing by asphyxiation and conspiracy to commit murder. The victim, financially vulnerable and in need of money
aol.com
The "grandparent scam" has stolen millions from elderly Americans by impersonating a grandchild's lawyer or bail bondsman, falsely claiming the grandchild is in legal trouble or an accident out of state and demanding urgent payment via wire transfer, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. In 2021, over 92,000 older fraud victims lost $1.7 billion, with scammers exploiting fear and urgency by calling at odd hours. Law enforcement recommends not answering calls from unknown numbers, hanging up without engaging, and calling family members directly to verify—while noting that emerging AI voice-cloning technology makes these scams increasingly difficult to detect.
independent.com
A 96-year-old Montecito woman, Violet Evelyn Alberts, was murdered in May 2022 after becoming a victim of financial elder abuse and a murder-for-hire scheme orchestrated by Pauline Macareno, who fraudulently acquired Alberts's property valued between $4-11 million through forged reverse mortgage documents. Following a 22-month investigation, Macareno and three co-conspirators—Henry Rostomyan, Ricardo Martin Del Campo, and Harry Basmadjian—were arrested; Macareno received six years in prison for elder abuse and fraud, while the other three face murder and conspiracy charges
abc11.com
Romance scammers are stealing photos and videos from real men, particularly military personnel, to impersonate them and defraud women seeking online relationships. One Air Force flight chief reported that scammers using his pictures have stolen approximately $180,000 from victims, while an Army recruiter has also been repeatedly impersonated despite making his social media private; the scammers typically fabricate stories about being deployed abroad without funds to return home or being widowed with a dependent child. Though victims eventually discover the deception and contact the real men whose images were stolen, the scammers continue creating new fake profiles faster than they can be reported and blocked.
oklahoman.com
A 26-year-old Nigerian man living in Oklahoma City was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for perpetrating a romance scam against an Alabama woman. Akinsanya was ordered to pay $2,650 in restitution and serve three years of supervised release following his prison term.
english.news.cn
In 2023, Japan reported 45.52 billion yen ($308 million) in losses from investment scams via social media and online romance scams combined, with investment fraud accounting for 27.79 billion yen across 2,271 cases and romance scams totaling 17.73 billion yen in 1,575 cases. Victims were predominantly men in their 50s-60s and women in their 40s-50s, with 72.4 percent of romance scam victims manipulated into investing money to maintain the fraudulent relationship. The National Police Agency has directed prefectural police to strengthen prevention efforts and information sharing.