Search
Explore the Archive
Search across 19,276 articles about elder fraud. Filter by fraud type, payment mechanism, or keywords.
4,783 results
in Romance Scam
news-journalonline.com
· 2025-12-08
Florida ranks fourth among the most dangerous U.S. states for online dating according to a Privacy Journal study analyzing romance scams, identity theft, fraud, and other risk factors across 100 cities. The research identified common romance scam patterns including persistent money requests, excuses to avoid meeting, elaborate backstories, secrecy, and false urgency—tactics scammers use to exploit victims seeking romantic connections online.
24-7pressrelease.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams continue to target individuals seeking online companionship through emotional manipulation and fabricated emergencies designed to extract money from victims. These scams cause significant financial losses—often depleting savings or creating debt—along with profound emotional harm including feelings of betrayal and shame. The article emphasizes the need for increased awareness, critical thinking, education campaigns, and regulatory measures to help individuals recognize suspicious requests and protect themselves from this prevalent form of fraud.
mirror.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Hertfordshire Police are investigating a romance scam artist operating under the aliases "Stefano Armani" and "Stefano Khalide" who used dating apps to build fake relationships with male victims and defraud them of over £50,000. The suspect, believed to be from London, exploited vulnerable singles by gaining their trust online before manipulating them into sending money under false pretenses. Police are appealing for information from victims or anyone with knowledge of the suspect's whereabouts.
wral.com
· 2025-12-08
Sanda Frimpong, a 33-year-old Fort Liberty soldier, was sentenced to over three years in prison in 2024 after pleading guilty to three counts of money laundering for his role in romance scams. Frimpong impersonated love interests, military personnel, and other figures to defraud victims of thousands of dollars, which he laundered through personal bank accounts across state lines and to contacts in Ghana, targeting vulnerable populations including seniors and military veterans. He was ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution to his victims.
wral.com
· 2025-12-08
Sanda Frimpong, a 33-year-old active-duty soldier stationed at Fort Liberty, was sentenced to over three years in prison in 2024 after pleading guilty to three counts of money laundering related to romance scams. Frimpong impersonated love interests, diplomats, military personnel, and others to deceive victims and steal thousands of dollars, which he laundered through personal bank accounts across state lines and to contacts in Ghana. In addition to his prison sentence, Frimpong was ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution to his victims.
9to5mac.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scammers are using increasingly sophisticated tactics involving face-swap technology to conduct convincing live video calls with victims, employing setups with dual phones or laptop-based deepfake software to impersonate their fabricated identities. These "Yahoo Boys" scammers use the video calls to build trust before requesting money for fake emergencies, with the technology becoming so advanced that victims may see convincing alterations to facial features, skin tone, hair, and voice. Protection involves remaining cautious on dating apps, immediately suspecting anyone requesting money, and avoiding social media apps that request face photos, as this data is used to train face-swap technology.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Sanda G. Frimpong, a 33-year-old active-duty Army servicemember stationed at Fort Bragg, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison for laundering hundreds of thousands of dollars from romance scams. Frimpong and co-conspirators impersonated romantic interests, military personnel, diplomats, and other personas to defraud victims—including seniors and military veterans—before funneling the illicit proceeds through his bank accounts across state lines and contacts in Ghana. He was ordered to pay substantial restitution to the victims of these elaborate fraud schemes.
wired.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scammers known as "Yahoo Boys," primarily based in Nigeria, are increasingly using deepfake and face-swapping technology in real-time video calls to impersonate fake romantic partners and defraud victims of thousands of dollars each. The FBI reports over $650 million was lost to romance fraud last year, with the scammers openly sharing their techniques and recruiting accomplices across Telegram and social media platforms. These experienced con artists, who have evolved their tactics as AI technology has improved, operate in loosely organized clusters without formal leadership structure and show little fear of consequences.
the-sun.com
· 2025-12-08
Connie Seddon, a retired radiation technician from Arizona, lost $35,000 to scammers who impersonated McAfee through a phishing email in January. After calling the fraudulent number, the scammer convinced her that money had been incorrectly deposited into her account and instructed her to withdraw cash and deposit it into Bitcoin machines at gas stations, with the bank teller's concerns dismissed by Seddon's false claim that she was buying a car. Seddon reported the incident to local police, the FBI, and the FTC, though authorities indicated recovery of the funds was unlikely.
thesun.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Wendy Falconer, 63, lost £400 to a phone scammer who spoofed her bank's phone number in Wales; the fraudster emotionally abused her during the call, mocking her with the words "you're so thick," which traumatized her more than the financial loss itself. Police warn that scammers commonly impersonate banks, Amazon, utilities, tech companies, and even healthcare providers using caller ID spoofing, and advise people never to give personal information or take financial actions based on incoming calls, regardless of the displayed phone number.
wral.com
· 2025-12-08
An NC State University student lost more than $40,000 in a romance scam involving a fraudulent global dating agency. University police investigated the case, which typifies online dating scams that target victims through fake romantic relationships to extract money.
vindy.com
· 2025-12-08
AARP identifies four emerging scams to watch for in 2024: check cooking (using software to digitally alter stolen checks rather than chemical washing), voiceprint scams (using deepfake technology to impersonate victims' voices for financial fraud), delayed-action sweepstakes scams (collecting personal information for identity theft that may be exploited gradually), and virtual celebrity scams (exploiting fans' connection to online celebrity presence). Prevention strategies include using safer payment methods, avoiding phone calls from unknown numbers, never providing personal information to unsolicited callers, and remaining skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
Sanda Frimpong, a 33-year-old ex-Fort Liberty soldier, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison for operating romance scams targeting widows, widowers, and divorcees over more than two years, defrauding victims of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Frimpong posed as online admirers under fake names like "Catherine White" and "Tom Tanner," convincing victims to wire money for various schemes, including one victim who sent $100,000 after being promised marriage and access to gold and diamonds. In addition to the romance scams, he pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering and conspired to fraudulently collect
taskandpurpose.com
· 2025-12-08
Sanda G. Frimpong, an E-4 soldier stationed at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, orchestrated multiple online romance and fraud schemes between December 2019 and February 2022, defrauding victims of thousands of dollars by impersonating romantic interests, military personnel, and officials. One victim lost over $150,000 after being convinced by a fake soldier to send money for gold and diamond transfers, while another victim sent over $7,000 after being targeted with a romance scam involving fake inheritance claims. Frimpong was arrested in 2023, pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering, and was sentenced to 40 months in
abc11.com
· 2025-12-08
A former Fort Liberty soldier was sentenced to over 3 years in prison for operating a romance scam. The article does not provide additional details about victim losses or the specific mechanics of the scam in the excerpt provided.
newscaststudio.com
· 2025-12-08
CBS News conducted a year-long investigation into romance scams, airing a weeklong series from April 21-28, 2024, revealing the epidemic affects victims across the country and constitutes a billion-dollar crime wave. The investigation, led by correspondent Jim Axelrod, features the story of a woman whose mother died after losing her life savings to a romance scam, and includes interviews with victims, scammers, dating app executives, and law enforcement across seven states. The series explores trends in online dating, the role of Match Group, how scammers operate (many originating from Ghana), and the psychological manipulation tactics used to defraud victims.
stripes.com
· 2025-12-08
Sanda Frimpong, a 33-year-old Army specialist, was sentenced to more than three years in prison for operating romance scams that defrauded vulnerable individuals including widows, widowers, and divorcees of approximately $357,961 over two years while stationed at Fort Liberty, North Carolina. Frimpong posed as different people online (including "Catherine White" and "Tom Tanner") to convince victims to wire money under false pretenses involving gold transfers and marriage proposals, and he also conspired to fraudulently collect COVID-19 pandemic unemployment benefits using stolen identities across multiple states. He was ordered to pay hundreds of thousands in restitution after pleading guilty to
military.com
· 2025-12-08
Specialist Sanda G. Frimpong, a Fort Liberty soldier, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison after pleading guilty to three counts of money laundering related to romance scams that defrauded victims of over $350,000. Frimpong and co-conspirators posed as romantic interests, military personnel, diplomats, and other personas to manipulate victims into sending money, often laundering the funds through contacts in Ghana. The case highlights the prevalence of romance scams targeting vulnerable populations, including seniors and military veterans, with the FTC reporting nearly 70,000 Americans lost $1.3 billion to romantic fraud in 2022.
abc11.com
· 2025-12-08
A former Fort Liberty soldier, 33-year-old Sanda G. Frimpong, was sentenced to 40 months in federal prison for operating a romance scam in which he impersonated a love interest to defraud victims of hundreds of thousands of dollars, including funds meant for people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Frimpong pleaded guilty to three counts of money laundering and was ordered to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars in restitution to his victims.
thestatehousefile.com
· 2025-12-08
This article is not related to elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It covers Indiana state political appointments, utility rate decisions, and reproductive health policy matters. It does not contain content relevant to the Elderus elder fraud research database.
housingwire.com
· 2025-12-08
Between June 2022 and June 2023, FinCEN reported over $27 billion in suspicious activity across 155,000 filings related to elder financial exploitation (EFE), with account takeovers being the most common typology and adult children perpetrating nearly 40% of documented cases. Perpetrators primarily used unsophisticated methods like compromised passwords and phishing emails to avoid in-person detection, while financial institutions also reported increases in tech support and romance scams targeting seniors. FinCEN emphasized the critical role of financial institutions in identifying, preventing, and reporting suspected EFE to protect older adults' financial security and well-being.
readthereporter.com
· 2025-12-08
American Senior Communities partnered with the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of Indiana to present free educational sessions on avoiding elder fraud, which costs seniors over $5.9 billion annually through scams involving impersonation, romance schemes, and fake investment opportunities. Assistant U.S. Attorney Adam Eakman will teach seniors how to identify common scams, recover from them, and report fraud to appropriate authorities. The series begins April 22 at The Commons on Meridian assisted living community in Indianapolis.
wired.com
· 2025-12-08
The article highlights a romance scam trend where a group of con artists known as "Yahoo Boys" use AI-powered face-swap technology to deceive victims during video calls, impersonating different people to solicit money. The piece also covers several other cybersecurity issues including UK websites blocking deepfake nude image generators, a ransomware attack on Change Healthcare resulting in $872 million in response costs, and various other cybercriminal activities.
thesun.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Linda Young lost £120,000 to a romance scammer who targeted her through an over-50s dating app following her divorce, using gaslighting tactics to convince her the money was an "investment in their future." The scam was completed in six months, and statistics show romance fraud cases rose 22 percent annually, with women losing an average of £9,083 compared to men's £5,145. Warning signs include declarations of love too quickly, claims to be in military or medical professions, requests for money for emergencies, and reluctance to video-chat or meet in person.
thecable.ng
· 2025-12-08
Oluseun Omole, a Texas-based Nigerian, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud after defrauding victims of over $12 million in consumer electronics between February 2018 and March 2023. Operating through a shell company called Tobylink Impressions and as part of a Nigeria-based criminal group called "Enterprise," Omole orchestrated online marketplace scams, romance scams, and employment scams to trick thousands of victims into sending electronics, which he repackaged and shipped overseas for profit. He faces up to 20 years in prison and has agreed to pay restitution and forfeit seized goods and currency, with sentencing scheduled for
mdjonline.com
· 2025-12-08
The North Georgia Elder Abuse Task Force, a nonprofit organization of law enforcement and social service professionals, trains investigators and conducts prevention workshops to combat elder abuse and financial exploitation in Georgia. The organization identifies "romance scams" as the most prevalent type of fraud targeting seniors over 65, in which scammers build fake romantic relationships through social media and dating sites to manipulate lonely, isolated older adults into sending money or serving as money mules for laundering schemes. Victims often delay reporting because they are embarrassed by significant losses and reluctant to accept they were deceived, with only about one in 30 victims filing police reports.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
A 24-year-old Sri Lankan man named Ravi was trafficked to a scam center in Myanmar under false pretenses of a data entry job, where he and approximately 40 other migrant workers were forced to conduct romance scams targeting wealthy Western men, working up to 22 hours daily and facing torture and sexual violence when they resisted. According to UN estimates from August 2023, over 120,000 people—predominantly Asian men—have been enslaved in Myanmar scam centers that generate billions of dollars for Chinese crime syndicates and armed groups, with romance scams alone accounting for $652 million in losses across 17,000+ US complaints in
gantnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams targeting elders are at an all-time high, with victims losing $1.3 billion in 2022 alone—more than double the previous year—according to FTC data. Scammers create fake profiles on dating and social media apps, build emotional trust through manipulation and "love bombing," then exploit victims by requesting money for fabricated crises or investment opportunities, often via untraceable methods like cryptocurrency or gift cards. To protect against these scams, individuals should verify identities through video chat, consult trusted friends before sending money, use reverse image searches, and report suspicious activity to the FTC and FBI.
businessinsider.com
· 2025-12-08
Nigerian-based online criminals known as "Yahoo Boys" conduct romance scams that cost Americans $1.3 billion in 2022, with victims—often elderly people targeted for retirement funds and life savings—losing substantial amounts; the scam has become more sophisticated as perpetrators now use AI-generated deepfakes and video calls to impersonate romantic interests and financial officials. A 69-year-old widow lost $39,000 of her life savings, and in Utah alone, victims lost $3.6 million to these scams in 2022, prompting law enforcement to recommend reverse image searches and caution against sending money to people met only online.
the420.in
· 2025-12-08
This compilation covers six major elder fraud and scam cases: Nigerian "Yahoo Boys" used AI-generated deepfakes in romance scams causing $650 million in losses (2021), with recent cases totaling $25 million and a Salt Lake City jury indicting seven members for laundering $8 million; a Montreal woman lost $25,000 to a crypto scam featuring a fake Elon Musk deepfake; Greek police arrested nine individuals who defrauded victims of €305,789 through phone impersonation scams; a Myanmar trafficking operation forced victims into romance scams via torture and exploitation; and a UK survey found 22% of young adults
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Online dating scams surge ahead of Valentine's Day, with dating apps experiencing a 2,087% increase in bot attacks between January 2023 and January 2024, according to Arkose Labs. Scammers use artificial intelligence and bots to create fake profiles and lure victims into romantic relationships before requesting money; in 2022, nearly 70,000 people reported romance scam losses totaling $1.3 billion, with people ages 51-60 most vulnerable. Warning signs include overly formal messages, inconsistent information, odd communication patterns, unrealistic profile photos, and direct money requests.
news4jax.com
· 2025-12-08
A recent study ranked Florida as the fourth most dangerous state for online dating, with the state ranking second for identity theft and fraud and seventh for romance scams. According to FBI data, nearly 1,500 Floridians lost over $53 million to romance scams, with 387 North Florida victims reporting losses exceeding $15 million. The FBI advises victims to report suspected scams immediately and lists warning signs including requests for money, avoidance of in-person meetings, elaborate sob stories, and pressure for secrecy.
buffalonews.com
· 2025-12-08
An online romance scam orchestrated by Nigerian nationals Tochukwu Okerulu and Nicole Dibba defrauded 26 victims of more than $1.5 million, with one local woman losing her entire life savings of over $400,000. Okerulu was sentenced to 11 months and 25 days in federal prison Friday after suffering a debilitating stroke that delayed his case; he acted as a "money mule" in the scheme, posing as a romantic interest to extract funds from victims who believed they had found love online. The second defendant, Dibba, is expected to receive a lighter sentence given her circumstances.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A widow named Laura Kowal lost $1.5 million in a romance scam before her death, revealing the scope of a growing epidemic that law enforcement has struggled to combat effectively. A CBS News investigation found that romance scammers are operating faster and more sophisticatedly than authorities can respond, with experts warning that cases like Kowal's represent a widespread threat to vulnerable populations seeking companionship online.
businessinsider.com
· 2025-12-08
Sanda G. Frimpong, a 33-year-old former Army service member, was sentenced to over three years in federal prison for running a romance scam in which he impersonated military officials, diplomats, and other personas to defraud victims of hundreds of thousands of dollars. One victim, a recently divorced woman, lost at least $100,000 to Frimpong's scheme using the alias "Tom Tanner." Romance scams cost Americans $1.3 billion in 2022 and disproportionately target older adults and vulnerable populations, sometimes depleting life savings, retirement funds, and inheritances.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Laura Kowal, a widowed healthcare executive, lost her $1.5 million nest egg to a romance scammer operating under the name "Frank Borg" on Match.com, who manipulated her through months of calls and emails before pressuring her into fraudulent investments and coercing her to help defraud other victims; she was found dead in the Mississippi River. The FBI and Justice Department reported over 64,000 American romance scam victims in 2023 (with experts believing the true number is significantly higher due to underreporting), with financial losses ballooning from $500 million in 2019 to $1.14 billion in
latintimes.com
· 2025-12-08
From June 2022 to June 2023, the U.S. Department of the Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) recorded 155,415 suspicious Elder Financial Exploitation (EFE) filings totaling $27 billion, affecting victims across racial and ethnic groups. Elder financial crimes fall into two categories: elder theft (misappropriation by trusted individuals) and elder scams (deceptive transfers to strangers), with the latter predominating through schemes like tech support scams and romance scams that exploit cognitive decline, loneliness, and social engineering tactics. Victims—79.7% White, 9.5% Hispanic, and
thestar.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Montreal native Patrice Runner was sentenced to 10 years in prison for leading a mass-mailing fraud scheme that defrauded 1.3 million people in Canada and the U.S. between 1994 and 2014, collecting US$175 million through personalized letters featuring fake psychic predictions and bogus shamans targeting elderly victims. While traditional mail-fraud operations have declined due to investigative efforts, seniors remain vulnerable to evolving scams including emergency and romance fraud, with authorities and prosecutors in Canada criticized for failing to take adequate action against elder fraud despite the low reporting rates and lenient sentencing compared to other crimes.
uk.news.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Army service member Sanda G. Frimpong, 33, was sentenced to over three years in federal prison for operating a romance scam in which he impersonated military officials, diplomats, and other personas to defraud victims of hundreds of thousands of dollars, with at least one victim losing over $100,000 in cashier's checks. Frimpong was ordered to pay substantial restitution to his victims as part of a sentence that highlights the broader problem of romance scams, which cost Americans $1.3 billion in 2022 and often target vulnerable populations including elderly individuals and military veterans.
news.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Sanda G. Frimpong, a 33-year-old Army service member stationed at Fort Bragg, was sentenced to over three years in federal prison for operating a romance scam in which he impersonated military officials, diplomats, and romantic interests to defraud victims. Frimpong used aliases and tricked at least one victim into sending $100,000 in cashier's checks following a recent divorce, and was ordered to pay hundreds of thousands in restitution. Romance scams cost American victims $1.3 billion in 2022, often targeting older adults and military veterans who lose retirement savings and life insurance to these schemes.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A retiree identified as "Sue" lost nearly $2.5 million and her home to a romance scammer she met on Match.com, who used deceptive technology including fake Skype calls and psychological manipulation to build trust over time. The victim emphasizes that sophisticated emotional tactics made the fraudster feel like a trusted partner rather than a stranger, highlighting how romance scams exploit psychological vulnerabilities in their victims.
insideedition.com
· 2025-12-08
A widow lost her entire life savings of $1.5 million to a dating scam after meeting a man claiming to be a Swedish businessman on Match.com; the scammer used a stolen profile photo and convinced her he was "Frank" before convincing her to wire her money. Online dating scams have become increasingly sophisticated and harmful, targeting vulnerable individuals through fake romantic profiles.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
A retired woman lost nearly $2.5 million and her home to a romance scammer she met on Match.com, who used deceptive video calls and psychological manipulation to gain her trust over time. The victim emphasized that the perpetrator no longer felt like a stranger by the time she began sending money, highlighting how romance scammers exploit emotional connections to manipulate victims into financial transfers.
sandhillsexpress.com
· 2025-12-08
A widow named Laura Kowal lost her $1.5 million nest egg to a romance scam perpetrator using the alias "Frank Borg" on Match.com, who manipulated her through emotional connection before coercing her into fraudulent investments and wire transfers; she subsequently died in the Mississippi River. The case exemplifies a growing epidemic of romance scams combined with investment fraud targeting dating app users, with over 64,000 reported American victims in 2023 and losses totaling $1.14 billion in 2022, though experts believe actual figures are significantly higher due to underreporting and shame among victims. Law enforcement officials acknowledge the response has been inadequate, with sc
armytimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Former Army Specialist Sanda Frimpong was sentenced to 40 months in prison in April 2022 for money laundering connected to romance scams that defrauded victims of over $350,000 between December 2019 and February 2022. Operating with three co-conspirators from Fort Liberty, North Carolina, Frimpong impersonated romantic interests, military personnel, and customs officials via WhatsApp and Snapchat to convince victims—including seniors and military veterans—to send money under false pretenses such as inheritance releases and asset transfers. He must also pay restitution to victims and serve three years of supervised release.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A Townsend, Massachusetts woman was victimized by romance scammers posing as actor Thorsten Kaye, who manipulated her through sophisticated scripts and persuasive messaging into sending money and allegedly considering poisoning her husband with contaminated soup. After reporting the fraud to police in December 2023, Doucette was arrested on suspicion of attempted murder when her daughter discovered text exchanges with the scammers discussing "getting rid of" her husband, though toxicology tests came back negative and authorities acknowledge the case's complexity. The incident highlights a growing problem in Massachusetts, where over 14,600 imposter scams were reported in 2023, with federal agents noting that
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI warns that online romance scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, often perpetrated by organized crime rings exploiting dating app users. A victim named Carina lost $150,000 after being manipulated by a fake profile into investing in cryptocurrency over a three-month period, and in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware alone, 970 people reported romance scam losses totaling $33.5 million last year. Experts emphasize that victims experience significant emotional damage beyond financial loss and recommend approaching suspected victims with empathy rather than judgment, while noting that many scammers operate overseas, making recovery difficult.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Laura Kowal, a 57-year-old retired hospital executive from Illinois, was victimized by a romance scam perpetrated by someone posing as "Frank Borg," a Swedish investment adviser, beginning in October 2018; she eventually went missing in 2020 after losing significant money and being manipulated through sophisticated psychological tactics. Her daughter, Kelly Gowe, discovered her mother's disappearance and subsequently learned that over 64,000 Americans were defrauded of more than $1.14 billion through romance scams in a single year, with victims often too ashamed to report the crime. Gowe has since dedicated herself to raising awareness
the-sun.com
· 2025-12-08
A couple aged 71 and 68 in Lancaster County, Nebraska lost $115,000 to scammers who used fear tactics after the couple's computer shut down, falsely claiming the FBI had connected them to child pornography and theft. The scammers convinced the couple to withdraw $115,000 from their bank, purchase gold bars, and hand them over to a man in a silver Ford Explorer who promised to deliver them to Washington D.C. for safekeeping; police believe the gold bars have likely left the country. This represents the largest fraud case Lancaster County Police Department handled in 2024, highlighting how sophisticated scams now involve in-person collection of funds rather than traditional wire transfers
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A widow lost $1.5 million to a romance scam before her death, with her daughter now publicly sharing the story as a cautionary tale to raise awareness and advocate for systemic change to prevent similar fraud cases.