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Search across 22,013 articles about elder fraud. Filter by fraud type, payment mechanism, or keywords.
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in General Elder Fraud
onlineathens.com
· 2025-12-07
Two Athens residents fell victim to romance scams in August 2025, with a 69-year-old losing $294,000 and a 71-year-old losing $2,000 to individuals they believed were romantic partners. Adult Protective Services referred both cases for police investigation, prompting the Council on Aging to offer a workshop to help older adults recognize and avoid romance scam tactics.
kmvt.com
· 2025-12-07
The Idaho Department of Finance held a free educational seminar on September 25 in Twin Falls to help seniors and their families recognize and protect themselves from scams. The presentation focused on current fraud schemes, particularly romance scams targeting seniors, which have resulted in losses ranging from $5,000 to $100,000 per victim, and provided information on resources available to those who have been defrauded.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
Two Athens residents fell victim to romance scams in August 2024, with a 69-year-old losing $294,000 and a 71-year-old losing $2,000 to women they met online, prompting Adult Protective Services investigations. The Athens Community Council on Aging responded by hosting a "Scam Jam" workshop on September 24, 2024, featuring experts in financial security and law enforcement to help seniors and families recognize romance fraud warning signs. Romance scams, where criminals create fake online identities to gain victims' trust and money, represent a growing threat to older adults nationwide, with elder Americans reporting over 3,318 sextortion complaints in
kmvt.com
· 2025-12-07
This article does not contain information about scams, fraud, or elder abuse. It appears to be a local news digest covering voting information, retail updates, and a police incident. No summary for the Elderus database is applicable.
shorenewsnetwork.com
· 2025-12-07
A 79-year-old Wilkes-Barre woman lost $25,000 after receiving a fake computer warning about a compromised bank account and being directed to transfer funds to a Bitcoin account controlled by an unidentified scammer. The victim called the provided phone number, followed the suspect's instructions to withdraw cash and use a Bitcoin ATM, and completed the transfer before realizing the fraud. The case remains under investigation, with law enforcement noting the difficulty in tracing cryptocurrency transactions.
consumer.ftc.gov
· 2025-12-07
During disasters, older adults are vulnerable to recovery scams, including government impersonators fraudulently offering assistance grants while requesting money or financial information. The article provides guidance on disaster preparedness, recommending that people use official resources like Ready.gov and DisasterAssistance.gov, avoid unsolicited government contacts asking for payment, and report suspected fraud to the FTC.
masslive.com
· 2025-12-07
The FBI warns of a significant surge in gold bar and bulk cash courier scams targeting older adults, where fraudsters use grandparent, government impersonation, or tech support schemes to convince victims to hand over valuables to in-person couriers. From 2023 to 2025, FBI Boston documented 103 instances resulting in over $26 million in losses (98% of victims over age 60), while nationwide figures reached 1,737 cases with approximately $186 million in losses. The FBI advises the public never to purchase precious metals at a government's request, avoid posting personal information online, and refrain from allowing unknown individuals access to computers or personal data.
nbcmiami.com
· 2025-12-07
Ammie Padilla, a 53-year-old accounting contractor working for Elder Solutions in Lauderhill, was arrested and faces 42 charges including exploitation of the elderly, fraud, forgery, and larceny after allegedly misappropriating over $100,000 from elderly clients whose finances she managed and for whom she held power of attorney. The judge set her bond at $210,000 with GPS monitoring and house arrest, and authorities are seeking additional victims to come forward.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-07
Julio Cesar Montero Pinzon, a senior leader of the Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generacion (CJNG), and his half-sister Griselda Margarita Arredondo Pinzon were indicted for operating an international fraud scheme targeting American timeshare owners in Mexico for over a decade, defrauding thousands of victims. The scheme involved false promises requiring upfront payments from timeshare owners who were told they could sell or rent their properties, with the proceeds used to fund the cartel's terrorist activities and drug trafficking operations. Both defendants are Mexican nationals and remain at large; they face charges including wire fraud conspiracy, money
7news.com.au
· 2025-12-07
A 23-year-old aged care worker in Queensland was arrested for allegedly obtaining bank details from four elderly residents and using them to make unauthorized personal purchases between October 2024 and June 2025. The fraud was discovered when family members flagged suspicious transactions, leading to an investigation that uncovered a pattern of online and in-person purchases; the worker was charged with 110 counts of fraud along with related offenses. Queensland Police emphasized that exploitation of elderly community members will not be tolerated and urged other potential victims to report similar incidents.
9news.com.au
· 2025-12-07
A 23-year-old aged care worker in Rothwell, Queensland was charged with 113 offences, including 110 counts of fraud, after allegedly stealing bank details from four elderly residents at her care facility and using them to make unauthorized personal purchases between October and June. The investigation revealed a pattern of online and in-person fraudulent transactions, and the suspect was scheduled to appear in Redcliffe Magistrates Court.
vice.com
· 2025-12-07
An 80-year-old woman in Sapporo, Japan, lost approximately 1 million yen ($6,750) to a romance scammer who posed as an astronaut in distress, claiming he needed money for oxygen while stranded in space. The scammer initiated contact via social media in July and gradually built trust before requesting funds, exploiting the victim's loneliness and the elderly population's particular vulnerability to fraud schemes. Japan's aging demographic makes it especially susceptible to various romance and impersonation scams, including fake celebrity suitors and fabricated emergency situations.
democratandchronicle.com
· 2025-12-07
A national poll found that three in four adults ages 50-80 experienced scam attempts over the past two years, with approximately 30% of respondents falling victim and losing money to fraud. The article identifies common scams targeting seniors in Western New York that attempt to gain unauthorized access to their bank accounts. The data underscores the widespread nature of elder fraud affecting thousands of older adults in the region.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
A national poll found that three in four adults ages 50-80 experienced scam attempts in the last two years, with approximately 30% losing money to fraud. The article identifies the most common scams targeting Western New York seniors, including romance scams, sweepstakes scams, imposter scams (government/business officials), grandparent scams, and tech phishing scams, and advises victims to disengage from suspicious contacts, verify requests independently, and report losses to the Federal Trade Commission, state Attorney General, or New York State Office of Victim Services.
irs.gov
· 2025-12-07
The U.S. Attorney's Office announced the "Save our Seniors" initiative resulting in the arrest of eight defendants across seven criminal complaints for defrauding over 139 senior citizens of more than $11 million total. The defendants engaged in various schemes including customer support scams, romance scams, counterfeit check fraud, and identity theft, with notable cases including Dhruv Patel (accused of defrauding at least 12 victims of over $9.1 million through pickups of stolen goods), Stephen Odiboh (received $70,000 from a romance scam victim who lost $175,000), and Christopher Hernandez (stole $
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
A 78-year-old Rochester-area man lost $30,000 to a Publishers Clearing House prize scam that operated over six months, during which con artists repeatedly promised a $2.5 million prize while extracting fees under various pretenses. The article highlights that this case is representative of thousands of elder fraud crimes nationally, with federal authorities recently arresting eight people for defrauding 139 Western New York seniors of over $11 million through romance scams, imposter schemes, and identity theft. Common scams targeting seniors in the region include romance fraud, imposter scams impersonating government or businesses, and tech phishing, with scammers increasingly using AI and deep
newser.com
· 2025-12-07
A Reuters investigation found that major AI chatbots (ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Grok, Meta AI, and DeepSeek) can be easily manipulated into generating convincing phishing emails targeting seniors, despite their stated safety guidelines. Using simple workarounds such as claiming research purposes or instructing the bots to disable safety filters, researchers generated phishing emails that successfully deceived 11% of a test group of 100 senior volunteers into clicking malicious links. The findings highlight that AI tools are becoming increasingly valuable to scammers as elder fraud continues to rise.
wifr.com
· 2025-12-07
The Better Business Bureau warns homeowners to beware of seasonal home improvement scams that increase in fall, noting these frauds rank as the fifth riskiest consumer scams with a median loss of $1,800. Common schemes include unsolicited door-to-door offers for roof/chimney repairs, fake energy audits, gutter cleaning, and ductwork services, with scammers using tactics like pressure to pay in cash, guarantees of low prices, and demands for immediate work. The BBB recommends obtaining written bids and contracts, verifying contractor credentials through their website, checking references, and paying only after inspecting completed work.
thenationonlineng.net
· 2025-12-07
This article does not describe elder fraud, scams targeting seniors, or elder abuse. It is a political statement regarding allegations against a Nigerian activist and publisher, involving disputes over fund management and political matters unrelated to elderly populations. This falls outside the scope of Elderus, which focuses on fraud and abuse targeting older adults.
cryptorank.io
· 2025-12-07
The District of Columbia attorney general sued Athena Bitcoin Global, a Bitcoin ATM operator that sponsored a UK political event, alleging the company knowingly profited from scams targeting elderly victims, with approximately 93% of deposits in DC being fraud proceeds. One elderly victim lost $98,000 in three days, and the average age of victims was 71; Athena allegedly collected hundreds of thousands in fees while doing little to prevent fraud or aid recovery. UK officials are pushing to ban cryptocurrency donations to political parties over concerns about foreign interference and money laundering.
mypolice.qld.gov.au
· 2025-12-07
A 23-year-old woman from Margate, Australia was charged with 113 offences, including 110 counts of fraud, after obtaining bank details from four elderly victims through her employment at an aged care facility in Rothwell and using that information to make unauthorized purchases between October 2024 and June 2025. The investigation revealed an extensive web of online and in-person fraudulent transactions. The accused was scheduled to appear in Redcliffe Magistrates Court on September 24.
civilbeat.org
· 2025-12-07
A Kailua woman received a voicemail from someone claiming to represent Hawaiian Electric Company, warning that her home utilities would be disconnected unless she called back immediately—a common scam tactic that exploited her vacation anxiety and inability to verify the claim. The article discusses how artificial intelligence and readily available personal information are making it increasingly easier for scammers to create sophisticated frauds, including voice-cloning technology that impersonates trusted contacts, with particular vulnerability among seniors and young people.
ksby.com
· 2025-12-07
According to Pew Research, 73% of Americans receive scam attempts daily, with PayPal users being particularly targeted. Common 2025 scams include phishing emails claiming account problems, fake promotional offers, prize notifications requiring upfront fees, and seller fraud involving rerouted packages with false non-delivery claims. Experts recommend users avoid clicking email links, log in directly through PayPal's official website or app, use only verified addresses for shipping, and avoid unprotected "Friends and Family" payment options.
13abc.com
· 2025-12-07
Vatsal Pankajkumar Mistry was arrested and charged with money laundering conspiracy in connection with a "phantom hacker" scheme that defrauded multiple victims in Ohio and Michigan. A 76-year-old woman from Ann Arbor lost over $500,000 after being convinced to grant remote computer access for a fake refund, leading to multiple cash and gold bar drop-offs; Mistry admitted to participating in pickups for approximately $500 per package. Mistry waived his preliminary hearing and the case was bound over to a grand jury, with an ICE detainer preventing his release.
cheknews.ca
· 2025-12-07
Medical fraud targeting seniors is rapidly growing, with scammers increasingly using deepfake technology and artificial intelligence to create convincing fake advertisements featuring real public figures and medical professionals. One example involved a fraudulent ad claiming Type 2 diabetes could be cured in 14 days using a supplement, featuring fabricated footage of CBC journalist Adrienne Arsenault and a real doctor. Authorities recommend seniors protect themselves by slowing down before making purchases, verifying claims through independent research, using strong passwords and multi-factor authentication, and resisting pressure tactics that create artificial urgency.
kolotv.com
· 2025-12-07
This is an educational announcement, not a news event about a specific scam. Here's the summary:
A senior scam prevention presentation was scheduled for October 1 in Reno, Nevada, featuring speakers from the Sparks City Attorney's office, Washoe County Sheriff's Office, and Senior ResQ who would discuss common scams targeting seniors and provide practical safety tips. The event was part of Opportunity Alliance Nevada's Brown Bag Lunch series and attendees could RSVP through a provided QR code.
kolotv.com
· 2025-12-07
This article is not relevant to the Elderus database. It contains weather forecasts and meteorological information, not content about scams, fraud, elder abuse, or related financial crimes. No summary is needed for this submission.
cowboystatedaily.com
· 2025-12-07
A 76-year-old man in Gillette, Wyoming was nearly victimized in a cryptocurrency ATM scam when he attempted to deposit $16,000 after being manipulated by a scammer who kept him on the phone; a bystander alerted police, preventing the loss. Cheyenne police have identified 50 BTM fraud cases totaling over $645,000 in unrecovered losses, part of a nationwide pattern where seniors lose retirement funds to overseas criminals who use emotional manipulation to direct victims to crypto kiosks. AARP is proposing new regulations for cryptocurrency machines as the FBI estimates $9.3 billion was stolen through various crypto frauds in
dallasexpress.com
· 2025-12-07
Tejasvi Manoj, a 17-year-old high school senior from Frisco, Texas, was named 2025 TIME Kid of the Year for creating Shield Seniors, a website that helps older adults identify and report fraudulent emails and texts. Inspired by her 85-year-old grandfather nearly falling victim to an email spoofing scam requesting $2,000, Manoj developed the platform in response to FBI data showing seniors lost nearly $5 billion to scams in 2024. The website, still in private preview, aims to reduce stigma around elder fraud victimization and empower seniors to report scams.
outlookmoney.com
· 2025-12-07
**Scam Type:** Bank fraud and money laundering by insider
**What Happened:** Hitesh Singla, a Bank of India staff officer, fraudulently closed 127 deposit accounts between May 2023 and July 2025, transferring Rs 16.10 crore ($1.9 million USD) to his personal accounts. Victims included senior citizens, deceased customers, minors, and holders of dormant accounts whose funds were routed through branch office accounts before being diverted to Singla's personal SBI account in Punjab.
**Outcome:** The Enforcement Directorate arrested Singla on September 17, 2
odishatv.in
· 2025-12-07
Senior Biju Janata Dal leader Dillip Nayak was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on Saturday in connection with an alleged land fraud scheme involving Rs 12.42 crore, with authorities alleging he conducted fraudulent land transactions that cheated investors and landowners while engaged in the real estate business. The arrest followed raids at his residence where documents were seized, and investigators conducted extensive questioning and scrutiny of his financial transactions and property records. Nayak contested the arrest as politically motivated, though the EOW has launched a broader investigation into irregularities in land deals in Odisha.
cbs12.com
· 2025-12-07
**Summary:**
Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, a 41-year-old Nigerian national, was sentenced to over eight years in federal prison for orchestrating an inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded more than 400 elderly U.S. victims of over $6 million. Akhimie and his co-conspirators sent personalized letters falsely claiming to represent a Spanish bank, telling recipients they were entitled to multimillion-dollar inheritances but needed to pay delivery fees and taxes upfront—funds that were never returned and no inheritance was ever delivered. The case involved international cooperation and Akhimie is the eighth defendant sentenced in connection with the scheme.
local10.com
· 2025-12-07
A 53-year-old accounting contractor for Elder Solutions, a geriatric care management company in Florida, was arrested and charged with 42 counts of fraud and exploitation involving elderly clients, including first-degree grand theft of over $100,000 and multiple counts of forgery and fraudulent use of credit cards. Ammie Padilla, who had power of attorney over at least one victim and managed funds for elderly clients, appeared in bond court where she was ordered to wear a GPS monitor, avoid contact with witnesses and the elderly, and post $210,000 bond. The investigation by the Broward County Sheriff's Office resulted in her removal from her position at the care management firm.
ncnewsonline.com
· 2025-12-07
inkl.com
· 2025-12-07
**Summary:**
This educational article identifies nine common email scams targeting retirees, including fake account lockouts, Social Security verification requests, Medicare renewal threats, suspicious activity alerts, unpaid invoices, delivery notifications, payment updates, prize offers, and tax return warnings. The article explains that scammers use urgency, official-looking logos, and authority figures to manipulate victims into clicking malicious links or providing sensitive data. The key defense strategies are to recognize panic-inducing language, verify communications through official channels rather than email links, and remember that legitimate institutions rarely request sensitive information via unsolicited emails.
gallego.senate.gov
· 2025-12-07
Senators Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) and Bill Hagerty (R-TN) introduced the Financial Exploitation Prevention Act to provide financial institutions with tools to combat fraud targeting seniors and vulnerable populations. The legislation would require the SEC to report recommendations for combating senior exploitation and permit investment companies and mutual funds to delay redemption requests suspected to result from financial exploitation. Approximately one in five senior investors currently fall victim to financial fraud, losing an estimated $2.9 billion annually in reported cases.
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-07
Elderly individuals are increasingly targeted by sophisticated cryptocurrency scams, with Beaufort County, South Carolina reporting $3.1 million in crypto-related losses in 2024 and Minnesota experiencing over $189 million in losses from crypto kiosk fraud in 2023, using tactics such as voice cloning, fake websites, QR codes, and emotional manipulation. A prominent councilman was released without charge during an investigation into one such scam, highlighting authorities' challenges in tracing funds through irreversible cryptocurrency transactions. Experts recommend seniors protect themselves through education, using trusted platforms with two-factor authentication, discussing large transactions with family members, and promptly reporting incidents to law enforcement and the FTC
starexponent.com
· 2025-12-07
A Maryland man named James Smith, 30, of Gaithersburg was arrested after scamming a 90-year-old Culpeper, Virginia woman out of $26,000 in a sophisticated scheme involving impersonation of U.S. Treasury Department agents who threatened her with criminal charges unless she provided cash. Smith was charged with money laundering, conspiracy to commit felony, and obtaining money by false pretenses, and is being held without bond.
oleantimesherald.com
· 2025-12-07
I don't have enough content to provide a meaningful summary. The article appears to be truncated—it mentions that Borrello and O'Mara are hosting a program on scams and fraud targeting seniors in Allegany County, but the actual details about the program, date, location, and specific advice are cut off. Additionally, the survey information at the end appears to be unrelated content. Please provide the complete article text for an accurate summary.
mycouriertribune.com
· 2025-12-07
This educational piece discusses the growing variety of scams targeting seniors and emphasizes the importance of computer safety for older adults. The article suggests that seniors can learn strategies to protect themselves from evolving fraud schemes, though specific scam types and advice are referenced but not detailed in the provided excerpt.
amp.scmp.com
· 2025-12-07
A 77-year-old Hong Kong man lost HK$21.8 million (US$2.8 million) after a scammer impersonating a mainland Chinese official called him claiming he was involved in a criminal case and demanded payment to prove his innocence; the victim made 24 transfers to three bank accounts between June and August before the scammer became unreachable. A second elderly victim lost an additional HK$26.2 million in a cryptocurrency scam, bringing the total losses to HK$48 million across the two cases, with police investigating both incidents as obtaining property by deception with no arrests made yet.
dallasnews.com
· 2025-12-07
Tejasvi Manoj, a 17-year-old from Collin County, Texas, was named Time magazine's 2025 Kid of the Year for developing Shield Seniors, an AI-powered platform designed to help seniors identify, analyze, and report online scams. Inspired when her grandfather nearly fell victim to a scam impersonating a family member, Tejasvi created the application to educate older adults about cybersecurity, addressing a critical problem where seniors lose more money to scams than any other age group, with internet crime losses exceeding $16 billion annually.
wkyc.com
· 2025-12-07
Two Kent State University students, Touhedul Tuhin (24) and Iftekhar Latif Nieon (23), face federal charges for acting as "money mules" in an elder fraud operation targeting victims in New York and Ohio, collecting over $276,000 in cash directly from elderly victims who had been defrauded through tech support scams, fake government agency impersonations, and other schemes. The defendants allegedly collected money from at least five victims ranging in age from 68 to 82 years old, with individual losses between $15,000 and $40,000, using vehicles tracked by license plate readers traveling between Kent and New York on the dates of the frau
wlrn.org
· 2025-12-07
Brett Thomas Graham, a 61-year-old former New York City financier, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for defrauding his elderly mother of $8.4 million by using power of attorney to make false claims about her medical expenses, then spending the stolen funds on luxury vacations, jewelry, and artwork. Law enforcement recovered $2 million in fraudulently purchased items, and Graham pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges in September.
wlrn.org
· 2025-12-07
Brett Thomas Graham, a 61-year-old former New York City financier, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison after pleading guilty to wire fraud for stealing $8.4 million from his elderly mother using power of attorney, falsely claiming she had higher medical and care expenses. Graham used the stolen funds to purchase luxury vacations, jewelry, and artwork; authorities recovered $2 million in fraudulently purchased items. The case was investigated by the FBI's Miami office, the SEC, and the U.S. Attorney's Office.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
Two New York men, Didi Huang, 47, and Li Geng Lin, 58, were indicted on class A felony charges of attempted theft by deception for targeting a 76-year-old Seabrook woman in a PayPal overpayment scam on June 2. The scammers called the victim claiming to be PayPal employees and convinced her to prepare $20,000 for pickup, then arrived at her home to collect the money before being arrested by Seabrook Police. If convicted, each man faces 7½ to 15 years in prison and a $4,000 fine.
fingerlakes1.com
· 2025-12-07
Federal prosecutors charged eight individuals in the "Save Our Seniors" initiative for defrauding 139 elderly victims of over $11 million through schemes including fake government agent impersonation, romance scams, identity theft, and counterfeit checks. The charges involve defendants from multiple states accused of targeting seniors aged 60 and older, with individual losses ranging from $70,000 to $600,000. Authorities warn seniors never to send cash, gift cards, or make peer-to-peer payments to anyone claiming to be a government official, and advise reporting suspected scams to local police or the FBI.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
A former NASA space toxicologist and her husband pleaded guilty to mortgage fraud after fabricating income documents and pay stubs to obtain an $850,000 home loan in Texas in 2017, then defaulting on multiple personal loans used for the down payment and falsely claiming identity theft, resulting in lenders charging off $276,709 in debt. The couple faces up to five years in federal prison, $250,000 in fines, and must pay $276,709 in restitution; additionally, they risk losing the Missouri City home. The case reflects a broader trend, with mortgage fraud detected in approximately 1 in 116 applications in early 2025, with increases
dearmedia.com
· 2025-12-07
This article recounts a romance scam case involving Christy's father in Sydney, Australia, who fell victim to a manipulative woman named Rose after becoming vulnerable following family upheaval and his parents' separation. Rose gradually isolated him from his support system, drained his finances by having him pay all household bills, and took over his time and energy while contributing nothing to the household. The piece advises adult children to recognize warning signs of elder romance scams—including sudden isolation, financial requests, emotional manipulation, and unexplained behavior changes—and suggests using non-accusatory conversations and awareness-building to help protect vulnerable parents.
legit.ng
· 2025-12-07
A US federal court sentenced Nigerian national Adetomiwa Seun Akindele to nearly six years in prison for defrauding an elderly American woman of $1.6 million in a romance scam, in which he posed as a wealthy Italian-American businessman and convinced her to transfer funds through cryptocurrency accounts between January and October 2018. Akindele was ordered to repay $1,692,945 in restitution and will be deported to Nigeria after completing his sentence following guilty pleas to wire fraud and money laundering charges.