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The Boston Police Department warns that older residents face multiple evolving scams, including cryptocurrency fraud (with Boston residents losing over $9 million in 2024), home improvement schemes, imposter scams (up 400% since 2020 among victims losing $10,000+), and unwitting money mule recruitment. Police advise seniors to research investments, verify contractor credentials, hang up on suspicious callers and independently confirm with known numbers, keep digital wallet keys private, and avoid transferring money for unknown parties.

This article explores the digital divide among elderly Filipinos, highlighting that while some seniors like 67-year-old Paz Deocariza have successfully adopted technology to connect with family abroad, the vast majority remain excluded from digital life. A 2021 study found that only 18% of Filipinos aged 65 and older possess basic ICT skills, with barriers including poverty, lack of access, and limited interest in learning technology. The piece illustrates how this exclusion affects seniors' daily lives, from communication with distant family to accessing essential services and emergency help.

This educational article identifies the six most common financial scams in 2025, including imposter scams, online shopping scams, investment scams, job opportunity scams, carrier scams, and debt/credit scams, which are perpetrated through phone calls, texts, emails, social media, websites, and pop-ups. According to the Federal Trade Commission, scams resulted in $12.5 billion in losses in 2024, with people aged 70 and older losing significantly more money than any other age group, sometimes losing their entire life savings. The article advises consumers to avoid clicking links in unsolicited messages, verify the legitimacy of contacts before sharing personal information, and remain vigil

Kimberly Stamps, an Arizona woman, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud for operating a mass-mailing prize notice scheme that defrauded thousands of elderly and vulnerable consumers of over $15 million between 2012 and 2018. The scheme involved sending fraudulent notices claiming victims had won cash prizes, requiring fees of $20-$50 to claim their winnings, with victims receiving only worthless trinkets or sweepstakes reports instead. Stamps, who violated a prior postal service cease-and-desist order, is the third and final defendant to plead guilty in the conspiracy.

Kimberly Stamps, owner of a mass-mailing prize notice fraud scheme, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud after defrauding thousands of elderly and vulnerable consumers of over $15 million between 2012 and 2018. The scheme involved sending millions of fraudulent notices claiming victims had won large cash prizes if they paid $20-$50 fees, then inundating responsive victims with additional fraudulent mailings while delivering only worthless trinkets or sweepstakes reports. Stamps has been sentenced as the third conspirator to plead guilty, and the Justice Department urges seniors to disregard unsolicited prize notifications and contact the National Elder Fraud Hot

A House Financial Services Committee hearing highlighted that fraud and scams cost Americans over $2 billion weekly, with the FTC reporting $12.5 billion in annual losses for 2024, though experts believe the true figure is significantly higher due to lack of unified tracking mechanisms. The testimony and accompanying research emphasize that combating this fragmented, internationally-organized problem requires a comprehensive national strategy with coordinated buy-in from social media companies, telecommunications firms, financial institutions, law enforcement, and government agencies, along with legal protections allowing institutions to share fraud data. Key scams affecting Americans include romance, sextortion, "pig butchering," AI-generated voice calls impersonating family members

Thai and South Korean authorities arrested 33 members of the "Lungo Company" scam ring that defrauded over 870 South Koreans of approximately $15 million through a multi-layered scheme combining cryptocurrency fraud, romance scams, and fake lottery schemes. The group laundered proceeds through prepaid cards, over-the-counter brokers, and micro-transactions coordinated via encrypted messaging apps, with nine core members currently in Thai custody awaiting extradition to South Korea.

Thai police dismantled the "Lungo Company" scam ring that defrauded over 870 South Koreans of $15 million using cryptocurrency, romance, and fake lottery schemes, resulting in the arrest of 25 suspects in South Korea and 9 core members in Thailand. The sophisticated operation employed multiple fraud tactics combined with complex money laundering methods including prepaid cards, casino cash-outs, and encrypted messaging apps like Telegram and WeChat to conceal stolen funds through OTC brokers in Southeast Asia.

Boston University students lost $624,300 to scammers between January and September, with 90 percent of losses occurring in four cases involving impostors posing as Chinese police or officials. The BUPD reports 29 total larceny scams occurred through multiple channels, with job/employment scams being most common among students, while authorities also warned of nationwide fraud schemes involving fake apartment rentals, fraudulent identity theft reports, and immigration-related extortion targeting international students. Key prevention advice includes not answering calls from unknown numbers, verifying direct contact with authorities through official channels, and never providing payment or personal information before viewing rental properties in person.

Police arrested 25 members of a fraud ring called "Lungo Company" operating from a Thailand resort who stole approximately $15.1 million from nearly 900 Korean victims between July 2024 and July 2025. The organized group specialized in multiple scam methods including romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, fake reservation schemes, and impersonation of government institutions, with members divided into specialized teams and subjected to strict control including passport confiscation and movement restrictions. The ringleader and additional members remain in Thai custody while Korea pursues extradition, with investigators examining potential connections to other fraud operations and the group's money laundering methods.

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.

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.

Dennis and Carole received a phishing email impersonating Sam's Club, offering a $100 reward for completing a survey; Carole clicked through and entered her email address but no credit card information. Although no immediate financial risk exists, scammers now have her active email address and may target her with more sophisticated phishing attempts or sell it to spam lists. The article recommends running antivirus scans, reporting the email as phishing, and considering data removal services to reduce future targeting.

A 62-year-old woman named Prema from Kerala, India disappeared after losing over Rs 11 lakh ($13,200 USD) to a lottery scam in which she was deceived into believing she had won Rs 15 crore. She was last seen boarding a bus on September 14, and police have since located her via CCTV footage in Guruvayur as they investigate her disappearance and the circumstances surrounding the fraud.

According to the Senate Aging Committee's latest report, scams targeting older adults are increasingly leveraging artificial intelligence, cryptocurrency, and person-to-person payment transfers to defraud victims who are targeted for their accumulated assets and trusting nature. Reported losses to those age 60 and over surged by over 40% in 2024, with cryptocurrency-related losses jumping by two-thirds, while scammers employ AI-enabled tools like voice cloning and deepfake videos to make imposter scams more convincing and easier to deploy at scale. Common fraud types include imposter scams, online shopping fraud, lottery scams, and investment fraud, with cryptocurrency and P2

The Ottawa County Task Force on Aging held a 2025 summit to educate seniors about common scams including grandkid scams, tech support fraud, IRS impersonation, lottery/sweepstakes schemes, and identity theft. Financial experts from local credit unions and banks emphasized that victims should verify suspicious calls by hanging up and calling back on known numbers, never pay upfront fees for winnings, and report suspected fraud to their banks and local law enforcement without shame. The presentation highlighted that while scammers are persistent, seniors have access to community resources and protection through banks, nonprofits, and law enforcement agencies.

This educational piece describes four common scams targeting seniors age 60 and older: Social Security impostor scams (where criminals falsely claim account suspension and request gift card transfers), tech support scams (fraudsters pose as company representatives to gain remote device access and charge bogus fees), lottery scams (perpetrators claim victims won foreign lotteries and demand fees until funds are depleted), and romance scams (scammers use dating sites to build relationships and solicit money). The Elder Justice Initiative provides information on these fraud schemes to help older adults recognize and avoid becoming victims of financial exploitation.

A former U.S. Postal Inspector in Massachusetts was indicted on 45 federal charges for stealing over $330,000 from mail sent by elderly scam victims between 2019 and 2023, with victims averaging 75 years old and losing amounts between $1,400 and $19,100. Scott Kelley, who headed the Mail Fraud Team investigating scams targeting seniors, allegedly intercepted approximately 1,950 suspicious parcels and pocketed cash from them, then laundered the funds through money orders and personal accounts while spending on luxury items including a pool deck, Caribbean cruises, and other goods and services. He also allegedly stole $7,000

This educational article outlines six prevalent scams targeting Americans: phishing emails and texts impersonating legitimate companies; online shopping fraud through fake websites (accounting for nearly one-third of reported scams in 2023); fake job offers requiring upfront payments (16,000+ complaints in 2023 totaling $81 million in losses); romance scams costing victims $1.14 billion in 2023; tech support scams resulting in $600 million in losses primarily affecting older adults; and fake check/overpayment scams targeting online sellers. The article provides protective measures for each scam type, including verifying communications directly with companies, using secure payment methods, and avoiding clicking

A 95-year-old North Carolina woman lost $18,000 to a door-to-door driveway repair scam in May, where a man falsely claimed to represent the city government and promised subsidized repairs; the work cracked immediately after completion. Brian Alexander Taulton, 57, was arrested in September after defrauding multiple elderly victims of over $100,000 combined through similar home repair schemes across multiple states, and is facing 22 felony charges including exploiting disabled/elderly persons and obtaining property by false pretense.

In 2024, the FBI recorded 147,127 scam reports involving Americans age 60 and over, resulting in nearly $5 billion in stolen funds. Arizona had the highest rate of fraud complaints among seniors (88.3 per 100,000 people age 60+), followed by Indiana and Nevada, with imposter scams and tech support scams being the most common types. Experts note that seniors should be alert to unsolicited contacts, unusual payment methods, and pressure to act urgently, as scam attempts and underreporting vary significantly by state.

This resource is a law enforcement guide for investigating cryptocurrency-enabled scams, which have caused at least $53 billion in losses since 2023, with figures likely underreported due to delayed victim reporting. The guide provides investigators with essential terminology, investigation methodologies, and blockchain forensics techniques to trace fraudulent cryptocurrency transactions and identify the real-world controllers behind pseudonymous addresses. It serves as a practical manual for police and law enforcement professionals to understand and combat crypto-related investment scams, phishing schemes, and other cryptocurrency fraud.

A scammer impersonated a pastor at NorthRidge Church in northeast Kansas by sending emails to church members requesting gift card purchases with claims of urgency, though no one fell for the scam due to misspellings in the fraudulent email. The Seneca Police Department warns of this impersonation tactic, noting that Americans lost $1.1 billion to impersonation scams in 2023, with gift card scams being a common method where scammers pose as government officials, tech support, family members, or other trusted sources.

The Elder Justice Initiative highlights common financial scams targeting seniors age 60 and older, including Social Security impostor scams (false suspension claims), tech support scams (fake virus/hacking warnings), lottery scams (foreign sweepstakes requiring upfront fees), and romance scams (online dating schemes requesting money). Digital technology has increased seniors' vulnerability to these schemes, which exploit personal information and trust, making elder fraud a recognized threat requiring public education and awareness efforts.

Christopher Gibbon, 54, was arrested in Connecticut in August 2025 after nearly six years as a fugitive for his role in a Jamaican lottery scam that operated from December 2016 to July 2018. Gibbon participated in the scheme by receiving payments from victims who were fraudulently told they had won the lottery and needed to pay taxes on their winnings; he collected money from at least four victims, including one North Carolina resident who sent $50,000, and forwarded portions to co-conspirators in Jamaica. He is charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and bank fraud, along with additional counts of mail fraud and bank fraud, and will be detained until trial

Financial exploitation of older adults is rising at epidemic rates through scams, family manipulation, and digital illiteracy, with the FBI reporting over 100,000 victims age 60+ in 2023 and total losses exceeding $3 billion (averaging $35,000 per person). Older adults are particularly vulnerable due to trust, isolation from face-to-face interaction, and a digital divide, with those age 80+ suffering the highest median losses. Common schemes include tech support, grandparent scams, government impersonation, romance scams, and increasingly sophisticated AI-generated voice clones, while many cases go unreported due to shame or involvement of trusted family members

Florida launched Operation Senior Shield, a free statewide alert system designed to warn seniors about emerging scams targeting their phones, computers, and homes before criminals can exploit them. The program provides education from cybersecurity experts and "ethical hackers" who teach seniors how scammers operate, helping them recognize and avoid common fraud tactics like utility shutoff threats, fake accidents, and insurance scams. Seniors are encouraged to stay informed through community conversations, report suspicious activity, and remember that hanging up on unknown callers is acceptable and may protect their savings.

The Michigan Lottery is warning residents about scam artists impersonating lottery agents or winners and tricking people into sending money by claiming they've won prizes they never entered. These scams typically start with a request for payment for supposed processing fees or taxes, and scammers often return asking for more money as additional "costs" arise. To protect yourself, remember that the Michigan Lottery processes legitimate claims for free and you can only win if you actually purchased a ticket—if you're unsure about an offer, call 844-917-6325 to verify its legitimacy before sending any money.

This transcript does not contain content suitable for the Elderus elder fraud database. The article discusses a news show covering topics including vaccine mandate debates, cryptocurrency scams, and weather/tropical systems, but does not provide substantive details about any specific scam, fraud incident, or elder abuse case. To create a meaningful summary for Elderus, please provide an article with detailed information about an actual fraud event or elder abuse incident.

A Jamaican man named Sherwane Benjamin Bellfonte, known as "the Iceman," was extradited to Tucson to face federal prosecution for an elaborate romance and sweepstakes scam targeting an 85-year-old woman from Veil, Arizona, between December 2015 and January 2019. Bellfonte and his co-conspirators defrauded the now-deceased victim of approximately $400,000 by posing as a romantic interest while pressuring her to send money. The FBI reports increasing numbers of similar scams targeting Arizona's elderly population.

The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Department held a community presentation in Carpinteria to warn residents about a dramatic increase in scams, including prize/giveaway scams, romance fraud, and other schemes designed to extract money or personal information from victims. While scams affect people across all demographics, seniors are disproportionately targeted, and attendees learned to recognize red flags and protect themselves from various fraud tactics.

Scammers are increasingly targeting older adults, particularly those over 75, using sweepstakes, impersonation, and text message scams to steal money and personal information. Law enforcement agencies recommend treating all unsolicited communications as potential scams and emphasize that education and skepticism are the best defenses against these frauds, with experts advising never to trust unexpected offers or requests for personal information.

This 60 Minutes segment examines why investment fraud and Ponzi schemes continue to thrive despite public awareness of high-profile cases like Bernie Madoff's multi-billion dollar fraud. The piece features expert Ricky Jay discussing how con artists exploit human psychology—including greed and excessive trust—and identifies key warning signs such as dealings with well-established figures who rely on exclusive affiliations to build credibility. The segment highlights that despite financial disasters and skepticism, investors remain vulnerable to sophisticated scams, a phenomenon regulators refer to as "ponzi-monium."

Scammers are targeting college students seeking scholarships and grants through two primary methods: calling or mailing fake "scholarship award" letters that require upfront processing fees (which victims never recover), and selling memberships to purported scholarship databases that don't deliver promised results. The Better Business Bureau reports these scams exploit the fact that approximately 25% of college students receive scholarship or grant funding annually.

Sweepstakes and lottery scams rank as the #5 most common fraud scheme of 2024, claiming hundreds of thousands of victims annually through letters, phone calls, and emails that falsely claim they've won a prize. Scammers use tactics including fake checks (which bounce after victims deposit them), requests for gift card payments for taxes and fees, or demands for cryptocurrency, but victims can avoid this scam by remembering they cannot win a lottery they never entered.

U.S. consumers lost over $10 billion to holiday scams last year, with cybercriminals exploiting the increased online shopping activity during the season. Common scams to avoid include fake delivery notifications (often with suspicious foreign phone numbers), fraudulent social media ads mimicking legitimate retailers, and bogus surveys or giveaways offering free items.

Cryptocurrency and other online scams targeting Americans aged 60 and older reached alarming levels, with the number of seniors defrauded of $100,000 or more tripling between 2020 and 2023. The FTC reported $1.9 billion in confirmed fraud losses for this age group in 2023, though estimates suggest the actual figure may reach $62 billion when accounting for unreported cases. Common scams include romance schemes, impersonation of family members or government agencies like Social Security, lottery schemes, and cryptocurrency investment fraud.

Halloween spending reached a record $12.2 billion last year, but experts warn consumers to beware of scams including fake sweepstakes texts and deceptive giveaways that trick people into sharing personal information. When purchasing costumes, consumers should buy from reputable retailers that verify products meet safety standards and are non-flammable, and should check tags for material listings to avoid allergen exposure, particularly latex allergies.

AARP Louisiana hosted a fraud awareness townhall event featuring nationally recognized fraud expert and former prosecutor Paul Greenwood to educate seniors about scams targeting older adults. The event aimed to provide practical protection strategies and highlight how fraud impacts seniors beyond financial loss, including emotional and trust-related consequences. AARP encourages seniors to utilize resources like their FraudWatch Network to stay informed about emerging scams and safeguard personal information.

AARP Louisiana hosted an educational presentation titled "Unmasking Fraud" featuring nationally recognized fraud expert and former prosecutor Paul Greenwood to address senior fraud targeting older adults in Louisiana. The event emphasized that fraud against seniors impacts not only financial security but also causes lasting emotional and psychological harm, and provided practical strategies for protection. AARP directs people to its Fraud Watch Network resource for current scam information and personal data protection guidance.

This is an introductory webinar hosted by the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau on payments industry practices for combating elder financial exploitation. The session provides participants with access to slides, resources, and a discussion platform to explore strategies and tools for preventing elder financial abuse within the payments sector.

In 2023, nearly 1,000 Oklahomans aged 60 and older lost over $22 million to fraud, with scams targeting seniors increasing 15% in Oklahoma compared to 11% nationally. Tech support scams and sweepstakes prize frauds are among the most common schemes, with one Oklahoma couple nearly falling victim to a $500,000 sweepstakes scam before becoming suspicious of personal questions. The FBI emphasizes the importance of reporting scams without shame and advises seniors to be cautious about unsolicited contacts and requests for personal financial information.

Senator Bob Casey led a Senate Aging Committee hearing on fraud targeting older Americans, during which the committee released its annual "Fighting Fraud" resource book. The hearing addressed multiple scam types affecting seniors including grandparent scams, investment fraud, government impostor schemes, lottery scams, and tech support scams, while noting that scammers have become increasingly sophisticated in their tactics over recent years. The committee discussed both fraud prevention strategies and how federal law enforcement agencies respond to fraud reports.

This is a podcast introduction featuring Arun Rao, Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ's Consumer Protection Branch, discussing the growing sophistication of fraud schemes targeting consumers and elders. Rao explains how technological advances such as robocalls, text, email, and social media have enabled fraudsters to refine their tactics and target victims with greater precision. The discussion covers the DOJ's consumer protection work, cybercrime, elder fraud, and data privacy issues.

The Alabama Regional Council of Governments is hosting an educational event to help senior citizens protect themselves from online scams, which affect thousands of Alabama seniors annually. The event will feature presentations from the Huntsville Police Department, Better Business Bureau, and Alabama Securities Commission discussing current fraud schemes and practical prevention strategies, designed to be accessible to seniors regardless of their technology proficiency level.

A local woman fell victim to a lottery/sweepstakes scam in which she believed she had won $6 million but was asked to pay upfront fees to claim the prize. The scammer initially extracted $100 from her and attempted to obtain her bank account information before she contacted Publishers Clearing House and discovered the fraud. The segment highlights that legitimate lottery organizations never call winners or request payment upfront—winners are visited in person with flowers and balloons—and warns consumers about similar schemes that exploit hopes of winning large sums.