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in Scam Awareness
infosecurity-magazine.com
· 2025-12-08
Impersonation scams surged 148% year-over-year from April 2024 to March 2025, now accounting for 34% of all identity crimes reported to the Identity Theft Resource Center, with businesses (51%) and financial institutions (21%) as primary targets. AI tools are enabling cybercriminals to scale campaigns more effectively through fake websites, phishing emails, and fraudulent ads, though the ITRC notes that overall reported identity crimes declined 31% while the percentage of victims reporting multiple incidents increased from 15% to 24%. The organization warns that fewer reports likely reflect underreporting rather than fewer actual crimes, and that criminals are increasingly using AI to democratize
theguardian.com
· 2025-12-08
A Chinese student in London was sentenced to over a year in prison for using a portable "SMS blaster" device to send fraudulent text messages to tens of thousands of people between March 22-27, 2025. The device tricks mobile phones into connecting to a fake 2G network, allowing criminals to bypass anti-spam measures and send convincing phishing messages impersonating legitimate organizations like HMRC. Security experts recommend disabling 2G on Android devices and filtering unknown contacts on iPhones, while users can report suspicious texts to 7726 for investigation.
kcbx.org
· 2025-12-08
State Senator Monique Limón is hosting a free Senior Scam Prevention Seminar in Goleta on June 27 to educate older adults about protecting themselves from fraud, following warnings from law enforcement in San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties about recent scam calls impersonating officers. Experts from the California Department of Insurance, Consumer Affairs, and Department of Justice will present information on common scam tactics including fake tech support, grandparent scams, fake lottery winnings, and phony home repair offers that frequently target seniors.
pa.gov
· 2025-12-08
Pennsylvania state agencies warned residents about a fake inheritance scam targeting older adults, in which scammers impersonated Commonwealth employees via spoofed emails claiming a distant relative had left money and demanding hundreds of thousands of dollars in upfront fees to release the funds. Officials stressed that legitimate Pennsylvania agencies use @pa.gov email addresses, will not demand quick action or secrecy, and urged residents to verify requests with trusted contacts before responding.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Doctor spoofing calls, where scammers manipulate caller ID to impersonate doctors' offices, Medicare, pharmacies, or hospitals, were named the New York StateWide Senior Action Council's Medicare Fraud of the Month for June 2025. Scammers use these spoofed calls to trick seniors into revealing personal information such as Medicare numbers, Social Security numbers, and insurance details by claiming to need verification for medical services or test results. Seniors can protect themselves by hanging up and calling back using trusted phone numbers, never sharing personal information with unknown callers, avoiding "YES" or "NO" responses, and reporting suspected fraud to the NYS Senior Medicare Patrol Helpline at
huffpost.com
· 2025-12-08
According to the FBI's annual internet crime report, seniors lost nearly $5 billion to scams last year and are disproportionately targeted by scammers who view them as wealthy, not feeble-minded. The article identifies two major red flags for potential scams: feeling panicked and experiencing pressure to make fast decisions, and recommends that seniors slow down, create mental space to think, and independently verify claims before acting. Various protective services and apps have been developed to help seniors guard against financial exploitation.
amac.us
· 2025-12-08
This educational resource presents a chart detailing common scams targeting consumers, including AI scams (deepfake impersonations), bank text scams (phishing for account information), billing/invoice scams (fake invoices demanding payment), brushing scams (unsolicited items to boost reviews), and charity scams. The guide identifies shared scammer tactics such as impersonation, creating urgency, and pressuring victims to share personal information, while offering specific identification and prevention strategies for each scam type. The material encourages sharing this information with friends and family as a primary defense against fraud.
abc.net.au
· 2025-12-08
The Gold Coast Marathon's rapid sell-out (half marathon in 4 hours, full marathon in 4 days) created high demand that scammers exploited by flooding social media with fake ticket offers. A 36-year-old runner lost money when she purchased a non-existent ticket from a scammer posing as a legitimate runner on Facebook, though she recognized the fraud when additional fees were requested. Marathon organizers have implemented security measures requiring ticket transfers through an official registration portal only, while cybersecurity experts warn that modern AI-assisted scams are increasingly difficult to detect and that social media platforms should do more to prevent fraudulent accounts from operating.
local.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
Over 180 Utahns attended a Scam Jam event presented by AARP Utah and the FBI to learn fraud prevention strategies, as Utah residents had lost more than $15.4 million to fraud in 2025, with $12 million of that from people aged 50 and older. The event featured FBI officials, state consumer protection leaders, and media experts who shared real victim stories, including a text scam and a romance scam that cost one woman $90,000, while emphasizing prevention tactics such as scrutinizing email addresses for typos and reporting fraud quickly to authorities.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Seniors lost nearly $5 billion to scams last year and remain prime targets due to their concentrated wealth, according to the FBI. The article identifies five red flags indicating a potential scam: feeling panicked, pressure to make fast decisions, unsolicited contact, requests for personal information, and reluctance to verify claims—noting that scammers rely on emotional manipulation and time pressure to override victims' judgment. Experts advise pausing to think critically when experiencing these warning signs, as scammers count on immediate reactions rather than careful consideration.
wyff4.com
· 2025-12-08
The city of Inman, South Carolina fell victim to a payment fraud scam in which officials mistakenly paid an unknown party instead of a legitimate contractor owed money. The incident was reported to the Spartanburg County Sheriff's Office on Friday, June 20, 2025, and the sheriff's office has launched an investigation with assistance from the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division (SLED) and the FBI.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article identifies five red flags that warn seniors they may be targeted for scams, emphasizing that older adults lose nearly $5 billion annually and are targeted because they hold roughly half of U.S. wealth. The first two red flags discussed are feeling panicked (as in grandparent scams demanding immediate bail) and pressure to make fast decisions (such as investment opportunities or fake retail websites), with experts advising victims to slow down, create mental space, and independently verify claims rather than acting immediately.
theglobeandmail.com
· 2025-12-08
Senior Scam Alerts, a free weekly newsletter, launched in June 2025 to educate older Americans about fraud prevention following a crisis year in which Americans aged 60+ lost nearly $4.9 billion to scams in 2024—a 43% increase from the prior year with average losses exceeding $83,000 per victim. The newsletter covers various scam types including health insurance fraud, pig butchering, smishing, and grandparent scams, providing prevention tips, real-life case studies, and reporting resources drawn from trusted sources like the FBI and Department of Justice.
newsfilecorp.com
· 2025-12-08
Senior Scam Alerts, a new free weekly newsletter launched in June 2025, aims to educate older Americans about fraud prevention through coverage of scam types, detection methods, and reporting procedures. According to FBI data, seniors aged 60+ lost nearly $4.9 billion to scams in 2024—a 43% increase from the previous year with an average loss of $83,000 per victim—prompting this educational initiative drawing from trusted sources like the FBI and Department of Justice.
cps.gov.uk
· 2025-12-08
Ahmed Ali Suleman, 63, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison for laundering over £1.9 million for international romance scammers operating between January 2015 and November 2017. Using his textile export business as a front, Suleman processed fraudulent payments from 77 vulnerable victims—many elderly, lonely, or widowed—who had been manipulated into transferring money through fake dating profiles by West African-based criminals. His conviction demonstrates law enforcement's commitment to targeting money launderers who enable romance fraud networks and facilitate the exploitation of vulnerable people.
familywealthreport.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance fraud—emotional manipulation by scammers to extract money or personal information—has surged significantly in the UK, with over 8,500 reports totaling £92 million in 2024 alone. Elderly and vulnerable individuals are particularly at risk due to isolation, cognitive decline, and limited digital literacy, leaving victims financially depleted and emotionally traumatized. The article recommends practical protective measures including maintaining open family communication, encouraging digital literacy training, monitoring unusual financial behavior, implementing account controls, and leveraging legal tools like Lasting Powers of Attorney to safeguard vulnerable relatives.
okcfox.com
· 2025-12-08
I don't see a full article text in your submission—only a title and a news section header. To provide an accurate summary for the Elderus database, I would need the actual content of the "How to avoid romance scams, on Playing It Safe" article.
Could you please provide the complete article text so I can summarize the key advice or findings about romance scam prevention?
khou.com
· 2025-12-08
Darlington Akporugo, 47, and Jasmin Sood, 37, from Fulshear, Texas, were sentenced to 188 and 121 months in federal prison, respectively, for operating a romance scam that defrauded over 25 elderly victims out of $3.1 million between 2015 and 2022. The couple used fake social media profiles and online dating sites to pose as widowers and military personnel, gaining victims' trust before coercing them to send money for fake business investments or personal expenses, while using the funds for luxury vehicles and mansions. Both defendants must pay full restitution and serve three years of
azag.gov
· 2025-12-08
Arizona's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit received the Inspector General's Award for Fighting Fraud, Waste, and Abuse from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2025, marking the second time in five years the office earned this honor. In fiscal year 2024, the unit achieved 91 indictments, 41 convictions, and recovered over $74 million, with joint investigations yielding an additional $140 million in recoveries through cases involving drug diversion, patient abuse, unnecessary surgeries, and fraudulent billing schemes across 44 provider types.
theunion.com
· 2025-12-08
On June 20, 2025, Rushabh Rajesh Desai, 35, of San Jose, was arrested by Nevada County Sheriff's Office deputies after attempting to scam a 75-year-old woman out of $30,000 through a phone scam; a vigilant friend called 911 while the scam was in progress, allowing deputies to intercept Desai's vehicle near the victim's residence. Desai was charged with conspiracy to commit crime, attempting to obtain money by false pretense, and elder theft. The sheriff's office emphasized that scams targeting elderly individuals are common and often go unreported due to victim shame, and recommends immediate action including
aba.com
· 2025-12-08
I cannot provide a summary of this content. What you've shared appears to be a navigation menu or table of contents from a banking industry website (likely the American Bankers Association), not an article or transcript about elder fraud, scams, or abuse.
To help with the Elderus database, please provide:
- An actual article or news story about a scam or fraud incident
- A transcript of an interview or account about elder abuse
- An educational piece on fraud prevention or awareness
Once you share relevant content, I'll provide a concise 2-3 sentence summary focused on what happened, who was affected, the scam type, and outcomes.
mansfieldnewsjournal.com
· 2025-12-08
Ohio Auditor of State Keith Faber warns that phishing scams and other internet fraud schemes continue to cost Ohio taxpayers significant amounts, with fraudsters constantly developing new tactics to steal personal information. The auditor emphasizes that these scams are widespread and nearly unavoidable in modern life, urging residents not to fall victim to these evolving schemes.
dfpi.ca.gov
· 2025-12-08
Scammers increasingly target older adults by impersonating legitimate organizations or trusted contacts and directing victims to deposit cash into crypto ATMs, where funds are transferred irreversibly to the scammers' digital wallets. The fraudsters create artificial urgency through claims of emergencies or frozen accounts, often remaining on the phone to guide victims through transactions and directing them via QR codes to scan at the machines. Victims can protect themselves by verifying requests through official channels, resisting urgency, and remembering that no legitimate organization requests crypto ATM deposits.
cmadocs.org
· 2025-12-08
CMS issued a warning about fraudulent fax requests falsely claiming to be Medicare audits, in which scammers impersonate CMS to trick healthcare providers into releasing medical records. CMS clarified that it does not initiate audits via fax and advised providers to verify all audit requests through Noridian and report suspicious communications to CMS.
fox23maine.com
· 2025-12-08
A new report from the Identity Theft Resource Center reveals that AI-powered scams are becoming more sophisticated and costly, with cybercriminals using AI to create convincing fake websites, emails, and deepfakes to impersonate trusted brands and financial institutions. While the number of identity crime reports declined, victims lost significantly more money per incident, with impersonation scams rising 148% year-over-year and nearly 1 in 4 victims targeted multiple times. The report shows a positive trend: more people are seeking prevention advice, indicating growing awareness of these threats, and individuals are encouraged to use strong passwords, enable two-factor authentication, and verify caller identity before sharing personal information.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
This educational resource defines elder fraud as the exploitation of adults age 60+ for monetary gain through tactics like impersonation, romance scams, and fake investment schemes, with seniors losing over $5.9 billion annually. Common scammer tactics include using fear, false hope, romance, pressure, isolation, and threats, while phishing emails often urge account verification or threaten account closure. Protection strategies include never responding to unsolicited requests for personal information, verifying website security, avoiding suspicious links, maintaining updated security software, and consulting trusted family members before sending money.
trendmicro.com
· 2025-12-08
This article is a product description and educational piece about Trend Micro ScamCheck, an AI-powered anti-scam tool designed to protect users from modern identity theft and fraud. The tool offers features including scam call/text blocking, deepfake detection, suspicious content analysis, and real-time alerts to help users identify and avoid scams across multiple platforms (SMS, email, social media, video calls, and websites). The piece emphasizes that scammers use increasingly sophisticated tactics and that anyone can be targeted, making dedicated anti-scam protection necessary alongside traditional antivirus software.
stocktitan.net
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Trend Micro launched Scam Radar, a new feature in its ScamCheck app that provides real-time detection of coordinated scam tactics across SMS, websites, and messaging apps. According to Trend Micro's study of 6,632 consumers across six countries, 30% had been scam victims, with common fraud types including online shopping scams (27%) and investment fraud (22%), often with victims not realizing they were targeted until significant financial loss occurred.
crypto.news
· 2025-12-08
Michael Zidell lost $20 million in a "pig butchering" romance scam after being targeted on Facebook by a scammer posing as a woman named Carolyn Parker, who lured him into fraudulent NFT investments through fake account statements. Zidell sued Citibank for negligence, alleging the bank failed to detect and act on suspicious wire transfers—including twelve transactions totaling nearly $4 million to an account held by Guju Inc. that contradicted the account holder's declared business activity and violated Know Your Customer and Anti-Money Laundering laws. Pig butchering scams resulted in $5.8 billion in investment fraud losses in 2024
wired-gov.net
· 2025-12-08
Ahmed Ali Suleman, 63, was sentenced to four years and three months in prison for laundering over £1.9 million gained from a romance fraud operation between 2015 and 2017. Using his textile business as a front, Suleman processed fraudulent payments from 77 vulnerable victims—many elderly, lonely, or widowed—who were deceived by West African-based scammers posing as romantic partners on dating websites. The case demonstrates how money launderers enable romance fraud by providing the financial infrastructure that makes such schemes profitable and sustainable.
kvoa.com
· 2025-12-08
Jamaican man Sherwayne Benjamin Bellinfantie was extradited to Tucson to face federal charges for orchestrating a romance and sweepstakes scam targeting an 85-year-old Vail woman from 2015 to 2019. The victim lost $400,000 after being deceived into believing she was in a romantic relationship and had won a lottery; she has since passed away. This case reflects the FBI's growing concern over romance and lottery scams in Arizona, which saw a 400 percent increase in lottery scams between 2023 and 2024.
cointelegraph.com
· 2025-12-08
Michael Zidell filed a lawsuit against Citibank in Manhattan federal court, alleging the bank ignored red flags and failed to monitor suspicious transactions that allowed romance scammers to steal $20 million from him—including nearly $4 million routed through Citibank accounts belonging to a company called Guju Inc. The scam began in early 2023 when Zidell was contacted by a fake persona on Facebook posing as a business owner named Carolyn Parker, who convinced him to invest in NFTs through a fraudulent trading platform that ultimately disappeared with his funds. Zidell claims Citibank processed 12 suspicious transfers totaling around $4
ky3.com
· 2025-12-08
A BBB study examining business scams across North America (2022-2024) found over 3,600 reported cases involving employee impersonation, data breaches, and business email compromise schemes, with data breaches alone costing companies an average of $4.9 million and totaling $1.4 billion in 2024. The research highlights common warning signs such as unsolicited outreach, unexpected invoices, urgent renewal demands, and payment requests via gift cards, and recommends businesses implement employee training, establish secure payment procedures, research unknown vendors, and deploy cybersecurity measures like multifactor authentication to protect against these schemes.
consumer.ftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
Prize scams trick victims with unsolicited calls or texts claiming they've won money, cars, or other valuable items, then demand upfront payment for taxes, processing fees, or shipping. Scammers impersonate legitimate companies like Publishers Clearing House and create urgency to prevent victims from thinking critically about the offer. Legitimate sweepstakes never require payment to claim prizes; any demand for money is a clear indicator of fraud.
news5cleveland.com
· 2025-12-08
Job scams targeting recent graduates have surged dramatically, with FTC reports showing losses increasing from $90 million to $501 million between 2020 and 2024. Common tactics include fake job postings impersonating trusted entities, unsolicited contact with unrealistic offers (high pay, no interview), requests for upfront payments for equipment, and phishing links designed to steal personal information. Job seekers should verify company websites, scrutinize sender email addresses, and report suspected scams to the FTC, BBB, or Ohio Attorney General.
wrex.com
· 2025-12-08
Since 2022, businesses across North America have experienced a surge in sophisticated scams—including impersonations, data theft, and fraudulent services—resulting in billions of dollars in losses, according to Better Business Bureau data showing over 3,600 BBB reports and 74,489 FBI reports between 2022-2024. Experts warn that AI-generated fake videos and emails are increasingly used in scams, and the true scale of incidents is likely much higher due to underreporting. Businesses are advised to implement security measures such as employee training, secure payment procedures, firewalls, multifactor authentication, and verification of requests through alternate channels to protect against these threats.
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A woman in Jensen Beach, Florida, lost $800 to a Facebook scam in which a fraudster impersonating Elon Musk promised her a Tesla and $250,000 in cash, then repeatedly requested Apple Gift Card payments for supposed delivery fees. The scammer used a fake profile with copied images and AI-generated content, moved the conversation to WhatsApp, and exploited urgency and flattery to manipulate the victim into sending multiple payments before she recognized the pattern. Gift cards are favored by scammers because they are untraceable, fast, and nearly impossible to recover once redeemed.
www2.ljworld.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers have been impersonating Senior Resource Center employees and attempting to sell burial plots to Douglas County residents, prompting the center's director to warn the public that the organization does not sell anything. The FBI reports that cybercriminals stole over $16 billion from Americans in 2024, with people over 60 losing nearly $5 billion; experts recommend the "Stop, Verify and Report" approach—stopping the conversation, verifying legitimacy through trusted sources, and reporting suspected scams to the Kansas Protection Report Center at 1-800-922-5330.
ca.news.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are using artificial intelligence to impersonate senior government officials and business executives via phone calls and text messages to Canadian and American targets, requesting urgent money transfers or prompting victims to open malicious links that install malware or steal sensitive information. In the first three months of 2025 alone, Canada's Anti-Fraud Centre received nearly 13,000 fraud reports resulting in over $165 million in losses across 9,092 victims. Security experts advise recipients of suspicious urgent requests from authority figures to verify the caller's identity by hanging up and calling back using a known contact method, as AI-generated voices and spoofed numbers make these impersonations increasingly difficult to detect.
evanstonroundtable.com
· 2025-12-08
Two Evanston seniors fell victim to scams in recent months: a 76-year-old woman lost over $102,350 after being tricked into transferring funds to Bitcoin by someone impersonating a Microsoft employee, and an 83-year-old woman nearly lost $12,500 in a Publisher's Clearinghouse sweepstakes scam before loss prevention staff at Jewel-Osco intervened. Police emphasized that prevention requires education, as most scammers operate internationally making arrests rare, and urged families to discuss common scam tactics with vulnerable relatives, particularly impersonation schemes involving grandchildren, financial institutions, tech support, and government agencies.
coastalbreezenews.com
· 2025-12-08
Lunch with Friends hosted over 100 seniors on June 18th at Marco Lutheran Church, where Lieutenant Joseph Belardo from the Marco Island Police Department presented on elder fraud prevention. Lt. Belardo warned that scammers stole $3.4-$6.1 billion from older Americans last year, with tech support scams, government impostor scams, and AI-powered voice cloning being among the most common threats; he advised seniors to be skeptical of unsolicited calls/texts/emails, avoid clicking suspicious links, and verify requests by calling trusted phone numbers directly. The presentation also covered ransomware, malware, and deepfakes, with recommendations to update security software, use V
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Patrick Fraser, a 44-year-old Canadian national, was extradited to the United States and charged with conspiracy and mail fraud for operating prize notification schemes that targeted vulnerable individuals, particularly elderly Americans, by falsely claiming they had won large cash prizes (typically over $1 million) if they paid a small fee. Fraser was arrested in June 2023 and faces up to 20 years in prison per count on a nine-count indictment filed in the District of Las Vegas.
vietnam.vn
· 2025-12-08
Gen Z individuals in Hanoi fell victim to sophisticated impersonation scams despite growing up with digital literacy. Multiple cases involved fraudsters posing as police officers or bank employees, using psychological pressure and panic tactics to convince victims to transfer money; a 20-year-old lost 1.6 billion VND, another lost nearly 1 billion VND to fake police calls, and a 30-year-old lost 145 million VND total to a fake bank employee scam. The article highlights that scammers succeed not just through deceiving awareness but by exploiting psychological vulnerabilities and crisis-response confusion with constantly evolving scenarios and impersonation tactics.
khaleejtimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A Dubai resident and multiple others fell victim to a sophisticated phishing scam targeting online sellers of used items, in which scammers posed as buyers, claimed to use a fake "Careem Delivery" service, and directed sellers to click malicious links that mimicked Careem's website to steal their card details and drain their accounts (at least Dh2,500 per victim, with some losing up to Dh200,000). The scam exploited copycat URLs with spelling errors that appeared legitimate in previews but redirected to fake payment sites designed to harvest card information including CVV codes. UAE authorities warned residents to verify payment methods directly with companies, avoid clicking suspicious links, an
haitiantimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A group of scammers operating on Facebook defrauded a 31-year-old Honduran asylum seeker, N., by conducting fake immigration court hearings and ICE check-ins over six months, collecting $3,500 in fees while instructing him to skip his real court hearing, ultimately resulting in an in absentia deportation order. This case is part of a broader trend of immigration-related scams targeting vulnerable immigrants seeking legal assistance, with such scams increasing 27% in New York City alone in the past year, often using elaborate fake judicial settings and documents to appear legitimate.
manchestereveningnews.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
A 57-year-old widow, Laura Kowal, was defrauded of approximately $1.5 million by two Nigerian scammers (Anthony Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu) operating a romance scam using the fake persona "Frank Borg," a Swedish investment adviser they met on Match.com over a two-year period. The scammers coerced Laura into establishing fraudulent companies and bank accounts for money laundering, and her daughter Kelly discovered a suicide note before Laura's body was found in the Mississippi River in August 2020; the case was part of a larger criminal scheme responsible for at least $3.5 million
mynorthwest.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers posing as Chinese police targeted young adults in Bellevue through phone calls, messages, and social media, claiming victims were involved in crimes like fraud or identity theft and demanding money under threat of arrest or asset freezing. Four victims in late 2024 and early 2025 wired a combined total of approximately $2.57 million after being coerced to provide sensitive personal information including Social Security numbers, passports, and fingerprint scans. Bellevue Police emphasize that legitimate law enforcement never demands payment to avoid arrest and urge victims to contact the FBI or local police.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
McAfee's 2025 Safer Summer Travel Report found that one in five Americans has fallen victim to travel scams while booking trips, with 23% of victims losing money—including 13% who lost over $500 and 5% who lost more than $1,000. Younger adults (ages 18-34) are more vulnerable to these scams than older generations, with common tactics including fake booking sites, malicious confirmation links, and AI-manipulated travel photos designed to exploit budget-conscious travelers seeking deals.
ksby.com
· 2025-12-08
This article is a local events roundup and does not contain reporting on a specific scam, fraud, or elder abuse incident. However, it does mention a Senior Scam Prevention Seminar being held at the Goleta Community Center from 9-11 A.M., which will educate attendees on recognizing common scams, understanding current fraud tactics, and protecting themselves and loved ones from fraud, with Senator Monique Limón in attendance.
citizensvoice.com
· 2025-12-08
Pennsylvania officials warned of an email scam targeting older residents, in which fraudsters impersonate state employees and claim recipients have inherited large sums from distant foreign relatives, then request hundreds of thousands of dollars in upfront fees to release the funds. The scammers use spoofed email addresses resembling official state accounts and create false urgency to pressure victims into quick payments. Officials advise recipients to verify sender email addresses (legitimate PA state emails end in @pa.gov), avoid responding to unsolicited money offers, and contact trusted family members or local Area Agencies on Aging before engaging with unknown individuals making financial offers.