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CNN-News18
· 2024-12-26
Cyber crimes in India surged dramatically in 2024, with the tech-driven region of Hyderabad experiencing a 64% rise in overall crime and an 882% increase in digital arrest scams, reaching losses of 80 crores compared to 6.2 crores the previous year. Cyber fraud cases accounted for 11,900 incidents (23% of all crimes in the region), with citizens losing over 700 crores to fraudsters through job scams, trading frauds, and SMS phishing schemes. The segment emphasizes the importance of avoiding calls from unidentified numbers and highlights ongoing efforts to combat the escalating digital crime problem across the nation.
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FOX 2 St. Louis
· 2024-12-20
Local police departments in Bridgeton and Kirkwood issued warnings about an evolving "brushing scam" that combines unsolicited package shipments with QR codes included in the packaging. In brushing scams, online sellers ship random products to real addresses and post fake positive reviews to boost sales, but this new variation includes QR codes that, when scanned, may direct recipients to malicious websites designed to steal personal and financial information. Authorities advise consumers to avoid scanning QR codes on unsolicited packages, monitor credit annually, and exercise caution with any unexpected shipments requesting online engagement.
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FOX4 News Kansas City
· 2024-12-20
During open enrollment season, scammers are targeting people with unsolicited robocalls and text messages offering free incentives like groceries or housing to enroll in health insurance, then requesting personal and financial information to "confirm eligibility." KC Care warns consumers to avoid these scams by only initiating enrollment themselves and working with licensed, trained insurance navigators rather than responding to unsolicited contacts, with free navigator services available through official channels like GetCovered.org (Kansas) and ShowMeCoverage.org (Missouri).
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KHON2 News
· 2024-12-18
The Better Business Bureau identified 12 common holiday scams, with misleading social media ads and imposter websites being the most prevalent. The list includes phishing emails, fake charities, puppy scams, unsafe holiday apps, and counterfeit product sales. To protect themselves, consumers should avoid interacting with unsolicited messages, only shop from trusted businesses, verify website authenticity, report scams to the BBB and financial institutions, and contact local law enforcement if money is lost.
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WCIA News
· 2024-12-14
The FBI warns consumers to be vigilant against holiday scams, which proliferate during the shopping season when people are rushed and spending more money. Common schemes include spoofed shopping websites designed to steal payment information, puppy scams advertising fake pets for sale, and fraudulent package delivery texts. According to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, Illinois residents alone reported over 15,000 scams resulting in $335 million in losses.
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FOX 5 New York
· 2024-12-13
Amazon Prime customers are being targeted by increasingly sophisticated lookalike scams during the holiday season, with scammers impersonating Amazon through text messages and emails that are difficult to distinguish from legitimate communications. Over 1,000 Amazon scam sites were registered in just two months, and cybersecurity experts report that one in five adults are clicking on these fraudulent messages. Consumers are advised to be cautious of unsolicited Amazon communications and delete suspicious messages immediately.
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Eyewitness News ABC7NY
· 2024-12-13
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.
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TODAY
· 2024-12-10
During the holiday season, when Americans are expected to spend over $240 billion online, scammers are exploiting increased shopping activity through fraudulent websites and online shopping schemes. Online fraud costs approximately $12 billion annually according to the FBI, with thousands of fake websites appearing during peak shopping periods to steal personal information. Consumers should protect themselves by checking for security padlocks on websites, scrutinizing URLs and website content for typos or errors, and being cautious of deals that seem too good to be true.
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WTVR CBS 6
· 2024-12-10
A Virginia woman nearly lost $22,000 in a holiday-season scam, though the amount was ultimately not transferred after a bank questioned the suspicious withdrawal. The Central Virginia Better Business Bureau warns of prevalent phishing scams during the holidays, including fraudulent messages impersonating delivery services and the IRS that attempt to steal personal information or download malware through malicious links. The BBB advises consumers not to click suspicious links, never pay with Bitcoin or gift cards, and remember that legitimate offers that seem too good to be true probably are.
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Good Morning Britain
· 2024-12-02
Television personality Linda Robson nearly fell victim to the "Hi Mum" scam when a fraudster impersonating her daughter Bobby contacted her via WhatsApp, claiming to have dropped her phone and requesting £150 for bills. Robson became suspicious when the scammer couldn't answer her call and provided incorrect information about her dog's name, ultimately avoiding financial loss. The incident highlights that approximately 40% of British adults have been targeted by scams in the past year, prompting Robson to work with BT and charity AB Ability Net to raise awareness about this common fraud tactic.
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WTVC NewsChannel 9
· 2024-12-01
The Better Business Bureau warns of a rise in online shopping scams ahead of Cyber Monday, when approximately 72 million consumers are expected to shop online. According to the Federal Trade Commission, consumers lost over $1 billion to fraud and scams in 2023, with scammers particularly targeting peak shopping seasons through fake websites, phishing emails, and fraudulent text messages impersonating delivery services. The BBB recommends keeping antivirus software updated, verifying website URLs before entering payment information, and avoiding clicking links in unsolicited emails or text messages.
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13News Now
· 2024-11-29
Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping increases vulnerability to several common scams: fraudulent social media ads with fake URLs, phony websites selling deactivated or counterfeit gift cards to harvest personal information, and phishing emails with suspicious links. Consumers should verify ad sources and URLs, purchase gift cards only from official retailers, check for spelling errors and https security on websites, and avoid clicking email links unless the sender's address is confirmed legitimate.
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KCAU-TV Sioux City
· 2024-11-28
During peak holiday shopping season, scammers target shoppers with increased fraud attempts. Key protective measures include shopping only on trusted websites, avoiding suspicious links and downloads, patronizing local businesses, using credit cards instead of debit cards for stronger fraud protections, and regularly monitoring bank accounts for unauthorized charges.
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FOX31 Denver
· 2024-11-27
A Denver man lost thousands of dollars after scammers gained access to his Venmo account by using a phishing email to change his password, exploiting his recent grief over his father's death. The hackers transferred funds from his linked checking account before he regained access, and while PayPal later confirmed the breach and pledged to make things right, the incident highlights vulnerabilities across cash transfer apps including Venmo, PayPal, and Cash App. Experts recommend users enable two-factor authentication, transfer money to bank accounts promptly, change passwords regularly, and remain vigilant against common scams like "paid by mistake" schemes and pyramid schemes on these platforms.
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NBC 7 San Diego
· 2024-11-26
Holiday fraud increases significantly in December, with scammers targeting busy shoppers through identity theft, credit card fraud, package theft, and fake social media ads selling counterfeit goods. Law enforcement and the Better Business Bureau warn that common holiday scams have become more sophisticated and high-tech, including fake toll collection texts and counterfeit items sold online, and advise consumers to remain vigilant during the busy shopping season.
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NewsChannel 9 WSYR Syracuse
· 2024-11-22
Online purchase scams rose 125% in 2023, with scammers targeting busy holiday shoppers through fake websites and social media ads. The Better Business Bureau advises consumers to scrutinize websites for awkward phrasing, unprofessional design, and tampered logos, and to avoid engaging with suspicious text messages requesting shipping or payment updates, as these are common tactics used to steal personal and financial information.
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FOX59 News
· 2024-11-18
Black Friday scams are proliferating as holiday shopping season begins. Four major scam types to watch for include: fake social media ads (e.g., North Face offering 80% discounts), copycat websites designed to steal personal information or upload malware, phishing emails offering fake gift card surveys, and bogus delivery alerts via text claiming packages are being held. Consumers should navigate directly to official retailer websites, avoid clicking links in unsolicited emails, and verify tracking information through legitimate sources rather than responding to suspicious messages.
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NBC4 Washington
· 2024-11-16
The United States Postal Inspection Service warned of a rise in mail scams heading into the holiday shipping season, including counterfeit postage stamps being sold on social media at 20-50% discounts and phishing/smishing scams via text messages falsely claiming failed package deliveries. Consumers are advised to purchase stamps only from approved postal providers and authorized retailers, and to be cautious of unsolicited delivery notifications via text that may contain malicious links.
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FOX 2 St. Louis
· 2024-11-07
**Summary:**
Scammers target veterans by impersonating government representatives and fraudulently offering loan forgiveness, mortgage aid, or grants in exchange for upfront processing fees. Veterans and their spouses experience higher median losses to scams than average consumers, particularly through employment scams that exploit frequent military relocations. The BBB advises veterans to never pay upfront for loans or grants, never share personal information with unsolicited callers, and remember that the government communicates via mail only—never by phone, email, or social media.
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WIRED
· 2024-11-05
This WIRED article features "Scammer Payback," a YouTube scam-baiting channel, answering audience questions about common fraud tactics and red flags. The content identifies three major warning signs of scams: scammers pressuring victims to make quick decisions (especially involving gift cards or Cash App transfers), requests for remote access to computers or phones, and demands for untraceable payment methods like Bitcoin or wire transfers. The educational piece emphasizes that time pressure is a deliberate tactic scammers use to prevent victims from consulting family members or others who might intervene.
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NBC10 Boston
· 2024-11-01
During Medicare open enrollment season, scammers impersonate Medicare representatives and insurance agents to trick people into revealing personal information such as Social Security numbers, banking details, and Medicare ID numbers through unsolicited calls, texts, and phishing emails. The BBB has received frequent reports of these fraudulent schemes, which target millions of people seeking insurance plans and can result in identity theft or sale of personal data on the black market. Consumers should verify contacts by hanging up and calling official numbers directly, be wary of anyone offering limited-time enrollment offers, and avoid sharing personal information with unsolicited callers.
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KHOU 11
· 2024-10-25
This educational piece identifies common linguistic red flags that reveal scam messages and emails, including the phrase "would you kindly," formal greetings like "Dear Sir or Madam," awkward grammar, British spellings, and misspellings—all indicators that scammers often operate from other countries where English is not their first language. The article warns that artificial intelligence may soon eliminate these warning signs by enabling scammers to craft grammatically perfect messages that appear legitimate.
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WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7
· 2024-10-23
The Better Business Bureau issued a warning about the "card declined scam," where fraudsters create fake websites mimicking legitimate retailers and display card declined error messages to trick consumers into entering their payment information. In one reported case, a Troy woman attempting to purchase shoes on a counterfeit Nike site had her card information stolen, which scammers then used to attempt a $48 fraudulent charge (caught by her bank). Consumers are advised to verify retailer URLs for misspellings and stop transactions if they encounter declined messages, as these may indicate phishing attempts rather than legitimate payment failures.
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NBC10 Boston
· 2024-10-22
More than half of Americans have been targeted by election-related scams ahead of the 2024 election, with young voters experiencing the highest rates of fraud involving fake polls, donation scams, and disinformation. Common scams include political donation fraud where money does not reach intended campaigns, and election survey scams where fraudsters pose as legitimate news organizations to collect personal information and voting preferences. To protect yourself, verify the legitimacy of donation requests and survey contacts before providing personal information or financial contributions.
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Forbes Breaking News
· 2024-10-20
Senator Sherrod Brown questioned a witness about the human impact of financial scams, citing Ohio data showing 18,000 reported scams and $100 million in losses in the past year. The witness testified that scam victims—often vibrant, independent people—experience life-altering consequences including depleted retirement savings and family strain, with adult children forced to drain their own college funds and savings to support defrauded parents.
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WPLG Local 10
· 2024-10-18
A Pinecrest woman received a threatening extortion email from a scammer who claimed to have compromising photos and videos of her and demanded payment. The scammer demonstrated access to personal information including her address, phone number, family members' names, and a photo of her neighborhood, which alarmed her into contacting police. The FBI is encouraging victims of this extortion scam to report it to them.
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wgaltv
· 2024-10-17
Automatic renewal scams impersonate legitimate companies (like LifeLock) through mass emails claiming unauthorized charges of hundreds of dollars, exploiting panic to trick victims into calling provided numbers. When victims respond, scammers pose as customer service representatives and extract banking or credit card information under the pretense of issuing refunds. These scams disproportionately affect seniors, and can be identified by generic greetings rather than personalized names, which legitimate companies typically use.
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WUSA9
· 2024-10-17
An 81-year-old woman lost her life savings after receiving a phone call from a scammer impersonating a Social Security Administration representative who claimed her Social security number was being used fraudulently. The scammer sent a fake U.S. Supreme Court certificate as proof and convinced her to move her money to "secure" it, resulting in the loss of her life savings. She is sharing her story to warn other seniors about this type of fraud.
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NOLA.com
· 2024-10-17
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.
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NOLA.com
· 2024-10-17
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.
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This Morning
· 2024-10-16
This awareness segment identifies five increasingly sophisticated scams targeting consumers, with fraud cases rising 235% year-over-year. Two particularly predatory text message scams impersonate government agencies offering winter heating subsidies and living expense assistance, exploiting vulnerability and creating false urgency to trick victims into clicking malicious links or providing personal information.
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CBS News
· 2024-10-14
The FBI warns of a surge in post-disaster fraud following hurricanes in the Southeast, reporting over 26,000 complaints resulting in more than $312 million in losses over the past 5 years. Common scams include imposters posing as FEMA inspectors demanding fees, fraudsters claiming to be insurance companies fishing for personal information, and other tactics using text, email, and door-to-door contact. Victims should remember that legitimate government officials and FEMA workers never request payment or banking details.
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ABC15 Arizona
· 2024-10-11
As the 2024 election approaches, scammers are using election-themed tactics to defraud people through three main schemes: fake merchandise offers requiring shipping fees, phishing surveys that mix political and personal questions to gather targeting information, and fraudulent donation websites impersonating legitimate political action committees. To protect yourself, verify website legitimacy before donating (preferably by credit card), avoid sharing sensitive information like Social Security numbers or birth dates, resist pressure to act immediately, and monitor bank statements regularly.
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CFPBLive
· 2024-10-09
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.
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WQAD News 8
· 2024-10-08
Amazon Prime Days shopping events create opportunities for scammers, with FTC-reported Amazon-related scams resulting in $19 million in losses last year. Consumers should protect themselves by reading verified reviews, avoiding suspicious links, ignoring promotions that require payment, and remembering that Amazon customer support never requests personal details or passwords.
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WGRZ-TV
· 2024-09-27
The Niagara County Clerk's Office has issued alerts about phishing scams targeting residents through text messages that impersonate E-ZPass and toll service authorities. Scammers are sending texts claiming to collect tolls on behalf of New York or E-ZPass services, with links directing victims to fraudulent websites designed to steal personal information. The Thruway Authority emphasizes that it will never request sensitive personal information via unsolicited communications.
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Forbes Breaking News
· 2024-09-19
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.
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CBS News
· 2024-09-19
Real estate and rental scams are widespread, with nearly 70,000 reported instances resulting in over $1.4 billion in losses between 2018 and 2023, according to FBI data. Scammers target housing-stressed individuals—over 41 million renters and homeowners spent at least 30% of their income on housing in 2023—by impersonating government low-income housing programs on social media and through other fraudulent schemes during the home-buying and rental search process.
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Which?
· 2024-09-15
I cannot provide an accurate summary of this article. The text appears to be a garbled or poorly OCR-scanned transcript of a consumer advice program introduction that repeatedly duplicates phrases and lacks coherent content about specific scams or fraud prevention tips. While it mentions that scams are becoming more sophisticated and references a discussion about ticket scams, the actual substantive advice or details about scams are not clearly present in the provided text. A proper summary would require a clearer, complete version of the source material.
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13News Now
· 2024-09-11
Elder fraud complaints increased 14% in 2023, with Americans losing $1.6 billion to scams nationally and Virginia residents losing $265 million, according to FBI data. Virginia reported approximately 2,700 elder fraud complaints in 2023, with investment scams being the most common type targeting seniors with regular income by exploiting their loneliness or desire to earn additional money. The FBI emphasizes that scammers are skilled manipulators who deliberately identify and exploit vulnerable elderly individuals.
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WYFF News 4
· 2024-09-09
This segment from WYFF News Four's "For the Record" series features Anderson County Sheriff Chad McBride discussing the growing scam problem affecting community members of all ages, though elderly victims are particularly targeted. The sheriff highlights multiple prevalent scam types including Facebook Marketplace deposit schemes (where sellers request $250-$1,000 deposits for vehicles that don't exist), fake jury duty calls falsely claiming to be from law enforcement demanding payment or gift cards, and other phone and internet-based fraud tactics that exploit personal information obtained from legitimate people-search websites.
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WYFF News 4
· 2024-09-09
Bill Vickery, owner of Just Call, provides elder fraud prevention advice, emphasizing that most scams begin with phone calls, texts, or emails targeting seniors unfamiliar with modern technology. Key prevention strategies include not answering calls from unknown numbers, hanging up immediately if feeling suspicious, avoiding saying "yes" (which scammers may record and manipulate), and never verifying personal information over the phone with unknown callers. Vickery advocates for a proactive, educational approach to help seniors and their families recognize and avoid scams before they occur.
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WDHN
· 2024-09-04
An elderly woman in Houston County lost $20,000 to an email scam in which she received a fake invoice notification and was tricked into believing she would receive a larger refund. After contacting the scammers via a phone number in the email, the victim withdrew money from her bank and transferred it via Bitcoin to an offshore account, making recovery nearly impossible. The Houston County Sheriff's Office warned residents to independently verify unexpected billing notices and contact authorities if they suspect fraud.
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CBS Mornings
· 2024-09-04
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center received over 880,000 complaints last year, a 10% increase from 2022, with blackmail scam emails being a prevalent threat. These emails threaten recipients with claims of embarrassing footage or compromised browsing data and often include personal details like names, addresses, and street view images to appear credible. Experts note that while these scams are rarely genuine, they are personalized enough to deceive even cautious individuals.
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WFMJ
· 2024-09-03
U.S. seniors lost over $3 billion to scammers in the past year. Common scams targeting elderly individuals include relationship scams where fraudsters impersonate family members (grandchildren, nieces, nephews) claiming urgent financial needs such as bail, rent, or tuition, often using personal information gathered from social media to appear credible. Experts recommend awareness and education to help protect seniors from these emotionally manipulative schemes.
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WGN News
· 2024-08-31
Federal Trade Commission data shows American consumers lost over $10 billion to fraud in 2023, with digital platforms making it easier for scammers to target victims. Common scams include romance/relationship scams on Facebook where perpetrators build trust before requesting money, "pig butchering" investment schemes promising fake returns, and grandparent scams, with reported losses ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. Protection strategies include verifying urgent requests by hanging up and calling back the person directly, avoiding quick money transfers, researching websites and investment opportunities, and reporting scams to law enforcement and platforms to help track and recover stolen funds.
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NBC Bay Area
· 2024-08-30
This news segment covers two separate topics: (1) Nearly two dozen suspects tied to Oakland gangs were charged with burglaries at marijuana dispensaries across Northern California counties, stealing approximately $1 million in combined cannabis products including edibles, gummies, and plants, which they then resold on social media; (2) A brief mention of text message scams targeting consumers with unwanted communications from unknown numbers.
**Note:** This article contains limited elder fraud-specific content; only the text message scam reference may be relevant to the Elderus database.
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11Alive
· 2024-08-27
The US Postal Inspection Service warns of emerging scams including "smishing" (fraudulent text messages impersonating USPS requesting address confirmation via malicious links) and "vishing" (spoofed voicemails from fake government employees asking consumers to call back). These scams aim to steal personal information and financial data from victims who interact with the fraudulent messages or call back the scammers' numbers rather than official government lines.
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NEWS CENTER Maine
· 2024-08-27
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is warning the public about emerging scam tactics including "smishing" (fraudulent text messages claiming to be from USPS requesting address confirmation through malicious links) and "vishing" (spoofed voicemails impersonating government employees with fake callback numbers). To protect themselves, recipients should avoid clicking links in unsolicited messages and instead call official government phone numbers directly rather than using numbers provided in suspicious communications.
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ABC11
· 2024-08-23
Back-to-school shoppers should beware of counterfeit websites and social media ads offering popular clothing and shoes at steep discounts, and should verify websites are secure (look for https and lock symbols) before making purchases. Students should avoid fake scholarship applications requiring upfront payments or personal information like Social Security numbers, and should ignore unsolicited emails and voicemails claiming student loan eligibility—instead verify information directly through official sources like studentaid.gov.