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in Scam Awareness
insidegovernment.co.nz
The New Zealand government launched a new coordinated initiative to combat online scams during Fraud Awareness Week, following data showing that New Zealanders lost nearly $200 million to scammers in the past year (with actual losses likely much higher given underreporting). Commerce and Consumer Affairs Minister Andrew Bayly was appointed lead minister to coordinate efforts across government agencies and industry partners, addressing the fragmented response to scams that largely originate offshore. The plan focuses on improving information sharing between government sectors, developing industry-led solutions within and across sectors like banking and telecommunications, and establishing a coordinated regional approach with Australia and Singapore.
stocktitan.net
A FICO survey of UK consumers found that 26% reported scam losses to their banks, with 73% believing banks should refund victims always or most of the time. The research identified Authorized Push Payment (APP) fraud as a major threat and revealed that 58% of consumers ranked improved fraud detection systems as the most impactful action banks could take to protect them, with FICO recommending automated detection capabilities using behavioral profiling and sophisticated analytics to intervene in suspicious transactions.
thergca.org
This article provides reporting resources for individuals who suspect or have experienced scam activity, particularly related to gift card fraud. It directs victims to contact the Federal Trade Commission (1-877-382-4357) and their state's Attorney General office, with specific contact numbers listed for Maryland, New York, and New Jersey. The piece emphasizes that reporting scams to these agencies enables law enforcement to investigate and prevent future fraud.
indiacsr.in
Over 21 million individuals in the United States fell victim to fraud in the past year, with 78% of mobile users encountering at least one scam, demonstrating the scale of online fraud perpetrated by transnational organized crime networks. Google has released a white paper recommending coordinated action across governments, industries, and technology providers, including enabling international cooperation and information sharing, incentivizing scam-fighting efforts through legal protections, and investing in public education and AI-driven detection technologies. Google's own efforts include blocking 99.9% of spam and malware on Gmail, removing over 5.5 billion policy-violating advertisements in 2023, and establishing collaborative intelligence-sharing
popsci.com
US consumers lost a record $10 billion to fraud in the past year (a 14% increase), with scammers increasingly targeting older adults via phone—over two-thirds of UK residents over 75 surveyed reported experiencing at least one fraud attempt in six months. In response, UK mobile operator Virgin Media O2 created "Daisy," an AI-powered grandmother chatbot that wastes scammers' time by providing false information and engaging in lengthy, meandering conversations, with some interactions lasting over 40 minutes. While Daisy aims to reduce real victim targeting, scammers are simultaneously deploying AI voice-cloning technology to perpetrate new frauds including imp
techcrunch.com
O2, the UK's largest mobile network operator, launched "dAIsy," an AI chatbot designed to waste scammers' time by mimicking an elderly woman who engages them in prolonged conversations about personal topics while refusing to provide bank details. The technology, developed with scambait expert Jim Browning, uses voice transcription and text-to-speech AI to respond naturally, addressing the growing threat of phone scams targeting seniors—a population that lost $3.4 billion to telephone fraud in 2023 alone.
kpq.com
The Washington State Department of Transportation warned the public about a phishing scam using fraudulent text messages impersonating its Good To Go! tolling system, directing recipients to fake websites designed to mimic legitimate DOT pages in order to steal payment information. The DOT advised account holders to verify toll balances directly through its official website, delete unsolicited payment requests, and remember that the agency never requests birth dates or driver's license numbers for toll payments. Suspected victims were instructed to report fraudulent messages to the Federal Trade Commission.
aarp.org
AARP ElderWatch, a joint program between AARP and the Colorado Attorney General, surveyed 907 Colorado residents in June 2024 and found that fraud and scam concerns have reached crisis levels, with 75% of adults viewing these issues as a critical problem. Identity theft incidents among Coloradans increased from 15% in 2020 to 21% in 2024, with financial losses nearly doubling from 12% to 23%, though younger adults using online accounts and P2P payment platforms (89% usage) are less vigilant about account monitoring compared to older adults. The survey recommends continued education and awareness, noting that residents prefer phone contact with specialists
thetimes.com
A woman in her sixties from England lost nearly £20,000 to an AI-generated romance scammer posing as a US Army colonel named "Mike Murdy" on Tinder. The scammer used deepfake videos and personalized messages to build trust before claiming a life insurance briefcase worth £607,000 needed processing fees, extracting multiple payments from the victim under false pretenses. The US Embassy has issued warnings about fraudsters impersonating US soldiers using this high-tech romance scam method.
newsbreak.com
The Rocklin Police Department warned of increasing financial scams targeting seniors that use computers and phones to deceive victims. The department advised seniors to avoid responding to urgent emails, pop-ups, or phone calls requesting immediate action; never provide login credentials via email; enable two-factor authentication; and recognize red flags such as requests to withdraw money, lie about transactions, or pay via gift cards or cryptocurrency.
usatoday.com
Bank fraud affected 29% of bank customers in the past year, with 45% of those victims experiencing multiple incidents, according to a J.D. Power study. Fraud proliferates through peer-to-peer payment apps, data breaches that expose personal information to scammers, and social engineering tactics where fraudsters impersonate banks. Experts recommend customers proactively protect accounts through security centers, complex passwords, and fraud alerts rather than only reactively monitoring transactions.
dailyhodl.com
A J.D. Power study found that 29% of US bank customers and 22% of credit card users experienced fraudulent activity on their accounts within the past 12 months, with only 46% and 40% respectively reporting they were asked to take fraud prevention measures in the last 90 days. The study indicates that financial institutions have an opportunity to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty by better handling fraud cases and educating customers on protection measures. Additionally, regulators and major banks issued warnings about "quishing"—a QR code phishing scam where criminals embed malicious codes in emails and PDFs to steal passwords, financial details, and personal information.
cbsnews.com
A California man lost $20,000 to a tech support scam after receiving a pop-up warning that his account was compromised and being instructed to withdraw cash and mail it to a New York City address. NYPD Detective Justin Guzman intervened quickly upon the victim's report, intercepting the package at a Bayside, Queens apartment before the scammers retrieved it and successfully returning the funds. The case illustrates how scammers evolve tactics—when gift card fraud failed, they pivoted to requesting actual cash—and highlights the importance of police responsiveness in combating these schemes.
nj1015.com
A New Jersey resident lost $16,000 after responding to a fake Instagram advertisement from a fraudulent company called "D&J Auto Transportation," which deleted its ad and website after receiving payment via wire transfer. The scam affected at least three victims across New Jersey, California, and New York for a total of over $38,000 before New York resident Ariel Cruz was identified and charged with theft by deception and computer theft. Red flags for online car purchase scams include pressure to finalize quickly, inability to meet the seller or inspect the vehicle, and payment requests via wire transfer or gift cards.
rocktownnow.com
The Harrisonburg Police Department warned residents of a scam where impersonators posing as HPD officers call victims claiming they have missed jury duty or outstanding citations and demand payment via gift cards or cryptocurrency to avoid jail time. The scammers use caller IDs and fake phone menus designed to appear legitimate, and employ threats of criminal charges to pressure victims into sending money quickly. HPD emphasized that legitimate law enforcement never requests payment for dropping charges or resolving citations, and residents should hang up on such calls and report them to police.
digit.in
A 65-year-old man from Ulloor lost Rs 15 lakh after being contacted on WhatsApp by scammers posing as representatives of T-6 Geojit Securities, who promised guaranteed trading profits and lured him into a fraudulent WhatsApp group that shared fake market updates. The victim transferred funds in multiple transactions between October 14-22, 2024, to bank accounts in UCO Bank and Bank of Maharashtra, after which the fraudsters stopped communicating and disappeared with the money. The article emphasizes reporting such crimes within the first hour ("golden hour") to improve recovery chances, and recommends verifying platform authenticity, avoiding money transfers to unknown accounts, being skept
in.mashable.com
A 25-year-old woman from Udupi, Karnataka lost Rs 1.94 lakh in a job scam after clicking on a suspicious Instagram link advertising an Amazon job position. Scammers convinced her to invest money through WhatsApp by promising high returns on simple online tasks and showing initial small returns, but disappeared when she attempted to withdraw her profits. The article advises verifying job offers through official company channels and websites, avoiding unverified links, and never sharing bank details with unknown online recruiters.
metro.co.uk
Actor Alan Davies revealed he has been scammed "relentlessly" online, including losing £400 on a fake PlayStation 5 listing in 2022 and nearly losing £457 on a fraudulent website selling Christmas gifts. He also had his X (Twitter) account hacked by a Bitcoin scammer, resulting in the loss of 800,000 followers, and reported difficulty contacting human representatives to resolve the issue. The article additionally notes similar incidents involving other celebrities, including actor Tony Maudsley who was targeted in a Facebook ticket scam but whose bank stopped the fraudulent £600 payment.
browndailyherald.com
In early March, a Warwick grandparent couple lost $18,000 to a "grandparent scam" in which fraudsters impersonated their grandson needing bail money; when asked for an additional $40,000, the couple recognized the scheme and contacted police, leading to the arrest of two out-of-state men who were found with $60,000 in cash and allegedly collected $230,000 from similar schemes. Rhode Island has experienced a 22% growth rate in elder fraud cases between 2022 and 2023—the third-highest in the nation—prompting increased law enforcement investigations, legislative proposals to combat scams, and awareness campaigns by organizations like
shorenewsnetwork.com
A 51-year-old Pennsylvania man was arrested in Galloway Township, NJ after attempting to collect over $60,000 from an elderly couple in a phone scam where he impersonated a federal agent and falsely claimed fraudulent bank accounts had been opened using their Social Security number. Police apprehended the suspect at the victims' home after the couple's daughter alerted authorities, and officers set up surveillance to intercept the cash pickup. The case highlights the importance of recognizing red flags such as demands for cash withdrawals and verifying suspicious calls directly with financial institutions or law enforcement.
nysenate.gov
This is an educational webinar on elder fraud prevention held on November 14th featuring experts from AARP, the New York County District Attorney's Office, and NYPD Crime Prevention. Participants learned about emerging scam tactics and protective measures against phone scams, internet fraud, and identity theft, with resources provided including the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, FTC fraud reporting, and the AARP Fraud Watch Network helpline.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
**Phone Scams: AI-Powered Defense**
UK telecom company O2 launched "Daisy," an AI-powered scambaiter designed to impersonate an elderly grandmother and waste scammers' time by engaging them in lengthy, meaningless conversations about fictional activities. Developed in collaboration with experienced scambaiters, Daisy has successfully kept fraudsters occupied for up to 40 minutes while providing fake information, disrupting their operations and preventing them from targeting real victims. The initiative is part of O2's broader "Swerve the Scammers" campaign, which aims to educate the public about scam tactics and encourage reporting of suspicious
forbes.com
Scammers are actively targeting online shoppers ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday (Nov. 27, 2024) through brand-impersonation scams, including fraudulent ads for PlayStation 5 consoles on Temu, fake Amazon branding used to sell counterfeit products, counterfeit Walmart gift cards, and fake delivery notifications designed to steal credit card data. Amazon removed over 40,000 phishing websites and 10,000 scam phone numbers in 2023 and recommends victims contact their bank immediately and report scams through Amazon's ReportAScam service, which customers should use to help improve fraud detection tools.
clickondetroit.com
Monroe County authorities are warning residents about a rising wave of cryptocurrency scams delivered via email, text, and phone calls that impersonate government agencies, lottery services, tech support, and romance schemes to trick victims into sending money or personal information. Michiganders lost nearly $80 million to cryptocurrency scams in 2023, with one Northville Township resident defrauded of approximately $300,000. Authorities emphasize that legitimate government agencies never demand payment in cryptocurrency or gift cards and always offer cash payment options in person.
cbs12.com
Despite government efforts to reduce robocalls, phone calls remain scammers' preferred method for targeting victims, with older adults being disproportionately targeted because "criminals go where the money is," according to AARP's Director of Fraud Victim Support. In one Florida case, an elderly man with dementia lost $10,000 after receiving a scam call with an 833-area code and withdrawing cash to mail to scammers in New Jersey—though this victim was fortunate when law enforcement recovered the money before delivery, a rare outcome. Experts recommend not answering calls from unknown numbers, silencing unknown callers on smartphones, and blocking suspicious area codes commonly used by scamm
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Google's Trust & Safety teams identified five prevalent online scam trends: AI-powered deepfake impersonations of public figures promoting fake investments, cryptocurrency investment scams promising unrealistic returns, cloned apps and landing pages mimicking legitimate brands to steal personal information, cloaking techniques that hide malicious content from detection systems, and exploitation of major events like natural disasters and elections to launch timely frauds. The company advises users to scrutinize unnatural facial expressions in videos, verify investment claims, check for misspellings and unusual formatting on websites, confirm URLs match official sites, and use only established platforms for donations and purchases.
wisn.com
A gold bar scam has defrauded 49 Wisconsin residents of approximately $13 million, with victims averaging losses exceeding $250,000 each. Scammers impersonate bank officials and federal authorities, convincing victims their accounts are hacked and instructing them to purchase gold bars for "protection," then deploy couriers to collect the gold before disappearing with it. Two couriers, Gourav Patel and Junjie Liang, have been arrested in connection with the scheme, which operates across the upper Midwest.
wwd.com
McAfee's consumer survey found that approximately one-third of Americans fell victim to online scams during the holiday season, with 60 percent of victims losing money and 10 percent losing over $1,000. AI-powered tools are enabling scammers to create increasingly realistic fake emails, texts, social media messages, and deepfakes that impersonate trusted brands and celebrities, with 88 percent of consumers reporting that AI is making holiday scams more sophisticated and difficult to distinguish from legitimate communications.
news.trendmicro.com
This week saw a surge in phishing and smishing scams targeting personal and financial data, including fake Xbox console purchase offers using the phishing site xblgo[.]com, fraudulent X (Twitter) login alerts directing users to fake login pages, and 1,127 fake Lowe's text messages with bogus order updates and delivery notifications. All three scam types aim to steal credentials, account access, or financial information by tricking users into clicking malicious links or entering personal details on fake websites. Protection strategies include verifying sender information, avoiding clicking unknown links, and checking legitimacy directly through official websites and apps rather than through provided links.
forbes.com
Virgin Media O2 launched "Daisy," an AI-powered chatbot designed to impersonate an elderly woman and engage scammers in lengthy, unproductive conversations to waste their time and resources. Developed with scambaiter Jim Browning, Daisy uses voice recognition and custom language models to keep fraudsters on the phone with meandering discussions about knitting and cats while refusing to provide the personal or financial information they seek. The company reports Daisy has already wasted hundreds of hours of scammers' time, potentially preventing them from targeting real vulnerable individuals.
yle.fi
In August 2021, an OP bank customer under age 20 lost nearly 44,000 euros to a text message phishing scam that directed them to a fake banking website and captured their credentials. The Eastern Finland Court of Appeal upheld a lower court's ruling requiring OP's Järvi-Häme branch to refund the victim, rejecting the bank's claim that the customer was careless and citing the victim's youth, limited banking experience, and distress during the incident. The ruling remains subject to further appeal.
dailydot.com
A TikTok user was scammed out of $40 by Boomira, a fraudulent online retailer, after purchasing an advertised seven-foot pre-lit Christmas tree through a TikTok Shop ad. The company provided a fake tracking number and disappeared with customers' money and payment information instead of delivering the product. The victim's viral videos warning others prompted thousands of people to avoid the scam, and authorities recommend verifying tracking numbers through official shipper portals, reporting suspicious charges to banks immediately, and being cautious of deals that seem too good to be true, especially for seasonal items with extended shipping times.
forbes.com
Scammers are actively targeting online shoppers ahead of Black Friday and Cyber Monday (Nov. 27) through brand impersonation scams, including fraudulent ads for PlayStation 5 consoles on Temu, fake Amazon branding, counterfeit Walmart gift cards, and fake delivery notifications. Amazon combats these threats year-round using investigator teams and machine learning, removing over 40,000 phishing websites and 10,000 scam phone numbers in 2023 while referring hundreds of bad actors to law enforcement. Consumers should report suspected scams to Amazon's ReportAScam service and contact their bank immediately if compromised, as the Amazon A-
blog.google
Google's Trust & Safety team is launching a regular advisory to track and combat increasingly sophisticated online fraud schemes, which are often orchestrated by transnational crime organizations using combined online and offline tactics. The advisory highlights five current scam trends: deepfake-enabled public figure impersonation campaigns promoting fraudulent investments and apps, crypto investment schemes promising unrealistic returns, app and landing page cloning that deceives users into sharing personal information or downloading malware, tech support scams using fake customer service pages, and credential theft through spoofed employee login portals. Google is implementing countermeasures including updated policies against impersonation in ads, enforcement against crypto fraud, and tools like SynthID to identify AI-
koco.com
**Holiday Scam Prevention Guide**: The Better Business Bureau warns consumers to watch for three trending seasonal scams—imposter websites with misspelled URLs lacking HTTPS encryption, fake shipping notifications with malicious links sent via email or text, and fraudulent charities soliciting donations around Giving Tuesday. Protection strategies include verifying website URLs carefully, avoiding unsolicited links and instead using original confirmation emails to track packages, and researching charities through legitimate databases like the BBB Wise Giving Alliance and Charity Navigator before donating.
al.com
The Madison County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about a phone scam in which fraudsters impersonate law enforcement and court officials, threatening arrest for missed jury duty and demanding immediate payment of fake fines, sometimes including forged legal documents. The scammers use both automated and live calls to intimidate victims into sending money they do not owe. Residents are advised to verify caller identity through official channels, never provide personal or financial information to unknown callers, and report suspicious calls to the sheriff's office.
blog.google
This policy white paper from Google addresses the rising threat of online scams, which affected over 21 million Americans last year and 78% of mobile users. Google recommends that governments, tech companies, and financial institutions strengthen collaboration through information sharing, cross-border cooperation, and international initiatives like the Global Anti-Scams Alliance to combat increasingly sophisticated transnational fraud networks. The recommendations also call for legal frameworks that incentivize companies to invest in AI-powered scam detection and prevention tools while protecting them from liability for good-faith protective actions.
wtap.com
**Summary:**
This educational piece presents financial fraud prevention advice from Jeff Sandy, a former West Virginia law enforcement official, highlighting common scams targeting the Mid-Ohio Valley including impersonation of loved ones (such as the "grandparent scam") and too-good-to-be-true offers. Sandy recommends critical thinking (asking "who, what, when, where, why"), maintaining open communication with elderly family members, limiting personal information shared online and in obituaries, and reporting fraud immediately to law enforcement or the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov) without shame.
communityimpact.com
The Elder Financial Safety Center (EFSC), formed in 2014 by Dallas County Probate Courts, the District Attorney's Office, and The Senior Source nonprofit, addresses financial exploitation of seniors through prevention, protection, and prosecution. The article details prevalent scams targeting seniors aged 50+, including romance scams, government impersonation, tech support fraud, and grandparent scams, and recommends protective measures such as not answering unknown calls and avoiding clicking on unsolicited texts and links. Services are free to eligible seniors in Dallas and surrounding counties, with one case cited involving a victim who lost $545,000 after being groomed through a fake Geek Squad text message scam
973espn.com
An elderly couple in Galloway Township, New Jersey, nearly lost $60,000 to an imposter posing as a federal agent who convinced them their bank accounts had been compromised and instructed them to withdraw cash for deposit into a "secure account." Police intervened after the couple's daughter alerted authorities, and arrested Dipen Patel, 51, of Bensalem, Pennsylvania, when he arrived at the home to collect the money. The case highlights the prevalence of elder fraud schemes targeting seniors through phone impersonation.
hispanicprwire.com
The New York StateWide Senior Action Council highlighted misleading marketing practices during Medicare Open Enrollment (October 15–December 7) as its November 2024 Fraud of the Month, warning seniors to avoid scammers who request personal information, falsely claim Medicare affiliation, or use high-pressure enrollment tactics. The council advises seniors to verify that plan representatives explain coverage changes in writing, confirm doctors are in-network, and opt out of unsolicited communications, with resources available through the NYS Senior Medicare Patrol at 800-333-4374.
paymentsjournal.com
Cross-border payments, which represent only 11% of card transactions but account for 63% of card-related fraud, pose significant risks to consumers and financial institutions globally. In the UK alone, authorized push payment (APP) scams—where victims are tricked into sending money to criminals—caused £239 million in losses in the first half of 2023, with one in three UK cross-border payment users reporting victimization. To combat this growing threat, experts recommend implementing collaborative information-sharing frameworks between financial institutions, adopting tokenization technology, and establishing universal standards like ISO 20022 to improve fraud detection and reduce the physical distance advantage that enables criminals to evade capture.
saharareporters.com
Four Nigerian nationals—Patrick Edah, Efe Egbowawa, Igocha Mac-Okor, and Kay Ozegbe—were sentenced to federal prison (30 to 60 months) for operating a romance and investment scam that defrauded victims across the U.S., including Western Tennessee, from 2017 to 2021. The defendants used fake identities and dating site profiles to establish romantic relationships and solicit emergency financial assistance, with victims losing thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, including one Tennessee resident who lost over $400,000. They were convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering after laundering scam proceeds through
cbsnews.com
A 30-year-old San Leandro woman, Qingyun Chen, was arrested for allegedly running a large-scale tech support scam that targeted elderly victims throughout the Bay Area by convincing them their computers were infected with viruses, then directing them to withdraw cash that couriers collected from their homes. Chen was identified during a September investigation into the scheme and charged with grand theft and theft/embezzlement of an elder adult, with bail set at $2.5 million; investigators recovered significant cash and evidence from two of her homes.
catcountry1073.com
A Galloway Township Police Department stopped an attempted elder fraud scheme when officers arrested Dipen Patel, 51, who arrived at a senior couple's home to collect $60,000 in cash. The couple had been deceived by a phone scammer posing as a federal agent who falsely claimed unauthorized bank accounts were opened in their names and instructed them to withdraw and hand over the money for "protection." Police prevented the handover after being alerted by the couple's daughter and have issued search warrants as the investigation continues.
americanbanker.com
Comerica Bank sued the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau in November 2024, claiming its investigation into the bank's administration of the Direct Express federal prepaid card program—which serves over 3 million Americans receiving federal benefits—is unlawful and exceeds the agency's authority. The lawsuit comes after years of allegations against Comerica, including outsourcing fraud complaints to Pakistan, failing to adequately prevent fraud, and mishandling beneficiary refunds, which led to a $1.2 million settlement in June 2024. Comerica's current contract with the Treasury Department expires January 2, 2025, and the bank faces potential replacement by Bank of New York Mellon.
newportdispatch.com
Bath Police Department reported two recent online scams affecting local residents: a fake Facebook Marketplace rental property listing where victims lost money on a down payment after the scammer used photos from legitimate real estate sites, and a lottery scam where a victim sent $1,000 in processing fees after being told they won an $8.5 million prize from a company impersonating Publishers Clearing House. Authorities recommend verifying legitimacy before making online payments and reporting scams to local police and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
coventrytelegraph.net
A survey by Aviva found that 30% of young drivers aged 17-25 were duped by fraudulent car insurance brokers, many contacted through social media platforms offering suspiciously cheap policies. Victims experienced serious consequences including invalid policies due to misrepresented personal details (49%), rejected insurance claims (22%), vehicle impoundment or police fines (17%), with Aviva identifying 340,000 suspicious applications and canceling 17,000 fraudulent policies in a single year. The insurer advises young drivers to avoid social media insurance offers and report suspected "ghost brokers" to the Insurance Fraud Bureau or Action Fraud.
oklahoman.com
Oklahoma City is warning residents about a resurging scam where callers impersonate municipal court employees or law enforcement, demanding immediate payment of fake fines over the phone under threat of jail. The city advises residents to hang up, independently verify any debts by calling OKC Municipal Court at (405) 297-3898 or checking okc.gov/court, and notes that scammers increasingly use spoofed numbers, actual deputy names, and payment methods like gift cards and cryptocurrency to steal money.
breakingac.com
A Pennsylvania man, Dipen Patel, was arrested after attempting to impersonate a federal agent to scam an elderly couple out of over $60,000 in cash in Galloway Township. The victim's daughter recognized the scam and contacted police, who coordinated surveillance and arrested Patel when he arrived to collect the cash. Patel was charged with third-degree theft by unlawful taking and released on a summons pending investigation.