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citizen.digital
· 2025-12-08
This educational article outlines five common scam tactics used by fraudsters in Kenya: unrealistically cheap offers and links promising wealth, pressure tactics with urgent payment demands, requests for sensitive banking information, poor communication and grammar, and emotional manipulation through hacked social media accounts. A 2022 TransUnion study found that while 80% of Kenyans encountered scam attempts, only 8% actually fell victim, emphasizing the importance of recognizing these warning signs. The article advises vigilance, direct verification with trusted contacts or institutions, and reporting suspicious activity to protect oneself and others from fraud.
newsweek.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service has issued warnings about rising "smishing" scams—fraudulent text messages impersonating USPS that claim packages are undeliverable due to invalid ZIP codes and direct recipients to malicious links. These scams aim to steal personal information, financial credentials, and Social Security numbers, with Americans losing approximately $8.8 billion to fraud annually. The USPIS advises consumers not to click suspicious links, report messages to 7726 (SPAM), and verify tracking directly through the official USPS website rather than through unsolicited texts.
shorenewsnetwork.com
· 2025-12-08
Lise Rossopoulos, 59, of Queens, New York, was charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property for her role in a nationwide scam that defrauded elderly victims of over $500,000. Working with a co-conspirator posing as a government official, Rossopoulos received wire transfers into bank accounts in her name from victims who were falsely told their identities had been stolen, including a 92-year-old Hawaii woman who lost $446,000 and an 83-year-old Kentucky man who lost nearly $102,000. She faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted.
queensda.org
· 2025-12-08
Lise Rossopoulos, 59, of Kew Gardens Hills, Queens, was charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property for orchestrating a nationwide elder fraud scheme that defrauded senior citizens of over $500,000. The scam involved co-conspirators impersonating government officials (FTC and Amazon representatives) who convinced victims to wire money to bank accounts in Queens and upstate New York that Rossopoulos controlled, with funds withdrawn immediately after each transfer. Two identified victims—a 92-year-old from Hawaii and an 83-year-old from Kentucky—lost $446,000 and $101,980 respectively between February and July
bluewin.ch
· 2025-12-08
A Swiss family lost 22,000 francs (including their two daughters' savings accounts) through QR code fraud when a woman was tricked into scanning a malicious code while attempting to sell children's clothes on Facebook Marketplace; a fraudster posing as a Revolut employee directed her to scan the code, which gave criminals access to her e-banking credentials. The bank denied responsibility for compensation, and despite filing a police complaint, authorities were unable to recover the funds that had been transferred abroad. The family went public with their experience to warn others about this sophisticated scam targeting unsuspecting individuals through fake payment assistance.
mirror.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
A 68-year-old retired care worker lost £22,000 to a romance scammer who posed as a widower named "Daniel Peeters" on Match.com over a four-month period from June to November. The fraudster used stolen photographs and fabricated increasingly elaborate stories—including a frozen bank account, a hospital accident, and marriage proposals—to manipulate the victim into making repeated wire transfers. Fortunately, solicitors from the National Fraud Helpline recovered all of the victim's lost funds through a fraud reclaim scheme.
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Scammers are exploiting Docusign's legitimate email delivery system to send convincing phishing emails impersonating PayPal, bypassing standard email security filters by using fake Gmail addresses and fraudulent Docusign templates to steal login credentials. The attack can be detected by red flags such as PayPal using a Gmail address, documents not requiring signatures, and mismatched recipient addresses; victims can verify authenticity by visiting Docusign.com directly and using the document security code provided in the email. PayPal and security experts recommend users verify all communications directly through official websites rather than clicking email links, and API security monitoring should be improved to prevent such exploits.
irishmirror.ie
· 2025-12-08
A 68-year-old retired care worker lost €25,000 to a romance scammer who posed as "Daniel Peeters," a widowed businessman, after they met on Match.com in May. Over four months, the fraudster used romantic gestures, fabricated emergencies (frozen bank accounts, business deals, a taxi accident), and fake documents to manipulate her into sending multiple wire transfers. Fortunately, solicitors from the National Fraud Helpline recovered all of her lost funds through a fraud reclaim scheme.
the420.in
· 2025-12-08
This curated cybercrime news roundup covers multiple fraud incidents globally. Domestic cases include Indian police recovering Rs 1.05 lakh from 10 cyber fraud victims, an engineer losing Rs 1.76 crore to fake investment schemes via WhatsApp, a teacher losing Rs 2.1 lakh in stock market fraud, and a senior citizen defrauded of Rs 47 lakh in online trading schemes. International incidents include the FCC warning seniors about AI-powered "grandparent scams" that cloned voices, Bybit cryptocurrency exchange losing $1.5 billion to hackers exploiting insecure freeware, and law enforcement shutting
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, a Hong Kong employee was tricked into transferring $25 million after joining a video conference with an AI-generated deepfake of his company's CFO. Deepfake attacks—using AI to create fake videos and audio—now occur every five minutes and comprise 40% of all biometric fraud, exploiting victims' trust in familiar faces and voices combined with artificial urgency. The best defense is verification through separate channels: if you receive an unusual request involving money or sensitive information via video, phone, or voicemail, hang up and independently confirm the person's identity before proceeding.
denver7.com
· 2025-12-08
Americans aged 60 and older are the most targeted group for scams, with elder fraud costing the nation $3.4 billion annually and averaging $33,915 per victim in 2023. Scammers exploit older Americans' cognitive vulnerabilities, loneliness, trust, and technological inexperience through impersonation via calls, texts, emails, and social media—sometimes using artificial intelligence to mimic voices. Protection strategies include monitoring accounts, using strong passwords and multi-factor authentication, verifying unexpected requests directly with contacts, and reporting suspected fraud to the FBI, FTC, local police, or state attorney general offices despite potential embarrassment.
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are using fake Docusign accounts to send phishing emails impersonating PayPal, leveraging Docusign's legitimate infrastructure to bypass email security filters. The attack uses red flags including fake Gmail sender addresses, non-existent recipient addresses, and documents that don't require signatures—users can verify legitimacy by visiting Docusign.com directly and using the document security code provided in suspicious emails. PayPal and security researchers recommend customers remain vigilant, check accounts directly rather than through email links, and report suspicious activity.
cityofmentor.com
· 2025-12-08
Mentor detectives report scams targeting seniors are at an all-time high, with 2-3 reports weekly in their city alone, though an estimated 87% of cases go unreported due to embarrassment. Recent local cases include a woman who lost $660,000 to a cryptocurrency scam initiated by a "wrong-number" text and a couple who lost $45,000 after clicking a malicious pop-up and speaking with an impostor bank officer. The article advises seniors to avoid unknown callers, never click suspicious links, verify requests through official channels, refuse gift card or cryptocurrency payments, guard personal information, and report incidents immediately to police to maximize recovery chances.
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
A 73-year-old woman in the Pacific Northwest lost $300,000 to an elaborate computer help desk scam in which criminals impersonating tech workers, investment officers, and a U.S. marshal convinced her over weeks of lengthy phone calls that her investment account had been hacked and instructed her to liquidate funds and purchase gold to "protect" her money. The scam devastated her entire family, eliminating her retirement savings and funds earmarked for her children's down payments and grandchildren's education, and may force her to sell her home to cover resulting tax debt. The case illustrates how scam victims' family members become "secondary victims" experiencing emotional, financial, and care
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, older adults lost a record $12.5 billion to scams and fraud—a 25 percent increase from 2023—with adults in their 70s reporting median losses of $1,000 compared to $417 for those in their 20s. The most common scams were imposter schemes (particularly government impostors, which surged from $171 million to $789 million), followed by online shopping, job opportunity, and investment scams, with investment fraud being the most lucrative for criminals at $5.7 billion in reported losses. The FTC notes that fraud's impact on older adults is often catastrophic, affecting retirement security and forcing
luxtimes.lu
· 2025-12-08
This is an educational piece providing advice on protecting oneself from online scams. The expert outlines common scam types—including phishing emails, fake websites, investment schemes, romance scams, tech support scams, lottery scams, and job scams—and recommends protective practices such as being cautious with personal information, verifying requests directly with service providers, using strong passwords, and remaining skeptical of unexpected messages. The key message is that staying informed and vigilant about evolving fraud tactics significantly reduces the risk of falling victim to online fraud.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
A Portland senior nearly fell victim to a $170,000 gold bar scam in which fraudsters impersonated law enforcement and claimed his Social Security number was compromised, pressuring him to purchase gold bars to "protect" his assets; he avoided the full loss but still lost $4,000 in price differences. A similar scam in Clark County resulted in a victim losing $500,000. The scam typically involves criminals posing as authorities claiming identity theft, then directing victims to quickly purchase precious metals as a supposed protective measure.
bai.org
· 2025-12-08
Financial institutions must implement transaction monitoring systems and staff training to combat elder financial exploitation, which totaled $27 billion in 155,415 suspicious activity reports between June 2022 and June 2023. The most common exploiters are known individuals—relatives or caregivers—who may have legal access to accounts and use manipulation or coercion, though romantic scams and government impersonation schemes targeting the elderly are also on the rise. Banks and credit unions must balance sensitive customer interactions with regulatory reporting requirements under the Bank Secrecy Act to identify and report suspicious transactions that may indicate elder abuse.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Catalina Corona, a personal assistant employed by an elderly married couple, was arraigned in Brooklyn federal court on charges of wire fraud, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft after forging her employers' signatures to steal approximately $10 million between 2017 and 2024. Corona deposited hundreds of checks to herself from the victims' accounts without consent and posed as one of the victims when contacting their bank, ultimately spending the stolen funds on luxury goods and credit card payments. If convicted, Corona faces up to 30 years in prison, with a mandatory minimum of two years for the aggravated identity theft charge.
seattletimes.com
· 2025-12-08
State officials are warning Americans about a surge of "smishing" scams—SMS text messages impersonating toll collection agencies—that attempt to trick recipients into revealing financial information like credit card or bank account details. A cybersecurity firm identified a threat actor who registered over 10,000 domains to conduct these scams across at least 10 U.S. states and Ontario, Canada, with messages falsely claiming unpaid tolls and threatening fines or suspended driving privileges. Authorities advise recipients not to click suspicious links or reply to these texts and to report them to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
npr.org
· 2025-12-08
Smishing (SMS phishing) scams have surged significantly, with Americans receiving 19.2 billion spam texts in February alone, often impersonating toll agencies, utilities, and financial institutions to trick victims into clicking malicious links or providing payment information. Scammers quickly adapt their tactics to current events—such as NYC's congestion pricing launch in January 2025—to exploit confusion and urgency among consumers. To protect themselves, consumers should register with the National Do Not Call Registry, never click links in unsolicited texts, verify requests by independently calling companies, and report scams to the FBI's IC3 or by forwarding messages to 7726.
ca.style.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Canadians lost $638 million to scams in 2024, with impersonation and investment fraud being the costliest types, as fraudsters increasingly use sophisticated technology including AI to create convincing deepfakes and pose as legitimate organizations or celebrities. The Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre reports that while fewer cases were processed in 2024 compared to 2023, authorities estimate 90-95% of fraud cases go unreported, and recommend Canadians verify unexpected calls or messages and be aware of red flags such as requests for personal information or unsolicited payment demands. Key prevention strategies include trusting instincts, questioning suspicious communications, and educating seniors about evolving scam tactics.
au.finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
A 91-year-old Victorian woman lost $130,000 after receiving a phone call from a scammer impersonating her bank, who claimed fraudulent charges had occurred on her card and arranged to collect it in person. The scammer used the card over 130 times across multiple Melbourne locations over five days before it was cancelled. Bank impersonation scams have surged 25% in Australia's first nine months of 2024, with over 8,200 reports recorded, though the overall losses decreased to $9.35 million compared to $14.98 million the previous year.
kwch.com
· 2025-12-08
A 72-year-old Wichita woman lost her entire life savings of $36,000 in a sophisticated cryptocurrency scam when a caller impersonating a Coinbase representative convinced her that her account had been compromised. The scammer used fear-based tactics to pressure her into transferring her funds to a fraudulent wallet controlled by the criminals, from which the money cannot be recovered. The article advises verifying any account security claims by independently calling official customer service numbers rather than responding to unsolicited calls or clicking provided links.
digitalreviews.net
· 2025-12-08
Following Cyclone Alfred, cyber security experts warn of a surge in disaster-related scams targeting vulnerable victims, including unannounced contractor fraud, phishing emails impersonating insurers, fake donation campaigns, and imposters posing as government and relief agencies. AUCyber recommends victims file insurance claims through official channels, verify contractor credentials, avoid upfront payments, check email sender addresses, and report suspicious activity to ScamWatch to protect themselves during cleanup and recovery efforts.
cantonrep.com
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau outlines five common vacation scams to watch for: vacation rental cons using fake listings and false urgency, "free" vacation offers with hidden fees, third-party booking site scams involving identity theft, hotel scams including fake front desk calls and fake wi-fi networks, and timeshare reselling frauds. Travelers are advised to use caution when booking travel, research companies on BBB.org, avoid sharing personal information over the phone, use secure networks, and work with reputable, accredited businesses to protect themselves during vacation planning and travel.
howtogeek.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece warns about a prevalent TikTok scam offering $750 for completing simple tasks, which actually steals personal information through surveys and free trial sign-ups. Scammers create legitimacy through fake influencer endorsements, FOMO tactics ("limited slots"), bot-generated comments, and sending real payments to initial participants to lure victims. The primary dangers include identity theft and sale of personal data (phone numbers, emails, Social Security numbers, credit card details) to other criminals or advertisers.
miamitimesonline.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article outlines major scam trends for 2025, including AI-enhanced scams (phishing, deepfakes, voice cloning), imposter scams where fraudsters pose as trusted contacts or companies with a median loss of $800 per victim, sextortion schemes involving explicit content extortion, romance scams using fake profiles and deepfake video calls, and phone-based scams using robocalls and malware. The article emphasizes that scammers primarily seek personal information or money, and recommends skepticism when contacted unexpectedly, especially regarding urgent requests or investment opportunities.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers exploit psychological vulnerabilities and human behavior to deceive victims, using tactics like "spray and pray" messaging to catch people when distracted, tired, or stressed. The FTC received 2.6 million fraud reports in 2024 resulting in $12.5 billion in losses, with research showing that nine in ten Americans have been targeted by fraud attempts, and cognitive impairment—whether temporary or chronic—significantly increases susceptibility to scams. Key protective insights include recognizing that truth bias makes people inherently inclined to believe what others tell them, and that remaining alert and verifying requests independently are essential defenses against fraud.
cbs12.com
· 2025-12-08
Sarah Works, a 28-year-old Port St. Lucie woman, was arrested following a SWAT raid after an investigation revealed she had fraudulently gained the trust of an elderly victim by posing as a caregiver, then exploited that position to access the victim's bank accounts, credit cards, and personal identification. The fraud was discovered when a family member living out of state noticed suspicious bank activity and alerted authorities; Works also fraudulently obtained power of attorney documents that the victim unknowingly signed. Works is being held without bond on charges including scheme to defraud, fraudulent use of credit cards, and criminal use of personal identification, and this represents her third arrest in two
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
This AARP educational piece outlines multiple fraud schemes targeting older adults: gold bar scams where criminals impersonate bank officials to convince victims to withdraw savings for "safekeeping," fake cruise deal scams using fraudulent websites and ads, and romance scams involving cryptocurrency investments. The article provides prevention strategies including verifying legitimate sources, using credit cards for purchases, and recommends that family members support fraud victims through compassionate questioning and regular scam awareness discussions rather than blame.
cknxnewstoday.ca
· 2025-12-08
During March Anti-Fraud Month, the Ontario Provincial Police reported 72 fraud calls in the Grey Bruce area from January through early March 2024, with romance scams, grandparent scams, cryptocurrency schemes, gift card scams, and e-transfer fraud being the most common types. Constable Krista Linthorne advised the public to avoid acting under pressure, never share financial information via unsolicited communications, and verify requests by contacting institutions directly. Victims should immediately contact their bank and credit bureau to freeze accounts, report losses to police, and those who identify attempted scams should contact the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
cknxnewstoday.ca
· 2025-12-08
During the first two months of 2025, the Grey Bruce OPP received 72 fraud reports, with romance scams, grandparent scams, cryptocurrency schemes, gift card scams, and e-transfer fraud being the most common. Constable Krista Linthorne advises the public to avoid pressure to act quickly on money requests, never share personal or financial information via unsolicited calls or texts, and remember that legitimate government agencies and banks will never contact citizens requesting such information. Those who suspect fraud or lose money should immediately contact their bank and credit bureau, while confirmed victims should report to police and use the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre for additional resources.
ccpc.ie
· 2025-12-08
This Global Money Week awareness article outlines common scams targeting young people, including money mule schemes (where individuals are tricked into laundering illegal funds through their bank accounts), fake ticket sales for sold-out events, and risky cryptocurrency and forex investments that often operate as scams through romance schemes or phishing. The piece emphasizes protective measures such as never sharing bank details with untrusted parties, purchasing tickets only from official sources, and verifying investment legitimacy before committing funds.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
Bank impersonation scams via text, email, and phone calls increased dramatically in 2024, with the FTC reporting these scams accounted for nearly half of all reported frauds and resulted in losses exceeding $1.1 billion—more than triple the 2020 total. Criminals use spoofing technology and sophisticated replicas of bank communications to trick victims into revealing PINs, passwords, account access codes, or moving money to "safe" accounts by creating false urgency around account security threats. Consumers should never provide account credentials or personal information to unsolicited contacts; instead, they should hang up and call their bank directly using verified contact information from official websites or statements, an
northfortynews.com
· 2025-12-08
The Larimer County Sheriff's Office highlighted nine trending scams affecting Northern Colorado residents in March 2025, including "neighbor in trouble" calls requesting bail money, stolen/altered checks, fake PayPal fraud alerts, door-to-door sales schemes, tech support scams impersonating Microsoft and Apple, and cryptocurrency investment frauds. Seniors are frequently targeted and often listed on "sucker lists" shared among scammers, making compassionate reporting and victim support critical. The advisory recommends verifying requests independently, using secure payment methods, and reporting suspicious activity to local law enforcement or the FTC.
13wmaz.com
· 2025-12-08
A South Carolina man, Bhargav Patel, was arrested in Jones County, Georgia after attempting to defraud an elderly couple of their life savings through a courier scam, in which he convinced them their bank deposits were unsafe and arranged to pick up their withdrawn money for "safekeeping." The couple's family intervened before the theft was completed, obtained the suspect's license plate, and authorities tracked and arrested Patel, charging him with exploitation of the elderly and two counts of criminal attempt to commit theft. The sheriff's office emphasized that such fraud cases are among the highest-volume crimes they handle and advised residents to be cautious of unsolicited calls, especially from those impersonating government agencies
cnet.com
· 2025-12-08
Arielle Burton received a suspicious email claiming to be from TD Bank about a doubling maintenance fee, which contained broken links and red flags despite appearing legitimate, prompting her to question how to distinguish real bank communications from phishing scams. The article explains four legitimate reasons banks contact customers—identity verification, suspicious activity alerts, low balance warnings, and data breach notifications—and advises that banks never request sensitive information via unsolicited calls, texts, or emails, only through secure channels like physical mail or the bank's official app.
kiplinger.com
· 2025-12-08
A 76-year-old retired lawyer lost $740,000 in retirement savings to con artists who posed as federal investigators, convincing him he was helping with a fraud investigation. The article notes that retirees are frequent targets due to presumed savings, trust, cognitive vulnerabilities, and isolation, and outlines common scams including phishing emails, phone impersonations, and fake online sales, while recommending verification of unexpected requests, strong passwords, and reporting fraud rather than remaining silent due to embarrassment.
citizen.co.za
· 2025-12-08
A Benoni teacher narrowly escaped a romance scam after meeting a man who posed as a wealthy lecturer and royal family member, using elaborate rituals in a fake "prayer room" to gain her trust and eventually pressure her to take out a loan to "clean" money he claimed appeared in a trunk. The scammer disappeared when the victim's loan applications were declined due to debt review status, and she later discovered the man was merely a tenant in someone else's home. The teacher is sharing her experience to warn other women to recognize red flags in romance scams that exploit trust and emotions.
koreaherald.com
· 2025-12-08
Two men in their 20s were sentenced to four years in prison by a Busan court for their roles in a romance scam that defrauded eleven victims of 2.8 billion won ($1.9 million). The defendants traveled to Cambodia in January 2024 to join a fraud ring, where they worked at a call center impersonating women via Telegram to build relationships with victims before convincing them to invest in cryptocurrency or fake business opportunities.
fox11online.com
· 2025-12-08
Manitowoc police are warning of a dramatic increase in scams, including romance schemes where scammers gradually request money and personal information before using explicit photos for blackmail, and impersonation scams where callers pose as law enforcement demanding payment via gift cards or cryptocurrency for alleged court fines or debts. Police emphasize that government agencies never request payments through cryptocurrency ATMs or gift cards, and advise victims to verify any such requests before sending funds.
dtnext.in
· 2025-12-08
Fifty account holders at a private Indian bank were fraudulently issued loans totaling Rs 7.5 crore (approximately $900,000 USD) without their knowledge or consent in 2024, with cybercriminals using stolen credentials to secure loans ranging from Rs 20-40 lakh each. Forty-one victims were compromised through FedEx scams, while the bank issued default notices to account holders and refused responsibility for the security breach, forcing victims to escalate complaints to the RBI and consumer courts. One Chennai victim is paying Rs 38,000 monthly on a Rs 20 lakh loan he never requested, while another victim lost Rs 3 l
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Luis Alfonso Bisono Rodriguez, a 34-year-old Cleveland resident, was indicted on federal charges for participating in a grandparent fraud scheme that operated across Pennsylvania and Ohio between October 2024 and January 2025. The organized crime group defrauded at least five elderly victims in Western Pennsylvania of over $50,000 by impersonating grandchildren in crisis situations and requesting immediate money transfers; Rodriguez received the stolen funds via rideshare drivers and transferred much of it to the Dominican Republic through wire transfers. The FBI indicates there are likely additional victims across multiple states and requests that anyone with information report it through the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
azag.gov
· 2025-12-08
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes warned consumers about "smishing" scams—fraudulent text messages designed to trick recipients into downloading malware, sharing sensitive information, or clicking links to counterfeit websites that steal personal and financial data. Common smishing tactics include fake unpaid toll notices, job offers, bank alerts, package delivery notices, and tax refund claims. The FTC reported that consumers lost over $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024 (a 25% increase), with Arizona's Consumer Information and Complaints Unit receiving nearly 22,000 complaints and recovering a record $5.2 million for consumers.
clarencevalleynews.com.au
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, Australians lost $2 billion to scams (down 25.9% from 2023), though more people fell victim to increasingly sophisticated impersonation scams, with social media being the leading contact method for financial loss at $69.5 million across 7,724 reports. Common impersonation scams include bank impersonation, government agency impersonation, family/friend impersonation using deepfakes, job scams requiring upfront payments or bank access, and celebrity endorsement scams. The key prevention strategies are to stop and verify before giving money or information, check requests independently using known contact details, and protect yourself by contacting your bank immediately
hindustantimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A Bhiwandi travel agency's accountant fell victim to a WhatsApp phishing scam where fraudsters impersonated the company owner and pressured him to transfer ₹90 lakh ($10,800 USD) for an urgent business project. Maharashtra Cyber responded swiftly by coordinating with banks to freeze the transaction before it reached the criminals, and the refund process to the agency is underway. In the past 48 hours, Maharashtra Cyber resolved five similar cyber fraud complaints totaling ₹1.47 crore, demonstrating the effectiveness of rapid reporting and coordinated action.
slate.com
· 2025-12-08
A woman's mother has been victimized by multiple romance scams since October, losing tens of thousands of dollars to scammers impersonating celebrities and entertainment figures through gift cards, bank transfers, and cryptocurrency payments. The daughter has attempted multiple interventions including gentle conversations and contacting organizations like AARP and the FTC, but her mother denies the scams, remains secretive, and continues sending money, including funds for a canceled "visit" with an alleged fiancé. The advice column recommends framing a conversation around financial planning rather than the romance itself, focusing on how these expenditures impact her mother's long-term financial security.
daijiworld.com
· 2025-12-08
An 83-year-old retired railway employee and his 79-year-old wife in Belagavi, India, died by suicide after losing Rs 6 lakh to cybercriminals who impersonated law enforcement officials and threatened to release fabricated obscene content unless they paid ransom. The couple endured a month of escalating harassment and continued extortion demands before the wife consumed sleeping pills and the husband subsequently took his own life, leaving a note exposing the scammers' tactics. The incident highlights the rising cybercrime threat in Karnataka and underscores the importance of recognizing that police never initiate cases online or demand money, and that "digital arrest" is not a
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
**Title:** The more money you have, the more you have for scammers to steal
Wealthy individuals are targeted by sophisticated fraudsters through multiple schemes including whaling (personalized phishing), impersonation of trusted advisors, investment scams, tax-related fraud, fake seller websites, and charity scams, with single transactions potentially resulting in losses of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Scammers use open-source intelligence and social engineering to build trust, create convincing impersonations (including deepfake videos and AI-generated communications), and exploit high-net-worth individuals' busy schedules and trust in established relationships. The article advises victims to verify identities directly