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in Scam Awareness
tulsapeople.com
· 2025-12-08
Scam losses in Oklahoma exceeded $72 million in 2024 and have tripled over the past five years, with increasingly emotionally manipulative tactics targeting older adults. Common scams include phishing, grandparent scams, tech support fraud, romance scams, and cryptocurrency schemes. Protection strategies include pausing before clicking links, researching contacts independently, using strong passwords with two-factor authentication, avoiding cryptocurrency and gift card payments, and reporting suspected fraud to the Oklahoma Attorney General, FTC, or AARP's Fraud Watch helpline.
saharareporters.com
· 2025-12-08
Oluwasegun Baiyewu, 37, of Richmond, Texas, was convicted by a federal jury in Puerto Rico for conspiracy to launder funds from large-scale fraud schemes including romance scams, pandemic relief fraud, and business email compromise attacks that disproportionately targeted elderly and vulnerable Americans. Baiyewu and four co-conspirators routed stolen proceeds through multiple accounts to conceal their origin, then used the funds to purchase used cars shipped to Nigeria and distribute money to other co-conspirators between 2020 and 2021. The defendants will be sentenced by the District of Puerto Rico court.
jerseyeveningpost.com
· 2025-12-08
Charities in Jersey are warning that dementia patients are losing substantial sums—often six-figure amounts—to relationship scams perpetrated by people who build trust before exploiting them financially. People with dementia are particularly vulnerable due to memory loss, impaired decision-making, and loneliness, with abuse frequently committed by someone close to the victim. Experts recommend establishing lasting power of attorney, securing finances, and having regular conversations about scams to protect vulnerable individuals.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
George Santiago, Jr., owner of "The Garage Door Guy" in Modesto, was arrested after investigators found he defrauded multiple customers out of approximately $42,600 by accepting payment for garage door installation and repair work that was never completed. Santiago was taken into custody on August 21 and charged with grand theft, theft by false pretenses, and weapons violations after a loaded firearm was found in his vehicle and additional guns, drugs, and paraphernalia were discovered at his home.
prweb.com
· 2025-12-08
RangersAI announced two new features in its ScamRanger app to combat elder fraud and scams: Guardian Mode, which allows vulnerable users to designate trusted contacts who receive scam alerts and can provide support, and a WhatsApp Agent that delivers real-time scam detection directly within WhatsApp. The app detects over 130 scam types across SMS, email, and chat platforms, addressing a global scam crisis exceeding $1 trillion in losses annually.
moneyweek.com
· 2025-12-08
Fraudsters are impersonating the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) to steal money from victims, with the FCA receiving 4,465 reports of such scams in a single year and 480 victims actually losing funds; nearly two-thirds of reports came from people aged 56 and older. Common tactics include falsely claiming recovered crypto funds, offering to help recover losses from previous scams ("double dip" scams), and using romantic "pig butchering" schemes, often employing call spoofing to appear legitimate. To protect themselves, people should never provide sensitive banking information to unsolicited contacts, verify FCA communications directly through official channels (0800 111 6
brantfordexpositor.ca
· 2025-12-08
Brantford Police issued a scam alert regarding two fraud schemes targeting seniors: a card-compromise scam where callers pose as bank representatives and send agents to collect debit/credit cards and PINs for fraudulent purchases, and a fake gold chain scam where suspects lure elderly victims into their vehicle under false pretenses and steal their real jewelry by exchanging it for counterfeit items. Police emphasized that financial institutions never request card verification in this manner and provided prevention tips including verifying caller identity, avoiding unsecured screen sharing, and consulting trusted contacts before sending money.
silive.com
· 2025-12-08
Two New Jersey brothers, Abhishek and Tushar Barvalia, allegedly defrauded four elderly women (ages 76-90) out of nearly $400,000 between June 2023 and January 2024 by impersonating government agents, bank representatives, and Microsoft/FTC officials and convincing them their accounts were compromised or involved in illegal activity. The victims, located in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens, and Connecticut, were manipulated into withdrawing cash or sending cashier's checks to accounts controlled by the defendants, with individual losses ranging from $15,000 to $171,680. The brothers face charges of second-degree gran
amac.us
· 2025-12-08
The grandparent scam tricks seniors into sending money to scammers posing as distressed grandchildren or relatives in crisis. Scammers exploit grandparents' emotional vulnerability and willingness to help by researching personal information online, impersonating authority figures, and requesting untraceable payments via wire transfer or gift cards. Modern variants use sophisticated technology including caller ID spoofing and AI voice cloning to appear more convincing, making these scams increasingly difficult to distinguish from legitimate requests.
pensionsage.com
· 2025-12-08
In July 2025, XPS Group's Scam Flag Index revealed that 94 percent of pension transfer cases reviewed showed at least one scam warning sign, marking a sharp 6 percent increase from June and indicating persistent vulnerabilities in the pension transfer process. Meanwhile, the average pension transfer value held relatively stable at £139,000, with transfer activity remaining elevated compared to 2024 levels. Industry experts emphasize the need for stronger safeguards and member protections against scams, even as regulatory reviews note that most firms complete transfers within reasonable timeframes.
securitybrief.com.au
· 2025-12-08
Australians lost AUD $119 million to cyber scams in the first four months of 2025, with citizens encountering an average of 10 scam attempts daily and suffering average individual losses of AUD $1,851 per victim. Cybercriminals are increasingly using AI-powered tactics including deepfakes, phishing emails, and personalized targeted scams to deceive Australians at scale. Experts recommend a dual approach combining AI-powered detection tools with public education, awareness, and basic cybersecurity practices such as software updates and strong passwords to combat the surge in fraud.
wdbj7.com
· 2025-12-08
The Virginia Tech Police Department warned of multiple ongoing scams targeting students and community members, including fake football ticket sales via social media (where scammers pose as alumni and accept payment through apps like Venmo but never deliver tickets), sextortion schemes targeting male students (where scammers pose as attractive women, solicit intimate photos, then blackmail victims), fraudulent job offers involving fake checks that students are asked to cash and return funds for, and impersonation scams where scammers pose as family or friends requesting gift card payments. The department provided prevention advice for each scam type, emphasizing purchasing from official vendors, never sending intimate photos to unknown contacts, verifying checks through banks, and carefully ver
lycoming.crimewatchpa.com
· 2025-12-08
Multiple community members have reported receiving phone calls from individuals impersonating law enforcement officers claiming they owe fines or have outstanding warrants, with scammers instructing victims to transfer money via gift cards, Bitcoin, or payment apps. Legitimate law enforcement agencies never request fine payments over the phone or accept cryptocurrency and gift cards as payment; fines are handled through the court system and paid in person. Residents are advised to hang up immediately on such calls and contact their local police department directly if they have concerns about the legitimacy of a claim.
ohio.gov
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are sending fraudulent text messages to Ohio residents impersonating state agencies including the Bureau of Motor Vehicles, Ohio Turnpike, and Department of Taxation. State agencies will never contact citizens via unsolicited text messages, and residents should report suspicious messages to the Ohio Attorney General's Office.
fca.org.uk
· 2025-12-08
Fraudsters impersonating the UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) conducted nearly 5,000 scams in the first half of 2025, with 480 victims losing money through various schemes including fake crypto recovery claims, loan recovery promises, and "pig butchering" romantic investment scams. Older consumers aged 56+ accounted for almost two-thirds of reported cases, with scammers targeting vulnerable victims by requesting bank PINs, passwords, and additional funds under the pretense of regulatory assistance or debt recovery.
oag.ca.gov
· 2025-12-08
California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued an alert about ongoing text-based scam activity targeting state taxpayers, in which scammers impersonate the California Franchise Tax Board to trick victims into providing personal and financial information under the guise of tax refunds. These government imposter scams are part of a larger fraud problem, with scammers becoming increasingly sophisticated in their methods. Consumers are advised to avoid clicking links in suspicious texts, verify messages directly with official agencies, and report suspected tax fraud to the IRS or California Franchise Tax Board.
6abc.com
· 2025-12-08
A South Los Angeles woman lost over $431,000 to a romance scam involving deepfake videos of actor Steve Burton from "General Hospital," whom the scammer impersonated on Facebook Messenger and WhatsApp. The victim, who has a history of mental illness, was convinced the scammer was the real actor in love with her and sent money via gift cards, cash, and bitcoin before ultimately selling her condo for $350,000 and planning to send an additional $70,000. Actor Steve Burton confirmed he knows of hundreds of women who have lost money to similar scams using his identity and cloned voice/image, calling the deepfake romance scam epidemic a serious threat to vulnerable individuals.
greatnews.life
· 2025-12-08
This 2013 overview identifies the top scams affecting La Porte County and beyond, with phishing (stealing personal information for identity theft) ranked as the most prevalent fraud. The top ten scams include grandparent impersonation schemes targeting elderly relatives, doorstep contractor fraud using high-pressure sales tactics, work-from-home schemes, lottery scams, Nigerian advance-fee frauds, and account hijacking of email and social media platforms. The article emphasizes that internet growth and social networking have expanded scam delivery methods and increased victim numbers significantly, with many scams persisting or resurfacing over years despite awareness efforts.
onmanorama.com
· 2025-12-08
A retired Kerala couple—Dr. S Lathika (72) and Shankaran Bhattathiri (69)—lost ₹2.4 crore in a "digital arrest" scam after receiving a call claiming to be from TRAI about a money-laundering investigation. The scammers held them in a continuous video call for 11 days, preventing them from disconnecting even at night, monitoring their movements, and threatening arrest while forcing them to transfer funds. The psychological control was so severe that Dr. Lathika delayed cancer treatment to comply with the scammers' restrictions, only visiting a hospital after days of pleading.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 74-year-old Sacramento resident lost her entire life savings of $28,000 in a sophisticated elder fraud scheme involving email and WhatsApp impersonation of PayPal officials. The scammers used fear tactics to convince her to withdraw cash from two banks, then sent a second perpetrator posing as a Social Security officer to her home to collect the wrapped money using a predetermined password. The case highlights gaps in law enforcement resources, as the Sacramento County Sheriff's Department reduced its elder abuse detective unit from 12 to 8 officers due to budget cuts.
people.com
· 2025-12-08
Dan Smoker lost $17,000 after a United Airlines customer service agent transferred him to a scammer posing as "David" who claimed to rebook his family's cancelled flights to Europe. The scammer convinced Smoker the $17,328 charge would be refunded later, but the refund never materialized and David's number became blocked when Smoker followed up. United Airlines confirmed their agent had Googled a fake Lufthansa phone number and transferred Smoker to the scammer by mistake; the airline refunded some associated costs but not the original $17,000, leaving Smoker to dispute the charge with American Express.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
A Nigerian citizen, Daniel Chima Inweregbu, pleaded guilty to operating a romance scam between 2017 and 2018 that defrauded multiple American women of over $405,000 using a fake online persona called "Larry Pham." Inweregbu and his co-conspirators created fake dating profiles to build romantic relationships with middle-aged female victims, then manipulated them into sending money and laundered the proceeds through various financial transactions. He faces up to 20 years in prison on each of two counts plus fines totaling up to $750,000, with sentencing scheduled for December 4, 2025.
pymnts.com
· 2025-12-08
The UK's Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) warned residents in August 2025 about fraudsters impersonating the agency, reporting nearly 4,500 such scams in the first half of the year, with two-thirds of reports coming from people aged 56 and older. While the number of reports has declined over two years, the number of victims who actually lost money increased to 480 in the first half of 2025, up from 275 in early 2023, with common tactics including fake claims about illegally opened crypto wallets and "pig butchering" romance scams followed by fake recovery offers. The FCA advises people never to share sensitive banking information
gosanangelo.com
· 2025-12-08
An elderly San Angelo resident lost $900,000 in a sophisticated computer scam where suspects impersonating a government agency convinced him his computer was locked and instructed him to withdraw cash to purchase gold bars, which they collected over four separate meetings. The suspect, Muthukrishnan Palraj, was identified through surveillance footage and vehicle registration and arrested in the Dallas-Fort Worth area on August 11; investigations across multiple jurisdictions uncovered approximately $51 million in losses attributed to his activities, with both state and federal cases pending and potential deportation upon conviction.
wsoctv.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
This educational piece explains why seniors are targeted by scammers—they tend to be trusting, have substantial savings, and keep finances private—and outlines key prevention strategies. The advice covers recognizing red flags (poor spelling, unusual payment requests, emotional manipulation, unsolicited contact), teaching parents what not to do (answer unknown contacts, click unsolicited links, share personal information), and implementing safeguards (monitoring accounts, using the Do Not Call Registry, freezing credit, and awareness of social media impersonation tactics).
militarytimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Retired Navy Rear Admiral Brian E. Luther, president and CEO of Navy Mutual, nearly fell victim to a sophisticated phone scam in which fraudsters spoofed his credit union's number and claimed to be fraud prevention staff investigating a suspicious charge on his shared credit card. The scammers escalated urgency through multiple contacts and eventually requested his account password, but Luther recognized the illegitimacy when told no legitimate financial institution should ask for passwords; he immediately contacted his actual credit union, which confirmed no such call had occurred and proactively changed his account numbers. Luther's experience illustrates that military consumers reported losing $584 million to fraud in 2024, and he now advises service members to
nbcmiami.com
· 2025-12-08
An 86-year-old grandmother from South Philadelphia lost $6,000 in a grandparent scam after receiving a call from someone impersonating her granddaughter claiming to be in a car accident and detained by police; a man posing as a lawyer demanded money and arranged for someone to pick up the cash from her home. The scam is part of a larger trend of elder fraud that affected over 147,000 victims in 2024 with nearly $4.9 billion in losses, with criminals increasingly using AI voice cloning technology to make their impersonations more convincing. Experts recommend asking callers questions only real family members would know and establishing a family security word for emergencies.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau warned consumers to be vigilant against scams during Labor Day weekend, when scammers exploit increased holiday activity and consumer distraction. Common scams to watch for include vacation rental fraud, counterfeit event tickets, online shopping and charity scams, phishing communications, and home improvement fraud featuring artificially low prices and pressure for quick payment. The bureau recommends consumers take extra time to verify offers before making purchases and visit BBB.org for additional fraud prevention information.
consumer.ftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
This is an educational resource about investment scams, particularly "affinity fraud" where scammers exploit community connections to gain trust. Scammers typically promise unrealistic high returns with minimal risk through forex, stocks, or cryptocurrency schemes, then falsely report gains while victims actually lose their money. To protect yourself, verify company licenses and registrations through Investor.gov, research the reputation of investment promoters, and remember that all legitimate investments carry risk—anyone downplaying risk is likely a scammer.
twistedsifter.com
· 2025-12-08
A TikTok educator shared her experience with a jury duty scam in which a caller with no caller ID impersonated a sheriff's office deputy, claiming she had failed to appear for jury duty and providing personal details like her name and address to appear legitimate. She recognized the call as fraudulent, did not comply with the scammer's demands, and confirmed with her local police department's non-emergency line that legitimate jury duty failures are always communicated by mail, never by phone calls.
cityam.com
· 2025-12-08
The UK's Financial Conduct Authority received nearly 5,000 impersonation scam reports in the first half of 2025, with almost 500 victims losing money to fraudsters posing as the regulator through tactics including fake crypto recovery claims, bogus court judgements, and romance scams. Fraud has become the UK's most common crime, accounting for over 40 percent of offenses and causing £1.17 billion in losses in 2024, with criminals increasingly exploiting trust in regulatory institutions themselves to target vulnerable consumers, particularly those over 56. The surge highlights systemic gaps in fraud defense, requiring coordinated action across financial services firms, insurers, and government to
todaysfamilylawyer.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) reported nearly 5,000 fake FCA scams in the first half of 2025, with fraudsters primarily targeting people over 56 years old by impersonating the regulator to extract sensitive information and money. Common schemes include falsely claiming recovered crypto funds, offering to recover losses from previous loan scams, or claiming County Court Judgements have been issued, resulting in 480 victims sending money to scammers. The FCA also warned of "pig butchering" scams, where fraudsters build personal relationships with victims before conducting investment fraud, then attempt a second fraud by posing as the FCA to "recover" the lost money
mercurynews.com
· 2025-12-08
YouTubers conducting "scambait" sting operations in 2020-2021 provided crucial evidence that helped federal prosecutors dismantle a Chinese organized crime group that defrauded more than 2,000 elderly victims of approximately $65 million across the United States. The scheme, operated primarily by Chinese nationals working with Indian call centers, targeted seniors (average age 70+) through phone calls, emails, and pop-up ads, using social engineering tactics to trick victims into wire transfers, cash shipments, and gift card payments by impersonating bank employees or government officials. Twenty-five of 28 indicted defendants were arrested and face federal charges including mail fraud, wire fraud,
goldrushcam.com
· 2025-12-08
The Placer County Sheriff's Office warns of increasing fake tech support scams targeting seniors, where scammers impersonate Microsoft, Apple, and other legitimate companies by calling with claims of computer problems and requesting remote access to demand payment for unnecessary repairs. The advisory emphasizes that legitimate companies never initiate unsolicited calls about viruses and advises residents to hang up on unexpected tech support calls, avoid clicking suspicious pop-ups, never grant remote access to unknown parties, and consult trusted family members or local police when uncertain.
masslive.com
· 2025-12-08
Ralph Damico and 14 other seniors attended a Comcast "Cyber Savvy" educational session in Longmeadow where they learned to avoid online scams through strategies like not clicking unknown links, avoiding unrecognized phone calls, and using strong passwords. The event highlighted that elder fraud complaints increased 14% in 2023, with seniors aged 60+ losing over $3.4 billion that year—an average of $33,915 per victim—and being scammed 500% more frequently than people under 20.
linkedin.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, older Americans reported losses totaling approximately $700 million across fraud schemes of varying sizes, with the largest losses occurring in scams exceeding $100,000 ($445 million), followed by scams between $10,000-$100,000 ($214 million), and smaller scams under $10,000 ($41 million). These figures highlight the significant financial impact of fraud targeting seniors across all scam price points.
ctnewsjunkie.com
· 2025-12-08
Connecticut Attorney General William Tong issued a warning to students about job recruitment scams involving fake emails and texts impersonating companies like Tesla and Indeed.com, promising unrealistic pay for minimal work. Scammers attempt to obtain personal information like Social Security numbers, application fees, or trick victims into depositing fake checks and transferring funds. The advisory provides red flags including suspicious sender addresses, foreign country codes, requests for payment, and urgency tactics, along with steps to verify legitimate opportunities through official company contacts and career services offices.
doj.state.or.us
· 2025-12-08
The Oregon Department of Justice warned of scammers impersonating lawyers to defraud victims, with two reported cases resulting in hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses. In one case, a victim met someone on the dating app Hinge who posed as an attorney offering investment services and transferred funds; in another, scammers gained unauthorized access to attorney and client email accounts to intercept a $700,000+ settlement payment using false wiring instructions. The advisory recommends verifying legal and financial communications through direct phone contact with known numbers and advises victims to report incidents to the FBI, local police, and financial regulatory agencies.
krebsonsecurity.com
· 2025-12-08
Hundreds of fraudulent online gambling websites have proliferated through a Russian affiliate program called "Gambler Panel" that lures victims with fake $2,500 credits advertised via social media with celebrity endorsements. The scam traps users into depositing cryptocurrency (typically $100) for "verification" before cashing out winnings, then pressures them into additional losing bets until their funds are depleted. Gambler Panel operates an organized operation with over 20,000 affiliates earning commissions per victim deposit, providing detailed instructions and marketing templates specifically designed to exploit players across social media platforms.
virginmedia.com
· 2025-12-08
This article outlines common social media scams including fake friend requests and impersonation accounts, malicious app downloads, data-harvesting quizzes, romance fraud, and investment/crypto schemes. Key warning signs include unrealistic offers, pressure to act quickly, suspicious requests for money or personal information, suspicious links, poor grammar, and low-quality profile photos. Users are advised to verify unfamiliar accounts, download apps only from official sources, avoid sharing financial information with online-only contacts, and be skeptical of guaranteed investment returns.
wowt.com
· 2025-12-08
Text message scams are rapidly increasing, costing Americans $470 million last year, with common schemes involving fake package deliveries, job offers, bank alerts, toll notices, and DMV impersonations designed to trick recipients into clicking malicious links or divulging personal information. The BBB advises consumers to be suspicious of unsolicited texts—especially those demanding immediate action—to never share personal information with unknown senders, and to report suspicious messages to the BBB Scam Tracker or Internet Crime Complaint Center.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
This AARP educational piece emphasizes three key protective measures against fraud: recognizing that most scams are run by organized international criminal networks (not individuals), taking proactive financial safeguards like strong passwords, two-factor authentication, and credit freezes, and reporting fraud to local police and the FBI's IC3.gov to help expose the true scale of the problem. The article also highlights emerging threats including AI-powered deepfake scams in banking, peer-to-peer payment app fraud (where scammers impersonate loved ones or create fake transactions), and identity theft, while advocating for federal legislation to combat AI-enabled financial crimes.
pahouse.com
· 2025-12-08
This article is not about elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It is a newsletter from a Pennsylvania state representative discussing budget negotiations, school year wishes, labor unions, and community events. While it mentions an "Elder Fraud Prevention Seminar" scheduled for 9/23, this is merely a calendar listing, not substantive content about fraud or elder abuse.
This does not meet the content criteria for the Elderus research database.
saharareporters.com
· 2025-12-08
Daniel Chima Inweregbu, a 40-year-old Nigerian citizen, pleaded guilty on August 21, 2025, to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and money laundering for operating a romance scam that defrauded American women of over $405,000 between July 2017 and December 2018. Using the fake persona "Larry Pham," Inweregbu and his co-conspirators targeted middle-aged female victims on dating sites and social media, cultivating fake romantic relationships to extract money through various pretexts before laundering the proceeds through intermediaries. He faces up to twenty years in prison and a fine of up to $
niagarafallsreview.ca
· 2025-12-08
Sandy Simoncic of Grimsby, Ontario, was placed on probation for her role in an elaborate online romance scam that defrauded a Georgetown woman of $312,000 in early 2023. Simoncic herself was a victim of the same scam ring, losing $50,000 of her own money while transferring over $350,000 in fraudulent funds at the request of a man posing as "Dave Brunner"; she became "wilfully blind" to the suspicious nature of transactions despite bank warnings, eventually losing her home and vehicle. The actual perpetrator who profited from the scheme remains at large and was not charged.
azfreenews.com
· 2025-12-08
Arizona residents are projected to lose over $4 billion to financial fraud in 2025, with the average loss per incident at $6,270—nearly 30 percent higher than the national average. Adults 60 and older account for two-thirds of internet-based fraud losses, with those 70 and older suffering the highest average dollar losses, according to a Common Sense Institute analysis. Fraud schemes include identity theft, phishing, romance scams, wire transfer fraud, and elder financial abuse, with experts warning that risks will grow as more commerce moves online.
azfreenews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 2025 analysis by the Common Sense Institute projects that Arizona will lose over $4 billion to financial fraud, with only about 14 percent of cases being reported; in 2024 alone, Arizonans reported nearly 55,000 fraud cases resulting in $521 million in losses. Adults 60 and older are disproportionately affected, accounting for two-thirds of internet-based fraud losses, with the average loss per incident in Arizona ($6,270) nearly 30 percent higher than the national average. The report estimates that fraud-related losses shrink Arizona's GDP by $5.2 billion annually and cost the state over 45,000
azfreenews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 2024 analysis by the Common Sense Institute projects that Arizona residents will lose over $4 billion to financial fraud in 2025, with reported losses alone estimated at $558 million plus $3.4 billion in unreported incidents—representing a 384 percent increase in reported fraud losses since 2020. Adults 60 and older are disproportionately affected, accounting for two-thirds of internet-based fraud losses, while the average loss per incident in Arizona ($6,270) is 30 percent higher than the national average. The report warns that fraud creates broader economic damage costing the state approximately 45,000 jobs and reducing GDP by $5.2
tnonline.com
· 2025-12-08
The Cybersecurity Association of Pennsylvania warns of sophisticated "phantom hacker" scams targeting seniors, which involve multiple phases of social engineering where criminals impersonate tech support, bank representatives, and government officials to manipulate victims into transferring funds or granting computer access. Nearly half of victims nationwide are over 60, with seniors representing two-thirds of losses totaling over $1 billion, and scammers are increasingly using artificial intelligence to make attacks more convincing. Experts advise families to educate seniors on red flags—such as requests for wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or prepaid cards—and to report suspicious contacts to local FBI offices or the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
wbay.com
· 2025-12-08
During back-to-school shopping season, scammers are targeting online shoppers through fake websites and social media ads offering counterfeit or non-existent items at appealing prices. The Better Business Bureau reports numerous complaints including cases where consumers lost money purchasing counterfeit Labubbi dolls ($88) and fake brand-name shoes, with some websites disappearing after the transaction. Consumers are advised to verify website legitimacy, use credit cards for protection, research sellers and reviews, examine URLs carefully, and report suspicious activity to the BBB Scam Tracker or FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.