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cnet.com
· 2025-12-07
A NordVPN study of over 30,000 participants across 185 countries found that only 31% of US respondents could identify phishing websites, significantly underperforming compared to the UK and other countries, despite the US ranking fourth overall in cybersecurity awareness. Phishing websites mimic legitimate sites to steal login credentials, financial information, and personal data from unsuspecting users. Experts attribute Americans' vulnerability to "alert fatigue" from high phishing volume in the US digital economy, while the UK's superior performance may stem from more systematic digital safety education in schools and workplaces.
cbs8.com
· 2025-12-07
Scammers are sending fake court documents with forged judicial signatures through mail and phone calls, demanding immediate payment to resolve alleged unpaid fines, missed jury duty, or outstanding warrants. Red flags include out-of-state area codes, misspellings, formatting errors, and demands for immediate payment via cash, Venmo, or PayPal—legitimate courts never use these methods. The San Diego Superior Court advises verifying suspicious documents by calling the courthouse directly or checking case numbers online, as authentic court communications are sent only by mail or email, never by phone or text.
rollingout.com
· 2025-12-07
Americans lose billions annually to sophisticated investment fraud schemes that have evolved to exploit digital platforms and psychological manipulation, with the Federal Trade Commission reporting substantial increases in complaints related to romance scams and fake investment opportunities. Common fraud tactics include romance-based investment schemes, Ponzi schemes promising unrealistic returns, cryptocurrency fraud exploiting digital confusion, and fake financial advisor services targeting seniors, all of which use advanced technology, fake websites, testimonials, and social pressure to build false credibility. Recognizing warning signs—such as guaranteed high returns, pressure to invest quickly, difficulty withdrawing funds, and reluctance to provide detailed information—is essential for protecting against these increasingly sophisticated threats across all demographics.
newschannel5.com
· 2025-12-07
Social media influencers Daraine Delevante and Gilbert Graim Jr. have promoted a scam targeting people who lost money on peer-to-peer payment platforms like Zelle and Cash App, falsely claiming that filing complaints with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau will result in payouts—even for non-victims—while selling complaint templates and financial guides for fees. Consumer Reports warns that this scheme exploits financially struggling individuals and recommends that actual victims file legitimate complaints with the CFPB, FTC, and state attorneys general, including specific transaction details to strengthen their cases.
fox29.com
· 2025-12-07
Job scams have surged 118% in recent years and now rank as the fourth most common fraud type in the U.S., with 75,364 cases reported to the FTC in the first half of 2025 alone, resulting in a median loss of $2,100 per victim. Nevada emerged as the most vulnerable state, with residents losing over $1.7 million to job scams in six months. To protect yourself, research opportunities thoroughly, verify website security, protect personal information, and be wary of unsolicited calls, fake accounts, and unrealistically lucrative job offers.
thebeacon.net
· 2025-12-07
The Ottawa County Task Force on Aging held a 2025 summit to educate seniors about common scams including grandkid scams, tech support fraud, IRS impersonation, lottery/sweepstakes schemes, and identity theft. Financial experts from local credit unions and banks emphasized that victims should verify suspicious calls by hanging up and calling back on known numbers, never pay upfront fees for winnings, and report suspected fraud to their banks and local law enforcement without shame. The presentation highlighted that while scammers are persistent, seniors have access to community resources and protection through banks, nonprofits, and law enforcement agencies.
auroranewsregister.com
· 2025-12-07
Bank fraud prevention experts presented findings at a senior center on common scams targeting older adults, including tech support, phishing, vishing, and grandparent scams that use fear and emotional appeals to steal money. According to Federal Trade Commission statistics cited, consumers lost over $10 billion to fraud in 2023—a 14% increase from 2022—with tech support fraud being the leading crime type for those over 60, resulting in nearly $600 million in reported losses. The presentation advised seniors to recognize red flags in phishing emails, be skeptical of unsolicited tech support offers, and trust their instincts to avoid becoming victims.
gazettenewsthevillages.com
· 2025-12-07
Two senior residents in Lady Lake were targeted in separate fraud cases over the weekend, losing a combined $72,000 after scammers impersonating trusted institutions convinced them to transfer money under false pretenses. The Lady Lake Police Department is investigating both cases and reminds residents that legitimate organizations never demand payment via bank transfers, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers—advice to verify requests by calling institutions directly using official contact information. This follows FTC data showing Americans lost over $2.9 billion to imposter scams in recent years, with older adults disproportionately affected.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
State attorney Monique Worrell issued a warning to elderly residents in Kissimmee about rising scams, including fake law enforcement texts and job alert schemes targeting seniors in the community. She recommended residents mark suspicious messages as junk and file complaints with the Federal Trade Commission at ftc.gov to help combat these fraudulent activities.
easttexasnews.com
· 2025-12-07
Financial exploitation is the most commonly reported form of elder abuse nationally, costing seniors up to $36.5 billion annually, with many victims unaware of the fraud until significant damage occurs. Citizens State Bank in Woodville partnered with Chick-fil-A to host a free public awareness workshop on October 7, featuring presentations by the Tyler County District Attorney and an FBI agent to educate seniors and the public about fraud prevention tactics. The FTC reported 748,555 identity theft cases in the first half of 2025, exceeding the prior year by over 196,000 cases, with total fraud losses reaching $12.5 billion in 2024.
koaa.com
· 2025-12-07
A Colorado Springs woman lost $200 in an imposter scam after someone posing as Justin Hayward, lead singer of the Moody Blues, contacted her on Facebook and built a false relationship over a month before requesting money for bills and gift cards. The scammer used common tactics including avoiding video calls, false promises of concert attendance, and romantic advances despite Hayward's known marital status. Imposter scams are the number one reported fraud type in Colorado, and authorities recommend victims report the incident, block the account, contact their bank, and monitor their credit.
kwch.com
· 2025-12-07
A 60-year-old Kansas woman lost $14,694 in a romance scam after meeting a man on Facebook in November 2023 who claimed to need money for various emergencies, including being detained at a Malaysian airport. The scammer also manipulated her into receiving and redistributing funds through her accounts, compounding the financial damage. Salina police confirmed the report as part of ongoing elder fraud investigations.
winknews.com
· 2025-12-07
A Fort Myers couple, Olinda and Brian Spitzer, shared their experience being defrauded by a cabinet maker who took payment but never began work, then evaded a $6,000 small claims court judgment by changing company names and closing accounts. The Spitzers highlight how seniors may be particularly vulnerable to contractor fraud due to their tendency to trust well-spoken, professionally-dressed individuals, and they advise others to verify licensing, check for lawsuits with the county clerk, and request references before hiring contractors or handymen.
financialservices.house.gov
· 2025-12-07
A congressional Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee hearing examined the escalating threat of financial fraud to American consumers, with particular concern for seniors and vulnerable populations. In 2024, there were 2.6 million reported fraud cases resulting in $12.5 billion in losses, involving schemes such as check fraud, romance scams, voice cloning, and AI-driven impersonation targeting grandparents. Federal lawmakers and banking industry representatives discussed the sophistication of criminal operations, many operating overseas, and called for improved federal agency coordination and consumer outreach to combat these growing threats.
greenwichsentinel.com
· 2025-12-07
In August, the author and her community experienced a surge of email scams, including a fake Microsoft security alert, a spoofed "friend in crisis" requesting money, and church phishing using the pastor's name to solicit gift cards and cash from congregation members. Experts warn that scammers operating from Eastern Europe, Russia, and China are increasingly difficult to stop, and that AI-generated emails are making scams harder to detect, with elderly individuals who lack computer experience being particularly vulnerable to these schemes.
financialservices.house.gov
· 2025-12-07
Subcommittee Chairman Dan Meuser announced a House Financial Services Committee hearing focused on examining financial fraud affecting American consumers, noting that the FTC reported 2.6 million fraud cases in 2024 with over $12 billion in losses—a 25% increase from 2023. Meuser highlighted that seniors experience the most devastating financial losses from scams while young adults are especially vulnerable, and emphasized the need for coordinated efforts across government, financial institutions, technology platforms, and telecom companies to combat various fraud schemes including romance scams, identity theft, and check fraud. The hearing aimed to strengthen consumer education, promote best practices, and improve fraud prevention while the Trump Administration pursued related efforts
startribune.com
· 2025-12-07
Scammers posing as the Minnesota Department of Revenue sent fraudulent text messages to residents claiming tax refunds were approved and requesting bank information by September 17, 2025, with threats of permanent forfeiture. The Department of Revenue received approximately 500 calls about the scam starting September 15, though the total amount lost remains unknown, and officials confirmed taxpayer data was not compromised. The agency advised residents to verify official websites before sharing personal information and to report suspicious messages to their banks if any information was disclosed.
wired.com
· 2025-12-07
Cybercriminals are increasingly using portable "SMS blaster" devices—fake cell phone towers that can be transported in vehicles—to send millions of scam text messages while evading carrier security measures. These devices force nearby phones to connect to insecure 2G networks and can send up to 100,000 messages per hour across a 1,000-meter radius; the technology originated in Southeast Asia and has recently spread to Europe and South America, prompting warnings from cybersecurity agencies. SMS blasters operate outside traditional mobile networks, making the fraudulent messages immune to the filtering and detection systems that telecom providers have deployed to block scams.
abc7.com
· 2025-12-07
The Federal Trade Commission warned about a surge in job scam text messages that promise employment opportunities to lure victims into sharing personal or financial information. In the first half of 2025, over 235,000 text message scams were reported in the U.S., resulting in $342 million in losses, with approximately 29,000 reports specifically related to job or employment scams in the first quarter. The FTC advises recipients not to reply to unsolicited job offer texts, to verify the company's legitimacy independently, and to report suspicious messages to authorities.
abc45.com
· 2025-12-07
Guilford County, North Carolina is experiencing a surge in "court scams" where criminals impersonate deputies, spoof official numbers, and demand immediate payment claiming victims have missed court or owe fines; residents have lost at least $100,000 to these schemes over the past two years. The Guilford County Sheriff's Office emphasizes that legitimate deputies will never demand immediate phone payment or request personal information via call or email, and is launching community education initiatives including a free senior fraud prevention academy starting September 25th to help residents recognize and avoid these scams.
consumerfinanceandfintechblog.com
· 2025-12-07
On September 8, the D.C. Attorney General filed a lawsuit against a crypto ATM operator for violations of consumer protection and elder financial exploitation laws, alleging undisclosed markups up to 26 percent, ineffective fraud safeguards, and arbitrary refund denials that disproportionately harmed elderly residents. Early data showed that most deposits were connected to scams, with victims averaging 71 years old and median losses of $8,000 per transaction. The suit seeks injunctive relief, restitution, damages, and civil penalties, reflecting increased regulatory scrutiny on crypto kiosk fee transparency, fraud controls, and licensing requirements.
wtam.iheart.com
· 2025-12-07
The Cleveland Public Library fell victim to a vendor impersonation scam in which a fraudster submitted a nearly $400,000 fake invoice that the library paid. The Ohio Auditor of State's Office documented the incident, and the library successfully recovered the full amount.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-07
Gurpreet Singh, a young man from Amritsar, was victimized by an international visa scam after being contacted on social media by someone promising to arrange a UK visa through Iran. After arriving in Iran in September, he was kidnapped and held hostage by organized criminals demanding ₹50 lakh (approximately $60,000 USD) in ransom, with evidence suggesting the gang has cross-border Pakistani connections and targets Punjabi youth seeking overseas settlement.
oregonlive.com
· 2025-12-07
In early September, thieves used debit card skimmers placed on payment machines to steal approximately $188,000 in food and cash benefits from 424 low-income Oregonians enrolled in SNAP and TANF programs, averaging $450 per account and representing a 50% increase from July-August theft totals. The fraudsters install skimmers quickly in checkout lines to capture card numbers and PINs, then make test transactions before emptying entire account balances, with victims unable to recover stolen SNAP funds due to exhausted federal replacement budgets. Oregon officials warn residents to inspect card readers for loose or misaligned components and note that thieves also use phishing texts, emails
usatoday.com
· 2025-12-07
A 65-year-old man from Athens, Georgia was victimized by a celebrity romance scam in which he believed he had developed an online relationship with singer Miley Cyrus. The scam exploited the common tactic of impersonating a well-known celebrity on social media to build false trust with the victim. No dollar amount or final outcome was specified in the available excerpt.
nj1015.com
· 2025-12-07
A Privacy Journal research study ranking states by online dating safety—measuring romance scams, fraud, identity theft, violent crime, STDs, and registered sex offenders per 100,000 residents—found that New Jersey ranks 16th safest overall, with particularly low rates of sex offenders, romance scams, and violent crime, though Vermont ranked safest and Nevada most dangerous.
mirror.co.uk
· 2025-12-07
Romance scams targeting students and recent graduates are increasing, with victims losing an average of £2,228 per scam, according to new Tinder research that found 44% of young adults share personal details with people they've never met in person. Love Island star Georgia Steel has joined a campaign with Tinder and Get Safe Online to raise awareness after she was defrauded by a man posing as a wealthy American, who was revealed to be convicted fraudster Medi Abalimba (jailed for four years in 2021 for £170,000+ in total deceptions). Experts emphasize that romance scams exploit emotional manipulation and are difficult to spot, with young
dearmedia.com
· 2025-12-07
This article recounts a romance scam case involving Christy's father in Sydney, Australia, who fell victim to a manipulative woman named Rose after becoming vulnerable following family upheaval and his parents' separation. Rose gradually isolated him from his support system, drained his finances by having him pay all household bills, and took over his time and energy while contributing nothing to the household. The piece advises adult children to recognize warning signs of elder romance scams—including sudden isolation, financial requests, emotional manipulation, and unexplained behavior changes—and suggests using non-accusatory conversations and awareness-building to help protect vulnerable parents.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-07
Scammers are increasingly targeting Social Security recipients with cost-of-living adjustment (COLA) fraud schemes, contributing to the $12.5 billion in fraud losses reported by the FTC in 2024. The Social Security Administration warns recipients to watch for four red flags: being told they must apply for COLA (which is automatic), unsolicited calls/texts/emails claiming to be from SSA, requests for Social Security numbers or banking information, and threats or pressure tactics claiming benefits will be cut off. Recipients should remember that the SSA communicates primarily through mailed letters and will never demand personal information over the phone or threaten immediate action.
wtkr.com
· 2025-12-07
A coordinated fraud ring targeting Navy Federal customers throughout Hampton Roads has victimized hundreds of people and stolen over $2 million through a "parking lot scam." Ten suspects have been arrested and face wire fraud, bank fraud, and money laundering charges after approaching victims near Navy Federal branches, requesting to use their phones, and then making unauthorized loan applications, transfers, and withdrawals from victims' accounts using the Navy Federal mobile app. The scheme has affected at least 33 documented victims in the recent indictment, with one victim losing $7,000 in seconds.
cnbc.com
· 2025-12-07
Mary May purchased counterfeit Neuriva brain supplements from a third-party seller on Walmart.com in March, discovering misspellings and different packaging after they arrived; CNBC's investigation revealed the seller had fraudulently assumed the identity of another business. Walmart's rapid expansion of its marketplace—prioritizing growth over vetting—has resulted in at least 43 vendors using false business identities and the sale of potentially dangerous counterfeit products, with the company deliberately making seller verification less rigorous than Amazon's to attract more vendors. May was refunded by Walmart, but the incident highlights consumer safety risks as the retailer's e-commerce marketplace has grown to near $100 billion
dallasnews.com
· 2025-12-07
Tejasvi Manoj, a 17-year-old from Collin County, Texas, was named Time magazine's 2025 Kid of the Year for developing Shield Seniors, an AI-powered platform designed to help seniors identify, analyze, and report online scams. Inspired when her grandfather nearly fell victim to a scam impersonating a family member, Tejasvi created the application to educate older adults about cybersecurity, addressing a critical problem where seniors lose more money to scams than any other age group, with internet crime losses exceeding $16 billion annually.
oleantimesherald.com
· 2025-12-07
I don't have enough content to provide a meaningful summary. The article appears to be truncated—it mentions that Borrello and O'Mara are hosting a program on scams and fraud targeting seniors in Allegany County, but the actual details about the program, date, location, and specific advice are cut off. Additionally, the survey information at the end appears to be unrelated content. Please provide the complete article text for an accurate summary.
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-07
Elderly individuals are increasingly targeted by sophisticated cryptocurrency scams, with Beaufort County, South Carolina reporting $3.1 million in crypto-related losses in 2024 and Minnesota experiencing over $189 million in losses from crypto kiosk fraud in 2023, using tactics such as voice cloning, fake websites, QR codes, and emotional manipulation. A prominent councilman was released without charge during an investigation into one such scam, highlighting authorities' challenges in tracing funds through irreversible cryptocurrency transactions. Experts recommend seniors protect themselves through education, using trusted platforms with two-factor authentication, discussing large transactions with family members, and promptly reporting incidents to law enforcement and the FTC
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-07
Dennis and Carole received a phishing email impersonating Sam's Club, offering a $100 reward for completing a survey; Carole clicked through and entered her email address but no credit card information. Although no immediate financial risk exists, scammers now have her active email address and may target her with more sophisticated phishing attempts or sell it to spam lists. The article recommends running antivirus scans, reporting the email as phishing, and considering data removal services to reduce future targeting.
birminghammail.co.uk
· 2025-12-07
**Summary:**
Lloyds Bank warned that romance scam victims lost an average of £5,000, with victims aged 75-84 losing the most at an average of £8,068. Fraudsters typically initiate contact through social media and dating sites, build false romantic relationships, and then request money under pretexts such as military service, oil rig work, or emergencies. The bank advised customers never to send money to people met online and recommended educating vulnerable older adults about romance scam warning signs.
express.co.uk
· 2025-12-07
Romance scams cost British victims over £106 million in 2024, a 9% increase from the previous year, with an average loss of £11,222 per person across 9,449 reports. The scams involve criminals building trust through fake online dating profiles to manipulate victims into sending money, with tactics ranging from military deployment excuses to fabricated emergencies. Dating app Cherry Dating has called for cross-platform collaboration and data-sharing among apps to prevent serial scammers from simply moving to new platforms after being banned.
birminghammail.co.uk
· 2025-12-07
Romance scam victims reported by Lloyds Bank lost an average of £5,000, with those aged 75-84 losing the most at an average of £8,068. Scammers typically initiate contact through social media, dating sites, or gaming platforms, build false relationships, and request money using excuses such as military service, oil rig work, or medical emergencies. Lloyds advises never sending money to online contacts you haven't met in person and recommends educating older adults about common warning signs.
ksl.com
· 2025-12-07
Olamide Shanu, a 34-year-old Nigerian man, was extradited to the U.S. and charged with operating sextortion and romance scams that defrauded numerous victims across the country of at least $2 million. Shanu and his conspirators posed as women on social media to coerce victims into sending explicit images, then extorted money by threatening to share the images, while also running parallel romance scams using fake identities to manipulate victims into sending money through payment apps, gift cards, and cryptocurrency. If convicted on charges including wire fraud conspiracy, aggravated identity theft, and cyberstalking, Shanu faces up to 20 years in
cowboystatedaily.com
· 2025-12-07
A 76-year-old man in Gillette, Wyoming was nearly victimized in a cryptocurrency ATM scam when he attempted to deposit $16,000 after being manipulated by a scammer who kept him on the phone; a bystander alerted police, preventing the loss. Cheyenne police have identified 50 BTM fraud cases totaling over $645,000 in unrecovered losses, part of a nationwide pattern where seniors lose retirement funds to overseas criminals who use emotional manipulation to direct victims to crypto kiosks. AARP is proposing new regulations for cryptocurrency machines as the FBI estimates $9.3 billion was stolen through various crypto frauds in
kolotv.com
· 2025-12-07
This is an educational announcement, not a news event about a specific scam. Here's the summary:
A senior scam prevention presentation was scheduled for October 1 in Reno, Nevada, featuring speakers from the Sparks City Attorney's office, Washoe County Sheriff's Office, and Senior ResQ who would discuss common scams targeting seniors and provide practical safety tips. The event was part of Opportunity Alliance Nevada's Brown Bag Lunch series and attendees could RSVP through a provided QR code.
marketplace.org
· 2025-12-07
Consumers lost over $1 billion to social media fraud in the first half of the year, nearly 10 times the amount from five years ago, with scammers using deceptive ads on platforms like Instagram to sell counterfeit or misrepresented products. An education lawyer in New York fell victim to a fake clothing ad, receiving a poor-quality skirt with an illegible return address and no recourse for a refund. Experts recommend consumers check the Better Business Bureau's scam tracker, reverse-image search suspicious products, and watch for red flags like suspiciously low prices and unrealistic guarantees before making purchases on social media.
futurism.com
· 2025-12-07
Scammers are increasingly using "SMS blasters"—portable cell-tower devices that send massive volumes of phishing texts to phones in their vicinity (500-2,000 yards away)—to conduct large-scale fraud campaigns. These devices can send 100,000 texts per hour, impersonate any sender, and downgrade phones to less secure 2G connections in under 10 seconds, operating outside legitimate mobile networks where providers cannot monitor or stop them. The technology, first seen at scale in Asia-Pacific regions, has now spread to Western Europe and South America, with arrests reported in the UK and Thailand, though the actual scams still rely on victims clicking malicious
ksby.com
· 2025-12-07
According to Pew Research, 73% of Americans receive scam attempts daily, with PayPal users being particularly targeted. Common 2025 scams include phishing emails claiming account problems, fake promotional offers, prize notifications requiring upfront fees, and seller fraud involving rerouted packages with false non-delivery claims. Experts recommend users avoid clicking email links, log in directly through PayPal's official website or app, use only verified addresses for shipping, and avoid unprotected "Friends and Family" payment options.
civilbeat.org
· 2025-12-07
A Kailua woman received a voicemail from someone claiming to represent Hawaiian Electric Company, warning that her home utilities would be disconnected unless she called back immediately—a common scam tactic that exploited her vacation anxiety and inability to verify the claim. The article discusses how artificial intelligence and readily available personal information are making it increasingly easier for scammers to create sophisticated frauds, including voice-cloning technology that impersonates trusted contacts, with particular vulnerability among seniors and young people.
salemreporter.com
· 2025-12-07
In September, thieves stole approximately $188,000 in food and cash benefits from 424 low-income Oregonians enrolled in SNAP and TANF assistance programs using debit card skimmers placed on payment machines at retail stores, with an average loss of $450 per account. The theft rate more than doubled compared to July and August combined, with criminals testing small transactions before emptying entire account balances, and targeting low-income recipients because their cards lack the security features of credit cards. While the state can replace stolen TANF funds, it cannot replace SNAP benefits due to exhausted federal funding, and victims are also being targeted through phishing emails, texts, and fraudulent websites imperson
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-07
A 75-year-old man in Hong Kong lost HK$26.2 million (US$3.35 million) to a cryptocurrency investment scam involving a fake "National Hong Kong Coin" promoted through a fraudulent social media account impersonating the Chief Executive. The incident is part of a broader surge in crypto fraud in the region, where scammers use impersonation tactics, deepfake technology, and compromised accounts to deceive investors, with Hong Kong authorities urging residents to verify information through official government channels and warning of severe legal consequences for perpetrators.
birminghammail.co.uk
· 2025-12-07
Lloyds Bank reported a 52% surge in romance scams targeting victims over 55 in the past year, with those aged 55-64 representing the most targeted group (20% of cases) and victims aged 75-84 losing the most on average at £8,068 per incident. The bank warned that romance scammers manipulate vulnerable individuals seeking companionship and advised customers to never send money to online contacts, verify requests through phone calls, and educate older family members about the signs of fraud.
birminghammail.co.uk
· 2025-12-07
A state pensioner in the UK lost £11,000 to a romance scam in which a fraudster posing as "Freddie" built an emotional connection by fabricating a series of crises—including a son's death and alleged arrest—to manipulate the victim into sending money. Lloyds Bank issued a warning about the rise of romance scams targeting vulnerable pensioners seeking companionship, noting that fraudsters exploit emotional vulnerability to extract tens of thousands of pounds from victims' accounts.
birminghammail.co.uk
· 2025-12-07
A Lloyds Bank customer attempted to transfer £10,000 to an online romance scammer, even offering to bet bank staff £20,000 that his "girlfriend" was genuine, claiming she was a chef working on an oil ship. Lloyds' fraud prevention director warned that romance scams exploit vulnerable people seeking companionship, and advised customers never to send money to people met online, noting that scammers commonly impersonate military personnel, oil rig workers, and doctors abroad.