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Romance and friendship scams cost Connecticut residents more money than any other scam type last year and ranked as the third riskiest scam overall. These scams target vulnerable people, build emotional connections through deception and false promises, and often involve cryptocurrency schemes; the BBB documented one victim who lost $100,000 after a scammer posed as a romantic interest and claimed financial need. Red flags include requests for money after establishing trust, inability to meet in person, poor grammar despite claiming local origin, offers involving cryptocurrency, and relationships that progress too quickly.

A 34-year-old Dominican Republic citizen, Luis Alfonso Rodriguez, was arrested and federally charged with orchestrating a grandparent scam that targeted families across western Pennsylvania, Connecticut, and Kentucky between December 2024 and March 2025. Rodriguez allegedly impersonated grandchildren in distress and convinced victims to withdraw thousands of dollars in cash, which they handed to rideshare drivers who unknowingly delivered the funds to him; victims lost tens of thousands of dollars total, with funds later wired to an unidentified person in the Dominican Republic. The FBI urges potential victims to report incidents to its Internet Crime Complaint Center at IC3.gov.

Scammers have conducted multi-state toll fraud campaigns since late 2024, targeting residents with automated texts, calls, and spoofed websites claiming unpaid toll bills—even in states like Arizona, Connecticut, Missouri, and Mississippi that have no toll roads. The scams have grown increasingly sophisticated, mimicking official state transportation department websites and using threatening language, prompting state DOTs to issue warnings and work with law enforcement to track perpetrators. Residents are advised to verify messages by checking sender phone numbers, contacting toll agencies directly, and recognizing that legitimate agencies never request payment via text.

Scammers are impersonating law enforcement and contacting people by phone or email claiming they missed jury duty, demanding payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or peer-to-peer apps to avoid fines or jail time. The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection warns that government imposter scams cost consumers $789 million in 2024, and advises that legitimate courts only communicate with jurors through mail, never by phone or email.

This educational article identifies New Jersey as the safest U.S. state for retirees based on FBI data analysis, citing low violent and property crime rates, minimal senior involvement in fatal accidents, and strong healthcare access. The article also lists nine additional safe states for retirement (New York, Mississippi, Louisiana, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Connecticut, Alabama) and warns against five states with higher risks of elder fraud, property crime, and scams (Colorado, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, New Mexico).

Two Connecticut residents were arrested for a year-long prize scam that defrauded a Woodbridge elderly woman of $130,000, during which they convinced her she had won a car and money but needed to pay fees to claim the prizes. Local authorities are warning residents of rising phishing text scams falsely claiming toll debt and fraudulent document shredding events, advising people to avoid urgency-driven communications, verify unexpected contacts through established channels, and never provide financial information or click links from unidentified sources.

Following JOANN Fabrics' bankruptcy, scammers created fake liquidation websites mimicking the official JOANN site with URLs designed to steal personal and financial information, offering unrealistic discounts of 80-90%. The Better Business Bureau received multiple reports of these scams in Connecticut, including from one person who nearly provided payment information before noticing the fraudulent URL. Consumers are advised to verify website URLs, use credit cards for online purchases (which offer fraud protections), and be wary of requests for sensitive information like Social Security numbers.

A 77-year-old woman lost $130,000 of her life savings to a lottery scam operated by Darien Deventon Smith and Sheniece Elaine Smith of Connecticut, who convinced her in March 2024 that she had won a jackpot and car but needed to pay various "taxes" and "processing fees" to claim the prize. Over months of manipulation, the victim opened multiple bank accounts and purchased money orders at the scammers' direction before becoming suspicious and contacting authorities; both suspects were arrested in February 2025 and face charges of obtaining money by false pretenses and conspiracy to commit a felony.

At least two dozen elderly and vulnerable people across multiple states lost over $1 million to a construction fraud scheme perpetrated by James Dinnigan, Martin Maughan, and recruited foreign nationals posing as legitimate home repair contractors. The scammers lured victims through false advertisements, then deliberately damaged their properties and coerced them into paying tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars for unnecessary repairs through intimidation and threats. Most victims were located in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.

A Darien, Connecticut resident lost $25,000 in a tech support scam on February 26 after scammers impersonating Apple security and Bank of America representatives displayed a fraudulent notification claiming unauthorized access to their accounts. The victim was convinced to withdraw $25,000 in cash and hand it to an unidentified individual at their home; no arrests have been made and an investigation is underway. The FTC warns against responding to pop-up messages about computer problems or calling numbers provided in such notifications, as unsolicited tech support calls are always scams.

Connecticut State Police recovered $180,000 in cryptocurrency for a Willimantic resident who was defrauded through a "pig butchering" scam in July 2024, where a scammer impersonated an investment advisor and convinced the victim to transfer $225,000 to a fake platform called "XeggeX" before disappearing. The State Police Cryptocurrency Working Group intercepted approximately 1.77 Bitcoin from the fraudulent wallet and returned the funds on February 12, 2025, with the investigation highlighting that such scams are part of a larger transnational operation responsible for over $75 billion in global losses. Warning signs include unsolicited investment advice via text or social

An elderly Connecticut woman recovered approximately $328,573 after falling victim to a computer support scam in February 2024, where criminals posing as Microsoft support tricked her into sending $550,000 via wire transfers. Local police and Homeland Security Investigations traced and recovered the funds through bank reversal and asset seizure, with the U.S. Attorney's Office facilitating the return to the victim. Law enforcement emphasized the importance of reporting such cybercrimes immediately to banks and authorities, noting this case represents a rare best-case scenario where nearly all stolen money was recovered.

A Connecticut woman lost nearly $1 million in a romance scam after meeting someone on the dating app BLK who posed as a widower and eventually convinced her to invest in cryptocurrency. The scammer used a stolen photo, love-bombed the victim over months of phone calls (never video chatting), and showed fake screenshots of profitable crypto investments to encourage larger deposits, ultimately draining her 401K. Experts warn that staying on dating platform messaging systems, never sending money to unmet contacts, and requesting video verification are key ways to avoid such scams.

Multiple Connecticut residents, including Deb Paulson, received scam text messages falsely claiming they owed money for EZ Pass tolling violations to the Massachusetts Department of Transportation. The Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection advises recipients to verify suspicious messages by independently looking up legitimate phone numbers and websites, confirm whether they actually used tolls recently, and report the texts rather than responding to them; those who provided credit card information should contact their credit card companies and freeze their credit with major credit reporting agencies.

Matthew Ramos-Soto, a 27-year-old from Connecticut, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for his role in a multi-state grandparent scam targeting elderly victims. Operating as a courier posing as a bail bondsman, Ramos-Soto collected over $250,000 from victims across the United States between October 2022 and June 2023, as part of a larger fraud network that contacted elderly people claiming their relatives had been arrested and needed bail money. The scheme, which operated across multiple states including Wisconsin, Michigan, Vermont, Rhode Island, and California, resulted in restitution being ordered and prompted federal authorities to emphasize the importance of

**Scam Type:** Peer-to-peer payment fraud **What Happened:** A Connecticut woman lost money after sending payment through a peer-to-peer app to a scammer posing as a legitimate business. When she disputed the charge, the scammer manipulated her into closing the dispute by falsely claiming they couldn't refund money while it was under dispute—making recovery impossible once closed. **Prevention Advice:** Research sellers before transacting, check for red flags (generic email domains, spelling errors, short social media history), verify refund policies, and never close payment disputes until funds are confirmed in your account. Peer-to-peer services do not guarantee

Matthew Ramos-Soto, 27, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for his role as a courier in a grandparent scam wire fraud scheme targeting elderly victims across the United States. Between October 2022 and June 2023, Ramos-Soto and co-conspirators picked up over $250,000 in cash from victims by posing as bail bondsmen, claiming their relatives had been arrested in accidents; he personally collected money from victims at 18 different locations before his arrest in Michigan in June 2023. The case resulted in federal charges filed across multiple districts, with authorities encouraging victims and witnesses to report fraud to the National Elder

Matthew Ramos-Soto, 27, from Connecticut, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for his role in a grandparent scheme wire fraud network that targeted elderly victims across the United States. Operating as a courier posing as a bail bondsman, Ramos-Soto collected over $250,000 from victims in Wisconsin alone between October 2022 and October 2023, with the broader scheme involving coconspirators who called elderly victims claiming their relatives needed bail money for serious accidents or crimes. Judge Peterson described the crime as "cruel and devastating" and emphasized the significant financial and emotional harm inflicted on victims.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal and AARP Connecticut Director Nora Duncan held a press conference to warn consumers about increasing fraud and scams, particularly during the holiday season when shopping, travel, and charitable giving increase. According to an AARP report, approximately 82% of U.S. consumers have experienced attempted fraud in the past year, with scams becoming increasingly sophisticated through phishing emails about delivery problems, counterfeit products, and fake charities. Officials urged awareness and caution, recommending that people report suspicious activity to the AARP Fraud Watch Network (877-908-3360), the Federal Trade Commission, or the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection.

The Massachusetts Better Business Bureau warns Connecticut residents about 11 prevalent holiday scams including fraudulent USPS package notifications, fake gift card offers, counterfeit job postings, look-alike websites, fake charities, phishing shipping links, puppy sales (with 80% of sponsored pet ads being fake), misleading social media advertisements, social media gift exchange schemes, and holiday-themed apps—all designed to steal personal information or money. Scammers use tactics like impersonating legitimate companies, offering free prizes, and creating convincing replicas of official websites and communications to deceive consumers during the holiday season.

The Better Business Bureau warns of surging online shopping scams expected during the $240 billion holiday season, with reports jumping 125% year-over-year to nearly 30,000 incidents in 2023. Scammers use fake social media advertisements to promote steep discounts on popular items like beauty products, shoes, and viral mugs, as well as pet scams, with over 87% of 2024 reports involving financial losses. The BBB recommends verifying sellers before purchasing, using credit cards, avoiding social media ads, and reporting suspicious activity to protect against these growing fraud schemes.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong held a forum at Union Baptist Church in Stamford to educate seniors about elder justice issues, highlighting that financial fraud and abuse cost seniors in America over $38 billion annually. The Office of the Attorney General and the Coalition for Elder Justice in Connecticut promoted the Elder Justice Hotline (1-860-808-5555), launched in 2021, to help older adults seek information, assistance, and justice against scams and abuse.

Trung Nguyen, a 48-year-old Massachusetts man, was convicted Friday of money laundering charges for operating an unlicensed Bitcoin exchange service from 2017 to 2020 that converted over $1 million in cash into cryptocurrency. His operation facilitated money laundering for a methamphetamine dealer and multiple romance scammers, including $325,000 from a Kansas City victim, $60,000 from a Connecticut victim, and $60,000 from a Massachusetts victim. Nguyen faces decades in prison and hundreds of thousands in fines at his February 12 sentencing.

Tolulope Samuel Bodunde, a 33-year-old Nigerian citizen, was sentenced to two years in prison for participating in a multi-country business email compromise scheme that defrauded multiple victims including Connecticut, Colorado, Alaska, and New York-based companies. Bodunde specifically exploited elderly women through romance scams to serve as unwitting money mules and was ordered to pay $494,939 in restitution to three victims. The criminal network, led by co-conspirator Okechuckwu Valentine Osuji, operated over several years by impersonating legitimate entities in electronic communications to trick victims into transferring money to accounts controlled by the conspirators.

Scammers in Connecticut impersonated the Southwestern Connecticut Agency on Aging to target grieving seniors, using the agency's trusted name to pressure victims into revealing credit card information for fake funeral and burial contracts. The fraudsters identified vulnerable seniors by monitoring obituaries and exploiting their recent losses. Officials warn that legitimate organizations will never pressure callers for immediate payment and encourage seniors to report such scams to the national elder fraud hotline at 833-FRAUD-11.

HSI arrested two men in Rhode Island in connection with elder fraud schemes targeting seniors through online pop-up scams. Jirui Liu, 22, of Canada was charged after allegedly defrauding a 79-year-old man of $30,000 in cash and $130,000 in gold bars by impersonating federal authorities and falsely claiming his assets were compromised; a 72-year-old victim lost nearly $200,000 in a similar scheme involving Kush J. Patel, 22, of Connecticut, who posed as an FTC agent directing the victim to purchase and deliver gold bullion.

Two individuals, Jirui Liu (22, Canada) and Kush J. Patel (22, Connecticut), were charged with wire fraud and money laundering in separate but similar schemes targeting Rhode Island seniors. Liu's scheme defrauded a 79-year-old victim of $35,000 in cash and $130,000 in gold bars through fake pop-up warnings about illegal activity, while Patel's scheme extracted approximately $363,090 in gold bullion from another victim using the same tactics; both defendants were arrested when law enforcement arranged controlled deliveries of counterfeit items.

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AARP Connecticut offers a free bimonthly webinar series called "Fighting Fraud with AARP Connecticut" that educates participants on current fraud schemes including artificial intelligence scams, cryptocurrency fraud, and romance scams through expert speakers and safety tips. The next session is scheduled for Friday, October 25 at noon and can be accessed via Zoom by registering at events.aarp.org/FightFraudOct.

A 79-year-old Narragansett man lost $35,000 in cash and $135,000 in gold bars to an online scam in which fraudsters falsely claimed he was under investigation for child pornography and money laundering, then physically collected the assets from his home. Two men—Jirui Liu of Canada and Kush J. Patel of Connecticut—were arrested and charged with wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy; Liu was caught attempting to collect a final $160,000 payment when police intervened, while Patel separately defrauded a 72-year-old victim of nearly $300,000 in gold bars

Two individuals were charged in federal court for operating online scams targeting Rhode Island seniors. Jirui Liu, 22, of Canada, defrauded a 79-year-old man of $35,000 in cash and $130,000 in gold bars through a scheme involving fake pop-up warnings and impersonation of federal authorities; Kush J. Patel, 22, of Connecticut, defrauded a 72-year-old victim of approximately $363,000 in gold bullion using similar tactics. Both perpetrators were ordered detained and face charges including wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit money laundering

Two men—22-year-old Jirui Liu of Ontario and 22-year-old Kush J. Patel of Connecticut—have been charged with wire fraud and money laundering for running online scams targeting Rhode Island seniors. Liu's scheme defrauded a 79-year-old man of $35,000 in cash and $130,000 in gold bars, while Patel's scam victimized another Rhode Islander of approximately $200,000. Both defendants have been detained and appeared in court.

Kush J. Patel, 22, of Connecticut and Jirui Liu, 22, of Canada face federal charges for orchestrating online scams targeting Rhode Island senior citizens, defrauding victims of approximately $200,000 and $165,000 respectively through fake pop-up messages and impersonation of federal agents. The scammers falsely claimed the victims' identities were compromised and directed them to purchase gold bullion as a means to "secure" their assets, with law enforcement ultimately arresting both suspects during undercover delivery operations.

Two young adults—Jirui Liu, 22, of Canada and Kush J. Patel, 22, of Connecticut—were arrested on federal charges for operating separate online fraud schemes targeting elderly Rhode Island residents. Liu defrauded a 79-year-old victim of $35,000 in cash and $130,000 in gold bars through a fake child pornography investigation pop-up, while Patel scammed a 72-year-old victim of nearly $200,000 using false claims about computer viruses and identity theft; both cases involved impersonation of federal agents and prompted law enforcement intervention to recover assets. Authorities encourage elder fraud reporting via the

Two individuals were arrested and ordered detained for their roles in online scams targeting Rhode Island seniors. Jirui Liu, 22, of Canada, was charged in a scheme that defrauded a 79-year-old Narragansett man of approximately $165,000 (cash and gold bars) after a pop-up falsely claimed he was under investigation for child pornography and money laundering; Kush J. Patel, 22, of Connecticut, was charged in a separate scheme where a 72-year-old Tiverton man was defrauded of nearly $200,000 through similar tactics involving a fake FTC agent. Both perpetrators

A 31-year-old New York man was arrested in Branford, Connecticut after operating as a courier in a text message scam scheme that initiates contact with unsuspecting victims through unsolicited "Hello" messages to build fake relationships and extract money. The suspect, Wenije He, was apprehended while attempting to collect a large cash sum believed destined for criminal enterprise and faces larceny and phone fraud charges with a $200,000 bond. Police warn residents to ignore unsolicited texts from unknown numbers, never send money or personal information to unknown contacts, and report suspicious activity to local authorities.

At least six U.S. states—Pennsylvania, Florida, California, Connecticut, Maine, and Delaware—are enacting legislation to empower banks to identify and block suspicious transactions targeting seniors, as cyber fraud against older adults rises with seniors losing $3.4 billion in 2023 alone, largely through impersonation scams. These state-level efforts aim to fill federal protection gaps, though they create varying liability standards for financial institutions and may complicate compliance across different jurisdictions. Florida has already signed nine bills into law effective January 2024, while Pennsylvania's House Bill 2064 and similar measures in other states would allow banks to delay or refuse fraudulent transactions and face reimbursement liability

At least six U.S. states (Pennsylvania, Florida, California, Connecticut, Maine, and Delaware) are enacting legislation to give banks new tools to identify and block suspicious transactions targeting seniors, as cyber fraud against older adults rises and the federal Consumer Financial Protection Bureau remains inactive. In 2023, impersonation scams alone caused $1.3 billion in losses with nearly half of victims over 60, and seniors filed over 101,000 complaints totaling $3.4 billion in losses. The state bills vary in their approach and liability provisions for financial institutions, though all aim to empower banks to halt or delay transactions suspected of elder financial exploitation.

A new extortion email scam has been circulating in Westchester County and Connecticut, wherein scammers send threatening messages containing victims' home addresses, names, and Google Maps images of their residences, claiming to have hacked their devices and possess embarrassing information, then demanding payment via Bitcoin. Police advise recipients to delete such emails without scanning the Bitcoin QR code or sending money, and to file complaints with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) at ic3.gov.

Connecticut Attorney General William Tong will visit the Berlin Senior Center on September 10 to discuss elder justice issues with local seniors, including scams, fraud, elder abuse, neglect, and workplace discrimination. The free program runs from 1-2 p.m. and requires advance registration by calling 860-628-7006 or signing up at the senior center's front desk.

The Town of Plymouth, Connecticut lost over $200,000 in a social engineering scam where fraudsters hacked a vendor, gained access to project information, and sent fake invoices with incorrect payment instructions to the Finance Department; two payments totaling $104,150 were sent before the scheme was discovered. The town's Finance Director resigned following the incident, and the matter was reported to local police, the FBI, and the town's insurance company. The mayor confirmed there is no suspicion of criminal activity by town employees and stated that insurance coverage will offset any losses.

The Town of Plymouth, Connecticut fell victim to a social engineering scam in which fraudsters, after hacking a town vendor's email account, sent fake invoices with incorrect payment instructions to the Finance Department, resulting in two unauthorized payments of $104,150 each totaling $208,300. The town's finance director resigned, and the incident has been reported to local police, the FBI, and the town's insurance company, which is expected to cover the loss.

Connecticut's Department of Consumer Protection warned residents of a scam targeting Eversource and United Illuminating customers, where scammers impersonate utility company employees and offer fake senior rate discounts while requesting personal information like account numbers and payment details to commit identity theft and financial fraud. The DCP advised customers to hang up on unsolicited calls, verify legitimacy by calling the official number on their bill, and report scams to authorities and credit agencies.

Following devastating storms and flash flooding in Connecticut, the Department of Consumer Protection warned residents to beware of disaster recovery scams, including fraudulent contractors offering low-cost repairs without contracts and fake charities soliciting donations. State officials advised homeowners to verify contractor credentials, insurance, and identification before hiring, research charities before donating, and watch for signs of water damage when purchasing vehicles, as scammers commonly exploit disaster survivors' urgency and vulnerability.

A trio of thieves in Connecticut stole $479,000 from a retired woman through a complicated check scheme, with authorities indicating the perpetrators attempted to extract a total of $624,818.28 from the victim's bank account. The case involved multiple participants working together to defraud the elderly victim.

A Connecticut resident lost over $68,000 in a phishing scam involving unsolicited cryptocurrency token offers in April, but state police recovered more than $60,000 using blockchain analytics to trace the stolen funds to the suspect's wallet. The investigation identified multiple victims across the country in this ongoing scheme. Connecticut State Police advise residents to avoid unsolicited investment offers and never share personal or financial information with unknown contacts via text, phone, email, or social media.

Connecticut police have warned consumers about "shimming," an evolved fraud technique where criminals insert paper-thin devices into chip card readers to steal payment information and PINs for fraudulent purchases. The Connecticut Better Business Bureau recommends protecting yourself by monitoring accounts regularly, using contactless payment methods like Apple Pay or tap-and-go features, being alert for card readers with unusual resistance, and using ATMs located inside banks rather than standalone machines.

Following a global IT outage, Connecticut's Department of Consumer Protection warned the public that scammers exploit such disruptions by sending phishing emails and texts impersonating IT teams and software companies like CrowdStrike and Microsoft to steal sensitive information. The department advised people to be suspicious of emails with incorrect addresses, typos, unknown links, or requests for passwords, and to report suspected phishing attempts to the FTC, Anti-Phishing Working Group, or via text to SPAM (7726).

Following a global IT outage caused by a CrowdStrike software update in July 2024, the Connecticut Department of Consumer Protection warned the public of increased phishing, imposter, and scam risks as criminals exploited the situation to target vulnerable users. Officials cautioned people to watch for suspicious emails, text messages, and phone calls impersonating IT teams or tech company support, which may contain malicious links or requests for sensitive information. The department urged consumers to verify sender email addresses, avoid clicking unknown links, and report suspected phishing attempts to the FTC or Anti-Phishing Working Group.

Sextortion, a cyber-based sex crime involving extortion for money, is rapidly increasing across the U.S. and Connecticut, with officials warning of its dangers. The scheme has been linked to the deaths of more than a dozen children who were targeted victims. Authorities are raising awareness about this growing threat to protect vulnerable populations from this form of exploitation.