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A 48-year-old New York resident, Wenhua Zhuo, was indicted on felony charges of attempted theft by deception for allegedly serving as a courier in a scheme targeting a 77-year-old Richmond, New Hampshire man. The scam involved a fraudulent call claiming to be from the victim's bank, instructing him to withdraw $20,000; Zhuo allegedly traveled to the victim's home to collect money, with over $1,500 in currency present at the time of the attempted pickup. The case was investigated by the Attorney General's Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Unit, with Zhuo's arraignment scheduled for November 7.

A New York man was indicted on attempted theft by deception charges for acting as a courier in a bank impersonation scam targeting a 77-year-old New Hampshire man. Scammers impersonating bank fraud department employees called the victim claiming his account was compromised and instructed him to withdraw $20,000 cash for pickup; the defendant attempted to collect at least $1,500 from the victim's home. The defendant was arrested in July and scheduled for arraignment in November.

Raj Vinodchandra Patel, a 34-year-old New Hampshire resident, was sentenced to 51 months in prison for his role in a wire fraud scheme targeting elderly residents. Patel served as a courier for an operation originating from India that used fake pop-up messages and impersonated federal agents to convince victims their Social Security numbers were compromised, then instructed them to purchase gold bullion for "safekeeping"; he was caught on October 7, 2023, when the FBI conducted a sting operation after an Alexandria, Louisiana victim reported the fraud, resulting in an intended loss of approximately $514,000 across multiple victims.

Scammers posing as bank representatives are targeting small business owners in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts by calling victims about suspicious account activity and requesting screen-sharing access to transfer funds. Amy Kelly, owner of TaleSpinStudio in Maine, lost all funds from her business account after falling victim to this scam, which the Federal Trade Commission reports occurred over 1,000 times in Maine in 2023. Despite reporting the incident to police and her bank, recovery efforts were largely unsuccessful.

**Summary:** Roslyn Weems, a 52-year-old Mississippi woman previously employed in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for stealing approximately $52,000 in rental income from her employer's luxury coastal Maine property in July 2021. Weems intercepted rental payments by diverting them to accounts under her control rather than the property owner's account and used the funds for personal benefit. She faces sentencing on December 19, 2024, with potential penalties including up to 20 years in prison, a $250,000 fine, and mandatory restitution.

According to a SocialCatfish.com study, New Hampshire ranked as the 4th least catfished state with 71 romance scam victims losing $1 million, while California led the nation with $184 million in losses. The article outlines five evolving romance scam tactics to avoid: money mule schemes, fake cryptocurrency investment apps, targeting of teens on TikTok, impersonation of social media influencers, and untraceable gift card requests, providing preventive measures for each type.

Quit-claim fraud is an emerging scam where criminals forge property deed documents to illegally transfer homeownership without the victim's knowledge or payment, as happened at Elvis Presley's Graceland mansion. The scam exploits easily accessible personal and property information combined with advanced document forgery technology, and victims must pursue costly legal action to recover their property. New Hampshire offers free protection through a fraud alert system that notifies property owners via text or email whenever documents bearing their name are filed with the county registry of deeds.

This article discusses online dating safety in Illinois, ranking the state 30th for safety among U.S. states, primarily due to high STD rates of 839.2 per 100,000 people annually. The piece mentions various online dating risks including romance scams, catfishing, and dishonest actors, while noting that Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire are the safest states for online dating, whereas Nevada, Alaska, and Georgia pose the greatest risks.

A Privacy Journal study ranked Georgia as the third most dangerous state for online dating, scoring 43.16 based on six risk factors including romance scams, identity theft, fraud, registered sex offenders, STD prevalence, and violent crime. Georgia performed particularly poorly in identity theft and fraud cases, with 358 per 100,000 residents experiencing identity theft annually and 470 per 100,000 falling victim to other types of fraud, though it had the fourth-lowest rate of romance scams. Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire were identified as the safest states for online dating.

In the first half of 2024, Hiya detected nearly 20 billion suspected spam calls globally, with spam flag rates exceeding 20% of unknown calls in 25 of 42 countries, alongside a significant rise in AI deepfake voice-cloning scams—including a January robocall impersonating Joe Biden in New Hampshire. Medicare, health insurance, and tax scams dominated in the United States, while France and Spain experienced the highest European spam rates (53% and 51% respectively), Brazil received the most spam calls per capita (26 monthly), and Canada and the UK saw surges in Amazon and tax authority impersonation scams. Researchers anticipate voice

New Hampshire's Consumer Protection hotline, staffed entirely by unpaid volunteers since 1992, helps residents report fraud and resolve consumer disputes. The article highlights four long-serving volunteers who field calls about scams, faulty purchases, and business problems, noting that crypto scams have become increasingly prevalent—with victims often transferring tens of thousands of dollars after being deceived by impersonators claiming to be from the IRS, PayPal, or Microsoft.

Anthony Strangis, ex-husband of restaurateur Sarma Melngailis, defrauded Sarma's mother Susan Jasse by convincing her he needed money to help Sarma with mental health issues, resulting in Susan withdrawing approximately $450,000 from a trust. Strangis told Susan the loan was a "test" that would be rewarded, leveraging his significant control over Sarma to facilitate the scheme. Susan, who now operates Alyson's Orchard in New Hampshire, declined to participate in Netflix's "Bad Vegan" documentary about the fraud.

In May 2022, Nicholas Melanson, 42, of New Hampshire, was sentenced to six months in prison for transporting stolen checks and exploiting an elderly Vermont woman by repeatedly driving her to banks to make withdrawals totaling approximately $392,000 over nine days. Melanson received $4,500 in payments for his role in the scheme and had hoped to earn $10,000 monthly; he was arrested at one of the victim's banks and ordered to pay $1,500 in restitution.

Email has become the primary method used by scammers to target New Hampshire seniors for identity theft and financial fraud, according to federal and state officials. In 2023, over 400 New Hampshire residents aged 60 and older lost more than $11 million to scams, with criminals increasingly using artificial intelligence to impersonate trusted contacts. Experts advise consumers to never provide money or personal information to unsolicited contacts and to verify requests by calling known phone numbers directly.

Nicholas Melanson, 42, of Manchester, New Hampshire, was sentenced on August 12, 2024, to six months in prison followed by three years of supervised release for interstate transportation of a stolen check and elder fraud. Over nine days in May 2022, Melanson made five trips from New Hampshire to an elderly woman's home in Windsor, Vermont, driving her to banks where he facilitated or conducted transactions totaling at least $392,000 (most of which were stopped or reversed), receiving $1,500 in cash and a $3,000 bonus while seeking $10,000 monthly payments. He was ordered to pay $1,500 in restitution to

Federal and state officials highlighted that email has become the primary method scammers use to target New Hampshire seniors, with over 400 residents aged 60 and older losing more than $11 million to scams in 2023. Experts warned that artificial intelligence now enables scammers to impersonate loved ones convincingly, and advised consumers never to engage with unsolicited contacts requesting money or personal information, instead hanging up and calling back through known numbers. U.S. Rep. Chris Pappas discussed the growing threat and emphasized the need for sustained congressional resources to combat senior fraud.

More than 400 New Hampshire residents age 60 and older lost over $11 million to scams in 2023, with tech support fraud being the most common type and romance scams causing the highest financial losses. Seniors are disproportionately targeted because they are often polite, trusting, financially stable, and own homes, while scammers increasingly use online tactics like phishing and email scams targeting Baby Boomers with computer skills. Experts attribute the rise in elder fraud to increased online activity that exposes personal information, scammers' use of impersonation and research tactics, and significant underreporting due to victims' shame and embarrassment.

More than 100,000 Americans fell victim to scams in the past year, with two-thirds being seniors; in New Hampshire alone, over 400 residents aged 60 and older lost more than $11 million to fraud in 2023. Seniors are targeted because they are often polite, trusting, financially stable, and own their homes, making them attractive victims for scammers who pose as bankers, government agents, IT experts, and romantic partners. Tech support scams are the most common form of elder fraud, while romance and confidence scams result in the largest financial losses, though experts note these crimes are vastly underreported due to victims' shame and embarrassment.

More than 100,000 Americans fell victim to scams in the past year, with two-thirds being seniors; in New Hampshire alone, over 400 residents aged 60+ lost more than $11 million to scams in 2023. Seniors are targeted because they are often polite, trusting, financially stable, and own homes, making them attractive to scammers who use impersonation tactics (posing as bankers, government agents, IT experts, romantic partners, and relatives) and increasingly sophisticated online methods like phishing and email scams. Tech support scams were the most common type nationally, while romance and confidence scams caused the highest losses in New Hampshire

Scammers in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts are exploiting the July 2024 Microsoft outage (caused by a CrowdStrike software update affecting 8.5 million Windows machines) through phishing emails and text messages that either request personal information or send malware-infected files under the guise of computer fixes. Residents are advised to rely on official sources for information, verify email addresses and links carefully, and check on elderly relatives, as the legitimate fix was deployed automatically without user interaction needed.

The New Hampshire Banking Department partnered with Meals on Wheels to distribute 8,000 informational cards to elderly recipients, providing education on preventing elder financial abuse, filing complaints, and recognizing common scams. According to the Federal Trade Commission, seniors aged 70-79 lost a median of $804 to fraud in 2023, while those 80 and above lost $1,450; in New Hampshire alone, 408 victims lost over $11.3 million to such scams.

Rachel Chen, 25, of Massachusetts was arrested and indicted in three counties for her role in tech support scams targeting New Hampshire seniors. In one case, a Grafton County elderly resident lost $20,000 after being deceived into believing their bank account was hacked; Chen allegedly picked up the cash on behalf of the scam operation. The case is ongoing with Chen scheduled for court appearances later in 2024.

Elder fraud losses in the Boston FBI Division (Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island) totaled $89.6 million across 2,689 victims in 2023, with national losses reaching $1.6 billion from January to May 2024—a significant increase from the prior year. The most common scams targeting seniors include tech support, romance, investment, and government impersonation schemes, with investment scams involving cryptocurrency showing a particularly sharp rise of 419% in losses between 2021-2023. The FBI emphasizes that actual losses are likely higher due to underreporting and recommends elders be cautious of unsolicited contact, resist pressure

Elder fraud in the New England region resulted in $89.6 million in reported losses across Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island in 2023, with Massachusetts accounting for $63.7 million of that total, though the FBI estimates actual losses are significantly higher due to underreporting. The FBI-Boston reports a double-digit increase in financial fraud targeting adults over 60, with investment scams showing the sharpest growth (victimization up 209% and losses up 419% from 2021-2023), largely driven by cryptocurrency schemes, alongside common scams including tech support, romance, and government impersonation fraud. The FBI recommends elderly individuals and their families be

**Summary:** Timothy Bartlett, 69, of Deltona, Florida, was arrested for defrauding a Tampa-area nonprofit organization of $5,000 by falsely posing as a cancer patient named "Sally Holmes" seeking living expense assistance. Investigators discovered Bartlett had perpetrated the same scam against at least four other nonprofits in Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Tennessee, and Wisconsin that provide financial aid to cancer patients.

A Privacy Journal study analyzing FBI, FTC, CDC, and Census Bureau data ranked U.S. states by online dating safety, identifying Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire as safest and Nevada, Alaska, and Georgia as most dangerous based on rates of violence, STIs, romance scams, identity theft, and registered sex offenders per 100,000 people. The research highlights that romance scams pose significant fraud risks to online daters, with victims targeted for cash or personal information used for identity theft, and recommends safety precautions including refusing money requests, meeting in public places, and avoiding sharing private information with unvetted contacts.

A 25-year-old Massachusetts woman, Rachel Chen, was charged with stealing $20,000 from a 75-year-old New Hampshire resident through an online support scam that impersonated Microsoft and the victim's bank, instructing the victim to withdraw cash for supposed FBI pickup. Chen allegedly received the box of money in person while working with unknown accomplices and faces charges of theft by deception with potential penalties of 7½ to 15 years in prison and a $4,000 fine.

Federal authorities warned New Hampshire residents about two phone scams in which fraudsters impersonated law enforcement officers, claiming either that the target failed to respond to a jury duty summons and threatening arrest unless a fine was paid, or alleging criminal charges and demanding bail via virtual currency machines. Officials emphasized that legitimate law enforcement would never contact citizens by phone to collect fines, taxes, or bail money, and urged residents to report such calls to the U.S. District Court in Concord.

A PrivacyJournal study ranking online dating safety across U.S. states found Nevada, Georgia, and Alaska to be the most dangerous for romance scams and related fraud, while Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine emerged as the safest. Texas ranked 43rd out of 50 states, placing it in the top 10 most dangerous, based on per capita metrics including reported romance scams, identity theft, fraud, sex offenders, and STD cases.

Romance scams target vulnerable individuals, particularly older adults who are lonely, widowed, or divorced, with scammers posing as romantic interests and eventually requesting money through gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers for fabricated emergencies like overseas travel or legal fees. A New Hampshire senior experienced this scheme firsthand, enduring months of emotional manipulation before the scammer attempted blackmail, highlighting how perpetrators exploit victims' emotions and are typically difficult to prosecute as they operate from overseas. Law enforcement emphasizes that victims should not blame themselves, as scammers deliberately prey on emotional vulnerability, and success in prevention often depends on family intervention to prevent further financial loss.

This article discusses prevalent scams affecting New Hampshire residents, with the author highlighting how scam artists exploit older adults who lack technological training. The piece opens with a personal anecdote about the author's father nearly falling victim to a phishing scam impersonating the post office that attempted to steal banking information, noting that such fraud costs people millions of dollars annually across the state.

The FBI identified 15 victims in New Hampshire who lost over $4 million to courier and gold bar scams between 2023 and 2025, with officials believing actual losses are significantly higher due to underreporting. Scammers employed multiple tactics including posing as distressed family members, law enforcement, or government officials to pressure victims into sending cash or purchasing gold bars. The FBI reports a 50% increase in scam complaints statewide, with over 400 complaints and $16 million in losses reported in the previous year alone.

This article does not relate to elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It describes a mass shooting incident at a country club wedding in New Hampshire. This falls outside the scope of the Elderus elder fraud research database and should not be summarized for that purpose.

Two New York men, Didi Huang (47) and Li Geng Lin (58), were indicted on felony charges of attempted theft by deception after attempting to scam a 76-year-old Seabrook, New Hampshire resident out of $20,000. The scheme involved a phone call impersonating a PayPal employee claiming the victim had an account overpayment, followed by the defendants arriving at her home to collect cash, though the victim was not defrauded. Both men face 7½ to 15 years in prison if convicted.

The FBI Boston is warning of an increase in "gold bar courier scams" targeting older adults, in which victims are pressured to purchase large sums of gold bars or cash that are then picked up by couriers working with scammers. From 2023 to May 2025, the FBI documented 103 cases in Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Rhode Island resulting in $26 million in losses, with 59 Massachusetts victims alone losing $18.6 million. The scams typically involve three methods: grandparent scams, government impersonation, and tech support scams, all designed to pressure victims into quickly liquidating assets before they can contact family members.

Two New York men, Amarjot Singh (30) and Jaykumar Raval (20), were arrested in July and charged in September for facilitating a scheme that defrauded a 71-year-old Brookline woman of $45,000 in June. The scam began with a fake Apple Pay alert text, followed by impersonation calls from fake Apple Security and Federal Trade Commission representatives who convinced the victim her accounts had been compromised and instructed her to withdraw cash for pickup by supposed undercover federal agents. Raval is also suspected in connection with nearly $200,000 stolen from elderly women across New York and New Hampshire through similar schemes.

New Hampshire's Attorney General is investigating four major voice service providers—Inteliquent, Bandwidth, Peerless, and Lumen—for allowing billions of illegal robocalls to flow through their networks despite years of warnings. These companies own the telephone infrastructure that carriers use to transmit calls, giving them the ability to block repeat scam offenders but failing to do so. Consumers can protect themselves by being cautious of unsolicited calls, not engaging with robocallers, and reporting suspected scams to authorities.

Nevada experienced a significant surge in senior fraud reports, with a 52% year-over-year increase and seniors losing over $21 million in 2024 alone, making it one of the hardest-hit states alongside New Hampshire and Arizona. Scammers are increasingly targeting older adults through phishing emails and fake delivery schemes, particularly during holiday shopping seasons when seniors are shopping online more frequently. To stay safe, seniors should verify sender information before clicking links, shop only on secure websites, and be cautious of unexpected delivery notifications or requests for personal information.

Fraud and scams targeting New Hampshire's small and mid-sized businesses are increasing, with a growing trend of fraudsters creating businesses that mimic legitimate existing businesses to fraudulently obtain loans and credit cards, leaving the real business owners responsible for the debts. The New Hampshire Secretary of State was granted new powers through House Bill 406 to combat this fraud by rescinding fraudulent business filings, though criminal cases must be referred to the Attorney General's office. Nationally, fraud exploits people rather than technology, with 46% of small business loan applications showing first-party fraud and small vendors supplying to larger companies being especially vulnerable.

Three Chinese nationals were sentenced in federal court for operating a sophisticated gift card fraud scheme that targeted elderly and lonely Americans through fake online relationships, as well as unsuspecting retail shoppers. The criminals stole gift card codes by removing security coverings, then quickly spent the funds on high-value electronics like Apple products that were warehoused and shipped to China, exploiting New Hampshire's tax-free retail environment to maximize profits. Law enforcement warns this type of multilayered criminal enterprise remains a threat and could easily occur again.