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Former Georgia Insurance Commissioner John Oxendine pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit health-care fraud after ordering unnecessary medical tests through a Texas lab in exchange for $260,000 in kickbacks, working with Dr. Jeffrey Gallups. The scheme involved submitting fraudulent insurance claims exceeding $2.5 million to private insurers, which paid the lab nearly $700,000, and included obstruction of justice when Oxendine instructed Gallups to lie to compliance officers and federal agents. Oxendine faces sentencing in July.

A pharmacist fell victim to an elaborate impersonation scam when scammers spoofed the Ohio Board of Pharmacy's number, falsely claiming her license was linked to a narcotics investigation and threatening arrest unless she paid a $500,000 bond. Over three months, the scammers manipulated her into moving $500,000 of her savings and retirement funds into a "protected account" and taking out two additional loans totaling $250,000, all of which went directly to the fraudsters. The article notes that scams are rising nationally, with Americans losing over $159 billion in 2023, and that professionals with specialized licenses and higher incomes—such as pharmacists

Following severe storms, scammers pose as contractors and go door-to-door offering home repair services they have no intention of completing, often pressuring homeowners for upfront payments. The Better Business Bureau advises residents to avoid making purchasing decisions on the spot, verify that solicitors have required permits, and be wary of those demanding payment before work is performed.

This educational piece provides five key scam prevention tips for Texas residents: legitimate prizes do not require upfront payment; real law enforcement will not threaten arrest or deportation by phone to collect debts; legitimate businesses allow time for decision-making rather than pressuring immediate commitment; scammers use untraceable payment methods like wire transfers and gift cards; and government agencies will never call unsolicited to request sensitive personal information. The advice emphasizes recognizing pressure tactics, verifying caller identity, and avoiding irreversible payment methods as primary safeguards against common fraud schemes.

College students, particularly those ages 20 and below, have experienced the fastest growth rate in scam losses since 2017, with scams taking forms such as fraudulent concert ticket sales, fake employment offers, and phishing emails. Texas State students are especially vulnerable due to the university's location between Austin and San Antonio, where scammers exploit students seeking discounted concert tickets and job opportunities. To combat this trend, universities should implement fraud prevention workshops, integrate scam awareness into orientation programs, improve email security filters, and educate students on safe transaction practices such as using PayPal's "Goods and Services" program.

I cannot provide a summary of this content because the text provided is only navigation menu items and headers from a CBS News webpage, not an actual article about a tax scam. To summarize the tax scams article mentioned in the headline, please provide the full article text describing what the IRS's "dirty dozen" tax scams are and what details are included about them.

An elderly homeowner in Luling, Texas received an unsolicited package of precious metals worth approximately $100,000 after being contacted by a scammer posing as customer support; police intervention prevented the fraudster from collecting the package and led to the arrest of California resident Shalin Amin on money laundering charges. The scam targeted the victim by creating urgency and manipulating them into accepting a shipment they never requested. Authorities recommend avoiding unsolicited precious metals purchases, safeguarding personal information, and reporting suspected fraud to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center or the Elder Justice Hotline.

Jason Leach from Communication Federal Credit Union discusses common scam types, specifically grandparent and romance scams, and provides guidance on how to avoid becoming a victim. The segment, part of a "Dollars and Sense" educational series, focuses on awareness and prevention strategies for these prevalent fraud schemes.

Darlington Akporugo, 46, and Jasmin Sood, 35, from Fulshear, Texas, were charged with conspiracy to commit wire and mail fraud for operating romance scams targeting elderly victims, particularly widows, through social media and online dating sites between 2015 and 2022. The pair used fake identities to build trust with over a dozen victims nationwide before requesting money, defrauding them of a total of $3.1 million; in at least one case, they approached a victim in person and gained control of her banking access devices. If convicted, both face up to 30 years in prison on wire fraud charges, with

Darlington Akporugo, 46, a Nigerian resident of Fulshear, Texas, was charged with conspiring with Jasmin Sood to defraud over a dozen elderly Americans in a romance scam that operated between 2015 and 2022, resulting in approximately $3.1 million in losses. The perpetrators created fictitious online personas on dating platforms to build trust with elderly, often widowed victims before convincing them to transfer money to fraudster-controlled accounts, and in at least one case, approached a victim in person to drive her to banks and gain control of her banking access devices. Both defendants face up to 30 years imprisonment on wire frau

Three men were charged with money laundering conspiracy and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business after laundering over $4.5 million in proceeds from business email compromise schemes and romance scams targeting elderly victims between 2020 and 2023. The defendants directed victims to wire funds into bank accounts they controlled, then depleted those accounts through multiple withdrawals and transfers, including to overseas accounts, while keeping a percentage of the fraudulent proceeds. One co-conspirator has already pleaded guilty and awaits sentencing.

A Tallmadge police sergeant investigated a 2019 online dating scam that defrauded a local woman of $60,000 and uncovered a multi-state money-laundering operation involving victims across Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Florida, and Texas, including one couple who lost $375,000. The investigation led to the arrest of six people in Rhode Island who were processing fraudulent funds through compromised bank accounts and money orders. The FBI reported 19,000 romance scam complaints nationally in 2022 with losses exceeding $739 million, typically targeting women over 40.

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.

Researchers ranked U.S. states by online dating safety based on romance scams, fraud, identity theft, and violent crime rates, finding Texas among the top 10 most dangerous states for online dating, while Nevada ranked as the most dangerous due to prevalence of scams. Vermont was identified as the safest state, though researchers note this may reflect its smaller, older population rather than actual safety measures. The study did not specify dollar amounts or particular victim cases but highlighted romance scams as a significant concern in high-risk states.

**Summary:** A PrivacyJournal study ranking states by online dating safety—based on romance scams, ID theft, fraud, sex offender presence, and STD reports per 100,000 population—found Texas ranks 43rd out of 50 states. Nevada ranked last (most dangerous) while Vermont ranked first (safest).

An elderly Chase customer's account was compromised, with over $1,000 fraudulently transferred via Zelle to someone using the name "Adam," which Chase initially refused to refund despite the customer being an account holder for over 30 years. After media intervention, Chase reversed its decision and credited the victim $1,094 to her account. The article notes that one in five older Americans falls victim to financial exploitation, losing an average of $120,303, and provides recommendations for protecting seniors including disabling Zelle, monitoring accounts, and never giving remote device access to unknown parties.

The FBI is warning the public about a nationwide "smishing" scam targeting toll road users, with over 2,000 complaints received since early March across at least three states, including Texas. These fraudulent text messages falsely claim recipients owe unpaid tolls and include links impersonating legitimate state toll services, designed to trick people into sharing personal and financial information. The FBI recommends verifying toll accounts through official websites, contacting legitimate customer service numbers, and filing complaints with the IC3 if targeted.

A Texas man, Oluseun Martins Omole, pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy for operating a scheme that defrauded thousands of U.S. victims of over $12 million in consumer electronics between February 2018 and March 2023. Working with a Nigerian-based criminal enterprise, Omole received fraudulently obtained goods through romance scams, fake online marketplace listings, and employment scams, then repackaged and shipped them overseas while earning hundreds of thousands in fees. He faces up to 20 years in prison and has agreed to pay restitution and asset forfeiture as part of his plea agreement.

Drivers across Texas received fraudulent text messages claiming unpaid toll road balances with threats of escalating late fees, directing recipients to fake websites impersonating legitimate toll services like TxTag or the Central Texas Mobility Authority. The FBI identified these "smishing" messages as social engineering scams designed to steal personal information and money, and advised recipients to avoid clicking links, file complaints with the Internet Crime Complaint Center, monitor accounts, and contact actual toll services directly to verify legitimacy.

Oluseun Omole, a Texas-based Nigerian, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud after defrauding victims of over $12 million in consumer electronics between February 2018 and March 2023. Operating through a shell company called Tobylink Impressions and as part of a Nigeria-based criminal group called "Enterprise," Omole orchestrated online marketplace scams, romance scams, and employment scams to trick thousands of victims into sending electronics, which he repackaged and shipped overseas for profit. He faces up to 20 years in prison and has agreed to pay restitution and forfeit seized goods and currency, with sentencing scheduled for

A Fostoria, Ohio woman fell victim to a Facebook impersonation scam when hackers posed as her friend requesting her phone number under the pretense of account recovery, gaining access to her Facebook account and a linked debit card that resulted in unauthorized charges of $441 for an airline ticket to Australia and $113 to ARC. The same scammers subsequently used the same tactic to compromise accounts of her friends and family members across multiple states including Ohio, Virginia, Florida, Arizona, and Texas. Local authorities advise users to unlink payment methods from social media accounts and verify requests through independent contact methods before providing personal information.

A widow lost $1.5 million to a romance scam before her death, with her daughter now publicly sharing the story as a cautionary tale to raise awareness and advocate for systemic change to prevent similar fraud cases.

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Regina Thomas and her son Isaiah allegedly ran a wire fraud scheme targeting seniors in Houston, stealing over $1 million from an elderly couple by impersonating a nurse and lawyer, respectively, and fabricating stories about FEMA fraud and legal troubles. Regina Thomas is currently a fugitive, prompting the FBI Houston office to offer a $10,000 reward—marking the first time they've offered a reward in an elder fraud case—while Isaiah faces federal wire fraud charges and is out on bond. Investigators believe there may be additional victims and are actively seeking Regina Thomas, also known as Nikki Laday.

A McKinsey woman lost over $3,200 to a romance scammer posing as a German cardiologist on Instagram, experiencing severe emotional trauma including suicidal ideation. The FBI reports 19,000 Americans fell victim to romance scams in the past year, losing $1.3 billion collectively, with scammers increasingly using AI-generated fake photos, audio, and videos to make schemes harder to detect—though federal prosecutors have successfully pursued cases, including a 2021 North Texas indictment of 35 people who stole $17 million from over 100 victims.

Dallas County residents received scam calls from fraudsters impersonating law enforcement who demanded immediate payment via wire transfer or gift cards, claiming the victims had outstanding warrants for missing grand jury duty. The Dallas County Criminal District Attorney's Office warned that legitimate law enforcement never requests payment over the phone and advised residents to verify suspicious calls directly with law enforcement and avoid sharing personal information with callers.

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The FBI issued a warning to Houston residents about a hospice care scam in which fraudsters illegally enroll seniors in Medicare's $22 billion hospice program without their knowledge or consent, then bill insurance thousands or tens of thousands of dollars before victims realize what happened. The scam involves doctors, recruiters, and company employees working together, and can prevent victims from accessing end-of-life care with providers of their choice when they actually need it. The FBI recommends residents avoid sharing personal information with strangers, hang up suspicious calls, and report them to authorities; meanwhile, Medicare has increased oversight in Arizona, California, Nevada, and Texas, and recently convicted a California hospice company owner who

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In 2023, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center received over 100,000 complaints from individuals over 60, representing a 14% increase from the previous year, with scammers stealing $3.4 billion from seniors (an 11% increase from 2022). Tech support scams were the most common complaint, while investment scams caused the greatest financial losses at $1.2 billion, with the average loss per incident reaching nearly $34,000. California, Florida, and Texas experienced the highest concentrations of senior scam complaints.

Real estate scams are surging, with the FBI's IC3 receiving 9,521 complaints in 2023 resulting in $145.2 million in losses, primarily through business email compromise (BEC) schemes targeting homebuyers and sellers. Notable cases include a Connecticut homebuyer who nearly lost $426,000 after receiving a spoofed email posing as their attorney, and a Texas realtor who identified a fraudulent property listing scheme. Common tactics include fake closing/wire fraud emails, rental listing scams, and home warranty schemes, with scammers exploiting the busy March-June real estate season by impersonating attorneys, lenders, and property owners to steal money

Cryptocurrency investment scams—often initiated through dating apps, LinkedIn, or text messages—have caused over $82.7 million in losses across the Houston area in the last 16 months, with the FBI receiving new reports approximately weekly. Scammers build romantic relationships with victims over weeks or months, then convince them to invest in fake cryptocurrency schemes that show fraudulent gains; one Harris County man lost over $800,000 after being lured through a dating app. Once funds are transferred, most money moves overseas within minutes to southeast Asia and west Africa, making recovery extremely difficult, though one victim was ordered restitution of less than 20 percent of his losses.

Scammers are operating a sophisticated cryptocurrency investment scheme that has seen exponential growth in Houston, using fake websites and apps that appear legitimate to trick victims into investing in non-existent cryptocurrencies. The perpetrators contact victims via email, phone, social media, or personal connections, starting with small requests (e.g., $5,000) and progressively requesting larger amounts while showing fake investment returns, ultimately draining victims' entire savings before disappearing. In 2023, this scam cost victims billions of dollars nationally and $300 million in Texas.

A 37-year-old Chinese man was trafficked to a compound in Myanmar under the guise of a theater job, where he was forced to conduct "pig butchering" cryptocurrency scams targeting Chinese and European victims by posing as romantic interests and soliciting increasingly large amounts of crypto currency in exchange for promised investment returns. The forced scam operations emerged from Chinese-run illegal economic zones that originated as money laundering and gambling operations in Southeast Asia, and according to a University of Texas study, such scams have stolen approximately $75 billion worldwide. The scammer himself became a victim of human trafficking after COVID-19 disrupted traditional gambling operations and led criminal syndicates to resort to

A 56-year-old Houston woman, Regina Lynn Thomas, and her 38-year-old son, Isaiah Thomas, were charged with defrauding an elderly couple of over $1 million through an elaborate scheme in which Regina posed as a nurse and convinced the victims they needed to pay for legal representation related to false FEMA fraud allegations. The defendants allegedly funneled the victims' payments into Isaiah's account and shared the proceeds, facing up to 20 years in federal prison and $250,000 fines per count if convicted.

The FBI warned of a resurgence in impersonation scams targeting Houston residents, where fraudsters pose as law enforcement or government agencies using caller ID spoofing to convince victims their identities or finances have been compromised. Victims in the area have lost tens of thousands of dollars after being pressured to transfer money to gift cards or cryptocurrency, with Texas reporting approximately $17 million in losses statewide at an average of $17,000 per victim. The FBI emphasized that legitimate government agents never request payment, gift cards, or immediate money transfers to resolve legal matters.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission warned of a surge in phone scams targeting SNAP and TANF benefit recipients, where scammers spoof the Lone Star Card Help Desk's caller ID to trick victims into revealing their PIN, Social Security number, and date of birth under the false promise of new or increased benefits. HHSC emphasized that legitimate agency representatives never request sensitive information via unsolicited calls, texts, or emails, and urged affected individuals to verify calls by hanging up and contacting the number on their Lone Star Card or reporting fraud to the OIG hotline.

A national initiative is training doctors across 22 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico to identify elderly patients vulnerable to investment fraud and refer them to securities regulators and social workers. The program, expanding from a successful Texas pilot, represents a collaborative approach between investor protection groups, medical associations, and adult protection services to address senior investment scams as a public health issue.

Michelle McIntosh, a 40-year-old Farmingdale woman, was arrested on May 2 after law enforcement caught her attempting to retrieve a package containing $9,000 in cash at a Hicksville post office. McIntosh had perpetrated a lottery scam against a 72-year-old Texas resident by falsely claiming he had won and instructing him to mail the fee to claim his winnings. She faces charges of Grand Larceny 3rd Degree and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property following the joint investigation by Nassau County Police, the Fraud and Forgery Unit, and the United States Post Office Investigations Unit.

A Bryan caregiver named Wilma Jean Nickerson was charged with elderly credit card abuse and exploitation after fraudulently using an elderly couple's credit card information through her Google Pay account for personal expenses in October 2023, accumulating at least 13 unauthorized charges including purchases at Chick-fil-A and a hotel stay. The fraud was discovered when the husband received an alert from Knights Inn about an unauthorized charge and subsequently found additional fraudulent transactions, which police were able to trace back to Nickerson through transactional data. Nickerson was arrested and released on a $15,000 bond after admitting to the charges.

A 32-year-old Georgia woman, Destiny Magoon, defrauded approximately 200 victims across 25 states through a Facebook business called Romeo and Juliette Keepsakes, collecting hundreds of dollars and irreplaceable breast milk samples intended for keepsake jewelry that was never produced or returned. Magoon was charged with 12 counts of felony theft by deception in April and is currently jailed; victims report significant emotional impact as the stolen items may never be recovered.

Homeowners should beware of two types of property tax scams: companies charging fees to file free homestead exemptions (either as flat fees or percentage-of-savings arrangements) and fraudulent websites mimicking government property tax sites to mislead homeowners about deadlines and procedures. The article highlights a fake "Collincountyappraisaldistrict.org" site that ranks high in Google searches and displays incorrect deadline information, and advises Texas residents to report suspected fraud to the Texas Attorney General's office and verify information directly through official county appraisal district websites.

The FBI reported a 14% increase in elder fraud complaints in 2023, with seniors over 60 losing $3.4 billion across 101,000 reported cases, averaging $33,000 per victim. In Texas alone, over 7,000 seniors lost $278 million, with investment scams, government impersonation schemes, and romance scams showing the largest growth; investment scams averaged $270,000 per victim in Texas. The FBI advises seniors to avoid trusting unknown contacts, verify caller identities independently, and report fraud to enable broader conspiracy investigations.

An AARP article details election-related scams targeting voters, using a real incident where a fraud expert was approached by a scammer posing as a voter registration volunteer at a Christmas tree lot in Austin, Texas. The article explains that scammers use fake voter registration forms via phishing links, malicious apps, and in-person deception to steal personal data such as Social Security numbers, passwords, and payment information. The piece advises voters to register only through official government channels (online at government websites, by mail, or in person at election offices) and to avoid clicking unsolicited links or downloading apps from unofficial sources.

Five members of Ternion Group International LLC, a religious-based company, were charged with wire fraud conspiracy for defrauding a 92-year-old World War II veteran of over $300,000 from his retirement account. The scheme promised the victim $13 million in returns and ownership stakes in purported construction and job training projects, but he received nothing and one defendant allegedly used legal documents to gain power of attorney and control over the victim's accounts and property. Each defendant faces up to 20 years in federal prison and $250,000 in fines per count if convicted.

Approximately 191,000 consumers who were fraudulently induced by Texas-based online lender Think Finance to repay loans they did not owe are receiving $384 million in restitution through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's victims relief fund, with distributions beginning May 14, 2024. The CFPB, which has distributed over $19 billion to more than 195 million defrauded consumers since 2010, is providing compensation through its Civil Penalty Fund after law enforcement stopped the company's operations.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau distributed $15 million in compensation checks to 13,413 Illinois residents who were victims of an online lending scam by Texas-based company Think Finance, which collected payments on loans that were legally void under state interest rate caps and licensing requirements. The settlement, part of a larger $384 million payout across 17 states to 191,000 victims, resulted from a 2017 lawsuit against Think Finance for making illegal electronic withdrawals and debt collection calls on non-existent debts. Affected Illinois residents received an average of $1,100 per check from the CFPB's victims relief fund.

The FBI Houston Field Office reported a concerning 400% increase in elder scams since 2021, with victims losing $1.2 billion in 2023, including cases where elderly people lose life savings, retirement funds, and homes. Five individuals were arrested for defrauding a 92-year-old World War II veteran out of $300,000 through Ternion Group International LLC, a fraudulent investment scheme that promised $13 million returns and involved establishing power of attorney and creating legal documents to control the victim's assets. The FBI emphasizes that elder fraud involves grooming victims to build trust relationships and advises victims to contact their financial institutions and law enforcement immediately.

Texas ranks third nationally for elder fraud, with 7,035 complaints from people over 60 resulting in losses exceeding $278 million in 2023, involving scams such as phishing, romance schemes, and cryptocurrency fraud. The article features Dennis and Joy Shockey, an elderly couple who lost nearly $170,000 to a pop-up computer scam and recovered only about one-third through crowdfunding, illustrating how swift action is critical for potential fund recovery. Experts note that elderly Texans are particularly vulnerable targets, with scammers often funneling stolen money through fake accounts near the Mexican border.