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An anonymous victim lost approximately $1.1 million to two pig-butchering romance scams between January 2021 and December 2022, where scammers posed as a romantic interest and investment advisor on Facebook to manipulate the victim into transferring funds for false business opportunities and cryptocurrency investments. The US government has filed a forfeiture complaint to seize nearly $200,000 in Tether (USDT) held on Binance that was traced to the scam and converted by suspect Izuchukwu Henry Okolo, with the funds now in FBI custody. Pig-butchering scams use romantic relationships and false investment promises to gain victims' trust

New York officials are warning residents about a rising "pig butchering" scam targeting romance seekers on dating apps and social media. Scammers build trust with victims over time before convincing them to invest money in cryptocurrency or foreign currency schemes, often moving conversations to encrypted platforms like WhatsApp to evade law enforcement. New York Attorney General Letitia James recommends verifying people's identities, avoiding wire transfers to unvetted contacts, and being suspicious of those who resist video calls, pressure for investments, or request personal financial information.

Elder fraud continues to rise significantly, with older Americans losing over $3.4 billion in 2023 alone—an average of $33,915 per victim and representing an 11% increase in losses from the prior year. The most common scams targeting seniors include tech support fraud (where scammers pose as legitimate companies to gain computer access), imposter scams (impersonating government agencies or financial institutions), and romance scams (criminals building fake relationships to extract money). Protective measures include avoiding unsolicited contact, never downloading software from unknown contacts, and never sharing sensitive information or credentials with unverified callers.

Madeline Sprints fell victim to a parking lot distraction theft scam in Los Angeles where criminals stole three credit cards from her purse and attempted $10,000 in fraudulent charges, prompting her to join the Stop Senior Scams Acting Program to educate other seniors. According to the FBI, adults over 60 lost $3.4 billion to fraud in 2023 (an 11% increase from 2022), with common scams including grandparent scams, romance scams through dating apps, and tech support scams. The FBI recommends never responding to unsolicited contact and reporting scams to local FBI offices or the Internet Crime Complaint Center

Dennis Jones, an 82-year-old Virginia man, lost his entire life savings to a "pig butchering" scam after being groomed online for months by a woman claiming to be named Jessie who convinced him to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency; devastated by financial ruin, he died by suicide before his family could help him recover. Pig butchering scams, run primarily by Chinese criminal gangs operating from Southeast Asia, involve con artists building relationships with victims over months before pressuring them to invest in fake cryptocurrency platforms, with the FBI estimating these scams stole nearly $4 billion from American victims in the past year alone—a 53% increase from the previous year

Dennis Jones, a widowed grandfather, withdrew his life savings after being romantically scammed by a woman named "Jessie" on Facebook and subsequently died by suicide. The scam is part of a massive multibillion-dollar global criminal operation predominantly run by Chinese gangs operating from Southeast Asia, where scammers—many held against their will in compounds—target victims worldwide to steal their life savings.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James issued a consumer alert about rising romance scams on dating apps and social media, which have surged nationally with victims losing $1.14 billion in 2023—a 1,420% increase from 2016. Long Island resident Connie Rotolo, 71, transferred $475,000 to an online scammer she met on Zoosk in 2020 who posed as an engineer and later claimed to be in danger in the Philippines, leaving her dealing with financial and emotional fallout four years later. The scams typically target vulnerable, lonely individuals and often involve fake romantic connections used to lure victims into fraudulent investments or

This educational piece warns of romance scams targeting people on social media and dating platforms, where scammers impersonate military servicemembers stationed overseas using stolen photos and identities. The key indicator of a scam is when an online romantic interest requests money through any method (gift cards, wire transfers, payment apps, or cryptocurrency), and victims should verify profiles through reverse image searches and report suspected scammers to the FTC and relevant platforms.

New York State Attorney General Letitia James warns that online "romance scams" (also called "pig butchering") are increasingly common, with fraudsters using dating apps, social media, and text messages to build trust with victims before directing them toward fraudulent investments in cryptocurrency or foreign currencies. The scammers spend substantial time cultivating relationships and using fake credentials, screenshots of inflated account balances, and fabricated luxury lifestyle photos to appear as successful investment experts, eventually cutting off contact after victims deposit tens of thousands to over a million dollars. James advises New Yorkers to avoid wiring money or sending cryptocurrency to unknown individuals, research senders' information, be suspicious of online romantic interests, an

New York State Attorney General Letitia James issued guidance on avoiding online "romance scams" (also called "pig butchering"), which use dating apps, social media, and text messages to build trust with victims before directing them to fraudulent investment schemes. Scammers typically spend considerable time building relationships, then move conversations to encrypted platforms and lure victims into cryptocurrency or foreign currency investments, resulting in losses ranging from thousands to over a million dollars. The advisory recommends New Yorkers avoid wiring money or sending cryptocurrency to unknown individuals, verify sender identities, and report suspected scams to law enforcement.

A Delhi IAS aspirant lost Rs 1.20 lakh in a "café con" dating scam where he was lured to Black Mirror Café by a woman he met on Tinder; she ordered expensive items, staged an emergency exit, and he was threatened into paying an inflated bill. The incident reveals an organized scam ring operating across major Indian cities involving dating app matches, cafés/pubs, and coordinated staff who split proceeds (15% to the woman, 45% to managers, 40% to owners), with many victims reluctant to report due to social stigma around dating app usage. Police arrested the café owner and the woman involved, uncovering similar cases

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia has initiated civil forfeiture proceedings to recover $2.5 million in cryptocurrency seized from a Thailand-based perpetrator of a "pig-butchering" scam targeting American victims. Pig-butchering scams involve fraudsters establishing romantic relationships with victims to gain their trust, then pressuring them to invest in fake cryptocurrency opportunities before disappearing with the funds. U.S. authorities emphasize their commitment to holding scammers accountable and returning seized assets to victims.

A 35-year-old New York man pleaded guilty to mistreatment of an elder person after defrauding a 78-year-old widowed Wichita woman of over $110,000 in a romance scam conducted through social media. Jango Touray posed as "Victor" and convinced the victim he needed financial assistance, leading her to send the money; he received a three-year probation sentence with a requirement to pay full restitution, though only $38,000 of the $110,000 has been recovered so far. The District Attorney's office warns elderly residents, particularly those living alone, to be suspicious of requests for money from online contacts.

This educational resource from DISB (District of Columbia Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking) provides information on common scam types to help consumers protect themselves during financial transactions. The tracker includes detailed examples of advance fee scams, affinity scams by licensed professionals, and credit card phishing scams, with specific case narratives and protective strategies such as verifying information directly with legitimate agencies and being cautious of unsolicited financial offers.

This educational article from the Federal Trade Commission outlines common online scams and fraud schemes affecting consumers. Key scams discussed include spoofing (falsifying caller ID to impersonate legitimate organizations), the 809 scam (international callback schemes with high rates), catfishing (creating fake online identities for romance or exploitation scams), cramming (unauthorized small charges on bills), and family emergency scams (targeting grandparents with urgent requests for money). The article advises consumers to hang up on unsolicited callers, verify numbers independently, never share personal information with unknown callers, and be cautious of suspicious requests—noting that while younger adults report romance scams more frequently, older consumers typically lose

A father-daughter duo from Ulster County, New York—Frank Whittaker and Christine Ellsworth—were arrested for stealing over $250,000 from a 92-year-old elderly woman between 2021 and the time of their arrest. After gaining the victim's trust through help with household tasks, Whittaker obtained Power of Attorney and used it to drain the woman's accounts through checks and illegal bank transfers, spending the stolen money on vehicles, jewelry, restaurants, and casinos. Both face charges of Grand Larceny in the Second Degree, with potential sentences of up to 15 years if convicted.

James and Jessica Dougherty of Boise were sentenced for wire fraud exceeding $187,000 after systematically defrauding elderly rancher Donna Douglass, now 81, beginning in 2015. The couple befriended the former teacher, moved onto her 46-acre property, isolated her from communication and transportation, gained control of her finances as power of attorney, and fraudulently sold the ranch to themselves for $96,085 despite it being valued at over twice that amount. James received 41 months in prison and Jessica received three years of probation, with restitution to be determined later.

James and Jessica Dougherty of Boise were sentenced for wire fraud involving over $187,000 after systematically defrauding 81-year-old Donna Douglass, a former elementary teacher. The couple befriended Douglass, isolated her by controlling her transportation and communication, obtained power of attorney over her finances, and fraudulently sold her 46-acre Idaho ranch to themselves for $96,085—far below its assessed value of over $190,000—without her consent. James Dougherty received 41 months in prison and Jessica received three years of probation, with restitution to be determined later.

Cristine Petitfrere, 30, of Miramar, Florida, pleaded guilty to laundering $2.7 million obtained through romance scams, in which she and co-conspirators created fake online personas to defraud vulnerable victims, many elderly, and transferred funds through bank accounts to associates abroad while retaining hundreds of thousands for herself. She faces up to 10 years in prison at her December 11 sentencing. Romance scams cost Americans $1.14 billion last year, with victims often deceived by fabricated stories and fake professional identities designed to extract money through wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or gift cards.

At a September 2024 Senate Banking Committee hearing, Senator Elizabeth Warren highlighted the severe impact of romance and cryptocurrency investment scams on older Americans, noting that Massachusetts residents alone lost over $85 million to these schemes in 2023. Testimony revealed that scammers use extended emotional manipulation through dating apps before gradually coercing victims to deposit funds into fake trading accounts that show false profits, ultimately draining their entire savings; crypto scam losses nationally increased tenfold from 2020-2023 to over $110 million, with adults over 60 being three times more likely to lose money in such schemes. Senator Warren advocated for her bipartisan Digital Asset Anti-Money Laundering

In the first half of 2024, 580 Singapore residents fell victim to government official impersonation scams, a 58 percent increase from 367 cases in the same period the previous year, with each victim losing an average of $116,534—the highest loss amount among all scam types. Scammers impersonate police officers, bank staff, and government officials (including China government officials) to accuse victims of money laundering or other crimes, using psychological manipulation, time pressure, and fake credentials to coerce victims into transferring money to designated accounts. Authorities recommend verifying caller identity before complying with requests and looking for legitimate government sender IDs (gov.sg)

Tanya Alahmad, 46, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay $46,064.30 in restitution after pleading guilty to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft for forging a power of attorney to steal over $46,000 from an elderly victim between November 2019 and February 2022. Alahmad befriended the victim, gained access to their home, and used a forged POA to obtain fraudulent credit and debit cards in the victim's name, making unauthorized purchases and withdrawals even while the victim was hospitalized. The case was investigated by the United States Postal Inspection

**Summary:** Tanya Alahmad, 46, of Cleveland, Ohio, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay $46,064.30 in restitution for mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. From November 2019 to February 2022, Alahmad gained the trust of an elderly victim by providing household assistance, then forged a power of attorney in her name and used it to fraudulently obtain credit and debit cards, making unauthorized purchases and withdrawals totaling over $46,000, including while the victim was hospitalized.

Senior citizens are frequently targeted by scammers using untraceable payment methods like prepaid cards and wire transfers, with law enforcement noting these scams are largely preventable through awareness. Documented cases in Sanford included a 77-year-old man defrauded of $3,000 in iTunes cards by someone impersonating his granddaughter claiming to need bail money, and various lottery and inheritance scams sent to residents. Law enforcement agencies advise that any unsolicited request to pay money to receive money is a scam, recommend never sharing personal information over the phone, and note that legitimate government agencies would never demand payment via gift cards or money orders.

Santander reported that UK customers lost £3.8 million to romance scams in the past six months (a 27% increase), with victims averaging £4,500 lost each across ages 18 to 93. Criminals build emotional relationships with victims before manipulating them into sending money through fabricated emergencies, with the bank noting that 65% of surveyed customers believed they would never fall victim despite half receiving suspected scam messages. Santander recommends performing reverse image searches on photos, refusing video call refusals as red flags, never sending money to online-only contacts, and removing emotion from financial decisions by consulting trusted friends before giving money.

Between March and August 2024, Santander UK customers lost £3.8 million to romance scams, representing a 27% increase from the previous six months, with victims ranging in age from 18 to 93 and losing an average of £4,500 each. A survey found that nearly one-third of respondents would send money to someone they've known for less than six months, while half had received suspicious romantic messages online. The bank advises potential victims to remove emotion from financial decisions, verify photos through reverse image searches, request video calls, and never share personal or banking information with new online contacts.

Romance scams cost Santander UK customers £3.8 million in the six months from March to August 2024, a 27% increase from the previous period, with victims aged 18 to 93 losing an average of £4,500 each. Research found that 50% of people have received suspected scam messages, yet 65% believe they would never fall victim, while nearly 30% would offer financial help to someone they've known less than six months. Santander recommends removing emotion from financial decisions, verifying photos through reverse image searches, being wary of those who avoid video calls, and never sharing money or personal details with online-only contacts.

An 80-year-old California widow lost her entire $720,000 life savings to an online scammer on WeChat who used "pig butchering" tactics to build trust and convince her to invest in cryptocurrency between August and September 2022. After JPMorgan Chase Bank failed to flag the suspicious transactions despite red flags and her long account history, Lin sued the bank and successfully prevented its dismissal of the case; her experience prompted California State Senator Bill Dodd to introduce Senate Bill 278, which would require banks to implement emergency contact programs and delay suspicious transactions over $5,000 for three business days for elderly customers.

Co-operative Bank experienced a widespread outage of its mobile app and online banking services beginning around 1:30pm, preventing customers from accessing their accounts and prompting complaints on social media; the bank apologized and stated it was working to resolve the issue. The article also covers unrelated banking news including proposed government measures to extend fraud investigation time for suspicious transactions to 72 hours to better protect consumers from scams like romance fraud.

Santander UK data reveals romance scams resulted in over £3.8 million in reported losses over six months (a 27% increase), with victims aged 18-93 losing an average of £4,500 each. Over half of Brits have received suspicious romantic messages online, primarily on Facebook and Instagram, with scammers exploiting loneliness by building emotional connections before requesting money for medical expenses or gifts. The bank partnered with BBC personality Paul Gorton to raise awareness, emphasizing that conducting early verification checks and maintaining cautious skepticism can help prevent falling victim to these sophisticated scams.

Romance scams cost Santander UK customers £6.8 million over 12 months, with victims averaging £4,500 in losses across all ages from 18 to 93. Despite 65% of Brits believing they would never fall victim, scammers exploit loneliness by building emotional trust before requesting money, leaving victims with financial and emotional damage. Santander advises early verification checks and caution when potential romantic partners request financial help within the first six months of contact.

Romance scams in the UK have surged 27% in six months, with Santander reporting £3.8 million defrauded from its customers, averaging £4,500 per victim across all age groups from 18 to 93 years old. Scammers primarily operate through Facebook and Instagram, using stolen images to build emotional trust before requesting money under false pretenses such as medical emergencies or gifts. The scams exploit natural human vulnerability to emotional connection, with nearly a third of people willing to provide financial support to online romantic partners within six months of contact.

Romance scams linked to social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are surging in the UK, with Santander UK reporting £3.8 million stolen from customers over six months—a 27 percent increase from the previous period, with average losses of £4,500 per victim. Scammers use stolen images to build emotional relationships with targets across all age groups (18-93) before requesting money through fabricated sob stories about medical expenses or other emergencies. Research shows that 55 percent of people admit to loneliness, and nearly one-third would provide financial support to online romantic partners within six months of knowing them, creating vulnerability to these emotionally manipulative schemes.

80-year-old Alice Lin from California lost her entire life savings of $720,000 to a "pig butchering" scam on WeChat, where a fraudster built trust with her over three weeks before convincing her to make seven wire transfers for a fake investment. Lin is now suing JP Morgan Chase for failing to identify red flags and alert her trusted contact about the unusual account activity, and she has testified in support of legislation requiring banks to delay large transactions when elder fraud is suspected.

Romance scams cost UK victims an estimated £6.8 million over 12 months, with individual losses averaging £4,500 across victims aged 18-93, according to Santander UK data. Scammers exploit loneliness and emotional vulnerability by building trust before requesting money, with 28% of survey respondents willing to provide financial support to romantic partners known for less than six months. Protective measures include removing emotion from financial decisions, reverse-image searching photos, refusing to send money to online-only contacts, and reporting suspected scams to Action Fraud or local police.

Wisdom Oghenekaro Onyobeno, 44, was sentenced to over 10 years in federal prison for leading a romance scam that defrauded elderly widows and divorcees across multiple states of more than $5.8 million. Onyobeno and his conspirators used fake personas on dating apps and online games to build trust with victims, then convinced them to send money through false scenarios involving military emergencies, stranded contractors, or overseas packages, with funds laundered through fraudulent business entities and bank accounts. The case underscores the need for seniors to be cautious about unsolicited financial requests from unknown contacts.

Wisdom Oghenekaro Onyobeno, 44, an Atlanta man, was sentenced to over 10 years in federal prison for his role in a romance scam and money laundering conspiracy that targeted elderly widows and divorcees across Rhode Island and other states, resulting in losses exceeding $5.8 million. Onyobeno and his co-conspirators used dating apps and online games to create false personas—posing as military members, contractors, or government officials—to convince victims to send money for fabricated emergencies, which was then laundered through shell bank accounts and business entities. The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal

This educational piece reviews common scams targeting seniors, noting that scammers are employing increasingly sophisticated tactics. The article outlines five prevalent scam types—romance scams, computer repair fraud, grandparent scams, government impersonation, and bank account fraud—and provides protective strategies such as establishing family code words, avoiding unsolicited callers, and independently verifying contact from financial institutions or authorities.

Kevin Barker, a Sacramento County foster parent and serial child molester, was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison after pleading no contest to four counts of lewd acts upon a child and possession of child pornography involving multiple victims between 2008 and 2018. Barker groomed children he met at parks and shelters with gifts, money, and drugs before sexually abusing them, and was discovered in 2018 when a neighbor reported seeing him place a hidden camera in his home to photograph children in his care. Under California's Elder Parole law, Barker (age 43) will become eligible for release at age 50, potentially serving only approximately

Tanya Alahmad, 46, of Cleveland, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay $46,064.30 in restitution after pleading guilty to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. From November 2019 through February 2022, Alahmad befriended an elderly victim, forged their power of attorney signature, and used fraudulently obtained credit and debit cards along with unauthorized checks to steal over $46,000 from the victim's bank account, including while the victim was hospitalized. The case was prosecuted under the Elder Justice Initiative Program as part of the Department of Justice's efforts to combat financial frau

Four Nigerian nationals—Patrick Edah, Efe Egbowawa, Igocha Mac-Okor, and Kay Ozegbe—were sentenced to federal prison (30 to 60 months) for operating a romance and investment scam that defrauded victims across the U.S., including Western Tennessee, from 2017 to 2021. The defendants used fake identities and dating site profiles to establish romantic relationships and solicit emergency financial assistance, with victims losing thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, including one Tennessee resident who lost over $400,000. They were convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering after laundering scam proceeds through

**Geeta Patel, a 64-year-old repeat offender from Bhayandar, was arrested after attempting to steal a gold chain worth ₹1.5 lakh from an 80-year-old man in Borivli.** Patel's modus operandi involved approaching senior citizens (ages 65-80) on the streets, fabricating sympathetic personal stories to gain their trust, then either snatching their jewelry during an embrace or threatening them with false accusations if they refused to help her. Ten cases have been registered against Patel by elderly victims, and she had previously been arrested in 2015 for a similar

Meta removed approximately 2 million accounts linked to "pig-butchering" scams, a sophisticated fraud scheme where scammers build trust with victims online before directing them to invest in cryptocurrency or fraudulent job opportunities. The accounts originated primarily from Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Philippines, and studies indicate these scams have stolen over $75 billion globally since 2020, with Americans losing a record $4 billion in crypto scams alone as of September.

Anne, a 26-year-old Melbourne woman, lost $46,100 in a "pig butchering" romance scam after meeting someone claiming to be "Lucio" on Tinder. The scammer built trust over weeks through intimate conversations and emotional storytelling before convincing her to invest in cryptocurrency on what she believes was a counterfeit trading platform. This scam uses a four-stage process: creating a fake persona, building emotional trust, luring victims into fake investments, and stealing their money.

Romance scams remained a significant threat in 2024, ranking as the third most common scam, with victims losing tens of thousands of dollars each. Scammers typically target vulnerable individuals—particularly widows and widowers—through social media, building emotional connections before pivoting conversations toward cryptocurrency investments or requests for money due to fabricated emergencies. Key warning signs include claims of foreign residence, quick declarations of love, minimal online presence, reluctance to video call, requests for money via cryptocurrency or gift cards, and inconsistent stories.

Senior citizens and retired officials in Kashmir are falling victim to a social media extortion scam in which scammers—often posing as young women on Facebook—befriend older men under the guise of career guidance, then record private conversations to blackmail and extort money. Police report that victims are reluctant to file formal complaints due to shame and embarrassment, allowing the scheme to continue unchecked. Cyber Police Kashmir recovered Rs 4.72 crore from online scam victims in the previous year, and authorities warn that cybercriminals continue to develop new tactics to manipulate vulnerable populations.

Seniors, particularly homeowners age 62 and older who control approximately $14 trillion in housing wealth, lose around $28.3 billion annually to financial exploitation from various perpetrators including family members (who commit two-thirds of verified cases), contractors, loan brokers, and caregivers. Common scams involve fraudulent reverse mortgages, home equity loans, and home improvement schemes, with notable cases including a loan broker exploiting a widow with dementia and a hairstylist depleting three women's assets. Family members and friends should discuss major financial decisions with elderly relatives, ask critical questions about who benefits from transactions, and watch for red flags like isolation from family, missing statements

Elderly homeowners, who control approximately $14 trillion in housing wealth, are prime targets for financial exploitation, with older adults losing around $28.3 billion annually to fraud according to AARP, and banking institutions filing over 155,000 elder financial victimization reports in the 12-month period ending June 2023. Perpetrators range from family members (who commit two-thirds of verified cases) to unscrupulous loan officers, contractors, and professionals who exploit seniors through reverse mortgages, fraudulent loans, and asset mismanagement. Family members and friends of elderly individuals should actively discuss financial decisions with seniors—particularly regarding home equity loans, reverse mortgages, an

A 42-year-old Vermont woman pleaded guilty to wire fraud for defrauding an elderly victim of over $84,000 by building a false friendship, obtaining power of attorney, and misappropriating funds from the victim's home sale to purchase a house and vehicle in her own name. Russell used manipulation tactics including calling the victim "mom" and falsing claims about losing a child to gain the victim's trust as the victim's health declined. Sentencing is scheduled for June 12, 2025.

In 2023, multiple high-profile fraud cases emerged involving sophisticated impersonation schemes: a Hermès heir reported a $13 billion fortune missing, Elvis Presley's estate discovered Graceland nearly sold at auction after a woman forged loan documents and signatures, and an Arup engineering employee wired $25 million to fraudsters using deepfake technology to impersonate company executives. The article highlights how modern scammers exploit advancing technology—including AI-generated voices and deepfakes—to impersonate authority figures, family members, and trusted individuals, with experts predicting AI-generated fraud could reach $40 billion by 2027. Recommended protections include establishing family