Search
Explore the Archive
Search across 26,669 articles about elder fraud. Filter by fraud type, payment mechanism, or keywords.
8,635 results
in Phishing
shockya.com
· 2026-09-28
FinCEN identified nearly $13 billion in illicit activity tied to a new China-linked money-laundering scheme that uses digital-asset guarantee marketplaces on Telegram to funnel drug trafficking, human trafficking, and cyber-fraud proceeds into U.S. banks by mimicking Mexican peso-credit structures. The overlay, exemplified by networks like the sanctioned Xinbi platform (which facilitated over $24 billion in illicit activity before relocating to Singapore), exploits regulatory gaps in AML oversight of cryptocurrency and cross-border transactions to move cartel cash through U.S. financial institutions with minimal detection. Major U.S. banks including JPMorgan and Citigroup have processed
fincrimecentral.com
· 2026-09-28
Vietnamese national Trung Nguyen Van, 37, was charged with money laundering in connection with a "pig butchering" cryptocurrency investment scam that defrauded a victim of approximately $16 million between June and August 2024. Prosecutors allege Van received and laundered portions of victim funds through cryptocurrency wallets attributed to him, and attribute approximately $53.3 million in total receipts from schemes targeting U.S. citizens to wallets linked to him over nearly seven years. The scam involved building trust with victims through dating and social media before directing them to fake investment platforms where they could not withdraw their funds.
97x.com
· 2026-09-28
A 90-year-old Illinois man lost his car, significant money through cryptocurrency transactions, and potentially his condo to an online dating scam perpetrated by someone posing as "Alex." The scammer fabricated a 4-year relationship and promised luxurious rewards including a penthouse in San Diego and help adopting twins, exploiting the victim's loneliness and social isolation. Despite the victim's friend reporting the case to adult protective services, the FBI, and the attorney general, the victim continues to resist help and remains vulnerable to further exploitation.
yahoo.com
· 2026-09-28
A 90-year-old Illinois man has lost six figures over four years to an online romance scam involving scammers posing as "Max" and "Alex," draining his bank accounts and selling his car primarily through cryptocurrency transactions while he believed he was in a relationship. The victim, who lives alone on Social Security, now risks losing his condominium, and despite warnings from a concerned friend and reports to police, the FBI, and other agencies, little can be done without legal intervention like conservatorship or guardianship. The scam highlights the vulnerability of isolated elderly people to romance fraud, where emotional dependence on daily attention from scammers often makes victims resistant to intervention even when the fraud is obvious.
thecooldown.com
· 2026-09-28
A 90-year-old Illinois man has lost six figures over four years to an online romance scam involving scammers posing as "Max" and "Alex," emptying his bank accounts and selling his car primarily through cryptocurrency transactions, and now risks losing his condominium as well. Living alone on Social Security with no immediate family, the victim remains emotionally dependent on the scammers despite warnings from a concerned friend and clear evidence of the scheme, making intervention difficult without legal measures like conservatorship. The case highlights the particular vulnerability of isolated elderly adults to romance scams that exploit emotional dependence and the challenge of helping victims who are resistant to recognizing they are being defrauded.
modernghana.com
· 2026-09-28
Ghanaian socialite Frederick Kumi (Abu Trica) has allegedly provided US investigators with eight names of people linked to laundering proceeds from a romance scam targeting over 80 elderly Americans of more than $8 million since 2023, though the claim remains unverified and disputed by his associates. Kumi was arrested in Ghana in December 2025 and extradited to face federal charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, with prosecutors alleging he and co-defendant Daniel Yussif used AI-driven video tools and fake personas to defraud victims. The broader investigation involves at least five Ghanaians accused of defrauding over 130
telegraph.co.uk
· 2026-09-28
A 60-year-old woman diagnosed with young-onset Alzheimer's was scammed out of £2.1 million—her entire life's savings—by two fraudsters posing as investment managers who exploited her cognitive decline. The scammers manipulated her through text messages and phone calls, persuading her to take out loans and make repeated large transfers while playing on her growing anxiety and worry about disappointing others. The fraud was discovered by her adult son when he found suspicious messages on her phone, but by then the damage was already done.
wabi.tv
· 2026-09-28
The Penobscot County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about scammers posing as law enforcement officials who call, text, or email demanding money and threatening arrest if payment is not made. These fraudsters impersonate sheriff's office or correctional facility staff to appear legitimate. Authorities emphasize that real law enforcement will never demand money or immediate payment by phone.
attorneygeneral.gov
· 2026-09-28
Mavis Tire Supply settled with Pennsylvania's Attorney General for allegedly billing customers for unnecessary or unperformed vehicle repair and maintenance services, agreeing to pay $215,000 in monetary relief with an additional $100,000 contingent on future violations. The settlement includes $190,000 in restitution for harmed consumers who file valid complaints by January 26, 2027, and requires Mavis to implement employee training and oversight to prevent similar practices. Mavis operates over 130 locations in Pennsylvania and must comply with settlement terms to avoid the additional penalty.
savingadvice.com
· 2026-09-27
Adults over 60 reported $2.4 billion in fraud losses in 2024, with scams ranging from gift card fraud to cryptocurrency schemes, prompting adult children to seek ways to protect vulnerable parents. While you cannot unilaterally control a competent adult's finances, families can implement protective measures with the parent's cooperation, including transaction alerts, trusted contacts on investment accounts, and financial powers of attorney. Legal options vary by state and account structure, so consulting with financial institutions and elder-law attorneys is recommended to balance fraud protection with preserving the parent's financial independence.
tovima.com
· 2026-09-27
Voice cloning scams are increasingly targeting families through deepfake technology, with scammers using just seconds of audio from social media to impersonate relatives and conduct virtual kidnapping schemes that pressure victims into sending money. Greek police reported a case where a 14-year-old was deceived by callers using a cloned recording of her father, and one in four Americans report receiving deepfake voice calls in the past year. Experts recommend families establish a "secret word" or phrase that only they know to verify identity during suspicious calls, combined with a backup plan to call or message the person back through verified contact information.
the420.in
· 2026-09-27
Global financial fraud losses reached approximately $442 billion in the last year, with organized criminal syndicates operating from Southeast Asia (particularly Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar) conducting sophisticated romance scams, cryptocurrency investment fraud, and other online financial crimes targeting victims worldwide. Interpol warns that these operations have evolved from regional networks into international criminal organizations employing thousands of people, causing not only massive financial losses but also leading victims to take their own lives and forcing businesses to close. The complexity of cross-border operations, use of cryptocurrency and digital platforms, and involvement of well-financed criminal networks have made enforcement efforts increasingly difficult for authorities.
malaymail.com
· 2026-09-27
Interpol warns that online romance and investment fraud linked to organized syndicates are draining billions from Asian economies, with global financial fraud losses estimated at $442 billion annually. Criminal networks operating from Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar employ thousands to perpetrate scams including cryptocurrency investment fraud and romance scams via social media and dating apps, with Interpol's Operation Haechi uncovering $342 million in illicit funds and blocking 68,000 bank accounts across 40 countries.
thestar.com.my
· 2026-09-27
Interpol warns that online financial fraud and romance scams linked to organized criminal syndicates are threatening Asian economies, with millions of dollars lost daily worldwide. Criminal networks operating from Southeast Asian countries like Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar use social media and dating apps to defraud vulnerable victims globally, with Interpol's 2023 assessment estimating US$442 billion in worldwide financial fraud losses annually. Operation Haechi (April-August 2023) uncovered US$342 million in illicit funds and blocked 68,000 bank accounts across 40 countries, targeting investment fraud, romance scams, voice phishing, and money laundering schemes.
theguardian.com
· 2026-09-27
Criminals are targeting Roblox players, particularly children, with phishing scams that use fake login pages to steal usernames, passwords, and two-factor authentication codes, allowing fraudsters to harvest in-game currency (Robux) and personal data. The scam typically lures victims through YouTube, TikTok, and Discord with promises of free Robux, directing them to convincing fake websites with URLs like "Roblox-verify" or "login-Roblox" that then redirect to the legitimate site, making the theft difficult to detect. Roblox states it has "no obligation" to restore compromised accounts or refund stolen virtual currency, with recovery only possible in
vietnam.vn
· 2026-09-27
Cambodian businessman Chen Zhi, founder of Prince Group, has been indicted by the US Department of Justice for operating forced labor camps in Cambodia that conducted "pig butchering" cryptocurrency investment scams, defrauding billions of dollars from victims worldwide. The scheme involved contacting victims via text and social media with false investment promises, stealing their cryptocurrency, and laundering proceeds through gambling and crypto mining. Federal prosecutors are simultaneously seeking to seize approximately 127,271 Bitcoin (valued at $15 billion) as illicit gains—the largest asset seizure in DOJ history—with Chen currently at large.
aol.co.uk
· 2026-09-26
A 27-year-old man lost £600 in a romance scam after meeting a woman named Evie on a bus who claimed to need financial help with rent and then disappeared when asked for repayment. Romance scams have increased 24% over the past year, with reported cases among 18-24 year-olds jumping 59%, though victims aged 65-74 and 75-84 suffer the largest financial losses, averaging £4,078 to £9,051 respectively. Scammers typically build emotional connections through dating apps, social media, and traditional platforms before requesting money for various emergencies, leaving victims with lasting emotional damage beyond financial harm.
berkshireeagle.com
· 2026-09-26
This article discusses how scam victimization results from both criminal activity ("homicide") and victims' own vulnerabilities ("suicide"), identifying three key factors that make people susceptible to fraud: hardwired behaviors like automatic compliance, curiosity triggered by clickbait, and emotional distortion that clouds judgment. The author recommends combating scams through financial monitoring, software updates, and adopting protective behaviors such as slowing down and questioning requests from unknown sources.
inkl.com
· 2026-09-26
Romance scam reports to Lloyds Banking Group surged 59% among customers aged 18-24 and rose overall by 24% across all age groups, with younger adults increasingly targeted through dating apps and social media despite their digital confidence. Victims aged 75-84 lost an average of £9,051, with people over 65 accounting for 55% of all money lost to romance scams, though the scammers typically build emotional trust before requesting funds.
ibtimes.co.uk
· 2026-09-26
Romance scams reported to Lloyds Banking Group surged 59% among 18-24 year olds and 39% among 25-34 year olds in the year ending August 2026, though older victims over 65 lost the most money, accounting for 55% of total losses with victims aged 75-84 losing an average of £9,051 each. These scams typically begin on dating apps and social media, where fraudsters build emotional connections before requesting money through claims of emergencies or personal crises. The Financial Ombudsman Service received over 500 romance scam complaints between January and March 2026, highlighting the need for caution when online contacts
cryptonews.net
· 2026-09-26
Vietnamese national Trung Nguyen Van was charged with laundering approximately $53 million in cryptocurrency stolen from U.S. victims through romance scams between February 2018 and December 2024. The scams typically began on dating apps, social media, or text messages, with fraudsters gaining victims' trust before directing them to fake investment platforms like "Triangle" that displayed fabricated profits to encourage additional deposits. One Missouri victim alone lost about $16 million between June and August 2024, with investigators tracing Van's movement of stolen funds through various cryptocurrency wallets to conceal their illegal origins.
thestar.com.my
· 2026-09-26
Since January 2026, scammers in Singapore have defrauded at least 117 victims of 8.4 million Singapore dollars by impersonating Immigration and Checkpoints Authority (ICA) officers, while an additional 31 victims lost 400,000 Singapore dollars to fake ICA emails related to permanent residency applications. In total, losses exceed 8.8 million Singapore dollars (US$6.9 million) from these immigration-related scams. The ICA and police have urged the public to verify official communications directly with authorities rather than responding to unsolicited contacts.
birminghamtimes.com
· 2026-09-26
Americans ages 20-29 reported over $500 million in internet crime losses in 2025, with college students particularly vulnerable to sophisticated scams including online shopping fraud, fake job offers, rental scams, and AI-enabled schemes. Scammers exploit students' digital familiarity and high demand for housing and employment by impersonating legitimate businesses, posting fake listings, and using deepfakes and cloned voices to deceive victims into sending money or sharing personal information. Students and parents can protect themselves by verifying website legitimacy, applying for jobs through official company websites, conducting reverse image searches on rental listings, and being wary of unsolicited job offers and unusually low prices.
wired.com
· 2026-09-26
Despite the rise of AI-powered digital fraud, old-school credit card scams remain costly threats worldwide, including fake replacement cards mailed to victims in Europe that direct them to fraudulent banking websites, and magnetic stripe skimming targeting government EBT debit cards in the United States. The US Attorney's Office recently indicted two Romanian nationals for EBT card skimming, while overall skimmer fraud causes over $1 billion in annual losses in the US alone, with scammers continuing to exploit outdated magnetic stripe technology because it remains profitable and vulnerable.
spokesman.com
· 2026-09-26
Fraud losses reported to the FTC reached a record $15.9 billion in 2025, up 27% from the previous year, with investment scams, romance scams, crypto scams, and impostor scams driving the increase. The article outlines 11 protection strategies including questioning unsolicited communications, trusting your instincts, avoiding phishing emails, using credit cards over debit cards, never sharing sensitive information like Social Security numbers or PINs, and being skeptical of spoofed caller IDs. Scammers increasingly use AI-generated fake websites, emails, texts, and videos to make their fraudulent schemes appear legitimate.
lex18.com
· 2026-09-26
Kentucky residents lost nearly $6.5 million to phone and text scams in 2025, with over 300 million robocalls placed in the state, according to Attorney General Russell Coleman's office. Scammers commonly use caller ID spoofing and AI voice cloning to impersonate law enforcement and create panic, with one documented case involving a woman losing her entire $128,000 life savings to a single call. Coleman and 49 other state attorneys general are urging the FCC to strengthen protections like STIR/SHAKEN protocols and implement stricter upstream provider monitoring to combat the escalating robocall threat.
iberkshires.com
· 2026-09-26
The Berkshire County Sheriff's Office is warning the public about scammers impersonating law enforcement officials and using spoofed caller IDs to demand payment via money orders, cashier checks, gift cards, or account information. The fraudsters claim residents owe money and sometimes threaten to send couriers to collect items, exploiting fear and the appearance of legitimacy to commit theft. Residents should hang up on such calls, never provide financial information, and independently verify contact with the Sheriff's Office at (413) 443-7220 rather than using numbers provided by callers.
minotdailynews.com
· 2026-09-26
Approximately 80% of North Dakota veterans and military personnel are targeted by scammers, with roughly 40% losing money, according to AARP data. Fraudsters are using increasingly sophisticated tactics including fake government postcards, AI-generated voices, deepfake videos, and phishing texts to steal veterans' benefits, direct deposit information, and banking details. AARP is hosting free educational "Lunch and Learn" events in Grand Forks and Minot on September 29-30 to help veterans and military families recognize and avoid these evolving scams.
klin.com
· 2026-09-26
Two victims in Lincoln lost nearly $3,000 to scammers impersonating jail officials who demanded payment via digital payment apps, targeting both a recently released inmate told he had active warrants and a grandmother pressured to pay for her grandson's house arrest. Lincoln Police warn that Lancaster County Corrections never requests payments by phone, email, or text, and legitimate payments are made only in-person or through the official Access Corrections website.
einpresswire.com
· 2026-09-26
Phishing scams target Veterans through fraudulent emails impersonating the VA to steal benefits, healthcare information, and personal data, with scammers using tactics like fake VA seals and logos to appear legitimate. The VA urges Veterans and their families to recognize warning signs and practice safe online behavior, and provides reporting resources at VSAFE.gov or 1-833-38V-SAFE for suspected fraud incidents.
aol.com
· 2026-09-25
A 70-year-old Michigan woman lost over $270,000 after a scammer impersonating an FTC agent threatened her with arrest for money laundering and drug trafficking. Believing the false charges, she initially purchased gold and later cashed out her own and her late husband's pension accounts to pay the fraudster, who was eventually arrested after she reported the crime to police. This case exemplifies a common government impersonation scam targeting seniors, who collectively lost $7.7 billion to fraud in 2025.
lbc.co.uk
· 2026-09-25
Emmerdale actress Lisa Riley fell victim to multiple scams, including a fraudulent US visa website where she entered her passport, bank details, and personal information, and a fake ticket resale site where she lost nearly £10,000 in 20 minutes attempting to purchase VIP Stevie Wonder tickets. She is now working with Nationwide to raise awareness about online fraud and urges people to be vigilant, noting that scams "can happen to anyone" and that victims should not feel embarrassed about coming forward.
bbc.com
· 2026-09-25
A sophisticated phishing attack on Booking.com created fake luxury apartment listings using real London locations—including The Liberty Bounds pub near Tower Bridge and Portcullis House in the House of Commons—causing dozens of tourists to lose money and appear at non-existent properties. Paul Dawson paid £73 for a one-night stay that directed him to a Wetherspoon pub instead of accommodations, and Booking.com reportedly ignored multiple fraud reports and initially refused to help affected customers. The scammers also sent follow-up phishing emails requesting bank details, while the platform's AI chatbot falsely confirmed the fraudulent listings were legitimate properties.
aol.co.uk
· 2026-09-25
Actress Lisa Riley fell victim to a phishing scam involving a counterfeit travel permit website where she unknowingly provided personal information. Research from Nationwide found that 15% of adults surveyed had given data to scammers, with impersonation scams averaging nearly £2,200 in losses per victim, and Riley's experience highlights how convincing fraudulent websites can appear even to those familiar with legitimate processes.
itweb.africa
· 2026-09-25
Cryptocurrency-enabled financial crimes in Africa are moving faster than law enforcement can respond, with illicit funds crossing borders in minutes while legal processes take months, according to Chainalysis data showing $17 billion stolen through crypto scams in 2025. Criminal networks are using shared infrastructure across multiple jurisdictions to launder proceeds from romance scams, investment fraud, trafficking, and other crimes, with AI-enhanced scams proving 4.5 times more profitable than traditional fraud. African agencies are urged to implement real-time fraud detection systems and increase cross-border cooperation, as demonstrated by a Ghana case where coordinated international effort froze approximately $15.1 million in illicit crypto assets.
wired.com
· 2026-09-25
Cybercriminals are sending phishing emails impersonating party invitation platforms like Paperless Post and Evite to steal login credentials and personal information from victims. The Federal Trade Commission issued a consumer alert in May warning about the scam, which tricks recipients into entering passwords or phone numbers under the guise of viewing event details. While the scam primarily serves as a credential-theft mechanism, some victims like journalist Eric Umansky have unexpectedly reconnected with old friends who reached out to verify whether the fake party invitations were genuine.
timesobserver.com
· 2026-09-25
A free SCAM Smart educational class hosted by Hi-Ed in partnership with Kinzua Federal Credit Union drew standing-room-only attendance, with presenters teaching community members how to recognize and protect themselves from fraudulent scams currently targeting local residents. The session covered warning signs and prevention tips, including advice to never click unsolicited links, avoid unexpected calls from unknown numbers, and never share sensitive personal or financial information with callers. Due to strong community interest, Hi-Ed plans to offer the SCAM Smart class again in the future.
cryptotimes.io
· 2026-09-25
A 37-year-old Vietnamese man, Trung Nguyen Van, was charged with money laundering for his alleged role in a cryptocurrency pig-butchering scam that defrauded at least one victim of approximately $16 million between June and August 2024. Investigators traced the victim's funds through multiple crypto wallets and found that Van's accounts received about $53.28 million in cryptocurrency connected to wire fraud schemes targeting U.S. citizens from February 2018 to December 2024. Pig-butchering scams typically begin with online contact through dating apps or social media, where scammers build trust before directing victims to fake investment platforms that prevent withdrawal of funds
finance.yahoo.com
· 2026-09-24
A 70-year-old Michigan woman cashed out her and her late husband's pension accounts, totaling over $270,000, after a scammer posing as an FTC agent threatened her with arrest for alleged money laundering and drug trafficking. The victim was instructed to purchase gold and later withdraw cash to pay the fake charges, and was threatened with arrest if she contacted police. A 30-year-old man from Sacramento was arrested using community camera footage, though it's unclear whether the victim recovered her money.
broadandliberty.com
· 2026-09-24
Pennsylvania's elderly population, which comprises over one-quarter of the state's residents, lost over $215 million to scams in 2025 alone, according to FBI data. Common scams targeting seniors include romance and investment fraud, online shopping counterfeit schemes, phishing scams impersonating government agencies like Social Security and the IRS, and grandparent emergency scams. Scammers exploit seniors' vulnerability by using spoofed phone numbers, fake websites, and increasingly AI technology to deceive victims into divulging sensitive financial information or transferring funds.
moneytalksnews.com
· 2026-09-24
Americans lost $15.9 billion to fraud in 2025, with investment fraud being the costliest category at $7.9 billion in losses, and adults over 60 reporting significantly larger individual losses including six-figure amounts when victimized. Traditional scams—including penny stock schemes, grandparent impersonations, romance fraud, prize scams, and bank impersonation—have been refined through modern technology like text messaging, AI voice cloning, and social media to target victims more efficiently and at unprecedented scale. The article advises verification of financial advisors, use of family code words, skepticism of unsolicited money requests from strangers, and direct contact with banks using verified phone numbers rather
wilx.com
· 2026-09-24
Michigan State University Police are warning the public about increasingly sophisticated scams involving fake job offers and fraudulent payment requests sent through unverified emails, online platforms, and apps, with scammers requesting money via Cash App, Venmo, or Apple Cash. Police advise victims to verify the source of any suspicious payment request or job offer before sending money or personal information, noting that legitimate businesses and government agencies will never demand payment through gift cards or deposits of emailed checks.
lbpost.com
· 2026-09-24
Young adults ages 20-29 reported over $500 million in internet-crime losses in 2025, with students increasingly targeted by sophisticated scams including online shopping fraud, fake job offers, and rental listing schemes. Scammers are leveraging AI technology to create deepfakes and cloned voices to impersonate trusted contacts, employers, and family members to obtain money or personal information. To protect themselves, students and families should verify URLs and seller credentials, apply for jobs only through official company websites, use reverse image searches for rental listings, and remain cautious of unsolicited contact offering money or requesting urgent payments.
unric.org
· 2026-09-24
Organized cyberfraud has become a global crisis, with Southeast Asia serving as a major hub for sophisticated scams involving AI-enabled fraud networks that operate across multiple countries and jurisdictions. Annual fraud losses globally reach approximately $500 billion, with Americans losing at least $18.2 billion in 2025 to Southeast Asian-based schemes, while the UK faces $19.2 billion in annual organized fraud costs. The UN, EU, and international partners are coordinating efforts to combat these networks through investigator training, victim support, and cross-border law enforcement cooperation, as no single country can address this transnational threat alone.
bocaratontribune.com
· 2026-09-24
Social engineering scams manipulate people into sharing sensitive information or clicking malicious links by exploiting trust, fear, or urgency through emails (phishing), texts (smishing), phone calls (vishing), and fake websites. These scams typically follow a pattern of establishing trust, creating urgency, and pressuring quick action to steal passwords, financial information, or account access. Protection strategies include enabling multi-factor authentication (MFA), pausing before approving unexpected requests, and verifying requests through trusted sources before responding.
foxnews.com
· 2026-09-24
Americans lost $20.9 billion to internet-enabled crime in 2025, a 26% increase from the previous year, with seniors over 60 accounting for $7.7 billion of that total. Romance scams and social media-based fraud are driving the surge, with one woman losing nearly $1 million to a LinkedIn scammer impersonating a real man over two years. The crimes often involve sophisticated operations in Southeast Asia where scammers use AI and social engineering to persuade victims to voluntarily send money, making prevention challenging for banks and law enforcement.
newswav.com
· 2026-09-24
Scammers are targeting seniors over 50 through Bitcoin ATM fraud, where victims are tricked into withdrawing cash and converting it to cryptocurrency at machines located in familiar stores, which is then sent to criminal wallets with no legal recourse for recovery. The FBI reported over 13,400 cryptocurrency-kiosk fraud complaints in 2025 with losses exceeding $388 million, with seniors accounting for more than half the complaints and $302 million in losses. Scammers typically impersonate government agencies, banks, or tech support companies claiming urgent problems to pressure victims into using Bitcoin ATMs, which lack the consumer protections of traditional banking methods.
cyberguy.com
· 2026-09-24
Data brokers including Epsilon Data Management, KBM Group, Macromark, and Wiland Inc. sold "opportunity seeker" lists—targeting vulnerable older Americans—to fraudsters running sweepstakes, lottery, and other scams, resulting in over $23.7 million in losses to more than 218,000 victims in one scheme alone. The Department of Justice prosecuted multiple employees and companies, securing over $129 million in victim compensation by June 2025, with Troy Murray sentenced to 121 months in prison for selling data on 7 million older Americans to Jamaica-based lottery scammers from 2016-2023.
savingadvice.com
· 2026-09-24
Bitcoin ATM scams, often initiated by phone callers impersonating government agencies or banks, trick victims into withdrawing cash and converting it to cryptocurrency at kiosks, with the funds sent to scammer-controlled wallets and virtually impossible to recover. The FBI reported over 13,400 cryptocurrency-kiosk fraud complaints in 2025 totaling $388 million in losses, with seniors over 50 accounting for more than half the complaints and exceeding $302 million in losses. Criminals use spoofed phone numbers, AI technology, and fabricated financial emergencies to pressure victims into these irreversible transactions, which lack the legal protections of traditional banking.
thisismoney.co.uk
· 2026-09-24
Actress Lisa Riley fell victim to an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) scam two years ago when she unknowingly submitted her personal information to a fraudulent website posing as the official US Department of Homeland Security portal. The scam left her vulnerable to follow-up fraud, particularly bank impersonation scams, as criminals now possess her sensitive personal and financial data. Riley's experience highlights a broader problem in the UK, where Nationwide research shows people receive suspicious calls more than three times weekly and nearly one in five Britons have unknowingly provided personal information to fraudsters, with average impersonation losses reaching approximately £2,200.