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10,275 results in Robocalls / Phone Scams
wgem.com · 2025-12-03
Americans lost $12.5 billion to fraud last year, with scammers increasingly targeting people during the holiday season through email, phone calls, and text messages—with seniors particularly vulnerable to "emergency scams" where fraudsters pose as relatives needing money. Common holiday scams include fake online stores, gift card tampering, credit card theft, and fraudulent charity solicitations. To protect yourself, verify websites and charities before purchasing or donating, purchase gift cards directly from cashiers, maintain a trusted contact list to screen calls, and never share card numbers or PINs with unsolicited callers.
soloneconomist.com · 2025-12-03
The December Solon Senior News alerts seniors to beware of common holiday scams, including fake websites that mimic legitimate retailers, pyramid scheme gift exchanges on social media, grandparent scams requesting emergency money, and fraudulent job postings that steal personal information. Seniors are advised to verify suspicious calls with family members before sending money, shop only on official retailer websites, and avoid "too good to be true" deals like social media gift exchanges. The newsletter also reminds readers about local senior services in Solon, including free holiday lunch on December 12th and transportation assistance available by calling the provided contact numbers.
Investment Fraud Phishing Identity Theft Grandparent Scams Charity Scams Wire Transfer Gift Cards Check/Cashier's Check
thetimes.com · 2025-12-03
Fraudsters target shoppers during Christmas by creating fake websites and social media ads that mimic legitimate retailers, offering counterfeit or non-existent products at unrealistically low prices. Consumers should be wary of suspicious web addresses, pressure tactics like limited-time offers, and deals that seem too good to be true, as scammers use social media, email, text, and WhatsApp to steal money and personal information. To protect yourself, verify store URLs carefully, avoid urgent "flash sales," and shop only on verified legitimate websites.
cbs8.com · 2025-12-03
A Carlsbad woman lost $1.3 million in a nationwide gold scam where two men convinced her over several months that converting her savings to gold bars would protect her money in a U.S. Treasury locker—when in fact they were stealing the gold. Two suspects, Xilin Sun and Alexander Charles James, have pleaded guilty to wire fraud and money laundering charges after an FBI sting operation caught them red-handed. To protect yourself, be skeptical of unexpected pop-up warnings on your computer, never wire money to strangers claiming to be government or bank officials, and remember that legitimate agencies will never ask you to convert savings to gold or other valuables for "safekeeping."
wmdt.com · 2025-12-02
Online scams targeting seniors have surged in the U.S., with older Americans losing nearly $4.9 billion last year—an average of $83,000 per victim—through tactics like fake charity appeals, gift card requests, and AI-generated impersonations of family members. Experts advise seniors to be wary of urgent requests, especially those demanding secrecy, and recommend establishing a safe word with loved ones to verify identities before sharing information. If you suspect a scam, hang up immediately, delete suspicious emails, call a trusted number to verify the contact, and report the incident to AARP or the FCC.
wdio.com · 2025-12-02
# Scam Alert Summary AARP and the Better Business Bureau held a "Scam Jam" event in Duluth to warn seniors and caregivers about increasingly sophisticated scams, particularly as the holiday season approaches when fraud increases. New threats include toll road text scams, deepfake videos and voices created with AI, and cryptocurrency schemes, in addition to traditional phishing emails and spam calls. To protect yourself, delete suspicious texts without clicking links, verify unexpected contacts by calling the person directly, examine images for AI signs like inconsistent backgrounds, and report suspected scams.
orilliamatters.com · 2025-12-02
An Orillia senior nearly fell victim to a text message scam that falsely claimed she and her husband had traffic and parking violations, urging them to click a link to pay fines. The scammers exploited the couple's doubt by referencing recent driving situations and using official-sounding language, but lacked identifying details like license plate numbers. The key takeaway: legitimate government fines never arrive by text message with payment links—they come through official email or regular mail, so residents should verify directly with their municipality before paying anything.
yahoo.com · 2025-12-02
# AI-Powered Holiday Scams on the Rise Artificial intelligence is making holiday scams increasingly sophisticated and dangerous, allowing criminals to create convincing fake voices and complex fraud schemes that have cost Georgians millions of dollars, according to the U.S. Secret Service. Romance and investment scams are among the costliest threats, with romance fraud causing over $800 million in losses nationwide and one metro Atlanta victim losing more than $3 million to AI-enhanced investment scams. To protect yourself, the Secret Service recommends being skeptical of unsolicited calls claiming to be from family members, extraordinary sales offers, and suspicious online coupons—always verify directly through official company websites before responding to requests for money.
cm.asiae.co.kr · 2025-12-02
Side job scams are targeting financially vulnerable people—particularly those seeking extra income to pay for children's education or medical expenses—by exploiting their guilt and pressuring them to make deposits under the false premise that their teammates will suffer losses if they don't comply. Victims have lost millions of won in these schemes, which are widespread on social media platforms where scammers pose as legitimate side job opportunities and use fake "team missions" to manipulate people into transferring money. To protect yourself, be wary of side job offers on social media that require upfront deposits, demand screenshots or personal information, or create pressure by claiming others depend on your participation—legitimate work opportunities don't operate this way.
wmbfnews.com · 2025-12-02
The Better Business Bureau is warning consumers about online Secret Santa schemes that resurface each holiday season, where scammers pose festive gift-exchange posts on social media to trick people into sharing personal information like emails and home addresses for identity theft purposes. These illegal pyramid schemes often encourage users to invite friends and family, expanding the scam's reach across social networks. To protect yourself, avoid participating in these posts, and instead report them directly to the BBB scam tracker and your social media platform.
foxnews.com · 2025-12-02
# Phishing Scam Summary Scammers are using real Apple Support tickets to conduct a sophisticated phishing scam that tricks users into surrendering their Apple accounts. The scheme exploits a flaw in Apple's support system that allows anyone to create legitimate support tickets without verification, which then triggers official Apple emails that appear trustworthy; victims receive fake security alerts and convincing calls from impersonators posing as Apple agents who guide them through account reset steps. To protect yourself, be skeptical of unexpected Apple alerts and calls, verify support requests directly through Apple's official channels before taking action, and never share passwords or follow links from unsolicited communications.
news.ssbcrack.com · 2025-12-01
# Bitcoin ATM Scam Summary An Aransas Pass veteran lost thousands of dollars after scammers convinced him his computer had been hacked and directed him to deposit money into a Bitcoin ATM under false pretenses. The scam typically begins with a fake pop-up warning, followed by a phone call from someone impersonating tech support who creates urgency by threatening the victim's financial accounts. To protect yourself, be skeptical of unsolicited pop-ups and phone calls, never wire money or use Bitcoin ATMs based on such warnings, and listen to warnings from store employees—legitimate companies will never ask you to deposit cash into cryptocurrency machines.
wabi.tv · 2025-12-01
# Holiday Scams Target Millions of Americans Fraud has become a widespread problem affecting 89% of U.S. adults, with scammers increasingly targeting online shopping, digital payments, and charitable donations through sophisticated schemes like fake text messages, phony gift cards, and fraudulent social media ads. To protect yourself, experts recommend avoiding clicks on social media ads, researching charities through legitimate sites like give.org or charitynavigator.org before donating, and sticking with retailers you know and trust. For additional help, AARP offers free resources including a "Watchdog Alert" email or text service and a helpline at 877-908-3360 where trained volunteers can assist with reporting scams.
grandrapidsmn.com · 2025-12-01
# Fraud Prevention Presentation Offered Minnesota Aging Pathways is hosting a free online presentation on January 14, 2026, to help people—particularly older adults—recognize and prevent fraud and scams, which are increasing in frequency. The presentation will cover how to detect fraud, report it, and protect personal information, drawing from the Senior Medicare Patrol's federal education program. Interested participants can register online at the provided Eventbrite link or by calling 800-333-2433 by the registration deadline.
gbtribune.com · 2025-12-01
# Holiday Shopping Scams Summary AI-generated phishing emails are making holiday scams increasingly difficult to detect, as fraudsters now create convincing fake messages and websites that closely mimic legitimate retailers like Amazon and Walmart. To protect yourself, experts recommend never clicking links in unsolicited emails—instead, go directly to the retailer's website or app to verify any alerts, research sellers before purchasing, and pay with credit cards when possible so you can dispute fraudulent charges. If a seller insists on payment via gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency, it's likely a scam, so trust your instincts and report suspicious activity to the FTC.
29news.com · 2025-12-01
As online shopping surges during Cyber Monday, AAA is warning millions of consumers that cyber criminals are exploiting the holiday season's hectic pace and high traffic to commit fraud. The organization recommends shoppers slow down, verify websites have HTTPS security and padlock icons, avoid clicking suspicious deals, ignore unsolicited payment requests via email or text, and watch out for fake delivery notifications and charity scams. Nearly 274 million Americans shop online annually, making them potential targets, so being cautious and skeptical of "too good to be true" offers is essential protection.
eastidahonews.com · 2025-11-30
Idaho Attorney General Raúl Labrador is warning residents about scams using fake jury duty notices sent via text, phone, and email to pressure people into paying fines or facing arrest—a scheme particularly targeting seniors. The scammers use spoofed caller IDs and official-looking documents to appear legitimate, but legitimate courts never demand payment through links or threaten arrest by phone. To protect yourself, ignore these messages, hang up immediately, and report suspected scams to ReportScamsIdaho.com rather than clicking any links or providing personal information.
newsx.com · 2025-11-30
# Digital Arrest Scam Summary A 71-year-old retired man in Hyderabad lost nearly ₹2 crores (approximately $240,000) to scammers who posed as courier service and police officials, threatening him with legal action and "digital arrest" via video call. The fraudsters used psychological manipulation—including fake documents, threats of imprisonment, and isolation from family—to coerce the victim into transferring money in installments over several days. To protect yourself: never trust unsolicited calls about seized parcels or legal issues, verify any official claims directly with authorities using known phone numbers, and always consult family members before making large financial decisions, as scammers often demand secrecy.
iberkshires.com · 2025-11-30
The Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles is warning residents about text message scams claiming they owe money for traffic violations and threatening license suspension if payment isn't made immediately. The RMV never contacts people via text about payment and only accepts payments in person or through its official website at mass.gov/RMV. Anyone receiving such texts should delete them immediately, avoid clicking any links, never share personal information, and report the scam to warn others.
coasttv.com · 2025-11-30
A 79-year-old Delaware widow lost $7,000 in a romance scam after a man she met online claimed to work for the Department of Defense in Israel and requested money for medication, travel, and other expenses to eventually meet her in person. The scammer exploited her loneliness and emotional vulnerability by expressing love and promises of a future together before asking for money via gift cards and Bitcoin. Police warn that romance scammers intentionally target vulnerable people, particularly lonely seniors, so it's important to be skeptical of online relationships that quickly escalate to declarations of love and requests for money, and to never send funds to people you haven't met in person.
Romance Scams Robocalls / Phone Scams Cryptocurrency Gift Cards
ppc.land · 2025-11-30
Internal documents reviewed by Reuters revealed that Meta's platforms display approximately 15 billion higher-risk scam advertisements daily, with projections suggesting 3-4% of the company's $200 billion 2024 advertising revenue came from fraudulent ads. Users of Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and other Meta platforms are exposed to these scams, which include banned goods and deceptive schemes that Meta only removes when it reaches 95% certainty of fraud. While experts debate whether stricter detection could help, the challenge remains balancing fraud prevention with protecting legitimate small businesses from being wrongly blocked by automated systems.
newsnationnow.com · 2025-11-30
"Pig butchering" scams—sophisticated fraud schemes run by international criminal networks primarily based in Malaysia and the Philippines—are targeting elderly people, entrepreneurs, and cryptocurrency investors by using social engineering to trick victims into sending money, cryptocurrency, or gift card codes. Experts have launched Operation Shamrock, a nonprofit dedicated to educating bankers and at-risk individuals about these billion-dollar scams that often involve trafficked workers forced to participate. To protect yourself, be wary of unsolicited contact urging you to invest or send money, verify requests through independent channels, and never send cryptocurrency or gift cards to unknown parties, especially if you're being pressured to act quickly.
atg.wa.gov · 2025-11-30
As Washington State enters the giving season and Giving Tuesday approaches, residents are being warned about charity fraud and scams that could divert donations from legitimate organizations. The Washington State Attorney General's Office is promoting a "Pause. Check the Cause" campaign that advises donors to verify charities before giving by checking their tax-exempt status, asking for an employer identification number (EIN), and verifying registration with the Secretary of State or IRS databases. To protect themselves, donors should avoid clicking links in unsolicited emails or texts, navigate directly to charity websites, and be cautious of unfamiliar organizations or those requesting donations through unexpected channels.
▶ VIDEO CBC News · 2025-10-10
**Scam Type:** Romance/Investment Fraud **Victim:** Marcel Desan (Ontario, Canada) **Perpetrator:** Mariam Chan (operating under fake identity "Mary") **Amount Lost:** $3,500 A scammer using a fake identity and stolen photos defrauded Marcel Desan of $3,500 through an online romance scheme. When Desan discovered the fraud and confronted the perpetrator (identified as Mariam Chan on social media), recorded calls captured the scammer's abusive responses and threats. The investigation traced the stolen funds being used by the fraudster to finance a lavish lifestyle while the
▶ VIDEO Good Morning America · 2025-10-09
An 85-year-old woman named Fran Bates was scammed over two days by criminals who convinced her that her bank account had been hacked and persuaded her to deposit tens of thousands of dollars of her life savings into a Bitcoin ATM for "safety." This scam is part of a larger trend in which sophisticated criminal networks are increasingly exploiting the over 45,000 Bitcoin ATMs across the country to separate Americans from their money.
▶ VIDEO ABC News · 2025-10-09
An 85-year-old woman, Fran Bates, lost tens of thousands of dollars of her life savings to a cryptocurrency scam over two days when a scammer convinced her that her bank account had been hacked and instructed her to deposit money into a Bitcoin ATM for safety. The scam was caught on camera at the ATM, where the victim deposited at least $23,000 before intervention occurred, highlighting how sophisticated criminal networks are increasingly exploiting Bitcoin ATMs—of which over 45,000 operate across the country—to defraud Americans.
▶ VIDEO WFXR NEWS · 2025-10-08
The Better Business Bureau warned of increased scam activity during government shutdowns, particularly government impersonation scams where criminals pose as federal agencies to steal money or personal information. Common shutdown-related scams include fake passport expedited services, fraudulent messages claiming benefits are at risk unless payment is made, and impersonation of the IRS, Social Security, or law enforcement. The shutdown makes these scams more effective because confusion about which services remain open allows criminals to exploit victims, and official fraud reporting websites like the FTC's are offline, preventing victims from easily reporting incidents.
▶ VIDEO WCCO - CBS Minnesota · 2025-10-06
A survey across 11 countries found that Americans are the most-targeted population for scams globally, receiving approximately 100 scam attempts monthly or about 25 fraudulent contacts per week, including an average of nine scam calls, nine fraudulent emails, and seven suspicious text messages. The data suggests scammers view Americans as particularly vulnerable, with new scam variations emerging regularly, including work-from-home schemes and payment solicitations.
▶ VIDEO Arizona’s Family (3TV / CBS 5) · 2025-10-06
This podcast segment from "On Your Side" features hosts Gary Harper and Susan Campbell discussing the evolving nature of scams targeting vulnerable populations. The hosts highlight how scams have become increasingly sophisticated and believable over time, using technology to deceive victims—exemplified by Susan's personal anecdote about her grandmother falling for a classic Microsoft pop-up scam that prompted her to call a fraudulent number and potentially compromise her financial accounts. The hosts emphasize that scams are becoming more prevalent and convincing, affecting even intelligent and vigilant people, and stress the importance of family awareness and intervention to protect loved ones from fraud.
▶ VIDEO NowMedia Group · 2025-10-03
Police in Kelowna issued a warning about a grandparent scam in which a fraudster called elderly victims claiming to be a lawyer, stating their grandchild had been arrested, and demanding $5,000 in cash to secure their release. The suspect then visited homes in person to collect the money, with two successful visits occurring on the same day in the 600 block of San Michelle Road and 1300 block of Cao Road. The RCMP urged the public to discuss scam awareness with elderly family members and provided a description of the suspect: a light-skinned male approximately 6 feet tall with dark slicked-back hair, long sideburns, and not
▶ VIDEO ABC News · 2025-09-25
A 91-year-old woman named Shirley Morrow lost $9,000 in a "grandparent scam" after receiving a phone call from someone posing as her grandson, claiming he was in jail following a car accident and needed bail money. The scam involves fraudsters impersonating a grandchild in distress and requesting immediate payment, with tens of thousands of cases reported nationwide targeting senior citizens. Scammers use voice mimicking technology and social engineering tactics to convince victims to withdraw cash before they realize they've been deceived.
▶ VIDEO ABC News · 2025-09-25
**Grandparent Scam - Voice Technology Fraud** Scammers are using advanced voice technology to impersonate grandchildren in what the FBI identifies as an escalating problem targeting older adults. A 91-year-old victim (Shirley Morrow) was convinced by a call mimicking her grandson's voice that he was in legal trouble and needed $9,000; older adults collectively lost $4.9 billion to these scams, which typically involve fraudsters posing as family members in supposed emergencies to pressure immediate payment.
▶ VIDEO ABC15 Arizona · 2025-09-22
Medicare scams are flooding seniors with phone calls and emails, with the Department of Justice estimating $60 billion in annual Medicare fraud losses. Scammers impersonate Medicare representatives and use threats (such as losing coverage) or offers of new Medicare cards to extract seniors' Medicare numbers, which they then use to fraudulently bill the program. Experts advise that Medicare will not contact beneficiaries by phone requesting personal information or offering to mail new cards.
▶ VIDEO ABC News (Australia) · 2025-09-18
Donna Nelson was arrested at a Japanese airport in January 2023 with 2 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in her suitcase lining while traveling to meet a man she planned to marry. Nelson claims she was a victim of a romance scam, having been deceived online for two years by the man who convinced her to travel to Asia. Her family maintains her innocence, stating she was manipulated into unknowingly transporting the drugs as part of the scam.
▶ VIDEO FOX Carolina News · 2025-09-13
South Carolina ranks disproportionately high in scam calls and texts compared to other states and previous months, according to TrueCaller's monthly data tracking. Scam activity shows seasonality patterns, with increased fraud attempts during severe weather events like hurricanes and coastal damage. The caller ID and spam-blocking service provider attributes the targeting to both predictable seasonal trends and state-specific vulnerabilities.
▶ VIDEO WUSA9 · 2025-09-08
DC's Attorney General filed a lawsuit against a major Bitcoin ATM operator after finding that 93% of deposits at these machines were linked to fraud, with victims having a median age of 71 and median losses of $8,000. The scam typically begins with a phone call from someone impersonating a bank, government official, or trusted company, who convinces seniors to deposit money into Bitcoin ATMs under false pretenses such as protecting their funds or assisting with a government investigation. Red flags include high-pressure tactics and artificial urgency in these calls.
▶ VIDEO Bangkok Post · 2025-09-08
This episode from the Bangkok Post examines Thailand's growing cyber scam epidemic, which has expanded into a trillion-dollar industry over the past three years as both scammer and victim numbers have surged. The content outlines common scam tactics including advance-fee schemes (fake Nigerian prince emails), phishing attacks impersonating banks and government agencies to steal identity and funds, and tech support scams where fraudsters pose as Microsoft to gain computer access. The episode illustrates how modern cyber scams are adaptations of centuries-old swindle techniques now conducted through digital channels.
▶ VIDEO CBS Mornings · 2025-09-06
This educational piece outlines warning signs and protection strategies against modern scams, particularly AI scams and romance scams. It highlights that scammers stole a record $16.6 billion through internet crimes like identity theft and online impersonation in 2024—a 33% increase from the previous year—by exploiting personal data left behind through online activity. The article recommends protective measures including investigating your digital trail through Google searches, managing social media profiles, and being aware of how data brokers collect and sell personal information to third parties.
▶ VIDEO Atlanta News First · 2025-09-06
Fulton County launched a free online training program called "Avoid Cyber Threats" to help seniors recognize and avoid digital scams, following FBI data showing seniors suffered approximately $5 billion in financial losses last year. The program was created in response to the vulnerability of older adults to cyber fraud, illustrated by a resident's experience losing $2,000 to a phishing scam, and addresses the fact that Georgia ranks seventh nationally for internet crime losses.
▶ VIDEO WDEF News 12 · 2025-09-04
Phishing scams have become increasingly sophisticated since the 1990s, with fraudsters now using emails, text messages, phone calls, QR codes, and AI-generated voices to deceive victims into sharing sensitive information like bank accounts, passwords, and social security numbers. Notably, younger adults aged 18-30 are now falling victim to these scams more frequently than older Americans, particularly through online shopping schemes, while businesses and consumers collectively face millions in losses annually from stolen funds, identity theft, and malware infections.
▶ VIDEO 8 News Now — Las Vegas · 2025-08-26
In 2024, older Americans ages 60 and up lost $12.5 billion to scams and fraud—a 25% increase from 2023—with impostor scams being the most common type, where criminals impersonate government officials or companies like Amazon and PayPal. Las Vegas seniors including Bernardet Bartal reported falling victim to multiple schemes involving fake checks, fraudulent car repairs, and housing scams, losing thousands of dollars with little recovery. According to AARP, seniors face relentless daily contact from scammers through phone calls, texts, and emails attempting to extract personal information and money.
▶ VIDEO NewsChannel 5 · 2025-08-25
Consumer Reports experts provide guidance on identifying and avoiding text message (SMS) scams, which commonly impersonate legitimate sources like package delivery services, toll road authorities, and job recruiters to pressure recipients into clicking malicious links or providing personal information. Key warning signs include urgent language, unsolicited messages about services you haven't used, and requests to click links or update information. The advice emphasizes that scammers design messages to appear legitimate at first glance, making it important to pause before responding and verify communications directly with the supposed sender through official channels.
▶ VIDEO WRAL · 2025-08-23
Money transfer apps like Zelle and Venmo lack fraud protections comparable to credit cards, leaving users vulnerable to scammers who have stolen over a billion dollars through these platforms. New York's Attorney General is suing Zelle, claiming inadequate consumer safeguards, while experts warn users to avoid unsolicited calls/emails from these apps, never search for help online (risking fake support scammers), and understand that funds sent to the wrong person are typically unrecoverable. To use these apps safely, only transfer money to trusted contacts you know.
▶ VIDEO 41NBC · 2025-08-23
The Houston County Coroner warned residents about scammers impersonating funeral home staff who call grieving families and demand payment to continue services. Coroner James Williams advised people never to give credit card or personal information over the phone to unknown callers, and to report suspicious calls to law enforcement immediately.
▶ VIDEO Eyewitness News ABC7NY · 2025-08-22
A man was scammed out of $17,000 after a United Airlines representative accidentally transferred him to a scammer posing as another airline's customer service while rebooking his cancelled European vacation flights. The scammer convinced him to pay $17,000 for rebooking services that never went through, and United Airlines later confirmed their agent had googled a fake airline number and transferred the call unknowingly. United is working to resolve the situation with the victim.
▶ VIDEO WPLG Local 10 · 2025-08-21
An 85-year-old woman and her neighbor were scammed by a father-son contractor team who arrived unsolicited offering driveway repairs, charging $4,000 and $950 respectively for shoddy, incomplete work that did not meet promised standards. After a reporter confronted the contractors, both victims were made whole, which the article notes is an unusually successful outcome in contractor fraud cases.
▶ VIDEO CNY Central · 2025-08-20
Federal authorities arrested 13 people involved in a transnational grandparent scam that defrauded at least 400 elderly victims nationwide of approximately $5 million, with funds funneled to the Dominican Republic. Scammers called victims from call centers in the Dominican Republic, impersonating grandchildren in distress and requesting urgent wire transfers, sometimes using ride-share drivers to collect cash in person. An elderly couple from Cayuga County, New York, was among the victims, losing nearly $25,000 to the scheme.
▶ VIDEO FOX5 Las Vegas · 2025-08-20
The "one-ring scam" involves illegal robocallers making single-ring calls designed to trigger curiosity and prompt victims to call back numbers that appear to be US-based but are actually international (e.g., Sierra Leone's 232 area code, Dominican Republic's 809). When victims return the call, they risk being connected to premium international numbers with high per-minute fees that appear as mysterious charges on their phone bills. To avoid this scam, do not answer or return calls from unrecognized numbers, verify area codes before calling back, and report any fraudulent charges to the FTC.
▶ VIDEO FOX59 News · 2025-08-19
Imposter scammers are increasingly targeting seniors' life savings, with the number of older Americans reporting losses exceeding $100,000 increasing nearly sevenfold since 2020, according to FTC data. Scammers impersonating businesses and government agencies use three common tactics to create urgency and fear: claiming unauthorized account use, identity theft, or computer security problems, then instructing victims to move money to accounts they control under the guise of protection. The FTC advises never transferring money at a stranger's direction and instead hanging up and contacting trusted contacts or the agency directly to verify claims.
▶ VIDEO WHNT News 19 · 2025-08-19
Scammers are tricking consumers into paying fees for passport renewal forms that are actually free downloads from the U.S. government website. These fraudulent sites mimic the official government website (ending in .com instead of .gov) and may trick victims into providing personal and financial information, potentially leading to identity theft. Consumers should verify they are using the official site (travel.state.gov) and avoid clicking sponsored search results, while monitoring their bank accounts if they suspect they've been victimized.
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