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in Robocalls / Phone Scams
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KETV NewsWatch 7
· 2025-03-25
Smart Gen Society advises people across all age groups to be cautious of multiple scam tactics, including suspicious emails with requests to open attachments or provide money, phone calls using deepfake AI voices impersonating family members claiming to be stranded, and requests to withdraw cash, purchase gift cards, or send money orders. The key recommendation is to authenticate the source of all communications by hanging up and independently calling the person in question, and to never respond to requests for immediate payment through ATMs, gift cards, or money transfers.
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60 Minutes
· 2025-03-23
This 60 Minutes segment examines why investment fraud and Ponzi schemes continue to thrive despite public awareness of high-profile cases like Bernie Madoff's multi-billion dollar fraud. The piece features expert Ricky Jay discussing how con artists exploit human psychology—including greed and excessive trust—and identifies key warning signs such as dealings with well-established figures who rely on exclusive affiliations to build credibility. The segment highlights that despite financial disasters and skepticism, investors remain vulnerable to sophisticated scams, a phenomenon regulators refer to as "ponzi-monium."
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CBC News
· 2025-03-21
Three prominent online fraud fighters—Jim Browning, Kitboga, and Pleasant Green—collaborated to infiltrate and disrupt scammer call centers targeting North American victims. Through real-time interception, they successfully prevented multiple fraud attempts including one targeting a woman threatened with legal trouble, coordinating with banks and law enforcement to protect victims from losing thousands of dollars. The operation demonstrated tactics used by scammers and highlighted how these vigilantes have collectively disrupted hundreds of scam centers and prevented hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses over nearly a decade.
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WITN-TV
· 2025-03-20
Jones County hosted a community safety event called "Wellness" to educate senior citizens about scams and fraud, which have been increasing across the East. Attendees learned about various scam tactics, including text/phone scams that may contain viruses and family emergency scams, with participants sharing their personal experiences being targeted by scammers.
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CBC News
· 2025-03-19
Police in Montreal arrested 23 people in June operating an elaborate grandparent scam network targeting American seniors, allegedly defrauding them of $21 million USD ($30 million CAD) through coordinated call centers. The scam typically involved one caller impersonating a grandchild in financial distress, followed by another impersonating a police officer directing victims to wire money (usually around $10,000). Montreal has emerged as a major hub for these large-scale grandparent scam operations, which cause significant financial loss to vulnerable elderly victims in the United States.
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WHNT News 19
· 2025-03-19
The Colbert County Sheriff's Office reported a recent surge in phone and text scams targeting senior citizens in the area, with reported losses reaching approximately $60,000. Common scams include impersonation of grandchildren claiming emergency money is needed and fraudsters posing as law enforcement demanding payment; the sheriff emphasized that legitimate law enforcement will never call requesting money and advised seniors to use common sense and contact the sheriff's department if uncertain about a call's legitimacy. The office hosted scam prevention presentations at senior centers to educate residents on recognizing and avoiding these schemes.
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WHNT News 19
· 2025-03-19
The Colbert County Sheriff's Office held a scam awareness presentation at the East Colbert Senior Center to educate seniors about fraud prevention. Sheriff Eric Valentine warned attendees to be cautious of suspicious calls, texts, and emails, and emphasized never sharing banking information over the phone, noting that scam victims in the area have lost between $4,000 and $10,000, with recovery being nearly impossible once funds are sent.
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We Are Iowa Local 5 News
· 2025-03-17
Grandparent scams are impostor fraud schemes where scammers impersonate a grandchild or other trusted person (minister, friend, family member) to convince older adults to send money urgently. The caller typically claims to be in trouble—arrested, injured, or needing bail—and pressures the victim not to contact their parents, exploiting emotional vulnerability and the grandparent's natural desire to help. To avoid these scams, older adults should verify the caller's identity through independent contact with family members and remain skeptical of urgent money requests, particularly those demanding secrecy.
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CNBC
· 2025-03-15
Toll text scams are proliferating as scammers exploit the shift to electronic tolling systems and mobile phone usage, sending deceptive messages claiming unpaid tolls are due and threatening fines or license suspension. Clicking links in these texts can result in malware installation or credential theft, as legitimate toll operators never contact customers via text requesting payment through links. Federal agencies including the FTC and FBI have warned the public that these scams have become increasingly sophisticated and widespread across the country.
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Eyewitness News ABC7NY
· 2025-03-12
SMS phishing scams ("smishing"), along with related voice phishing ("vishing"), remain prevalent threats that consumers regularly receive via text messages and calls. The FBI warns consumers to delete these deceptive messages rather than clicking links, as leaving them on devices can allow scammers to access personal information; scammers typically exploit current news trends and seasonal events like tax season to lure victims.
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WTVC NewsChannel 9
· 2025-03-10
Tennessee is addressing a surge in romance scams targeting seniors through the proposed "Romance Scam Prevention Act," which would require dating apps to implement fraud prevention measures. According to the Federal Trade Commission, Tennessee residents over 60 lost $43 million to scams in 2023, with romance scammers building trust before requesting money or financial access through fabricated stories. Law enforcement recommends contacting local police if suspicious activity seems out of place, as officers can often quickly identify common scam tactics.
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KSDK News
· 2025-03-07
Scammers are sending text messages claiming recipients owe money for unpaid tolls and directing them to click suspicious links. The scam works by asking victims to reply to the message, which disables the phone's safety features that normally block links from unknown contacts, allowing scammers to send clickable links to fake websites. Recipients should report these messages as junk and delete them without engaging or clicking any links.
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WATE 6 On Your Side
· 2025-03-04
Scammers are impersonating legitimate health insurance organizations and calling marketplace insurance customers claiming to offer $500+ subsidies for living expenses that don't require repayment. The fraudsters attempt to direct victims to third-party websites or call centers to steal personal information under the guise of issuing a "benefit card." A Knoxville woman with marketplace coverage reported receiving dozens of these spam calls in recent weeks and warned others not to fall for the scheme.
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CBS 13 News
· 2025-03-04
Financial losses from scams in Maine are rising significantly, with scammers employing increasingly sophisticated and relentless tactics that have intensified since the pandemic, according to AARP Maine experts. Common scam types affecting Maine residents include door-to-door scams and romance scams, among others, and anyone can become a victim regardless of demographics. Experts emphasize that knowledge and vigilance are critical to protecting oneself from these evolving fraud schemes.
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CBS4 Indy
· 2025-03-04
A cybersecurity survey reveals that many Americans are overconfident in their ability to avoid online scams, with over a third believing victimization only occurs from oversharing and nearly half thinking misspellings easily identify scams—misconceptions that no longer hold true as scammers increasingly sophisticate their tactics. Despite 75% of respondents agreeing scams should be reported, actual reporting rates are significantly lower, dropping to 14% for romance scams, while seniors remain the most targeted demographic though younger age groups are experiencing the fastest growth in scam victimization.
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National Geographic
· 2025-03-02
Investigative journalist Mariana Van Zeller explores cryptocurrency "rug pull" scams, where fraudsters create fake crypto tokens to steal investor money—a scheme that victimized people of nearly $3 billion in 2021 alone. The episode follows Van Zeller's investigation into young, wealthy scammers who exploit cryptocurrency's unregulated decentralized finance space, and features interviews with victims like Xavier, who lost money across multiple rug pull schemes with no recourse in the largely lawless crypto market.
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NBC Chicago
· 2025-03-01
Naperville police warned residents of scams targeting the community, reporting that residents lost $5.5 million to scammers in one year, with victims ranging in age from 15 to 91 years old. Common scams included cryptocurrency fraud, fake warrant phone calls, tech support scams, online retail scams, and phishing, with scammers often impersonating the IRS, Medicare, tech companies, or financial institutions and pressuring immediate payment via gift cards or wire transfers. Police advised residents to block unwanted calls, resist pressure to act immediately, consult trusted contacts before responding to strangers, and contact their bank and credit bureaus if they believe they've been scammed.
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KMBC 9
· 2025-02-26
Prosecutors in Leavenworth are warning of a scam targeting families of incarcerated individuals, in which scammers monitor jail logs, obtain court and bond information, then impersonate sheriff's deputies to pressure families into paying false fees (such as $4,500 for an ankle bracelet) under the pretense of securing an inmate's release. Victims should verify any such claims directly with official law enforcement or court channels, avoid phone payments, and be wary of artificial urgency tactics.
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FOX 47 News
· 2025-02-26
Tax season scams are prevalent, with fraudsters impersonating tax preparers and the IRS to steal personal information and money through threats of legal trouble or false promises of refunds. To protect yourself, verify that tax preparers are legitimate, never provide personal information to unsolicited callers or emails, and remember that the IRS communicates through certified mail only, never by phone or email.
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CBC News
· 2025-02-26
An 84-year-old senior in Surrey, B.C., fell victim to a phone scam in January when she received a fraudulent email warning of unauthorized bank account activity and called the provided number, where a scammer impersonating a police constable pressured her to withdraw $20,000 from her bank in two transactions. The scammer maintained contact with the victim through 41 phone calls, keeping her in a state of fear and preventing her from contacting anyone else, until she attempted a third withdrawal and her neighbor recognized the scam and reported it to police.
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WHNT News 19
· 2025-02-22
Tax scammers are actively targeting taxpayers during the 2025 tax season by filing fraudulent returns using stolen Social Security numbers to claim refunds. The Better Business Bureau warns that identity theft through tax fraud is particularly prevalent during tax season, with one example involving a scammer filing a fraudulent return using a victim's SSN for thousands of dollars—though the IRS flagged the duplicate filing and sent notice. To protect against this scam, experts recommend using the IRS Identity Protection PIN (issued annually in December/January), filing taxes early once W-2s arrive, and remembering that the IRS never contacts taxpayers by phone, text, or email.
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NBC10 Philadelphia
· 2025-02-20
A local police department warns the public about evolving fraud schemes, including grandparent scams where callers claim a relative needs bail money and social media scams involving QR codes (one victim lost approximately $15,000). Detective Brian Amler advises that fraud prevention requires talking to loved ones about suspicious requests, verifying unusual claims with family members, and recognizing that scammers exploit emotional urgency and pressure to pay immediately.
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PBS NewsHour
· 2025-02-16
Online romance scams target victims across all demographics through psychological manipulation, with perpetrators using fake profiles to convince people to invest money, often via cryptocurrency. Investigative reporter Cezary Podkul notes that victims have lost billions of dollars annually, with some individuals losing over $1 million, and that many scam operations are run by Chinese cybercriminal gangs that recruit trafficked individuals. To protect oneself, people should watch for red flags like unsolicited contact offering investments, seek second opinions from trusted friends, and report suspected scams immediately to local police, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, and the U.S. Secret Service to aid law enforcement in tracing funds and identifying additional
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WMBB News 13
· 2025-02-15
The Bay County Sheriff's Office warns that romance scams, often perpetrated through social media via "catfishing," are increasing around Valentine's Day and primarily target elderly individuals by exploiting loneliness and emotions. Scammers build fake online relationships to manipulate victims into sending money, using emotional tactics and fear to cloud judgment. Residents are advised to be skeptical of requests for money from people they have never met in person and to report suspected scams to local law enforcement.
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Tampa Bay 28
· 2025-02-14
Cybersecurity experts report an uptick in romance scams around Valentine's Day, with scammers using increasingly sophisticated tactics on dating apps and websites. One victim, Rebecca De Antonio, lost $100,000 after falling in love with someone she met online, and experts note such cases are becoming more common as online dating grows. Common tactics include sending fraudulent links designed to steal personal information, with one security firm blocking over 321,000 malicious URLs in just two months; experts warn that scammers rushing victims into commitments or requests for money are major red flags.
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ABC11
· 2025-02-13
As Americans prepare to spend $27.5 billion on Valentine's Day, scammers are launching phishing emails and malicious websites to steal money and personal information. Checkpoint software identified over 18,000 Valentine's Day-related websites since early 2025, with approximately 1 in 72 identified as malicious, often impersonating well-known brands to appear legitimate. Consumers should protect themselves by verifying sender email addresses, avoiding suspicious links, and checking URLs before clicking to ensure they're on legitimate company websites.
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WLUK-TV FOX 11
· 2025-02-12
As Valentine's Day approaches with consumers expected to spend $26 billion on gifts, the Better Business Bureau warns of common scams including fraudulent online retailers, romance scams targeting vulnerable people, and phishing emails. To protect themselves, shoppers should verify seller legitimacy by calling businesses, checking for poor grammar on websites, and verifying website creation dates through tools like GoDaddy, while avoiding unrealistically cheap deals.
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Sky News
· 2025-02-11
This educational piece features reformed scammer Elliot Castro, who at age 16 began defrauding people by obtaining their personal information to make unauthorized credit card purchases at restaurants, hotels, and shops, ultimately stealing approximately £2.5 million before being caught and imprisoned. Castro now works with companies on fraud prevention, reflecting on how his criminal activity escalated from a single stolen train ticket to international luxury purchases, and emphasizing that scammers persist relentlessly wherever there is value to exploit. The key takeaway is that awareness of scam tactics and understanding scammer behavior are essential to protecting oneself from fraud.
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NBC Bay Area
· 2025-02-08
A Bay Area woman lost her entire life savings of $400,000 to a scam that began with a text message claiming someone was making fraudulent purchases on her accounts. The scammer, posing as a Federal Trade Commission agent, convinced her to withdraw money from her bank accounts over several transactions, exploiting her fear and trust in authority. The victim, who had recently sold her home and was debt-free for the first time, fell for the scheme despite her bank's initial warning about the suspicious withdrawal.
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Eyewitness News ABC7NY
· 2025-02-07
Romance scammers are targeting people seeking relationships online, with the FTC reporting these scams cost Americans $1.3 billion annually. Scammers employ "love bombing" tactics, building emotional connections over months or even a year before requesting money, increasingly through cryptocurrency to remain untraceable. One Connecticut woman lost nearly $1 million to this type of fraud.
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FOX 2 St. Louis
· 2025-02-06
Romance scams are prevalent and increasingly sophisticated, with the Better Business Bureau reporting a median loss of $6,000 per victim. Scammers create fake profiles on dating sites and social media to build trust over weeks or months before requesting money or pushing cryptocurrency investment schemes, and they now use AI to generate realistic photos and communicate with multiple victims simultaneously. To protect yourself, verify profile photos using reverse image search, trust your instincts if something seems too good to be true, independently research any investment opportunities, and avoid clicking links or sharing financial information provided by potential romantic contacts.
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KPRC 2 Click2Houston
· 2025-02-05
Scammers exploit Valentine's Day shopping—when consumers are expected to spend a record $27.5 billion—through various fraudulent schemes, with fake jewelry websites being a primary concern. These fraudulent sites imitate legitimate jewelry retailers by copying logos and promotional materials while using nearly identical web addresses (differing by just one letter) to trick consumers into purchasing jewelry they never receive. Consumers are advised to carefully verify website addresses and watch for common Valentine's Day scams that exploit the holiday shopping season.
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KCRG-TV9: Your Trusted Local News Source
· 2025-02-05
Romance scams, also known as catfishing, occur when scammers use dating websites to build false relationships and extract money or credit card information from victims. The Better Business Bureau warns that these scams escalate around Valentine's Day and can result in significant financial losses, sometimes requiring legal intervention such as conservatorships to protect victims' assets. Red flags include unsolicited contact and requests for money or personal financial information.
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Lakeland PBS
· 2025-02-05
Law enforcement in Grand Rapids arrested an out-of-state suspect accused of running bail scams targeting three residents, including an elderly couple who lost $17,000 after being told their grandson was arrested and needed immediate bail payment. The suspect was found with over $42,000 in cash during the investigation.
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WTNH News8
· 2025-02-04
The FBI and DEA are investigating a widespread impersonation scam targeting healthcare professionals, pharmacists, and veterinarians in Connecticut, with victims losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in some cases. Scammers impersonate federal agents (DEA, FBI) and state/local police to steal money and personal information from licensed professionals by using partial information to build credibility and extract additional details. The agencies are raising public awareness as criminals operate from boiler rooms conducting research on specific targets to refine their fraudulent schemes.
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WHNT News 19
· 2025-02-04
The Huntsville Police Department warned of a dating app scam where criminals pose as government investigators and claim victims face arrest warrants, then pressure them to pay money to avoid prosecution. Police documented two cases of this scam and advise potential victims to hang up, independently verify any claims by calling local police directly, and never pay money to resolve alleged warrants.
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CBS4 Indy
· 2025-02-04
LinkedIn users face increasing fake job offer scams that impersonate legitimate companies and direct victims to fraudulent websites requesting personal information like Social Security numbers. Common red flags include requests to pay for background checks, training, or equipment upfront, which legitimate employers never require. Users should verify job postings on company websites, use the WHOIS tool to check website legitimacy, and conduct reverse image searches on profile pictures to identify scams.
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WLKY News Louisville
· 2025-02-02
Jefferson County law enforcement officials warned about a rise in scam calls impersonating government agencies, claiming recipients have missed jury duty or have arrest warrants outstanding. Scammers are using local area codes and official names to appear legitimate, but legitimate agencies contact people by mail first and never request credit card or banking information over the phone. The Kentucky Court of Justice launched a website to help residents identify scams and report them to authorities.
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WHO13
· 2025-01-29
During tax season, the IRS expects to process over 140 million returns while scammer activity increases significantly; the IRS received nearly 300,000 identity theft complaints in 2023. Experts recommend organizing tax documents as they arrive, being cautious of unsolicited IRS contacts, and verifying any IRS communication by calling the agency directly rather than responding to potentially fraudulent calls or messages.
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Channel 3000 / News 3 Now
· 2025-01-27
A scam targeting parents of University of Wisconsin-Madison students involved fraudsters impersonating UWPD officers, calling at night (between 2-3 a.m.) and claiming their child had been detained, demanding money for release. Madison Police Department received at least three reports of the scam calls, which used real officer names to appear credible, exploiting the fear and disorientation of parents awakened in the middle of the night.
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13WMAZ
· 2025-01-26
This educational segment from the Better Business Bureau of Central Georgia provides fraud prevention advice for 2025, emphasizing identity theft as a persistent threat. The key recommendation is to monitor credit reports two to three times per year (utilizing the free weekly access available since COVID-era policy changes) to quickly detect unauthorized accounts and address identity theft before significant damage occurs.
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KETV NewsWatch 7
· 2025-01-23
Nebraska's Attorney General announced that the Consumer Affairs Response Team recovered $1.4 million for scam victims in 2024. The Better Business Bureau warns that modern scams increasingly use friendly, helpful messaging to target consumers aged 18-24, who experience more scams than other demographics but are least likely to report them, with experts recommending victims trust their instincts and consult trusted contacts before sharing money or personal information.
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WBNS 10TV
· 2025-01-21
"Mule scams" targeting job seekers are rising in central Ohio, with scammers posing as legitimate companies to recruit workers for fake remote positions. A 30-year-old single mother in Toledo lost nearly $5,000 after being hired by a fraudulent company called "Skyline Deliveries" that promised $4,000+ monthly for shipping label work, then failed to pay her after four weeks of labor. The Better Business Bureau warns consumers applying for online remote work to verify company legitimacy before providing personal information or completing unpaid work.
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WHNT News 19
· 2025-01-21
Utility scammers pose as energy companies and create urgency by threatening immediate power shutoffs unless customers pay bills over the phone, a tactic that increases during cold winter months when people fear losing heat. Legitimate utility providers never demand immediate phone payments and will confirm account issues if you call them directly using a number you know; if forced to pay a scammer, use a credit card rather than debit or gift cards to make fraud charges easier to dispute.
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NBC10 Philadelphia
· 2025-01-17
A victim lost over $137,000 in life savings after receiving an email falsely claiming her social security number was used for drug trafficking, demonstrating how sophisticated social engineering scams exploit fear and panic rather than relying solely on cyber tactics. According to the FTC, Americans lost $10 billion to scams in 2023—the highest amount ever recorded—with scammers increasingly using organized crime networks, technology, and social manipulation to target victims through emails, texts, and social media.
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KTVE
· 2025-01-16
The Federal Trade Commission warns consumers about "brushing scams," in which scammers send unsolicited packages containing fake luxury items like rings, beauty products, and Bluetooth speakers to obtain personal information. The scammers use victims' addresses and information to write fake online reviews under their names, potentially leading to identity theft that costs victims time and money to remediate. Victims are advised to change passwords, monitor credit scores, and report incidents to the FTC.
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Mint
· 2025-01-15
A 53-year-old French interior designer named Anne was scammed out of €830,000 (approximately ₹8 crore) in an elaborate romance fraud scheme that began in February 2023 when a scammer impersonating Brad Pitt contacted her via Instagram. The fraudster used AI-generated videos, poetry, declarations of love, and a marriage proposal to build trust before exploiting her emotionally and financially, ultimately leading her to transfer substantial sums and divorce her wealthy husband before the deception was exposed on French television.
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KELOLAND News
· 2025-01-14
Three people in San Francisco fell victim to a scam involving spoofed caller IDs impersonating Sioux Falls Credit Union and Levo Federal Credit Union, losing a total of approximately $17,000 ($5,000, $11,000, and $1,000+ respectively). The scammers obtained personal information from victims during calls and used it to access their bank accounts. Police advise never providing personal information over the phone and instead independently verifying calls by using a known phone number to contact your financial institution directly.
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Irish Independent
· 2025-01-14
Romance scams (also called "pig butchering") are surging in Ireland, primarily targeting middle-aged women through dating apps where scammers build emotional relationships over time before requesting money for bills, fees, and expenses. Detective Superintendent Michael Crry of Ireland's National Economic Crime Bureau explains that these online fraud schemes rely on social engineering, manipulation, and exploitation, with recent arrests highlighting law enforcement efforts to combat the crime, which is particularly prevalent during vulnerable winter months when people seek connection.
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ABC News 4
· 2025-01-11
A Mount Pleasant woman nearly fell victim to a sophisticated phone scam in which a caller impersonated law enforcement, claiming she had a failed jury duty summons and a flag on her driver's license for arrest. The scammer, speaking politely and calmly, instructed her to withdraw $5,000 in cash and deliver it to a specific address under the guise of placing it in a safety deposit box. The woman did not complete the transaction, and police are warning residents about this detailed and convincing scam targeting the public.