Search
Explore the Archive
Search across 26,669 articles about elder fraud. Filter by fraud type, payment mechanism, or keywords.
10,275 results
in Robocalls / Phone Scams
▶ VIDEO
Forbes Breaking News
· 2024-10-20
Senator Sherrod Brown questioned a witness about the human impact of financial scams, citing Ohio data showing 18,000 reported scams and $100 million in losses in the past year. The witness testified that scam victims—often vibrant, independent people—experience life-altering consequences including depleted retirement savings and family strain, with adult children forced to drain their own college funds and savings to support defrauded parents.
▶ VIDEO
WPLG Local 10
· 2024-10-18
A Pinecrest woman received a threatening extortion email from a scammer who claimed to have compromising photos and videos of her and demanded payment. The scammer demonstrated access to personal information including her address, phone number, family members' names, and a photo of her neighborhood, which alarmed her into contacting police. The FBI is encouraging victims of this extortion scam to report it to them.
▶ VIDEO
NOLA.com
· 2024-10-17
AARP Louisiana hosted a fraud awareness townhall event featuring nationally recognized fraud expert and former prosecutor Paul Greenwood to educate seniors about scams targeting older adults. The event aimed to provide practical protection strategies and highlight how fraud impacts seniors beyond financial loss, including emotional and trust-related consequences. AARP encourages seniors to utilize resources like their FraudWatch Network to stay informed about emerging scams and safeguard personal information.
▶ VIDEO
NOLA.com
· 2024-10-17
AARP Louisiana hosted an educational presentation titled "Unmasking Fraud" featuring nationally recognized fraud expert and former prosecutor Paul Greenwood to address senior fraud targeting older adults in Louisiana. The event emphasized that fraud against seniors impacts not only financial security but also causes lasting emotional and psychological harm, and provided practical strategies for protection. AARP directs people to its Fraud Watch Network resource for current scam information and personal data protection guidance.
▶ VIDEO
WKRN News 2
· 2024-10-17
Senior fraud represents a $3 billion problem, with scammers primarily targeting individuals aged 55-64 through contractor scams, Medicare fraud, Bitcoin investment schemes, romance scams, phone fraud, and phishing attacks. Phishing scams work by casting a wide net through texts, emails, and social media to trick victims into clicking malicious links or participating in fake surveys and contests that download malware and compromise personal information.
▶ VIDEO
NBC4 Washington
· 2024-10-17
"Pig butchering" is a cryptocurrency confidence scam where fraudsters build trust with victims over months through social media or dating apps before introducing fake cryptocurrency investment opportunities. Scammers send victims links to fraudulent trading websites and convince them to send hundreds or thousands of dollars, which actually goes directly into the scammers' pockets; the fake friend, website, and investment returns are all fabricated.
▶ VIDEO
Arizona’s Family (3TV / CBS 5)
· 2024-10-17
Real estate fraud is at an all-time high, with fraudsters using tactics such as recording false deeds to squat in properties and passing bad checks to take control of homes. According to Tanner Herrick, Executive Vice President of Premier Title Company, his firm handles approximately 500 transactions monthly and encounters fraud cases every single week, leaving legitimate owners unable to remove fraudulent occupants. Common schemes include filing fraudulent deeds on properties and attempting to complete transactions with counterfeit cashier's checks.
▶ VIDEO
This Morning
· 2024-10-16
This awareness segment identifies five increasingly sophisticated scams targeting consumers, with fraud cases rising 235% year-over-year. Two particularly predatory text message scams impersonate government agencies offering winter heating subsidies and living expense assistance, exploiting vulnerability and creating false urgency to trick victims into clicking malicious links or providing personal information.
▶ VIDEO
Forbes Breaking News
· 2024-10-16
The IRS warned taxpayers against scams targeting hurricane relief seekers in the aftermath of Hurricanes Milton and Helen in the Southeast. Scammers are exploiting disaster victims seeking charitable assistance, with variations targeting both those affected by the storms and unaffected taxpayers attempting to claim fraudulent charitable deductions. Consumers should verify relief organizations' legitimacy and be cautious of unsolicited aid offers.
▶ VIDEO
News 5 Cleveland
· 2024-10-15
A 70-year-old woman in Berea was scammed out of approximately $20,000 in a tech support fraud scheme that began with a fake Microsoft pop-up warning on her computer. After calling the number provided, a scammer gained remote access to her laptop and then coordinated with a accomplice who convinced her that her money was in jeopardy, directing her to withdraw cash from multiple bank locations while remaining on the phone with her throughout the process. The case illustrates how scammers systematically manipulate vulnerable seniors by creating false urgency and overriding their judgment.
▶ VIDEO
KFDM YouTube
· 2024-10-14
Texas reported 13,000 allegations of financial exploitation of elderly residents in fiscal year 2023, with over 500 cases from Jefferson County alone. Adult Protective Services is hosting a "Your Money Matters" awareness event on October 16th at the Lakeside Center to educate seniors about fraud and exploitation through vendor presentations and community engagement.
▶ VIDEO
CBS Evening News
· 2024-10-11
A 92-year-old woman in Los Angeles lost her life savings to overseas scammers who impersonated IT experts and government officials, convincing her that her computer had been hacked and pressuring her to withdraw funds to purchase gold as a "safer investment." The scam involved large wire transfers from her Charles Schwab investment account, and the perpetrators instructed her to keep the scheme secret from her family. This case exemplifies a broader epidemic of multi-million-dollar fraud targeting Americans by overseas criminals operating tech support and investment scams.
▶ VIDEO
WPRI
· 2024-10-10
According to the FBI, scammers stole more than $3.4 billion from over 100,000 seniors in 2023, with Rhode Islanders age 60+ losing $7.4 million. Common tactics include creating a sense of panic or urgency, impersonating government agencies like the IRS, and using AI technology to clone the voices of loved ones. State leaders emphasize that public education and awareness are key prevention strategies, advising seniors to verify unexpected calls independently rather than responding to urgent requests.
▶ VIDEO
Atlanta News First
· 2024-10-10
Investigator Brendan Keefe uncovered a romance scam operation that uses AI-generated photographs of fake military personnel to target victims on social media platforms like Facebook. The scammers create convincing but flawed fake images (such as veterans with anatomical impossibilities) of patriotic military figures to build false romantic relationships and extract money from victims.
▶ VIDEO
11Alive
· 2024-10-10
Thousands of people are being targeted by "grandparent scams" where callers impersonate distressed family members claiming to need emergency money. One grandmother nearly lost $99,000 after receiving a frantic call from someone claiming to be her grandson who said he was in a car accident and needed bail money, though she later realized it was a scam. Scammers are increasingly using artificial intelligence to mimic loved ones' voices by extracting audio from social media and other online sources, making these frauds more sophisticated and convincing.
▶ VIDEO
NBC 7 San Diego
· 2024-10-07
**2024 Election Scams Warning**
As the 2024 presidential election approaches, scammers are exploiting the heightened electoral activity and voter engagement to target people through phone calls, emails, and texts. Common scams include fraudulent donation requests impersonating political campaigns, with scammers targeting voters regardless of political affiliation. Cybersecurity experts advise voters to verify requests directly with campaigns rather than responding to unsolicited contact.
▶ VIDEO
CBS News
· 2024-10-04
Overseas scammers defrauded a 92-year-old woman in Los Angeles of her life savings by impersonating IT experts and government officials, convincing her that her computer had been hacked and pressuring her to withdraw funds to purchase gold as a "safer investment." The scammers instructed the victim to keep the scheme secret, and despite her daughter's attempts to alert her bank (Charles Schwab) to the suspicious large transactions and wire transfers, the funds were lost. This case exemplifies a widespread epidemic affecting tens of thousands of Americans who fall victim to similar overseas fraud schemes operating through impersonation and deception tactics.
▶ VIDEO
NewsChannel 9 WSYR Syracuse
· 2024-10-03
This interview with Police Sergeant Ken Hatter addresses the "hello pervert" sextortion scam, in which fraudsters claim to have spied on victims through webcams and demand payment in Bitcoin. Hatter explains that these are mass-template emails sent to multiple recipients and are definitively scams, as actual hackers with computer access would steal money directly rather than request it via email.
▶ VIDEO
KHON2 News
· 2024-10-02
Employment scams in Hawaii have cost job seekers over $86,000 in losses since the beginning of 2027, with the Better Business Bureau warning of fake job opportunities that increasingly impersonate legitimate companies. Common scam tactics include fake onboarding processes that steal personal information, fraudulent reshipping jobs involving stolen goods, and "task optimization" schemes where victims pay upfront fees for tasks and are tricked into depositing increasingly larger amounts before losing access to their accounts. To protect themselves, job seekers should avoid any employer requesting payment, verify company legitimacy through official websites and BBB.org, and be skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true.
▶ VIDEO
KFOR Oklahoma's News 4
· 2024-09-29
In 2023, nearly 1,000 Oklahomans aged 60 and older lost over $22 million to fraud, with scams targeting seniors increasing 15% in Oklahoma compared to 11% nationally. Tech support scams and sweepstakes prize frauds are among the most common schemes, with one Oklahoma couple nearly falling victim to a $500,000 sweepstakes scam before becoming suspicious of personal questions. The FBI emphasizes the importance of reporting scams without shame and advises seniors to be cautious about unsolicited contacts and requests for personal financial information.
▶ VIDEO
CBS Evening News
· 2024-09-27
A U.S. man lost $700,000 in an elaborate romance scam orchestrated by criminal syndicates operating from underground "boiler rooms" in Ghana. The scammers pose as romantic partners to gain the trust of elderly Americans and convince them to send money, devastating victims both emotionally and financially. The investigation revealed that unemployed youth in Ghana are recruited into these operations, viewing the scams as an alternative to other forms of theft or crime.
▶ VIDEO
KEZI 9
· 2024-09-26
A Springfield couple lost $110,000 in an artificial intelligence voice cloning scam in which they received a call from someone using AI-recreated audio of their son's voice claiming he was in jail and needed money for bail following a car accident. The scammers used the convincing deepfake audio combined with a woman posing as a public defender to pressure the parents into sending money, though their actual son was not involved in any incident. This case demonstrates how AI technology can be weaponized to create highly convincing impersonation scams targeting vulnerable family members.
▶ VIDEO
WTRF
· 2024-09-24
Senior Services of Belmont County created "Fraud Bingo" as an innovative educational program to raise awareness about common scams targeting seniors, after residents in the area lost significant amounts of money, property, and in one case, a home to fraud. The program used bingo cards featuring different fraud and scam scenarios to engage hundreds of attendees in a format more appealing than traditional lectures. Local vendors donated prizes and participated in the event to increase both awareness and attendance.
▶ VIDEO
WTVC NewsChannel 9
· 2024-09-22
"Pig-butchering" scams have reached crisis levels in the United States, with victims often losing their entire life savings after scammers build trust through dating apps or text messages before directing them to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes. Law enforcement reports $4 billion was lost to these scams last year alone, with victims unable to recover funds when they attempt to withdraw from fake investment accounts that appear legitimate initially but lock them out once money is deposited.
▶ VIDEO
CBS 8 San Diego
· 2024-09-20
A Harris poll report reveals that Hispanic Americans are being disproportionately targeted by phone scams and are twice as likely to fall victim compared to other populations, contributing to the $25 billion in annual losses Americans collectively suffer from communications fraud and robocalls. The report highlights this emerging trend alongside the continued vulnerability of seniors, emphasizing the need for greater awareness and protective measures across vulnerable communities.
▶ VIDEO
We Are Iowa Local 5 News
· 2024-09-19
"Pig butchering" scams have reached crisis levels nationwide, with victims losing their life savings after fraudsters build trust through dating apps or text messages before directing them to invest in cryptocurrency schemes. Law enforcement and Congress are pushing for increased funding and action to combat these scams, which cost victims $4 billion in the past year alone, as fake investment accounts lock victims out when they attempt to withdraw funds.
▶ VIDEO
Forbes Breaking News
· 2024-09-19
Senator Bob Casey led a Senate Aging Committee hearing on fraud targeting older Americans, during which the committee released its annual "Fighting Fraud" resource book. The hearing addressed multiple scam types affecting seniors including grandparent scams, investment fraud, government impostor schemes, lottery scams, and tech support scams, while noting that scammers have become increasingly sophisticated in their tactics over recent years. The committee discussed both fraud prevention strategies and how federal law enforcement agencies respond to fraud reports.
▶ VIDEO
WQAD News 8
· 2024-09-19
Federal investigators are raising alerts about "pig butchering" scams, which have reached crisis levels, with victims often losing their life savings. Scammers use dating apps and text messages to build trust with victims over months before convincing them to invest in cryptocurrency schemes, with $4 billion lost to these scams last year alone. Law enforcement is calling on Congress for increased funding to disrupt these operations, as victims typically cannot recover their money once locked out of fraudulent investment accounts.
▶ VIDEO
News 4 Tucson KVOA-TV
· 2024-09-19
The FBI launched a "Take a Beat" awareness campaign in response to a sharp increase in scams, reporting a 25% rise in fraud cases and $300 million in additional victim losses compared to the previous year. The campaign targets various schemes including romance scams, phishing calls, and cryptocurrency fraud, with particular concern for retirees and fixed-income individuals in the Tucson and Phoenix areas who suffer severe financial harm from losses ranging from thousands to tens of thousands of dollars.
▶ VIDEO
Which?
· 2024-09-15
I cannot provide an accurate summary of this article. The text appears to be a garbled or poorly OCR-scanned transcript of a consumer advice program introduction that repeatedly duplicates phrases and lacks coherent content about specific scams or fraud prevention tips. While it mentions that scams are becoming more sophisticated and references a discussion about ticket scams, the actual substantive advice or details about scams are not clearly present in the provided text. A proper summary would require a clearer, complete version of the source material.
▶ VIDEO
WJZ
· 2024-09-12
Cryptocurrency scams cost Maryland residents nearly $94 million in 2023, according to an FBI report, with romance-based schemes being particularly prevalent. Though representing only 10% of financial fraud complaints to the FBI, cryptocurrency scams account for 50% of total money stolen, with approximately 1,400 Maryland complaints among nearly 58,000 nationwide. The scams exploit emotional manipulation and leverage the online nature of cryptocurrency to easily access victims' financial and personal information.
▶ VIDEO
Dare County
· 2024-09-09
The Dare County Sheriff's Office presented an educational overview of common scams affecting their community, including an explanation of "pig butchering" scams that operate through dating apps. In this scam type, perpetrators use VPNs to hide their location, create fake glamorous personas, and systematically contact potential victims through dating platforms with the goal of manipulating them into financial schemes. The presentation aims to help community members recognize and avoid falling victim to these increasingly sophisticated fraud tactics.
▶ VIDEO
WYFF News 4
· 2024-09-09
This segment from WYFF News Four's "For the Record" series features Anderson County Sheriff Chad McBride discussing the growing scam problem affecting community members of all ages, though elderly victims are particularly targeted. The sheriff highlights multiple prevalent scam types including Facebook Marketplace deposit schemes (where sellers request $250-$1,000 deposits for vehicles that don't exist), fake jury duty calls falsely claiming to be from law enforcement demanding payment or gift cards, and other phone and internet-based fraud tactics that exploit personal information obtained from legitimate people-search websites.
▶ VIDEO
WYFF News 4
· 2024-09-09
Bill Vickery, owner of Just Call, provides elder fraud prevention advice, emphasizing that most scams begin with phone calls, texts, or emails targeting seniors unfamiliar with modern technology. Key prevention strategies include not answering calls from unknown numbers, hanging up immediately if feeling suspicious, avoiding saying "yes" (which scammers may record and manipulate), and never verifying personal information over the phone with unknown callers. Vickery advocates for a proactive, educational approach to help seniors and their families recognize and avoid scams before they occur.
▶ VIDEO
ABC11
· 2024-09-05
"Pig butchering" cryptocurrency scams involve fraudsters grooming victims over months through social media to build trust before directing them into fake investment schemes promising high returns. Victims reported losing substantial sums—including Pamela Magnum who lost $70,000 and Jim Wilkerson who lost $790,000—after scammers disappeared when victims attempted to withdraw their supposed profits. The FBI has identified this as a widespread scheme stealing billions of dollars from Americans.
▶ VIDEO
FOX8 WGHP
· 2024-09-03
An elderly woman in Asheboro was defrauded of $25,000 after scammers used fear tactics and impersonation of law enforcement to manipulate her into withdrawing cash and purchasing gift cards. The suspect met the victim at a gas station to collect a large cash withdrawal before fleeing in a white van, and Detective Marcus Pierce is actively investigating the case while advocating for awareness of common red flags like requests for gift card payments.
▶ VIDEO
WFMJ
· 2024-09-03
U.S. seniors lost over $3 billion to scammers in the past year. Common scams targeting elderly individuals include relationship scams where fraudsters impersonate family members (grandchildren, nieces, nephews) claiming urgent financial needs such as bail, rent, or tuition, often using personal information gathered from social media to appear credible. Experts recommend awareness and education to help protect seniors from these emotionally manipulative schemes.
▶ VIDEO
Denver7
· 2024-09-02
"Brushing" is a scam where fraudsters order unwanted packages to consumers' addresses to artificially inflate sales numbers and write fake positive reviews, boosting their online sales. The Better Business Bureau advises recipients to contact the retailer, monitor credit cards for unauthorized charges, and change passwords in case their account information was compromised.
▶ VIDEO
WGN News
· 2024-08-31
Federal Trade Commission data shows American consumers lost over $10 billion to fraud in 2023, with digital platforms making it easier for scammers to target victims. Common scams include romance/relationship scams on Facebook where perpetrators build trust before requesting money, "pig butchering" investment schemes promising fake returns, and grandparent scams, with reported losses ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. Protection strategies include verifying urgent requests by hanging up and calling back the person directly, avoiding quick money transfers, researching websites and investment opportunities, and reporting scams to law enforcement and platforms to help track and recover stolen funds.
▶ VIDEO
NBC Bay Area
· 2024-08-30
This news segment covers two separate topics: (1) Nearly two dozen suspects tied to Oakland gangs were charged with burglaries at marijuana dispensaries across Northern California counties, stealing approximately $1 million in combined cannabis products including edibles, gummies, and plants, which they then resold on social media; (2) A brief mention of text message scams targeting consumers with unwanted communications from unknown numbers.
**Note:** This article contains limited elder fraud-specific content; only the text message scam reference may be relevant to the Elderus database.
▶ VIDEO
FOX 2 St. Louis
· 2024-08-29
The FBI warns that scammers are targeting older adults by posing as police, the FTC, or bank representatives and convincing them to cash out retirement accounts like 401(k)s and convert the funds into gold or bitcoin. From May to December 2023, this scheme resulted in over $55 million in losses, with scammers either claiming to hold the gold for safekeeping or pressuring victims to convert it into cryptocurrency. Authorities advise verifying any urgent financial requests by independently contacting your bank and discussing suspicious calls with trusted family members.
▶ VIDEO
11Alive
· 2024-08-27
The US Postal Inspection Service warns of emerging scams including "smishing" (fraudulent text messages impersonating USPS requesting address confirmation via malicious links) and "vishing" (spoofed voicemails from fake government employees asking consumers to call back). These scams aim to steal personal information and financial data from victims who interact with the fraudulent messages or call back the scammers' numbers rather than official government lines.
▶ VIDEO
NEWS CENTER Maine
· 2024-08-27
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service is warning the public about emerging scam tactics including "smishing" (fraudulent text messages claiming to be from USPS requesting address confirmation through malicious links) and "vishing" (spoofed voicemails impersonating government employees with fake callback numbers). To protect themselves, recipients should avoid clicking links in unsolicited messages and instead call official government phone numbers directly rather than using numbers provided in suspicious communications.
▶ VIDEO
CTV News
· 2024-08-26
A Gatineau senior lost $112,000 in July after falling victim to an elaborate fake Amazon phone scam. Scammers called claiming fraudulent charges on her account, then transferred her to a fake "legal department" where they convinced her to withdraw cash and deposit it into a Bitcoin machine to resolve the issue. The victim expressed doubt about the scam but not enough to prevent the loss.
▶ VIDEO
ABC7 News Bay Area
· 2024-08-24
The FBI launched a "Take a Beat" awareness campaign to educate the public about common fraud and scam tactics that exploit people's emotions through urgent phone calls, texts, and emails requesting money or passwords. The campaign highlights scams such as impersonation of bank fraud departments, with one victim losing $950 after a caller claiming to be from her bank convinced her to transfer funds and disclose banking information.
▶ VIDEO
FOX 2 St. Louis
· 2024-08-22
Bait-and-switch scams on social media exploit emotional posts about missing children or lost pets by using localized Facebook groups with minimal oversight. Scammers edit these posts to redirect users to sales listings, rental scams, job opportunities, or donation requests, then manipulate victims' social networks when they share the content. The Better Business Bureau advises consumers to watch for red flags including urgent emotional language, disabled comments, missing contact information, and newly created profiles, and to report suspected scams to both the BBB Scam Tracker and Facebook directly.
▶ VIDEO
FOX Carolina News
· 2024-08-22
The Better Business Bureau warns that scammers are increasingly using QR codes to execute fraud schemes, particularly by placing them in public locations like parking meters or including them in official-looking mail (such as fraudulent IRS letters) to deceive victims into scanning them and visiting malicious websites. Consumers should be cautious of unsolicited QR codes in public places or suspicious correspondence, as these codes can be easily tampered with or designed to redirect users to fraudulent sites. Awareness and verification of QR code legitimacy before scanning are key to protecting oneself from QR code-based scams.
▶ VIDEO
WWLTV
· 2024-08-21
A 76-year-old woman from Lafourche Parish was defrauded of approximately $30,000 after clicking a "read more" link on a Facebook post about Hollywood actors, which triggered a fake security warning. A scammer impersonating Microsoft security convinced her that hackers had compromised her computer and bank accounts, instructing her to withdraw cash and deposit it into a cryptocurrency ATM while keeping the call secret. The victim is now warning others about the scam after losing her money to the fraudsters.
▶ VIDEO
Forbes Breaking News
· 2024-08-18
Senator Hassan questions bank executives during a congressional hearing about the rising threat of AI-generated voice cloning scams, in which fraudsters impersonate family members to trick victims into sending money. She emphasizes that financial institutions have greater resources than individual consumers to combat these emerging AI-enabled fraud tactics and asks how banks are working to stay ahead of these scams.
▶ VIDEO
WFMY News 2
· 2024-08-16
This educational piece from the Better Business Bureau advises on protecting against common scams. The primary warning addresses tax scam calls claiming people owe back taxes—recipients should verify directly with the IRS or county tax authority, as scam hallmarks include vague caller identification, threats, and claims of delinquency. Additionally, the resource recommends proactively unfreezing credit before applying for loans or cards rather than attempting to do so at the point of sale.