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in Robocalls / Phone Scams
prweb.com
· 2025-12-08
RangersAI announced two new features in its ScamRanger app to combat elder fraud and scams: Guardian Mode, which allows vulnerable users to designate trusted contacts who receive scam alerts and can provide support, and a WhatsApp Agent that delivers real-time scam detection directly within WhatsApp. The app detects over 130 scam types across SMS, email, and chat platforms, addressing a global scam crisis exceeding $1 trillion in losses annually.
today.rtl.lu
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams typically begin with fraudsters creating convincing fake profiles to build emotional trust with victims through personalized, attentive communication—a process called "pig hunting." Behind each scammer is often a large criminal network, frequently based in Southeast Asia and operating like a factory with dozens of workers (many coerced into participation) using various tactics including fake gifts, impersonation, and AI-generated content to establish emotional dependency. Once victims believe in a romantic future, they are manipulated into transferring money or buying cryptocurrency in the final stage known as "pig killing," and defense requires careful profile verification and use of image authentication tools.
financialpost.com
· 2025-12-08
Canadians lost $310.6 million to investment fraud in 2024, with deepfakes of celebrities and politicians used in fraudulent social media ads promising unrealistic returns. While reported cases have leveled off since 2022, experts estimate only 5-10 percent of fraud incidents are reported due to victim shame and underreporting. Younger Canadians aged 18-24 are experiencing the largest rise in reported fraud victimization, and the article advises protecting oneself through digital privacy awareness, recognizing red flags in investment ads, and reporting suspected fraud.
hermoney.com
· 2025-12-08
Online dating scams, tech support fraud, and fake e-commerce websites represent increasingly sophisticated threats that affect people across all age groups. In 2023, online dating scams alone generated 64,003 reports with $1.14 billion in losses, with scammers using months of emotional manipulation and professionally researched personal details to build false trust before requesting money. The article provides preventative strategies including reverse image searches for dating profiles, verification of tech support legitimacy through official company websites, and use of scam-detection tools before purchasing from unfamiliar retailers.
wgal.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI warned of an increasing "phantom hacker" scam targeting seniors, where victims receive pop-up messages claiming their computers are infected with spyware and are instructed to call a number for tech support. Scammers gain remote access to victims' computers and deceive them into transferring funds to fraudulent "safe accounts," resulting in permanent loss of money; one Lancaster County woman lost $500,000 through this scheme. The FBI recommends ignoring pop-ups, restarting computers, consulting legitimate tech professionals, and never calling numbers provided in suspicious messages.
nbcnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Lightning Shared Scooter Co. (LSSC), a fraudulent investment scheme posing as a Hong Kong-based scooter-sharing company, defrauded hundreds or thousands of victims by promising returns on initial investments of $2,000-$65,000 that could be monitored and withdrawn through a mobile app. The scam used fake endorsements from public figures (including Sean Spicer), local officials, military personnel, and fabricated storefronts in at least eight U.S. cities to gain credibility, particularly targeting immigrant and lower-income communities who invested life savings and college funds. Victims discovered last month they could not withdraw earnings, with law
ctvnews.ca
· 2025-12-08
A Quebec couple lost money in a Facebook Marketplace scam, which has sparked calls for banks to increase protections against online fraud. The article highlights concerns about the inadequacy of current banking safeguards for consumers engaged in online transactions.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A 73-year-old man in Mangaluru lost Rs 34.1 lakh to an investment scam between July and August 2024, after unknown persons contacted him via WhatsApp promoting fake investment platforms called "Block Trade" and "UC Trade" that promised high returns. The victim transferred money through multiple digital payment methods across nearly a month, but when he attempted to withdraw his funds, the scammers demanded additional investments and blocked his access to the accounts. A case was registered with local police after the victim's daughter helped him recognize the fraud.
nypost.com
· 2025-12-08
A Denver passenger was scammed out of $17,328 after a United Airlines customer service agent transferred his call to an external number without validation, connecting him to a scammer posing as a rebooking agent named "David." The scammer convinced Smoker he needed to pay upfront for a new flight to London, providing a fraudulent payment link that appeared legitimate, and promised a refund within 45-50 business days that never materialized. United Airlines has acknowledged the error in not validating the transfer number and stated it is investigating the matter and working with the credit card provider to resolve the situation.
michigan.gov
· 2025-12-08
Tukua Young, 42, and Brandon Young, 36, of Detroit were bound over for trial on charges of filing approximately $150,000 in fraudulent disability insurance claims between 2016 and 2022, with Tukua receiving $79,058 across two insurers and Brandon receiving $70,434 from one insurer. The couple allegedly claimed to be disabled from working at a non-existent group home, while Tukua continued working despite her claims. Both face multiple felony charges including conducting a criminal enterprise, false pretenses, insurance fraud, and tax violations.
keyt.com
· 2025-12-08
An elderly couple in Hopkinsville, Kentucky was charged $64,000 (totaling $79,000 with a duplicate charge) after signing a blank invoice for asphalt driveway patching work in June. A man solicited the work unsolicited, claiming his crew had extra asphalt available, but after obtaining the wife's signature on a mostly blank invoice, the scammers completed a full driveway paving job and demanded immediate payment on multiple credit cards. The Better Business Bureau warns this is part of a pattern of door-to-door asphalt scams where fraudsters create urgency, use high-pressure tactics, and exploit blank or misleading invoices to
northeastbylines.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
The Financial Conduct Authority published guidance on common banking scams including vishing, phishing, card fraud, and bank impersonation, advising consumers to verify suspicious calls by hanging up and redialing using official numbers or the anti-fraud hotline 159. The article also highlights that the e-money provider Revolut received the highest number of fraud complaints to the Financial Ombudsman Service, surpassing major banks, and warns of "Termination Experts," a subscription cancellation service that charges fees for services customers did not authorize, recommending victims verify claims directly with companies and utilize cooling-off periods for online purchases.
facebook.com
· 2025-12-08
A scam impersonated the South Carolina Department of Motor Vehicles (SCDMV) via text messages, falsely claiming the recipient owed fines for toll violations or unpaid tickets—a service SCDMV does not provide through texts. The victim also reported receiving a separate fraudulent call from an unknown number claiming an unauthorized charge had been made on a Bank of America debit card they did not own, requesting they call an 800 number to verify. The victim avoided falling victim to both scams by recognizing the suspicious contact methods and reported the incidents to Horry County Police, who resolved the matter.
mcafee.com
· 2025-12-08
McAfee Labs research from 2025 reveals a dramatic surge in scams across multiple categories, with job-related scams exploding over 1,000% from May through July, affecting nearly 1 in 3 Americans via text message. Shopping scams increased 250% during Amazon Prime Day, while personal finance scams surged 150% with email scams doubling between June and July, exploiting keywords like "loan" and "credit card." Technology scams grew 40% in text messages and 160% in emails, with scammers weaponizing consumer vulnerability by impersonating trusted brands (Amazon, Apple, Target, Nvidia) and exploiting economic anxiety,
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
Imposter scams cost Americans $2.95 billion annually and rank as the second most costly fraud type, with scammers commonly posing as government agencies or law enforcement to demand immediate payment or personal information. Russell Tafron Weatherspoon was convicted of operating a multistate scam (March 2022–April 2024) where he and accomplices spoofed law enforcement phone numbers to tell victims that arrest warrants had been issued, demanding bond payments; similarly, Anthony Sanders was indicted in January 2025 for a jury duty scam in which he posed as a Sarasota sheriff and extorted over $12,000 in Bitcoin from a victim by threatening
time.com
· 2025-12-08
In February 2024, cybercriminals attempted to scam Tejasvi Manoj's 85-year-old grandfather through a fake email impersonating a relative requesting $2,000, but the scam was prevented when the family verified the request directly. Inspired by this near-miss and discovering that seniors lost nearly $5 billion to fraud in 2024 (a 32% increase from the prior year), the then-16-year-old Tejasvi developed Shield Seniors, a website educating adults over 60 about online scams, analyzing suspicious communications, and providing reporting resources. Her efforts earned her TIME's Kid of the Year 2025
euronews.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are using "WhatsApp Screen Mirroring Fraud" to steal accounts by calling victims with a black screen, requesting they share their screen to "troubleshoot," and then intercepting their security codes during screen sharing to hijack their accounts. Once compromised, hackers impersonate the victim and message their contacts asking for money via payment apps like Bizum. Spain's cybersecurity institute recommends enabling two-step verification, avoiding screen sharing with unverified callers, never sharing security codes, and contacting WhatsApp support or authorities if an account is compromised.
indianexpress.com
· 2025-12-08
A 78-year-old man in Noida lost Rs 3.14 crore in a "digital arrest" scam where criminals impersonating TRAI, police, CBI, and Supreme Court officials trapped him in fake video calls for 15 days, threatening him with money-laundering charges and forcing him to transfer funds to a fake "Secret Supervision Account." Cybercrimes against seniors have surged 86 percent between 2020 and 2022, with common scams including digital arrest, investment fraud, deepfakes, and government impersonation—schemes that exploit seniors' trust and vulnerability to urgency-based tactics through means they struggle to recognize
roanoke.com
· 2025-12-08
Gareth West, alleged leader of a grandparent scam network operating out of Montreal, was arrested in Quebec for defrauding American seniors of approximately $30 million through a complex scheme employing dozens of people. The article also documents a specific case in which Roanoke residents Ewell and Louise Beirne lost $75,000 after clicking on a fraudulent pop-up warning about their bank account, and provides ten key fraud prevention tips including refusing urgency, verifying through official channels, avoiding irreversible payment methods, and resisting pressure to keep transactions secret.
fox4news.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI warned about the "Phantom Hacker Scam," which has cost Americans over $1 billion since 2024 by targeting seniors' life savings and retirement accounts. The three-phase scam involves a tech support impostor gaining remote computer access, a financial institution impostor convincing victims to transfer funds to a "safe" account, and a government impostor directing further transfers to "alias" accounts. Victims rarely recover their funds, with recovery rates in single-digit percentages even when reported immediately, making this scam particularly devastating for seniors.
newschannel5.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are increasingly targeting cell phone users with text messages impersonating toll collection agencies and delivery services, demanding immediate payment or personal information through fraudulent links. According to the Better Business Bureau, toll road scam texts are among the fastest-growing scams currently affecting consumers, with scammers using official-looking sender addresses to appear legitimate. To protect yourself, avoid clicking links from unexpected texts, verify requests directly with official sources, download tracking apps from USPS/FedEx/UPS, and block suspicious numbers rather than engaging with them.
krtv.com
· 2025-12-08
"Gas station gold" scams are increasing in Montana, where con artists approach customers in parking lots and gas stations claiming financial hardship while selling fake jewelry marked as "18K" gold that is actually brass or copper. The scammers, who frequently travel between states and increasingly target elderly people, use deceptive pricing and counterfeit markings to deceive unsuspecting buyers. Experts advise consumers to be skeptical of deals offering gold significantly below market value and to have purchases verified by legitimate jewelers before completing transactions.
theberkshireedge.com
· 2025-12-08
Adams Community Bank announced a partnership with Carefull, a financial safety platform, to offer free fraud and scam protection to its account holders, making ACB the first bank in Western Massachusetts to provide this service. The Carefull platform monitors accounts for unusual activity, detects romance scams and other financial exploitation, analyzes suspicious communications, and provides secure storage for important documents and records with $1 million identity theft insurance. This initiative reflects ACB's commitment to protecting seniors and their families as elder fraud cases continue to rise.
dailyhodl.com
· 2025-12-08
A 26-year-old Texas woman, Audrey Michelle Townsend, was sentenced to 20 years (5 in prison, 15 on probation) after pleading guilty to theft and four counts of elder abuse for orchestrating a phishing scheme that defrauded an elderly couple of $49,000 in February 2024. Townsend impersonated a Chase Bank representative via text, tricking Gloria Moss into providing account verification information, which enabled the unauthorized transfer of funds to an account in Townsend's name; Chase ultimately reimbursed the victims after media attention and intervention by the district attorney's office.
inkl.com
· 2025-12-08
Phone-based elder scams remain prevalent in 2024, with fraudsters using evolving tactics that exploit trust and urgency to target older adults. Common scams include Medicare impersonation, fake tech support, grandparent emergency schemes, lottery/prize offers, utility company threats, and government agency impersonation—each designed to steal personal information, drain bank accounts, or install malware. The key protection strategy is to never share personal information over unsolicited calls, verify requests independently by contacting official sources directly, and ask verification questions that only legitimate contacts would know.
abc.net.au
· 2025-12-08
A study by the International Justice Mission documented 493 global cases of child sextortion linked to South-East Asian scam compounds along the Thai-Myanmar border and in Cambodia, where trafficked workers are forced to blackmail victims using intimate images or AI-generated content. The research cross-referenced US cyber tip line data from 2022-2024 with known scamming hub locations, finding that criminal networks are expanding beyond romance and cryptocurrency fraud to include sextortion tactics, with minors increasingly becoming victims despite not being deliberately targeted. Survivors reported that scammers pose as attractive individuals online, capture screenshots during video calls, and use them for extortion, while some perpetrators pose as telehealth
anz.com.au
· 2025-12-08
ANZ Bank has successfully prevented thousands of fraudulent payments through its Confirmation of Payee (CoP) feature, which alerts customers when payment recipient details don't match bank records; since launch, 143,303 payments were abandoned by customers, with 10,040 going to accounts flagged on the Australian Financial Crimes Exchange. The bank emphasizes that combating scams requires collaboration between financial institutions, customers, and authorities, alongside technological innovations like the Digital Padlock feature and partnerships with fraud intelligence networks. Australia's coordinated approach has contributed to a 25.9% decrease in reported scam losses in 2024 compared to 2023, demonstrating that awareness and prevention strategies are
ktlo.com
· 2025-12-08
Baxter County, Arkansas is experiencing a rise in scams targeting residents, prompting local law enforcement to host a public call-in program with Sheriff John Montgomery to educate citizens on fraud prevention. The initiative follows recent arrests of three men accused of acting as "money mules" for overseas scam operations; common schemes affecting residents include government impersonation, tech support fraud, fake sweepstakes, romance scams, and home repair fraud using phishing emails, robocalls, and spoofed numbers.
fox32chicago.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI has warned seniors about the Phantom Hacker Scam, which has cost Americans over $1 billion since at least 2024 by draining life savings and retirement accounts. The scam operates in three phases—a tech support impostor gains remote computer access, a financial institution impostor convinces victims to transfer funds to a "safe" account via wire transfer or cryptocurrency, and potentially a government impostor prompts further transfers to "alias" accounts. Security experts emphasize that victims rarely recover their money unless they report the theft immediately, and scammers increasingly use artificial intelligence to target seniors based on their personal interests and social media profiles.
krdo.com
· 2025-12-08
An elderly couple in Hopkinsville, Kentucky was charged $64,000 (totaling $79,000 with a duplicate charge) in an asphalt paving scam after an unsolicited worker approached their home claiming to have extra asphalt materials available. The scammers had the homeowner sign a mostly blank invoice, then filled in details afterward to make it appear the couple had approved full driveway paving work, and demanded immediate payment via multiple credit cards. The Better Business Bureau warns consumers to watch for common scam patterns including unsolicited door visits, pressure tactics creating urgency, and incomplete contracts, and advises victims to dispute charges and contact authorities immediately.
pennlive.com
· 2025-12-08
The Cybersecurity Association of Pennsylvania warns of a surge in sophisticated "Phantom Hacker" scams targeting seniors, with nearly half of victims over 60 and Americans losing over $1 billion nationwide to this multi-phase fraud. The scam typically involves criminals posing sequentially as tech support, bank representatives, and government officials to gain remote computer access and fraudulently transfer victims' funds to fake "safe" accounts, sometimes using AI to enhance credibility. PennCyber urges families to educate seniors on red flags—such as demands for wire transfers, cryptocurrency, or prepaid cards—and report suspicious contacts to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
newschannel5.com
· 2025-12-08
An elderly couple in Hopkinsville, Kentucky was victimized by an asphalt paving scam in June when an unsolicited contractor approached them offering to patch their driveway at a low cost. After the mother signed a mostly blank invoice, the scammers filled in details and paved the entire driveway, charging $64,000 (totaling $79,000 with a duplicate charge), which the parents charged to multiple credit cards before their son stopped payment on three of the four cards. The Better Business Bureau warns consumers to avoid unsolicited door-to-door home improvement offers that use urgency tactics and to verify quotes before signing any documents.
baynews9.com
· 2025-12-08
The Area Agency on Aging of Pasco-Pinellas launched a fraud alert through its Senior Medicare Patrol Program to educate seniors about Medicare scams, which cost the program $60-$100 billion annually. Common scams include unsolicited shipments of medical braces and kits billed to Medicare, as well as phone calls attempting to steal personal information. The program helps seniors identify fraud, report scams, and seek restitution, serving over 4,600 seniors in the region in 2024.
rappler.com
· 2025-12-08
Rappler is hosting "Lolo at Lola Laban Sa Scam," a free all-day educational event on September 16, 2025, in Manila to help elderly citizens and families protect themselves against digital scams through workshops and expert panels. The event addresses a growing threat: the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center received over 10,000 scam complaints in 2024 (triple the 2023 number), with older adults particularly vulnerable to emotionally manipulative fraud schemes. Participants will learn how to document scams, verify information, and improve digital safety through hands-on workshops led by government officials and fact-checking experts.
anz.com.au
· 2025-12-08
Between October 2024 and June 2025, ANZ bank prevented and recovered over $100 million in scam and fraud-related funds, while reducing customer financial losses by 15% compared to the previous year. The bank's multi-layered prevention strategy includes new tools like Digital Padlock (which locks scammers out of accounts), CallSafe authentication, and Confirmation of Payee (which verifies account name matches), along with customer education programs such as the MoneyMinded scams module. ANZ Plus customers who maintained default scam protections were 19 times less likely to become scam victims than those who disabled security features.
solomonstarnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A growing number of Solomon Islanders have fallen victim to online investment scams on platforms including Telegram and Video Earned, which promise quick returns through watching videos or recruiting referrals but trap users with withdrawal fees and frozen accounts. Victims reported earning $1,000-$2,000 USD in their accounts but were unable to withdraw funds without paying additional fees ($100+ USD), with some platforms disappearing entirely or blocking accounts once larger investments were made. Financial experts warn these schemes operate as unsustainable Ponzi-style operations that collapse when recruitment slows, and authorities are urging the public to verify credentials before investing.
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-08
The Phantom Hacker Scam has cost Americans over $1 billion since 2024 by targeting seniors through a three-phase operation: tech support impostor gains remote computer access, financial institution impostor convinces victims to move funds to a "safe" account via wire transfer or cryptocurrency, and government impostor directs further transfers to "alias" accounts. Cybersecurity experts warn the scam is "devastating" for seniors as victims rarely recover their funds, with recovery rates in single-digit percentages only if reported immediately, and criminals increasingly use AI to personalize attacks based on social media profiles.
thestar.com.my
· 2025-12-08
A Pew Research Center survey of over 9,000 U.S. adults found that approximately 73% experienced at least one online scam or attack, with credit card fraud, shopping scams, and ransomware being most common; notably, adults aged 18-59 were 34% more likely than those 60+ to report losing money to fraud. Cybersecurity experts warn of emerging threats including unsolicited calendar invites containing phishing links or malware, and multi-factor authentication app attacks designed to wear down users into revealing personal information. Protection measures include adjusting calendar settings to prevent automatic invite updates, verifying suspicious invitations through direct contact with trusted sources, and ign
pbs.org
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated criminal networks are using stolen identities to create "ghost students" and flood U.S. community college application systems to siphon millions in financial aid. The U.S. Department of Education has identified $150 million dispersed to ineligible students, including $30 million to deceased individuals, with victims including both colleges and people whose identities were stolen to fraudulently obtain student loans. These overseas fraud rings operating from countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Vietnam target community colleges due to their open-access policies and also exploit .edu email addresses for additional fraud schemes involving discounts on software and services.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 22-year-old woman from Frisco was arrested after scamming an 80-year-old man and his 77-year-old wife out of more than $25,000 by posing as an FBI agent and bank representative in a phone scam. The suspect, Jessica Bahu, manipulated the couple into withdrawing cash and meeting her in person to hand over the money before they realized the fraud and reported it to police. Bahu was charged with exploitation of the elderly, a third-degree felony, and detectives are investigating possible federal charges and involvement of other suspects.
newsbreak.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article from FODMAP Everyday® identifies 12 items people over 50 should remove from their wallets to protect against identity theft and fraud. The piece emphasizes that elder fraud is a critical threat, citing FBI data showing scams targeting people over 60 caused $3.4 billion in losses in 2023 (averaging $33,915 per victim), with total fraud losses reaching $12.5 billion in 2024—a 25% increase year-over-year. Key recommendations include removing Social Security cards, excessive credit cards, and debit cards, as thieves can use these items to commit identity theft, credit card fraud, and drain
townhall.com
· 2025-12-08
Jiaci Liu, a Chinese national, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for operating a tech support scam targeting seniors across Southern California and Arizona. Liu and his co-conspirators used pop-up windows to trick elderly victims into believing they had computer viruses, then impersonated bank representatives and government officials to convince victims to withdraw cash, stealing over $202,000 in just one week in June 2023 from victims in their 70s and 80s. One Poway, California victim lost $28,000 before becoming suspicious and alerting authorities, leading to Liu's arrest when he arrived at the victim's home to collect the money.
centralnews.co.za
· 2025-12-08
DIRCO spokesperson Clayson Monyela warned South Africans against fake foreign job offers promoted on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, which are fronts for human trafficking networks that exploit victims through forced labor and illegal schemes. The warning follows multiple documented cases where South Africans were lured abroad with promises of jobs in Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia, only to be trapped in cyber-scam operations or forced labor with confiscated passports; DIRCO has successfully repatriated numerous victims but others remain missing. The scam particularly targets vulnerable young people and job seekers amid South Africa's high unemployment rates, and authorities recommend verifying offers through official channels such as embassies or
trak.in
· 2025-12-08
OneCard issued an advisory about WhatsApp Screen Mirroring Fraud, where scammers impersonate bank officials and trick users into enabling screen-sharing to steal OTPs, banking credentials, and UPI PINs for unauthorized transactions and identity theft. To prevent this scam, users should verify caller identity through official channels, avoid screen-sharing with untrusted parties, never share banking details under pressure, and report suspicious activity to authorities. The scam particularly targets vulnerable populations including senior citizens unfamiliar with digital tools.
wtop.com
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission reports that consumers nationwide receive five to 20 daily robocalls falsely claiming they have loan applications on hold and requesting personal information to proceed. Scammers use urgency and helpfulness tactics to manipulate victims into providing credit card numbers or personal data for identity theft, with the best defense being to hang up immediately and never press keypad prompts to unsubscribe, as this confirms the number is active and increases call frequency. Legal protections exist for unauthorized robocalls, and while the National Do Not Call Registry reduces calls from legitimate companies, scammers disregard it entirely.
ajc.com
· 2025-12-08
Gloria and Gary Moss fell victim to a phone impersonation scam when fraudsters posing as Chase Bank called and convinced Gloria to transfer $50,000 from her account in February 2024. The scammers used social engineering tactics, including obtaining her one-time password and creating a false sense of urgency, to access her account and complete the wire transfer. Remarkably, Gloria recovered the full $50,000 after authorities investigated, and prosecutors successfully identified and charged a suspect—making the Mosses a rare case where a fraud victim recovered their stolen money in full.
consumer.ftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
Scammers use robocalls claiming consumers overpaid utility bills and are entitled to cash refunds and future discounts, instructing recipients to press a number to claim the money. This is a fraudulent scheme or marketing trick, as legitimate utility companies credit overpayments to accounts rather than issue cash refunds, and unsolicited discounts are unlikely. Consumers should hang up without pressing any keys, never share personal information, verify claims directly with their utility company using the number on their bill, and report suspicious calls to the FTC.
nzta.govt.nz
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece explains that scams involve fraudsters impersonating legitimate organizations through email, calls, or texts to extract personal information (driver's license numbers, credit card details) or trick victims into making payments for seemingly legitimate services like vehicle registration. The organization advises recipients to immediately report any suspicious communications so they can verify authenticity and take protective action.
ksby.com
· 2025-12-08
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office is alerting residents to an increase in impersonation scams where fraudsters pose as officials claiming victims owe fines, missed tolls, or face arrest, demanding immediate payment over the phone. The Sheriff's Office emphasizes it never demands payment by phone, requests gift cards, or threatens arrest for unpaid fines. Residents should hang up, avoid sharing information or sending money, and verify suspicious calls by contacting the Sheriff's Office directly at (805) 683-2724.
kwch.com
· 2025-12-08
A patient at Ascension Via Christi St. Joseph Hospital in Wichita, Kansas received multiple scam calls on her husband's hospital room phone attempting to sell various insurance products (Medicaid, life insurance, and auto insurance), with six calls arriving within two hours and continuing into nighttime hours. The hospital acknowledged that room phone numbers can be reached by robocall technology, though they reported no widespread scam call issue at their facility; the problem affects hospitals nationwide despite federal legislation like the Telephone Robocall Abuse Criminal Enforcement and Deterrence Act passed in 2019. Hospital staff advise patients to hang up on suspicious calls and never share personal, financial, or medical information over the phone