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CBS News
· 2025-08-13
Federal law enforcement dismantled a coordinated grandparent scam ring operating from a call center in the Dominican Republic, charging 13 alleged scammers who stole millions of dollars from hundreds of elderly victims across the country. The operation used runners in the United States, including Massachusetts, to pick up cash from victims' homes and used ride-share services to transport the money, with the investigation initiated after alert Uber drivers reported suspicious activity. The scammers posed as grandchildren in emergencies to manipulate victims into sending money.
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NBC 10 WJAR
· 2025-08-13
This educational piece discusses the growing threat of elder fraud, referencing a recent grandparent scam takedown involving 13 arrests that affected over 400 victims. A banking expert explains that scam volumes have increased exponentially due to technological advances, including AI-powered tactics like voice cloning and deepfake videos that make scams more sophisticated and convincing, particularly in romance and impersonation schemes targeting seniors.
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KPBS Public Media
· 2025-08-11
An 86-year-old San Diego senior named Bob Duff was targeted by a romance scam when someone posing as a 37-year-old South Korean woman named Kalista initiated contact via text, built rapport over two days on the messaging app Telegram, and attempted to establish an emotional connection. The incident illustrates how tech-savvy scammers are increasingly targeting San Diego seniors by exploiting loneliness and using social engineering tactics on digital platforms.
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WREG News Channel 3
· 2025-08-11
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CBS Sunday Morning
· 2025-08-10
Steve Wozniak, Apple co-founder, discovered that scammers were using deepfake or edited videos of him on YouTube to perpetrate a Bitcoin fraud scheme, promising to double any Bitcoin sent to a provided address. Victims, including Jennifer Marion who lost $59,000 worth of Bitcoin, received nothing in return, and Wozniak sued YouTube for failing to remove the fraudulent videos despite repeated requests from his legal team.
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CBC News
· 2025-08-07
Cecil and Sam Victor, elderly customers at TD Bank for over 40 years, lost approximately $10,000 in a "grandparent scam" after receiving calls claiming their grandson needed bail money for a car accident; they made two wire transfers within a day of each other. Their daughter questions the bank's fraud prevention practices, arguing that tellers should have flagged the suspicious back-to-back transfers from senior customers as unusual activity, though TD Bank stated the transactions were authorized and declined to intervene.
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FTCvideos
· 2025-08-06
**Summary:**
Scammers continually target people to steal money, social security numbers, and account information. When you suspect a scam, report it immediately to trusted contacts (family, friends, neighbors) and then file a report with the Federal Trade Commission, as each report helps investigators build cases against scammers and identify patterns to shut down fraudulent operations.
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NBC 7 San Diego
· 2025-08-06
An equestrian coach from Ramona lost nearly $6,000 in a phishing scam when she received a text warning that her bank accounts were compromised and a follow-up call appearing to be from her bank. The scammer impersonated a bank representative and guided her to "protect" her money, but the bank later confirmed they were never the ones contacting her. The victim is now speaking publicly to warn others about this common social engineering fraud tactic.
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ABC News In-depth
· 2025-08-05
An 81-year-old Chinese-Australian woman lost $40,000 in jewelry and cash to the "Chinese blessing scam," a decades-old fraud targeting elderly members of the Chinese community. Scammers approached her in a Sydney park, falsely claiming a curse threatened her son, then convinced her to hand over valuables for a ritualistic "blessing" before switching them with worthless items and instructing her not to open the bag for a month. The scam exploits traditional Chinese cultural beliefs about curses and misfortune, with reports of similar schemes dating back to the 1980s in China and affecting victims worldwide.
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CBS 8 San Diego
· 2025-08-01
In the first half of 2025, over 700 senior citizens in San Diego County lost nearly $70 million to financial scams, with losses on track to exceed last year's total of $98 million, though actual figures are likely higher due to underreporting. The FBI reported that seniors accounted for more than one-third of the $16 billion in nationwide fraud losses last year, with scammers targeting vulnerable elderly people who are often deceived by professional-sounding perpetrators. Local law enforcement and prosecutors are working to combat these crimes and bring scam artists to justice.
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CTV News
· 2025-07-30
Two Calgary-area nonprofits—the Calgary Humane Society and Alice Sanctuary—nearly fell victim to a scam involving fake checks for $95,000 each, supposedly from a donor's estate via a lawyer. The scammers used emotional manipulation, requesting the organizations send back smaller amounts ($7,000 and $25,000) to cover urgent pet medical care before the checks bounced. Both organizations avoided depositing the fraudulent checks and are now warning others about this scheme.
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TODAY
· 2025-07-29
Summer scammers exploit seasonal activities by targeting travelers and vacationers through fake rental listings on platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, and Facebook Marketplace. Key summer scams identified by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners include travel-related fraud, and consumers are advised to be cautious when booking vacation properties and purchasing concert tickets during the season.
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NBC4 Washington
· 2025-07-25
Grey's Anatomy actor Chris Carmack and his wife, musician Aaron Slaver, publicly shared their experience as scam victims to reduce stigma around fraud. Aaron lost $2,000 after purchasing cushions on an online platform (Betsy) that were never delivered and the seller disappeared before the platform could assist them. The couple is part of a McAfee cybersecurity campaign using #mycamstory to encourage others to openly discuss their scam experiences.
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KOAA 5
· 2025-07-25
A Colorado author lost over $100,000 in a combined romance and cryptocurrency investment scam after meeting someone on a dating app who convinced him to invest in what appeared to be a legitimate cryptocurrency opportunity. The incident is part of a larger trend in Colorado, where residents lost more than $240 million to scams in the previous year according to FBI data. The scammer used video calls and seemingly normal conversation tactics to build trust before pivoting to the fraudulent investment scheme.
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WENY TV NEWS
· 2025-07-25
Pennsylvania State Representative Tina Picket held an annual senior expo in Athens, Bradford County, to educate elderly residents about protecting themselves from scams targeting their finances and identities. The event featured speakers on topics including healthcare benefits, secure banking, and Medicare, along with booths offering information on local services and a free document shredding service to reduce identity theft risk.
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Al Jazeera English
· 2025-07-24
**Cyber Kidnapping Scams Target Chinese International Students**
Chinese international students worldwide are falling victim to "cyber kidnapping" scams where fraudsters impersonate authorities and coerce victims into staging fake abductions to extract ransom payments from their families, with demands reaching $1 million. A notable case involved 17-year-old exchange student Kai Wang, who went missing in Utah in December 2023 after being targeted by scammers threatening violence. Victims experience significant financial losses and psychological trauma from these sophisticated schemes that exploit their trust in authority figures.
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19 News
· 2025-07-23
A 66-year-old woman from Mentor, Ohio lost over $400,000 in a sophisticated cryptocurrency investment scam after being contacted by a scammer posing as an online friend offering investment advice. The scammer displayed fake returns to lure her in, then demanded six-figure fees to withdraw her funds—a classic fraud tactic. The victim is one of nearly 30 people across multiple states targeted by this same scam operation.
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FOX5 Las Vegas
· 2025-07-22
According to a Better Business Bureau annual scam tracker report, consumers aged 65 and older lost the most money to scams last year, averaging $160 per incident, primarily through cryptocurrency ripoffs, while young adults (18-24) lost around $150 mostly to employment scams. The report also found that nearly 10% of children were targeted by scammers through social media and gaming platforms, and women experienced scams more frequently than men but lost significantly less money per incident ($12 versus $200).
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FOX5 Las Vegas
· 2025-07-22
The FBI is warning of a spike in elder scams across the Las Vegas Valley, with scammers targeting retirement communities through various schemes including government impersonations, fake notices from Clark County, impersonation of police officers, and in-person fraud. FBI officials attribute the vulnerability of elderly victims to their trusting nature and note that common scam types include investment fraud and phishing emails designed to appear legitimate. The FBI emphasizes the importance of reporting scams and warns scammers that they will be tracked down and prosecuted.
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News 19 WLTX
· 2025-07-21
**Summary:**
The FBI is warning the public about a rise in government impersonation scams in which callers using spoofed phone numbers impersonating the FBI inform victims they have missed jury duty or have an arrest warrant, then demand payment to avoid arrest. The FBI reminds the public that it never demands payment over the phone or requests personal or financial information, and victims should hang up and contact their local FBI office directly if they receive such calls.
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FOX5 Las Vegas
· 2025-07-17
The Federal Trade Commission reported that U.S. consumers lost over $12 billion to fraud in 2024, a 25% increase from 2023, with 80% of financial scams originating from organized crime groups in Southeast Asia and romance scams primarily from Nigeria. To protect against fraud, consumers should treat financial security with the same rigor as home security by using strong passwords, maximizing social media privacy settings, and monitoring credit reports. Reporting scams to law enforcement and federal agencies is critical, as actual fraud losses exceed $158 billion annually—more than 15 times the reported amount—allowing criminals to target additional victims when incidents go unreported.
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NBC4 Columbus
· 2025-07-16
A woman in central Ohio fell victim to a Publishers Clearing House imposter scam after receiving a TikTok message claiming she had won a truck and $1 million. Scammers contacted her posing as PCH representatives, requesting payment for prize delivery, and the scheme escalated when they obtained her phone number and sent fraudulent badges and documentation. The victim shared her story to warn others about this widespread sweepstakes scam affecting people across the United States.
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WREG News Channel 3
· 2025-07-16
Military families should watch out for three scams: job scams targeting military spouses with promises of remote work and easy money (red flags include unsolicited checks and requests for personal information before interviews), identity theft during military moves when financial documents are vulnerable (freezing credit or placing an active duty fraud alert is recommended), and fraudulent VA benefit overpayment letters claiming money is owed. The VA offers free repayment assistance, so individuals should verify claims directly through VA.gov rather than responding to suspicious letters.
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FOX 4 Now
· 2025-07-11
Active duty military members in Florida reported 50% higher losses to scammers in 2024 compared to other Americans, affecting approximately 62,000 service members in the state. Scammers primarily target military consumers through online purchases, fake job postings, cryptocurrency investments, home improvements, and vacation deals, exploiting vulnerabilities created by frequent relocations and deployments. Protective measures include avoiding unsolicited links and attachments, being skeptical of deals that seem too good to be true, and using secure payment methods while avoiding cryptocurrency transfers.
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Hindustan Times
· 2025-07-10
A U.S. Senate hearing examined cryptocurrency industry practices and potential scams, with lawmakers expressing concern that weaker crypto regulations compared to traditional financial rules may enable fraud. The testimony highlighted that retail investors have lost money on certain cryptocurrency projects while industry leaders and associates profited significantly, underscoring the need for stronger consumer protections and securities oversight in the crypto sector.
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NBC4 Columbus
· 2025-07-08
Online shopping scams surge during major sales events like Amazon Prime Day and retailer promotions, with over 30% of scam reports involving online purchases and 87% of victims losing money. Scammers create fake websites mimicking legitimate retailers' logos and professional appearance to deceive shoppers. To protect yourself, avoid clicking social media links and ads, navigate directly to official websites, and use credit cards for purchases to enable dispute protection.
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Local 3 News
· 2025-07-04
During Amazon Prime Day sales events, scammers use fake emails, texts, and websites to trick shoppers into sharing personal information and credit card details by impersonating Amazon. Common scams include fake order confirmation/delay notifications, gift card prize offers, and fake price adjustment refunds—tactics designed to target millions of Prime members during high-volume shopping periods. Consumers should verify communications directly through official Amazon channels and avoid clicking links in unsolicited messages.
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11Alive
· 2025-07-02
A Georgia woman lost nearly $30,000 in a "task scam" after responding to a text about a part-time remote job. The scammers posed as a legitimate company, provided fake credentials, paid her for initial training tasks to build trust, then demanded she invest her own money to continue work, ultimately revealing the entire job opportunity was fraudulent. The Federal Trade Commission reports that such schemes are surging, typically starting with text messages promising work like app optimization or product boosting, using small initial payouts to establish credibility before escalating financial demands.
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LEX18
· 2025-06-30
A Lexington woman narrowly avoided a jury duty scam in June when a caller impersonating a county sheriff's deputy contacted her claiming she had failed to appear for jury duty. The scammer used sophisticated tactics including a real deputy's name, local area code, actual county address, and the victim's personal information to establish credibility, though he never requested payment and instead asked her to come to the sheriff's office in person. The woman's skepticism and decision to verify the claim prevented her from becoming a victim of what could have escalated to financial loss or worse.
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FOX 2 St. Louis
· 2025-06-27
A new Better Business Bureau report examines sophisticated business scams where fraudsters impersonate vendors, access computer systems, and obtain sensitive data through breaches. The FBI reports $1.4 billion in losses from data breaches over three years, with IBM estimating average breach costs of nearly $5 million per business in 2024. The BBB recommends businesses implement multi-factor authentication, conduct cybersecurity training for employees, and establish unique passwords across all devices to protect against these increasingly complex attacks.
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CTV News
· 2025-06-26
A Manitoba senior lost his entire life savings of $2 million in a cryptocurrency investment scam involving a fake website called "Fargo Investor" created using artificial intelligence. Scammers, reportedly operating from outside Canada, used social media ads featuring celebrity endorsements to promote the unregistered investment opportunity, which the Manitoba Securities Commission warns is part of a rising trend of fraud targeting seniors.
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Channel 3000 / News 3 Now
· 2025-06-24
Walmart agreed to pay a $10 million fine to the Federal Trade Commission for allegedly enabling wire fraud through its in-store money transfer services by failing to implement adequate anti-fraud safeguards, employee training, and customer alerts. The FTC reported that hundreds of millions of dollars were lost in schemes using Walmart's services, and the settlement requires Walmart to implement fraud prevention measures and cease processing transfers for telemarketing scams involving upfront loan or credit payment requests.
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4 News Now
· 2025-06-23
Scammers are impersonating banks and financial institutions by sending fraudulent fraud alert texts with malicious links designed to steal banking information. Using advanced AI technology and voice cloning, fraudsters are even posing as law enforcement using real phone numbers to manipulate victims into quickly providing account access. The key defense is to slow down and critically evaluate suspicious communications before responding, especially those from unfamiliar numbers or those that pressure immediate action.
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FOX 4 Dallas-Fort Worth
· 2025-06-17
Congress held a Senate Judiciary Committee hearing to address the growing threat of sophisticated online scams targeting older Americans, with lawmakers focusing on international crime networks and legal loopholes that hinder victim recovery. The hearing highlighted cases such as grandparent scams where seniors voluntarily send money based on fraudulent emergency claims, and revealed systemic issues including victims being denied support by local authorities and difficulty recovering stolen funds. Lawmakers aim to close legal gaps that currently allow scammers to evade prosecution and make it harder for elderly victims to reclaim their money.
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WJZ
· 2025-06-16
Maryland state leaders and AARP launched "Protect Week," a public education campaign coinciding with World Elder Abuse Day, to help older adults and families avoid financial exploitation and scams. In Maryland alone, over 3,200 people aged 60+ lost approximately $80 million to scams in the previous year, with fraud often originating from both strangers online and trusted individuals. The campaign emphasizes that scammers exploit elders' vulnerability and trusting nature through increasingly sophisticated schemes that create artificial urgency.
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WPLG Local 10
· 2025-06-13
Federal authorities warned of a 43% increase in elder fraud victim losses nationwide, with Florida ranking third in both losses and victims. FBI Miami highlighted rising impersonation fraud schemes—including immigration-related scams—that target seniors through phone calls and text messages, exploiting their politeness, desire for companionship, and lower technological literacy.
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CBS Philadelphia
· 2025-06-09
Scammers are impersonating customer service representatives to steal money from consumers who search for legitimate company support numbers online. Helen Knop lost over $3,000 from her checking account after calling what she believed was a Walmart customer service number found through Google; the fraudsters collected her personal and banking information under the guise of resolving a dishwasher installation issue. To protect yourself, verify customer service numbers directly through official company websites rather than relying on search results, and be cautious about sharing banking information over the phone.
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Island News
· 2025-06-08
During Medicare Fraud Prevention Week, Hawaii advocates warned seniors—a particularly vulnerable population—about scams targeting the state. In 2023, Hawaii residents reported losing more than $52 million to internet scams, with impostor scams and identity theft identified as the most common fraud types. Advocates emphasized awareness and prevention efforts to protect seniors and safeguard Medicare's financial integrity as Hawaii's aging population continues to grow.
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FOX5 Las Vegas
· 2025-06-04
Cyber criminals use phishing emails impersonating Facebook to steal login credentials by falsely warning users that their page violates copyright laws and threatening immediate account loss. To protect yourself, be suspicious of unsolicited emails, only log in through official websites or apps, avoid clicking links in emails claiming to be from social media platforms, and watch for spelling and grammar errors in impostor emails.
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CTV News
· 2025-06-03
Employment scams are rising dramatically, with reported losses reaching nearly $23 million in the first three months of 2025, up from $7 million in 2022. Job seekers like Kelsey Burgess fall victim after being recruited through social media for work-from-home positions, where scammers send fake checks and ask victims to purchase gift cards, resulting in personal financial losses when the checks don't clear. These scams target job seekers broadly by offering unrealistic salaries and legitimate-appearing opportunities, with no specific demographic being singled out.
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FTCvideos
· 2025-06-03
This educational piece advises consumers preparing for hurricane season to incorporate fraud prevention into their emergency planning. Key recommendations include reviewing insurance coverage, documenting household inventory with photos, securing important documents and cash in a fireproof box, and vetting home repair contractors in advance by requesting referrals and searching online for complaints or scams.
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WFRV Local 5
· 2025-06-03
The Wisconsin Better Business Bureau warns that investment and cryptocurrency scams are the most prevalent frauds targeting adults 55 and older. The BBB recommends being cautious of phone fraud with spoofed caller IDs, avoiding pressure to act immediately, and verifying unusual claims by calling official sources directly rather than trusting the caller's information.
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CBS Evening News
· 2025-06-01
A 26-year-old U.S. Navy electrician named Thomas Xiao admitted to passing sensitive military documents to a Chinese intelligence officer who posed as an investor and researcher on the Chinese social media app WeChat between 2021 and 2023. Chinese intelligence operatives are increasingly using social media and virtual contact to recruit U.S. military personnel and extract classified information, as traditional in-person espionage has become more difficult.
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Forbes Breaking News
· 2025-05-30
Congressman Sanford Bishop questioned SEC Commissioner Atkins about investor protection for elderly Americans, noting that investor advocacy legal clinics assisting seniors defrauded by brokers and advisors have declined from 24 clinics to only 10 across the country due to depleted funding from FINRA and state regulators. Bishop asked what the SEC can do to prevent further clinic closures and promote resources to at-risk populations, with Atkins indicating support for expanding these consumer protection initiatives.
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NBC10 Boston
· 2025-05-23
Massachusetts consumer protection officials warn residents to stay alert against increasingly common scams, noting that older Americans lost nearly $5 billion to fraud in the past year. Key red flags include social media scams that create urgency, unsolicited phone calls, tech support scams, romance scams, and cryptocurrency schemes, with protective measures including ignoring unknown callers, using two-factor authentication, and regularly changing passwords.
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TMJ4 News
· 2025-05-21
AARP hosted a "Scam Jam" educational event at Oak Creek Community Center in Wisconsin to help residents identify and prevent fraud. The event featured Tony Lup sharing his personal experiences being targeted by multiple scams including prize/trip offers and fake emergencies, emphasizing that anyone can be victimized but everyone can protect themselves by following advice like verifying unexpected calls and hanging up on suspicious requests.
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therhodeshow
· 2025-05-20
This educational segment discusses common senior scams affecting millions of Americans annually, including identity theft schemes, grandparent scams (falsely claiming a relative needs bail money), tech support scams, and romance scams. Key prevention strategies include educating seniors about scam tactics, maintaining regular involvement in their financial affairs, and reporting suspected fraud to state police or adult services, while noting that many scams go unreported due to victim embarrassment.
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News 5 Cleveland
· 2025-05-19
According to FBI figures, scammers defrauded seniors of $4.8 billion in 2024. The Mentor Police Department in Northeast Ohio is increasing scam prevention outreach through workshops at senior centers and assisted living facilities in response to rising fraud targeting older adults. One victim, Jack Hines, nearly fell for a phishing email scam but caught himself before losing money.
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FOX59 News
· 2025-05-16
Indiana State Police are reporting a sharp increase in romance scams on dating websites where criminals use artificial intelligence to create more convincing fake profiles and messages, with victims losing up to $200,000 in some cases. The AI technology allows scammers to improve their English and create realistic photos, making it harder for people to detect fraudulent accounts, and perpetrators typically spend weeks or months building relationships before requesting money through untraceable payment methods like gift cards. Police advise potential dating app users to watch for red flags such as requests for money, unusual photo details (asymmetrical faces, incomplete glasses, odd fingers), and to verify profiles independently before engaging with matches.
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CBS4 Indy
· 2025-05-16
Indiana State Police report a surge in AI-enhanced romance scams targeting Hoosiers, with victims losing up to $200,000 per case. Scammers use artificial intelligence to improve their language skills and create realistic profile photos, making them harder to detect as they build relationships over weeks or months before requesting money through untraceable payment methods. Police advise victims to watch for red flags such as requests for gift cards, scrutinize AI-generated photos for imperfections, and trust their instincts, as romance scams have become the third riskiest scam type according to the Better Business Bureau.