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highlandcountypress.com
· 2025-12-08
**Article:** "Raising awareness about fraud targeting seniors"
The FBI reported seniors lost $3.4 billion in 2023, an 11-percent increase from 2022, through scams including romance fraud, fake tech support, cryptocurrency schemes, and investment fraud. The article outlines six warning signs of scams and provides guidance on prevention measures and reporting channels, including contacting local police, the FTC, FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
wtov9.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Attorneys' offices for West Virginia's Northern and Southern districts hosted a Bank Secrecy Act and Anti-Money Laundering Conference in Wheeling to educate banking officials, compliance officers, and other financial professionals on identifying and preventing money laundering, elder financial exploitation, and romance scams. The conference featured panels with FBI agents, IRS agents, and federal prosecutors discussing strategies to better protect older West Virginians, with particular focus on the challenge of preventing victims from sending additional money to their exploiters. Officials noted an uptick in elder financial exploitation cases across the region and committed to improving protective measures.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
A 91-year-old Rockland woman became a victim of credit card fraud when over $3,000 in fraudulent charges from Texas energy companies appeared on her statement in late 2022, shortly after she vacationed in Florida. Her daughter spent more than a year attempting to dispute the charges with Citibank, but the case was closed due to insufficient information, highlighting challenges elderly fraud victims face in resolving disputes. The incident reflects a broader trend in Massachusetts, where residents over 60 lost over $70 million to fraud in 2022, with seniors being significantly more vulnerable to online scams, investment fraud, and imposter schemes.
theintelligencer.net
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of West Virginia hosted a financial crimes conference in Wheeling to educate bank officials, credit union staff, and other financial professionals on identifying and preventing fraud targeting vulnerable populations. The conference covered multiple fraud types affecting West Virginians, including elder financial abuse (subdivided into "elder thefts" by known individuals and "elder scams" by strangers), romance scams, and money laundering, with federal law enforcement and prosecutors sharing current trends and investigation insights. The training emphasized helping financial professionals recognize suspicious activity, properly file reports, and understand why victims—particularly elderly and trusting West Virginians—often resist warnings about ongoing scams.
newarkadvocate.com
· 2025-12-08
Fraud cases are rising significantly across Ohio, with the Ashland Police Department reporting a 62% increase in fraud and forgery cases, while the FBI documented a 14% increase in fraud allegations against older adults in 2023, resulting in average losses of $33,915 per victim and over $3.4 billion in total losses. Scammers target all demographics—including business professionals and online daters—using tactics such as requesting gift card payments, threatening account hacks, and romance manipulation. Police recommend avoiding unsolicited money transfers to unknown individuals, using buyer-protected payment services, recognizing deals that seem too good to be true, and contacting local police if feeling uneasy
saga.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Four people over 50 are victims of fraud every minute in the UK, according to Age UK research, yet most cases go unreported due to stigma and shame surrounding fraud victimization. The article identifies common scams targeting older adults including QR code fraud (fake codes redirecting to fraudulent payment sites), ATM skimming (devices that capture card details and PINs), and card trapping, while emphasizing that fraud is a crime of manipulation by criminals rather than a reflection of victim vulnerability. Experts recommend checking for tampered codes, protecting PINs at ATMs, reporting suspicious activity, and learning to recognize warning signs across emails, social media, phone calls, and in-person interactions
k99.com
· 2025-12-08
A Colorado woman who co-owned a jewelry store was defrauded of over $700,000 over two years after meeting a man on Instagram who posed as a legitimate gold jewelry seller; she discovered the items she purchased were cheap silver worth approximately $4 each made to look like gold. After traveling to India to confront the scammers, she contacted authorities, and while one man involved in creating fraudulent authenticity documents was arrested, the father-and-son perpetrators remained at large as of June 2024.
hudsonvalleycountry.com
· 2025-12-08
New York officials are warning residents about a rising "pig butchering" scam targeting romance seekers on dating apps and social media. Scammers build trust with victims over time before convincing them to invest money in cryptocurrency or foreign currency schemes, often moving conversations to encrypted platforms like WhatsApp to evade law enforcement. New York Attorney General Letitia James recommends verifying people's identities, avoiding wire transfers to unvetted contacts, and being suspicious of those who resist video calls, pressure for investments, or request personal financial information.
picketfencemedia.com
· 2025-12-08
Online dating romance scams targeting seniors have increased dramatically over the past five years, with vulnerable and lonely older adults losing significant sums, sometimes their entire life savings, to scammers posing as potential romantic partners. The article details a case of a 75-year-old man who lost his life's savings to a scammer claiming to be a 37-year-old woman who contacted him via LinkedIn and later WhatsApp, using red flags such as a large age gap, refusal to meet in person, and requests for financial investments. The author advises seniors to approach online dating cautiously by being aware of warning signs, trusting their instincts, and insisting on in-person meetings before
wabi.tv
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams are affecting Maine residents at an increasing rate, with scammers using social media and dating sites to build fake relationships and convince victims to send money for plane tickets or other expenses that never materialize. According to the Federal Trade Commission, nearly 70,000 people reported romance scams in 2022, losing over $1 billion with a median loss of $4,400 per victim. Experts advise potential victims to watch for red flags such as requests for money, isolation from friends and family, and broken promises to meet in person, and emphasize that prevention through awareness is more effective than law enforcement recovery efforts.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
North Carolina authorities report that seniors lost approximately $7 million to scams in 2023, with over 500 elder fraud complaints resulting in an average loss of $50,000 per victim, though many cases go unreported due to shame or embarrassment. Tech support, investment, and romance scams are the most prevalent schemes, and a new helpline (2-1-1) has been launched to assist victims and provide fraud prevention resources. State officials emphasize that scammers employ increasingly sophisticated tactics and urge community members to support victims while maintaining healthy skepticism of unsolicited offers that sound too good or too urgent.
wkyt.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Elder fraud is escalating in Kentucky, with residents aged 60 and older losing over $12 million in the past five months to scams including pop-up malware, romance schemes, and cryptocurrency fraud. Law enforcement officials emphasize that education and public awareness are more effective than prosecution alone, urging families to discuss finances with elderly relatives, recognize warning signs, and report suspicious activity rather than engaging with unknown contacts.
wuky.org
· 2025-12-08
Elder Kentuckians lost $12.8 million to scams in the previous year, with projections to double to $12.7 million by May of the current year, according to FBI officials who warn the problem is not declining. The three most common scams targeting Kentucky elders are investment fraud (including cryptocurrency and precious metals schemes), tech support fraud (phishing and fake security alerts), and romance fraud, with a detailed case study showing a 72-year-old woman losing nearly $200,000 to a military officer imposter who cultivated a romantic relationship with her over months before requesting money for military contract payouts and travel expenses. The investigation resulted in the indictment of three U
sf.gov
· 2025-12-08
San Francisco's Mayor London Breed joined city, state, and federal leaders on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day to announce that over 1,200 seniors were reached through a multi-agency fraud prevention campaign, with presentations delivered in six languages across 37 locations. The coalition educated seniors on identifying red flags for scams including blessing scams, AI-based impersonation, grandparent schemes, and "pig butchering" cryptocurrency fraud, while highlighting that elder fraud caused over $3.4 billion in losses nationally in 2023, with the average victim losing $33,915. The effort aimed to help seniors and families recognize fraudulent schemes and report crimes to prevent victimization.
wthr.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI reported that elder fraud losses reached $1.6 billion from January to May 2024, a $300 million increase over the same 2023 period, with tech support, romance, investment, and government impersonation scams being the most prevalent. To protect themselves, seniors should verify unsolicited contacts through independent research, resist pressure to act quickly, avoid sharing personal information or money with unverified sources, and monitor financial accounts for suspicious activity. Victims should document details of the scam and report it to their local FBI office or IC3.gov.
wgme.com
· 2025-12-08
Maine seniors lost $7.1 million to elder fraud in the past year, with nearly 400 victims over age 60 falling prey to scams including romance and investment schemes often involving cryptocurrency. The FBI reports a double-digit increase in financial scams across New England, with regional losses reaching $1.6 billion between January and May of this year. Victims are advised to avoid unsolicited communications, resist pressure to act quickly, never share personal information with unverified sources, and recognize gift cards and cryptocurrency payments as red flags, while authorities emphasize that actual victim numbers are likely higher due to underreporting.
sebastopoltimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Financial exploitation of elderly residents in Sonoma County increased significantly, with Adult Protective Services reporting a 9% rise in abuse reports and 14% increase in investigations from 2022 to 2023, with 19% of over 7,800 allegations involving financial exploitation. Common scams targeting seniors include investment fraud, tech support scams, phishing schemes, and romance scams, which collectively cost victims $3.4 billion nationally in 2023, with romance scams proving particularly damaging due to the emotional manipulation involved. Experts advised seniors to avoid clicking links in suspicious emails or calls, contact companies directly to verify account issues, and be wary of requests for money from online dating
al.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scammers exploit emotional connections formed on dating apps and social media to lure victims into fake investment schemes, particularly cryptocurrency fraud. In 2021, romance scams cost Americans $547 million, with cryptocurrency-based scams being the most expensive, and victims have lost tens of thousands to millions of dollars. Red flags include promises of guaranteed profits, "no risk" investments, offers to teach investment strategies, and requests for payment via gift cards, payment apps, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency—anyone meeting online who pitches cryptocurrency investment is running a scam and should be reported immediately to the platform and the FTC.
lavanguardia.com
· 2025-12-08
Digital fraud targeting seniors in Spain has surged dramatically, with scam cases against people over 65 increasing 78% between 2019 and 2022 (from 7,568 to 13,479 cases), and digital fraud cases alone rising 21.73% in 2022 compared to 2021. Seniors are vulnerable targets due to lower technology familiarity, trustfulness, and susceptibility to social engineering tactics such as fake investment schemes and fraudulent shopping charges, with 15% of victims losing over €10,000 according to one survey. Experts emphasize that enhanced digital education and protection measures are needed to help older adults navigate the internet safely and avoi
federalnewsnetwork.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers impersonating federal agencies caused Americans to lose approximately $1.3 billion in the past year, with financial losses surging over sevenfold since 2019. Generative AI technology, particularly voice cloning, has made these impersonation scams more convincing and successful, with criminals posing as Medicare, IRS, law enforcement, and other federal officials to pressure victims into disclosing sensitive information or paying fraudulent fees. The article emphasizes that federal agencies need enhanced tools and tactics to combat these evolving threats, as these scams exploit public trust in government institutions.
adirondackdailyenterprise.com
· 2025-12-08
Saranac Lake Police Chief Darin Perrotte provided guidance on protecting oneself from financial scams, emphasizing the importance of skepticism toward unverifiable communications and resisting artificial urgency tactics. He outlined why seniors are vulnerable targets—including accumulated assets, trusting nature, and isolation—and recommended verification strategies such as calling organizations back using independently verified numbers and questioning requests for information companies should already have on file. Perrotte stressed protecting Social Security numbers, avoiding text-based financial requests, and remaining aware that exploitation often comes from trusted individuals like family members and caregivers rather than strangers.
wmtw.com
· 2025-12-08
Seniors are increasingly targeted by scammers using phone calls impersonating banks or relatives to steal personal information and money. According to FBI data, older Americans lost $1.6 billion to fraud from January-May 2024, with Maine victims alone losing $7.2 million in 2023 (397 cases averaging $18,040 per victim). Experts recommend pausing to verify unexpected urgent calls through known phone numbers and educating older adults about common scams, with organizations like Kennebunk Savings partnering with the Southern Maine Agency on Aging to provide fraud prevention resources and support.
the-sun.com
· 2025-12-08
86-year-old Sandra Jung of Little Rock, Arkansas lost nearly $10,000 in a tech support scam after seeing a malware pop-up and calling what she believed was Microsoft's official number from a Google search result. The scammer convinced her that an erroneous $15,000 refund (instead of the promised $150) had been deposited and manipulated her into sending back nearly $10,000 to "resolve" the issue. Jung filed a report with the Attorney General's office but is unlikely to recover the funds.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
In observation of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Massachusetts emphasized its commitment to prosecuting elder fraud and financial exploitation, noting that nearly one in 10 adults aged 60 and older experience some form of elder abuse annually. The office highlighted a recent case where Chukwunonso Umegbo was sentenced to over three years in prison for operating a romance scam that defrauded at least 45 victims of more than $568,000 between 2018 and 2019, including a senior who lost her home, car, and retirement savings. The District of Massachusetts has launched an Elder Justice Out
punchng.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. government announced increased efforts to pursue international scammers targeting American citizens, following a business email compromise scheme that defrauded a U.S. company of approximately $8 billion (N8 billion). Scammers used spoofed emails to redirect payments to fraudulent accounts, with funds transferred to cryptocurrency wallets and banks in multiple countries including Nigeria; U.S. authorities successfully seized approximately $5.3 million held in domestic banks before it could be transferred overseas. The Department of Justice is directing victims of cryptocurrency scams, romance scams, investment scams, and business email compromise fraud to report through a dedicated government website to support investigation and recovery efforts.
gmtoday.com
· 2025-12-08
The Jackson Police Department's Fraud Prevention Friday post highlights romance scams, which target all age groups and operate through three stages: pretense (the scammer builds fake trust online), problem (the scammer creates an excuse preventing in-person meetings or fabricates a crisis), and pressure (the scammer requests money from the victim). The department recommends citizens educate themselves on romance scams, exercise caution when meeting people online, and references the film "The Tinder Swindler" as a resource for understanding how these scams operate.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
On World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, U.S. Attorney Henry C. Leventis highlighted the Justice Department's multi-faceted approach to combating elder fraud, including the Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force and Money Mule Initiative that target foreign-based schemes and fraud networks. The office detailed common scams affecting older Americans—including Social Security impostor schemes, tech support fraud, and lottery scams—and cited a 2023 federal conviction where a defendant defrauded an elderly widow of approximately $1.2 million by posing as her personal representative and spending her money on luxury items and lottery tickets.
postandcourier.com
· 2025-12-08
In observance of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the IRS Criminal Investigation's Charlotte Field Office is promoting fraud awareness to combat the rising tide of financial crimes against seniors. According to the FBI's 2023 Internet Crimes Report, individuals aged 60 and above filed 101,068 complaints and sustained $3.4 billion in losses from scams including tech support fraud, government impersonation, phishing, and romance schemes. The IRS employs education, criminal investigations, and public-private partnerships to combat elder fraud, with recent prosecutions including a home health care operator sentenced to 45 months for stealing over $1 million from elderly clients and an investment fraudster sentenced to
abc7news.com
· 2025-12-08
California and San Francisco law enforcement issued warnings about financial fraud targeting seniors, which costs older adults nearly $3 billion annually. Scams include call center fraud, romance schemes, grandparent scams, and AI-enabled impersonations, with particular targeting of ethnic communities like Chinatown through language-based trust exploitation, including a notable $39 million Ponzi scheme. Authorities urge reporting of suspected elder fraud to police, adult protective services, and the California Attorney General's office to help catch perpetrators and prevent future victimization.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI reports a significant increase in elder fraud cases, with $1.6 billion in losses from January to May 2024—nearly $300 million more than the same period in 2023—and notes that Texas alone lost over $278 million in 2023. The most common schemes targeting older adults include tech support scams, romance scams, investment scams, and government impersonation scams, with investment fraud showing the sharpest growth (up 419% in losses from 2021-2023, largely due to cryptocurrency). The FBI emphasizes that seniors should verify unknown contacts, resist pressure to act quickly, avoid sharing personal information with unverified sources, and monitor their
becu.org
· 2025-12-08
Elder fraud continues to rise significantly, with older Americans losing over $3.4 billion in 2023 alone—an average of $33,915 per victim and representing an 11% increase in losses from the prior year. The most common scams targeting seniors include tech support fraud (where scammers pose as legitimate companies to gain computer access), imposter scams (impersonating government agencies or financial institutions), and romance scams (criminals building fake relationships to extract money). Protective measures include avoiding unsolicited contact, never downloading software from unknown contacts, and never sharing sensitive information or credentials with unverified callers.
newsantaana.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI reports that elder fraud losses reached $1.6 billion from January to May 2024, a nearly $300 million increase from the same period in 2023, with complaints rising 14% annually. Common schemes targeting older adults include tech support scams, romance scams, investment scams (which saw 419% increase in losses from 2021-2023), and government impersonation scams. The FBI recommends seniors verify unfamiliar contacts, resist pressure to act quickly, avoid unsolicited offers, never share personal information with unverified sources, and report suspected fraud to the FBI or IC3.gov.
fox23maine.com
· 2025-12-08
In Maine, nearly 400 seniors over age 60 lost a combined $7.1 million to elder fraud last year, with the FBI attributing the rise to increased romance and investment scams using hard-to-trace payment methods like cryptocurrency. To protect themselves, seniors should be cautious of unsolicited communications, resist pressure to act quickly, never share personal information with unverified sources, and recognize gift cards and bitcoin requests as red flags. Experts note that actual victim numbers are likely higher due to underreporting driven by fear and embarrassment.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
On June 15, 2024, the U.S. District of South Dakota joined national leaders in recognizing World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, emphasizing that one in ten older Americans are victims of elder abuse annually. The District highlighted ongoing efforts through initiatives like the Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force and Money Mule Initiative to combat common schemes targeting seniors, including romance scams, tech support fraud, Social Security impostor scams, lottery scams, and IRS impersonation scams.
newstalkkzrg.com
· 2025-12-08
U.S. Attorney Teresa Moore recognized World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, highlighting that one in ten people over 60 experience elder abuse and an estimated $28.3 billion is lost annually to elder fraud scams. The Justice Department is committed to prosecuting elder abusers through various initiatives, including the Transnational Elder Fraud Task Force and Money Mule Initiative, while providing public awareness resources on common schemes such as romance fraud, tech support scams, and Social Security impostor scams. Recent cases include the sentencing of Henry Asomani to 10 years in federal prison for a romance fraud conspiracy that stole over $3 million from more than a dozen victims.
crypto.news
· 2025-12-08
This cryptocurrency market recap covers multiple topics, but is primarily relevant to elder fraud awareness for two scam types: The Federal Trade Commission warned of a surge in romance scams where fraudsters build romantic relationships to defraud victims of cryptocurrency holdings. Additionally, crypto exchange scams affected users through SIM swap attacks (OKX), impersonation fraud targeting $210,000 in losses (fake Binance co-founder), and major exchange breaches ($22 million stolen from Lykke).
cryptopolitan.com
· 2025-12-08
CISA warned of increasing impersonation scams targeting crypto investors, where fraudsters pose as government employees to solicit wire transfers, cash, cryptocurrency, or gift cards. The FTC simultaneously issued an alert about romance scams involving cryptocurrency, where scammers build emotional relationships with victims before manipulating them into fake crypto investments. Both agencies advise verifying caller identity through official channels and rejecting unsolicited requests for money or personal information, emphasizing that legitimate government agencies never request such payments.
sciotopost.com
· 2025-12-08
De-love Kofi Amuzu, 25, of Ohio, was sentenced to 78 months in prison for laundering money from a romance fraud conspiracy targeting elderly victims seeking companionship online. The scheme involved creating fake dating profiles to deceive victims into sending substantial cash, items, and wire transfers totaling over $1.1 million, which Amuzu then transferred to Ghana accounts. Several victims lost so much money they were forced into bankruptcy, and Amuzu has been ordered to pay $835,487.65 in restitution.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan recognized World Elder Abuse Awareness Day by announcing a partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to combat fraud targeting older citizens. The agencies will hold a public town hall on June 20, 2024, to educate seniors about recognizing and preventing fraud schemes, including tech support scams, romance scams, and Social Security impostor fraud. The Justice Department emphasizes that awareness and information are key to protecting vulnerable populations from financial, physical, and psychological harm.
wbko.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI reports a significant surge in elder fraud, with $1.6 billion in losses from January to May 2024—nearly $300 million more than the same period in 2023—and warns that 2023 saw elder fraud complaints rise 14% resulting in $3.4 billion in annual losses. Common scams targeting seniors include tech support, romance, investment, and government impersonation schemes, which cause financial and psychological harm to vulnerable populations. The FBI recommends victims and potential targets verify unknown contacts, resist urgency tactics, avoid sharing personal information with unverified sources, and report suspected fraud to local FBI offices or IC3.gov.
taipeitimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams targeting people seeking relationships online are prevalent in Taiwan, with scammers using fake profiles and trust-building tactics to convince victims to send money. Two documented cases involved a 35-year-old woman who lent NT$1 million (US$30,912) to a man posing as a National Security Bureau employee, and a female teacher who nearly sent NT$5 million to someone claiming to be a businessman—the latter prevented by an alert bank clerk. Authorities advise victims to verify suspicious activity by contacting the 165 anti-fraud hotline or police, and to seek guidance from trusted friends and family before sending money to online romantic interests.
boredpanda.com
· 2025-12-08
A Spanish woman lost approximately €700,000 ($750,000) to scammers posing as actor Keanu Reeves through an AI-generated fake profile that initially built trust through romantic messages on social media. Over multiple interactions, the imposter convinced the victim to make 16 money transfers under the pretense of funding a private jet, computer equipment for John Wick 5 scripts, and Bitcoin investments, forcing her to pawn possessions and borrow money from family. The scam combined romance fraud tactics with false investment promises, exploiting the victim's trust in the fabricated relationship.
theregister.com
· 2025-12-08
A UK health club chain, Total Fitness, exposed over 474,000 images of members and staff through an unprotected, publicly accessible database containing 47.7GB of data, including identity documents, payment card information, and phone numbers. The database was left without password protection, allowing unauthorized access to sensitive personal information of more than 100,000 members and 600 staff across 15 facilities. Total Fitness has since secured the database, notified affected individuals, and reported the breach to the UK's Information Commissioner's Office.
wbtv.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are targeting smart TV users through fraudulent pop-ups that appear when users attempt to log into streaming services, claiming there is a problem requiring a phone call or website visit to resolve. The Better Business Bureau warns that victims who comply are pressured to pay fees or grant remote access, allowing scammers to steal personal information. Users can protect themselves by verifying fees, typing URLs directly into browsers, researching phone numbers independently, and refusing remote access requests.
spectrumnews1.com
· 2025-12-08
Madeline Sprints fell victim to a parking lot distraction theft scam in Los Angeles where criminals stole three credit cards from her purse and attempted $10,000 in fraudulent charges, prompting her to join the Stop Senior Scams Acting Program to educate other seniors. According to the FBI, adults over 60 lost $3.4 billion to fraud in 2023 (an 11% increase from 2022), with common scams including grandparent scams, romance scams through dating apps, and tech support scams. The FBI recommends never responding to unsolicited contact and reporting scams to local FBI offices or the Internet Crime Complaint Center
theconversation.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, Americans age 60 and older lost more than $3 billion to scammers, with elder fraud complaints to the FBI increasing 14% year-over-year, though actual losses are likely much higher due to underreporting and unreported incidents. Older adults are particularly vulnerable because they tend to be more trusting, have accumulated savings and good credit, and may lack familiarity with technology, making them attractive targets for tech-support scams, romance schemes, investment fraud, and call-center operations. Prevention through education on identifying and reporting fraud is critical to mitigating this epidemic's financial and psychological consequences.
cnn.com
· 2025-12-08
Dennis Jones, an 82-year-old Virginia man, lost his entire life savings to a "pig butchering" scam after being groomed online for months by a woman claiming to be named Jessie who convinced him to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency; devastated by financial ruin, he died by suicide before his family could help him recover. Pig butchering scams, run primarily by Chinese criminal gangs operating from Southeast Asia, involve con artists building relationships with victims over months before pressuring them to invest in fake cryptocurrency platforms, with the FBI estimating these scams stole nearly $4 billion from American victims in the past year alone—a 53% increase from the previous year
webwire.com
· 2025-12-08
Tietoevry Banking's 2023 fraud prevention report analyzed 3.4 billion transactions and prevented NOK 2.7 billion in fraud, with a 90 percent detection rate stopping approximately 70 percent of fraud attempts without customer loss. The report reveals a significant surge in digital fraud methods, including a 70 percent increase in card/account fraud attempts, 300 percent rise in digital wallet fraud, and over 150 percent growth in social engineering attacks, with phishing attempts up 60 percent. Key emerging threats include AI-enabled fraud techniques such as deepfake voice calls, "secure account" fraud, romance scams, and extortion schemes, requiring
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece argues that certain zodiac signs—particularly Pisces, Libra, Taurus, Cancer, Leo, and Sagittarius—exhibit personality traits that may make them more vulnerable to online romance scams, such as idealism, desire for harmony, need for stability, nurturing instincts, and adventurous spirits. The article advises that while anyone can be targeted, recognizing these susceptibility patterns can help individuals stay vigilant and protect themselves from romantic fraud online.
taipeitimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A man surnamed Hsiao was sentenced to five years in prison by the Miaoli County District Court for operating a romance scam ring that targeted victims in China, defrauding at least one male victim of 1,200 yuan (US$165.38) across 23 incidents. Hsiao recruited young men and women to pose as romantic interests on social media and dating apps, and was convicted of fraud and violating the Organized Crime Prevention Act, with the court emphasizing the serious damage caused to public trust and Taiwan's international reputation.