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in Scam Awareness
ftc.gov
· 2026-07-29
The FTC, along with Utah and California authorities, sued telehealth provider Hims & Hers for charging consumers for prescriptions immediately after intake form submission without clear disclosure, despite claiming consultations would occur first, and for sharing sensitive health information with third-party platforms like Meta and Snap without consent. The company also made it difficult for consumers to cancel subscriptions by hiding cancellation options and failing to clearly disclose refill dates. The deceptive practices generated numerous consumer complaints about unexpected charges and privacy violations.
broadandliberty.com
· 2026-07-29
In 2024, Kris Vollrath's parents fell victim to a Publisher's Clearing House sweepstakes scam in which they sent approximately $35,000 in payments before the fraud was discovered. The scammer used fake official documents and built trust over six weeks while instructing the victims to keep the scheme secret, exploiting the shame and confusion that kept them from reporting it initially. Vollrath describes how elder fraud targeting seniors in Chester County communities requires stronger state legislation, including enhanced criminal penalties, interstate coordination tools, and bank protections to flag suspicious transactions.
americanbanker.com
· 2026-07-29
A 76-year-old New Jersey retiree, Jeffrey Maas, lost nearly $400,000 to scammers who impersonated PNC Bank employees and convinced him to wire money for gold purchases; he is suing PNC for negligence, claiming two bank employees failed to question suspicious large withdrawals despite red flags. The case highlights the legal gap in the U.S. where federal law does not require banks to reimburse customers who voluntarily transfer funds to fraudsters, though Maas is pursuing the lawsuit under state law. Elder fraud is a growing crisis, with Americans over 60 losing $4.9 billion in 2024 alone, prompting calls for banks to
cachevalleydaily.com
· 2026-07-29
Box Elder County officials are warning of ticket scams targeting the Golden Spike Rodeo, with fraudulent tickets being listed online for up to $11,000. Scammers are posting fake tickets on Facebook and third-party resale websites, using red flags like incorrect dates, inflated prices, and non-existent seating rows. Authorities recommend purchasing tickets only through the official website rodeoticket.com or trusted individuals, and caution that legitimate ticket emails won't be sent until about one week before the event.
kvnutalk.com
· 2026-07-29
Box Elder County officials are warning the public about ticket scams targeting the Golden Spike Rodeo, with fraudulent tickets listed online for up to $11,000. Scammers are posting fake or misleading tickets on Facebook and third-party resale websites, using red flags like incorrect dates, inflated prices, and nonexistent seating rows. Officials recommend purchasing tickets only through the official website rodeoticket.com or from trusted individuals, and caution that legitimate ticket emails won't be sent until about one week before the event.
8days.sg
· 2026-07-29
A 61-year-old Hong Kong actress was targeted in a "pig-butchering" romance scam by a man in his 20s who cultivated a fake romantic relationship over two months before requesting HK$300,000 (S$49,000) for a supposed business investment. The actress recognized the classic scam red flags, including promises of quick returns and interest, and refused to send money, causing the scammer to cease contact. The case highlights how scammers often target older single women assuming they are lonely and vulnerable, though the actress's alertness and life experience allowed her to avoid becoming a victim.
coingeek.com
· 2026-07-29
A UNODC report reveals that scams in Southeast Asia and surrounding regions have caused losses of $88.3 billion to $114.1 billion in 2025, with criminal networks operating like "corporate franchises" across multiple illicit markets including investment fraud, romance scams, and cryptocurrency money laundering. The report warns that these interconnected criminal ecosystems exploit forced labor, use AI-generated deepfakes, and evade law enforcement through satellite internet and blockchain networks, with cybercriminals increasingly targeting victims with language skills from Western countries.
modernghana.com
· 2026-07-29
A 41-year-old Ghanaian man, Derrick Van Yeboah, was sentenced to 85 months in prison for leading a transnational cybercrime network that defrauded victims of over $100 million through romance scams and business email compromise schemes. Van Yeboah personally orchestrated fraud totaling more than $10 million, including $4.2 million from women in Ohio and Delaware between 2019-2020, and was ordered to forfeit over $10 million. The Ghana-based syndicate targeted dozens of victims, particularly elderly individuals, by building fake romantic relationships and impersonating business executives to extract money that was then laundered and transferred
citinewsroom.com
· 2026-07-29
Derrick Van Yeboah, a 41-year-old Ghanaian man, was sentenced to 85 months in prison for leading a transnational cybercrime syndicate that defrauded victims of over $100 million through romance scams and business email compromise schemes. The Ghana-based criminal network targeted dozens of victims, particularly elderly men and women, using fake online relationships and impersonation of company executives to steal funds, with Van Yeboah personally accountable for over $10 million in fraudulent proceeds. In addition to prison time, he was ordered to forfeit $10,149,429.17 and serve two years of supervised release.
infosecurity-magazine.com
· 2026-07-29
Researchers warn that threat actors can now launch sophisticated phone fraud operations for as little as $2,790 per month using off-the-shelf AI-enhanced phone farm kits that automate romance scams, investment fraud, and account takeovers. The "FunFoneFarm" ecosystem dramatically lowers barriers to entry by combining readily available hardware, orchestration software, and AI tools that can manage hundreds of fraudulent conversations simultaneously without requiring coerced workers or specialized technical skills. Romance fraud alone cost victims nearly $930 million in the past year, with cyber-enabled fraud costing the UK economy approximately £14 billion annually.
bbc.com
· 2026-07-29
Ghanaian national Derrick Van Yeboah was sentenced to 7 years imprisonment by a US court for his role in an international romance scam network that stole over $100 million from victims, including vulnerable elderly Americans. Yeboah personally defrauded at least two women of $4.2 million using fake identities and deceived a North Carolina man into sending $123,000 under false pretenses. The court ordered him to forfeit $10 million in assets, and his case is part of a broader FBI investigation into eight Ghanaians involved in organized romance fraud and money laundering schemes targeting US citizens.
tech.yahoo.com
· 2026-07-29
College students are increasingly targeted by "freshman fraud" schemes including phishing emails with malware, fake financial aid offers using replica school letterhead, and loan forgiveness scams that impersonate debt relief agencies across multiple platforms. Universities have become attractive targets for cybercriminals due to students' perceived naivety and the scale of potential exposure, with 80 college breaches in 2024-2025 exposing email addresses, passwords, phone numbers, and social security numbers. Scammers exploit students' desperation for financial aid and access to university email systems to solicit sensitive personal information or direct payments via gift cards.
miningjournal.net
· 2026-07-29
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection warned consumers about back-to-school scams targeting students and shoppers during peak shopping season, including online shopping fraud, fake discount ads, textbook scams, and phishing schemes. The agency recommended verifying website URLs, using credit cards for online purchases, shopping only on trusted platforms, and avoiding urgency-driven offers that seem too good to be true. No specific dollar amounts or individual victims were mentioned in the advisory.
standard.net
· 2026-07-29
Rental scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated as criminals use AI to clone legitimate online listings and pose as landlords, often targeting vacation rentals in popular Utah destinations like Park City and Moab by copying photos and descriptions from platforms like Airbnb, VRBO, and Zillow. Scammers pressure victims to pay via wire transfer, Venmo, or cryptocurrency outside official rental platforms, with one elderly woman losing money to a fake listing in Salt Lake City before discovering the property was already occupied. To avoid these scams, renters should verify properties independently using Google Maps, insist on live video walkthroughs, keep transactions on official booking platforms, pay by credit card, and resist pressure to act quickly
bankingjournal.aba.com
· 2026-07-29
The American Bankers Association testified before the Senate Special Committee on Aging that generative AI is industrializing scams by making them more convincing, personalized, and scalable, enabling criminals to create fraudulent voices, videos, and identities at low cost. Paul Benda recommended policy solutions including establishing a National Office for Scam and Fraud Prevention, strengthening telecommunications safeguards, improving information sharing, and modernizing identity and authentication systems. Banks are using AI, analytics, and employee training to combat these increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes targeting consumers.
aba.com
· 2026-07-29
The American Bankers Association testified before the Senate Special Committee on Aging about the growing threat of AI-enabled fraud targeting seniors, warning that generative AI is making scams more convincing, personalized, and scalable by enabling criminals to create deepfakes and impersonate trusted identities at low cost. The ABA outlined how banks are using AI and analytics to detect suspicious activity while calling for coordinated federal action, including establishing a National Office for Scam and Fraud Prevention, strengthening telecommunications safeguards, and modernizing identity authentication systems. No specific dollar amounts or individual victim cases were detailed in this policy testimony focused on the broader need for coordinated protections against AI-driven elder fraud.
hoodline.com
· 2026-07-29
Abdoul Issaka Assimiou, 38, from Parma, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for operating a romance scam that defrauded 15 elderly victims of over $220,000 between December 2017 and March 2024. The scheme involved creating fake online personas on dating websites and social media to build trust with victims before soliciting wire transfers under false pretenses like gold inheritances, with proceeds being funneled to accounts Assimiou controlled and used to purchase goods shipped to co-conspirators in Ghana. Assimiou was ordered to pay $220,485 in restitution to his victims as part of his
consumeraffairs.com
· 2026-07-29
Seniors are increasingly using prepared "scam scripts"—written responses kept by the phone—to protect themselves from phone scammers impersonating banks, Medicare, and Social Security. The scripts interrupt scammers' ability to create urgency and build trust by allowing victims to disengage immediately without providing personal information or making decisions under pressure. Experts recommend simple responses like "I don't provide personal information over the phone" or "I'll call the company back using the official number," paired with habits like letting unknown calls go to voicemail and verifying caller identity independently.
clintonnc.com
· 2026-07-29
Star Communications is hosting a free community event on August 12 in Clinton to educate senior citizens about recognizing scams, protecting personal information, and staying safe online, in response to reports from the Sampson Sheriff's Office documenting increased scam activity targeting local elderly residents. The training will cover tactics used by scammers, including phishing emails, voice impersonation using advanced technology, and phone calls posing as law enforcement or hospital staff seeking urgent money transfers, with attendees taught practical prevention strategies like hovering over email addresses and requesting to call suspicious callers back.
clintonnc.com
· 2026-07-29
Star Communications is hosting a free educational event on August 12 in Clinton to help senior citizens recognize and protect themselves from scams, which have become increasingly prevalent in the area according to the Sampson Sheriff's Office. The training will cover common scam tactics including phishing emails, fraudulent phone calls using voice imitation technology, and impersonation schemes where scammers pose as law enforcement or hospital staff to extract money. No specific dollar amounts of losses are mentioned, but the event aims to teach seniors how to verify email addresses, recognize urgency tactics, and safely handle suspicious communications.
creators.yahoo.com
· 2026-07-29
A caller impersonating an Adams County Sheriff's sergeant attempted to defraud the author by claiming there was a legal matter requiring immediate attention, but the scam was thwarted when the caller incorrectly referred to the agency as "Adams County Sheriff's Department" instead of the correct "Adams County Sheriff's Office." Police impersonation scams typically involve callers claiming victims missed jury duty or face arrest, demanding payment via cash, gift cards, or wire transfers, and can be sophisticated enough to include personal information and spoofed caller ID. The author verified the call was fraudulent by independently contacting the sheriff's office and discovering they had already warned the public about a scammer using the false identity "Sgt.
financialpost.com
· 2026-07-29
A TD Bank survey found that nearly 90 percent of Canadians are confident they can detect fraud, yet 41 percent never consult fraud prevention resources and over half admit to risky behaviors like opening suspicious email attachments. Despite this confidence, 24 percent of Canadians have been fraud victims in the past year, and Canadians lost $351 million to fraud across 9,935 victims as of June 30, 2024. Experts warn that overconfidence can lead people to overlook warning signs that scammers exploit, and recommend slowing down, avoiding public Wi-Fi, and verifying suspicious communications before acting.
9to5mac.com
· 2026-07-29
Online scams cost Americans approximately $150 billion in the past year, roughly seven times more than the $21 billion reported to the FBI, according to the Consumer Federation of America, with cryptocurrency investment scams accounting for the largest portion of losses. The dramatic underreporting stems from most victims never contacting law enforcement, with only about 14% of financial fraud victims filing reports, while scammers increasingly use AI-generated deepfakes and fake documents to impersonate family members and conduct investment fraud. Meta-owned platforms—Facebook (57%), Instagram (22%), and WhatsApp (8%)—are the primary channels used by scammers to target victims.
livingstonenterprise.com
· 2026-07-28
Montana State Auditor James Brown warns that older adults are increasingly targeted by scammers due to larger savings, social isolation, and unfamiliarity with emerging technologies, with reports of losses exceeding $100,000 increasing sevenfold from 2020 to 2024 according to the Federal Trade Commission. Brown's office has partnered with financial institutions to stop over $2 million in fraud losses for 16 Montanans this year, with 15 cases involving seniors over 60 who were tricked into sending money to fraudsters. The state offers up to $50,000 in restitution through its security fraud fund to help victims recover losses and stabilize their finances.
fincrimecentral.com
· 2026-07-28
Scott Kelley, a former U.S. Postal Inspector and Mail Fraud Unit Team Leader, pleaded guilty to stealing over $330,000 in cash from approximately 1,950 mail parcels sent by elderly scam victims between 2019 and 2023, then laundering the funds through luxury purchases including home renovations and vacations. The scheme exploited his position to intercept packages flagged as likely containing money from fraud victims, with seven identified elderly victims averaging 75 years old who lost between $1,400 and $19,100 each. Kelley faces a statutory fine up to $500,000 and potential decades of imprisonment for money laundering and related financial
einpresswire.com
· 2026-07-28
Montana State Auditor James Brown warned that elder fraud targeting seniors over 60 has surged dramatically, with reports of $100,000+ losses increasing sevenfold from 2020-2024, and his office received 54 fraud complaints in 2026 with three-quarters involving victims over 60. Common scams include romance schemes, grandparent impersonation, and fake tech support, with perpetrators manipulating emotions and creating urgency to pressure victims into sending money via gift cards or cryptocurrency. Montana's auditor's office has blocked over $2 million in fraud losses this year and provides up to $50,000 in restitution through a security fraud fund.
pcmag.com
· 2026-07-28
College students face targeted "freshman fraud" scams including phishing emails with malware, fake financial aid offers using forged school letterhead, and loan forgiveness schemes that request personal information or upfront fees. Cybercriminals view universities as "trophy targets" due to the perceived naivety of students and the ease of accessing .edu email addresses, with 80 college and university breaches in 2024-2025 exposing email addresses, passwords, phone numbers, and social security numbers.
france24.com
· 2026-07-28
Myanmar's military-backed parliament approved legislation authorizing the death penalty for those who detain or violently coerce victims into working at online scam centers, targeting the country's thriving multibillion-dollar cybercrime industry. The scam operations, often run by Chinese-origin syndicates in fortified compounds, have flourished in Myanmar's conflict zones and target users worldwide with romance and cryptocurrency investment schemes, with some foreign nationals reporting being trafficked and tortured at these sites. Despite pressure from the United States and China—which reported over $5 billion in scam losses in two years—previous enforcement actions have only displaced rather than dismantled these criminal networks across Southeast Asia.
threatfabric.com
· 2026-07-28
This article describes ThreatFabric's multi-model behavioral analytics approach to fraud detection that analyzes user behavior patterns rather than just transaction data. The system uses two parallel models—one tracking individual user baselines and another identifying patterns from confirmed fraud cases—to detect authorized push payment (APP) fraud and scams where genuine customers are manipulated by fraudsters. The dual-model approach reportedly improves fraud detection rates by 20% or more when combined with transaction-based signals.
news5cleveland.com
· 2026-07-28
A "reloader scam" is resurfacing in Cuyahoga County, where scammers contact previous fraud victims months later posing as attorneys or police investigators, claiming they can recover stolen money or catch criminals for a fee. The Cuyahoga County Scam Squad is warning that these follow-up solicitations are themselves scams and advises victims to reject any offers to pay money for recovery assistance. This scam type had declined over the past decade but is now seeing a significant resurgence.
canada.ca
· 2026-07-28
Two Ontario individuals, John Jesse Breslin and Phoebe Hui Ting Wong, have been charged with fraud and deceptive marketing for operating fake passport service websites (Passport Online and Passport Express) between 2016 and 2020 that misled Canadians into believing they were dealing with the Government of Canada for expedited passport processing. Both face charges under the Competition Act for misleading representations and Criminal Code charges for fraud over $5,000 and possession of proceeds of crime. The Competition Bureau investigation was conducted with assistance from Toronto Police Service, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, and the Better Business Bureau.
consumerfed.org
· 2026-07-28
Americans lost an estimated $148.2 billion to online scams in 2025, a 25.8% increase from 2024 and over seven times higher than the $20.8 billion reported to the FBI, with seniors aged 60+ losing an average of $38,500 per incident. Cryptocurrency scams accounted for over half of reported losses at $11.4 billion, while newly measured AI-enabled fraud added $6.3 billion to the total. Social media platforms, particularly Meta's Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, remain central to the scam economy, with policymakers introducing legislative measures like the SCAM Act to increase platform accountability and consumer protection.
dailypress.net
· 2026-07-28
The Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection warns consumers to be vigilant against back-to-school scams, which increase during this busy shopping season. Common scams include fraudulent online ads with steep discounts, fake websites mimicking legitimate retailers, textbook scams targeting college students, and phishing attempts. The agency recommends verifying website URLs, using credit cards for online purchases, avoiding suspicious social media ads, and pausing before responding to urgent offers that seem too good to be true.
wral.com
· 2026-07-28
A North Carolina woman's social media identity was stolen and used by Beverley Bejarano to conduct an online romance scam in Florida, where Bejarano allegedly extorted at least one victim out of multiple payments totaling at least $2,000 using a fake "Keisl Mary" profile. Bejarano, who was residing in Oregon, was extradited to Florida and now faces felony extortion and fraud charges for the scheme that operated between February and April 2025.
record-bee.com
· 2026-07-28
In 2023, elder fraud targeting individuals aged 60 and older resulted in over $3.4 billion in losses, with the average victim losing $33,915, according to FBI data. More than 101,000 seniors reported scams to the Internet Crime Complaint Center, with investment scams being the costliest type at over $1.2 billion in losses, followed by tech support scams, romance scams, and government impersonation scams. The author shares her experience nearly falling for a fake Bill Gates video promoting fake Alzheimer's cure supplements, illustrating how professionally designed scams can deceive even cautious consumers.
aba.com
· 2026-07-28
Paul Benda, Executive Vice President for Risk, Fraud and Cybersecurity at the American Bankers Association, testified before Congress on how generative AI is enabling criminals to industrialize traditional scams against seniors by creating convincing deepfakes, voice imitations, and fraudulent personas at low cost and scale. He emphasized that older Americans are particularly vulnerable because losses may represent irreplaceable retirement savings and that criminals exploit trust and authority rather than targeting unsophisticated victims. Benda outlined the banking industry's defensive use of AI to detect fraud while calling for practical consumer protections and targeted policy recommendations from Congress and federal agencies.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2026-07-28
QNET has endorsed the UNODC-INTERPOL Global Anti-Fraud Framework and partnered with Ghana's Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to combat organized fraud, recruitment fraud, and human trafficking that exploit the QNET brand. The partnership, formalized through a Memorandum of Understanding in 2025, demonstrates public-private collaboration in intelligence sharing, investigations, and victim support across West Africa. These efforts were recognized at the inaugural UNODC-INTERPOL Global Fraud Summit in Vienna as a model for strengthening international responses to transnational financial crimes.
srnnews.com
· 2026-07-28
Criminal networks are trafficking hundreds of thousands of people, many educated English speakers, to work in online scam centers after luring them with fake job advertisements promising work abroad, then forcing them through violence, threats, and debt bondage to participate in the scams. The UN's International Organization for Migration reports victims originate from over 80 countries with losses in East Asia, Australia, and New Zealand reaching $114 billion last year, and has assisted over 3,500 trafficked victims between 2022 and 2025. The scam compounds primarily operate across Asia and can hold hundreds of thousands of trafficked workers.
keystonenewsroom.com
· 2026-07-28
Pennsylvania residents lost $3.8 billion to online scams and cyber crimes in 2025, representing a 33.6% increase from 2024 and averaging $712 per household. The most common scams originated on social media platforms, particularly Meta services like Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, which were used in 81% of scam attempts nationally. This surge reflects a broader national trend, with Americans losing approximately $148.2 billion to online scams in 2025, tripling since 2021.
dw.com
· 2026-07-28
An estimated 300,000 people are trapped in online scam centers across Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar, where they are trafficked and coerced into defrauding primarily Western victims through forced call center work after being lured by false job advertisements on social media. Victims, recruited from countries including Bangladesh, India, Indonesia, and Kenya, are stripped of travel documents and forced into criminal schemes that caused $114 billion in losses across East Asia, Australia, and New Zealand in 2025, with Chinese syndicates identified as the major organizational force behind these operations.
pbs.org
· 2026-07-28
Criminal networks are trafficking hundreds of thousands of people—many educated English speakers—to work in online scam centers after luring them with fake job advertisements on social media. Victims are forced through violence, threats, and debt bondage to participate in scams that generated an estimated $114 billion in losses across East Asia, Australia, and New Zealand last year. The International Organization for Migration has assisted over 3,500 trafficking victims from nearly 40 countries between 2022 and 2025, with victims originating primarily from Indonesia, India, Sri Lanka, Ethiopia, Kenya, and Bangladesh.
wmur.com
· 2026-07-28
Manchester store employees prevented three seniors from losing $17,000 to cryptocurrency scams by recognizing suspicious behavior when customers came in with cash for crypto ATMs, warning them, and alerting police.
nbcnews.com
· 2026-07-28
Scammers are using AI-generated sob stories on social media to manipulate sympathetic buyers into purchasing products, such as a fabricated narrative about a bullied teen selling crocheted handbags. Legitimate creators report having their videos stolen and impersonated as part of these schemes. Experts warn consumers to watch for red flags before making purchases from social media sellers.
kucoin.com
· 2026-07-27
Galaxy Research downgraded its probability estimate for the CLARITY Act—a cryptocurrency market structure bill—becoming law in 2026 from 50% to 30%, citing unresolved disputes over ethics rules, consumer protections, and financial crime safeguards that threaten bipartisan support. The 616-page bill, which includes provisions to combat crypto-related fraud including elder scams and "pig-butchering" operations, faces a critical challenge in securing the 60 votes needed to overcome a Senate filibuster before the August recess. Democratic lawmakers, including Senator Elizabeth Warren, have called for stronger measures to prevent financial crime and enhance consumer protections in the proposed legislation.
ua.news
· 2026-07-27
Scammers are impersonating Ukrainian singer Nikita Kiselev on TikTok and Telegram, using AI-generated photos and fake documents to deceive fans into sending money for alleged advertising and promotional campaigns. The fraudsters establish trust by posing as the artist or his representatives, then request funds and personal financial information from victims. Kiselev has publicly warned fans not to transfer money or share sensitive information with anyone claiming to be him outside of official channels.
groundup.org.za
· 2026-07-27
A journalist posed as a job seeker to expose a romance/employment scam syndicate, losing approximately R4,000 (about $220 USD) after responding to fake Amazon job advertisements on TikTok that redirected to WhatsApp and Telegram. The scam, operated by a China-based syndicate using AI-generated ads and fake company names, used multiple handlers and progressively escalated requests for deposits while promising quick earnings from "order processing" work. Despite reporting to police and banks, authorities failed to assist in recovering the funds or shutting down the operation.
programminginsider.com
· 2026-07-27
Cybercriminals are increasingly using artificial intelligence to create highly sophisticated scams including deepfake videos, cloned voices, and personalized phishing emails that appear legitimate and are difficult to distinguish from authentic communications. AI tools enable scammers to analyze personal information from social media, automate social engineering, and generate convincing fake investment platforms and impersonations of trusted contacts or public figures at scale. As AI technology continues to advance, scams are becoming more elaborate and harder to identify using traditional warning signs like poor grammar or suspicious design.
springfieldnewssun.com
· 2026-07-27
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson launched the Romance Imposter Scams Forensic Initiative, establishing a dedicated hotline (1-855-961-SCAM) for residents to report romance scams targeting seniors, who are often manipulated into sending money to fraudsters posing as romantic interests. Romance scams are particularly devastating because they exploit trust and emotional vulnerabilities, leaving victims financially devastated and emotionally isolated, with many cases going unreported due to victim shame and reluctance to seek help. The initiative aims to coordinate with law enforcement, provide forensic investigation, and offer educational resources to victims and their families to prevent additional losses.
it-online.co.za
· 2026-07-27
South Africa recorded the highest rate of suspected digital fraud in Africa, with 3% of consumer transactions flagged as potentially fraudulent and digital banking fraud surging 86% year-on-year with R1.9 billion in losses, driven by scams like SIM-swap fraud, investment schemes (including one that defrauded 2,000 South Africans of R492 million), and AI-enabled impersonation schemes operating on trusted social platforms. A third of fraud victims report the scams originated on legitimate e-commerce or social platforms rather than fake sites, with 46% encountering fraud first on social media, while 88% of South Africans believe they can spot scams
unodc.org
· 2026-07-27
Over 300,000 people are trapped in Southeast Asian scam centers where human traffickers force them to commit online fraud through deception and coercion, generating an estimated $18-$37 billion in losses across East and Southeast Asia in 2023 alone. Victims are recruited via fraudulent job postings offering salaries of $1,000-$1,500 with free accommodation, then have their passports confiscated and are forced to manipulate people into cryptocurrency scams, romance fraud, and other schemes. This form of human trafficking for forced criminality is rapidly expanding beyond Southeast Asia to nearly 80 countries across the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and the Americas, with operations increasingly using