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Search across 19,276 articles about elder fraud. Filter by fraud type, payment mechanism, or keywords.
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in Robocall / Phone Scam
tampabay.com
· 2025-12-08
Over 50 elderly Americans in Broward County fell victim to lottery scams between 2020-2021, losing more than $6.6 million collectively after being told they won prizes and asked to pay upfront fees for shipping and taxes. Florida ranked second nationally for elder fraud in 2023 with residents over 60 losing nearly $300 million, reflecting a broader U.S. trend where elderly victims lost $3.4 billion that year to investment fraud, romance scams, tech-support scams, and government impersonation schemes. The crimes remain significantly underreported due to victim embarrassment and fear of losing independence, with experts estimating only one-
indystar.com
· 2025-12-08
Indiana seniors over 60 reported $26.5 million in financial losses across approximately 1,170 fraud cases in 2023, driven primarily by investment schemes ($12 million), tech support fraud ($8.9 million), and romance scams. Nationally, seniors suffered over $3.4 billion in losses—an 11% increase from 2022—with tech support fraud being the most commonly reported crime type and investment scams proving the costliest. The FBI released this data to educate the public and prevent further victimization, noting that some victims have taken extreme measures such as remortgaging homes and depleting retirement accounts to cover losses.
rutherfordsource.com
· 2025-12-08
The Murfreesboro Police Department reported two sophisticated scams targeting elderly residents in March. A 75-year-old lost $138,000 after receiving fraudulent emails impersonating McAfee Services requesting wire transfers, while a 73-year-old lost $71,000 total ($28,000 wire transfer plus $11,000 in gift cards) after encountering a fake Microsoft/FTC ad on eBay that used false child pornography allegations to manipulate him into downloading remote access software and transferring funds. Police advise residents to remain skeptical of unsolicited communications and to hang up on suspicious calls.
businesstoday.in
· 2025-12-08
A Bengaluru entrepreneur named Aditi nearly fell victim to a sophisticated SMS-based financial scam in which a caller impersonated a family member, claimed to have accidentally transferred Rs 30,000 instead of Rs 3,000, and requested immediate repayment while creating artificial urgency. Aditi detected the fraud by noticing the fake bank alerts came from a regular 10-digit number rather than an official bank sender ID and that her father would have contacted her directly. She emphasized the importance of verifying financial alerts through official bank apps or websites on separate devices rather than relying solely on SMS communications, as scammers have become skilled at mimicking legitimate banking notifications.
indiatoday.in
· 2025-12-08
A 52-year-old woman entrepreneur lost Rs 2.7 crore between April 6-22 after clicking a suspicious link, joining an Instagram group, and being lured into fake investment schemes promising quick returns. Police traced and froze the scammers' accounts through Telegram and Instagram, with Rs 1.7 crore approved for return to the victim and an additional Rs 30 lakh pending clearance. The article advises protecting oneself by remaining skeptical of too-good-to-be-true offers, verifying investment legitimacy, avoiding suspicious links, and reporting fraud to authorities immediately to maximize recovery chances.
timesnewsgroup.com.au
· 2025-12-08
Australian losses to scams totaled $2.74 billion in 2023, a 13.1% decrease despite a surge in reported incidents (601,000+), with investment scams causing the most damage at $1.3 billion. Older Australians are disproportionately affected, experiencing a 13.3% increase in losses to $120 million, including cases involving deepfake videos and fake investment schemes on social media. The government's National Anti-Scam Centre, established in 2023 with $86.5 million in funding, has already achieved a 29% reduction in scam losses within six months of operation.
ca.movies.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Okechukwu Nwofor, a 32-year-old from Brooklyn, New York, was sentenced to approximately six years in prison for leading a romance and business email compromise scam network that defrauded victims of nearly $1 million between July 2018 and November 2019. The scheme, which involved money mules transferring stolen funds through multiple accounts, devastated victims—causing one woman's inability to care for her disabled son, another's home foreclosure, and one victim's suicide—resulting in a restitution order of nearly $400,000. Four of Nwofor's co-conspirators pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy, with three
marca.com
· 2025-12-08
The Texas Health and Human Services Commission warned of a surge in phone scams targeting SNAP and TANF benefit recipients, where scammers spoof the Lone Star Card Help Desk's caller ID to trick victims into revealing their PIN, Social Security number, and date of birth under the false promise of new or increased benefits. HHSC emphasized that legitimate agency representatives never request sensitive information via unsolicited calls, texts, or emails, and urged affected individuals to verify calls by hanging up and contacting the number on their Lone Star Card or reporting fraud to the OIG hotline.
boothbayregister.com
· 2025-12-08
Digital package delivery scams use fraudulent text messages impersonating major carriers (USPS, UPS, FedEx) to trick recipients into clicking malicious links and providing personal information or payment. Americans reported $330 million in losses from text scams in 2022, more than double the previous year. To protect yourself, verify package issues directly with retailers or shippers rather than clicking links in unsolicited texts.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
New Mexico seniors reported losing over $17.7 million to scams in 2023, with the FBI receiving more than 750 complaints about elder fraud in the state. The most prevalent scam types include romance scams, tech support fraud, and cryptocurrency investment schemes, with scammers often posing as representatives from major companies or creating fake online relationships. The FBI recommends family members check in regularly with elderly relatives, watch for red flags like unsolicited calls from companies, and report suspected fraud immediately to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
columbian.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers stole more than $3.4 billion from Americans over 60 last year, representing an 11% increase from the previous year, according to an FBI report. The FBI received over 100,000 complaints from older victims, with common schemes including tech support scams, romance fraud, investment fraud, and increasingly sophisticated courier-based schemes where criminals trick victims into withdrawing cash or precious metals for pickup. The rise in losses reflects organized criminal enterprises exploiting vulnerable populations through multiple tactics, with the FBI warning that actual losses are likely higher than reported.
ladailypost.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, 759 New Mexico residents over age 60 lost more than $17.7 million to online fraud, with the costliest scams being confidence/romance schemes ($4.9 million), investment fraud ($4.6 million), and tech support scams ($3.1 million). The FBI emphasizes that older adults are vulnerable targets due to financial stability, potential isolation, and lower awareness of online threats, and urges seniors and families to educate themselves about these scams and report incidents through ic3.gov or their local FBI office.
theberkshireedge.com
· 2025-12-08
The Berkshire County District Attorney's Office is investigating at least two "grandparent scams" targeting senior citizens, in which fraudsters impersonate relatives in crisis situations and request money. Scammers obtain personal information through social media or purchased data, and now use AI voice-cloning technology to make the deception more convincing. Resources on protecting against this fraud type are available from the FCC and U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
parkrapidsenterprise.com
· 2025-12-08
Minnesota's senior financial fraud investigator Lisa Lovering states that awareness of scam tactics reduces victimization risk by 80% and significantly loss severity by 40%. According to AARP's 2023 data, seniors lost $28.3 billion to elder exploitation and fraud, with those over 80 experiencing average losses of $1,674 compared to $548 for young adults, though underreporting is widespread. Lovering advises avoiding payments via cash, gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency to unknown contacts; being skeptical of unsolicited calls from government agencies or businesses; and recognizing common tactics like imposter scams, romance scams, and lottery schemes that
tucson.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers stole over $3.4 billion from Americans over age 60 last year, an 11% increase from the previous year, with the FBI receiving more than 100,000 complaints and nearly 6,000 victims losing over $100,000 each. Tech support scams remain the most common fraud, with criminals impersonating officials to convince victims their accounts are compromised and directing them to transfer funds or withdraw cash/gold for in-person courier pickup. The FBI warns that these increasingly sophisticated schemes represent organized, transnational criminal enterprises using romance scams, investment fraud, and other tactics that can leave vulnerable seniors financially destitute.
timesnownews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 52-year-old woman entrepreneur lost Rs 2.7 crore in an online scam between April 6-22, 2024, after clicking a malicious link and being lured into fraudulent investment schemes through Instagram and Telegram with promises of quick returns. Authorities traced and froze the perpetrators' accounts, with Rs 1.7 crore approved for restitution to the victim. The case underscores the importance of skepticism toward offers promising easy money, verification of investment legitimacy, and immediate reporting to authorities when fraud is suspected.
thetimes.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
A digitally savvy consumer was scammed through a dropshipping scheme when she purchased a €70 designer-style bag advertised on Instagram, only to receive a flimsy €10 product sourced from a budget fast-fashion platform. The seller acted as a middleman with approximately 600% markup, and when she complained, the company offered no recourse and return shipping to China would have cost as much as the original purchase. The article explains that while dropshipping itself is a legitimate business model, it has increasingly become a get-rich-quick scheme using manipulative advertising tactics (hyperbolic claims, fake discounts, glamorous imagery) to sell low-quality products at inflated prices
lichfieldlive.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
A phone scam impersonating Metropolitan Police officers has been reported to Staffordshire Police, wherein callers falsely claim victims have someone in custody with a cloned bank card and request personal details over the phone. Police advise that legitimate law enforcement and banking officials never request passwords, money withdrawals, or personal information by phone, and recommend hanging up and calling back using a different phone line or waiting before attempting contact to verify the caller's legitimacy.
wgal.com
· 2025-12-08
A lottery scam recording demonstrates how scammers contact victims via phone, claiming they've been randomly selected to win $18.5 million and a luxury car, then directing them to call a number to claim the prize. The scam works by telling victims they must pay taxes and fees upfront to receive their winnings. Lottery scams arrive through multiple channels including texts, emails, and phone calls, and victims should remember that legitimate winnings never require advance payment.
wxxinews.org
· 2025-12-08
Rochester Gas and Electric and New York State Electric and Gas warned customers about two prevalent scams: fraudsters posing as utility representatives demanding immediate payment via prepaid debit cards for allegedly past-due accounts, and similar scams claiming payment is needed for new meters. Both utilities emphasized they never request non-refundable payment methods or employee home visits to photograph bills, and advised customers to contact customer service if uncertain about a caller's identity or report suspected fraud to local law enforcement and the Federal Trade Commission.
wgal.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI warns that tech support fraud is the most commonly reported scam targeting seniors nationwide, where scammers pose as tech representatives to access sensitive information, though investment scams caused the greatest financial harm with over $50 million in reported losses last year. To protect themselves, seniors should avoid unsolicited contacts, never open attachments from unknown sources, resist pressure to act quickly, and never share personal information or money with unverified people.
ca.style.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Criminals are increasingly using AI-generated deepfakes and voice cloning technology to perpetrate scams targeting seniors and families, with one Canadian man using cloned voices to defraud at least eight seniors of $200,000 in three days. Similar "grandparent scams" and fake kidnapping calls claiming children need bail money or ransom are proliferating across the United States, with families losing an average of $11,000 per incident. Experts recommend establishing a family password phrase and verifying callers' identities through independent phone numbers before sending money or sharing personal information.
crosstimbersgazette.com
· 2025-12-08
Americans lost $10 billion to scams and fraud in 2023, with the FTC receiving 2.6 million fraud reports including 1 million identity theft cases. Common scam types include gift card fraud, romance scams, and phishing attacks, with losses occurring primarily through bank transfers and cryptocurrency, often initiated via email, phone, or social media. The article recommends monitoring financial accounts regularly, never allowing remote computer access to unvetted parties, and immediately contacting your bank if suspicious charges appear.
the-sun.com
· 2025-12-08
An elderly woman from Sullivan County, Tennessee was defrauded of over $130,000 after scammers used a fake Microsoft pop-up warning to trick her into purchasing Apple gift cards and eventually withdrawing cash from her bank account. The scheme involved multiple contacts claiming to remove illegal content from her computer, and culminated with a man collecting $130,000 in person at her home. A 29-year-old suspect, Hang Zhan, was arrested and charged with theft and financial exploitation of an elderly person, though as of May 2, no funds had been recovered.
digitalinformationworld.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI reports that cyber scams targeting seniors aged 60 and above caused $3.4 billion in losses in 2023, an 11% increase from the previous year, with common schemes including tech support, investment, romance, and cryptocurrency fraud. Elderly victims averaged $34,000 in losses per person, with Florida and California experiencing particularly high losses ($620 million and $181 million respectively), and seniors are less likely to report these crimes due to embarrassment and underreporting. The FBI recommends seniors verify suspicious offers, avoid unknown contacts, and be wary of deals that seem too good to be true.
levittownnow.com
· 2025-12-08
Bucks County authorities held an educational event for Bristol Township seniors to address rising scam and fraud targeting the community. Officials warned about common schemes including mailbox theft, check washing, tech support scams, and fraudulent text messages impersonating the IRS or retailers, with victims in the area losing up to $250,000; they recommended using credit cards over debit cards, gel pens for checks, and prompt reporting of suspicious activity to law enforcement.
manchestereveningnews.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Peter Gray, 35, was convicted and sentenced to 56 months in prison in February for defrauding four women of approximately £80,000 through romance scams on Tinder. Rather than directly requesting money, Gray gained victims' trust as a romantic partner, then secretly photographed their identification documents and bank cards to steal their identities and take out loans in their names, with individual victims losing between £9,000 and £20,000. His victims reported feeling intuitive red flags about his behavior, including suspicious gestures like sending flowers to addresses he shouldn't have known and taking unauthorized photos of personal documents.
marshallradio.net
· 2025-12-08
This article is not relevant to elder fraud or elder abuse. It describes a social media user named Becky Holmes who trolls men sending unsolicited explicit photos by pretending to be a dermatologist and fabricating health concerns as a deterrent tactic. This is a general interest piece about online dating behavior and does not involve elder fraud, financial scams, or elder abuse.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2021, Illinois residents lost over $19.7 million to romance scams across 591 reported cases, with the FBI noting that similar scams cost the U.S. $739 million in preliminary 2022 losses. The FBI identified common red flags including requests to move communication off dating apps, quickly professed love, isolation from friends and family, canceled visit plans, and requests for money or personal information. The agency advises victims to go slow in online relationships, never send money to people met online, verify photos independently, and report suspected scams to the FBI Springfield office or online.
losalamosreporter.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, 759 New Mexico residents over age 60 lost more than $17.7 million to online fraud, with the costliest schemes being romance scams ($4.9 million), investment scams ($4.6 million), and tech support scams ($3.1 million). The FBI emphasizes that older adults are particularly vulnerable due to financial stability and potential isolation, and urges prevention through awareness and family education, with victims encouraged to report incidents to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
theautopian.com
· 2025-12-08
A woman in Los Angeles was scammed by a fake parking attendant at a surface lot who collected $10 for parking, then removed her payment ticket from her windshield, resulting in her car being towed; she had to pay $297 for a "field drop" to prevent further towing charges. The scammer, posing as an attendant in official-looking vest, had already towed approximately 10 other vehicles that day, and similar scams targeting event-goers have been reported in other cities including Chicago. The article serves as a cautionary guide about this widespread parking lot fraud scheme that occurs near major events and attractions.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
This article is an educational piece about common banking scams in 2024, reporting that consumers lost over $10 billion to fraud in 2023. It describes seven prevalent scams—including fake bank websites, malicious apps, phishing communications, check washing, check overpayment schemes, money transfer fraud, and account takeover attacks—and provides protective measures for each, such as verifying bank legitimacy through official channels, downloading only reputable apps, and monitoring bank statements regularly.
seattletimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Jackie Kirks, a 70-year-old in Long Beach, California, discovered that someone had used a card skimming device to steal over $4,000 from her SNAP food assistance account in December. Skimming schemes—where criminals install devices to read magnetic stripe data from payment cards at ATMs and stores—have surged since 2022 and disproportionately target welfare recipients because EBT cards use outdated magnetic stripe technology without the fraud protections and chip encryption standard on commercial credit and debit cards.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
Package delivery scams use fake text messages impersonating major carriers like USPS, UPS, or FedEx to trick recipients into clicking malicious links and providing personal information or payment for fake fees. Americans reported $330 million in losses from text scams in 2022, more than double the prior year, making this a rapidly growing threat. To protect yourself, avoid clicking links or calling numbers from unsolicited texts and instead verify package issues directly through the retailer or shipper's official website.
theguardian.com
· 2025-12-08
A 16-year-old boy in Scotland was targeted by sextortion scammers who posed as a young girl, tricked him into sharing an intimate image, then threatened to distribute it to his contacts—tactics that led to his suicide. His parents are now raising awareness about the scam, which primarily targets young men, and calling for social media companies to implement stronger protections for teenagers against these predatory criminals who use psychological manipulation and panic tactics.
bridportnews.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
A Bridport husband and wife nearly fell victim to courier fraud after receiving a phone call from someone claiming to be their bank asking about their account details; they avoided losing money by being suspicious, contacting their bank directly, and alerting police. Dorset Police report this scam targets elderly and vulnerable people, with fraudsters posing as banks or police officers to convince victims to withdraw or transfer large sums of money for "safekeeping" due to alleged fraudulent activity on their accounts.
walb.com
· 2025-12-08
The City of Tifton, Georgia fell victim to a cyber scam in which criminals impersonated a vendor and requested an electronic payment of $49,370.65 instead of the usual check payment; the city discovered the fraud only after the vendor notified them that funds were never received. Local and federal law enforcement agencies are investigating the incident, and city officials are urging residents to exercise caution with payment requests and report any cybercrime to law enforcement.
castanet.net
· 2025-12-08
This is an educational opinion piece in which a senior citizen shares personal experiences and advice about avoiding scams. The author describes encountering various fraud attempts over decades, including Nigerian bank schemes, a fraudulent eBay car listing, fake CRA phone calls, and a spoofed Norton Antivirus renewal email, and advises seniors to never respond to unsolicited emails or click links, and to block suspicious contacts.
homelandprepnews.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, Americans over 60 lost more than $3.4 billion to fraud—an 11 percent increase from 2022—with tech support scams ($600 million), investment fraud ($1.2 billion), and call center schemes ($770 million) being the most costly. California alone reported over 11,000 complaints totaling $620 million in losses, and the FBI noted that some victims were forced to remortgage homes, deplete retirement accounts, or take their own lives due to financial devastation. The FBI recommends seniors verify contact information independently, avoid quick decisions, never share personal information with suspected scammers, and report fraud immediately to law enforcement
whio.com
· 2025-12-08
The Greene County Sheriff's Office is warning residents of a telephone scam in which callers impersonate police officers and falsely claim victims have arrest warrants, demanding payment via wire transfer, gift cards, or bitcoin to have charges dropped. Law enforcement agencies never contact people by phone to request payment or clear warrants, and residents are advised to hang up on such callers, avoid sharing financial information, and be aware that caller IDs can be spoofed.
pcmag.com
· 2025-12-08
Google conducted an experiment using generative AI to help users understand why phishing emails are flagged as threats, finding that AI excels at explaining malicious message detection rather than detecting threats themselves. While Google's Gemini Pro detected 91% of phishing messages, it was less efficient than specialized AI programs, but it successfully analyzed malicious documents by identifying red flags like mismatched phone numbers and urgency-creating language. The technology remains experimental with no specific product announcement, partly due to the high computing power required to run such systems at Gmail's scale.
13newsnow.com
· 2025-12-08
James City County, Virginia authorities reported a rise in impersonation scams where callers falsely posed as law enforcement officers ("Deputy Shawn Anby" and "Derek Petterson") claiming victims had missed court appearances and threatening arrest warrants unless they immediately transferred funds. The scammers provided fake badge numbers and claimed affiliation with regional police and sheriff's departments in Richmond and Kent, with similar incidents reported across Virginia in January through April. Officials emphasized that legitimate law enforcement and courts never contact people by phone requesting money or personal financial information.
roundrocktexas.gov
· 2025-12-08
This is an educational workshop announcement (event has passed) where Silver Safe and Secure, a nonprofit organization, offered a 90-minute training session to help seniors recognize and avoid online scams. The workshop covered common fraud types including phishing, tech support, and romance scams, along with red flags, verification methods, safe browsing practices, and reporting procedures—in response to the 2022 FBI finding that Americans aged 60 and older lost $3.1 billion to fraud that year.
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
The FTC has issued an alert about a "growing wave" of government and business-impersonation scams targeting retirees' savings, with Amazon being among the most frequently impersonated companies due to its massive customer base. Common scams include fake refund offers with phishing links, fraudulent Prime subscription renewal notices with unusually high prices directing users to fake login pages, fake delivery/order problems requesting payment or personal information, and suspicious purchase confirmation calls designed to catch victims off guard. Consumers are advised to always verify account information directly through official apps or websites rather than clicking links in unsolicited messages.
baynews9.com
· 2025-12-08
Victoria Zerillo, a 49-year-old general manager of a nonprofit providing repair services to Sun City Center seniors, was sentenced to 18 months in prison for stealing over $410,000 through wire fraud and embezzlement from December 2015 to November 2022. The scheme involved doctored bank statements, unauthorized ATM withdrawals, and fraudulent credit card charges, and was uncovered when a resident with a finance background noticed rising service rates and investigated the company's finances. This case is part of a broader problem in Florida, where seniors lost more than $300 million to various scams in the prior year, making the state second-highest in the nation for elder fraud.
consumerwide.com
· 2025-12-08
Nigeria is a global center for romance scams, particularly targeting foreign victims, with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) reporting 1,129 victims and approximately $14 million in losses in 2021. The EFCC identified rapid growth in cyber-crime among young Nigerians, noting that societal acceptance of these crimes—including parental support of scammers—enables the criminal activity to flourish despite existing laws. Romance scams extend internationally, with documented cases involving Nigerian perpetrators defrauding victims across the US, UK, and Europe, ranging from financial extortion to cases resulting in victim suicides and prison sentences.
themonroetimes.com
· 2025-12-08
First National Bank and Trust is alerting the public to a growing Bank Imposter Scam in which fraudsters send fake text messages mimicking the bank, then call victims impersonating bank employees to trick them into revealing banking information or transferring money. The bank emphasizes that legitimate banks never request passwords, PINs, or ask customers to transfer money for "protection," and is hosting fraud prevention seminars at senior centers in Beloit and Janesville to educate the public on identifying and combating fraud.
wdbj7.com
· 2025-12-08
The Lynchburg Police Department is warning about romance scammers who manipulate victims—often lonely individuals met on dating apps and social media—into becoming "money mules" that launder proceeds from human trafficking and drug trafficking, sometimes over months or years. Victims who are exploited this way have been prosecuted as criminals in Lynchburg despite being manipulated, with charges potentially reaching felony level depending on amounts involved; last year Virginians lost $205 million to fraud overall. Police advise victims to immediately cut contact with scammers and report to local law enforcement.
montgomery.crimewatchpa.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are targeting PECO customers with sophisticated tactics, falsely claiming service disconnection is imminent unless immediate payment is made, often exploiting confusion around recent system upgrades. PECO advises customers never to share account or billing information with unverified callers, texters, or visitors, and instead to call PECO directly at 800-494-4000 to verify any service-related communications.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 51-year-old Lake Zurich woman lost $1.58 million over five months to a phone scammer posing as a Chinese police officer who threatened her with criminal prosecution. The suspect directed her to wire funds to multiple accounts, exploiting a known scheme targeting Chinese nationals abroad that the FBI has recently warned about. Local police and the FBI are investigating the case.