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in Financial Crime
newsmeter.in
· 2025-12-08
Digital arrest scams in Hyderabad decreased by over 75% in the first half of 2025 (34 cases) compared to the same period in 2024 (140 cases), attributed to increased public awareness efforts. Senior citizens aged 60-80, particularly retired professionals with children abroad, remain primary targets of these scams, where fraudsters impersonate law enforcement officers and coerce victims to liquidate assets through psychological manipulation and threats of arrest. Recent cases included an 84-year-old man defrauded of Rs 44 lakh and a 69-year-old woman defrauded of Rs 38.7 lakh, with police adv
kelly.senate.gov
· 2025-12-08
Arizona Senator Mark Kelly led a bipartisan Senate effort urging federal agencies to coordinate against transnational criminal networks operating "scam labor camps" in Southeast Asia and elsewhere that traffic or coerce individuals into defrauding older Americans. According to the FBI, Americans over 60 lost more than $3.4 billion to online scams in 2023—an 80% increase in two years—through tactics including tech support scams, cryptocurrency fraud, romance scams, and government impersonation. The lawmakers requested that the Secret Service, State Department, and Treasury Department enhance international law enforcement partnerships, dismantle trafficking operations, strengthen public awareness campaigns, and improve interagency coordination while reporting back by July
lasvegassun.com
· 2025-12-08
This opinion piece advocates for the bipartisan TRAPS Act (Task Force for Recognizing and Averting Payment Scams) to combat the surge in digital fraud, which cost Americans $12.5 billion in losses across 2.6 million fraud reports last year—a 25% increase from the previous year. The author, a former law enforcement executive, argues that payment scams disproportionately target older adults through romance schemes, fake investments, and AI-generated impersonation calls, and that the current fragmented approach leaves victims bouncing between agencies without effective coordination. The proposed legislation would unite the Treasury Department, FTC, Justice Department, FCC, and financial industry leaders
championnewspapers.com
· 2025-12-08
This is a community events announcement for Chino Hills, California. The most relevant item to elder fraud awareness is the Chino Hills 55+ Club's 12th anniversary meeting on July 25, which will feature a guest speaker who is an identity theft victim discussing her experiences with elder identity fraud, along with social activities and field trip planning.
abc7ny.com
· 2025-12-08
A 68-year-old woman on Long Island was defrauded of $62,000 by a fortune teller who initially charged her $20,000 for services, then instructed her to withdraw an additional $42,000 from a bank. Nassau County Police arrested Hemanth Kumar Muneppa, 33, of Queens, who was charged with third-degree grand larceny, attempted grand larceny, and fortune telling violations after the victim was alerted to the scam and called police.
inquisitr.com
· 2025-12-08
A 52-year-old Texas man, Paul Schendel, lost over $6,000 to a sophisticated bank impersonation scam involving call spoofing and an in-person card collection scheme, and died of a heart attack the following day after learning of the fraud. The scam began with a caller impersonating his bank, followed by a woman posing as Wells Fargo security who collected his debit card at his home; the bank confirmed they do not initiate contact via phone and could not reimburse him. Similar scams targeting victims through fraudulent bank employee impersonation have increased dramatically, with other victims like Scott Merovitch losing $20,000
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-08
Jeffrey Paul Kent, a 55-year-old Alberta serial romance scammer, defrauded five women of thousands of dollars between 2016-2017 by posing as wealthy professionals, faking illnesses like brain cancer, and manipulating victims into financial and emotional relationships, with one victim left with a $300,000 debt. In June 2023, an Edmonton judge designated Kent as a dangerous offender with an indeterminate sentence, finding that his elaborate schemes caused serious psychological harm including depression, shame, and suicidal ideation; Kent's lawyer is now appealing the designation, arguing it sets an unprecedented precedent for non-violent fraud cases.
the-independent.com
· 2025-12-08
In early 2025, Chinese actor Wang Xing was abducted after being lured to Thailand under false pretenses and taken to a scam operation in Myanmar, sparking widespread panic about fraud on Chinese social media; Thai police rescued him within three days after he reported being forced into training for "pig butchering" scams. Pig butchering scams, operated by organized crime groups primarily since 2019, involve criminals building trust with victims online before manipulating them into making large fraudulent investments, with victims losing billions globally—including a U.S. banker who embezzled $47 million to cover losses from such a scam, and a Connecticut woman who lost nearly $1
wwnytv.com
· 2025-12-08
Senator Gillibrand raised concerns about proposed budget cuts to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and other federal agencies responsible for protecting seniors from fraud, noting that older adults lost nearly $5 billion to scams in the previous year. She argued that reducing funding to these agencies is counterproductive at a time when artificial intelligence has made financial fraud schemes more sophisticated, and called for an examination of how such cuts would impact senior protection efforts.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
A 42-year-old Chinese national, Zhigang Lian, was indicted for allegedly orchestrating an imposter scam that defrauded a 76-year-old Belleville, Illinois resident of over $70,000. The scheme began with a fake Apple text message, then escalated when scammers posing as federal agents convinced the victim their identity had been stolen and they needed to withdraw all their bank funds for protection; the victim handed over $25,000 on June 17 and $45,000 on July 1 before Lian's arrest by Illinois State Police. Lian faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, each carrying
windsorstar.com
· 2025-12-08
Windsor police are investigating two contractor scams targeting senior homeowners in July, in which elderly victims were driven to banks and pressured to withdraw large sums of money under false pretenses for alleged roofing and repair work. In the first incident, a woman withdrew $13,000 and attempted to withdraw another $13,000 after being driven by a suspect claiming to be Mark Bignam; in the second, a man was lured into withdrawing $10,000 (with an attempted additional $5,000 withdrawal declined) after work allegedly began on his roof. Police are seeking public assistance in identifying the suspects and determining whether the incidents are connected.
thehindu.com
· 2025-12-08
Hyderabad Police reported a 75% drop in digital arrest scams in the first half of 2025, with 34 cases compared to 140 in the same period of 2024, attributed to awareness campaigns and advisories. However, senior citizens—particularly those aged 60-80, highly educated, and living alone with children abroad—remain primary targets, as illustrated by recent cases where an 84-year-old lost ₹44 lakh and a 69-year-old lost ₹38.7 lakh after being falsely accused of money laundering and human trafficking. Police emphasize that these scams aim for psychological control and isolation, not just
tillamookheadlightherald.com
· 2025-12-08
An Eastern Oregon woman lost $600,000 in life savings to a "gold bar scam" in which scammers impersonated federal agents, claimed her accounts were at risk, and convinced her to purchase gold bars for "safekeeping"; local law enforcement prevented an additional $300,000 loss after her sister reported the scheme to the Oregon Department of Justice Consumer Hotline. The scam typically involves fraudsters creating false urgency about compromised finances, instructing victims to convert assets into gold, and dispatching couriers to collect the valuables before disappearing. The Oregon DOJ warns that no legitimate government agency requests gold purchases or home visits for money collection, and urges victims to hang up
therealdeal.com
· 2025-12-08
Plano couple Sidhartha "Sammy" and Sunita Mukherjee face first-degree felony theft charges for allegedly defrauding over 100 people of more than $4 million through multiple schemes including fake real estate deals affiliated with the Dallas Housing Authority, a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan, and elder scams using spoofed law enforcement emails. The investigation, which began in 2023, revealed an elaborate multi-year fraud operation with one victim losing $325,000; both defendants were arrested and posted $500,000 bonds, though Sammy Mukherjee was subsequently detained by ICE. Investigators believe most of the
mysuncoast.com
· 2025-12-08
Venice, Florida residents were targeted by phone scammers impersonating police captains who claimed victims had missed jury duty or faced legal trouble, demanding payment via cryptocurrency or gift cards to resolve fabricated charges. One resident's wife was contacted with false allegations of fentanyl trafficking linked to Homeland Security, but the family recognized it as a scam when payment was demanded. Venice Police warn residents to hang up immediately on such calls and contact the non-emergency police line to verify any legal claims.
anz.com.au
· 2025-12-08
Australian bank ANZ reports measurable improvements in scam detection through its partnership with BioCatch Trust, an inter-bank fraud intelligence network that uses behavioral biometrics and real-time risk scoring to identify sophisticated scams including impersonation, investment, romance, and business email compromise schemes. In 2024-2025, Australians lost over $2.03 billion to scams, with romance scams averaging AU$15,000 per victim and investment scams causing AU$59 million in losses; the BioCatch integration has enhanced detection of complex fraud while reducing false positives that inconvenience legitimate customers.
asahi.com
· 2025-12-08
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet ordered a crackdown on cybercrime operations, resulting in the arrest of over 1,000 suspects across five provinces between Monday and Wednesday, including foreign nationals from Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Myanmar, along with seized equipment such as computers and mobile phones. UN estimates indicate that cyberscams originating from Southeast Asia generate billions of dollars annually for international criminal gangs, though human rights organizations like Amnesty International have raised concerns about alleged state complicity and associated human trafficking abuses in Cambodia's scamming compounds.
wjournalpr.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, older adults aged 60 and over suffered $4.9 billion in fraud losses nationally—a 43% increase from 2023—with Puerto Rico experiencing a dramatic 618% surge to $21.1 million in losses for the same demographic. The most financially damaging scams targeting seniors include investment fraud ($1.8 billion), tech support scams ($982 million), and romance scams ($389 million), with experts noting that perpetrators operate as sophisticated, organized call centers using psychological manipulation rather than amateur schemes. Seniors remain vulnerable due to a combination of limited digital literacy, available financial resources, social isolation, and reluctance to report crimes, particularly when perpet
taipeitimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Cambodian authorities arrested over 1,000 people, including 75 Taiwanese, 271 Indonesians, and 213 Vietnamese, during raids on internet scam centers across the country following Prime Minister Hun Manet's directive to crack down on cybercrime operations. The UN estimates these Southeast Asian scam centers defraud social media users of approximately $40 billion annually using romance and business cons, with Amnesty International reporting at least 53 scam compounds in Cambodia involved in human trafficking, forced labor, and other abuses on a "mass scale."
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Christen Lee Cosgrove, age 40, and Brian Cosgrove, age 37, of Pennsylvania were indicted on federal charges including conspiracy, bank fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering for defrauding a 93-year-old senior citizen and financial institutions of approximately $1 million between October 2022 and May 2023. The defendants allegedly used fraudulent wire transactions to obtain the money and spent it on personal purchases including a house, recreational vehicle, boat, and vacations. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and Luzerne County District Attorney's Office, with potential sentences of up to 30 years for bank fraud and 20
ice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, a Nigerian national, pleaded guilty to operating a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded over 400 elderly and vulnerable U.S. victims of more than $6 million. The scheme involved sending personalized letters falsely claiming victims were entitled to multimillion-dollar inheritances and requesting upfront payments for delivery fees and taxes, with funds collected through a network of U.S.-based money mules. Akhimie faces a maximum of 20 years imprisonment, and seven co-conspirators from the United Kingdom, Spain, and Nigeria have also been convicted in connection with this international fraud operation.
seehafernews.com
· 2025-12-08
Evelyn Cross-Beacham of Milwaukee faces charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering and mail fraud for her role in a tech support scam targeting seniors over 65 across multiple states. She allegedly deposited checks totaling $578,000 from victims who believed they were paying for legitimate computer repairs. Authorities are investigating her connections to a broader scheme defrauding older adults.
thederrick.com
· 2025-12-08
This article cannot be summarized as requested. The provided text is a webpage header offering a subscription to TheDerrick.com, followed by a brief educational passage about elder fraud and the Elder Justice Initiative, but the remainder consists of unrelated content (advice columns, horoscopes, medical Q&As, and automotive content) that appears to be archive or navigation elements rather than a coherent article about scams or fraud. To provide an accurate summary for the Elderus database, please provide the complete, relevant article text.
rstreet.org
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, reported fraud losses reached $12.5 billion, a 25 percent increase driven primarily by sophisticated investment scams totaling $5.7 billion. Bipartisan legislation called the TRAPS Act proposes creating a federal task force composed of representatives from the Treasury Department, CFPB, FCC, FTC, DOJ, and industry experts to coordinate efforts in combating financially advanced scams and develop recommendations for regulatory and legislative reforms. These efforts are part of a broader government initiative that includes executive orders on check fraud reduction and the GUARD Act to investigate elder fraud using technologies like blockchain.
crescentavalleyweekly.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI and FTC are warning the public about evolving scams that exploit advancing technology, including AI-generated voice impersonations of law enforcement and government officials. Elderly Americans are particularly vulnerable to romance scams, tech support scams, grandparent scams, government impersonation scams, sweepstakes scams, and home repair scams, with millions falling victim annually. The agencies also warn against business email compromise, charity fraud (especially after disasters), cryptocurrency job scams, VA benefits overpayment scams, and card skimmers, recommending victims verify charitable organizations through trusted databases and use credit cards rather than cash, gift cards, or wire transfers for donations.
wbng.com
· 2025-12-08
Senator Gillibrand expressed concern about proposed budget cuts to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and other federal agencies tasked with protecting seniors from fraud and scams. She noted that seniors lost nearly $5 billion to scammers in the previous year and argued that these cuts would undermine the government's ability to combat increasingly sophisticated AI-enabled fraud schemes. Gillibrand called for the Government Accountability Office to assess the potential impact of these budget reductions on senior fraud protection efforts.
theweeklyjournal.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, older adults aged 60 and above reported $4.9 billion in fraud losses nationally—a 43% increase from 2023—with Puerto Rico experiencing a particularly sharp 618% rise to $21.1 million. The most costly schemes targeting seniors include investment fraud ($1.8 billion), tech support scams ($982 million), and romance scams ($389 million), which are considered especially dangerous due to their psychological manipulation tactics and emotional impact on victims. Experts attribute seniors' vulnerability to a combination of factors including the digital divide, lack of technical knowledge, availability of financial resources, social isolation, and the highly sophisticated, professional nature of modern fraud operations that use
chch.com
· 2025-12-08
A Hamilton couple lost nearly $70,000 in June after fraudsters impersonating a Scotiabank employee convinced them their debit cards were compromised and arranged to collect their cards via courier. The scammers then drained the couple's bank accounts, credit cards, and line of credit within two days, and Scotiabank initially held the seniors responsible for the transactions, claiming no account compromise was found. Hamilton Police report approximately 60 similar cases this year using "social engineering" tactics, and note that recovering stolen funds is extremely rare.
wkyc.com
· 2025-12-08
A Cuyahoga County grand jury indicted 16 individuals for their roles in a $2.6 million money order scam that operated across over 100 Walmart locations nationwide from December 2019 to January 2024. The suspects purchased money orders ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 at Walmart, deposited the funds remotely, and then returned the money orders for full refunds. Three suspects were arrested by the U.S. Secret Service's Money Laundering Task Force, with charges including money laundering, telecommunications fraud, and aggravated theft.
hospicenews.com
· 2025-12-08
Federal agencies coordinated the 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, resulting in criminal charges against 324 defendants responsible for over $14.6 billion in health care fraud, with particular concerns about fraudulent activity in the hospice industry in California, Texas, Nevada, and Arizona. The operation seized more than $245 million in assets, prevented payment on $4 billion in false claims, and included civil charges and settlements totaling $48.5 million. Vulnerable populations, including seniors relying on Medicare and Medicaid, were identified as primary targets of these criminal schemes.
malwarebytes.com
· 2025-12-08
A retired US Army colonel pleaded guilty to conspiracy after disclosing classified national defense information to someone posing as a Ukrainian woman on a foreign dating app between February and April 2022, exploiting emotional manipulation typical of romance scams. Slater, who worked as a civilian at US Strategic Command, provided details about military targets and Russian capabilities, and faces five to seven years in prison under his plea deal. The case illustrates how romance scammers exploit loneliness and the desire for human connection to manipulate even experienced, security-cleared individuals into compromising sensitive information.
nbcnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Cambodia arrested over 1,000 cybercrime suspects in a multi-province crackdown ordered by Prime Minister Hun Manet this week, including Vietnamese, Chinese, Taiwanese, Indonesian, and Cambodian nationals, with police seizing computers and mobile phones from scam operations. The raids targeted foreign criminal groups running online fraud schemes that generate billions of dollars annually for international gangs, though human rights organizations claim the Cambodian government has previously enabled these operations through state complicity while workers face human trafficking, slavery, and torture.
dallasnews.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, seniors aged 65 and older reported nearly $4.9 billion in losses to financial scams—a 43% increase from the previous year—with Texas seniors alone filing over 9,473 complaints averaging $489,000 in losses each. Seniors are targeted because they control significant national wealth and often struggle to keep pace with technology, making them vulnerable to romance scams, tech support scams, grandparent scams, government impersonation, and investment fraud. Family members and caregivers can help protect seniors by monitoring account activity, maintaining open communication about financial matters, and encouraging consultation before large transactions, while laws like the 2017 Elder Abuse Prevention
newsbreak.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Antonio Petrosino, 60, of Union City, New Jersey, was indicted on federal wire fraud and money laundering charges for defrauding elderly and other victims of over $1 million between January 2016 and November 2024. Petrosino posed as a financial advisor, soliciting investment funds under false pretenses while diverting the money for personal expenses including gambling and luxury apartment rent, and issued falsified account statements to conceal the scheme. He faces up to 20 years in prison on each of five wire fraud counts and 10 years on the money laundering charge.
pennlive.com
· 2025-12-08
A 44-year-old man from Brooklyn was charged with theft, impersonation of a federal employee, and conspiracy after stealing over $555,000 in gold bars from an elderly Lancaster County woman in April. The scammers accessed her computer, convinced her to convert investments to gold, then posed as federal employees to collect the bars under the guise of securing them in a Philadelphia Federal Reserve vault. This case reflects a national trend of gold bar scams targeting seniors, which cost Americans $219 million in 2024, with authorities advising victims to hang up immediately on any requests to buy gold or withdraw money and to verify claims directly with official sources.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Roger Roger, a 41-year-old Costa Rica resident, was sentenced to over 15 years in prison for leading an international telemarketing fraud scheme that defrauded hundreds of victims, many elderly, of over $4 million. The scheme involved co-conspirators posing as U.S. government officials using Voice Over Internet Protocol technology to convince victims they had won sweepstakes prizes, then soliciting up-front payments for non-existent prizes. Roger was ordered to pay $3.3 million in restitution and forfeit $4.2 million.
ntd.com
· 2025-12-08
ICE arrested Chinese national Jian Chen in New York on grand larceny charges, marking the second arrest of a Chinese national for similar fraud in the state within three months. Chen is part of a larger fraud ring that defrauded approximately 300 victims across 37 states, stealing over $5 million with suspected fraudulent funds totaling more than $16 million; two other members, Rihui Yan and Hui Chen, were arrested on related charges for targeting elderly individuals, including an attempt to defraud an elderly couple of $20,000 and another elderly resident of $40,000.
mondaq.com
· 2025-12-08
The Department of Justice's Criminal Division has established three enforcement priorities—focus, fairness, and efficiency—to guide white-collar crime prosecution under the Trump administration. Elder fraud is explicitly identified as a priority alongside healthcare, securities, trade, and customs fraud, with prosecutors directed to target cases involving senior-level personnel, demonstrable losses, and victims' compensation. The Department aims to balance rigorous prosecution of significant threats to U.S. interests with fair application of the law that avoids punishing legitimate business risk-taking.
wvua23.com
· 2025-12-08
Birmingham tax preparer Geta Barr was sentenced to 18 months in prison in February 2025 for preparing false tax returns for at least 14 clients between 2016 and 2020. Barr falsified approximately 96% of the 900 tax returns she prepared during 2017-2019, fabricating business losses and inflating deductions, resulting in over $300,000 in tax losses to the IRS.
wwaytv3.com
· 2025-12-08
North Carolina officials launched a statewide initiative to combat Bitcoin ATM scams, which have caused victims millions of dollars in losses with cryptocurrency-related crime jumping nearly 1,300% from 2017 to 2023. The typical scam involves fraudsters impersonating trusted individuals via phone calls and directing victims to Bitcoin kiosks for urgent withdrawals, with seniors over 65 being the primary targets. Officials are encouraging businesses to post warning signs at crypto machines and urging the public to avoid unexpected cash withdrawals, delete suspicious messages, and report suspicious activity to local law enforcement or the NC Secretary of State.
phys.org
· 2025-12-08
"Pig butchering" scams are sophisticated fraud schemes operated by organized crime groups that have stolen billions globally, in which scammers build fake romantic or friendly relationships with victims online before pressuring them into fraudulent investments, typically over a few months rather than years. Notable victims include a Kansas banker who embezzled $47 million to cover his losses and a Connecticut woman who lost nearly $1 million in cryptocurrency investments, with scammers exploiting victims' desire for financial gain rather than solely relying on romantic manipulation. The scams operate in three stages—hunting for victims online, building trust, and executing the "kill" by pushing large financial commitments—and are typically run by highly organized criminal
lgbtqnation.com
· 2025-12-08
In June, former congressman George Santos and Rep. Eric Burlison fell victim to an identity theft scam when an imposter using an outdated number posing as Rep. Rick Crawford contacted them via Telegram, claiming to offer Santos a "coordinator" position with the First Lady. Santos downloaded a suspicious app and shared a PIN with the imposter before realizing the deception and ending contact, though he reported no information was compromised. This incident is part of a growing trend of scammers using AI-generated messages to target government officials, and Santos has previously been targeted by another scammer who fraudulently claimed to have connections with prosecutors and judges.
pulse.com.gh
· 2025-12-08
Romance fraud causes billions in annual losses globally, with the United States leading at $697.3 million lost by nearly 59,000 victims in 2024, followed by the United Kingdom (£106 million), Australia ($33 million), Canada ($25 million), and Germany ($20 million). These organized crime schemes use fake profiles, stolen images, and emotionally manipulative tactics to build trust with victims before requesting money, often targeting vulnerable individuals through dating apps and social media platforms. The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated romance scam prevalence as lockdowns drove millions online, and scammers increasingly overlap these schemes with other financial crimes such as fake investment and money laundering operations.
theconversation.com
· 2025-12-08
A Chinese actor named Wang Xing was abducted in Thailand and taken to a scam compound in Myanmar in early 2025, sparking widespread concern about fraud operations in Southeast Asia. The incident highlighted the prevalence of "pig butchering" scams—a type of fraud where criminals build fake romantic or financial relationships with victims to manipulate them into large investments, with victims worldwide losing billions of dollars. These scams, typically run by organized crime groups, operate in three stages (hunting, raising, and killing) and can result in devastating financial losses, as exemplified by cases like a Connecticut woman who lost nearly $1 million and a Kansas banker who embezzled $47 million to cover
the420.in
· 2025-12-08
A 62-year-old retired professor in Mumbai lost ₹1.93 crore ($231,000 USD) in a two-stage romance scam involving cryptocurrency: first, a woman named "Ayesha" befriended him on Facebook, gained his trust, and convinced him to deposit funds into a Binance account she controlled before disappearing; then a second scammer named "Koyal" contacted him posing as a recovery agent and extracted additional payments with false promises of restitution. The Cyber West Division has registered a criminal case under India's Information Technology Act, which provides for 3-10 years imprisonment for crypto fraud convictions.
newindianexpress.com
· 2025-12-08
The Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone (GTSEZ) in Laos has evolved from a purported tourist development into a major cybercrime hub operating elaborate finance and romance scams targeting English-speaking victims worldwide, a multibillion-dollar criminal enterprise. Founded in 2007 by Chinese businessman Zhao Wei and operating with minimal government oversight, the zone houses towers leasing to international scam operations staffed by workers from multiple countries who are allegedly coerced or trafficked into forced labor. Despite multiple crackdowns by Chinese, Laotian, and British authorities—including sanctions against Zhao Wei in 2018 and 2023 for trafficking, drug smuggling,
nar.realtor
· 2025-12-08
More than 60 real estate agents nationwide have lost a combined $15 million in "pig butchering" cryptocurrency scams, where fraudsters build trust with agents through social media or text, pose as clients or financial advisors, and gradually coax them into investing on fraudulent crypto platforms before disappearing with the funds. The scams often exploit agents' access to MLS databases and their familiarity with large financial transactions, with victims like Tennessee agent Teri Radcliff losing over $200,000 and a North Carolina agent's family losing $815,000. The perpetrators frequently use deepfakes or video impersonation and withdraw victims' money through fake platforms before requesting additional security
cyprus-mail.com
· 2025-12-08
Since early 2025, Cyprus has experienced a surge in cyber fraud cases, including a Limassol man who lost €56,283 to a cryptocurrency investment scam and a 55-year-old woman who lost €230 to a phishing email impersonating Etsy. Scammers employ sophisticated tactics such as impersonating government officials, creating fake websites, and using urgent messaging with links to fraudulent sites, while exact figures on total reported scams remain unavailable from police. Experts advise the public to recognize warning signs including urgency, spelling errors, requests for personal information, and unfamiliar senders, though vigilance alone provides only partial protection against increasingly professional frau
kttc.com
· 2025-12-08
A 22-year-old caregiver in Memphis was arrested for stealing approximately $82,000 worth of jewelry from elderly patients she had been caring for since June through her employer, United Home Health. Investigators confirmed the theft by obtaining video footage and pawn shop records showing Mukes had sold the jewelry on multiple dates in June, leading to charges of theft and financial exploitation of the elderly.
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-08
Two senior executives of cryptocurrency company MoonPay—co-founder Ivan Soto-Wright and CFO Mouna Ammari Siala—were defrauded of $250,300 through a sophisticated email spoofing scheme in which scammers impersonated real estate developer Steve Witkoff using nearly-identical email addresses with typosquatted domains. The stolen cryptocurrency (USDT) was traced to a wallet associated with Nigerian citizen Ehiremen Aigbokhan in Lagos, with the US Department of Justice filing to recover the frozen funds. This incident demonstrates that even security-aware professionals and industry leaders remain vulnerable to social engineering tactics that exploit