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in Money Mules / Laundering
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Fiona Lorraine Walters, 50, of New York pleaded guilty to money laundering for her role in a lottery scam conspiracy that defrauded elderly victims of over $300,000 between 2016 and 2020. Walters and co-conspirators convinced victims they had won lotteries or sweepstakes and laundered the fraudulently obtained money through bank accounts, never paying any winnings. She faces up to 20 years in prison at sentencing scheduled for September 23, 2024.
trendmicro.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, cryptocurrency-related crimes evolved significantly, with ransomware attacks reaching a record $1 billion in extorted payments despite impacting fewer victims, while money laundering via crypto decreased 29.5% to $22.2 billion and stolen cryptocurrency funds fell 54.3% to $1.7 billion compared to 2022. The shifts reflect criminals adapting methods—increasingly using DeFi protocols and gambling services for laundering—even as crypto platforms and law enforcement improved security and recovery capabilities.
dailyhodl.com
· 2025-12-08
Artur Schaback, co-founder and former director of cryptocurrency marketplace Paxful, pleaded guilty to failing to implement required anti-money laundering and know-your-customer protocols from 2015-2019, which enabled the platform to be used for money laundering, sanctions violations, romance scams, extortion, and fraud. Schaback marketed Paxful as not requiring identity verification, presented fake AML policies to third parties, and failed to file any suspicious activity reports despite knowing users engaged in criminal activity. He faces up to five years in prison at sentencing on November 4th.
theitem.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated overseas scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans through internet and telephone fraud, with law enforcement agencies overwhelmed and catching few perpetrators due to limited resources and difficulties investigating crimes that originate overseas. The article highlights the growing crisis as the U.S. population ages and AI technology facilitates fraud, illustrated by cases including an 81-year-old Ohio man who fatally shot an Uber driver after being targeted by a scammer demanding $12,000, and notes that victims rarely recover lost funds and often don't report crimes due to discouragement and shame.
dlnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Huione Guarantee, a Cambodian online marketplace, operates as a bazaar for crypto scam software, money laundering services, and tools for "pig butchering" romance scams affecting Southeast Asia, with crypto wallets associated with the platform receiving over $11 billion since 2021 according to blockchain analytics firm Elliptic. Hun To, cousin of Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet, serves as a director in one of the Huione Group units, implicating the prime minister's family in the crypto fraud scheme despite the government's stated commitment to stopping such scams. The platform facilitates transactions primarily in USDT stablecoin and acts as an esc
mariblock.com
· 2025-12-08
Artur Schaback, co-founder and former CTO of peer-to-peer bitcoin exchange Paxful, pleaded guilty to conspiracy charges for failing to maintain adequate anti-money laundering (AML) and know-your-customer (KYC) programs from 2015 to 2019, allowing the platform to be used for money laundering, fraud, romance scams, and other criminal activities. Schaback faces up to five years in prison with sentencing scheduled for November 4, 2024, and has resigned from Paxful's board. Paxful stated it has since implemented enhanced compliance measures and tripled in size under new management following the
miaminewtimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Rosanna Lisa Stanley (48) and Gina Guy (37) were arrested for operating a 15-year romance scam targeting at least 16 elderly and vulnerable victims, defrauding them of over $7 million through fake romantic relationships and fabricated business opportunities. Stanley and Guy lured victims via dating platforms and in-person meetings, then solicited money for nonexistent organ transplants, businesses, and fake psychic services, using the funds for personal luxury purchases and debt payments. Both face federal charges of wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy, each carrying up to 20 years in prison.
complex.com
· 2025-12-08
Two women, Rosanna Lisa Stanley (48) and Gina Guy (37), were charged with defrauding 16 elderly men out of $7 million through a romance scam spanning from 2009 to 2024. The suspects used fake romantic relationships and personal connections to gain victims' trust before persuading them to send money for fabricated reasons including business deals and medical procedures. Both face multiple federal charges including wire fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering, each carrying up to 20 years in prison.
newsandsentinel.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated overseas criminals steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans through internet and telephone scams, with the crime wave projected to worsen as the aging population and AI technology make fraud easier to perpetrate and harder to prosecute. Law enforcement agencies are overwhelmed and underfunded to handle the exponential growth of scams—including romance, grandparent, and technical support fraud—with victims rarely recovering their stolen money and perpetrators rarely facing consequences. A notable case involved an 81-year-old Ohio man who fatally shot an Uber driver after being defrauded by scammers attempting to extract $12,000, highlighting how these crimes can have devastating downstream effects even as the perpetrators remain
jamaica-star.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated overseas scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans, with losses to adults over 60 ranging from $3.4 billion to $137 billion depending on the source, as law enforcement agencies lack resources to investigate the exponentially growing crime wave. Common schemes include romance scams, grandparent scams, pig butchering, and technical support fraud, with victims rarely recovering their money and often reluctant to report due to shame and self-blame. The problem is expected to worsen as the U.S. population ages and criminals increasingly use AI and cryptocurrency to evade detection, requiring coordinated action from technology, banking, retail, and telecommunications sectors to make fraud harder to execute
fortune.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated overseas scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans through internet and telephone fraud, with relatively few perpetrators caught or convicted, according to AARP's Fraud Watch Network director. Law enforcement agencies are overwhelmed by the exponential growth of scams targeting older adults, who rarely recover lost funds from romance scams, grandparent scams, and technical support fraud, while victims are often discouraged from reporting due to misconceptions that voluntary money transfers constitute consensual transactions. The challenge is compounded by the use of cryptocurrency and foreign bank accounts, low federal prosecution thresholds, and the ease with which criminals operate with minimal consequences, with one Ohio case illustrating how fraud can
audacy.com
· 2025-12-08
Two women, Rosanna Lisa Stanley and Gina Guy, were charged with money laundering, wire fraud, and conspiracy for operating a romance scam that defrauded at least 16 elderly men out of more than $7 million between 2009 and June 2024. The defendants lured victims into fake romantic relationships and used false pretenses such as business needs and medical emergencies to extract money, which they spent on luxury vehicles, boats, and personal expenses. Each woman faces up to 20 years in prison, with one victim losing at least $555,000 and another losing approximately $1 million.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated overseas scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans through internet and phone fraud, with the crime wave expected to worsen as the aging population and AI technology create easier opportunities for perpetrators while law enforcement struggles to investigate and prosecute due to limited resources and cases originating overseas. Victims, particularly older adults targeted by romance scams, grandparent scams, and technical support fraud, rarely recover their money, and many cases go unreported as victims feel discouraged by police who often mischaracterize fraud as "consensual transactions" and prioritize cases with higher dollar amounts or multiple victims.
ibj.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated overseas scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans through internet and telephone fraud, with relatively few perpetrators caught or convicted, according to AARP's Fraud Watch Network director. Victims—particularly older adults targeted by romance scams, grandparent scams, and technical support fraud—rarely recover their money, and law enforcement agencies are overwhelmed and under-resourced to investigate cases, especially those involving cryptocurrency or foreign bank accounts. The article illustrates the crisis through an Ohio case where an 81-year-old man fatally shot an Uber driver after being manipulated by a scammer into believing she was involved in a $12,000 bond fraud, while the actual
nbcnewyork.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated overseas scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans through internet and telephone fraud, with relatively few perpetrators caught or convicted despite the exponential growth of such crimes. Victims—particularly older adults targeted by romance scams, grandparent scams, and technical support fraud—rarely recover their money, and law enforcement agencies lack sufficient resources to investigate cases, especially those involving cryptocurrency or foreign bank accounts. The article highlights a tragic Ohio case where an 81-year-old man fatally shot an Uber driver after being defrauded of $12,000, illustrating how scams can escalate to violence while the original scammers remain at large.
apnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated international scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans, with law enforcement catching and convicting relatively few perpetrators due to resource limitations and investigation challenges, particularly for overseas crimes involving cryptocurrency and foreign accounts. Older Americans are especially vulnerable to romance scams, grandparent scams, and technical support fraud, rarely recovering lost funds including life savings, while some police departments deprioritize financial fraud cases and victims often remain unreported. As the U.S. population ages and AI technology advances, experts warn the crime wave is projected to worsen, with scammers facing minimal consequences for crimes that are increasingly easy to commit and difficult to prosecute.
nypost.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from elderly Americans through internet and telephone fraud schemes including romance scams, grandparent scams, and technical support fraud, with perpetrators rarely caught or convicted due to law enforcement resource limitations and overseas origins making investigations difficult. The crime wave is projected to worsen as the population ages and AI technology advances, while victims—who rarely recover lost funds—are often discouraged from reporting due to police skepticism about voluntarily-sent money and the vast majority of cases going unreported.
mb.com.ph
· 2025-12-08
Scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans through internet and telephone fraud, with sophisticated overseas criminals exploiting an aging population and increasingly using AI to evade detection and prosecution. Law enforcement agencies are overwhelmed by the exponential growth in scams, with most perpetrators escaping capture and victims rarely recovering their money, while some police departments treat financial fraud as lower priority than other crimes. The article illustrates the crisis through cases including an 81-year-old Ohio man who fatally shot an Uber driver after being targeted by a bond scam, and highlights how stolen funds are quickly converted to cryptocurrency or moved to foreign accounts, making recovery and investigation nearly impossible.
m.economictimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated overseas scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans through internet and telephone fraud, with projections worsening as the population ages and AI technology advances fraud capabilities. Law enforcement agencies are overwhelmed and underfunded to investigate these crimes, resulting in few convictions and minimal recovery of stolen funds, while victims—particularly older adults—lose life savings to romance scams, grandparent scams, and technical support fraud. A tragic Ohio case illustrates the crisis: an 81-year-old man fatally shot an Uber driver after a scammer manipulated him into believing she was involved in a $12,000 bond extraction scheme, while the actual perpetrator remains
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated overseas scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans through internet and telephone fraud, with the vast majority of perpetrators escaping prosecution as law enforcement agencies become overwhelmed by the exponential growth in cases. Victims, particularly older adults targeted by romance, grandparent, and technical support scams, rarely recover their losses, and some cases result in tragic secondary consequences when victims become desperate or violent. The combination of low investigation priority at local police departments, difficulty tracking funds moved to cryptocurrency or foreign accounts, and federal prosecution thresholds means that scammers operate with minimal risk of being caught or held accountable.
audacy.com
· 2025-12-08
Rosanna Lisa Stanley and Gina Guy were charged with money laundering, wire fraud, and conspiracy for operating a romance scam that defrauded at least 16 elderly men out of more than $7 million between 2009 and June 2024. The women built romantic relationships with their victims through in-person meetings and online platforms, then convinced them to send money under false pretenses such as business needs, medical emergencies, and spiritual protection, with one victim losing $555,000 and another $1 million. Both defendants face maximum sentences of 20 years for using the stolen funds to purchase luxury goods and vehicles.
nypost.com
· 2025-12-08
Two women, Rosanna Lisa Stanley (48) and Gina Guy (37), were charged with running a romance scam from 2009 to 2024 that defrauded at least 16 elderly men of over $7 million through fake romantic relationships, false medical emergencies, and bogus investment schemes. Stanley allegedly scammed victims out of at least $555,000 by posing as a fortune teller and astrologer, while Guy targeted at least four men claiming to need money for kidney transplants; both women used the proceeds to fund luxury purchases including a boat and car. Both were arrested in June 2024 and charged with money laundering, wire fraud, and conspiracy
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
This Forbes Tax Breaks newsletter covers multiple tax-related topics, including rising gas prices in Illinois due to a new motor fuel tax, and warnings from the IRS about increasingly sophisticated AI-enabled scams targeting taxpayers and professionals. The article also discusses international tax cases, including the acquittal of 28 Panama Papers defendants and a $350 million tax evasion scheme involving offshore accounts, along with new IRS guidance on corporate stock buyback reporting and proposed regulations allowing direct credit card payments for taxes.
nbcnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Rosanna Lisa Stanley and Gina Guy were charged with operating romance scams that defrauded at least 16 elderly men out of more than $7 million between 2009 and 2024. The women built trust through romantic relationships and then convinced victims to send money under false pretenses, such as fake medical procedures, businesses, and financial schemes, while using the proceeds for luxury purchases and personal expenses. Both face charges of money laundering, wire fraud, and conspiracy, each carrying up to 20 years in prison.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Rosanna Lisa Stanley and Gina Guy were charged with running romance scams that defrauded at least 16 elderly men out of more than $7 million between 2009 and 2024. The women built trust with victims through personal relationships and online dating platforms, then manipulated them into sending money under false pretenses such as fake business ventures, medical procedures, and financial schemes, with one victim losing approximately $1 million. Both face charges of money laundering, wire fraud, and conspiracy, each carrying a maximum 20-year prison sentence.
organiser.org
· 2025-12-08
The Enforcement Directorate arrested two individuals, Arvind Singh and Trilok Singh Dhillon, in connection with an alleged Rs 2,100 crore liquor scam that operated in Chhattisgarh under the previous government regime. Dhillon is accused of money laundering through bank accounts and firms used to layer proceeds from the scam, while Singh allegedly played an active role collecting cash and supplying illegal liquor and duplicate holograms. The case involves approximately 70 accused including bureaucrats, liquor suppliers, government officials, and political figures, with multiple arrests and a 9,000-page chargesheet filed by the Economic Offence Wing.
freepressjournal.in
· 2025-12-08
A 49-year-old businessman from Palghar lost Rs 34.47 lakh in a fake police scam where fraudsters impersonated officials from multiple agencies (telecom department, Lucknow police, ED, CBI) and claimed his Aadhaar and SIM had been misused for illegal purposes. The scammers presented forged documents and convinced him that unaccounted money in his accounts needed to be transferred for scrutiny by the Reserve Bank of India, leading him to transfer over Rs 30 lakh between May 28-30 before realizing the fraud when they demanded additional money.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Robert Louis Sanchez of New Mexico was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison as the fifth defendant in a grandparent scam that defrauded hundreds of victims across the United States, including Kentucky, of over $3 million between August 2020 and May 2021. The scheme involved callers convincing seniors that a grandchild needed emergency money, with co-conspirators posing as couriers to collect cash and launder proceeds through banks and cryptocurrency exchanges. Sanchez served as both a courier and "safehouse" keeper for stolen funds, with four other co-conspirators previously sentenced to terms ranging from 6 months to 6 years in prison.
dailyguidenetwork.com
· 2025-12-08
Kumawood actor Big Akwes claimed on a Ghanaian television show that prominent musicians use their spouses to conduct romance scams against foreigners, threatening to publicly name them if provoked. He contextualized his warning while discussing the recent sentencing of socialite Hajia4Real for romance fraud, noting that such scams involve Ghanaians both domestically and abroad collaborating with swindlers, and some overseas Ghanaians unwittingly facilitate money laundering by lending their bank accounts to fraudsters.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
Ghanaian social media influencer Mona Montrage ("Mona 4 Real") was sentenced to 12 months and one day in U.S. federal prison for receiving proceeds from romance scams targeting elderly Americans between 2013 and 2019. Montrage, a member of a West African criminal syndicate, received money from approximately 40 romance fraud victims through her bank accounts, totaling over $2 million in fraudulent funds, and was ordered to forfeit $216,475 and pay $1,387,458 in restitution. She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to receive stolen money and money laundering in February.
ghanaweb.com
· 2025-12-08
Ghanaian actor Big Akwes warned that he would publicly name prominent musicians involved in romance scams if provoked, claiming they use their spouses to defraud foreigners. The warning came amid discussion of socialite Hajia4Real, who pleaded guilty in February 2024 to her role in a $2 million romance scam targeting older Americans and was extradited from the UK to the US; court documents suggest her ex-partner exploited her involvement in the scheme while she feared for her safety and her daughter's.
asaaseradio.com
· 2025-12-08
Ghanaian social media influencer Mona Faiz Montrage (Hajia4Reall) was sentenced to one year and one day in prison for her role in a romance scam that defrauded over $2 million from older, single American victims. Montrage controlled bank accounts that received fraudulent funds through schemes involving false pretenses such as gold transportation payments, fake FBI investigations, and fake military officer assistance. She pleaded guilty to conspiracy to receive stolen money and was extradited from the United Kingdom to face charges in US court.
myjoyonline.com
· 2025-12-08
Ghanaian influencer Mona Faiz Montrage (Hajia 4reall) was sentenced to one year and one day in prison for her role in romance scams targeting senior citizens, which defrauded 32 victims of approximately $1.4 million over six years. She was arrested in the United Kingdom in November 2022, extradited to the United States in May 2023, and pleaded guilty to conspiracy to receive stolen money in February 2024. As part of her sentence, Montrage was ordered to pay $2,164,758.41 in forfeiture and restitution to victims.
ghanamusic.com
· 2025-12-08
Mona Faiz Montrage, known as Hajia4real, was sentenced to 12 months and one day in prison for her role in romance scams that defrauded over 40 victims, significantly less than the government's requested 37-46 months. Montrage, arrested in the UK in November 2022 and extradited to the US, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to receive stolen money and operated five foreign bank accounts to launder proceeds from the scams through fictitious business entities.
jdsupra.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI warned that timeshare fraud targeting senior Americans operates in three phases—fraudsters impersonating brokers demanding upfront payments, then posing as lawyers promising fund recovery for additional fees, and finally impersonating government officials using threats of legal consequences to extort money, with proceeds flowing to Mexican cartels. Seniors are advised to avoid unfamiliar callers, refuse upfront payments for timeshare services, and refrain from emailing legal documents, while financial firms should discuss these scams with clients.
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
A fraud ring used stolen funds from FBI impersonation and romance scams to purchase approximately $1.4 million in collectible stamps through an auction house, with three Indian buyers acquiring 149 lots using criminal proceeds. The scammers employed a multi-layered scheme where fake government agents convinced victims to send money for "safekeeping," often routing payments through romance fraud victims to obscure the trail before purchasing stamps as a money-laundering vehicle to legitimize the stolen funds. The FBI seized the stamps, though no charges have been filed to date.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Washington seized over $1 million in collectible stamps purchased with stolen money from a fraud scheme targeting seniors and vulnerable populations. The scheme involved two phases: victims were first defrauded by scammers impersonating government agents (FBI, SEC, DOJ) who claimed their accounts were breached and demanded they transfer funds for safekeeping, and some of those stolen funds were then funneled through romance scam victims via cashier's checks to purchase the stamps. The government has identified 28 victims defrauded of hundreds of thousands of dollars collectively, and seized stamps will be liquidated with proceeds returned to victims
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Two women—Rosanna Lisa Stanley (48, Florida) and Gina Guy (37, New York)—were arrested and charged with defrauding at least 16 elderly victims of over $7 million through romance scams spanning from 2009 to 2024. The defendants gained victims' trust through in-person meetings and online dating platforms, then convinced them to transfer money under false pretenses (fake businesses, organ transplants), which they laundered through shell company accounts and spent on luxury items including vehicles, jewelry, and a boat. Both face charges of wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, money laundering, and conspiracy to commit money laundering, each
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Adedayo John, a 35-year-old from Texas, was sentenced to seven years in prison for leading a money laundering and bank fraud ring that stole over $19 million from more than 50 victims through business email compromise and romance fraud schemes targeting elderly individuals. John directed conspirators to open fraudulent bank accounts, approximately $4.5 million in proceeds passed through accounts he controlled, and he was ordered to forfeit over $4.5 million and pay nearly $1.6 million in restitution. In total, 11 defendants pleaded guilty in the scheme, which collectively resulted in over $25 million in forfeitures and $8
abc.net.au
· 2025-12-08
Harriet Spring lost $1.6 million of her elderly mother's life savings to scammers impersonating ING bank over several months of phone calls and emails, with the funds eventually transferred through multiple Australian banks and becoming untraceable. Despite her mother's bank questioning the unusual transfer to a Westpac "holding account" and confirming ING was not offering the advertised rate, the bank did not warn her of potential fraud before processing the transaction. Spring is now advocating for government action and bank accountability, as Australians lost $2.7 billion to scams in the previous year.
vermontbiz.com
· 2025-12-08
A 2023 analysis of Vermont cybercrimes found that investment scams are the costliest, with victims averaging $162,265 in losses (22 victims, $3.6M total), followed by cryptocurrency wallet scams at $133,133 per victim (28 victims, $3.7M total). Vermont residents reported 708 cybercrimes statewide in 2023, resulting in total losses of approximately $13.6 million, with an average loss of $19,248 per victim across all crime types.
indiatoday.in
· 2025-12-08
A 52-year-old businessman in Noida lost Rs 5 lakh to a digital arrest scam in June when a fraudster posing as a Mumbai crime branch official threatened him with arrest for alleged drug smuggling and money laundering, keeping him on a video call while demanding he transfer funds as a temporary "Supreme Court audit" measure. The victim complied under fear of legal consequences but never received the promised return of funds. The case highlights how scammers impersonating law enforcement target even educated individuals, and authorities recommend verifying claims by independently contacting official agencies, never sharing financial information with unknown callers, and reporting suspicious calls to police.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
On June 15, 2024, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Kentucky observed World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, highlighting that one in ten people over 60 experiences some form of elder abuse, with an estimated $28.3 billion lost annually to elder fraud scams. In 2023, Kentucky's FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center received 908 complaints from individuals over 60 reporting $12.8 million in losses, more than any other age group combined. The Justice Department brought nearly 300 criminal and civil actions against over 650 defendants in the past year who stole more than $1.5 billion from 2.4
taipeitimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A man surnamed Hsiao was sentenced to five years in prison by the Miaoli County District Court for operating a romance scam ring that targeted victims in China, defrauding at least one male victim of 1,200 yuan (US$165.38) across 23 incidents. Hsiao recruited young men and women to pose as romantic interests on social media and dating apps, and was convicted of fraud and violating the Organized Crime Prevention Act, with the court emphasizing the serious damage caused to public trust and Taiwan's international reputation.
webwire.com
· 2025-12-08
Tietoevry Banking's 2023 fraud prevention report analyzed 3.4 billion transactions and prevented NOK 2.7 billion in fraud, with a 90 percent detection rate stopping approximately 70 percent of fraud attempts without customer loss. The report reveals a significant surge in digital fraud methods, including a 70 percent increase in card/account fraud attempts, 300 percent rise in digital wallet fraud, and over 150 percent growth in social engineering attacks, with phishing attempts up 60 percent. Key emerging threats include AI-enabled fraud techniques such as deepfake voice calls, "secure account" fraud, romance scams, and extortion schemes, requiring
timesnownews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 68-year-old retired chemical engineer from Pune lost Rs 81 lakh in a sophisticated online scam involving impersonators posing as police and CBI officials who falsely accused him of illegal advertising and money laundering. The fraudsters used fake police credentials, video calls with official logos, and threats of asset freezing to manipulate the victim into transferring the funds as alleged "security deposits." The article advises citizens to verify caller identities through official channels, never share financial information with unknown callers, and report suspicious calls to authorities.
taipeitimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams targeting people seeking relationships online are prevalent in Taiwan, with scammers using fake profiles and trust-building tactics to convince victims to send money. Two documented cases involved a 35-year-old woman who lent NT$1 million (US$30,912) to a man posing as a National Security Bureau employee, and a female teacher who nearly sent NT$5 million to someone claiming to be a businessman—the latter prevented by an alert bank clerk. Authorities advise victims to verify suspicious activity by contacting the 165 anti-fraud hotline or police, and to seek guidance from trusted friends and family before sending money to online romantic interests.
mustsharenews.com
· 2025-12-08
Two Malaysian men, aged 26 and 47, were arrested in Malaysia and extradited to Singapore after an international investigation revealed they operated servers that infected Android phones with malware, enabling a syndicate called "Trojan Spymax" to steal banking credentials and conduct fraudulent transactions. At least 1,899 Singaporeans fell victim to these malware-enabled scams in 2023, resulting in total losses of S$34.1 million, with the investigation also leading to arrests of 14 money mules in Hong Kong and four suspects in Taiwan, plus seizure of approximately S$1.8 million in assets.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Michigan recognized World Elder Abuse Awareness Day by announcing a partnership between federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to combat fraud targeting older citizens. The agencies will hold a public town hall on June 20, 2024, to educate seniors about recognizing and preventing fraud schemes, including tech support scams, romance scams, and Social Security impostor fraud. The Justice Department emphasizes that awareness and information are key to protecting vulnerable populations from financial, physical, and psychological harm.
sciotopost.com
· 2025-12-08
De-love Kofi Amuzu, 25, of Ohio, was sentenced to 78 months in prison for laundering money from a romance fraud conspiracy targeting elderly victims seeking companionship online. The scheme involved creating fake dating profiles to deceive victims into sending substantial cash, items, and wire transfers totaling over $1.1 million, which Amuzu then transferred to Ghana accounts. Several victims lost so much money they were forced into bankruptcy, and Amuzu has been ordered to pay $835,487.65 in restitution.