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**Summary:** Connecticut Attorney General William Tong held an elder justice forum at West Hartford's Bishops Corner Senior Center on February 20 to address issues affecting older adults, including elder abuse, neglect, fraud, and exploitation. The event promoted Tong's Elder Justice Hotline (1-860-808-5555), a resource operated in cooperation with the Coalition for Elder Justice in Connecticut to help seniors report and address elder abuse and fraud concerns.

The Better Business Bureau is warning Connecticut residents about a "relief check" phone scam that has generated over 800 reports nationally in less than two months. Scammers call, text, or leave voicemails claiming victims have an unclaimed relief payment and direct them to fraudulent websites that steal personal and financial information, install malware, or enroll victims in unwanted services. The BBB advises residents to hang up on such calls, never visit caller-provided websites, verify information directly with government agencies using official contact details, and avoid sharing personal or financial information with strangers.

Jackie Crenshaw, a Connecticut resident, lost nearly $1 million to a cryptocurrency romance scam in which a fraudster built emotional trust to manipulate her into making false investments. She testified before the Connecticut legislature in support of House Bill 6990, which passed and was signed into law, establishing a legal framework for law enforcement to seize virtual currency used in criminal offenses—legislation designed to help recover stolen funds from future victims. Crenshaw's advocacy highlights how romance scams, which exploit emotional connections for financial gain, have become increasingly prevalent, with the FTC estimating true annual fraud losses at $137 billion despite only $9 billion being reported.

Christopher Gibbon, 54, was arrested in Connecticut in August 2025 after nearly six years as a fugitive for his role in a Jamaican lottery scam that operated from December 2016 to July 2018. Gibbon participated in the scheme by receiving payments from victims who were fraudulently told they had won the lottery and needed to pay taxes on their winnings; he collected money from at least four victims, including one North Carolina resident who sent $50,000, and forwarded portions to co-conspirators in Jamaica. He is charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and bank fraud, along with additional counts of mail fraud and bank fraud, and will be detained until trial

Two New Jersey brothers, Abhishek and Tushar Barvalia, were indicted for allegedly defrauding four elderly women aged 76 to 90 out of approximately $400,000 between June 2023 and January 2024. The defendants impersonated government agents, FBI officials, and bank representatives to convince victims their accounts were compromised, instructing them to withdraw funds and transfer money to accounts the perpetrators controlled. The victims, located in Brooklyn, Staten Island, Queens, and Connecticut, were told to keep the transactions confidential, and a total of over $393,000 was stolen through cashier's checks and wire transfers.

The Canton Police Department is warning seniors about a surge in financial scams, noting that Connecticut victims lost $31.9 million in 2024 alone, with most victims over 65 years old. Scammers use high-pressure tactics, fake caller IDs, and requests for untraceable payments like gift cards and cryptocurrency to steal money and personal information. Seniors should watch for urgent demands, refusals to meet in person, and instructions not to contact family, and should verify claims by calling known numbers and reporting suspected scams to police immediately.

Connecticut's Department of Consumer Protection is addressing rising scams across the state through enforcement and consumer protection measures. Commissioner Brian Cafferelli discussed the department's role in ensuring a fair marketplace, protecting consumer health and safety, and licensing nearly 300,000 businesses annually through occupational and professional divisions.

Connecticut residents are receiving fraudulent text messages claiming unpaid toll fees are owed to EZPass, with scammers spoofing the Connecticut Department of Transportation website to steal credit card and personal information. The Connecticut DOT warns that there are no tolls in Connecticut and advises recipients to delete suspicious messages, avoid clicking links, and report the scams rather than responding.

Romance scammers are targeting people seeking relationships online, with the FTC reporting these scams cost Americans $1.3 billion annually. Scammers employ "love bombing" tactics, building emotional connections over months or even a year before requesting money, increasingly through cryptocurrency to remain untraceable. One Connecticut woman lost nearly $1 million to this type of fraud.

The FBI and DEA are investigating a widespread impersonation scam targeting healthcare professionals, pharmacists, and veterinarians in Connecticut, with victims losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in some cases. Scammers impersonate federal agents (DEA, FBI) and state/local police to steal money and personal information from licensed professionals by using partial information to build credibility and extract additional details. The agencies are raising public awareness as criminals operate from boiler rooms conducting research on specific targets to refine their fraudulent schemes.

Detective Matthew Hogan of the Connecticut State Police discusses internet scams and their increasing sophistication, with a particular focus on cryptocurrency fraud. While crypto is often perceived as untraceable, it is actually traceable through blockchain technology; scammers favor it because wallet ownership is pseudo-anonymous, transactions move quickly, and assets can be easily co-mingled. The discussion emphasizes recognizing red flags to help people avoid falling victim to these evolving online schemes.

Connecticut residents lost over $1 billion to online scams in 2023, affecting victims across all age groups and professions. Common scam tactics include unexpected contact that builds rapport, followed by requests for personal information or money accompanied by urgency, secrecy demands, or threats. Law enforcement advises protecting personal information and money by recognizing these warning signs and consulting IC3.gov for protection resources.

The FBI and Connecticut Attorney General warn of three prevalent scams targeting elders: grandparent scams requesting bail money, fake bank security calls, and impersonation of the IRS demanding immediate tax penalty payments. These scams manipulate victims emotionally through urgency, secrecy, and threats, often resulting in loss of life savings. The agencies advise victims to pause, verify with trusted contacts, research details, and never send money or information in response to unsolicited requests.