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A 26-year-old Illinois man, Harmish Patel, is accused of defrauding an elderly couple from Rensselaer County by swindling them out of gold bullion between December 2023 and March 2024. Patel allegedly conspired with others to transport the stolen gold from New York to New Jersey across multiple trips. If convicted, he faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Harmish Patel, 26, of Illinois was indicted for his role in a gold bullion scam targeting an elderly couple in Rensselaer County, New York. Between December 2023 and March 2024, Patel conspired with others to transport gold bullion obtained through fraud across state lines from New York to New Jersey on three separate occasions. Patel faces up to 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine if convicted.

Harmish Patel, 26, of Illinois was indicted for his role in a multi-state gold bullion scam targeting an elderly couple in Brunswick, New York, between December 2023 and March 2024. Patel allegedly conspired with others to transport fraudulently obtained gold bullion across state lines from New York to New Jersey on multiple occasions. The charges carry a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.

Communities First Initiative, the Jewish Community Housing Corporation of Metropolitan New Jersey, and Valley Bank presented an educational program on avoiding scams, frauds, and identity theft to seniors at a housing facility in South Orange. The bilingual presentation is part of Project Thrive, a response to rising victimization of senior citizens by scams and fraud, designed to provide financial education and resources that help seniors protect themselves.

Craig Callaway, a 64-year-old former Atlantic City council president, pleaded guilty to orchestrating a mail-in ballot fraud scheme during the 2022 general election in which he and associates recruited messengers to collect fraudulent ballots and cast them in voters' names without their knowledge. Callaway paid individuals $30-$50 to submit Vote-By-Mail Applications as "authorized messengers," then diverted the ballots instead of delivering them to actual voters, resulting in many fraudulent ballots being counted. The scheme deprived New Jersey residents of a fair election and violated federal law regarding electoral integrity.

New Jersey authorities warned residents about a phishing scam using text messages claiming unpaid E-ZPass tolls of $6-$7, with links that steal personal information like credit cards and dates of birth when clicked. The official E-ZPass and consumer affairs agencies clarified they never contact customers by text or phone about unpaid tolls, and advised consumers to watch for red flags like foreign phone numbers and grammatical errors, and to place fraud alerts on their credit with agencies if targeted.

Middlesex County, New Jersey is hosting a free Senior Fraud Prevention Conference on March 14, 2025, in partnership with the County Prosecutor's Office to educate older adults, caregivers, and service providers about scams targeting seniors. The conference will cover common fraud schemes including online, phone, and door-to-door scams, with expert guidance from law enforcement on protecting personal information and financial security. Registration is required and closes March 10.

A phishing scam is targeting New Jersey E-ZPass customers through unsolicited texts, emails, and calls impersonating the E-ZPass Service Center, claiming accounts are expired and demanding small payments ($3.95-$12.55) to avoid late fees. Hunterdon County Sheriff Fred Brown warns that legitimate government agencies never request personal information or payment via email or phone, and advises residents to watch for red flags like generic greetings, spelling errors, and suspicious links, then report suspicious communications to authorities immediately.

A 24-year-old New Jersey man, Hirtik Hemchand Khatri, was arrested and faces first-degree felony charges for defrauding a 74-year-old Pennsylvania man out of approximately $688,372 through a fake bank error scheme. The scam began with a disputed PayPal charge, escalated through false claims of accidental overpayments, and ultimately involved the victim purchasing nearly $600,000 in gold bars and transferring Bitcoin, which Khatri collected in person. Authorities identified Khatri through a license plate reader and photo identification, and note that the Lehigh County Elder Abuse Task Force has

Thousands of people across Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Delaware have been targeted by a "smishing" scam impersonating toll authorities, with the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission receiving 8,000 inquiries about fraudulent text messages in just the first two months of 2025. The scam texts falsely claim unpaid toll bills and demand immediate payment within 12 hours to avoid fees, targeting random individuals including those who don't even have driver's licenses or have never driven on toll roads. Officials advise recipients to recognize red flags—unsolicited texts, pressure tactics, and claims unrelated to their actual travel history—and note that legitimate toll authorities only contact customers via mail or online account

**Summary:** Etienne Jackson, 39, of Menands, New York, was arrested on March 1, 2025, after attempting a "grandparent scam" targeting an elderly woman by calling and claiming her grandson needed $9,800 for bail. The victim contacted police instead of paying, and officers arrested Jackson without incident when he arrived at her home to collect the money. Jackson was charged with Attempted Grand Larceny 3rd Degree.

At least two dozen elderly and vulnerable people across multiple states lost over $1 million to a construction fraud scheme perpetrated by James Dinnigan, Martin Maughan, and recruited foreign nationals posing as legitimate home repair contractors. The scammers lured victims through false advertisements, then deliberately damaged their properties and coerced them into paying tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars for unnecessary repairs through intimidation and threats. Most victims were located in New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut.

A 78-year-old woman in Washington Township, New Jersey nearly lost $24,600 in a multi-layered scam involving fake iCloud alerts, spoofed police calls, and impersonation of a banker pressuring her to withdraw cash. An alert Uber driver recognized the suspicious situation and prevented the fraud by warning the woman and returning her to the bank to re-deposit the money. Washington Township Police partnered with the FBI to hold a senior scam awareness seminar in response to the incident.

The Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General warned the public about fraudulent emails with the subject line "Claim Benefits!" that impersonate SSA and direct recipients to fake websites designed to steal personal information. Red flags include sender email addresses from "Social Administration" rather than legitimate ".gov" addresses, and SSA will never request personal information or direct users to click links via unsolicited email. Victims should stop engaging with scammers, secure their accounts, and report the fraud to SSA OIG, local law enforcement, the FBI, and the FTC.

A 27-year-old man from New Jersey was sentenced to six years in prison for stealing over $120,000 from an 80-year-old Highlands Ranch woman through a fake federal agent gold bar scam in July 2023. Sagar Jayeshkuma Patel posed as law enforcement after she clicked a virus pop-up, convincing her to purchase gold bars and hand them over at a convenience store; he was caught through cellphone records, credit card records, and surveillance footage, and ordered to pay approximately $144,000 in restitution. Patel is also under investigation for similar crimes in New York and Delaware and faces an ICE hold for being an un

This is an educational announcement for a three-part fraud prevention workshop series offered by AARP NJ at the Senior Resource Center in Chester, New Jersey, scheduled for May and June. The sessions cover fraud landscape awareness and prevention tools, government imposter scams with identity protection checklists, and cybercrime safety across various settings including social media and online banking.

This educational article identifies New Jersey as the safest U.S. state for retirees based on FBI data analysis, citing low violent and property crime rates, minimal senior involvement in fatal accidents, and strong healthcare access. The article also lists nine additional safe states for retirement (New York, Mississippi, Louisiana, Nebraska, Rhode Island, Pennsylvania, Illinois, Connecticut, Alabama) and warns against five states with higher risks of elder fraud, property crime, and scams (Colorado, Nevada, Washington, Oregon, New Mexico).

New Jersey launched an online portal on March 26, 2025, to streamline reporting of suspected financial exploitation of elderly and vulnerable adults by financial professionals under the state's SAFE Act. Since the law took effect in April 2020, financial professionals have reported over 1,200 suspected fraud cases, resulting in halted disbursements from dozens of victim accounts. The new digital portal allows faster submission of fraud alerts and supporting documents, enabling the Bureau of Securities to intervene more quickly before vulnerable adults lose their assets.

Badetito O. Obafemi, a 42-year-old Georgia man, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for his role in a romance scam that defrauded elderly victims across Missouri, New Jersey, and Minnesota between 2016 and 2018. Obafemi and co-conspirators used social media to build fake relationships with victims and convince them to send money for various pretexts, with one victim losing over $27,400; he was ordered to pay $311,500 in restitution. The investigation involved multiple federal agencies and resulted in charges for money laundering conspiracy.

Badetito O. Obafemi, a 42-year-old Georgia man, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for his role in a romance scam that defrauded elderly victims in Missouri, Minnesota, and New Jersey of approximately $311,520 between 2016 and 2018. Obafemi received wire transfers from victims who were deceived by scammers posing as individuals like "Kevin Condon," who fabricated stories about business expenses, medical issues, and legal problems to solicit money. The court ordered Obafemi to pay full restitution and serve three years of supervised release following his incarceration.

Scammers in Salem County, New Jersey are impersonating correctional facility employees and calling victims claiming that an inmate has been approved for early release due to prison overcrowding and needs a $2,100 ankle monitor fee paid via PayPal or Venmo. The Salem County Sheriff's Office warns that they and the correctional facility never request payments through payment apps for inmate release or services, and urges anyone contacted to refuse payment and report the scam to local police.

Badetito O. Obafemi, a 42-year-old Georgia man, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for his role in an online romance scam targeting elderly victims in Missouri, Minnesota, and New Jersey between 2016 and 2018. Obafemi conspired to receive fraudulent wire transfers totaling $311,520 by coordinating bank accounts and fund transfers, with one victim in Missouri alone losing $27,460 after being deceived by someone claiming to be "Kevin Condon" seeking money for overseas business and medical expenses. He was ordered to pay full restitution to his victims and serve three years of supervised release following his incarceration.

Badetito O. Obafemi, a 42-year-old Georgia man, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for his role in romance scams that defrauded elderly victims across Missouri, New Jersey, and Minnesota between 2016 and 2018. Obafemi used social media to establish fake romantic relationships with victims, convincing them to send money for various expenses, and coordinated the receipt and transfer of stolen funds through multiple bank accounts; he was ordered to pay over $311,500 in restitution to his victims. The scheme targeted at least one victim in Missouri who lost more than $27,400 to a scammer posing as "Kevin Condon

A Georgia man, Badetito O. Obafemi, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for his role in a romance scam that defrauded elderly victims across multiple states, including a Taney County, Missouri resident who lost $27,460. Obafemi conspired with scammers who posed as romantic interests online, requesting money for various expenses, and received the stolen funds through personal and business bank accounts he controlled. He was ordered to pay $311,520 in total restitution to all victims across Missouri, Minnesota, and New Jersey.

Badetito O. Obafemi, 42, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for orchestrating a romance scam that defrauded elderly victims in Missouri, Minnesota, and New Jersey of approximately $311,520 between 2016 and 2018. Obafemi and co-conspirators posed as individuals like "Kevin Condon" online to build relationships with victims and convince them to send money for various expenses, with Obafemi receiving the fraudulent wire transfers through personal and business bank accounts he controlled. The court ordered Obafemi to pay full restitution to victims and serve three years of supervised release following his incarceration.

Badetito O. Obafemi, a 42-year-old Nigerian national, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for his role in a transnational romance scam that defrauded elderly victims across Missouri, Minnesota, and New Jersey between 2016 and 2018. Obafemi pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and was ordered to pay $311,520 in restitution; one victim alone lost $27,460 after being lured through a fake Facebook identity. The scam involved establishing fake online relationships and soliciting funds under false pretenses such as business investments and medical emergencies, with Obafemi laundering proceeds through two Georgia

Badetito O. Obafemi, a 42-year-old Nigerian national, was convicted and sentenced to 24 months in prison for his role in an online romance scam that defrauded elderly victims in Missouri, Minnesota, and New Jersey between 2016 and 2018. Obafemi pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy and was ordered to pay $311,520 in restitution; he received funds from victims through personal and business accounts while scammers posed as romantic interests requesting money for business, medical, travel, and other expenses. The Taney County victim alone lost $27,460, with scammers attempting to solicit an additional

Henry Collins, a 53-year-old Philadelphia man, pleaded guilty to conspiring to defraud the IRS through a payroll tax evasion scheme at Davis Brothers Chimney Sweep & Masonry in Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, between 2018 and 2024. Collins and the business owner's spouse converted company receipts into cash through a check-cashing service to pay employees off-the-books while filing false tax returns, resulting in approximately $1 million in tax losses. Collins faces up to five years in prison and a $250,000 fine at sentencing scheduled for August 2025.

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A 76-year-old New Jersey man lost $200,000 in gold bars after being contacted by scammers posing as AppleCare representatives who claimed his bank account had been hacked and convinced him to convert cash into gold for "protection." When the scammers contacted him a second time to purchase an additional $550,000 in gold bars, law enforcement was waiting to intercept the delivery, leading to the arrest of two individuals charged with theft by deception and conspiracy.

Lance Norman, 36, of Queens, was arrested for operating a Publishers Clearing House scam targeting a Columbia County resident who lost approximately $62,000 in cash across two in-person meetings in Hudson. Norman was located in Westchester County with a large sum of cash in his vehicle and was charged with grand larceny and conspiracy, both felonies. New York State Police urged the public to be cautious of prize or sweepstakes scams demanding upfront payments and to report suspicious financial activity targeting older adults.

A 29-year-old New Jersey man, Zabi Ullah Mohammed, was arrested for wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, and impersonating a federal agent in connection with a scam that defrauded a Missoula, Montana woman of nearly $1 million. The scam began with a fraudulent call claiming to be from Amazon, which escalated into impersonation of federal officials (Social Security Department and a U.S. Marshal named Carlos Silva) who convinced the victim to withdraw her money for "legalization" and safekeeping. Between April 2-18, over $900,000 in cash and gold were picked up from the victim's home

Law enforcement agencies in New Jersey and Pennsylvania are warning residents about six prevalent scams: Facebook marketplace scams offering cheap duct cleaning or car detailing that harvest personal information; jury duty scams impersonating authorities and requesting driver's license or passport numbers; "brushing" scams involving unsolicited packages with malicious QR codes designed to access phone data; Medicaid/Medicare impersonation scams attempting to steal Social Security numbers and personal information; fake law enforcement scams threatening arrest and demanding bond payments; and additional schemes targeting victims through phone calls, emails, and in-person contact. The advisory emphasizes avoiding contact with suspicious offers, never scanning unknown QR codes, hanging up on callers imp

Officials in Pennsylvania and New Jersey are warning about a text message scam claiming recipients have unpaid traffic tickets and threatening license suspension or prosecution to pressure victims into clicking malicious links or providing personal information. Both PennDOT and the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission clarified they do not send unsolicited texts about driver status. Victims should report suspected scam messages to the FTC or FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.

A Delaware woman lost $701,529 in gold bars between August 2023 and February 2024 after scammers posing as federal agents claimed her identity had been stolen and she was under investigation; they told her the Treasury would safeguard gold bars she purchased to resolve the matter. When authorities caught the scheme, they arrested Rakeshkumar Patel, an Indian national illegally residing in New York, who pleaded guilty after attempting to collect an additional $300,000 in gold in May 2024. The scam was part of a larger fraud operation targeting older affluent adults across Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey, with a combined loss of $2.1

Police across multiple states including Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, and New Jersey are warning of a DMV text scam impersonating the Department of Motor Vehicles and threatening to suspend vehicle registration unless victims click malicious links to pay alleged fines immediately. The scam is designed to steal personal and financial information by creating panic and urgency. Authorities recommend not clicking links or responding to such messages, instead reporting them to the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov, contacting your state DMV directly through official channels, and forwarding suspicious texts to 7726 (SPAM) to help wireless providers block similar messages.

A new scam targeting drivers claims they owe money for unpaid traffic tickets via text message, threatening suspension of driving privileges if payment is not made immediately. Motor vehicle departments across multiple states, including Ohio, Illinois, and New Jersey, have issued warnings that they never send unsolicited texts demanding payment for tolls or tickets. Consumers are advised to delete such messages without clicking links and to contact state agencies directly using official phone numbers if they need to verify any legitimate traffic violations.

Scammers in Wisconsin are impersonating the Wisconsin Department of Transportation DMV by sending text messages claiming unpaid traffic violations or final notices, attempting to trick recipients into revealing personal information or clicking malicious links. The Wisconsin DMV received a large volume of complaints on June 2 and noted similar scams had recently targeted Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey, Georgia, and New York. The DMV advises residents not to respond to unsolicited texts, avoid clicking links, and warns to be suspicious of communications requesting money or creating urgency.

A scammer in Mercer County, New Jersey impersonated a Lieutenant from the Prosecutor's Office, calling a victim and claiming a family member had an outstanding warrant requiring a $10,000 Bitcoin ATM deposit. The Mercer County Prosecutor's Office warns that legitimate law enforcement will never request money, financial information, or personal details over the phone, and advises residents to hang up and report suspicious calls immediately.

DMV officials across multiple U.S. states issued advisories in May warning citizens about text message scams impersonating the DMV and demanding payment for fake "outstanding tolls" or traffic violations, with messages threatening license suspension, penalties, or legal action. The fraudulent texts use official-looking ".gov" links and domain variations (such as "ezpassnj") to appear legitimate, targeting unsuspected victims in at least ten states including New York, New Jersey, Florida, and California. Authorities recommend recipients delete the messages immediately, avoid clicking links or providing information, and report the scams to the FTC or their service provider via the SPAM hotline (7726).

Police are warning the public about a widespread DMV text message scam that threatens to suspend vehicle registration unless victims click malicious links and pay fake fines, with reports across multiple states including Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, and New Jersey. The scam is part of a broader wave of "smishing" (SMS phishing) attacks designed to steal personal and financial information by creating panic and prompting immediate action. To protect yourself, do not click links in unsolicited DMV texts, report suspicious messages to the FTC and your wireless provider, and verify any requests directly through your state's official DMV website or phone number.

DMV text message scams, known as "smishing," are expanding across multiple states including Colorado, Indiana, Minnesota, California, Michigan, and North Carolina, with earlier warnings issued in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey, Georgia, and New York. These fraudulent texts falsely claim recipients have unpaid traffic tickets or outstanding bills and threaten consequences like vehicle registration loss, driving privilege suspension, or credit score damage unless they click a link and pay. The Federal Trade Commission advises recipients not to click links or respond, instead contacting their state DMV directly through official channels and reporting the messages to their wireless provider, the FTC, and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.

State Departments of Transportation in Idaho, Iowa, and Wisconsin issued warnings about phishing text scams impersonating state agencies and demanding payment for unpaid tolls or traffic violations, with threats of legal action. The scams have already targeted Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey, Georgia, and New York, and are becoming more sophisticated by using fear tactics to trick victims into clicking malicious links or sharing personal information. State agencies advise recipients to ignore urgency demands, avoid clicking links or sharing information, block senders, and report scams to the FTC or Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Pranav Patel, a 33-year-old New Jersey man, was sentenced to six years and three months in federal prison for his role as a money mule in an elder fraud scheme that defrauded senior citizens of approximately $1.79 million between October and December 2023. Fraudsters operating from overseas call centers impersonated government agents, falsely claiming victims had outstanding arrest warrants or needed to surrender money and gold for safekeeping, while Patel collected the proceeds from victims across the East Coast. One victim was forced to sell his house and rely on Social Security after losing his savings to the scam.

Pranav Patel, 33, from New Jersey, was sentenced to 75 months in prison and ordered to forfeit nearly $2 million for his role as a money mule in a government impersonation scam targeting senior citizens between October and December 2023. Patel picked up cash and gold from victims across the East Coast who had been fraudulently told by overseas call center operators posing as Treasury Department officials that they faced arrest warrants or needed to surrender assets for safekeeping. One victim was forced to sell his house and rely on Social Security after losing his savings in the scheme, which resulted in approximately $1.79 million in laundered fraud proceeds.

Thousands of Minnesotans received fraudulent text messages impersonating the Department of Motor Vehicles, threatening legal consequences and demanding payment for fictitious traffic violations. This scam, which has also affected residents in Georgia, New York, Indiana, Florida, New Jersey, and Colorado, puts victims at financial risk and creates anxiety about message authenticity. Senator Tina Smith is urging the Trump Administration to take action against the widespread scheme.

Senator Tina Smith is urging the Trump Administration to address a widespread text message scam targeting Minnesotans, in which fake DMV messages claim recipients have unpaid traffic tickets and threaten arrest to coerce online payments. The scam has been reported across multiple states including Georgia, New York, Indiana, Florida, New Jersey, and Colorado, and Smith has requested intervention from the Department of Justice to combat the scheme's scale and sophistication.

Scammers have been sending SMiShing (SMS phishing) text messages impersonating the New Jersey DMV since at least May 2025, threatening recipients with vehicle suspension, credit damage, and increased tolls to coerce immediate payment of alleged unpaid traffic tickets. The New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission confirmed these fraudulent messages are designed to steal personal and financial information, and emphasized that the legitimate DMV only sends appointment reminder texts and never requests payment or personal details via unsolicited communications. Consumers are advised to avoid clicking links in unexpected texts, visit official websites directly to verify any account issues, and report suspicious messages to the FTC, FBI's IC3, and local cybers

Pranav Patel, a 33-year-old Indian national, was sentenced to 6 years and 3 months in federal prison for operating as a money collector in a $1.79 million government impersonation scam that targeted elderly Americans, with co-conspirators posing as government agents and threatening victims with arrest to extort cash and gold. Patel traveled along the East Coast collecting packages from vulnerable seniors, including one victim who was forced to sell his home after losing his life savings. Law enforcement recovered most of the funds after arresting Patel during a planned collection operation, though overseas call center operators remain under investigation.

Cybersecurity expert Fuad Hamidli is educating New Jersey residents about how scammers manipulate victims by exploiting emotions, impersonating authority figures, and increasingly using AI technology to create fake voices and videos. In 2024, New Jersey consumers reported $321 million in fraud losses, though actual losses are believed to be significantly higher due to underreporting, and scammers employ sophisticated global operations with extensive training in emotional manipulation and behavioral targeting.