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nbclosangeles.com
· 2026-09-25
Michelle Bisnoff, a former Pacific Palisades resident, was found guilty of running a $2 million Ponzi scheme through her smart ring company Esos Rings, defrauding investors with false claims about the product's capabilities and fabricated partnerships with Apple and Roc Nation. Of the nearly $2 million raised from investors, approximately $1.4 million was never recovered, and Bisnoff also fraudulently obtained a $150,000 COVID-relief loan that she used for personal expenses. She was convicted of securities fraud, wire fraud, money laundering, identity theft, and COVID-relief fraud, with sentencing scheduled for January 21, 2027.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2026-09-24
A 70-year-old Michigan woman cashed out her and her late husband's pension accounts, totaling over $270,000, after a scammer posing as an FTC agent threatened her with arrest for alleged money laundering and drug trafficking. The victim was instructed to purchase gold and later withdraw cash to pay the fake charges, and was threatened with arrest if she contacted police. A 30-year-old man from Sacramento was arrested using community camera footage, though it's unclear whether the victim recovered her money.
broadandliberty.com
· 2026-09-24
Pennsylvania's elderly population, which comprises over one-quarter of the state's residents, lost over $215 million to scams in 2025 alone, according to FBI data. Common scams targeting seniors include romance and investment fraud, online shopping counterfeit schemes, phishing scams impersonating government agencies like Social Security and the IRS, and grandparent emergency scams. Scammers exploit seniors' vulnerability by using spoofed phone numbers, fake websites, and increasingly AI technology to deceive victims into divulging sensitive financial information or transferring funds.
bankingjournal.aba.com
· 2026-09-24
The Senate unanimously passed the Romance Scam Prevention Act requiring dating websites to notify users when accounts they've interacted with are banned for fraud, potentially involving false identities or attempted deception. The FTC and state attorneys general will enforce the law, which comes as financial regulators report approximately $12.7 billion in suspected romance and digital asset investment scam activity over a roughly two-year period beginning in 2023.
asahi.com
· 2026-09-24
A Japanese government panel endorsed legislation allowing police to remotely hack smartphones used by criminal networks, citing record losses of approximately 325.7 billion yen ($2.1 billion) in 2025 from special fraud schemes including social media investment scams, romance scams, and robbery-murders. The proposed "remote analysis" system would require judicial warrants and notification to targets after data collection, with safeguards including oversight by public safety commissions. The legislation is expected to be introduced to the Diet in the next extraordinary session.
yahoo.com
· 2026-09-24
Nigerian national Olamide Shanu pleaded guilty in federal court in Idaho to operating an international money laundering scheme involving sextortion and romance scams that targeted approximately 150 Americans and generated over $2.5 million in fraud proceeds. The scheme used fake social media identities to build relationships with victims and extort intimate images, with stolen funds laundered through peer-to-peer payment apps and cryptocurrency before being transferred to Nigeria. Shanu faces up to 20 years in prison at his December 15 sentencing.
japantimes.co.jp
· 2026-09-24
Cambodia is targeting licensed casinos suspected of serving as fronts for cybercriminal operations that have stolen billions globally, expanding enforcement actions beyond physical scam compounds. Authorities have already audited all 195 licensed casinos nationwide and suspended several linked to illicit activities, while also investigating approximately 30 subsidiaries of Prince Group—whose chairman was arrested and extradited to China in January—and tracing offshore assets across Singapore, the U.S., and the U.K. The crackdown aims to prevent criminal syndicates from using legitimate business structures and casinos to launder proceeds from online scams and illegal gambling operations.
unric.org
· 2026-09-24
Organized cyberfraud has become a global crisis, with Southeast Asia serving as a major hub for sophisticated scams involving AI-enabled fraud networks that operate across multiple countries and jurisdictions. Annual fraud losses globally reach approximately $500 billion, with Americans losing at least $18.2 billion in 2025 to Southeast Asian-based schemes, while the UK faces $19.2 billion in annual organized fraud costs. The UN, EU, and international partners are coordinating efforts to combat these networks through investigator training, victim support, and cross-border law enforcement cooperation, as no single country can address this transnational threat alone.
foxnews.com
· 2026-09-24
Americans lost $20.9 billion to internet-enabled crime in 2025, a 26% increase from the previous year, with seniors over 60 accounting for $7.7 billion of that total. Romance scams and social media-based fraud are driving the surge, with one woman losing nearly $1 million to a LinkedIn scammer impersonating a real man over two years. The crimes often involve sophisticated operations in Southeast Asia where scammers use AI and social engineering to persuade victims to voluntarily send money, making prevention challenging for banks and law enforcement.
kcra.com
· 2026-09-24
Elizabeth Holmes, founder of failed blood-testing startup Theranos, has been approved to move to a halfway house in Austin, Texas in August 2027 after serving more than a decade of her 123-month prison sentence for defrauding investors. Holmes was convicted in 2022 of conspiracy and wire fraud for misleading investors about her company's nonexistent proprietary blood-testing technology, which ultimately dissolved in 2018. Her sentence was recently reduced by one year after a judge found her eligible for a sentencing-guidelines reduction.
wesh.com
· 2026-09-24
Elizabeth Holmes, the Theranos founder convicted in 2022 of defrauding investors of millions through false claims about her blood-testing technology, has been approved to move to a halfway house in Austin, Texas in August 2027 after serving most of her 123-month prison sentence. Her conviction stemmed from her company's misrepresentation that it could perform hundreds of blood tests using proprietary technology, when in fact Theranos relied on third-party devices and performed only about a dozen tests with questionable accuracy. Holmes is currently imprisoned at a minimum-security federal facility in Bryan, Texas and was originally scheduled for release in February 2030, though her sentence was reduced by one year in March
cyberguy.com
· 2026-09-24
Data brokers including Epsilon Data Management, KBM Group, Macromark, and Wiland Inc. sold "opportunity seeker" lists—targeting vulnerable older Americans—to fraudsters running sweepstakes, lottery, and other scams, resulting in over $23.7 million in losses to more than 218,000 victims in one scheme alone. The Department of Justice prosecuted multiple employees and companies, securing over $129 million in victim compensation by June 2025, with Troy Murray sentenced to 121 months in prison for selling data on 7 million older Americans to Jamaica-based lottery scammers from 2016-2023.
ibtimes.co.uk
· 2026-09-24
A 58-year-old North Carolina woman lost $600,000 to a pig-butchering scam after a man posing as a Brussels-based contact on LinkedIn built her trust and convinced her to invest in a fake business, resulting in a $225,000 tax bill when she withdrew $400,000 from her 401(k) and took out two personal loans for additional funds. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 limited personal theft loss deductions, leaving fraud victims responsible for taxes on stolen retirement funds, though pending legislation like the Tax Relief for Fraud Victims Act aims to provide retroactive relief.
thevibes.com
· 2026-09-24
In Malaysia, victims lost RM2.97 billion to online scams, digital fraud, and cyber identity theft in the previous year, with authorities recovering only RM6.7 million, according to former Finance Minister Lim Guan Eng. Lim stated that current anti-scam efforts are inadequate and called for enhanced coordination and resources across government agencies, banks, and regulators to combat what he described as a national crime wave affecting elderly citizens, professionals, and ordinary Malaysians across all demographics. He emphasized that Bank Negara should lead a whole-of-government effort, with banks implementing mechanisms to flag suspicious account activities and prevent scammers from quickly transferring stolen funds.
onesafe.io
· 2026-09-24
The FBI Crypto Crime Forum highlighted the growing threat of cryptocurrency-related scams, including the WaterPlum syndicate (affiliated with North Korea) which compromised over 30,000 devices and stole $10.7 million through impersonation and malware tactics. The forum brought together law enforcement and crypto-security experts to address emerging threats such as Tornado Cash manipulation and pig butchering scams, while the FBI launched its new Virtual Assets Unit to coordinate international cryptocurrency investigations across the U.S., Japan, Germany, and Australia.
cryptopolitan.com
· 2026-09-24
The FBI has operated an invite-only crypto crime forum called the Virtual Asset Technical Exchange for nine years, bringing together law enforcement, overseas investigators, and crypto-security firms to address threats including terrorist financing, fraud, trafficking, and North Korean hacking activity. Recent discussions at the September 2024 event in San Antonio focused on emerging threats such as pig butchering scams, Tornado Cash usage, and cartels' use of cryptocurrency, with attendance limited to about 50 private-sector vendors and hundreds of total participants. The initiative reflects the FBI's broader efforts to combat crypto-related crimes, including recent seizures of over $560,000 destined for Hamas and coordination with international agencies to identify North Korean cyberc
inkl.com
· 2026-09-24
A 58-year-old North Carolina woman lost $600,000 to a pig-butchering scam orchestrated through LinkedIn by a man posing as a Brussels-based investor who convinced her to withdraw $400,000 from her 401(k) and take out two personal loans for additional funds. Due to federal tax law restrictions on personal theft loss deductions, Flowers faces a $225,000 tax bill on the retirement withdrawal despite losing the money to fraud. Pending legislation, the Tax Relief for Fraud Victims Act, could retroactively eliminate such tax liabilities for qualifying victims if enacted.
ivpressonline.com
· 2026-09-23
Franco Fuentes, a 30-year-old Woodland Hills resident, was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for defrauding elderly victims out of hundreds of thousands of dollars through spoofed bank calls impersonating bank staff. Fuentes and his co-conspirators tricked victims into surrendering debit and credit cards, then made massive unauthorized withdrawals and luxury purchases totaling over $270,000 in losses. He was ordered to pay restitution and forfeit more than $37,000 in cash and seized assets, with investigators noting he repeatedly targeted seniors despite prior fraud convictions.
ekathimerini.com
· 2026-09-23
The Greek government is implementing stricter laws to combat fraud targeting elderly and vulnerable populations, which officials characterize as an epidemic. Current penalties treat fraud under €120,000 as a misdemeanor, but authorities plan to impose felony charges with harsher prison sentences regardless of transaction amount to better deter offenders.
hoodline.com
· 2026-09-23
Franco Fuentes was sentenced to 57 months in federal prison for running a bank impersonation scam targeting elderly victims in San Diego, where he and associates posed as bank employees to steal hundreds of thousands of dollars and drain victims' accounts using stolen debit cards. The scheme exploited vulnerable seniors by deceiving them into surrendering their banking information, treating their accounts as personal ATMs to steal their money and peace of mind. San Diego County experiences over 1,000 elder fraud cases annually resulting in more than $100 million in reported losses, with California seniors losing $1.4 billion to financial fraud in 2025.
goldrushcam.com
· 2026-09-23
Franco Fuentes, a Peruvian national, was sentenced to 57 months in prison for impersonating a bank employee to defraud elderly victims of over $270,000 by convincing them to surrender their bank cards, which he then used for cash withdrawals and purchases including $43,000 from a single 80-year-old victim. Fuentes was ordered to pay restitution of more than $270,000 and forfeit approximately $37,000 in cash and other assets seized from his residence. The scheme targeted vulnerable seniors through deceptive phone calls claiming to investigate fraud on their accounts, causing significant emotional and financial distress to victims.
phemex.com
· 2026-09-23
Police in Hunan Province detained two suspects in a "pig butchering" cryptocurrency scam that defrauded a victim of approximately 30,000 yuan. The scammers used social media to lure the victim into downloading a fraudulent app, purchasing USDT, and trading for a manipulated token whose price was artificially inflated before being dumped to zero. Suspect Li was arrested on August 19 and accomplice Lei, who collected illicit funds, was detained on September 17.
saharareporters.com
· 2026-09-23
A 35-year-old Nigerian national, Olamide Shanu, pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy for his role in international sextortion and romance scam schemes that defrauded approximately 150 American victims and generated over $2.5 million in criminal proceeds. Shanu and his co-conspirators targeted male victims with sextortion threats using intimate images and older men and women through fake romantic identities on social media, laundering the proceeds through peer-to-peer payments and cryptocurrency before transferring funds to Nigeria. Shanu was extradited to the United States and pleaded guilty in Idaho federal court in September 2026 as part of the Department of Justice's
brokernews.com.au
· 2026-09-23
National Australia Bank opened a Community Hub in Cairns connecting customers with dedicated fraud and financial hardship specialists, as scam losses in Australia reached $2.18 billion in 2025, a 7.8% increase from 2024, with over four in five referrals in Cairns linked to scams and fraud. The hub is NAB's second Community Hub location following a pilot in Werribee, Victoria, and aims to provide customers access to support before challenges escalate into crises.
newsmobile.in
· 2026-09-23
A 35-year-old Nigerian national pleaded guilty to money laundering for operating an international cyber-fraud network that targeted approximately 150 Americans through sextortion and romance scams, generating over $2.5 million in illicit proceeds. The scheme used fake identities to build emotional relationships with victims or threatened to share intimate images unless money was paid, with stolen funds moved through peer-to-peer payment apps and cryptocurrency to Nigeria. Olamide Shanu faces up to 20 years in prison at sentencing scheduled for December 15, 2026.
theeagleonline.com.ng
· 2026-09-23
A 35-year-old Nigerian national, Olamide Shanu, pleaded guilty to operating international sextortion and romance fraud schemes that defrauded approximately 150 Americans of over $2.5 million. The scams involved fake identities used to establish relationships with victims and threats to expose sexual images, with proceeds laundered through cryptocurrency and peer-to-peer payment apps to co-conspirators in Nigeria. Shanu faces up to 20 years in prison at his December 15 sentencing.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2026-09-23
Daejon Love, 35, and accomplice Taylor Jamie Chan, 18, were charged with wire fraud for orchestrating a romance scam that defrauded at least 61 women across multiple states out of $1.3 million between February 2022 and August 2026. Love posed as an NFL player or wealthy real estate developer on dating apps, using AI-generated fake images and manipulated search results to build trust before convincing victims to invest money or take out personal loans. The pair were arrested at a Boise, Idaho airport and will be tried in federal court in Portland, Oregon.
uk.finance.yahoo.com
· 2026-09-23
Investment fraud reports surged 37% with victims losing an average of £25,000 each, totaling £991 million in losses during 2025, according to the National Crime Agency. Criminals use fake companies, celebrity endorsements, and social media to promote schemes including share sales, cryptocurrency investments, and recovery fraud, often disappearing when victims attempt withdrawals. The NCA and Financial Conduct Authority urge people to verify firms using the FCA checker and warn against recovery scams targeting previous fraud victims.
macaubusiness.com
· 2026-09-23
Meta disrupted over 3.7 million scam-linked accounts and content in collaboration with Singapore Police Force, removing more than 113,000 fraudulent entities and pages from Facebook and Instagram between January and June. The partnership allows authorities to identify and dismantle scammer ecosystems operating across platforms, with scammers increasingly using artificial intelligence to mass-produce fake profiles and malicious content.
gsma.com
· 2026-09-23
Maxis, a Malaysian telecommunications operator, implemented a multi-layered anti-fraud framework combining SMS/call blocking, malicious website filtering, and fake base station detection to combat scams across Malaysia in coordination with regulators and law enforcement. The initiative achieved a 65% reduction in scam SMS deliveries between Q4 2024 and Q1 2025, with technical controls including SMS firewalls, fraud detection systems, and international gateway filtering working alongside government directives and the National Scam Response Centre. While successful enforcement actions have removed rogue infrastructure, scammers are adapting by shifting to over-the-top platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook that operate outside direct operator control.
mountain-news.com
· 2026-09-23
Inland Counties Legal Services representatives presented information on scams targeting older Americans, noting that seniors lose over $3 billion annually with those over 80 experiencing the highest median losses. The presentation covered multiple scam types including phone fraud, caller ID spoofing, phishing text messages, social media scams (which grew from $19 million in 2019 to $380 million in 2023), and tech support scams that stole $587.8 million from victims over 60 in 2022. Attorneys emphasized that many scams go unreported due to seniors' reluctance to admit victimization, and advised the audience to pause before responding to suspicious contacts, avoid clicking links, and
aba.com
· 2026-09-22
A national survey commissioned by the American Bankers Association found that 92% of voters support the Safeguarding Consumers from Advertising Misconduct (SCAM) Act, legislation requiring social media platforms to verify advertisers, remove fraudulent ads, and prevent scams before they reach consumers. The survey revealed that 87% of voters believe online financial fraud is rising, and nearly 75% are concerned they or a family member could become victims, with 90% agreeing that social media companies should verify advertiser identities. The overwhelming support demonstrates public demand for stronger regulatory measures to hold social media platforms accountable for preventing fraud on their platforms.
nzherald.co.nz
· 2026-09-22
Reece Salmon, a 28-year-old fraudster who was recently deported from New Zealand after serving time for a $400,000 elder fraud scheme, was murdered in London on September 16. Salmon had posed as an undercover police officer to defraud elderly victims aged 69-95, stealing $239,500 in cash and $172,000 in gold bullion from 19 victims between July and August 2024 by convincing them to withdraw money or purchase gold as part of a fake police investigation. He was released on parole in February and deported to the UK in May, but was fatally stabbed on a London street weeks later with no arrests made
fortune.com
· 2026-09-22
Microsoft and Coinbase dismantled the "EvilTokens" phishing network, which sold a do-it-yourself phishing kit on Telegram for $100-$300 monthly that used AI to identify payment decision-makers and bypass two-factor authentication. The scam defrauded businesses including real estate firms, banks, and healthcare providers of approximately $1.1 million in cryptocurrency between October 2025 and June 2026, with two men arrested in September by London's Metropolitan Police. The kit's accessibility and effectiveness represented an evolution in phishing-as-a-service attacks, requiring minimal technical skill to operate on an industrial scale.
newstalkzb.co.nz
· 2026-09-22
Reece Salmon, 28, was murdered in London in September after being released on parole from a New Zealand prison where he had served time for a $400,000 fraud scheme targeting elderly New Zealanders. Salmon had posed as an undercover police officer to convince victims aged 69-95 to withdraw cash and purchase gold bullion, which he then collected as a courier, stealing approximately $239,500 in cash and $172,000 in gold from 19 victims between July and August 2024. He pleaded guilty to 15 counts of obtaining money and gold by deception and was sentenced to four years in prison before his release and deportation to the UK, where he
nbcmiami.com
· 2026-09-22
Two South Florida men were arrested after purchasing over $2,700 worth of items, including 70 cans of Spam and other bulk goods, at Sam's Club using fraudulent public assistance cards from compromised accounts. Myrthland Ince, 33, and Romario Stewart, 32, used 10 different NationsBenefits cards with victims' information at self-checkout, and were found carrying re-encoded debit cards used for the scheme. Both face charges including fraudulent use of identification, grand theft, and public assistance fraud.
lilifepolitics.com
· 2026-09-22
A 50-year-old Brooklyn man was arrested for attempting to steal $20,000 from a 68-year-old Baldwin resident through a tech support scam in which the victim received a computer warning message and was instructed to withdraw cash from his bank. The victim suspected fraud after withdrawing the funds and contacted police, leading to the arrest of Biaodi Jiang, who was charged with Attempted Grand Larceny in the Third Degree.
yahoo.com
· 2026-09-22
Indiana seniors lost $81.5 million to elder fraud last year, with scammers increasingly targeting them through gift card and prepaid money card schemes after cryptocurrency ATM machines were shut down. Con artists use emotional stories to convince victims to purchase Green Dot money paks or gift cards, which are untraceable and typically result in losses of $20,000-$50,000 per victim over 6-12 months. The Terre Haute Police Department warns that if someone is pressuring you to buy gift cards or prepaid cards for any reason other than as an actual gift, it is a scam.
hoodline.com
· 2026-09-21
A 34-year-old Hyattsville man was charged with federal bank fraud for stealing over $1 million from more than 40 seniors (averaging age 81) by intercepting their mail, changing their account addresses, and fraudulently using their debit cards for ATM withdrawals and luxury purchases. Roy Dave Davis obtained victims' personal information, rerouted their mail to addresses he controlled in Maryland, and spent over $100,000 of stolen funds on designer fashion items. He faces up to 30 years in federal prison if convicted.
longislandpress.com
· 2026-09-21
An 84-year-old Manorhaven woman lost $30,000 in a computer scam where she was tricked into withdrawing cash after receiving a fake security alert claiming to be from Citibank's fraud department. A 31-year-old Queens man was arrested while attempting to collect an additional $18,000 from the same victim four days later and was charged with attempted grand larceny and drug possession. The investigation is ongoing, and police are seeking other potential victims.
newtelegraphng.com
· 2026-09-21
Peter Okoye of P-Square admitted in court testimony that he received over $800,000 in royalties from SACEM (a French royalty collection agency) between 2016 and 2022 but did not share them with his brother Jude Okoye, claiming the payments belonged solely to the artists. Jude Okoye and his company Northside Music Limited are being prosecuted by the EFCC on allegations involving N1.3 billion and $1 million in fraud, with Peter's testimony disputing Jude's entitlement to the royalty payments despite acknowledging Jude managed P-Square and directed some of their music videos.
usatoday.com
· 2026-09-21
Lori Flowers lost $600,000 in a pig-butchering scam orchestrated by someone posing as a Belgian businessman on LinkedIn who convinced her to withdraw funds from her 401(k) and take out personal loans for a fake business investment. After losing the money in 2022, she faced an additional $225,000 tax bill from the IRS, which treated the stolen funds as income, ultimately forcing her to declare bankruptcy. The article highlights how Congress eliminated tax deductions for theft victims in 2017, and discusses proposed legislation to restore these protections for scam victims.
foxnews.com
· 2026-09-21
A 75-year-old South Carolina man with Parkinson's disease and a brain injury allegedly had his home transferred to his caregiver for $5 through a quitclaim deed after the caregiver obtained power of attorney, with the daughter claiming the vulnerable father may not have understood what he signed and that money subsequently moved from his bank account to the caregiver even after his death. The case highlights elder financial exploitation and the importance of monitoring property records and financial accounts for unauthorized changes, as the allegations involve potential undue influence rather than forged documents. Conway police are investigating the matter, though the allegations have not been proven in court.
fox26houston.com
· 2026-09-21
Scammers are using publicly available arrest information to contact families and fraudulently demand money for bail, bond, or supposed fees like ankle monitor costs. The Fort Bend County Sheriff's Office warns that callers may sound convincing by citing real arrest details, but families should independently verify any arrest and contact the jail or court directly rather than trusting information provided by callers. Authorities urge residents not to let urgency or emotional pressure override verification steps before sending money.
northcentralpa.com
· 2026-09-21
State police and the Lycoming County Sheriff's Office are warning residents of a phone scam where callers impersonate law enforcement and claim victims missed jury duty, now facing arrest warrants, then demand payment to resolve the alleged warrant. The scammers sometimes have personal details about victims, including their names and jury summons information, and may spoof caller IDs to appear as "Private Number." Authorities emphasize they never demand phone payment, gift cards, or personal information, and advise residents to hang up and call agencies directly using official numbers.
wesh.com
· 2026-09-21
Daejon Love was arrested for wire fraud after allegedly scamming over a dozen women out of more than $1 million by posing as a San Francisco 49er on fake social media accounts, using fabricated workout videos and falsified bank statements. The FBI has identified 35 additional potential victims since his arrest and believes there may be more, with Love and his 18-year-old co-conspirator Taylor Chan facing up to 40 years in prison. Love also used artificial intelligence to manipulate Google search results to prevent victims from discovering the fraud.
oag.ca.gov
· 2026-09-21
Maki Martinez-Gruninger pleaded guilty to fraudulently claiming to be an In-Home Support Services (IHSS) provider for a disabled family member and submitting false claims to California's Medi-Cal program over more than a decade, stealing $413,643.30 from the state. She was sentenced to two years in state prison for the felony conviction of Medi-Cal fraud. The case highlights how fraudsters exploit vulnerable populations and public health programs, with the discovery made in December 2019 when the actual caregiver uncovered the illegal scheme that began in 2007.
legalbrief.co.za
· 2026-09-21
Six alleged members of the Black Axe organized crime network were extradited from South Africa to the US to face charges of wire fraud and money laundering related to romance scams and advance fee schemes that operated from Cape Town between 2011 and 2021. South African law enforcement agencies, including the Hawks and the National Prosecuting Authority, collaborated with Interpol and US authorities to bring the defendants to justice, where they face potential sentences exceeding 50 years in prison. The defendants allegedly led the Cape Town "zone" of Black Axe and defrauded victims through internet-based romance scams and fraudulent advance fee schemes.
favorflav.com
· 2026-09-20
An international gang operating across France, Italy, and Switzerland was arrested for producing counterfeit wine labels and selling cheap bottles as luxury Bordeaux wines for up to €15,000 per bottle. The counterfeiters created perfect copies of famous winery labels and sold the fraudulent bottles through legitimate wine merchants, generating millions in profits before police seized dozens of bottles and arrested six people. The exact number of counterfeit bottles in circulation and total number of victims remain unknown.
sg.news.yahoo.com
· 2026-09-20
Phishing scams using fake Singapore Police Force pop-up alerts have resurfaced, claiming devices are locked for accessing illegal content and demanding payment of supposed fines within hours to prevent permanent lockdown. Victims are tricked into providing bank card details through urgent countdown timers, resulting in unauthorized foreign currency transactions that often exceed the fake fines. The Singapore Police Force clarified they never remotely lock devices or demand payment via pop-ups and advised people to call ScamShield Helpline 1799 if uncertain.