Search
Explore the Archive
Search across 19,276 articles about elder fraud. Filter by fraud type, payment mechanism, or keywords.
2,459 results
in Crypto Investment Scam
▶ VIDEO
WUSA9
· 2025-09-08
DC's Attorney General filed a lawsuit against a major Bitcoin ATM operator after finding that 93% of deposits at these machines were linked to fraud, with victims having a median age of 71 and median losses of $8,000. The scam typically begins with a phone call from someone impersonating a bank, government official, or trusted company, who convinces seniors to deposit money into Bitcoin ATMs under false pretenses such as protecting their funds or assisting with a government investigation. Red flags include high-pressure tactics and artificial urgency in these calls.
▶ VIDEO
Forbes Breaking News
· 2025-09-22
Congressman Warren Davidson emphasizes that elder fraud represents a pressing threat to American families and calls for stronger legal protections against these schemes, which he characterizes as particularly deceptive and now operating as global enterprises. He advocates for bipartisan action to address the issue and references the Guard Act as an example of bipartisan legislation designed to better protect seniors from financial fraud.
▶ VIDEO
KOAA 5
· 2025-10-07
A Colorado Springs woman lost her $37,000 inheritance to a fake cryptocurrency investment scam after seeing what appeared to be an investment opportunity posted by a close friend on Facebook. The friend's account had been hacked, and scammers used it to lure Suzanne Pence into the fraudulent scheme, stripping away the funds her father had left behind.
▶ VIDEO
ABC News
· 2025-10-09
An 85-year-old woman, Fran Bates, lost tens of thousands of dollars of her life savings to a cryptocurrency scam over two days when a scammer convinced her that her bank account had been hacked and instructed her to deposit money into a Bitcoin ATM for safety. The scam was caught on camera at the ATM, where the victim deposited at least $23,000 before intervention occurred, highlighting how sophisticated criminal networks are increasingly exploiting Bitcoin ATMs—of which over 45,000 operate across the country—to defraud Americans.
▶ VIDEO
Good Morning America
· 2025-10-09
An 85-year-old woman named Fran Bates was scammed over two days by criminals who convinced her that her bank account had been hacked and persuaded her to deposit tens of thousands of dollars of her life savings into a Bitcoin ATM for "safety." This scam is part of a larger trend in which sophisticated criminal networks are increasingly exploiting the over 45,000 Bitcoin ATMs across the country to separate Americans from their money.
▶ VIDEO
Eyewitness News ABC7NY
· 2025-10-09
Scammers are using crypto ATMs in a modern twist on classic extortion schemes, with an estimated incident occurring every minute in the United States. A New Jersey woman was targeted by fraudsters posing as a sheriff's lieutenant claiming she missed jury duty and had arrest warrants, keeping her on the phone for two hours under duress before convincing her to withdraw $7,500 from her bank and deposit it into a cryptocurrency ATM. The scheme exploits victims' anxiety and unfamiliarity with crypto technology to quickly move funds beyond recovery.
lafocusnews.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, the FTC reported nationwide fraud losses reached an all-time high of $10 billion—14% more than 2022—driven primarily by larger per-victim losses rather than increased report volume, with a median loss of $500 per consumer. The top scam categories were imposter schemes (particularly business and government imposters), online shopping fraud, prizes/lotteries, investment fraud, and job opportunities, with investment scams generating the highest total losses at $4.6 billion despite being ranked fourth in frequency. The FTC warned that scammers are increasingly using artificial intelligence for voice cloning and deepfakes to impersonate trusted contacts, and advised consumers to be
deseret.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are targeting frustrated travelers on social media by posing as airline representatives, requesting personal and financial information through direct messages under the guise of helping rebook flights. Major airlines including JetBlue, United, and Southwest have acknowledged the problem and recommend customers verify account authenticity (looking for official checkmarks), use private messaging when contacting airlines, and report fraudulent accounts to social media platforms. Common travel scams also include "free" vacation offers requiring upfront fees and illegal robocalls promoting discounted travel deals.
cnbc.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, consumers lost a record $10 billion to fraud, with imposter scams being the most prevalent, affecting nearly 854,000 people and resulting in $2.7 billion in losses at an average of $800 per victim. Imposter scams involve criminals posing as trusted entities (government agencies, companies, relatives, or romantic interests) via email, phone, text, or social media to steal money or personal information, with emerging technologies like AI and voice cloning making these frauds increasingly convincing. Older adults, particularly those 80 and over, experience significantly higher median losses ($1,450) and are particularly vulnerable to "phantom hacker" tech-
yakimaherald.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams have increasingly targeted younger age groups (people in their 20s and 30s) across dating apps and social media platforms, with reported losses reaching $469.9 million in 2023—a 104% increase from 2019. Scammers use fake profiles and AI-generated photos to build romantic connections before requesting money or personal information, exploiting victims' emotional vulnerability. To avoid romance scams, people should be wary of requests for money or banking details, watch for requests to switch communication platforms, and verify suspicious requests before responding.
kiplinger.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, scam victims lost over $10 billion—a 14% increase from 2022 and a new record—with the FTC receiving 2.6 million fraud reports where one in four people lost money (median loss of $500). Investment scams caused the largest losses at $4.6 billion (21% increase), followed by imposter scams at $2.7 billion, with the FTC advising consumers never to share private information with unsolicited callers and to be skeptical of unrealistic financial promises.
ncdoj.gov
· 2025-12-08
Imposter scams, where criminals pose as government agencies, law enforcement, or companies to threaten victims with arrest or legal consequences, cost Americans $2.7 billion last year. The article provides protective measures against these scams, emphasizing that legitimate government officials never contact people via phone or text demanding money or personal information, and warns that requests for payment through gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency are clear red flags indicating fraud.
mydailyrecord.com
· 2025-12-08
Cryptocurrency scams operate on dating apps like Tinder by building romantic relationships with victims, then convincing them to invest in fake trading platforms or cryptocurrency schemes. Scammers move conversations to texting apps, fabricate stories about lucrative investment opportunities (often involving family members with crypto expertise), and direct victims to deposit money into fraudulent platforms with hidden fees and minimum balance requirements that trap funds. Reported losses include $45,000, $14,000, and $4,000, with victims unable to recover funds after accounts are blocked or frozen, sometimes with additional tax threats used to extract more money.
gulfcoastmedia.com
· 2025-12-08
The North Baldwin Chamber of Commerce and Better Business Bureau are hosting a free "Protect Yourself Against Scammers Summit" on March 7 for senior citizens in Bay Minette, Alabama. The educational event will cover major fraud schemes including government impostor scams, romance scams, identity theft, investment fraud, cryptocurrency scams, and Medicare fraud to help seniors recognize and avoid becoming victims.
theautopian.com
· 2025-12-08
Financial advice columnist Charlotte Cowles lost $50,000 to a sophisticated phone scam in which callers impersonated Amazon, the Federal Trade Commission, and the CIA, using personal information to convince her to withdraw cash and hand it to an undercover "CIA agent." The scammers obtained her Social Security number and family details, and instructed her not to tell anyone, ultimately leading her to place $50,000 in a shoebox and hand it through a car window. Cowles publicly shared her experience to raise awareness about how scams can target anyone, regardless of financial literacy or expertise, and to help prevent others from falling victim to similar schemes.
foreignpolicy.com
· 2025-12-08
This is a table of contents/editorial overview rather than a detailed article about a specific scam. It introduces a Foreign Policy collection examining major global con artists and scams, including cases involving Ghana-based fraud, the BCCI bank corruption scandal, a fake Bhutanese refugee scheme in Nepal, cryptocurrency fraud involving Sam Bankman-Fried, and Delaware's role as an offshore financial haven. The collection explores why victims across all demographics—from wealthy individuals to government officials to journalists—fall for sophisticated scams and how perpetrators evade consequences.
freep.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, consumers reported losing a record $10 billion to fraud and scams—a 14% increase from 2022—according to FTC data, with 2.6 million fraud reports filed nationwide and approximately 700,000 people reporting financial losses. Common scams included romance fraud, fake bank and tech support calls, and impersonation schemes, with criminals exploiting digital payment methods including bank transfers ($1.86 billion) and cryptocurrency ($1.41 billion). Michigan consumers alone lost $151.7 million to fraud in 2023, with a median loss of $410 per victim.
straitstimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Between October 2023 and January 2024, 3,066 victims in Singapore lost over $45.7 million to job scams, according to police reports. Scammers used dating apps, messaging platforms, and social media to recruit victims, offering commissions for tasks like boosting social media engagement, completing surveys, or affiliate marketing, then pressuring them to transfer money to bank accounts or cryptocurrency wallets via fake websites or investment schemes. Police warned the public to verify job offers through official channels, avoid unknown links and apps, and use privacy settings on messaging platforms to prevent unsolicited recruitment into chat groups.
stories.td.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams cost Canadian victims over $50 million in 2023, with fraudsters building trust over weeks to years before requesting money for emergencies, business ventures, or cryptocurrency investments. While seniors are frequently targeted, anyone—particularly those who are lonely or vulnerable—can fall victim to these scams that occur across dating apps and social media platforms. Key prevention strategies include being cautious of quick professions of love, avoiding in-person meetings, refusing personal information requests, and understanding that sent money is often irretrievable.
wtae.com
· 2025-12-08
Pittsburgh police warned the public about bitcoin scams targeting older adults, with at least two victims losing thousands of dollars after being tricked by fake Apple support and bank fraud specialists into purchasing cryptocurrency at convenience stores—a 70-year-old woman lost $22,000 and a 72-year-old lost $7,000. Similar scams in surrounding areas resulted in larger losses, though North Huntingdon police successfully recovered approximately $41,000 of a $50,000 bitcoin ATM theft through rapid police intervention. Scammers exploit these platforms because cryptocurrency transactions are difficult to trace and reverse, making quick reporting to local police essential for any chance of recovery.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A South Hills woman lost $10,000 in a sophisticated Bitcoin scam after receiving a fake "hacking alert" pop-up that directed her to call a number where scammers impersonating Microsoft and bank representatives claimed her account was compromised and threatened her with child pornography charges. Pittsburgh police reported at least three victims in total, including two women in their 70s who lost $22,000 and $7,000 respectively through the same scheme, which exploited urgency and fear to pressure victims into withdrawing cash and purchasing Bitcoin. Police warned that scammers use legitimate-sounding company names and call transfers to appear credible, and advised that once cryptocurrency money is transferred, recovery
soaps.sheknows.com
· 2025-12-08
A Chicago woman lost over $80,000 to a romance scam in which a con artist impersonated actor Taylor Kinney from the TV show Chicago Fire. The scammer, whom the woman met on a fan website, gradually escalated requests for money over a year-long period, using manipulative emotional language and guilt to drain her savings, 401(k), and car equity. The case highlights a broader problem: the FTC reported 64,003 romance scam victims in 2023, with scammers commonly posing as celebrities or other figures to exploit victims' emotions and trust.
beincrypto.com
· 2025-12-08
A 57-year-old finance manager in Hong Kong lost over HK$17 million (~$2.1 million) to a sophisticated cryptocurrency investment scam after being contacted on Instagram by a scammer posing as a former business partner. Over several months, she made 45 transfers to 29 bank accounts based on false promises of profits from gold and crypto investments before discovering the fraudulent trading platform was inaccessible. The scam was part of a broader trend in crypto fraud, and police noted that nine of the accounts involved had been previously flagged for similar schemes.
skepchick.org
· 2025-12-08
Charlotte Cowles, a financial advice columnist for The Cut, lost $50,000 to a government impersonation scam in which she received a phone call spoofed to appear from Amazon, was transferred through fake FTC and CIA contacts, and was instructed to withdraw cash, place it in a shoebox, and hand it to an "undercover agent." The scam succeeded despite being transparently fraudulent—involving obvious red flags like being told not to inform her husband and to conduct the handoff immediately—partly due to Cowles' lack of financial literacy despite her advice columnist role and her apparent overconfidence that she was not a typical scam victim.
tahlequahdailypress.com
· 2025-12-08
Financial institutions across Oklahoma and nationally are reporting a surge in customers being defrauded into withdrawing large cash amounts and depositing them into cryptocurrency ATMs following instructions from scammers. The article emphasizes that legitimate entities—banks, tech companies, law enforcement, regulators, attorneys, romantic interests, or investment advisors—will never request this type of transaction, making any such request a clear indicator of fraud.
cavazossentinel.com
· 2025-12-08
Military personnel, veterans, and their families can protect themselves from scams by using strong passwords, password managers, two-factor authentication, and separating work and personal accounts. The most rapidly growing scams targeting this population are confidence and romance scams, along with online impersonation accounts (often impersonating high-ranking officials), credit repair schemes, cryptocurrency fraud, social media account takeovers, and extortion attempts involving compromised photos. Awareness of common tactics—such as requests for gift cards or money from supposed military officials via text, fake investment opportunities posted from hacked accounts, and suspicious website URLs—can help individuals avoid becoming victims.
valdostatoday.com
· 2025-12-08
Georgia residents lost $234.3 million to fraud in 2023 across 65,825 reported incidents to the FTC, ranking the state 15th most defrauded nationally. The three most common scam types were Credit Bureaus/Information Furnishers (25% of reports), Identity Theft (23%), and Imposter Scams (9%), with victims advised to monitor credit reports, avoid sharing personal information unsolicited, and never send money to unknown parties.
kbtx.com
· 2025-12-08
The Brazos County Sheriff's Office and College Station Police Department warned residents about a rising trend in phone and internet scams, including impersonation calls falsely claiming to be from law enforcement and demanding payment via digital payment apps. Deputy Christopher Searles emphasized that legitimate law enforcement agencies will never call demanding money or request personal information like Social Security numbers or bank details over the phone, and advised residents to hang up on suspicious calls, verify sender identities by hovering over email addresses, and contact agencies directly if uncertain. Victims of scams are encouraged to report incidents to local law enforcement.
marketrealist.com
· 2025-12-08
An 80-year-old Taiwanese immigrant lost approximately $720,000 in a cryptocurrency investment scam after being approached on WeChat by a scammer who built her trust and convinced her to invest her life savings and retirement funds into a fraudulent trading app. She subsequently sued Chase Bank, claiming the bank failed to alert her or her daughter (joint account owner) to the suspicious transactions that deviated from her normal spending patterns, though the bank disputed this account and stated it had provided warnings about fraud risks. The case highlights the vulnerability of seniors to investment scams, with Americans losing over $3 billion to such schemes in 2022 alone.
publicnewsservice.org
· 2025-12-08
AARP Connecticut is launching a new educational series to address the growing complexity of scams targeting older adults, with 400 different scam types reported in 2022. Seniors are frequently targeted because they tend to have more financial resources, and losses can range from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars, with emotional and psychological impacts extending beyond financial harm. The free online series will cover topics including artificial intelligence and voice cloning scams, with a Connecticut man recently indicted for defrauding Wisconsin seniors of $200,000 through grandparent impersonation scams.
pgurus.com
· 2025-12-08
A company operating in Myanmar's KK Park defrauded victims of over $100 million in less than two years using Tether (USDT) cryptocurrency, primarily through "pig butchering" romance scams where fraudsters build false romantic relationships to manipulate victims into sending money. The operation, which housed approximately 2,000 trafficked workers, also received ransom payments from families of trafficking victims, with a single Chinese company transferring over $100 million through just two digital wallets. In 2022 alone, U.S. citizens reported losses exceeding $700 million to romance scams and nearly $2.5 billion to cryptocurrency investment scams overall.
daijiworld.com
· 2025-12-08
A Myanmar-based company operating in KK Park defrauded victims of over $100 million in less than two years using "pig butchering" romance scams, where perpetrators engineer false romantic relationships to manipulate victims into sending cryptocurrency payments, often mixed with ransom demands from trafficked workers. Blockchain researchers tracked Tether cryptocurrency tokens flowing to the scam operation, with the single Chinese company transferring over $100 million through just two digital wallets, while the compound reportedly holds over 2,000 trafficked romance scam workers. In 2022 alone, U.S. citizens lost more than $700 million to romance scams and nearly $2
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
Online scams in the United States reached record losses of $6.9 billion in 2021, nearly doubling since 2019, with Pennsylvania ranking fifth among most-scammed states at $207 million in losses affecting 17,262 victims who lost an average of $11,991 each. Romance, cryptocurrency, and investment scams are increasingly sophisticated and affecting educated individuals across all socioeconomic levels, with teens experiencing the highest percentage increase in losses (1,125% over five years) and seniors seeing a 390% increase. The article recommends avoiding money transfers to strangers met online, refusing requests for personal information, performing reverse image searches to verify identities,
theconversation.com
· 2025-12-08
A Hong Kong company lost HK$200 million (A$40 million) when an employee was deceived by scammers using deepfake technology to impersonate senior officials in a video conference call and direct a funds transfer. The article explains that current legislation does not clearly establish liability for deepfake fraud victims seeking compensation from social media platforms, banks, or AI tool providers, though regulatory frameworks in jurisdictions like Australia and the UK are beginning to address these gaps. Legal responsibility remains unclear, with potential future requirements for platforms to remove fraudulent deepfakes, banks to reimburse victims, and AI providers to implement safeguards against misuse.
chainalysis.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams ("pig butchering scams") generated over $700 million in reported losses to Americans in 2022, with scammers building fake relationships and coercing victims into fraudulent cryptocurrency and fiat investments before disappearing. Beyond victimizing romance scam targets, criminal gangs operating compounds in Myanmar and Southeast Asia have kidnapped and trafficked individuals forced to work 12+ hour days executing these scams, with gangs also collecting ransoms from victims' families in cryptocurrency, effectively mixing scam proceeds with extortion payments.
wcti12.com
· 2025-12-08
Carteret County, North Carolina is experiencing a surge in elder scams involving cryptocurrency and phone-based fraud, including impersonation of law enforcement, fake bail/accident schemes, and romance scams. County officials warn against sending money to unknown contacts claiming legal authority, investing in cryptocurrency without research, clicking suspicious links, and falling victim to online relationship scams, while noting that cryptocurrency and gift cards are preferred by scammers because they are difficult for law enforcement to trace. Residents are advised to verify suspicious claims with local law enforcement before sending any funds.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A Philadelphia tech professional named Shreya Datta lost approximately $450,000 in savings and retirement funds to a "pig butchering" romance scam, in which a man posing as a French wine trader named "Ancel" built trust over months using deepfake videos and manipulated screenshots before convincing her to invest in cryptocurrency through a fraudulent trading app. The scammer used emotional manipulation, gifts, and fabricated investment profits to gradually increase her investment until she attempted withdrawal and discovered the scheme; the FBI reported that over 40,000 people lost more than $3.5 billion to dating scams in 2023.
clickorlando.com
· 2025-12-08
A Miami man lost $42,000 in a romance scam involving a fake woman posing as an Estee Lauder executive named "Mandy Li" who connected with him via Instagram in December 2023. The scammer used a stolen photograph and initially showed small investment returns on Crypto.com to build trust, then convinced the victim to transfer funds to a fraudulent cryptocurrency platform where he was promised 1% daily gains; when he attempted withdrawal, he learned the funds were gone. This case exemplifies "pig butchering" scams, part of a broader trend where the FTC reported $1.14 billion in romance scam losses in 2023,
therecord.media
· 2025-12-08
Investigators traced nearly $100 million in cryptocurrency payments to a criminal scam compound in Myanmar (KK Park) operating pig butchering romance scams and worker trafficking ransoms over less than two years. Two cryptocurrency addresses linked to a Chinese front company received $24.2 million from known scam wallets and additional funds from ransoms, with families often extorted for $30,000+ to secure trafficked workers' release. The investigation reveals how romance scams and ransom extortion are interconnected operations generating significant profits for organized crime syndicates in Southeast Asia.
dojmt.gov
· 2025-12-08
The Montana Department of Justice's Office of Consumer Protection is warning of a cryptocurrency scam targeting PPP loan recipients, in which fraudsters impersonate law enforcement and threaten arrest for unpaid loans to extort victims into sending money via bitcoin ATMs. Scammers exploit publicly available PPP loan data and confusion about loan forgiveness, using threats and forged documents to coerce victims into irretrievable cryptocurrency transfers. The agency advises that legitimate government agencies never demand payment over the phone and urges victims to report attempts to authorities.
cryptopolitan.com
· 2025-12-08
MicroStrategy's X account was hacked and used to promote a fraudulent cryptocurrency token ($MSTR), with scammers directing the company's 196,500 followers to connect their digital wallets to a malicious link; victims lost $440,000 in the phishing scheme. This incident reflects a growing trend of social media-based crypto scams targeting high-profile accounts, with similar recent attacks on Ethereum co-founder Vitalik Buterin's account ($700,000 in losses) and the SEC's X account. Enhanced security measures, including robust authentication processes and user education about phishing attempts, are needed to protect social media users from these increasingly sophisticated schemes.
m9.news
· 2025-12-08
Shreya Datta, a 37-year-old Indian-American tech professional in Philadelphia, lost $450,000 to a sophisticated "pig butchering" romance scam in which a fraudster posing as a French wine trader named Ancel used deepfake videos and emotional manipulation on the dating app Hinge to lure her into a fake cryptocurrency investment scheme. The scammer requested increasing investments and ultimately asked for a "tax" when Datta attempted to withdraw profits, revealing the fraud. Dating scams accounted for over $3.5 billion in losses in 2023, and victims often experience significant emotional distress compounded by social stigma and shame that disc
gmanetwork.com
· 2025-12-08
A 37-year-old Philadelphia tech professional lost $450,000 in a "pig butchering" romance scam involving a fake online suitor who used deepfake videos and sophisticated social engineering to build romantic trust before directing her to a fraudulent cryptocurrency investment app. The scammer, operating from Southeast Asia as part of an organized crime syndicate, convinced the victim to invest her savings and retirement funds by showing fake profitable trades and gradually escalating pressure to invest more. This type of romance-based cryptocurrency fraud has resulted in billions of dollars in losses across the United States with minimal victim recovery options.
netnewsledger.com
· 2025-12-08
The Thunder Bay Police Service warned of persistent grandparent scams targeting seniors in the community, with one victim losing $3,000 after receiving a call from someone impersonating a lawyer representing her grandson who allegedly needed bail money. The scam typically involves fraudsters calling from private numbers, sometimes playing background voices to create credibility, and requesting urgent fund transfers via email or gift cards. The police recommend protective measures including hanging up on suspicious calls, independently verifying claims with family members, being alert to pressure tactics, reporting suspicious activity, and staying informed through resources like the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
consumer.ftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece warns that gift cards are exclusively for gift-giving occasions; if someone is pressuring you to buy gift cards to pay for taxes, tech support, prizes, or other non-gift purposes, it is a scam. Scammers use various tactics including impersonating government officials, tech support, family members (via AI voice cloning), or prize notifications to create urgency and extract money. The article advises victims to immediately report the scam to the gift card company and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov to potentially recover funds and help protect others in their community.
akronlegalnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Investment scams on social media, particularly cryptocurrency schemes, cost U.S. consumers $3.8 billion in 2023—double the 2021 amount. Troy Gochenour of Columbus, Ohio, lost $25,800 (including $15,800 in borrowed funds) to a romance-scam-turned-crypto-mining scheme that used fake wallet balances and fake contracts to pressure him into repeated payments. The article advises consumers to avoid investment offers promising quick, guaranteed, or risk-free returns; to verify endorsements and testimonials; and to contact friends directly if suspicious messages appear to come from their accounts.
kjrh.com
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission warns that cryptocurrency scams cost victims over $1 billion last year, with scammers posing as investment managers who convince people to withdraw retirement funds and deposit them into cryptocurrency ATMs under false pretenses of protection. Key red flags include unsolicited calls promising risk-free returns, celebrity endorsements on social media, demands for cryptocurrency payments, and romance scams requesting crypto transfers. Experts advise searching online for company reviews, complaints, and scam reports before engaging with any cryptocurrency investment opportunity, as funds transferred to crypto ATMs are virtually impossible to recover.
taipeitimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A 37-year-old Philadelphia tech professional lost $450,000 in a "pig butchering" romance scam after being wooed for months on a dating app by someone posing as a French wine trader using deepfake videos and sophisticated manipulation tactics. The fraudster gained her trust through romantic attention, then convinced her to invest in cryptocurrency through a fake trading app, with initial fake gains encouraging larger investments including her retirement funds and loans. The scam, run by Southeast Asian crime syndicates, has caused billions in losses across the US with little recourse for victims to recover their money.
palmcoastobserver.com
· 2025-12-08
The Ormond Beach Police Department reported 246 fraud cases in 2024, with victims losing thousands of dollars in schemes including fake investments (Belgian mine), romance scams (Gaza war), and tech support fraud using gift cards and cryptocurrency. Elderly victims over 60 are disproportionately targeted, with national data showing losses increased 84% and cryptocurrency-related losses surged 350%, with victims averaging $35,101 in losses. Police note that cryptocurrency fraud cases have grown from roughly one per month to several per week, as criminals increasingly exploit digital payment methods and cryptocurrency ATMs to evade detection.
vancouver.citynews.ca
· 2025-12-08
The Vancouver Police Department is hosting free scam prevention workshops for seniors, with the first session on February 28, 2024, covering phone scams, bail money scams, distraction thefts, and cybercrime. The initiative follows recent scams in the region, including a bail money scam targeting a Vancouver senior, a $7.5 million cryptocurrency scam affecting a Burnaby senior, and an AI-enabled grandparent scam in Richmond. Monthly workshops will continue through June at various community locations, including sessions in multiple languages.