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This educational guide examines the psychology behind why people fall for scams, emphasizing that susceptibility is not a matter of intelligence but rather how scammers exploit psychological vulnerabilities. Key findings include that adults aged 35-44 are most likely to be deceived (though older adults remain targeted), those 18-24 lose the most money, and online fraud causes an estimated $2.7 billion in annual losses while also impacting victims' mental health. The article outlines how scammers build trust through impersonation and social engineering, and notes that common scams include phone fraud, phishing, fake job offers, and emergency schemes—increasingly enhanced by AI technology.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recovered €5,100 from a Nigerian romance scammer and returned the funds to Spanish citizen Heinz Burchard Einhaus Uchtmann, with the handover made to Spain's Ambassador to Nigeria in September 2024. The recovery was achieved through collaboration between the EFCC and Spanish Police, highlighting the importance of international cooperation in combating cross-border financial crimes. EFCC leadership emphasized the agency's commitment to preventing Nigeria from becoming a safe haven for financial criminals and called for continued global partnership among law enforcement agencies to address the borderless nature of internet fraud.

The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) recovered €5,100 from a Nigerian romance scam and returned the funds to a Spanish citizen, Heinz Burchard Einhaus Uchtmann, through the Spanish Ambassador to Nigeria. The handover highlighted successful international cooperation between Nigerian and Spanish law enforcement agencies in combating transnational financial crimes, with EFCC leadership emphasizing their commitment to making Nigeria inhospitable for romance scammers and other fraudsters.

Foreign scammers operating from countries like Morocco create thousands of AI-generated fake photos of wounded soldiers and military families, posting them on fraudulent patriotic Facebook pages to lure comments from unsuspecting Americans. Once victims engage with the posts, imposters posing as U.S. military generals initiate private messages and requests for money, exploiting patriotic sentiment to defraud widows and elderly women. The U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division reports hundreds of fake military accounts monthly, while Meta describes the scheme as "engagement bait" that spreads faster than the company can remove it.

An investigation uncovered thousands of AI-generated photos of fake wounded soldiers, veterans, and military families posted on Facebook pages with patriotic names like "Proudly American," which are actually managed by users in Morocco and other foreign countries. Scammers use these fake images to lure patriotic comments from older Americans, who are then targeted by imposters posing as U.S. military generals requesting private messages, a scheme the Army reports receiving hundreds of complaints about monthly. The fake photos contain obvious AI errors such as soldiers with six fingers, extra hands, garbled name tapes, and uniforms with incorrect flags, yet Facebook has not labeled them as AI-generated content.

Foreign scammers operating from countries like Morocco use AI-generated photos of fake wounded soldiers and military personnel on patriotic Facebook pages to lure American commenters, particularly older women and widows. When victims engage with the posts, imposters posing as U.S. military generals contact them in private messages and solicit money, with the Army reporting hundreds of fake imposter accounts monthly. The scam exploits patriotic sentiment through obviously flawed AI images (soldiers with six fingers, flags with wrong star counts, garbled name tapes) that nonetheless generate thousands of followers and engagement.

Isaiah Okere, a 42-year-old Nigerian citizen, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud after being extradited from South Africa for his role in an international scam operation targeting at least 15 victims. From 2015 to 2019, Okere and co-conspirators orchestrated romance scams, lottery scams, and business email compromise schemes that resulted in over $1 million in losses, with vulnerable and elderly victims losing their entire retirement savings, and one victim reporting suicidal ideation. Okere used false identities and foreign bank accounts to facilitate the fraud and money laundering scheme, and faces a maximum sentence of five years in prison.

Foreign scammers operating from countries like Morocco create fake patriotic Facebook pages featuring AI-generated images of wounded soldiers and military personnel to lure American engagement, particularly from older women. When victims comment on these posts, imposters posing as U.S. military generals initiate private messages and eventually request money, with the U.S. Army Criminal Investigation Division reporting hundreds of fake impersonator accounts monthly. The scam exploits patriotic sentiment and leverages AI-generated content with telltale errors (extra fingers, garbled text, impossible scenes) to build trust before extracting financial information from vulnerable Americans.

CBS News investigated romance scams originating from Ghana that have defrauded Americans of over $10 billion according to the Federal Trade Commission. The scammers operate from "boiler rooms" in Accra where young men pose as attractive women on dating apps to build trust with lonely victims, particularly older American men, before convincing them to send money; the scammers retain 40% of funds while their syndicate bosses take 60%. The operation has evolved from crude "Nigerian Prince" emails into a sophisticated, billion-dollar transnational criminal enterprise that exploits vulnerable Americans through emotional manipulation and identity deception.

This article addresses a widespread "sextortion" phishing scam in which recipients receive threatening emails claiming hackers have compromised their computers and possess embarrassing photos or browsing history, demanding payment in bitcoin to prevent the information from being shared with contacts. The scammers use publicly available personal information (names, addresses, house photos from Google Street View) obtained from data breaches to create a false appearance of authenticity, but they have not actually hacked the recipients. The article advises recipients not to pay the ransom and recommends changing passwords, freezing credit, and monitoring for identity theft to protect against future scams using leaked personal data.

A U.S. man lost $700,000 in an elaborate romance scam orchestrated from Ghana. CBS News investigation revealed that sophisticated overseas romance scams—which have evolved from simple "Nigerian Prince" emails—are costing Americans over $10 billion annually, with scammers operating from "boiler rooms" in Ghana where young men pose as attractive women on dating apps to target lonely, older American victims, with criminal syndicates taking large cuts of the money extracted.

Broadcaster Moira Stuart nearly fell victim to an authorized push payment (APP) fraud scam when someone impersonating her bank convinced her to transfer money to a "safe" account, but bank staff intervened and stopped the transaction. APP fraud incidents exceeded 230,000 cases in the most recent year, resulting in £460 million in losses, with fraudsters increasingly using artificial intelligence and evolving tactics including purchase scams, investment schemes, romance scams, and impersonation fraud targeting energy suppliers and tax authorities. Banks are struggling to refund victims, and regulators have capped APP scam refunds at £85,000 starting October 7.

Long Leaf Trading Group, a Chicago-based boiler-room operation, cold-called victims to pitch a fraudulent commodity-trading scheme between 2020 and its prosecution, resulting in customer losses while company traders collected $1.2 million in commissions. The article uses this case to illustrate how consumer fraud has evolved dramatically, with modern scammers now employing AI voice cloning, personal data harvesting, and impersonation tactics that make scams increasingly difficult to detect, contributing to record losses of $10 billion in U.S. consumer fraud in the previous year.

This editorial contrasts traditional scams like Long Leaf Trading Group's $1.2 million commodity fraud scheme with modern consumer fraud that leverages artificial intelligence, voice cloning, and personal data harvesting to create highly convincing imposter scams. Consumer fraud reached a record $10 billion in losses last year according to the FTC, with imposter scams representing the fastest-growing category as criminals exploit social isolation, political divisiveness, and technological sophistication to target vulnerable Americans. Law enforcement efforts have increased but remain outpaced by evolving fraud tactics, though a new generation of tech-savvy anti-scammers on platforms like YouTube are gaining traction in exposing these criminals.

Over 200,000 people in Southeast Asia have been forced into operating online "pig butchering" scams by Chinese organized crime groups, generating billions in stolen funds through a scheme that builds false relationships with victims before directing them to fraudulent investment platforms. The FBI reported nearly $4 billion in losses from these scams in 2023 alone, with total global losses estimated at $75 billion or more, and similar operations have now expanded to the Middle East, Eastern Europe, Latin America, and West Africa. Despite crackdowns by Beijing and international law enforcement efforts, experts warn that the scam continues to proliferate globally as criminal groups replicate the model in regions with weak governance and enforcement.

A CBS investigation uncovered a network of Ghanaian romance scammers operating from "boiler rooms" in Accra who target lonely Americans through online dating sites, with victims losing over $10 billion according to the Federal Trade Commission. The scammers, like an operative named Abdullah, are supplied by syndicate bosses who take 60% of profits, and they deliberately study American culture and time zones to impersonate potential romantic partners and extract money from victims. These schemes represent an evolution from earlier Nigerian Prince emails, employing more sophisticated tactics that are difficult to detect.

INTERPOL arrested eight individuals in Côte d'Ivoire and Nigeria under Operation Contender 2.0, targeting phishing and romance cyber fraud in West Africa. A large-scale phishing scheme targeting Swiss citizens resulted in over $1.4 million in losses, with criminals using fake buyer profiles and QR codes to direct victims to fraudulent payment websites; the main suspect confessed to making $1.9 million illicitly. In a separate case, two suspects were apprehended in Nigeria for a romance scam that defrauded a Finnish victim of a substantial amount of money.

This article is not relevant to the Elderus database. The content is primarily a weather forecast with unrelated comment policy guidelines. While a brief mention references the Long Leaf Trading Group case—a Chicago-based boiler room that defrauded customers through commodity trading schemes, collecting $1.2 million in commissions—the article's focus is on general fraud trends and AI-enabled scams rather than a specific elder fraud incident. No elder victims, specific dollar losses to seniors, or elder abuse details are provided.

Long Leaf Trading Group, a Chicago-based boiler-room operation announced in 2020, cold-called victims to promote a commodity-trading scheme that promised 6%-12% annual returns; nearly all customers lost money while the company collected $1.2 million in commissions. The article contextualizes this case within a broader fraud epidemic, noting that consumer fraud cost Americans a record $10 billion in the previous year, with AI-enhanced scams using voice cloning, personalized data, and imposter tactics now replacing older low-tech fraud schemes and making it increasingly difficult for law enforcement to combat modern scammers.

Long Leaf Trading Group, a Chicago-based boiler-room operation announced in 2020, cold-called unsuspecting customers to promote a fraudulent commodity-trading scheme promising 6%-12% annual returns, resulting in nearly all customers losing money while insiders collected $1.2 million in commissions. The article contextualizes this relatively straightforward scam within the broader modern fraud epidemic, where AI-enhanced voice cloning, personalized targeting using social media and data breach information, and imposter schemes have driven consumer fraud losses to a record $10 billion annually, with law enforcement struggling to keep pace with increasingly sophisticated technology-enabled cons.

Wisdom Oghenekaro Onyobeno, a 44-year-old Nigerian man, was sentenced to over 10 years in federal prison for leading a $5.8 million romance scam that targeted vulnerable women in their 60s, 70s, and 80s across the United States. The victims, many widowed and seeking companionship, were deceived by fabricated romantic stories and charm, losing retirement savings, valuables, and in some cases their health and lives, with one Florida widow alone losing over $324,000. Judge John J. McConnell Jr. rejected Onyobeno's pleas for leniency, calling the scheme "

Nonso Ekeocha was convicted and sentenced to one year imprisonment by a Lagos court for online romance fraud, where he posed as "Ronald Gregory," an American man, on Instagram to solicit money from victims through fake dating scenarios. The Economic and Financial Crimes Commission proved he possessed fraudulent documents used for the scam, which he committed in June 2024; he was given the option to pay a N500,000 fine and complete 50 hours of community service instead of serving the prison term.

Detective Justin White of the Sedona Police Department presented on internet and identity safety, emphasizing that gift card and cryptocurrency payment requests are always fraudulent and warning residents about 40 types of scams, particularly warrant and government impersonation scams that target older adults by exploiting fear and emotions. In 2023, the FBI reported 14,190 government impersonation victims with losses exceeding $394 million, while local authorities received 25-30 fraud reports in a 10-week period with no successful losses. White advised residents to stay calm, trust their instincts, verify claims independently, and report scams to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center or local authorities.

A Santa Monica software developer lost $740,000 in a "pig butchering" romance scam, where a scammer cultivated trust over two months through daily communication before pitching fake cryptocurrency investments. This sophisticated long-con scheme, which originated in China in 2019 and expanded globally during the pandemic, has devastated hundreds or thousands of Californians—some victims have died by suicide after losing family fortunes—with Americans losing $4 billion to cryptocurrency investment scams in 2023, including $1.1 billion from California residents alone.

A Santa Monica software developer lost $740,000 in a "pig butchering" romance scam in which a scammer spent two months building trust and romantic connection before pitching a fake cryptocurrency investment scheme. The scam, which originated in China in 2019 and expanded globally during the pandemic, involves networks of scammers posing as romantic partners to exploit victims over weeks or months, with California residents losing over $1.1 billion to cryptocurrency investment scams in 2023 alone, and some victims driven to suicide after devastating financial losses.

Juan Velez, a 35-year-old former Citibank personal banker, was sentenced to six months in jail (with five years probation) for stealing $166,000 from a 79-year-old client with dementia over a one-year period; Velez used the stolen funds to pay off credit cards and purchase a Harley-Davidson motorcycle, which he was ordered to surrender along with making restitution. The case underscores the vulnerability of elderly individuals with cognitive decline to financial exploitation by trusted financial professionals who have access to their accounts.

An 82-year-old man named Dennis Jones was romantically scammed by a woman he met on Facebook who claimed to be a successful cryptocurrency investor named Jessie and offered to teach him how to profit from crypto investments. After developing trust with the scammer and hoping to leave an inheritance for his family, Dennis invested his savings, which turned out to be part of a fraudulent scheme. The devastating financial loss and emotional trauma led to Dennis taking his own life, and his son and daughter now share his story publicly to warn others about romance and cryptocurrency scams targeting seniors.

Internet scams are a global concern causing significant financial losses and erosion of trust in digital transactions. India recorded $7.93 million USD in cybercrime losses across 4,850 cases in 2023, while Brazil experienced 1.8 million banking trojan infections the same year; Pakistan reported 32,072 suspicious transactions, and South Africa ranks 7th globally for cyber criminality, with identity theft and phishing attacks being prevalent across all regions. Governments are implementing awareness campaigns and stronger cybersecurity measures, but rapid digital infrastructure growth continues to outpace law enforcement efforts to combat evolving scam tactics.

Proofpoint researchers documented a rising trend of cryptocurrency scams targeting job seekers through fake employment offers, often impersonating legitimate companies and communicated via social media, SMS, and messaging apps. These "Pig Butchering" variant scams exploit psychological vulnerabilities to pressure victims into making payments after performing fake tasks, with one fraudulent website impersonating Daptone Records netting over $300,000 in two months. To protect themselves, job seekers should remain skeptical of unsolicited offers, never send money to supposed employers, and verify opportunities through official company channels.

A 68-year-old woman named Jean was defrauded of £169,000 over seven years by a Facebook romance scammer posing as "Maxwell Johnson," a fake US Air Force serviceman whose profile image was stolen from a real military officer. The scammer, traced to Nigeria and linked to the "Yahoo Boys" sextortion gang, manipulated Jean—a disabled pensioner who used a wheelchair—by claiming he loved her and would move to the UK to marry her, while repeatedly requesting money for flights and expenses that never materialized. Jean accumulated significant debt (£9,000 to energy companies and £8,000 to caregivers) through pension and disability benefit transfers via

Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, a 40-year-old Nigerian man, was arrested upon arrival at a Texas airport and charged with 14 counts of wire fraud for operating a romance scam that defrauded victims of over $3.3 million. Using fake dating profiles under the alias "Giovanni," Nwadialo posed as a U.S. military member overseas and convinced victims to send money through various pretexts, including military fines and investment opportunities, with one victim losing over $2.4 million. If convicted, Nwadialo faces up to 20 years in prison per count.

A 28-year-old Nigerian national, Ogheneofejiro Godswill Uzokpa, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for operating a romance scam that defrauded at least a dozen elderly and disabled women across the United States of hundreds of thousands of dollars between March 2020 and February 2021. Uzokpa and his co-conspirators posed as romantic interests online to gain victims' trust, then used U.S.-based "money mules" to collect and transfer stolen funds totaling at least $329,470, which he was ordered to repay in restitution.

Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, a 40-year-old Nigerian national, was arrested upon entering the U.S. and charged with 14 counts of wire fraud for operating romance scams that defrauded multiple victims of over $3 million. Operating under fake aliases on dating sites like Match and Zoosk, Nwadialo posed as a deployed military member and manipulated victims—often elderly, widowed, or divorced individuals seeking companionship—into sending money for fabricated fees and investments, with some victims losing their entire life savings. If convicted, he faces up to 20 years in prison.

A 28-year-old Nigerian man, Ogheneofejiro Godswill Uzokpa, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for operating a romance scam that defrauded at least a dozen victims, primarily elderly or disabled women, of hundreds of thousands of dollars between March 2020 and February 2021. Uzokpa and co-conspirators posed as American professionals abroad using false identities, built romantic relationships to gain trust, then solicited money for fabricated emergencies like "processing fees," with U.S.-based accomplices acting as "money mules" to transfer funds to Nigeria. The court ordered Uzokpa to pay $329

A Nigerian national, Ogheneofejiro Godswill Uzokpa, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for operating a romance scam that defrauded at least a dozen victims—primarily elderly and disabled women—of hundreds of thousands of dollars between March 2020 and February 2021. Uzokpa and his co-conspirators posed as romantic interests online, built trust with victims, then requested money under false pretenses such as processing fees, using U.S.-based money mules to transfer funds to Nigeria. The judge ordered him to pay $329,470 in restitution to his victims.

**Summary:** Ogheneofejiro Godswill Uzokpa, a 28-year-old Nigerian national, was sentenced to seven years in federal prison for conducting a romance scam that defrauded at least a dozen victims, primarily elderly or disabled women, of hundreds of thousands of dollars between March 2020 and February 2021. Uzokpa and co-conspirators created fake online identities posing as professionals abroad, built romantic relationships with victims to gain trust, then requested money under false pretenses such as processing fees, using U.S.-based "money mules" to transfer the stolen funds to Nigeria. The court ordered Uzokpa to pay $329

Four Nigerian citizens were sentenced to federal prison for operating romance and investment scams between 2017 and 2021, using fake identities on social media and dating platforms to build relationships with victims before requesting money transfers. The scheme affected multiple victims across the U.S., with one West Tennessee victim losing over $400,000, and the defendants acted as money mules moving proceeds through bank accounts and shell companies. Sentences ranged from two-and-a-half to five years in federal prison.

Four Nigerian citizens were convicted of operating romance scams across the United States between 2017 and November 2021, defrauding victims out of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars each by creating fake identities on dating websites and social media to build false romantic relationships and solicit emergency financial assistance. The defendants acted as "money mules," laundering stolen funds through multiple bank accounts and shell corporations to obscure the money trail; one victim in Tennessee alone lost over $400,000. The four received federal prison sentences ranging from 30 to 60 months, with sentencing occurring between April and October 2024.

Four Nigerian citizens were sentenced to federal prison for operating international romance scams targeting U.S. victims from 2017 to 2021, with sentences ranging from 30 to 60 months. The defendants created fake identities on dating sites and social media to build romantic relationships with victims, then solicited money for emergencies, with losses ranging from thousands to over $400,000 per victim. The defendants functioned as "money mules," laundering proceeds through multiple bank accounts and shell companies to conceal the scheme's origins.

Four Nigerian citizens residing in the U.S. and Canada were sentenced to federal prison (ranging from 2.5 to 5 years) for operating romance and investment scams between 2017 and 2021, using fake identities on dating sites and social media to deceive victims into sending money via wire transfers and mail. The conspiracy involved dozens of victims who lost between thousands to over $400,000 each, with the defendants functioning as "money mules" to launder proceeds through shell companies and multiple bank accounts. The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case, which was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Tennessee

Four Nigerian men were sentenced to federal prison for operating a romance scam targeting victims in West Tennessee. The scam involved perpetrators posing as romantic interests to deceive and defraud victims, though specific victim counts and financial losses are not detailed in the provided excerpt.

Four Nigerian nationals—Patrick Edah, Efe Egbowawa, Igocha Mac-Okor, and Kay Ozegbe—were sentenced to federal prison (30 to 60 months) for operating a romance and investment scam that defrauded victims across the U.S., including Western Tennessee, from 2017 to 2021. The defendants used fake identities and dating site profiles to establish romantic relationships and solicit emergency financial assistance, with victims losing thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, including one Tennessee resident who lost over $400,000. They were convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering after laundering scam proceeds through

Police arrested six suspects—four Thai nationals and two Nigerian men—who operated romance scams and used over 1,000 mule bank accounts to launder money for international criminal networks, defrauding victims of more than 50 million baht. The gang leader, identified as a Nigerian national named Christian, facilitated transactions exceeding 1.2 billion baht through accounts linked to foreign call centers, drug dealers, and other scam operations. The suspects face charges including public fraud, computer crimes, and money laundering, with authorities warning the public that opening bank accounts for others can result in up to three years imprisonment and 300,000 baht in fines.

Thai police arrested two Nigerian men and four Thai nationals in November 2024 as part of "Operation Black Horse Down," an investigation into a romance scam ring that defrauded victims of over 50 million baht. The gang operated more than 1,000 mule bank accounts through which 1.2 billion baht in transactions were processed for foreign criminal networks including drug dealers and call centers. The suspects face charges including public fraud, computer crimes, and money laundering, with authorities warning the public that opening bank accounts for others in exchange for payment is illegal and carries penalties of up to three years in prison and 300,000 baht in fines.

Donna Nelson, a Perth grandmother, is on trial in Japan for importing two kilograms of methamphetamine after being deceived by an online romance scammer named Kelly whom she had communicated with for two years without meeting in person. Nelson claims she was unaware of the drugs hidden in a suitcase she received in Laos, believing it was a sample for Kelly's fashion business, and did not suspect the scam because Kelly never asked her for money. The case highlights how romance scammers can manipulate victims through emotional connection and trust, bypassing typical warning signs.

Two Nigerian nationals operating from the Chicago suburbs, Anthony Emeka Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu, were sentenced to 20 and 10 years in prison respectively for orchestrating multiple fraud schemes that stole at least $3.5 million from victims across the U.S. Their schemes included inheritance scams requiring upfront fees, romance scams conducted through social media and dating apps, and business email compromise attacks targeting corporate accounts. A third conspirator, Jennifer Gosha, pleaded guilty to related charges with sentencing scheduled for December 18.

Two Nigerian nationals operating from the Chicago suburbs, Anthony Emeka Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu, conducted inheritance scams, romance scams, and business email compromise fraud schemes that defrauded victims of at least $3.5 million across the United States. Ibekie was convicted on 14 counts and sentenced to 20 years in federal prison, while Aniukwu pleaded guilty and received a 10-year sentence; a third accomplice, Jennifer Gosha, pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges and awaits sentencing.

Anthony Ibekie and Samuel Aniukwu, two Nigerian nationals living in the Chicago suburbs, were sentenced to a combined 30 years in federal prison for defrauding US citizens of at least $3.5 million through inheritance scams, romance scams, and business email compromise schemes. Ibekie received 20 years and Aniukwu received 10 years after being convicted on multiple counts including wire fraud, money laundering, and passport fraud. A third accomplice, US citizen Jennifer Gosha, pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges and is scheduled for sentencing on December 18, 2024.

An American woman over 50 fell victim to romance scams perpetrated by two Nigerian "Yahoo boys" (internet fraudsters) over separate incidents spanning roughly a decade, losing significant sums of money in both cases. In the first scam (2020), a man posed as an American on TikTok for ten months before she discovered his true identity and Nigerian girlfriend; in the second, a scammer claimed to need money for his sick mother's medical bills. Despite these experiences, the victim expressed continued affection for Nigerian men while authorities note that youth involvement in internet fraud remains a persistent problem despite Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission securing 3,175 convictions and recovering over N156 billion between 2

Two Nigerian nationals and a U.S. citizen were sentenced to federal prison for conducting inheritance scams, romance scams, and business email compromise schemes that defrauded victims of at least $3.5 million. Anthony Emeka Ibekie, 59, of Oswego, received 20 years in prison after conviction on 14 counts including wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering, while his co-conspirator Samuel Aniukwu, 50, was sentenced to 10 years after pleading guilty to wire fraud charges. The schemes involved using aliases to convince victims they had inheritances or build romantic relationships through social media before soliciting money transfers.