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securityboulevard.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance and investment scams caused over $10 billion in reported losses in 2023, with 64,000 romance scams ($1.1 billion) and 108,000 investment scams ($4.6 billion), though actual losses are estimated at $10-80+ billion annually due to significant underreporting. Scammers use researched targeting and manipulation to build trust with victims through text messages, social media, and dating sites, increasingly leveraging generative AI to create convincing deepfakes and multilingual communications that enhance credibility. Effective prevention requires cross-industry coordination to identify and block scams at their initiation points, particularly on messaging platforms like Telegram an
patch.com
· 2025-12-08
Syretta Scherer, 42, of Georgia was sentenced to 46 months in federal prison for her role in a multi-state romance scam that defrauded seniors of at least $5.8 million. Scherer laundered approximately $1.1 million of the stolen funds by creating a fake company called Precise Carriers and opening multiple bank accounts to receive money that scammers had convinced victims to send under false pretenses such as medical emergencies. From February 2018 to November 2019, she structured deposits across multiple banks and recruited others to open accounts to further obscure the money trail.
sentinelandenterprise.com
· 2025-12-08
Two bank branch managers in Massachusetts prevented an elderly couple in their mid-70s from losing $80,000 in March 2024 after scammers posed as law enforcement, claiming the couple needed to transfer funds due to alleged illegal images and money laundering on their computer. Branch Manager Kim Giammasi at Hanscom Federal Credit Union became suspicious and required the couple to complete the transfer in person, allowing her colleague Melody Anoli to contact Billerica police, who confirmed the scam and secured the couple's accounts. The article emphasizes the importance of bank employee vigilance and provides Federal Trade Commission guidance on avoiding such schemes, including never clicking unexpected links, refusing unsolicited payment requests
pymnts.com
· 2025-12-08
Organized "pig butchering" scam operations in Southeast Asia force tens of thousands of trafficked individuals to conduct romance and cryptocurrency investment fraud targeting foreign nationals, with scammers building trust over weeks before stealing victims' money through fake investment websites and deepfake technology. Federal authorities seized nearly $9 million in one such scheme, and financial institutions are increasingly deploying AI and machine learning solutions to combat these evolving threats, with nearly 70% of large banks now using these technologies to detect fraud.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Boston filed a civil forfeiture action to recover approximately $2.3 million in cryptocurrency from a "pig butchering" romance scam that defrauded a Massachusetts resident of over $400,000 in spring 2023. The seized cryptocurrency from two Binance accounts was traced to fraud affecting 37 victims across the United States, with the scammer using manipulative online tactics to build trust before luring the victim into fraudulent cryptocurrency investments.
protos.com
· 2025-12-08
Philippine authorities rescued over 600 workers (383 Filipinos, 202 Chinese, and 73 other foreign nationals) from a compound in Bamban on Thursday after a Vietnamese man escaped and alerted police to the operation. The victims had been trapped and forced to conduct "pig-butchering" romance and cryptocurrency scams, where they used deception to lure victims into investing in bogus crypto platforms, often working long hours under threat and torture. The escaped individual showed signs of electrocution, and similar compounds have been discovered across Asia, with pig-butchering scams generating billions in losses globally—the FBI reported $3.3 billion in losses in the US alone,
scmp.com
· 2025-12-08
Hong Kong police arrested 122 suspects (80 men and 42 women, ages 19-80) during a 25-day operation targeting money laundering networks linked to scams totaling HK$91.5 million. The suspects, including unemployed individuals, domestic helpers, drivers, and housewives, were accused of providing "stooge accounts" and SIM cards to fraud syndicates in exchange for hundreds or thousands of dollars to collect and launder scammed funds. Police warned residents never to lend, rent, or sell their bank accounts to others, as doing so facilitates fraud and money laundering operations.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
Police in the Philippines raided a scam centre north of Manila on Thursday and rescued 658 people (383 Filipinos, 202 Chinese, and 73 other foreign nationals) who were being forced to operate "love scams" or "pig butchering" schemes. The victims were trafficked under false job promises and coerced into posing as romantic partners online to manipulate targets into financial fraud, with the raid triggered by a tip from a Vietnamese man who escaped by climbing a wall and crossing a river, bearing signs of torture and electrocution.
localprofile.com
· 2025-12-08
Plano Police Detective Vidmar was honored for his role in recovering over $8 million in stolen funds from victims of sweetheart scams, business email compromises, and other fraudulent crimes through his work with the U.S. Secret Service North Texas Financial Crimes Task Force. Working with Judge Ben Smith, Vidmar secured nearly 70 expedited search and seizure warrants targeting fraudulent bank accounts in Plano, Texas, which allowed authorities to freeze assets before criminals could withdraw stolen money. The collaborative effort successfully returned 99.8% of the recovered funds to victims across the United States and Canada over a 3.5-year period.
ntd.com
· 2025-12-08
Syretta Scherer, a 42-year-old Georgia woman, was sentenced to nearly four years in prison in March for her role in a romance scam conspiracy that defrauded at least 28 seniors across multiple states of $5.8 million between February 2018 and November 2019. The scheme involved cultivating fake online relationships through dating apps, then pressuring victims to send money for fabricated emergencies; Scherer laundered approximately $1.1 million through bank accounts created under a sham company called Precise Carriers. Multiple co-conspirators were also prosecuted, with one receiving 78 months in prison and ordered to pay over $
the-sun.com
· 2025-12-08
Princo Oduro, a 34-year-old former Chase bank employee from Ohio, was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for operating multiple fraud schemes that defrauded victims of $1.8 million. Using stolen personal information from at least five Chase customers, Oduro ran romance scams—posing as a soldier, medical patient, or precious metals dealer—and laundered stolen funds through PayPal accounts, including targeting a widow by falsely claiming her deceased husband had stored valuable artwork. He has been ordered to pay $1.8 million in restitution.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
U.S. Justice Department and law enforcement officials attended the United Kingdom's first Global Fraud Summit in March, joining over 200 leaders from 11 countries and international organizations to address global fraud threats. The U.S. delegation participated in discussions on law enforcement collaboration, coordinated with international partners to enhance intelligence sharing and disrupt fraud networks at the source, and held bilateral meetings with Singapore and UK officials to strengthen transnational fraud-fighting efforts.
the-sun.com
· 2025-12-08
An 82-year-old woman and her 91-year-old husband lost $1.46 million over six months in a sophisticated scam involving fraudsters impersonating a Wells Fargo representative and U.S. Marshal who claimed their accounts were compromised and placed them in a witness protection program. The scammers isolated the couple by threatening legal consequences if they contacted family, directing them to liquidate savings into Bitcoin and gold supposedly held in a Federal Reserve account; the couple realized the fraud in October 2023 after losing contact with the scammer, and one arrest has been made in connection with the crime.
aba.com
· 2025-12-08
The American Bankers Association and U.S. Postal Inspection Service launched a joint initiative to combat check fraud, which has increased 385% nationwide since the pandemic. Check fraud schemes involve stealing mail, altering checks to change payee and amount information, and draining victims' accounts. The partnership focuses on consumer education, law enforcement collaboration, and employee training, with recommendations including prompt mail collection, use of security envelopes, indelible ink on checks, and monitoring bank statements for unauthorized alterations.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Ijeoma Okoro, 33, from Aubrey, Texas, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $2.2 million in restitution for operating romance scams targeting elderly victims through dating websites like Match.com and Zoosk. Okoro and her coconspirators posed as romantic interests, built trust with vulnerable victims (often divorced or widowed), then fabricated emergencies requiring financial assistance and requested money they promised to repay. Four additional codefendants received sentences ranging from 24 to 37 months for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in connection with the scheme.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Wendy Renee Bunner, 48, of Florida pleaded guilty to money laundering for her role in defrauding a Berkeley County man with dementia alongside her husband Samuel, who previously pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Together, the couple stole over $2.1 million from the elderly victim, using the funds to purchase homes, vehicles, campers, and consumer goods for their personal use. Wendy Bunner faces up to 10 years in prison while Samuel faces up to 30 years, with sentencing hearings scheduled for later in 2024.
electronicpaymentsinternational.com
· 2025-12-08
According to global verification platform Sumsub's 2023 research, approximately 1 in 100 digital platform users belonged to organized fraud networks that collectively engaged in multi-accounting, money laundering, and account takeovers. Fraud ring activity varied significantly by region, with Bangladesh (10.2%), Thailand (6.6%), and Vietnam (3.7%) showing elevated rates, while the US and UK reported only 0.2% each; detected networks ranged from 3 to over 750 coordinated members, including a case of Estonian cryptocurrency exchange applicants using identical fraudulent documents. Sumsub warns that fraud rings cause significantly greater damage than individual sc
eng.lsm.lv
· 2025-12-08
Financial Literacy Week in Latvia focuses on protecting people of all ages from financial fraud, with experts noting that middle-aged individuals and young adults (18-30) are particularly vulnerable to scams promising quick profits and money muling schemes. The Bank of Latvia and partner institutions are providing educational programs for schoolchildren and adults through e-learning courses covering money management, financial planning, taxes, and social insurance. Despite common misconceptions, Latvian seniors demonstrate solid financial planning skills and are not the primary fraud victims.
dallasnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Ijeoma Okoro, a 33-year-old Denton County woman, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for her role in a large romance scam operation targeting elderly victims in North Texas between 2015 and 2020, with an order to pay $2.2 million in restitution. Okoro was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering; scammers used fake identities and online dating sites to build trust with divorced or widowed victims before requesting financial assistance. The operation involved 11 arrests in 2021, with several co-conspirators receiving lesser sentences ranging from 2 to 37 months
todayswillsandprobate.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
This webinar announcement promotes a presentation by forensic accountant Paul Smith on collaborating between public and private sectors to combat elder financial abuse. Smith will discuss a case involving 26 vulnerable residents in supported accommodation who were financially abused by their former landlady, resulting in approximately £2.5 million in identified fraud, with his investigation findings provided to police and social care to support their safeguarding and criminal investigations.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Terrence L. Pounds, 47, of Ohio, was sentenced to 94 months in prison for leading a COVID-19 relief fraud scheme that defrauded the Small Business Administration of over $4.2 million between March and December 2020. Pounds used stolen personal information to fraudulently apply for Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL) and Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans by falsely claiming applicants operated faith-based organizations with $1 million in revenue, and he used the proceeds to purchase luxury vehicles. He was ordered to pay $4,239,940.43 in restitution and forfeit the seized vehicles.
irs.gov
· 2025-12-08
A Spring Hill, Florida couple, Wendy and Samuel Bunner, defrauded an elderly Berkeley County man with dementia of over $1.9 million by fraudulently obtaining cashier's checks, emptying bank and investment accounts, and opening credit cards in his name. The couple used the stolen funds to purchase homes, vehicles, campers, and consumer goods for their personal benefit, with Wendy pleading guilty to money laundering and Samuel previously pleading guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft; they face up to 10 and 30 years in prison respectively.
businessinsider.com
· 2025-12-08
Regina Smith, a 34-year-old experienced real estate investor, fell victim to wire fraud in January 2023 when she sent a $60,000 down payment to a scammer who had spoofed emails from her title company for a Memphis property purchase. The fraudster had hacked into the title company's system to access transaction details and create a convincing fake email, causing Smith's home purchase to fall through and resulting in a total loss of her down payment. This case illustrates how real-estate wire fraud is increasing significantly, with the FBI reporting that one in 20 homebuyers and sellers experienced such scams in recent years, with median losses exceeding $70
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Clinton Chukwudi Uchendu, 26, of Georgia, was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering, mail fraud, and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business for his role in a romance scam that defrauded victims of over $600,000 between February and October 2018. As a "picker," Uchendu provided U.S. bank accounts to receive funds from romance scam victims who were deceived by "Yahoo Boys" operating from Nigeria posing as soldiers, businessmen, or celebrities, then laundered the money to Nigeria while retaining a portion. He received funds from dozens of victims across the United States, several of whom testified to losing hundreds of
aba.com
· 2025-12-08
I cannot provide a summary of this content. The text provided appears to be a navigation menu or table of contents from a banking industry website (likely the American Bankers Association), not an article or transcript about elder fraud, scams, or abuse.
To create a summary for the Elderus database, please provide the actual article or transcript content about a specific fraud case, scam scheme, or elder abuse incident.
gephardtdaily.com
· 2025-12-08
Clinton Chukwudi Uchendu, a 26-year-old from Georgia, was convicted by federal jury in March 2024 for operating as a "picker" in a $600,000 romance scam conspiracy, laundering money from victims who were deceived by overseas "Yahoo Boys" posing as soldiers and businessmen. Uchendu provided U.S. bank accounts to collect victim funds and transfer money to Nigeria while concealing the transactions' origins, and was found guilty of conspiracy to commit money laundering, mail fraud, and operating an unlicensed money transmitting business. He is scheduled for sentencing in June 2024.
sundayworld.com
· 2025-12-08
The Black Axe gang, a West African organized crime network with approximately 1,100 members in Ireland, has amassed a fortune primarily through cyber fraud rather than drug trafficking. The gang specializes in investment scams, romance fraud, and Business Email Compromise (BEC) schemes, with 226 Irish victims of investment fraud losing an average of €40,000-€50,000 each in the past year, while €7 million has been stolen through romance fraud targeting vulnerable women over the past five years. Irish law enforcement has made over 377 arrests as of last June and continues weekly operations under Operation Skein, which contributes to Interpol's international Operation
nzherald.co.nz
· 2025-12-08
Last year, New Zealanders reported losses of nearly $200 million to scams, though actual losses may exceed $2 billion when unreported cases are considered, with two-thirds of Kiwis encountering scams monthly. ASB Bank is spearheading a multi-sector anti-scam initiative with telcos, police, and social media companies, while launching an awareness campaign that outlines common scam types—including phishing, marketplace fraud, investment schemes, and romance scams—along with protective measures such as verifying contacts directly, inspecting goods in person, researching investments thoroughly, and guarding personal information.
cyberdaily.au
· 2025-12-08
During Ramadan and Eid Fitr celebrations, scammers targeting Saudi Arabia and other regions have stolen between $70-$100 million through various fraud schemes, with the criminal group known as the Smishing Triad primarily responsible. The scams employ multiple tactics including fake logistics delivery notifications (impersonating companies like Aramex), romance scams, fake charities, and phishing sites mimicking banks and bill payment platforms, often using personal data from previous breaches to appear legitimate and bypass security measures like two-factor authentication. Victims are directed to counterfeit websites where their financial information, banking credentials, and personal data are harvested for unauthorized charges, identity theft, and recruitment
floridadaily.com
· 2025-12-08
Taufiq Mohammed Kailani of Daytona Beach was arrested for using a business email imposter scam to defraud two construction companies of $60,725 by posing as an employee and sending a counterfeit bank letter to trick one company into wiring funds. Kailani exploited an elderly victim he met through a romance scam to open a fraudulent bank account and withdraw the stolen money, which the victim unwittingly facilitated. He was charged with organized fraud, fraudulent use of personal identification information, and money laundering, with bail set at $1.5 million.
highlandcountypress.com
· 2025-12-08
Two Indian nationals, Anil Mangukia, 39, and Yash Navadia, 25, were indicted on money laundering conspiracy charges for their roles in an elder fraud courier scam targeting older Americans, including a victim in Warren, Ohio. The defendants and coconspirators stole more than $127,000 and attempted to steal an additional $650,000 by posing as bank employees and government agents, falsely claiming victims' accounts were compromised and instructing them to transfer money, purchase gold, or meet in person to hand over cash and valuables. The perpetrators employed multiple deception tactics including cryptocurrency transfers, direct bank transfers, and physical courier exchanges of
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Three Los Angeles County men were sentenced to federal prison (15, 10, and 8 years respectively) for laundering gift cards stolen from telephone scam victims, acquiring over 5,000 Target gift card numbers from a Chinese fraud operation called "Magic Lamp" and using runners to quickly liquidate them at retail stores. The scheme targeted mostly older adults between June 2019 and November 2020, with victims defrauded through impersonation scams by government officials and tech support, and the defendants ordered to pay restitution totaling $194,387.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Three men—Blade Bai, Bowen Hu, and Tairan Shi—were sentenced to 15, 10, and 8 years in prison respectively for laundering gift card fraud proceeds between June 2019 and November 2020. The defendants acquired over 5,000 Target gift card numbers (typically valued at $500 each) from a Chinese fraud ring called "Magic Lamp," then used runners to quickly liquidate the cards by purchasing high-value electronics, targeting mostly elderly victims who had been deceived by telephone scammers posing as government officials or tech support personnel. The scheme involved a transnational network designed to prevent Target from reimburs
colorado.edu
· 2025-12-08
Employment scams targeting job seekers pose risks of identity theft and financial loss through unsolicited offers, fake interviews, social media impersonation, and requests for upfront payment. Red flags include vague job descriptions with grammatical errors, pressure to respond quickly, offers that seem too good to be true, and any request for money from applicants. Job seekers should verify opportunities through trusted platforms, research companies independently, trust their instincts, and contact Career Services or report suspicious activity to OIT if they encounter potential scams.
abc.net.au
· 2025-12-08
Jo O'Brien lost her $500,000 divorce settlement after being deceived by scammers who impersonated AMP employees through a fake comparison website and convinced her to transfer funds into what she believed was her own investment account but was actually controlled by a fraudulent shell company called Supercheap Security. Over $1.3 million from multiple victims was funneled through a NAB bank account, and O'Brien alleges the bank was slow to freeze the account even after she reported the fraud, allowing an additional $275,000 to be transferred overseas. The account operator, Hassan Mehdi, was arrested attempting to leave Australia but charges were later dropped, with the case highlighting vulner
amp.scmp.com
· 2025-12-08
A Hong Kong man was arrested for money laundering after his bank account was used to collect funds from two women who fell victim to online employment scams; he had allegedly sold the account to an unknown person for HK$2,000 (US$255). During a subsequent raid, police seized pepper spray canisters, imitation handguns, empty cartridges, and fake police certificates from his home, leading to additional charges including possession of unlicensed firearms, offensive weapons, and fake documents. A source suggested the suspect, a warehouse attendant, may have purchased the weapons to fulfill a fantasy of becoming a police officer.
abcnews.go.com
· 2025-12-08
Tareasa Johnson, a TikTok creator, went viral sharing a 50-part series documenting her marriage to a man she met online who deceived her about his finances, family background, and identity, including allegedly using a phony Social Security number. The article examines her case alongside other victims of online deception and scams, noting that the Internet Crime Complaint Center reported roughly 880,000 scam complaints in 2023, nearly double the 467,000 complaints from 2019, with cybersecurity experts warning that scammers can target anyone regardless of age or expertise.
goldrushcam.com
· 2025-12-08
Former licensed insurance agent Brett E. Lovett was found guilty of 29 felony counts including grand theft, elder abuse, and money laundering for defrauding at least nine victims, including senior citizens, of approximately $1.2 million between 2011 and 2016. Lovett befriended vulnerable victims at places of worship and through a legal aid business, then misappropriated their money intended for nonexistent investments or financial management by using powers of attorney and promissory notes. This conviction followed a prior 2007 CFTC case in which Lovett was ordered to pay over $675,000 in restitution for commodity futures fraud, penalties he never
ghanaweb.com
· 2025-12-08
Ghanaian social media influencer Mona Faiz Montrage (Hajia4Reall) pleaded guilty to conspiracy to receive stolen money from romance scams targeting older Americans, facing up to five years in prison and ordered to forfeit and pay restitution of $2,164,758.41. The scams victimized elderly Americans through fraudulent romantic relationships that resulted in financial theft. Montrage was arrested abroad and her case was prosecuted by the U.S. Department of Justice's Southern District of New York.
patch.com
· 2025-12-08
Secaucus police arrested a husband-and-wife team, Hakeem Lee (30) and Majda Hodzic-Lee (42), for operating a Publishers Clearing House lottery scam that defrauded elderly and other victims across the United States of over $2.2 million during 2023. The couple told victims they had won prizes but needed to send cash, money orders, or gift cards upfront for taxes and fees; police traced $1.1 million through their personal and business bank accounts and seized banking documents, computers, and cell phones during a search of their home. Both were charged with money laundering, conspiracy to commit theft by deception, and conspiracy
fox13news.com
· 2025-12-08
A Highlands County business and a related construction company fell victim to an elaborate $60,725 fraud scheme involving email hacking and romance scam elements. Taufiq Kailani, 47, was arrested in March after a multi-year FDLE investigation; he hacked into one company's email to send fraudulent wire instructions while simultaneously convincing an elderly woman to open a bank account and withdraw the stolen funds as part of a romance scam. The money was subsequently sent overseas and remains unrecovered, highlighting the importance of verifying financial requests through direct phone contact rather than relying on email alone.
clarechampion.ie
· 2025-12-08
This Irish awareness article highlights the rising sophistication of financial scams and provides protective measures for potential victims. Key scam types targeting young people include money muling (using personal bank accounts to launder stolen funds, which carries criminal penalties), ticket fraud for sold-out events, and phishing schemes, with victims losing €8.6 million in the first half of 2023. The article advises protecting finances through strong passwords, two-factor authentication, vigilance against unsolicited contact, and using only official vendors for ticket purchases.
independent.com
· 2025-12-08
Brett E. Lovett, a former insurance agent from Camarillo, was convicted of 29 counts including fraud, elder abuse, grand theft, and money laundering for defrauding nine victims of $1.2 million between 2011 and 2016. Lovett, whose insurance license expired in 2000, gained victims' trust through a Jehovah's Witnesses congregation and a legal aid organization, then misused their investment funds for personal expenses including cosmetic procedures, vacation rentals, and jewelry. One victim lost her entire life savings of $194,688.50, and others experienced homelessness or had to relocate to family homes as a result of the frau
ghanaweb.com
· 2025-12-08
Kofi Osei, a 30-year-old Ghanaian national, was sentenced to 4.5 years in prison for orchestrating a romance fraud scheme that stole over $8 million from elderly victims between 2016 and 2020. Working with accomplices, Osei created fake identities and opened 77 bank accounts to receive and launder fraud proceeds, with specific victims deceived into sending $200,000 and $65,000 based on false claims about overseas emergencies involving fictitious romantic partners. In addition to his prison sentence, Osei was ordered to pay $4.1 million in restitution.
ftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, impersonation scams targeting consumers reported more than 330,000 business and nearly 160,000 government impersonation cases to the FTC, resulting in combined losses exceeding $1.1 billion—more than triple the losses from 2020. Scammers have evolved their tactics, shifting from phone calls to text and email communications, increasingly requesting payment through bank transfers and cryptocurrency, and often impersonating multiple organizations within a single scam. The five most common impersonation scams include fake account security alerts, bogus subscription renewals, fraudulent giveaways or government money offers, false legal threats, and fake package delivery notifications—all designed to
cftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
I can see this is a webpage from the CFTC's Learn & Protect section, but the actual article content about "Lies Versus Facts: The Truth Behind Gold and Silver IRA Scams" is not included in what you provided—only the navigation menu and page structure are visible.
To provide an accurate summary for the Elderus database, I would need the full text of the PDF document or article content. Could you please share the actual article text or content from the "MetalsIRALies_0.pdf" document?
calcoastnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Brett E. Lovett, a 53-year-old former insurance agent from Camarillo, was found guilty of 29 counts including embezzlement, fraud, elder abuse, and money laundering for defrauding at least nine seniors of approximately $1.2 million between 2011 and 2016. Lovett targeted victims he met at a Jehovah's Witnesses congregation and through his legal aid information business, then misappropriated their funds for personal expenses including cosmetic procedures, travel, and jewelry. He was scheduled for sentencing on May 9, 2024.
soyacincau.com
· 2025-12-08
A 57-year-old Malaysian civil servant nearly lost her life savings of RM150,000 to a phone scam in which fraudsters impersonated Maybank and government officials, instructing her to withdraw cash for alleged unauthorized transactions and mule account activities. A quick-thinking Maybank branch manager recognized the scam during the withdrawal and froze the victim's accounts, preventing the loss. The incident highlights the importance of bank staff vigilance and customer awareness of common scam tactics, particularly unsolicited calls requesting personal banking information or fund transfers to unknown accounts.
wbur.org
· 2025-12-08
"Pig-butchering" is a major online scam operation that has generated approximately $75 billion and involves criminals targeting vulnerable people through digital currency exploitation, human trafficking, and international crime networks operating from compounds in Southeast Asia. The scam uses sophisticated social engineering tactics and digital currency to defraud victims, with victims losing substantial sums while perpetrators operate across borders with connections to organized crime groups.
thv11.com
· 2025-12-08
An Arkansas woman was arrested following an FBI raid in Little Rock on federal charges of mail fraud and money laundering related to fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans. According to court documents, she falsified employee counts and payroll amounts to obtain four separate PPP loans, which are designed to help businesses maintain payroll during economic hardship.