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In 2024, text message scams caused $470 million in reported losses to consumers—more than five times the 2020 amount—according to FTC data, with the top five scams being fake package delivery notices, phony job offers, fraudulent fraud alerts, bogus toll notifications, and "wrong number" romance/investment schemes. These scams employed tactics such as impersonating legitimate companies, stealing financial information through fake fees, and building fake relationships to manipulate victims into transferring money. The FTC recommends consumers avoid clicking links or responding to unsolicited texts and use blocking tools to prevent fraud.

Romance and friendship scams cost Connecticut residents more money than any other scam type last year and ranked as the third riskiest scam overall. These scams target vulnerable people, build emotional connections through deception and false promises, and often involve cryptocurrency schemes; the BBB documented one victim who lost $100,000 after a scammer posed as a romantic interest and claimed financial need. Red flags include requests for money after establishing trust, inability to meet in person, poor grammar despite claiming local origin, offers involving cryptocurrency, and relationships that progress too quickly.

Sanjukta Bhuiyan, wife of an SOG constable, was arrested for impersonating a senior police officer and defrauding a couple of Rs 8.75 lakh. She exploited her access to police credentials and uniforms, creating fake social media personas to befriend victims and convince them to transfer money under the pretense of official assistance and financial returns. The fraud was discovered when the victims filed a complaint with Cyber Crime Police, and authorities are investigating whether additional victims exist.

Americans lost a record $12.5 billion to scams in 2024, according to the Federal Trade Commission and a new Better Business Bureau report analyzing the year's most dangerous schemes. The top scams involved investment and cryptocurrency schemes (80% loss rate), employment scams targeting young adults 18-34, romance and friendship scams on dating platforms, and imposter scams impersonating major companies. Experts advise consumers to verify credentials, ask questions about investment claims, and verify unsolicited communications to protect against scammers using financial grooming tactics to build trust before exploitation.

Americans lost a record $12.5 billion to scams in 2024, with the Better Business Bureau identifying investment/cryptocurrency schemes, employment scams, and romance/friendship scams as the year's most dangerous, often involving financial grooming tactics where scammers build trust over time. Victims of investment and cryptocurrency scams lost money at rates exceeding 80%, while young adults aged 18-34 were primary targets for employment fraud, and imposter scams frequently involved fraudulent claims from PayPal, Publishers Clearing House, and the U.S. Postal Service. Experts recommend verifying credentials, asking questions about unsolicited offers, and confirming communications to avoid falling victim

This educational article identifies four common Microsoft-targeted scams: tech support scams where fraudsters pose as Microsoft IT staff to gain device access and install malware; text messaging scams impersonating banks, the IRS, or delivery services to steal personal information; phishing scams using fake emails and links to trigger malware downloads; and Microsoft Teams scams involving malicious GIFs and voice phishing. Protection strategies include never calling unsolicited numbers or clicking popup links, verifying texts by calling organizations directly, avoiding suspicious email links, and being cautious of malicious attachments on Teams.

A Noida man, Daljit Singh, lost Rs 6.3 crore in savings after being befriended by a woman named Anita on a dating app who convinced him to invest in fraudulent trading platforms promising high returns. Singh initially invested Rs 3.2 lakh and saw quick profits, which encouraged him to transfer his entire life savings of Rs 4.5 crore plus an additional Rs 2 crore loan across 30 transactions to 25 bank accounts. When he attempted to withdraw his funds, he was asked to pay a 30% fee; after refusing, the scammer disappeared and the websites went offline, prompting Singh to file a cyber complaint with

This educational article outlines four primary Microsoft-targeting scams: tech support scams (fraudsters posing as Microsoft IT staff to gain device access and install malware), text messaging scams (impersonating banks, IRS, delivery services to steal personal data), phishing scams (deceptive emails with malicious links targeting Microsoft Teams and other platforms), and Microsoft Teams scams (including malicious GIFs and voice phishing). The article provides protective measures for each scam type, emphasizing that users should never call unsolicited numbers, click suspicious links, respond to fraudulent texts, or open attachments from unknown senders.

This educational article uses a cautionary legal case (Dowling v. Uriostegui) to illustrate estate plan fraud targeting elderly individuals. A woman systematically befriended an elderly man, isolated him from family, and exerted undue influence to redirect his $1.8 million estate to herself and her gambling-addicted son (a lawyer) instead of his biological son, while the scammer's son flaunted ill-gotten assets including a Corvette and 12 racehorses. The article advises families to protect vulnerable elderly relatives through regular communication and vigilance against potential scammers seeking to manipulate estate planning documents.

According to the 2024 BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report, investment and cryptocurrency scams remain the riskiest scam type, with romance and friendship scams rising to number three for the first time. These scams employ "financial grooming"—where perpetrators build trust over weeks or months before encouraging victims to invest, often in fake platforms—resulting in romance/friendship scams having the highest median loss of $6,099 and investment scams at $5,000, with people ages 65 and older reporting the highest median dollar loss. The report found that overall median losses rose 30% from 2023 to 2024, with victims experiencing significant

According to the 2024 BBB Scam Tracker Risk Report, investment and cryptocurrency scams remain the most prevalent fraud type, with romance and friendship scams climbing to third place. Both often employ "financial grooming" tactics where scammers build trust over weeks or months before encouraging victims to invest in fraudulent platforms, resulting in a median loss of $5,000-$6,099 per victim. People ages 65 and older reported the highest median losses ($160), and overall reported median losses increased 30% from 2023 to 2024, with emotional impacts including anger, loss of trust, and anxiety affecting nearly 30% of victims.

Canadian fraud and cybercrime losses exceeded $638 million in 2024, a significant increase from $578 million in 2023, with investment scams accounting for $311 million of losses, according to the Canadian Anti-fraud Centre. Beyond financial damage, victims report severe emotional and psychological harm including feelings of betrayal, shame, anxiety, and depression, which can be compounded by victim-blaming from others. Experts emphasize that fraud's impact extends across all demographics and fraud types, and that supportive responses from those victims confide in are critical to their healing.

A 2024 Better Business Bureau report identifies the top scams encountered last year, with cryptocurrency investment scams ranking as the riskiest, followed by employment scams and romance/friendship scams. Romance and friendship scams, which involve financial grooming over weeks or months to build trust before soliciting investments, reported the highest median loss at $6,099 per victim, while cryptocurrency investment scams affected over 80% of targets with median losses of $5,000.

The Better Business Bureau's 2024 Scam Tracker Report ranks investment and cryptocurrency scams as the riskiest fraud type, followed by employment scams (averaging $1,500 in losses) and romance/friendship scams (with a median loss of $6,099—the highest among all scam types). Both investment and romance scams involve "financial grooming," where fraudsters build trust over weeks or months before encouraging victims to invest money, often in cryptocurrency, with experts warning that online investment offers are major red flags.

A 2024 Better Business Bureau report reveals that investment and romance scams are increasingly sophisticated, employing "financial grooming" tactics where scammers build trust over weeks or months before defrauding victims. Investment/cryptocurrency scams ranked as the riskiest scam type with an $5,000 median loss, while romance scams had the highest median loss at $6,099; people ages 65+ reported the highest median dollar loss ($160), and overall median losses rose 30% from 2023 to 2024. The report warns that victims often experience significant emotional impacts, with 60% reporting anger, 54% loss of trust, and 53.5%

Fairmont Police report that seniors in their community face consistent threats from online scams, with tech support scams and romance/friendship scams being the most common types targeting the local older population. Scammers use various payment methods including gift cards and cryptocurrency to extract money, often directing victims to crypto ATMs or banks, and many cases originate outside the United States making recovery unlikely. Police Sergeant Beletti advises recognizing four warning signs: impersonation of trusted sources, claims of immediate danger or reward, pressure to decide quickly, and requests for specific payment methods.

Singapore reported at least S$1.1 billion in scam losses in 2024, a 70.6% increase from 2023, with one victim losing S$125 million in cryptocurrency through a malware-enabled scam involving fake interview links. E-commerce scams were the most common type, followed by job and phishing scams, with 51,501 total cases reported; however, the police's Anti-Scam Command recovered over S$182 million and averted S$483 million in potential losses through proactive interventions.

Singapore experienced a significant surge in scam losses, reaching at least $1.1 billion in 2024, a 70.6% increase from 2023, with 51,501 reported cases (up 10.6% year-on-year). E-commerce scams were the most common type at 22.7% of cases, while investment scams caused the largest financial losses at $320.7 million, with cryptocurrency scams also spiking dramatically to 24.3% of total losses. Youths and young adults under 50 comprised nearly 71% of victims and were primarily targeted via messaging platforms and social media, while those aged 65 an

A 43-year-old Las Vegas woman, Aurora Phelps, was arrested in Mexico for operating romance scams targeting older men across multiple states from 2019-2022. Phelps met victims on dating sites, gained their trust, drugged them with sedatives, and stole their financial information and bank accounts, with one victim allegedly losing millions in liquidated stock; the FBI identified at least four victims (two from Nevada, one each from Arkansas and Mexico) and believes three U.S. citizens died as a result of her crimes. Phelps faces 21 federal charges including bank fraud, identity theft, and kidnapping resulting in death, and is awaiting extra

Standard Chartered Bank partnered with the Infocomm Media Development Authority (IMDA) to conduct monthly digital literacy workshops for seniors aged 50-90 from August 2024 to February 2025, addressing Singapore's 16.3% rise in scam cases in the first half of 2024. The workshops taught seniors how to identify and protect themselves from fake friend, investment, and phishing scams, with 120 participants and 70 bank volunteers participating in hands-on training sessions. The initiative, part of a corporate volunteering program, demonstrates how partnerships between financial institutions and government agencies can raise fraud awareness and help vulnerable populations avoid becoming victims of self-effected transfer

A 75-year-old Washington woman was targeted by a skincare spa scam in which the business owner, 27-year-old Hai Baranetz, built a relationship with her during treatments and then pressured her to withdraw $1 million (later reduced to $50,000) from her bank for a supposed "body sculpture" contest. Alert bank tellers recognized the manipulation and refused her withdrawal requests, with one calling police, leading to Baranetz's arrest; authorities also received multiple complaints of tens of thousands of dollars in overcharges and fraudulent practices at his BH28 Skincare Consultants business.

A 75-year-old Washington woman was targeted by a skincare scam operator who initially charged her $5,000 for spa treatments, then manipulated her through flattery and false promises of a spokesperson contest to attempt withdrawing $1 million (later reduced to $50,000) from her bank. Alert bank tellers recognized the scam and refused the withdrawals, leading to the arrest of 27-year-old spa owner Hai Baranetz, who faced investigations into multiple complaints of overcharges and fraud targeting vulnerable seniors.

A 75-year-old Vancouver, Washington woman was recruited at a mall kiosk to join a spa program at BH28 Skincare Consultants, where the 27-year-old owner charged her $5,000 and then attempted to manipulate her into withdrawing $1 million (later reduced to $50,000) from her bank for additional treatments. Alert bank tellers recognized the scam and refused the withdrawal, with one teller calling police; the owner was arrested and the business subsequently closed following multiple complaints of overcharges and financial exploitation of vulnerable seniors.

A 75-year-old Washington woman was nearly defrauded of $50,000 by a skincare spa operator who lured her in with complimentary eye cream samples and red light treatments, building rapport before pressuring her to withdraw cash for a fake "contestant" program. After the operator drove her to the bank and demanded she withdraw $1 million (later reduced to $50,000), alert bank tellers recognized the scam, refused her request, and alerted authorities, leading to the 27-year-old suspect's arrest. Police reported receiving multiple complaints from vulnerable seniors who had been overcharged at the skincare store, which was later abandoned.

Santander bank data reveals that customers lost nearly £8 million to romance and friendship scams in 2024, with nearly half of cases originating on social media platforms like Facebook (£1.3+ million in losses). Victims ranged from ages 19 to 96, though the largest concentration was 19–35-year-olds with 77% being male, and February saw particularly high losses of £800,000 including one case of £262,000. The bank warns of common warning signs including requests for money from unmet contacts, avoidance of video calls, and pressure to keep relationships secret, and recommends verifying identities, removing emotion from financial decisions,

Arizona banking customers are experiencing a surge in sophisticated tech scams, with victims losing hundreds of thousands of dollars to fraudsters who use alarming text messages about account fraud to trick people into revealing account credentials. The Better Business Bureau also reports a spike in romance scams ahead of Valentine's Day, with victims averaging $126,000 in losses per person in early 2024, typically initiated through social media or dating websites with warning signs including rapid friendships, quick money discussions, and reluctance to video chat. Banks emphasize that contacting financial institutions within 24 hours of suspected fraud is critical, as scammers typically transfer funds overseas quickly, making recovery difficult after that window closes.

In 2023, multiple high-profile fraud cases emerged involving sophisticated impersonation schemes: a Hermès heir reported a $13 billion fortune missing, Elvis Presley's estate discovered Graceland nearly sold at auction after a woman forged loan documents and signatures, and an Arup engineering employee wired $25 million to fraudsters using deepfake technology to impersonate company executives. The article highlights how modern scammers exploit advancing technology—including AI-generated voices and deepfakes—to impersonate authority figures, family members, and trusted individuals, with experts predicting AI-generated fraud could reach $40 billion by 2027. Recommended protections include establishing family

A 42-year-old Vermont woman pleaded guilty to wire fraud for defrauding an elderly victim of over $84,000 by building a false friendship, obtaining power of attorney, and misappropriating funds from the victim's home sale to purchase a house and vehicle in her own name. Russell used manipulation tactics including calling the victim "mom" and falsing claims about losing a child to gain the victim's trust as the victim's health declined. Sentencing is scheduled for June 12, 2025.

Elderly homeowners, who control approximately $14 trillion in housing wealth, are prime targets for financial exploitation, with older adults losing around $28.3 billion annually to fraud according to AARP, and banking institutions filing over 155,000 elder financial victimization reports in the 12-month period ending June 2023. Perpetrators range from family members (who commit two-thirds of verified cases) to unscrupulous loan officers, contractors, and professionals who exploit seniors through reverse mortgages, fraudulent loans, and asset mismanagement. Family members and friends of elderly individuals should actively discuss financial decisions with seniors—particularly regarding home equity loans, reverse mortgages, an

Seniors, particularly homeowners age 62 and older who control approximately $14 trillion in housing wealth, lose around $28.3 billion annually to financial exploitation from various perpetrators including family members (who commit two-thirds of verified cases), contractors, loan brokers, and caregivers. Common scams involve fraudulent reverse mortgages, home equity loans, and home improvement schemes, with notable cases including a loan broker exploiting a widow with dementia and a hairstylist depleting three women's assets. Family members and friends should discuss major financial decisions with elderly relatives, ask critical questions about who benefits from transactions, and watch for red flags like isolation from family, missing statements

Senior citizens and retired officials in Kashmir are falling victim to a social media extortion scam in which scammers—often posing as young women on Facebook—befriend older men under the guise of career guidance, then record private conversations to blackmail and extort money. Police report that victims are reluctant to file formal complaints due to shame and embarrassment, allowing the scheme to continue unchecked. Cyber Police Kashmir recovered Rs 4.72 crore from online scam victims in the previous year, and authorities warn that cybercriminals continue to develop new tactics to manipulate vulnerable populations.

Romance scams remained a significant threat in 2024, ranking as the third most common scam, with victims losing tens of thousands of dollars each. Scammers typically target vulnerable individuals—particularly widows and widowers—through social media, building emotional connections before pivoting conversations toward cryptocurrency investments or requests for money due to fabricated emergencies. Key warning signs include claims of foreign residence, quick declarations of love, minimal online presence, reluctance to video call, requests for money via cryptocurrency or gift cards, and inconsistent stories.

Anne, a 26-year-old Melbourne woman, lost $46,100 in a "pig butchering" romance scam after meeting someone claiming to be "Lucio" on Tinder. The scammer built trust over weeks through intimate conversations and emotional storytelling before convincing her to invest in cryptocurrency on what she believes was a counterfeit trading platform. This scam uses a four-stage process: creating a fake persona, building emotional trust, luring victims into fake investments, and stealing their money.

Meta removed approximately 2 million accounts linked to "pig-butchering" scams, a sophisticated fraud scheme where scammers build trust with victims online before directing them to invest in cryptocurrency or fraudulent job opportunities. The accounts originated primarily from Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, the United Arab Emirates, and the Philippines, and studies indicate these scams have stolen over $75 billion globally since 2020, with Americans losing a record $4 billion in crypto scams alone as of September.

**Geeta Patel, a 64-year-old repeat offender from Bhayandar, was arrested after attempting to steal a gold chain worth ₹1.5 lakh from an 80-year-old man in Borivli.** Patel's modus operandi involved approaching senior citizens (ages 65-80) on the streets, fabricating sympathetic personal stories to gain their trust, then either snatching their jewelry during an embrace or threatening them with false accusations if they refused to help her. Ten cases have been registered against Patel by elderly victims, and she had previously been arrested in 2015 for a similar

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

Tanya Alahmad, 46, of Cleveland, was sentenced to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay $46,064.30 in restitution after pleading guilty to mail fraud and aggravated identity theft. From November 2019 through February 2022, Alahmad befriended an elderly victim, forged their power of attorney signature, and used fraudulently obtained credit and debit cards along with unauthorized checks to steal over $46,000 from the victim's bank account, including while the victim was hospitalized. The case was prosecuted under the Elder Justice Initiative Program as part of the Department of Justice's efforts to combat financial frau

Kevin Barker, a Sacramento County foster parent and serial child molester, was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison after pleading no contest to four counts of lewd acts upon a child and possession of child pornography involving multiple victims between 2008 and 2018. Barker groomed children he met at parks and shelters with gifts, money, and drugs before sexually abusing them, and was discovered in 2018 when a neighbor reported seeing him place a hidden camera in his home to photograph children in his care. Under California's Elder Parole law, Barker (age 43) will become eligible for release at age 50, potentially serving only approximately

This educational piece reviews common scams targeting seniors, noting that scammers are employing increasingly sophisticated tactics. The article outlines five prevalent scam types—romance scams, computer repair fraud, grandparent scams, government impersonation, and bank account fraud—and provides protective strategies such as establishing family code words, avoiding unsolicited callers, and independently verifying contact from financial institutions or authorities.

Wisdom Oghenekaro Onyobeno, 44, an Atlanta man, was sentenced to over 10 years in federal prison for his role in a romance scam and money laundering conspiracy that targeted elderly widows and divorcees across Rhode Island and other states, resulting in losses exceeding $5.8 million. Onyobeno and his co-conspirators used dating apps and online games to create false personas—posing as military members, contractors, or government officials—to convince victims to send money for fabricated emergencies, which was then laundered through shell bank accounts and business entities. The case was investigated by the U.S. Postal

Wisdom Oghenekaro Onyobeno, 44, was sentenced to over 10 years in federal prison for leading a romance scam that defrauded elderly widows and divorcees across multiple states of more than $5.8 million. Onyobeno and his conspirators used fake personas on dating apps and online games to build trust with victims, then convinced them to send money through false scenarios involving military emergencies, stranded contractors, or overseas packages, with funds laundered through fraudulent business entities and bank accounts. The case underscores the need for seniors to be cautious about unsolicited financial requests from unknown contacts.

Romance scams cost UK victims an estimated £6.8 million over 12 months, with individual losses averaging £4,500 across victims aged 18-93, according to Santander UK data. Scammers exploit loneliness and emotional vulnerability by building trust before requesting money, with 28% of survey respondents willing to provide financial support to romantic partners known for less than six months. Protective measures include removing emotion from financial decisions, reverse-image searching photos, refusing to send money to online-only contacts, and reporting suspected scams to Action Fraud or local police.

80-year-old Alice Lin from California lost her entire life savings of $720,000 to a "pig butchering" scam on WeChat, where a fraudster built trust with her over three weeks before convincing her to make seven wire transfers for a fake investment. Lin is now suing JP Morgan Chase for failing to identify red flags and alert her trusted contact about the unusual account activity, and she has testified in support of legislation requiring banks to delay large transactions when elder fraud is suspected.

Romance scams linked to social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram are surging in the UK, with Santander UK reporting £3.8 million stolen from customers over six months—a 27 percent increase from the previous period, with average losses of £4,500 per victim. Scammers use stolen images to build emotional relationships with targets across all age groups (18-93) before requesting money through fabricated sob stories about medical expenses or other emergencies. Research shows that 55 percent of people admit to loneliness, and nearly one-third would provide financial support to online romantic partners within six months of knowing them, creating vulnerability to these emotionally manipulative schemes.

Romance scams in the UK have surged 27% in six months, with Santander reporting £3.8 million defrauded from its customers, averaging £4,500 per victim across all age groups from 18 to 93 years old. Scammers primarily operate through Facebook and Instagram, using stolen images to build emotional trust before requesting money under false pretenses such as medical emergencies or gifts. The scams exploit natural human vulnerability to emotional connection, with nearly a third of people willing to provide financial support to online romantic partners within six months of contact.

Romance scams cost Santander UK customers £6.8 million over 12 months, with victims averaging £4,500 in losses across all ages from 18 to 93. Despite 65% of Brits believing they would never fall victim, scammers exploit loneliness by building emotional trust before requesting money, leaving victims with financial and emotional damage. Santander advises early verification checks and caution when potential romantic partners request financial help within the first six months of contact.

Santander UK data reveals romance scams resulted in over £3.8 million in reported losses over six months (a 27% increase), with victims aged 18-93 losing an average of £4,500 each. Over half of Brits have received suspicious romantic messages online, primarily on Facebook and Instagram, with scammers exploiting loneliness by building emotional connections before requesting money for medical expenses or gifts. The bank partnered with BBC personality Paul Gorton to raise awareness, emphasizing that conducting early verification checks and maintaining cautious skepticism can help prevent falling victim to these sophisticated scams.

Co-operative Bank experienced a widespread outage of its mobile app and online banking services beginning around 1:30pm, preventing customers from accessing their accounts and prompting complaints on social media; the bank apologized and stated it was working to resolve the issue. The article also covers unrelated banking news including proposed government measures to extend fraud investigation time for suspicious transactions to 72 hours to better protect consumers from scams like romance fraud.

An 80-year-old California widow lost her entire $720,000 life savings to an online scammer on WeChat who used "pig butchering" tactics to build trust and convince her to invest in cryptocurrency between August and September 2022. After JPMorgan Chase Bank failed to flag the suspicious transactions despite red flags and her long account history, Lin sued the bank and successfully prevented its dismissal of the case; her experience prompted California State Senator Bill Dodd to introduce Senate Bill 278, which would require banks to implement emergency contact programs and delay suspicious transactions over $5,000 for three business days for elderly customers.

Romance scams cost Santander UK customers £3.8 million in the six months from March to August 2024, a 27% increase from the previous period, with victims aged 18 to 93 losing an average of £4,500 each. Research found that 50% of people have received suspected scam messages, yet 65% believe they would never fall victim, while nearly 30% would offer financial help to someone they've known less than six months. Santander recommends removing emotion from financial decisions, verifying photos through reverse image searches, being wary of those who avoid video calls, and never sharing money or personal details with online-only contacts.