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ursinusgrizzly.com
· 2026-09-26
Collegeville, Pennsylvania currently does not use Flock license plate reader cameras, though the police department uses other types of LPR technology that have helped locate stolen vehicles, find missing elderly drivers, and identify suspects in crimes including jewelry store burglaries, robberies, and fraud cases. Pennsylvania lawmakers are considering legislative measures to regulate LPRs with safeguards for data privacy and civil liberties, and Collegeville officials have indicated that Flock cameras may be considered for future implementation in the area.
rheaheraldnews.com
· 2026-09-26
The U.S. Senate unanimously passed Senator Marsha Blackburn's Romance Scam Prevention Act, which requires dating apps to notify users who have interacted with someone removed for fraud, addressing a growing problem targeting seniors. Romance scams cost victims $1.3 billion nationally in 2022, with Tennesseans over 60 losing $43 million in 2023 alone, as scammers increasingly target recently widowed or divorced elderly individuals who connect on dating platforms.
ibtimes.co.uk
· 2026-09-26
Romance scams reported to Lloyds Banking Group surged 59% among 18-24 year olds and 39% among 25-34 year olds in the year ending August 2026, though older victims over 65 lost the most money, accounting for 55% of total losses with victims aged 75-84 losing an average of £9,051 each. These scams typically begin on dating apps and social media, where fraudsters build emotional connections before requesting money through claims of emergencies or personal crises. The Financial Ombudsman Service received over 500 romance scam complaints between January and March 2026, highlighting the need for caution when online contacts
nation.africa
· 2026-09-26
Nearly three in ten Kenyans using dating apps have encountered attempted scams, with Kenya ranking second in Africa for digital fraud victimization. Scammers typically build fake relationships over weeks before requesting money, gifts, or personal information, targeting women more frequently than men. Red flags include rapid professions of love, reluctance to video call or meet in person, overly polished profiles, requests to move conversations off dating apps, and escalating money requests starting with small amounts before fake emergencies.
nation.co.ke
· 2026-09-26
Nearly three in ten Kenyans using dating apps have encountered attempted scams, with over 80 percent of Kenyans reporting being targeted by digital fraud on their phones. Common red flags include scammers professing love quickly, refusing video calls or in-person meetings, using overly polished photos, moving conversations off dating apps to WhatsApp or Telegram, and making escalating requests for money starting with small amounts. Experts recommend using reverse image searches to verify profiles, meeting in-person early to build genuine relationships, and immediately ending contact if anyone requests money for emergencies, travel, or investments.
cryptonews.net
· 2026-09-26
Vietnamese national Trung Nguyen Van was charged with laundering approximately $53 million in cryptocurrency stolen from U.S. victims through romance scams between February 2018 and December 2024. The scams typically began on dating apps, social media, or text messages, with fraudsters gaining victims' trust before directing them to fake investment platforms like "Triangle" that displayed fabricated profits to encourage additional deposits. One Missouri victim alone lost about $16 million between June and August 2024, with investigators tracing Van's movement of stolen funds through various cryptocurrency wallets to conceal their illegal origins.
spokesman.com
· 2026-09-26
Fraud losses reported to the FTC reached a record $15.9 billion in 2025, up 27% from the previous year, with investment scams, romance scams, crypto scams, and impostor scams driving the increase. The article outlines 11 protection strategies including questioning unsolicited communications, trusting your instincts, avoiding phishing emails, using credit cards over debit cards, never sharing sensitive information like Social Security numbers or PINs, and being skeptical of spoofed caller IDs. Scammers increasingly use AI-generated fake websites, emails, texts, and videos to make their fraudulent schemes appear legitimate.
tradingview.com
· 2026-09-26
A 37-year-old Vietnamese national, Trung Nguyen Van, has been charged with money laundering after cryptocurrency wallets under his control received over $53 million linked to "pig butchering" scams, where fraudsters cultivate relationships with victims before directing them to fake investment platforms. One victim alone lost approximately $16 million after being deceived into transferring crypto through a fraudulent platform called Triangle. The case demonstrates how cryptocurrency enables rapid cross-border movement of fraud proceeds while simultaneously leaving blockchain records that investigators can use to trace the illicit funds.
kucoin.com
· 2026-09-26
This article does not contain information about elder fraud, scams, or fraudulent activities. It discusses U.S. Treasury yields, Federal Reserve policy, cryptocurrency prices, and bond market trends. As it falls outside the scope of elder fraud research, no summary is applicable.
cryptonews.net
· 2026-09-26
Vietnamese national Trung Nguyen Van, 37, was charged with money laundering after allegedly orchestrating a "pig butchering" romance scam that defrauded victims of approximately $16 million in cryptocurrency between June and August 2024, with investigators identifying over $53.3 million flowing through his wallets between 2018 and 2024 from wire fraud schemes targeting Americans. In the primary case, a victim was lured into a fake crypto investment platform called "Triangle" through an online relationship and wired $16 million in cryptocurrency after being shown fabricated returns. Van allegedly received over $569,000 from a single victim transfer and subsequently moved the funds through multiple wallets
finance.yahoo.com
· 2026-09-26
A North Carolina woman lost approximately $600,000 to a pig-butchering scam where she built a relationship with a fraudster online before sending him money from her retirement account. After discovering the fraud, she faced an additional $225,000 tax bill from the IRS for the withdrawn retirement funds, forcing her to file for bankruptcy. A bipartisan bill called the Tax Relief for Fraud Victims Act, which would restore tax deductions for fraud victims lost in 2017 tax law changes, recently passed the House and awaits Senate action.
channelnewsasia.com
· 2026-09-26
In July, Malaysian police arrested 335 people in raids on alleged online scam operations at Forest City development, seizing computers and phones from syndicates involved in cryptocurrency fraud and romance scams targeting overseas victims. The raids and discovery of illegal gambling operations and unlicensed businesses have damaged the mega-project's reputation as it attempts to rebrand as an investment destination and Special Financial Zone, with concerns raised about property values, resident safety, and business confidence.
press-herald.com
· 2026-09-25
Webster Parish residents are reporting scams to authorities three to four times weekly, with scammers increasingly using sophisticated tactics including spoofing the Sheriff's Office phone number and impersonating law enforcement to solicit bail payments for arrested relatives. One notable case involved a local businessman losing nearly $500,000 in a fake Bitcoin investment scheme, while romance scams remain prevalent among older adults, with perpetrators sometimes spending months building trust before requesting money. Officials emphasized that skepticism, independent verification of requests, and consulting trusted contacts are critical defenses against these evolving scams, which are often perpetrated by overseas criminals.
mirror.co.uk
· 2026-09-25
Romance scams reported to Lloyds Banking Group surged 24% year-over-year, with reports from Gen Z victims aged 18-24 jumping 59% and those aged 25-34 increasing 39%, though victims over 65 lost the majority of total funds at an average of £4,078 per person. The oldest victims, aged 75-84, suffered the highest average losses at £9,051, with scammers using dating apps, social media, and traditional dating websites to build trust before requesting money. Experts warn that being digitally savvy does not protect younger adults from these emotional manipulation scams, which leave victims facing both financial loss and psychological distress.
kctv5.com
· 2026-09-25
A Vietnamese national was charged with money laundering in connection with a $53 million "pig butchering" cryptocurrency scam that targeted Americans through fake romance schemes on dating apps and social media. In these frauds, scammers build trust with victims and then direct them to fraudulent cryptocurrency platforms displaying fake profits to coerce larger deposits that cannot be withdrawn. Federal authorities disrupted the international operation involving multiple jurisdictions to prevent further losses.
itweb.africa
· 2026-09-25
Cryptocurrency-enabled financial crimes in Africa are moving faster than law enforcement can respond, with illicit funds crossing borders in minutes while legal processes take months, according to Chainalysis data showing $17 billion stolen through crypto scams in 2025. Criminal networks are using shared infrastructure across multiple jurisdictions to launder proceeds from romance scams, investment fraud, trafficking, and other crimes, with AI-enhanced scams proving 4.5 times more profitable than traditional fraud. African agencies are urged to implement real-time fraud detection systems and increase cross-border cooperation, as demonstrated by a Ghana case where coordinated international effort froze approximately $15.1 million in illicit crypto assets.
aol.co.uk
· 2026-09-25
Romance scammers targeting people aged 75 to 84 have caused average losses of £9,051 per victim, with over 55% of all romance scam losses coming from victims over 65, according to Lloyds Bank analysis. These scammers build trust through false identities on dating websites and social media before fabricating emergencies to request money. Lloyds advises older adults to be suspicious of quick emotional connections, never send money to people they don't know well, and verify online identities through reverse image searches.
uk.finance.yahoo.com
· 2026-09-25
UK banks reported a 24% surge in romance scams over the past year, with reports from victims aged 18-24 jumping 59%, though older adults aged 75-84 suffered the highest average losses at £9,051. Romance scammers build emotional connections with victims on dating apps, social media, and dating websites before requesting money, targeting all age groups regardless of digital literacy. The average loss across all victims fell to £4,078, but over half of total money lost came from victims aged over 65.
crypto-economy.com
· 2026-09-25
A 37-year-old Vietnamese national, Trung Nguyen Van, faces federal money laundering charges for his alleged role in a "pig butchering" cryptocurrency scam that defrauded a victim of $16 million in summer 2024. The scheme involved fraudulent investment platforms like "Triangle" that displayed fake account balances and capital gains to lure victims into depositing funds, then blocked withdrawal access. FBI investigators linked Van's wallets to approximately $53.28 million in wire fraud losses collected between February 2018 and December 2024, indicating involvement in a transnational criminal network based in Southeast Asia targeting multiple victims.
cryptotimes.io
· 2026-09-25
A 37-year-old Vietnamese man, Trung Nguyen Van, was charged with money laundering for his alleged role in a cryptocurrency pig-butchering scam that defrauded at least one victim of approximately $16 million between June and August 2024. Investigators traced the victim's funds through multiple crypto wallets and found that Van's accounts received about $53.28 million in cryptocurrency connected to wire fraud schemes targeting U.S. citizens from February 2018 to December 2024. Pig-butchering scams typically begin with online contact through dating apps or social media, where scammers build trust before directing victims to fake investment platforms that prevent withdrawal of funds
cryptorank.io
· 2026-09-25
Vietnamese national Trung Nguyen Van was charged by federal prosecutors with laundering approximately $53 million in cryptocurrency stolen from U.S. victims through romance scams, with one Missouri victim losing $16 million between June and August 2024 after being directed to a fake crypto investment platform called Triangle. Investigators traced over $569,000 of the victim's stolen funds to a digital wallet linked to Van, who allegedly moved the proceeds through crypto investments to conceal their source.
floridabar.org
· 2026-09-24
A lonely Jacksonville widower lost over $450,000 in a romance scam orchestrated by a male scammer operating from China who posed as a woman on WhatsApp and promised investment opportunities. An elder law attorney successfully used Florida's new SB 106 law to freeze an additional $200,000 wire transfer by serving the scammer through the same WhatsApp platform used in the scheme. The case highlights the vulnerability of isolated seniors to romance fraud, with FBI data showing elder fraud complaints rose 59% last year with total losses of $7.7 billion nationally, including $709.8 million from Florida victims.
istotne.pl
· 2026-09-24
A 71-year-old woman from Poland lost over PLN 50,000 in a romance scam after developing an online relationship with a man claiming to be a Polish soldier stationed in Yemen. The scammer built emotional trust through weeks of affectionate messages before requesting money for supposed travel costs and communication expenses. Police warn that romance scams typically involve lengthy trust-building periods before financial requests appear, and caution the public against verifying identities based solely on photographs, uniforms, or online profiles.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2026-09-24
A 58-year-old woman lost approximately $600,000 in a "pig-butchering scam" after being contacted online by someone claiming to be from Brussels who posed as her friend over four months and convinced her to invest in a fraudulent business, withdrawing $400,000 from her retirement account and taking $200,000 in personal loans. The scammer then disappeared, and she faced an additional $225,000 tax bill from the IRS for the early retirement withdrawal, eventually filing Chapter 13 bankruptcy with monthly payments of $5,600 that will continue for several years.
moneywise.com
· 2026-09-24
A 58-year-old woman lost approximately $600,000 to a pig-butchering scam after being befriended online by a fraudster posing as someone from Brussels who eventually convinced her to withdraw $400,000 from her retirement account and take out $200,000 in personal loans for fraudulent investments. The IRS subsequently issued her a $225,000 tax bill for the retirement account withdrawal, penalties, and counting the stolen funds as taxable income, forcing her into Chapter 13 bankruptcy with $5,600 monthly payments.
bankingjournal.aba.com
· 2026-09-24
The Senate unanimously passed the Romance Scam Prevention Act requiring dating websites to notify users when accounts they've interacted with are banned for fraud, potentially involving false identities or attempted deception. The FTC and state attorneys general will enforce the law, which comes as financial regulators report approximately $12.7 billion in suspected romance and digital asset investment scam activity over a roughly two-year period beginning in 2023.
chattanoogan.com
· 2026-09-24
The U.S. Senate unanimously passed the Romance Scam Prevention Act, which would require dating apps to notify users who have communicated with individuals removed for fraudulent activity. Romance scams targeting seniors have surged, with Tennesseans over 60 losing $43 million in 2023 and nationwide losses reaching $1.3 billion in 2022. The legislation addresses the gap created when scammers move conversations off dating platforms after their accounts are deactivated.
northernsound.ie
· 2026-09-24
Local Gardaí are warning of romance scams where fraudsters create fake online profiles to build trust with victims before requesting money. The scammers typically start with small requests that increase over time, using excuses like travel costs or business opportunities. Sergeant Joe Glackin, the Crime Prevention Officer for Cavan and Monaghan, advises people never to send money to individuals they don't know in person, and notes that many victims don't report these crimes due to embarrassment.
moneytalksnews.com
· 2026-09-24
Americans lost $15.9 billion to fraud in 2025, with investment fraud being the costliest category at $7.9 billion in losses, and adults over 60 reporting significantly larger individual losses including six-figure amounts when victimized. Traditional scams—including penny stock schemes, grandparent impersonations, romance fraud, prize scams, and bank impersonation—have been refined through modern technology like text messaging, AI voice cloning, and social media to target victims more efficiently and at unprecedented scale. The article advises verification of financial advisors, use of family code words, skepticism of unsolicited money requests from strangers, and direct contact with banks using verified phone numbers rather
yahoo.com
· 2026-09-24
Daejon Love and accomplice Taylor Chan allegedly defrauded over 60 women through an elaborate romance scam in which Love impersonated an NFL player, convincing victims to invest in fraudulent accounts before blocking them. Romance scams resulted in nearly $1.5 billion in losses for Americans in 2025, with more than 70,000 victims, and the FBI warns potential victims to avoid sending money to people they haven't met in person.
asahi.com
· 2026-09-24
A Japanese government panel endorsed legislation allowing police to remotely hack smartphones used by criminal networks, citing record losses of approximately 325.7 billion yen ($2.1 billion) in 2025 from special fraud schemes including social media investment scams, romance scams, and robbery-murders. The proposed "remote analysis" system would require judicial warrants and notification to targets after data collection, with safeguards including oversight by public safety commissions. The legislation is expected to be introduced to the Diet in the next extraordinary session.
yahoo.com
· 2026-09-24
Nigerian national Olamide Shanu pleaded guilty in federal court in Idaho to operating an international money laundering scheme involving sextortion and romance scams that targeted approximately 150 Americans and generated over $2.5 million in fraud proceeds. The scheme used fake social media identities to build relationships with victims and extort intimate images, with stolen funds laundered through peer-to-peer payment apps and cryptocurrency before being transferred to Nigeria. Shanu faces up to 20 years in prison at his December 15 sentencing.
tasmaniantimes.com
· 2026-09-24
Tasmanian victims lost over $1.5 million to scams over a three-month period in 2026, with funds deposited into cryptocurrency ATMs across the state as part of romance, investment, and recovery fraud schemes. Tasmania Police warns that cryptocurrency ATM users are increasingly being targeted by scammers who pressure victims to deposit cash after banks resist suspicious transfers. The number of cryptocurrency ATMs in Tasmania has grown from one in 2021 to 28, creating more opportunities for criminals to exploit vulnerable victims.
gov.uk
· 2026-09-24
The UK and Cambodia have signed a Memorandum of Understanding to jointly combat online scam centres, which are criminal operations that use sophisticated tactics like romance fraud to target thousands of victims simultaneously, often staffed by trafficked foreign nationals forced to commit fraud. The agreement enables intelligence sharing, coordinated law enforcement action, and capacity building in cyber investigations and digital forensics, with both nations working through the Global Fraud Taskforce to dismantle scam networks and trace illicit financial flows. This partnership addresses the fact that over two-thirds of fraud affecting the UK originates overseas, with Southeast Asia being a major hub for these operations.
foxnews.com
· 2026-09-24
Americans lost $20.9 billion to internet-enabled crime in 2025, a 26% increase from the previous year, with seniors over 60 accounting for $7.7 billion of that total. Romance scams and social media-based fraud are driving the surge, with one woman losing nearly $1 million to a LinkedIn scammer impersonating a real man over two years. The crimes often involve sophisticated operations in Southeast Asia where scammers use AI and social engineering to persuade victims to voluntarily send money, making prevention challenging for banks and law enforcement.
ibtimes.co.uk
· 2026-09-24
A 58-year-old North Carolina woman lost $600,000 to a pig-butchering scam after a man posing as a Brussels-based contact on LinkedIn built her trust and convinced her to invest in a fake business, resulting in a $225,000 tax bill when she withdrew $400,000 from her 401(k) and took out two personal loans for additional funds. The Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 limited personal theft loss deductions, leaving fraud victims responsible for taxes on stolen retirement funds, though pending legislation like the Tax Relief for Fraud Victims Act aims to provide retroactive relief.
thecooldown.com
· 2026-09-24
Lori Flowers of North Carolina lost $600,000 in a "pig-butchering" scam after withdrawing retirement savings and taking on debt based on a fraudulent romantic connection initiated via LinkedIn. She subsequently faced an additional $225,000 in IRS taxes and penalties on the withdrawn retirement funds, sparking congressional efforts to pass the Tax Relief for Fraud Victims Act to prevent scam victims from owing taxes on stolen money. Americans aged 60 and older reported $7.7 billion in fraud losses in 2025, with many victims never reporting their losses.
yahoo.com
· 2026-09-24
A North Carolina woman lost $600,000 in a "pig-butchering" romance scam after withdrawing retirement savings and taking on debt, then faced an additional $225,000 in IRS taxes and penalties on the stolen funds. The incident highlights a gap in federal tax law where the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act eliminated the "casualty and theft loss" deduction for fraud victims, prompting Congress to consider the Tax Relief for Fraud Victims Act to prevent scam victims from owing taxes on stolen money. Americans age 60 and older reported $7.7 billion in fraud losses in 2025, with pig-butchering scams involving lengthy trust-building schemes
onesafe.io
· 2026-09-24
The FBI Crypto Crime Forum highlighted the growing threat of cryptocurrency-related scams, including the WaterPlum syndicate (affiliated with North Korea) which compromised over 30,000 devices and stole $10.7 million through impersonation and malware tactics. The forum brought together law enforcement and crypto-security experts to address emerging threats such as Tornado Cash manipulation and pig butchering scams, while the FBI launched its new Virtual Assets Unit to coordinate international cryptocurrency investigations across the U.S., Japan, Germany, and Australia.
cryptopolitan.com
· 2026-09-24
The FBI has operated an invite-only crypto crime forum called the Virtual Asset Technical Exchange for nine years, bringing together law enforcement, overseas investigators, and crypto-security firms to address threats including terrorist financing, fraud, trafficking, and North Korean hacking activity. Recent discussions at the September 2024 event in San Antonio focused on emerging threats such as pig butchering scams, Tornado Cash usage, and cartels' use of cryptocurrency, with attendance limited to about 50 private-sector vendors and hundreds of total participants. The initiative reflects the FBI's broader efforts to combat crypto-related crimes, including recent seizures of over $560,000 destined for Hamas and coordination with international agencies to identify North Korean cyberc
inkl.com
· 2026-09-24
A 58-year-old North Carolina woman lost $600,000 to a pig-butchering scam orchestrated through LinkedIn by a man posing as a Brussels-based investor who convinced her to withdraw $400,000 from her 401(k) and take out two personal loans for additional funds. Due to federal tax law restrictions on personal theft loss deductions, Flowers faces a $225,000 tax bill on the retirement withdrawal despite losing the money to fraud. Pending legislation, the Tax Relief for Fraud Victims Act, could retroactively eliminate such tax liabilities for qualifying victims if enacted.
lbc.co.uk
· 2026-09-24
Romance scams reported to Lloyds Banking Group increased 24% over the past year, with reports from victims aged 18 to 24 jumping 59%, though older adults aged 75 to 84 lost significantly more money with an average loss of £9,051. Despite the rise in reports, the overall average loss fell 20% to £4,078, and more than half of all money lost to romance scams came from victims over 65. Scammers typically build emotional connections with victims before requesting money, with younger people encountering fraudsters on dating apps and social media while older victims were targeted through traditional dating websites.
independent.co.uk
· 2026-09-24
UK banks recorded a 24% increase in romance scam reports over the past year, with victims aged 18-24 experiencing a 59% surge in incidents. While younger adults reported more cases after meeting scammers on dating apps and social media, older victims suffered larger financial losses, with those aged 75-84 losing an average of £9,051 each, and over-65s accounting for 55% of all money lost during the period.
uk.finance.yahoo.com
· 2026-09-24
Romance scams reported to Lloyds Banking Group surged 24% year-over-year, with reports from victims aged 18-24 jumping 59%, though older victims lost significantly more money—those aged 75-84 averaged £9,051 in losses. While the average loss across all romance scam victims fell 20% to £4,078, over-55% of total money lost came from victims over 65, with scammers meeting younger victims primarily through dating apps and social media and older victims through traditional dating websites.
yahoo.com
· 2026-09-24
A new bill aims to protect people from romance scams, which target vulnerable individuals seeking relationships online. The legislation represents an effort to combat this type of fraud that often results in significant financial losses to victims who are deceived by scammers posing as potential romantic partners.
phemex.com
· 2026-09-23
Police in Hunan Province detained two suspects in a "pig butchering" cryptocurrency scam that defrauded a victim of approximately 30,000 yuan. The scammers used social media to lure the victim into downloading a fraudulent app, purchasing USDT, and trading for a manipulated token whose price was artificially inflated before being dumped to zero. Suspect Li was arrested on August 19 and accomplice Lei, who collected illicit funds, was detained on September 17.
saharareporters.com
· 2026-09-23
A 35-year-old Nigerian national, Olamide Shanu, pleaded guilty to money laundering conspiracy for his role in international sextortion and romance scam schemes that defrauded approximately 150 American victims and generated over $2.5 million in criminal proceeds. Shanu and his co-conspirators targeted male victims with sextortion threats using intimate images and older men and women through fake romantic identities on social media, laundering the proceeds through peer-to-peer payments and cryptocurrency before transferring funds to Nigeria. Shanu was extradited to the United States and pleaded guilty in Idaho federal court in September 2026 as part of the Department of Justice's
ky3.com
· 2026-09-23
Multiple fall scams are currently circulating, including Medicare enrollment fraud, mail scams, romance scams, and contractor scams targeting homeowners planning fall projects. The article advises consumers to be cautious during Medicare enrollment season and to ask thorough questions before hiring contractors for home improvement work. Specific dollar amounts and victim details were not provided in this informational advisory piece.
graphic.com.gh
· 2026-09-23
Romance scams involve perpetrators building fake emotional relationships over weeks or months through empathetic messaging and intimate details, eventually requesting money for emergencies or opportunities, with victims reporting losses ranging from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Beyond financial costs, victims experience shame, social isolation, and lasting distrust that can devastate families and communities, particularly in regions like Ghana where remittances are common. Public education and open family conversations about online relationships are critical to reducing stigma and helping victims seek help.
brokernews.com.au
· 2026-09-23
National Australia Bank opened a Community Hub in Cairns connecting customers with dedicated fraud and financial hardship specialists, as scam losses in Australia reached $2.18 billion in 2025, a 7.8% increase from 2024, with over four in five referrals in Cairns linked to scams and fraud. The hub is NAB's second Community Hub location following a pilot in Werribee, Victoria, and aims to provide customers access to support before challenges escalate into crises.