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thisismoney.co.uk
· 2026-09-24
Actress Lisa Riley fell victim to an ESTA (Electronic System for Travel Authorisation) scam when she unknowingly submitted her personal information to a fraudulent website posing as the official US Department of Homeland Security. The scam left her vulnerable to subsequent bank impersonation fraud, where criminals use stolen personal data to convince victims to transfer money by posing as their banks. According to Nationwide Building Society research, the average loss from impersonation scams is nearly £2,200, and one in five Britons have similarly provided personal information to fraudsters before realizing they were not genuine.
johnstonnc.gov
· 2026-09-24
A Johnston County resident avoided a jury duty scam when a caller impersonating Sergeant Michael Pope claimed she had missed jury duty and faced arrest, using a real badge number to appear legitimate. The scammer's claim that a forged signature was on file at the sheriff's office raised red flags, and when the victim asked for proof and later verified the phone number, the scammer hung up. The incident illustrates the importance of verifying caller information independently and contacting law enforcement directly rather than calling back suspicious numbers.
uk.finance.yahoo.com
· 2026-09-24
A survey of 2,000 UK adults found that 15% have unknowingly shared personal information with scammers, with 10% saying they would trust an unexpected caller claiming to be from their bank if they sounded professional. Impersonation scams cost victims an average of nearly £2,200, with criminals using sophisticated tactics including spoofed calls, phishing emails, and personal details obtained from data breaches to make fraudulent contacts appear legitimate.
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.
themiamihurricane.com
· 2026-09-23
Scammers are targeting University of Miami students through GroupMe chats using fake identities to sell concert and sports tickets, cameras, and other items, with one student losing money on a World Cup ticket scam after receiving a fake ticket via a phishing link. The scammers typically build trust by impersonating real students and using stolen identities, then pressure victims to make quick payments before revealing the fraud. Multiple students have been victimized through various GroupMe channels, including official-sounding ticket swap groups and club chats that require admin approval.
mha.gov.sg
· 2026-09-23
Global online scams caused an estimated US$442 billion in losses in 2025, with criminal syndicates increasingly using AI-generated content and deepfakes to deceive victims. Singapore has implemented an "ABC" anti-scam strategy combining agility, legal frameworks, and industry collaboration, recovering over S$97.7 million in scam losses in the first half of 2026 and preventing at least S$127.1 million in potential losses through real-time intervention.
gsma.com
· 2026-09-23
Maxis, a Malaysian telecommunications operator, implemented a multi-layered anti-fraud framework combining SMS/call blocking, malicious website filtering, and fake base station detection to combat scams across Malaysia in coordination with regulators and law enforcement. The initiative achieved a 65% reduction in scam SMS deliveries between Q4 2024 and Q1 2025, with technical controls including SMS firewalls, fraud detection systems, and international gateway filtering working alongside government directives and the National Scam Response Centre. While successful enforcement actions have removed rogue infrastructure, scammers are adapting by shifting to over-the-top platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook that operate outside direct operator control.
gsma.com
· 2026-09-23
Indosat Ooredoo Hutchison deployed an AI-powered anti-scam system in Indonesia that identifies and blocks fraudulent SMS messages and voice calls at the network level without storing content or requiring human review. Within six months of launch in August 2025, the system identified over 2 billion suspicious communications and detected 124,000 scam phone numbers across Indonesian mobile networks. The solution combines automated threat detection with subscriber education programs to protect users from scams while maintaining compliance with Indonesia's data protection requirements.
gsma.com
· 2026-09-23
Dialog Axiata, Sri Lanka's largest mobile operator, deployed a network-level SMS URL screening system in June 2026 to combat scams after finding that 20% of users had been targeted by scammers over two years, with half falling victim and 30% of victims losing more than a month's income. The system screens all URL-bearing SMS messages in real time as they transit the network, blocking high-confidence malicious links outright and attaching visual security warnings to suspicious messages before delivery to alert subscribers before they interact with potentially fraudulent links.
vovworld.vn
· 2026-09-23
Vietnam's Deputy Minister of Public Security proposed creating dedicated working groups within each nation to investigate and handle transnational scam operations at the International Conference on Combating Online Scams 2026 in Cambodia, attended by 27 countries and six international organizations. The proposal emphasizes that online fraud is a global issue requiring international cooperation through experience-sharing, strengthened legal frameworks, and rapid coordination mechanisms among authorities across borders.
wisn.com
· 2026-09-23
A New Berlin couple lost $526,095 in gold coins to a nationwide scam after pop-up ads and fraudulent phone calls convinced them their bank accounts were hacked and they needed to convert cash to gold for protection. The couple helped police catch courier Roshan Shah during a sting operation after seeing a local news investigation about the scheme; Shah had already collected gold from 15 victims across eight states and was sentenced to four years in prison. Prosecutors are targeting the overseas call centers and handlers orchestrating the scheme, which has defrauded over 60 victims of more than $21 million nationwide, with law enforcement noting recovery is nearly impossible once funds leave the country.
wyomingnews.com
· 2026-09-23
The Wyoming Department of Transportation is warning residents about fraudulent websites that clone legitimate vehicle dealer and auctioneer sites to scam buyers into purchasing non-existent vehicles or stealing personal and payment information. Scammers post unrealistic deals on these fake sites, and once buyers wire money for the auction, the funds are often lost and the vehicles don't exist. WYDOT is working with law enforcement to take down these fraudulent pages, though many are hosted outside the U.S., making enforcement difficult.
mountain-news.com
· 2026-09-23
Inland Counties Legal Services representatives presented information on scams targeting older Americans, noting that seniors lose over $3 billion annually with those over 80 experiencing the highest median losses. The presentation covered multiple scam types including phone fraud, caller ID spoofing, phishing text messages, social media scams (which grew from $19 million in 2019 to $380 million in 2023), and tech support scams that stole $587.8 million from victims over 60 in 2022. Attorneys emphasized that many scams go unreported due to seniors' reluctance to admit victimization, and advised the audience to pause before responding to suspicious contacts, avoid clicking links, and
cnhinews.com
· 2026-09-22
The Lions Club of Tahlequah and Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma hosted a fraud protection event where seniors learned about scams targeting older adults and younger generations alike. Presenters discussed how artificial intelligence is increasingly used in scams, common tactics like fraudulent bank texts and phishing emails, and recommended a three-step prevention method: stop, think, and verify by contacting the source independently. The event emphasized reporting any suspected fraud to law enforcement and the FTC, and encouraged attendees to avoid giving personal information over the phone or to unsolicited contacts.
fortune.com
· 2026-09-22
Microsoft and Coinbase dismantled the "EvilTokens" phishing network, which sold a do-it-yourself phishing kit on Telegram for $100-$300 monthly that used AI to identify payment decision-makers and bypass two-factor authentication. The scam defrauded businesses including real estate firms, banks, and healthcare providers of approximately $1.1 million in cryptocurrency between October 2025 and June 2026, with two men arrested in September by London's Metropolitan Police. The kit's accessibility and effectiveness represented an evolution in phishing-as-a-service attacks, requiring minimal technical skill to operate on an industrial scale.
today.rtl.lu
· 2026-09-22
Fraudsters attempted a fake president scam targeting a Luxembourg bailiff's office, impersonating a French lawyer and manager to pressure an accountant into transferring a five-figure sum for a supposed company acquisition. The scheme involved fake emails from spoofed accounts and escalating phone calls designed to bypass internal safeguards, but staff became suspicious of the aggressive tactics and halted the transfer. This incident reflects a broader pattern of such scams in Luxembourg, following the high-profile €60 million Caritas charity fraud.
theguardian.com
· 2026-09-22
Music fans desperate to purchase sold-out concert tickets are vulnerable to scams, with 55% of fans reporting low confidence in spotting fake ticket fraud. Common scams include fraudsters selling counterfeit tickets through social media with pressure tactics and direct payment requests, catfishers impersonating friends or hacking accounts to pose as artists offering spare tickets, and sophisticated fake websites mimicking official ticketing sites. Consumers should verify seller legitimacy, use secure payment methods, confirm ticket details directly with sellers, and scrutinize URLs and website design before making purchases.
theguardian.com
· 2026-09-22
Fashion scams targeting online shoppers involve fake websites and marketplace listings offering nonexistent items or cheap counterfeits, often using pressure tactics around limited-time deals and scarcity to rush buyers into purchases. Scammers create increasingly sophisticated replicas of legitimate retailer sites and use stolen product images with professional-sounding descriptions, with victims either receiving inferior dupes or nothing at all. The article provides guidance on spotting these frauds, including checking for red flags like suspicious URLs, broken links, reverse image searching products, and verifying seller legitimacy through independent reviews.
pymnts.com
· 2026-09-22
In July 2026, 21% of consumers reported being scam victims in the past five years, with romance scams rising 22% and identity theft remaining the costliest at an average loss of $6,050, though travel scams top individual losses at $35,272 per victim. Scammers are shifting tactics, increasing SMS/text contact by 35% while reducing emails, and tailoring approaches by generation—Gen Z faces more text and social media scams while seniors are targeted through fraudulent links and fake ecommerce schemes. Millennials and Gen Z experience the highest victimization rates at 26% and 24% respectively, with these younger generations accounting for an estimated $314
jornal.unicamp.br
· 2026-09-22
Researchers at Unicamp's Recod.ai laboratory developed an artificial intelligence model called Smish-Checker that detects SMS fraud (smishing) by analyzing multiple types of evidence including URLs, message content, and network signals rather than relying on obvious flaws like typos. The AI system groups similar messages together to efficiently handle large volumes of fraudulent texts, addressing the challenge that advanced generative AI has made it easier for scammers to create nearly indistinguishable fake messages without grammatical errors. The methodology is applicable beyond SMS to platforms like WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
heraldextra.com
· 2026-09-22
BYU researchers found that AI-generated phishing messages are more effective at deceiving people than human-created ones, fooling recipients 28% of the time compared to 21% for human messages, with AI particularly excelling at creating highly personalized scams. The study revealed that users could only correctly identify whether a message was AI or human-generated 52% of the time—essentially a coin flip—highlighting the growing threat of AI-powered fraud targeting individuals through text, email, and phone calls. Researchers are now exploring how AI itself might be used to provide personalized phishing training to help people and employees better recognize and defend against these evolving scams.
amac.us
· 2026-09-22
Social media scams exploit trusted platforms and personal details shared online to deceive users into sending money, revealing personal information, or downloading malware, with older adults facing heightened risk due to unfamiliarity with newer tactics and accumulated savings. Common scams include impersonation schemes like the "grandparent scam," where fraudsters pose as family members in distress requesting urgent money, and fake product offers within trusted community groups. Users can protect themselves by creating strong, unique passwords, being cautious about what personal details they share online, and verifying requests through independent contact with known family members or organizations.
foxnews.com
· 2026-09-21
A 75-year-old South Carolina man with Parkinson's disease and a brain injury allegedly had his home transferred to his caregiver for $5 through a quitclaim deed after the caregiver obtained power of attorney, with the daughter claiming the vulnerable father may not have understood what he signed and that money subsequently moved from his bank account to the caregiver even after his death. The case highlights elder financial exploitation and the importance of monitoring property records and financial accounts for unauthorized changes, as the allegations involve potential undue influence rather than forged documents. Conway police are investigating the matter, though the allegations have not been proven in court.
metromode.se
· 2026-09-21
Swedes lost SEK 5.7 billion to fraud in 2025, with 232,862 reported offences across investment schemes (SEK 1.6 billion), romance fraud (SEK 551 million), phone/vishing scams (SEK 320 million), and card fraud. The number of fraud victims over 65 has doubled for women and increased 60% for men since 2019, with scammers typically creating artificial urgency to pressure victims into quick decisions. Banks must refund unauthorized transactions by the end of the next business day, but consumers may face liability up to SEK 12,000 if they were negligent or made payments themselves at the
newswav.com
· 2026-09-21
Singapore police are warning the public about a phishing scam using fake SPF logos and pop-up alerts claiming devices are locked due to illegal website access and demanding payment of "outstanding fines" within hours. Victims who fall for the scam discover unauthorized foreign currency charges on their bank accounts that often exceed the stated fines. Authorities emphasized that the SPF never remotely locks devices or issues fines via pop-ups and urged the public to verify suspicious alerts through the ScamShield Helpline at 1799.
straitstimes.com
· 2026-09-21
Since January, at least 119 cases of scams impersonating Harvey Norman employees have resulted in losses of $4.8 million, primarily targeting middle-aged and elderly individuals in Singapore. Scammers call victims claiming they purchased items or have pending deliveries, then transfer them to accomplices posing as Monetary Authority of Singapore officials who accuse them of money laundering and demand money transfers, gold purchases, or valuables under the guise of investigations. Police warned of a surge in these scams and reminded the public that legitimate government officials never request cash transfers, valuables, or banking credentials.
eurekalert.org
· 2026-09-21
Scammers are using generative AI to create deepfake videos of physicians for fraudulent purposes, including selling fake products, extracting sensitive personal data through phishing, and spreading medical misinformation. Researchers have identified four primary exploitation methods: commercial endorsement fraud, engagement farming, medical misinformation, and phishing attacks, with additional risks including fraudulent professional communications and reputation sabotage. No specific dollar amounts or victim counts were reported in this analysis of the emerging deepfake physician scam threat.
abc7.com
· 2026-09-21
Two Southern California homeowners were overcharged thousands of dollars for garage door repairs after responding to low-cost promotional offers; Debbi Thompson paid $4,000 and 89-year-old Paul Wexler paid $12,000 for services that included unnecessary parts replacements and inflated labor costs. Both victims dealt with illegitimate providers operating under the name "24-7 Garage Door Service" that used fake addresses and lacked proper licensing, making legal recourse impossible. Consumer advocates warn that garage door repair scams are widespread and recommend obtaining written estimates, verifying business credentials, and avoiding high-pressure sales tactics before authorizing any work.
sg.news.yahoo.com
· 2026-09-20
Phishing scams using fake Singapore Police Force pop-up alerts have resurfaced, claiming devices are locked for accessing illegal content and demanding payment of supposed fines within hours to prevent permanent lockdown. Victims are tricked into providing bank card details through urgent countdown timers, resulting in unauthorized foreign currency transactions that often exceed the fake fines. The Singapore Police Force clarified they never remotely lock devices or demand payment via pop-ups and advised people to call ScamShield Helpline 1799 if uncertain.
impactpr.co.nz
· 2026-09-20
New Zealand consumers and businesses are being warned about AI search scams where ChatGPT and similar tools direct users to unsafe websites including fake online stores, cryptocurrency scams, and malicious sites, despite users trusting AI recommendations more than unsolicited messages. Cybersecurity researchers found that AI-generated links may appear credible within legitimate-looking responses, and criminals exploit this by using fake login pages to steal business credentials, potentially leading to financial theft through intercepted payment communications. The threat is escalating as AI also helps attackers develop exploits faster, reducing the window for businesses to patch security vulnerabilities from 771 days in 2018 to zero days by 2026.
theguardian.com
· 2026-09-20
Homoglyph attacks are a growing scam tactic where fraudsters create deceptively similar URLs and email addresses by substituting characters from different alphabets—such as using Cyrillic letters instead of Latin ones (e.g., miсrosoft.com instead of microsoft.com)—to trick users into visiting fake websites and entering their credentials. The scam exploits psychology rather than technical sophistication, relying on users' rushed decision-making and the difficulty of spotting nearly identical characters, particularly in certain fonts like Comic Sans. To protect against this threat, users should independently verify URLs by typing them directly rather than clicking links, enable multi-factor authentication, and keep browsers updated to detect suspicious sites.
creators.yahoo.com
· 2026-09-20
A caller impersonating an Adams County Sheriff's sergeant attempted to scam the author by claiming there was a "legal matter" requiring attention, but the scam was foiled when the caller incorrectly referred to the agency as "Adams County Sheriff's Department" instead of the correct "Adams County Sheriff's Office." The scammer, identifying himself as "Sgt. Don Davis," was part of a broader scheme where fraudsters impersonate law enforcement to extract money from victims by claiming they missed jury duty, have legal violations, or face arrest unless they pay fines immediately.
uk.finance.yahoo.com
· 2026-09-20
One in three UK consumers are abandoning online purchases due to fears of scams, with 58% reporting contact from fraudsters in the past year, according to an Institute of Customer Service study. Fake text messages (53%) and impersonation phone calls (49%) are the most common scam tactics, and 32% of consumers say scams have become harder to detect over the past 12 months. The increasing sophistication of fraud is undermining consumer trust and business growth, with security measures like two-factor authentication and security questions identified as the most confidence-building protections.
pocket-lint.com
· 2026-09-20
This article describes Apple's new Impersonation Risk Detection feature in iOS 27 and iPadOS 27, which uses on-device analysis to identify and warn users about potential scams and social engineering attacks. The feature analyzes patterns, timing, and context to flag risky actions at Unknown, Medium, or High risk levels, helping protect users from common scams like romance fraud, phishing, and impersonation of trusted entities such as banks or government agencies. The technology is designed to work with compatible third-party apps while maintaining privacy by analyzing data on-device and not sharing personal content with Apple's servers.
sciotocountydailynews.com
· 2026-09-19
A woman lost nearly $1,000 from three accounts after calling a number in a fake Geek Squad refund email, where scammers impersonated company representatives and convinced her to send money before admitting the fraud. In a separate case, another woman reported suspicious gift-card charges totaling over $78 connected to a man she was communicating with through a dating app, highlighting two common scam tactics: fake refund schemes and online romance fraud. The FTC warns consumers to verify company contact information independently rather than using numbers from unsolicited emails or texts, and to never send money to people met only online.
abc45.com
· 2026-09-19
The Burlington Police Department is warning residents about multiple scam types including fake customer service, jury duty impersonation, malware pop-ups, sweepstakes, romance, and NFC/ghost tapping scams. Police advise residents to verify requests directly with official sources, never provide remote access or banking information to unsolicited callers, and report suspicious activity to avoid becoming victims of these evolving fraud schemes.
en.sedaily.com
· 2026-09-19
A woman in her 30s lost 35 million won ($25,000) to a romance scammer who impersonated South Korean actor Lee Dong-wook over eight months, claiming to be in a romantic relationship with her and repeatedly requesting money for customs clearance fees for a supposed gift package. The scammer built trust by sending selfies, offering career advice, and expressing affection, while the victim wired money to multiple accounts with different account holder names. Romance scams in South Korea have surged 73% in reports and more than doubled in losses, reaching 136 billion won ($97 million) in 2024, according to police data.
straitstimes.com
· 2026-09-19
Singapore's newly formed Cyber Command can now shut down scam websites, phone numbers, and social media pages within minutes—a significant improvement from the hours previously required. Scam losses in Singapore reached $410.6 million in the first half of 2026, with over $4 billion lost since 2019; in July, Cyber Command and the FBI jointly prevented US$2.7 million in cryptocurrency scam losses. The unit disrupted over 47,000 scam-related mobile lines, 37,500 WhatsApp accounts, and 52,200 malicious websites in six months, with scammers commonly impersonating news outlets to promote investment schemes and phishing operations
wbrc.com
· 2026-09-19
Card skimming scams are evolving as criminals develop new technologies to steal payment information without physical contact, including insert-style skimmers for chip cards and RFID skimming that targets tap-to-pay transactions; the FBI reports skimmer fraud costs Americans over $1 billion annually. Two individuals were recently arrested in Mississippi with skimming devices, fake cards, and over $10,000 in cash after planting skimmers at three Jefferson County businesses. Experts recommend using digital wallets with biometric security, RFID-blocking sleeves, inspecting card readers before use, and monitoring statements for unauthorized charges to protect against these evolving threats.
lifehacker.com
· 2026-09-19
Apple's iOS 27 introduces "Impersonation Risk Detection," a built-in feature that analyzes device and account information to identify signs of social engineering scams where bad actors impersonate banks, government agencies, tech companies, or trusted contacts to pressure victims into disabling security features or sharing financial information. The feature assigns risk levels (Unknown, Medium, or High) to suspicious activities like large payments or disabling two-factor authentication, which apps can use to add delays, warnings, or identity verification steps. However, the feature is disabled by default and requires app developer support to be effective, limiting its widespread adoption and protection potential.
wilcosun.com
· 2026-09-19
In 2025, approximately 560,000 scams were reported across the U.S., resulting in $20.9 billion in losses, with Georgetown residents falling victim weekly to fraud ranging from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars. Common scams affecting residents include phishing, romance scams, tech support fraud, government impersonation, investment schemes, and sweepstake scams, often initiated through unsolicited contact via phone, text, or email. Legitimate agencies typically do not request payment via phone or text and never accept gift cards or cryptocurrency as payment methods.
cyberguy.com
· 2026-09-19
Criminals purchased Google and Bing sponsored search ads mimicking legitimate banks to redirect customers to fake login pages, stealing credentials to access real accounts and initiate unauthorized transfers; a Russian web developer was extradited for his role in the operation, which resulted in approximately $14.6 million in actual losses across at least 19 identified U.S. victims by December 2025. The FBI warns this "SEO poisoning" tactic is effective because fraudulent ads appear high in search results alongside legitimate ones, and recommends using bookmarks instead of clicking search results to access banking sites.
dexerto.com
· 2026-09-19
A 64-year-old Pennsylvania man lost $42,700 in March 2026 to a scammer impersonating WWE star Rhea Ripley, with few details available about how contact was made or the victim's persuasion. This incident is part of a broader pattern of celebrity impersonation scams targeting older adults, including a 2024 case where a 74-year-old lost nearly $1 million to someone posing as WWE star Alexa Bliss. No arrests have been made, and the victim has refused to cooperate with police investigating the fraud.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2026-09-18
Senior Americans lost $7.7 billion to fraud in 2025, a 59% increase from the previous year, prompting Aura to launch Trusted Family Access, a consent-based monitoring tool that allows caregivers to track identity theft, financial fraud, and compromised personal information while preserving the older adult's privacy and control. Research shows 65% of aging adults experienced a scam or fraud attempt in the past year, with nearly half losing money or personal information, while 70% of middle-aged caregivers view protecting their elderly loved ones online as part of their caregiving responsibility. The new feature addresses AI-driven scams that are increasingly sophisticated, with 81% of caregivers
thecyberexpress.com
· 2026-09-18
A cyberattack on Thinkng Bull, a Seoul-based math academy with 80 branches, exposed personal information of students and parents who used the exam reservation website, including names, schools, grade levels, dates of birth, and parental phone numbers. The breach was disclosed on September 17, and the academy warned families about potential follow-on scams and voice phishing attempts while taking the reservation site offline and filing a police report. The exact number of affected individuals had not been determined as of the latest update, with South Korea's Personal Information Protection Commission still investigating whether legal violations occurred.
sports.khan.co.kr
· 2026-09-18
Celebrity-impersonation romance scams targeting fans of Korean actors Lee Dong-wook and Lee Jung-jae, as well as international figures like Brad Pitt and Elon Musk, have defrauded victims of hundreds of millions of won by using AI-generated fake photos, intimate messaging, and false payment schemes. A woman in her late 30s lost approximately $26,250 to a Lee Dong-wook impersonator over eight months, while a woman in her 50s was defrauded of $375,000 by scammers posing as Lee Jung-jae. Scammers employ sophisticated psychological tactics including emotional manipulation (gaslighting),
independent.ng
· 2026-09-18
Access Bank launched the "Spot The Scam" nationwide awareness campaign targeting Nigerian teenagers and students aged 12-19 to combat growing exposure to digital fraud schemes including romance scams, hacking, and money laundering. The initiative, running until December 2026, was prompted by the EFCC's arrest of 792 young people in Lagos in December 2024 who were allegedly operating fraud schemes targeting victims outside Nigeria. The campaign aims to equip young people with practical knowledge to identify and protect themselves from financial crimes while building safer digital habits.
fox13news.com
· 2026-09-18
Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier proposed legislation to strengthen penalties for phone and text scams, including those using artificial intelligence, fake warrants, and impersonation, classifying high-volume or high-loss cases as elevated felonies with mandatory prison time. The proposal aims to address gaps in current Florida law that often treats such crimes as misdemeanors with minimal punishment, while also targeting phone farms and SIM farms used in large-scale scam operations. The Attorney General's Office has recovered nearly $10 million for scam victims this year and is seeking broader authority to investigate and pursue civil penalties against scammers and businesses trafficking in illegally obtained records.
bbc.com
· 2026-09-18
UK food festivals are being targeted by AI-powered scams that use professional-looking emails impersonating real festivals to trick small food and craft traders into paying for booth spaces. A BBC Wales investigation found dozens of traders were deceived by realistic emails that included legitimate branding, staff names, and detailed knowledge of festivals, with at least one trader losing money after paying for a pitch at the fake Abergavenny Food Festival. Reports of AI-linked fraud increased 395% in 2025-26 compared to the previous year, with scammers easily using tools like ChatGPT to generate contact lists and create convincing fake festival accounts.
dallasobserver.com
· 2026-09-18
A Texas family of four was indicted for operating unlicensed boarding homes where they exploited elderly and disabled residents, including orchestrating the fraudulent sale of a 79-year-old woman's home and stealing over $156,000 that they misrepresented as a family gift to purchase their own property. The defendants face up to 30 years in federal prison on charges of conspiracy and making false statements to financial institutions. The case reflects a broader surge in elder fraud, with adults over 60 reporting 201,266 fraud complaints totaling $7.7 billion in losses last year, and AI-powered scams accounting for $900 million in reported losses.