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in Identity Theft
newsweek.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers have been sending phishing text messages impersonating the IRS to request personal information from taxpayers in exchange for Economic Impact Payments (up to $1,400), though the IRS automatically deposits these payments without requiring any action or personal data from recipients. The fraudulent texts aim to trick victims into disclosing sensitive information such as Social Security numbers, bank account details, and passwords, which can lead to identity theft and financial fraud. Taxpayers should be aware that legitimate IRS payments arrive automatically via bank deposit or paper check with an accompanying official letter, and the IRS never requests personal information via unsolicited text messages.
fox5vegas.com
· 2025-12-08
An 82-year-old Boulder City woman lost $40,000 in a Facebook-based romance scam involving a gold shipping scheme, and was nearly conned into sending an additional $100,000 before her daughter discovered the fraud through a joint bank account. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is hosting two public educational events in early February featuring Chase Bank officials and financial crimes specialists to teach residents how to identify romance scam red flags and protect themselves from similar frauds.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
A federal jury convicted two Indian nationals, Pranay Kumar Mamidi (27) and Kishan Vinayak Patel (26), of money laundering conspiracy tied to a "phantom hacker scam" that defrauded victims across four states of their life savings between May and November 2023. In this scam, perpetrators impersonated bank employees, FTC agents, and DEA special agents to trick victims—particularly elderly—into withdrawing savings and surrendering cash or gold bars at drop-off locations, with investigators estimating tens of millions of dollars laundered through the U.S.-based operation directed by co-conspirators in India. Six additional co-conspi
monaco-tribune.com
· 2025-12-08
Phishing attacks are increasing in Monaco, with scammers impersonating trusted organizations via email and SMS to steal passwords and personal financial information. Monaco Telecom and the Monegasque Digital Security Agency warn residents to watch for red flags like suspicious sender addresses, urgent language, and suspicious links, and recommend using strong passwords, never clicking unknown links, and contacting the company directly if unsure about a message's authenticity. Monaco Telecom has implemented protective measures including temporarily suspending email account creation and increased password change monitoring to combat the threat.
thesenior.com.au
· 2025-12-08
Qantas frequent flyer members received phishing emails claiming unauthorized access to their accounts and directing recipients to click a suspicious link to "cancel the operation," though the Qantas database was not hacked. A small number of members fell for the scam and are working with Qantas to secure their accounts; the airline confirmed the scam and reported it to authorities. Authorities advise Australians to avoid clicking links in unsolicited emails, report scams to Scamwatch, and notify their bank if personal information has been compromised.
hometownstations.com
· 2025-12-08
A federal jury in Ohio convicted two Indian nationals, Pranay Kumar Mamidi (27) and Kishan Vinayak Patel (26), of money laundering conspiracy for their role in distributing proceeds from phantom hacker scams that defrauded victims across four states of their life savings from May to November 2023. In these scams, victims are contacted by fraudsters posing as customer service representatives, FTC agents, and DEA officials who trick them into withdrawing cash or gold bars under false pretenses of account fraud investigations, with the laundered funds estimated in the tens of millions of dollars. Both defendants face up to 20 years in prison per count, an
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
Sandra Bullock warned fans that she has no social media presence and that any accounts claiming to be her are scams, following similar warnings from Brad Pitt after cybercriminals used his likeness in a confidence scheme that defrauded a French woman of $850,000. The article explains how modern celebrity impersonation scams have evolved from traditional "Spanish Prisoner" cons, now facilitated by AI-generated content and paid social media verification badges that allow scammers to easily pose as famous people. Experts warn that paid verification systems have replaced authentication requirements, making it increasingly difficult for users to distinguish legitimate accounts from fraudulent ones.
da.lacounty.gov
· 2025-12-08
A 27-year-old man in Lancaster, California was charged with stealing over $4,000 and attempting to steal over $13,000 in public benefits using fraudulent EBT cards obtained through skimming devices at an ATM. The suspect allegedly used nine different cloned cards and possessed multiple skimming devices, pinhole cameras, and re-encoded gift cards in what authorities describe as a sophisticated operation targeting vulnerable benefit recipients. The case highlights California's broader EBT fraud crisis, with over $100 million in stolen funds reported statewide in the past year, primarily in Los Angeles County.
thesenior.com.au
· 2025-12-08
Qantas frequent flyer members were targeted by a phishing email scam falsely claiming unauthorized account access and requesting recipients click a suspicious link to "cancel the operation." An unknown number of emails were sent, and a small number of Qantas members fell victim and are now working with the airline to secure their accounts. The National Anti-Scam Centre confirmed this is a common tactic using well-known brands to steal personal information and commit fraud, and advised Australians to report scams to Scamwatch and notify their banks if compromised.
nj1015.com
· 2025-12-08
A jury duty scam is resurfacing in New Jersey, where con artists contact people via phone, text, or email claiming they failed to appear for jury duty and threatening arrest unless they pay a fine immediately. The actual judiciary never requests payment, personal financial information, or identification numbers to resolve jury duty issues; legitimate communications may only request date of birth and residential address. Residents should hang up, avoid clicking links, and report suspected scam communications to their county jury management office and local law enforcement.
kstp.com
· 2025-12-08
During tax season, scammers pose as tax preparers and IRS agents to steal personal information, refunds, and identities, with some fraudsters filing returns to collect refunds of thousands of dollars in victims' names. To protect yourself, hire accredited local tax preparers with verifiable credentials and Preparer Tax Identification Numbers, be aware that the IRS initiates contact by mail (never by phone or email), and file your return early using trusted software or free IRS resources to prevent identity theft. Red flags include unsolicited IRS contact, pressure to pay immediately, or offers of instant refunds with high fees.
napavalleyregister.com
· 2025-12-08
The Napa County District Attorney's Office is training bank employees to identify and report suspicious transactions targeting seniors, as fraud against elderly clients continues to rise. The initiative focuses on recognizing red flags such as unusual large withdrawals, requests for cashier's checks, and transactions initiated by accompanying third parties—common tactics in lottery scams where victims are deceived into sending thousands of dollars in "good faith" money. One case illustrates the program's potential impact: a bank clerk prevented a man from wiring $10,000 to Canada after he revealed he believed he had won a foreign lottery, while another victim lost $13,000 before the perpetrators were arrested and ordered to repay her.
2news.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams surge around Valentine's Day, targeting lonely individuals seeking companionship through fake online identities and stolen photos. Scammers cultivate trust over weeks or months before fabricating urgent financial needs to extract money or valuables from victims. The USPS and U.S. Postal Inspection Service advise caution with rapidly escalating online relationships, verification of inconsistencies in profiles, avoiding financial disclosures to unmet contacts, and immediate reporting of suspected scams.
kauainownews.com
· 2025-12-08
The County of Kauaʻi Agency on Elderly Affairs, in partnership with multiple state agencies through Kupuna Alert Partners, is hosting a free fraud and scam prevention presentation to address a rising tide of scams targeting seniors, particularly romance scams ahead of Valentine's Day. Romance scams involve criminals creating fake online identities to build trust with victims over weeks or months before soliciting money through fabricated emergencies, often requesting payment via mail, wire transfers, or gift cards. The presentation will cover Medicare fraud, securities fraud, identity theft, and prescription drug misuse prevention, with the U.S. Postal Service emphasizing caution against online relationships that escalate quickly and recommending victims never
wcnc.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams have surged significantly, with BBB reporting a 13% increase in 2021 and more than double the cases in early 2022 compared to the prior year. Scammers create fake dating profiles using stolen photos and fabricate elaborate backstories (often claiming military or overseas work) to build fake relationships, eventually requesting money with increasingly persistent demands. The BBB advises potential dating app users to watch for red flags such as reluctance to meet in person, rapid declarations of love, requests to move off dating platforms, suspicious language patterns, and hard luck stories before money requests are made.
wisbusiness.com
· 2025-12-08
Tax scams reappear seasonally with scammers impersonating the IRS through phone calls, emails, and mail to pressure victims into paying fake debts or divulging personal information for identity theft. Common schemes include threatening arrest for unpaid taxes, claiming refunds are owed, using fake IRS logos and spoofed caller IDs, and sending phishing emails directing victims to bogus websites. To protect yourself, file taxes early, remember that the IRS initiates contact by mail only, never accepts prepaid debit cards or wire transfers for payment, and verify any IRS communication directly with the agency.
cbs8.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams using stolen photos are expected to surge around Valentine's Day 2025, with fraudsters building fake relationships to extract money from victims. The FTC reported Americans lost $1.14 billion to romance scams in 2023, with California accounting for $100.6 million in losses across 2,024 victims; scammers now use AI technology to create increasingly convincing deepfakes and video impersonations. Experts recommend using reverse image searches, insisting on video verification, avoiding quick declarations of love, and never sending money to online acquaintances.
poconorecord.com
· 2025-12-08
Skimming scams—where criminals install devices on ATMs, point-of-sale terminals, and fuel pumps to steal card data—increased 96% in 2023 and cost U.S. consumers over $1 billion annually. Recent law enforcement operations have targeted organized crime groups, including a three-year FBI investigation resulting in 48 arrests and recovery of over 8,000 stolen credit card numbers. The FBI advises consumers to inspect card readers for tampering, use chip/tap-to-pay technology, pull at keypads for overlays, monitor accounts regularly, and choose fuel pumps visible to attendants.
cnet.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, people lost $10 billion to fraud according to FTC data, but consumers can protect themselves by recognizing common banking scams. The article outlines ten prevalent scam tactics—including check-cashing schemes, phishing, fake websites, advance fee fraud, and government imposter scams—and provides specific protective strategies such as verifying bank URLs, never clicking unsolicited links, using secure checks, and contacting official customer service lines to confirm requests.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams are increasingly targeting younger age groups (people in their 20s and 30s), with reported incidents shifting from primarily affecting those aged 50-59 in 2019 to younger demographics by 2023. According to the Federal Trade Commission, romance scams resulted in $469.9 million in losses across all age groups in 2023, more than double the $229.3 million lost in 2019. Scammers typically build emotional connections through dating sites and social media before requesting money or personal information, and victims should be wary of requests for financial help, unusual stories requiring assistance, and fake profiles or AI-generated images.
usatoday.com
· 2025-12-08
Skimming scams, which involve criminals stealing credit card data through devices placed on ATMs, fuel pumps, and point-of-sale terminals, increased 96% in 2023 and cost U.S. consumers over $1 billion annually. Major enforcement actions include a three-year FBI investigation targeting Romanian organized crime that resulted in 48 arrests and recovery of 8,000 stolen card numbers and approximately $1 million in seized currency. Consumers can protect themselves by inspecting card readers for tampering, using chip or tap-to-pay technology, monitoring accounts for unauthorized transactions, and choosing well-lit fuel pumps near store attendants.
dallasnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Dallas tops the list of U.S. cities targeted by scam text messages impersonating toll payment services, followed by Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Orlando, according to a McAfee report. Scammers send fraudulent texts claiming recipients owe unpaid tolls and include phishing links designed to steal personal and financial information such as driver's license numbers for identity theft purposes. The FBI has been warning about this scheme since last year, with over 10,000 fraudulent domains registered impersonating toll and package delivery services.
edhat.com
· 2025-12-08
A Santa Barbara County fraud case involved Craig Case, a former private investigator and TV host, and Nancy Coglizer, who held power of attorney for elderly Montecito resident Constance McCormick Fearing, systematically embezzling over $600,000 from the deceased woman's funds through repeated "short-term" loans disguised as small withdrawals to avoid detection. Coglizer pleaded guilty to mismanaging Fearing's finances, claiming manipulation by Case and personal struggles with alcoholism influenced her actions, while Case faces conspiracy and financial elder abuse charges; Coglizer awaits sentencing in a case highlighting vulnerabilities of elderly individuals in financial matters.
advisorhub.com
· 2025-12-08
Marjorie Kessler, a senior investor in Tampa, Florida, lost nearly $1.75 million to scammers impersonating government officials who convinced her to withdraw funds for safekeeping in a U.S. Treasury account. Morgan Stanley was ordered to pay $843,000 in compensatory damages for failing to investigate her unusual withdrawal requests and neglecting to establish a trusted contact on her account as required by regulations, though the arbitration panel deducted the first transfer amount due to insufficient evidence of negligence.
njjewishnews.timesofisrael.com
· 2025-12-08
Communities First Initiative, the Jewish Community Housing Corporation of Metropolitan New Jersey, and Valley Bank presented an educational program on avoiding scams, frauds, and identity theft to seniors at a housing facility in South Orange. The bilingual presentation is part of Project Thrive, a response to rising victimization of senior citizens by scams and fraud, designed to provide financial education and resources that help seniors protect themselves.
businesswire.com
· 2025-12-08
Sextortion has emerged as one of the most devastating romance scams, with fraudsters using fake profiles to manipulate victims into sharing intimate content before threatening exposure and demanding ransom payments. The FBI reported over 12,000 complaints in 2023 resulting in millions in financial losses, severe psychological trauma, and in some cases fatalities, with younger and newer online daters being particularly vulnerable. The article recommends that social media and dating platforms implement stronger identity verification measures, including biometric and government ID verification, to eliminate fake profiles and make it harder for scammers to operate across multiple platforms.
abc.net.au
· 2025-12-08
Romance scammers exploit Valentine's Day by creating false identities on dating apps and social media to establish emotional connections with victims, then manipulate them into sending money or investing in fraudulent schemes. Red flags include rapid declarations of love, excuses to avoid video calls, requests for money due to emergencies, and overly perfect profile photos (often AI-generated or stolen). A 26-year-old Australian woman lost over $46,000 to a romance scammer in 2024 after connecting on Tinder, highlighting how emotional manipulation and "love bombing" can lead to both financial loss and deep psychological trauma.
enews.wvu.edu
· 2025-12-08
During tax season, identity theft and tax fraud increase when criminals file fraudulent returns using stolen Social Security numbers to claim refunds. To protect against these scams, individuals should file taxes early, obtain an IRS Identity Protection PIN, watch for phishing emails and calls impersonating the IRS or tax preparers, securely exchange tax documents through encrypted services, and maintain encrypted backups of tax records. The IRS never contacts taxpayers by email or phone, and scammers often use threats of arrest or penalties to pressure victims into providing personal information.
standard.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
YouTube warned users of a phishing scam impersonating the platform's creator support team, where fraudulent emails with links to fake private videos direct victims to malicious websites designed to steal login credentials and install malware. At least one YouTube creator with 500,000 subscribers nearly fell victim to the scheme, which uses red flags like misspelled words ("crearors" instead of "creators") and requests for electronic signatures to appear legitimate. YouTube emphasized it never communicates with creators through such methods and advised users to avoid downloading files or accessing links from suspicious emails.
nbcsandiego.com
· 2025-12-08
Martha lost $32,000 to a romance scam after meeting a man claiming to be a San Diego architect on a dating app who gradually built an intimate relationship with her over a year before requesting money for business emergencies abroad. According to the San Diego County District Attorney, romance scams stole over $1.3 million from local victims in 2023, with scammers using methodical tactics to isolate victims and gain access to their personal data and finances. Red flags include refusal to meet in person, requests for money, and attempts to isolate victims from family and friends.
cnet.com
· 2025-12-08
Criminals exploit legitimate data breach notices by creating fraudulent scams that impersonate companies and ask victims to download malware, click phishing links, or divulge personal information. Red flags for fake data breach alerts include suspicious sender contact information, spelling errors, odd-looking URLs, and artificial urgency in the message. To protect yourself, avoid clicking links or replying to unsolicited breach notices; instead, contact the company directly, and report suspected scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov or the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
sentinelone.com
· 2025-12-08
Cybercriminals exploit Valentine's Day by launching romance baiting scams, phishing attacks, and fraudulent gift card promotions to manipulate victims through emotional appeals and false investment opportunities. Romance baiting schemes have caused significant financial damage, with investment fraud losses increasing from $3.31 billion in 2022 to $4.57 billion in 2023, often resulting in severe psychological trauma for victims beyond monetary losses. The article advises individuals to recognize common scams such as fake dating profiles, malicious e-cards, and spoofed promotions, and emphasizes that awareness, education, and timely reporting are essential to prevent victimization and aid law enforcement.
wbay.com
· 2025-12-08
"Snowball" scams are multi-layered fraud schemes that start small and escalate through repeated contacts from scammers posing as legitimate agencies, lottery officials, or government representatives, with the goal of extracting money through fear tactics about stolen identities or unclaimed winnings. Wisconsin consumers have lost hundreds of thousands of dollars in these schemes, including one victim who paid $155,000 in fake lottery taxes and another who lost nearly $500,000 after being tricked into converting savings to gold bars. The Wisconsin Bureau of Consumer Protection advises victims to stop contact immediately if transferred between callers, verify legitimacy with trusted contacts, and never pay money or provide personal information, regardless of pressure to
cnet.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, Americans lost $10 billion to fraud, with scammers employing increasingly sophisticated tactics to steal money and personal information. The article outlines 10 common banking scams—including check fraud, phishing, fake websites, advance fee schemes, and government imposter scams—and provides protective measures such as verifying bank URLs, never clicking unsolicited links, and avoiding upfront payments for promised services.
irishmirror.ie
· 2025-12-08
Gmail users are being warned about a sophisticated AI-powered scam targeting Irish and international accounts, where scammers use convincing phone calls and fake Google emails to trick victims into revealing their Gmail recovery codes, potentially leading to account takeover, identity theft, and financial losses. The FBI first warned of these AI-driven scams in May 2024, and the problem has since escalated with attackers using increasingly realistic voice, video, and email impersonations. Security experts recommend users verify alerts directly through official Google accounts, enable multi-factor authentication, avoid clicking suspicious links, and use password managers to protect themselves from these threats.
pandasecurity.com
· 2025-12-08
Tax season 2025 brings increased fraud risk as over 160 million Americans file returns by April 15th, with scammers exploiting the confusion through multiple tactics including fake charities, dishonest tax preparers, and IRS impersonation calls and phishing emails. The IRS warns taxpayers to verify non-profit status before donating, use honest tax preparers, hang up on unsolicited IRS calls requesting banking information or gift cards, and avoid clicking links in suspicious emails or following unqualified social media tax advice. Installing antivirus software and being cautious of tax debt relief services can help prevent personal information theft and fraudulent refund claims filed in victims' names.
wilx.com
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau warns consumers to watch for IRS impersonation scams during tax season, including phishing emails, fake phone calls demanding payment via wire transfer or prepaid debit cards, and fraudulent mailing scams requesting personal information. To protect themselves, taxpayers should file early, use an Identity Protection PIN, verify they're on the official IRS website, remember that the IRS contacts by mail first, and work with trustworthy tax professionals. Victims of tax identity theft should contact the IRS at 1-800-908-4490 and file a complaint with the FTC at ftc.gov/complaint.
nypost.com
· 2025-12-08
A Louisiana woman discovered her inherited family property had been fraudulently sold for $45,000 when she attempted to pay taxes on the lot in December; criminals used identity theft with a forged signature, stolen notary stamp, and fake witnesses to impersonate her and transfer the deed to a company. Although the $45,000 payment was frozen and reversed, Batiste continues fighting to restore her legal title to the property, which has been in her family for over 200 years. Investigators believe this case may be connected to an international crime ring, as similar real estate identity theft schemes are becoming increasingly common across the nation.
express.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams using AI-generated deepfake videos impersonating celebrities became the most reported scams in 2024, with criminals creating hyper-realistic videos and audio to trick victims into fraudulent relationships or investment schemes. A recent investigation by London's Proactive Economic Crime Team led to two arrests after victims handed over approximately £200,000, including one individual who lost £60,000, while a similar case involving a deepfake of Martin Lewis and Elon Musk defrauded a tradesman of £76,000. The technology has evolved faster than regulatory measures, making it increasingly difficult for the public to distinguish real from fabricated content, with deepfake attempts occurring every five
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
Mortgage fraud increased over 8 percent in 2024, with one fraudulent application occurring in every 123 submitted applications. Common types include origination fraud (misrepresenting borrower qualifications, with falsified income being most frequent at 42 percent of investigated cases), occupancy fraud (claiming owner-occupancy to secure better terms while actually renting the property), identity fraud (using stolen personal information to apply for mortgages), and churning (unnecessary refinancing by loan officers). Victims of mortgage fraud—whether suspects or unknowing participants—face serious consequences including immediate loan repayment demands and potential foreclosure, while rising fraud also drives up mortgage rates for all borrowers.
thenationaldesk.com
· 2025-12-08
The Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) is seeking access to Social Security Administration data to identify and combat fraud, with White House officials claiming potential savings of over $1 trillion over a decade through crackdowns on entitlement system fraud. Elon Musk has posted claims of massive fraud in Social Security, citing data showing more eligible social security numbers than U.S. citizens, though a 2023 SSA audit found that nearly 19 million records for people over 100 with active numbers receive almost no benefits. The push for data access has drawn criticism from Democratic lawmakers concerned about potential data breaches, and reportedly led to the departure of SSA acting commissioner Michelle
alliancetimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Financial Advisor Dalsey Lambley presented a scam awareness workshop at the Alliance Public Library, highlighting common fraud types including internet scams, romance scams, collection fraud, and computer intrusion schemes that typically begin with unsolicited contact. Lambley advised attendees to recognize red flags, avoid sharing personal information with unverified online contacts, verify contact numbers independently, and consult trusted friends before responding to urgent requests. The presentation emphasized that scammers exploit emotions like loneliness and fear to pressure victims into quick decisions without careful consideration.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are sending mass extortion emails threatening to expose alleged compromising material unless recipients pay money (often in Bitcoin), using publicly available personal information like names and addresses to create a false sense of familiarity and urgency. One Pennsylvania resident received such an email demanding $2,000 after the sender claimed to have malware and webcam access, though experts note that scammers rarely possess actual evidence and send these threats indiscriminately to thousands of people obtained from data breaches. The FBI advises recipients not to respond, not to pay, and to report such emails as spam or phishing.
cnbc.com
· 2025-12-08
During the 2024 tax season, scammers increased identity theft and refund fraud attempts, with the IRS receiving nearly 300,000 identity theft reports resulting in an estimated $5.5 billion in losses. Common scams include fraudulent IRS communications via phone/text/email, AI-powered voice cloning, fake account setup offers, phishing emails promising unclaimed refunds, and fraudulent tax preparers who steal personal information and refunds. Taxpayers can protect themselves by remembering the IRS only contacts via mail, verifying caller information, researching tax preparers using the IRS directory, and avoiding unsolicited IRS-related communications or links.
ft.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, a UK sustainability consultancy lost £324,634 to an authorized push payment (APP) fraud scam where criminals impersonated a client's email to trick an employee into transferring funds; the victim spent 11 months and £100,000 in legal fees attempting recovery and ultimately declared the company insolvent. While new UK regulations implemented in October 2024 now mandate reimbursement up to £85,000 for APP fraud victims, fraud experts and affected individuals report the system remains broken due to police inaction, regulatory gaps, and inconsistent bank treatment of claims. APP fraud accounted for 40 percent of all fraud losses in the UK in 2
securityinfowatch.com
· 2025-12-08
A 2025 Tech.co survey of 1,036 US business leaders found that 98% cannot identify all signs of phishing emails, with 47% failing to recognize urgency or threatening tone and 33% unable to spot unknown senders as red flags. Phishing attacks accounted for 40% of business data breaches in 2024 (up 23% from 2023), with the average data breach costing $4.88 million, highlighting a critical need for cybersecurity education across all organizational levels.
usatoday.com
· 2025-12-08
A 30-year-old Florida man was ordered to pay over $1.1 million for operating EmpiresX, a $100 million cryptocurrency Ponzi scheme that defrauded investors across 50+ countries from 2020-2021. The article explains common crypto scams including Ponzi schemes, pig-butchering scams (which combine romance fraud with fake investment schemes), and advises protection strategies such as verifying investment legitimacy, being cautious of unsolicited financial offers, and understanding that cryptocurrency transactions are difficult to reverse or recover.
whio.com
· 2025-12-08
Phone scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with scammers using text messages and calls to target financial institutions and individuals directly by exploiting data breaches and personal information available online. Members of Wright-Patt Credit Union received fraudulent texts appearing to be from the credit union, prompting them to click malicious links; experts warn the problem will worsen as artificial intelligence enables more convincing, personalized attacks including deepfakes and QR code scams. Financial institutions and cybersecurity experts recommend remaining vigilant by verifying messages through official channels, enabling multi-factor authentication, changing passwords regularly, and educating vulnerable family members about these threats.
vox.com
· 2025-12-08
Text message scams have become a sophisticated and growing threat, with complaints increasing 500 percent from 2015 to 2022 as scammers use AI and personal data to craft convincing, targeted messages about unpaid fines, packages, and other common scenarios. In 2024 alone, phone scammers stole over $25 billion, averaging $450 per victim, with risks increasing when messages include personal details like names or addresses. The article advises consumers to verify suspicious texts independently, avoid clicking links from unknown senders, and recognize red flags like unusual domain extensions, as human vigilance remains the most effective defense against increasingly sophisticated text fraud.
cardrates.com
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission estimates that financial scams against older Americans in 2023 resulted in losses as high as $61.5 billion, with individuals over 60 reporting fraud more frequently than any other age group. Tech support fraud, where criminals impersonate legitimate tech employees to gain access to victims' accounts, is the leading fraud type targeting seniors. Huntington Bank launched a Caregiver Banking program in December 2024 that allows older adults and those needing financial assistance to securely share account access with trusted caregivers or family members to help prevent fraud exploitation.