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portageonline.com
· 2025-12-08
Two retired servicemen in Portage la Prairie—retired RCMP officer Colin Wilcox and Canadian Armed Forces veteran Glen Jones—launched a grassroots fraud prevention education program in March 2024 that has since delivered about 20 presentations to seniors' groups across Manitoba and neighbouring communities, distributing hundreds of pamphlets and pointer cards with fraud prevention tips. The presentations have documented significant losses, including one case where a woman lost $7,500 to a scammer posing as a friend, and highlight common schemes such as the "grandparent scam" and computer-generated robocalls. The program emphasizes prevention strategies, such as recognizing the telltale
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Federal investigators charged 13 people, including alleged ringleader Oscar Manuel Castanos Garcia, in connection with a "grandparent scam" operation based in the Dominican Republic that defrauded approximately 400 elderly victims (average age 84) of over $5 million. The scammers posed as grandchildren in distress and used accomplices posing as lawyers to pressure victims into withdrawing cash, which was then collected by Uber drivers and laundered; Uber's security team helped the FBI uncover the scheme by flagging suspicious activity. Many victims lost tens of thousands of dollars each, and authorities warn that most will not recover their money, with four suspects still at large.
michigan.gov
· 2025-12-08
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released an Elder Abuse Task Force newsletter featuring legislative updates, educational resources, and information on scam psychology to help protect older adults. The newsletter highlights new legislation (House Bills 4418-4419) regarding patient consent decisions, free downloadable Power of Attorney forms, and the Michigan Guardianship Diversion Project, while reminding residents that over 100,000 Michigan seniors are victims of elder abuse annually and can report suspected cases by calling 800-24-ABUSE.
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece explains how criminals target retirees' retirement accounts and personal data, noting that elder fraud caused over $4.9 billion in losses in 2024, with 72% of cases involving personal data found online. The article advises retirees to remove their information from data broker websites and databases—either manually or through automated removal services—to reduce their vulnerability to identity theft, phishing attacks, and social engineering scams. Taking these protective steps helps secure hard-earned retirement savings by limiting the personal information scammers can use to craft convincing fraud attempts.
fox26houston.com
· 2025-12-08
A 21-year-old college student lost all $4,400 of his savings after receiving a spoofed phone call claiming to be from Wells Fargo about unauthorized charges; the scammer instructed him to transfer his funds to an Apple Wallet, which actually drained his account. Wells Fargo stated it would not reimburse the victim, emphasizing that customers who follow instructions from spoofed calls do so at their own risk, and provided guidance on avoiding such scams including not trusting caller ID, refusing to share personal information or passcodes, and verifying requests through legitimate company channels.
nbcchicago.com
· 2025-12-08
A "funeral donation" scam has targeted shoppers in suburban Chicago retail and restaurant areas, where fraudsters approach victims claiming to collect money for a deceased friend's funeral, then refuse cash and request credit cards instead. Victims' cards have been charged thousands of dollars without authorization—in one Glenview case, a victim who agreed to a $10 donation was charged $4,800 total. Police departments in Glenview and Frankfort warn residents never to provide credit cards or phones to unknown solicitors and recommend donating directly to verified charities instead.
army.mil
· 2025-12-08
Military service members and their families face elevated fraud risks during high-stress periods like deployment transitions, with the Better Business Bureau reporting 273,937 complaints from military consumers between 2019-2024 and higher median losses compared to nonmilitary consumers. Common scams targeting this population include fake rental listings requiring advance payments, phishing emails impersonating military financial officials, and investment fraud promising unrealistic returns. To protect themselves, service members should use credit cards over cryptocurrency or wire transfers, verify requests by contacting organizations directly, and communicate openly with family members about finances.
students.wvu.edu
· 2025-12-08
This educational advisory warns students, faculty, and staff to remain vigilant against cybercriminal scams targeting universities at the start of the semester, including fake job and scholarship offers, AI-powered phishing emails and voice calls impersonating authority figures, and malicious QR codes ("quishing"). The article advises verifying unexpected or urgent requests through trusted channels, never sharing sensitive credentials or personal information in unsolicited messages, and reporting suspicious emails to the university's security team.
techradar.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams cost victims over £106 million in 2024 in the UK alone, with fraudsters increasingly using AI-generated deepfakes and synthetic identities to impersonate celebrities and trusted individuals, as demonstrated by a case where a French woman lost €830,000 to fake Brad Pitt impersonators. Beyond romance fraud, these same tactics are being deployed in investment scams, phishing attacks, and social engineering schemes, with investment scam losses reaching £144.4 million in 2024 and one Georgian network defrauding victims across multiple countries of $35 million using deepfake videos of money expert Martin Lewis.
moodys.com
· 2025-12-08
Fraud schemes are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with global losses exceeding $1 trillion annually and affecting individuals, businesses, and government bodies across the UK and worldwide. Emerging fraud types include sextortion scams (which more than doubled globally in 2023 to 26,718 cases) and romance scams (up 14% in 2024), often enabled by AI and deepfakes for identity theft and deception. Public-Private Partnerships, advanced technology tools, and regulatory reforms are being deployed to combat fraud, with the UK's National Fraud Initiative demonstrating success by preventing £510 million in fraud between 2022-2024.
fox5atlanta.com
· 2025-12-08
Fulton County, Georgia launched the Avoid Cyber Threats (A.C.T) Training campaign, a free self-paced program for residents 55 and older to help recognize and prevent online scams. The initiative responds to a surge in senior fraud cases—seniors account for nearly 40% of all fraud-related losses, and Americans 60+ lost $4.9 billion to scammers in 2024, with the average victim losing $83,000. The program covers phishing scams, personal information safeguarding, and emerging threats like AI voice cloning, with a county goal of training 2,000 seniors and caregivers by year's end.
ktvo.com
· 2025-12-08
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird warned seniors about common scams ahead of National Senior Citizens Day, including impostor schemes where scammers pose as family members or falsely claim victims are involved in crimes requiring payment. The article highlights a case where victim Lynne Caltrider was scammed out of a considerable amount of money directed to a cryptocurrency ATM, though authorities recovered a portion and arrested individuals involved; Caltrider received recognition for sharing her story to help law enforcement. The attorney general urges older Iowans to remain cautious, recognize warning signs, and report suspected scams to the Iowa Attorney General's office.
myfoxzone.com
· 2025-12-08
Texas seniors lost over $480 million to scams in 2024, ranking second nationally according to FBI data, with common schemes including charity fraud, romance scams, and jury duty threats targeting vulnerable older adults. Local organizations like San Angelo's Better Business Bureau and retirement communities are addressing the surge through education programs that teach seniors to recognize red flags, avoid panic-driven decisions, and report crimes without shame. Experts note that official complaint numbers likely underrepresent the true scope, as many victims fail to report due to embarrassment.
kshb.com
· 2025-12-08
The Palmer Center in Independence, Missouri hosted its annual "Scamboree" event to educate approximately 175 senior attendees about fraud prevention, featuring resources on common scams including investment fraud and utility company impersonation schemes. According to the Senior Medicare Patrol program, Medicare loses an estimated $60 billion annually to fraud, errors, and abuse, with participants advised to avoid sharing personal information with unknown callers and to hang up immediately on suspicious calls.
cnn.com
· 2025-12-08
Financial scams have become increasingly prevalent and sophisticated, with the FBI reporting $16.6 billion in cybercrime losses in the past year—a 33% increase over the prior year with an average loss of $19,372 per victim. The FTC documented a more-than-four-fold increase between 2020 and 2024 in reports of older Americans (age 60+) losing $10,000 or more to scams, with some victims emptying entire bank accounts and retirement funds. Common schemes include imposter scams masquerading as government agencies or businesses, tech support scams, and prize/sweepstakes frauds, with red flags
abc7.com
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission warns consumers about a phishing scam in which fraudsters impersonate Amazon via text messages claiming purchases failed quality inspections or are being recalled, requesting personal information for refunds. Victims who click malicious links risk having their money or personal data stolen. Consumers should verify issues directly through Amazon's official website or app and report suspicious texts to 7726 as spam rather than responding to or clicking links in unsolicited messages.
6abc.com
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission warns consumers of a phishing scam where fraudsters impersonate Amazon via text messages, claiming purchases failed quality inspections or are being recalled and offering refunds if victims provide personal information. Scammers use this method to steal money and sensitive data; consumers should verify any issues directly through Amazon's official website or app and report suspicious texts as spam rather than clicking links or responding to messages.
investopedia.com
· 2025-12-08
AI-powered bank impersonation scams are surging, with cyber fraud losses reaching a record $16.6 billion in 2024 (up 33% from 2023). Scammers now use artificial intelligence to create legitimate-looking emails, texts, and calls with perfect grammar and spoofed phone numbers, exploiting consumers' trained panic responses to fraud alerts. Key red flags include urgent requests for immediate action, unusual payment methods (cash withdrawals, bitcoin transfers, new accounts), and the article advises consumers to hang up and call the number on their debit card to verify any bank communication.
kfvs12.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article outlines red flags for identifying phishing scams and cyber attacks, using a real example of an AI-generated voicemail threatening tax delinquency and potential asset seizure. Key warning signs include threats, artificial urgency, robotic voices, unsolicited contact from purported government or mediation services, and requests for immediate payment or callback. The Better Business Bureau advises people to verify contact through official channels and recognize that legitimate agencies typically contact via mail first, not unsolicited phone calls.
cleveland19.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers impersonate legitimate charities and create fake donation sites following natural disasters like hurricanes, exploiting people's desire to help during high-emotion situations. In 2024, disaster relief scams cost Americans $3 billion overall, with the FBI receiving over 4,500 complaints totaling $96 million in losses. People should watch for red flags including unexpected contact combined with pressure to act quickly or requests for unusual payment methods, and should verify organizations through trusted sources before donating.
kktv.com
· 2025-12-08
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) warned the public of a phone scam in which impersonators pose as CBI Cyber Crimes Special Agents and claim to have detected cybercrime activity. The scammers request personal information, financial account details, and remote computer access from victims, often providing fake callback numbers and demonstrating knowledge of real information to appear credible. The CBI emphasized that it never requests payment over the phone and urged the public to report suspicious calls.
makeuseof.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, scammers stole $16.6 billion using increasingly sophisticated tactics including AI-generated deepfakes, romance schemes, and cryptocurrency fraud. AI-powered voice clones enable criminals to impersonate trusted individuals and request urgent wire transfers, while romance scammers target vulnerable people on dating platforms, building emotional connections before requesting money for fabricated emergencies or investments. Cryptocurrency and investment scams remain particularly damaging, using social media ads and fake investment advisors to promise unrealistic returns and create urgency around missing opportunities.
which.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece explains that scam vulnerability is not age-specific—anyone can become a victim regardless of how obvious a scam may seem, especially when caught at vulnerable times or subjected to manipulation by skilled fraudsters. The article emphasizes the importance of scam awareness and encourages people to sign up for free Scam Alerts services to better protect themselves against fraud.
autos.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
A man in Springfield, Ohio was targeted by scammers using a deepfake video of rapper Jelly Roll claiming he had won a car and $50,000, with the catch that shipping costs needed to be paid upfront. The victim initially resisted but was convinced after receiving a second deepfake video personalized with his name, ultimately sending $70 in Apple gift cards before a family member intervened. This case illustrates how AI-generated celebrity deepfakes, combined with common scam tactics like requesting untraceable gift card payments, are increasingly used to defraud victims.
it-online.co.za
· 2025-12-08
Luno's data shows that while crypto scams affect less than 1% of its 14 million customers, scams and fraudulent misrepresentation remain prevalent in digital currency, with the platform handling 516 scam-related queries over three months. Common fraud schemes include romance scams (one South African man lost R4 million over 4.5 years), phishing, impersonation of staff, money laundering schemes, and password compromises, with males aged 20-40 and females aged 20-30 most susceptible. Luno recommends security measures such as unique passwords, two-factor authentication, and passkeys, while noting that cryptocurrency's dec
thebrunswicknews.com
· 2025-12-08
A letter to the editor describes how the writer's wife fell victim to a scam years ago, but received no follow-up from local, state, or federal law enforcement after reporting it to police—only a visit from a social worker evaluating their competency. The writer calls for increased public education about scams, noting that most originate overseas beyond law enforcement reach and that modern technology has enabled unprecedented criminal enterprises.
trendmicro.com
· 2025-12-08
Task scams are fraudulent employment schemes advertised through social media and text messages that promise easy remote work (like liking videos or writing reviews) with attractive compensation and benefits. Scammers use social engineering and psychological manipulation—including fake professional websites and initial small payouts—to build trust before escalating financial demands, ultimately trapping victims in a cycle of deposits to access their claimed earnings. The Federal Trade Commission reported increased task and employment scam complaints in 2024, with victims targeting a range of demographics but most commonly those seeking easy online income from home.
wsls.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article advises consumers on protecting their money when using digital wallets for payments. It recommends enabling security features like biometric locks or passcodes, using remote find/erase capabilities on phones, setting up transaction alerts, and regularly monitoring bank balances to detect fraud quickly. The article notes that digital wallet scams are rising with some consumers losing thousands of dollars, making these protective measures increasingly important as digital payment adoption grows.
wtoc.com
· 2025-12-08
An Effingham County resident lost over $15,000 in a jury duty scam on August 18, 2025, after receiving calls spoofed to appear from the Effingham County Sheriff's Office claiming they had a warrant for failure to appear for jury duty. The scammers coerced the victim into paying $15,800 via CashApp under threat of jail time before the fraud was discovered. The Sheriff's Office warns that law enforcement will never call to demand payment or inform citizens of warrants by phone, and urges residents to hang up and contact authorities directly if they receive similar calls.
newamerica.org
· 2025-12-08
Chicago residents identified online fraud as a major concern, with 90 percent of survey respondents rating protection from it as "important" or "very important." The Federal Trade Commission received 2.6 million fraud reports in 2024 resulting in $12.5 billion in losses, with Illinois accounting for over 186,000 fraud reports, and the article provides expert guidance on identifying, avoiding, and responding to various types of fraud including account fraud, non-delivery scams, and impersonation schemes.
azag.gov
· 2025-12-08
Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes and the Better Business Bureau issued a public awareness campaign alerting residents to cryptocurrency scams, where criminals use Bitcoin and other digital currencies to defraud victims through investment schemes, romance scams, impersonation fraud, and ransomware demands because crypto lacks protections and is difficult to trace. The campaign recommends verifying caller information independently, being skeptical of unsolicited financial requests, recognizing that legitimate businesses never demand cryptocurrency payment upfront, and consulting trusted individuals before making digital currency transactions.
morningjournalnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are increasingly targeting older residents across the country with sophisticated fraud schemes, including requests for payment via Bitcoin, gift cards, or other virtual currencies, often using urgent or threatening language about fines, arrests, or endangered loved ones. Ohio reported 16,741 financial exploitation referrals of older residents between July 2024 and June 2025. The key protective measures include verifying contact through official channels, researching businesses before sending money, avoiding unsolicited requests for personal information, and trusting instincts when offers seem too good to be true.
wired.com
· 2025-12-08
Organized crime gangs operating scam compounds in Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos) have been linked to billions of dollars in fraud over the past decade, and new research reveals these compounds are also connected to child sextortion operations. International Justice Mission researchers found that at least 493 child exploitation reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and approximately 18,000 additional reports containing IP addresses from known scam compound locations, are linked to these operations where an estimated 200,000 trafficking victims are forced to run scams 24 hours daily. The findings represent the first clear evidence connecting forced scamming operations to global child sextortion cases, which have
roughdraftatlanta.com
· 2025-12-08
Fulton County Department of Senior Services launched Avoid Cyber Threats (A.C.T.), a free online training program in August targeting residents aged 55 and older to help them recognize and avoid cyber scams including phishing, voice cloning, and impersonation schemes. The initiative responds to a 60 percent rise in scams targeting seniors over five years, with Americans aged 60+ losing nearly $4.9 billion to fraud in 2024 and Georgia ranking seventh nationally for senior fraud losses; the program aims to train 2,000 seniors by December, with research showing trained seniors are 80 percent more likely to recognize and avoid scams.
regulatoryoversight.com
· 2025-12-08
On June 18, Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes partnered with the Better Business Bureau to launch an educational campaign featuring four PSA videos designed to help Arizona residents—particularly seniors—recognize and avoid common scams. The campaign addresses fraudulent celebrity scams using AI deepfakes, moving company hostage loads, cryptocurrency scams (which cost Scottsdale residents over $5 million recently), and AI-based scams, with Arizona residents losing approximately $392 million to consumer fraud in 2024.
cnycentral.com
· 2025-12-08
A married elderly couple from Throop, New York lost nearly $25,000 in a grandparent scam where callers impersonated their grandchild in distress; three local suspects were arrested in February 2023 and all funds were recovered. The Department of Justice charged 13 people involved in a sophisticated transnational elder fraud scheme that defrauded over 400 victims nationwide of $5 million total, with operations run from Dominican Republic call centers specifically designed to target elderly Americans, particularly those over 80 years old.
southwestledger.news
· 2025-12-08
Christine Joan Echohawk, 54, of Pawnee, pleaded guilty to five felony charges for laundering approximately $1.5 million obtained through online romance scams targeting four elderly women (ages 64-79) in Florida, Utah, and Texas between September and December 2024. One victim sold her house to send $600,000 to the scammer; Echohawk received the funds through various accounts, converted them to cryptocurrency, and sent payments to an unidentified accomplice using the alias "Maurice Dinero." She was sentenced to 62 years in prison (8 years to serve, 54 suspended) and ordered to pay $621,750 in
livewirecalgary.com
· 2025-12-08
From January to June 2024, Alberta saw over 1,400 scam victims lose more than $36 million, with the financial losses already exceeding half of the previous year's $55 million total despite fewer reported victims. Calgary resident Sydnie Bourassa lost approximately $15,000 to a phone scam during the pandemic when scammers impersonated law enforcement, manipulated her through fear tactics, and instructed her to withdraw cash and deposit it into Bitcoin, with no recovery possible despite immediate reporting to authorities. The article highlights how scammers use emotional manipulation and isolation tactics while requesting harder-to-trace payment methods like gift cards and cryptocurrency, making fund recovery increasingly difficult.
agenciapara.com.br
· 2025-12-08
The Government of Pará launched the "Protect+ the Elderly and Disabled Person in the Virtual Environment" project to educate seniors and disabled individuals about cyber scams and digital safety through discussion circles, lectures, and informational materials. The initiative addresses increasingly common scams on WhatsApp, social media, email, and phone calls—including extortion schemes and financial fraud—while providing information about reporting channels and victims' rights. Participants shared experiences including a successful scam avoidance and cases where prior education could have prevented financial losses, highlighting the project's focus on digital empowerment and harm prevention.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Hospice Care Medicare Fraud has been designated as the New York StateWide Senior Action Council's Medicare Fraud of the Month for August 2025. Scammers target seniors by offering free services (cooking, cleaning, in-home help) and then illegally enroll them in hospice care without their knowledge, billing Medicare for unnecessary or non-existent services. Seniors can protect themselves by remembering that only doctors can certify hospice care, reviewing their Medicare statements for unauthorized charges, and reporting suspected fraud to the NYS Senior Medicare Patrol at 800-333-4374.
waff.com
· 2025-12-08
TARCOG is hosting a free Fraud and Scam Summit in Athens, Alabama to educate seniors, caregivers, and professionals about recognizing and preventing scams, which cost Americans nearly $5 billion annually. The event features experts from law enforcement and the Alabama Securities Commission discussing common fraud tactics, identity theft prevention, and reporting procedures, with particular focus on romance scams as the fastest-growing threat targeting vulnerable seniors. Attendees can register on the waiting list by contacting TARCOG at 256-830-0818, and resources will be available online for those unable to attend.
cnycentral.com
· 2025-12-08
A married elderly couple in Throop, New York lost nearly $25,000 in a grandparent scam after receiving a call claiming their grandchild was in trouble; the couple's local case was part of a larger federal investigation that charged 13 people involved in a transnational elder fraud scheme operating from the Dominican Republic that defrauded over 400 victims of approximately $5 million nationwide, with at least 50 victims in Massachusetts averaging 84 years old. Local deputies arrested three suspects and recovered the couple's money, while federal authorities determined the scammers used call centers in the Dominican Republic and unsuspecting rideshare drivers as intermediaries to funnel stolen funds
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, seniors aged 60 and older lost $4.885 billion to scams—a 43% increase from 2023—with investment fraud, imposter scams, and tech support fraud causing the most damage, including median losses of $20,000 per victim in investment schemes. The FBI and FTC attribute this surge to older adults' significant assets, limited digital literacy, and AI-enabled fraud tactics like deepfakes, compounded by low reporting rates (only 19% of victims report incidents). While regulatory tools like FINRA's trusted contact rules and AI-driven transaction monitoring have improved, gaps remain due to widespread financial illiteracy among seniors and scammers
nucamp.co
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
This article is an educational guide for finance professionals in Escondido on implementing AI tools in 2025, not an elder fraud case. The piece highlights that AI can automate up to 95% of routine accounting tasks and save 6+ hours monthly per client on bookkeeping, while noting that elder fraud is a local priority with seniors representing Escondido's fastest-growing population yet receiving less than 3% of philanthropic dollars. The article recommends finance teams pilot AI implementation in month-end close or accounts payable processes and offers a 15-week AI training course ($3,582) to build staff capabilities in ethical AI use.
consumer.ftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
Online rental scams are prevalent during summer moving season, with scammers creating fake listings or demanding payment through untraceable methods like cash, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers. To protect yourself, verify listings in person, research the property owner or rental company for complaints and reviews, and ensure all fees are confirmed in writing before paying. Report suspected rental scams to the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
mlive.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are impersonating law firms to target previous fraud victims by falsely offering to recover lost funds, when they actually seek to steal personal information or additional money. The FBI warns people to adopt a "zero trust" approach by verifying any unsolicited legal assistance through video proof, notarized identity documents, and documentation of all communications, while watching for red flags such as requests for cryptocurrency payments, references to fictitious government agencies, inability to provide credentials, and pressure to register accounts at foreign banks. Victims should report suspected scams to their local FBI field office or the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
cbs6albany.com
· 2025-12-08
Text message scams impersonating package delivery services and toll payment alerts are rapidly increasing, targeting consumers with urgent messages that trick them into clicking malicious links or providing credit card and personal information. Experts recommend ignoring unsolicited texts, verifying requests by contacting companies directly, and using official tracking apps from USPS, FedEx, and UPS to avoid falling victim to these schemes.
wbrc.com
· 2025-12-08
Text message scams falsely claim recipients owe money for traffic violations, parking tickets, jury duty, toll bridges, or vehicle registration, using urgent language and fake government agency names to pressure quick payment. Red flags include non-existent government agencies, fake violation codes, grammar errors, and the use of text messaging itself—legitimate government agencies send official mail or paperwork, never unsolicited texts. Recipients should never click links in these messages, as they may steal personal information or install malware, and should report suspicious texts to the Federal Trade Commission.
freep.com
· 2025-12-08
The FTC reports a four-fold increase in "transfer it to protect it" scams from 2020-2024, where fraudsters impersonating banks or government agencies convince victims to move money to protect it from fabricated threats. Adults aged 60 and older reported the highest losses, with combined losses exceeding $100,000 reaching $445 million in 2024 (up from $55 million in 2020), though younger consumers are also becoming victims, including an 18-year-old in Michigan who lost $4,800 after receiving a phishing email. Scammers typically initiate contact via phone calls (41% of cases), emails, or pop
pandasecurity.com
· 2025-12-08
Wrong number phone scams are increasingly common frauds where scammers send seemingly accidental texts to build trust and eventually manipulate victims into sending money or sharing personal information. Scammers use social engineering tactics—starting with innocent messages, building rapport over weeks, and escalating to requests for funds or cryptocurrency investments, with some victims losing hundreds of thousands of dollars. The best defense is to not respond to unknown numbers, block them immediately, and report suspicious messages to authorities, as even replying "wrong number" confirms your phone is active and marks you for future scam attempts.