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nbcphiladelphia.com
· 2025-12-08
**October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and experts emphasize protecting yourself from increasingly sophisticated scams using three key tactics: stay suspicious, stop to think, and stay protected.** Common scam methods exploit fear, urgency, and money incentives—such as fake tax return errors, impersonation of authority figures, and romance scams that can last years and target vulnerable individuals including seniors. Defensive measures include avoiding robocalls and suspicious texts, verifying contacts through official numbers, and using reverse-image searches to identify stolen photos used in romance scams.
au.finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
An Australian couple lost $1,000 from their Centrelink payments after scammers impersonating a charity deceived them into providing sensitive information including their driver's license and myGov details. The National Anti-Scam Centre warns that criminals are increasingly targeting financially vulnerable Australians by posing as legitimate charities and government assistance programs to steal personal information and divert payments. People should independently verify organizations offering financial assistance and never share personal identifying information through social media or unsolicited contacts.
about.fb.com
· 2025-12-08
Meta announced the expansion of facial recognition technology across its platforms (Facebook, Instagram) in the EU, UK, and South Korea to detect and remove celebrity-impersonation scams ("celeb bait"), where scammers use public figures' images to lure users to fraudulent websites requesting money or personal information. Since deploying these anti-scam measures, user reports of celebrity-bait ad scams dropped 22% globally in the first half of 2025, with facial recognition technology more than doubling the detection rate of such scams; the technology now protects nearly 500,000 public figures while remaining optional for users.
cnet.com
· 2025-12-08
Meta is testing new facial recognition tools to combat "celeb-bait" scams on Facebook and Instagram, where scammers use celebrity images in fraudulent ads to steal money and personal information from users. The technology compares faces in suspected scam ads to verified celebrity profiles to block fraud faster, and will also allow users to regain account access via video selfie verification rather than traditional document submission. Early testing showed promising results in detecting and preventing scam ads, though Meta stated the facial data will be deleted after use and noted privacy concerns that led to the company shutting down its previous facial recognition system in 2021.
coinmarketcap.com
· 2025-12-08
Hong Kong police dismantled a sophisticated cryptocurrency investment scam network on October 9, detailing 27 suspects (aged 21-34) who used AI-generated deepfakes and fake online personas to defraud victims of approximately $46 million through romance schemes. The operation, discovered in a 4,000-square-foot facility in Hung Hom, employed university graduates as technical experts and featured detailed training manuals in multiple languages to manipulate victims into fraudulent crypto investments, with suspects linked to China, Taiwan, India, and Singapore.
atlantafed.org
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, Americans over 60 lost more than $3.4 billion to fraud—an 11 percent increase from 2022—with investment, tech support, email, and romance scams being the most common schemes. The author emphasizes that decline in financial judgment is an early sign of dementia, and recommends that families maintain regular voice contact with elderly relatives, monitor credit reports, apply credit freezes, and stay informed about legal and financial documents to prevent scams and elder fraud. Early intervention through personal relationships and periodic check-ins can help stop scammers before victims suffer financial loss.
wbrz.com
· 2025-12-08
The East Baton Rouge Seniors and Law Enforcement Together (SALT) hosted its annual SALT Expo at the Baker Municipal Auditorium to educate local seniors about current financial fraud schemes and scams. The event featured vendors and law enforcement personnel from around the area who provided resources and contact information, emphasizing the importance of seniors reaching out to authorities or trusted contacts when encountering suspicious activities.
aws.amazon.com
· 2025-12-08
This article describes Wipro and AWS's development of an Intelligent Financial Fraud Detection (IFFD) solution designed to address gaps in traditional fraud detection systems. The system uses AI and deep learning to detect fraud in real-time, with particular focus on elder fraud, which the FBI reported affected over 101,000 people age 60+ in 2023 with losses exceeding $3.4 billion. IFFD aims to reduce false positives to under 5% while identifying emerging threats like investment scams, romance scams, and grandparent scams before funds are transferred.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Nathaniel Wills, a 34-year-old accountant and Director of Administration in Indiana, stole approximately $952,237 from his employer over 18 months (August 2020 to February 2022) by fraudulently transferring funds to his personal accounts and falsifying accounting records to conceal the theft. Wills used the stolen money to pay personal debts and fund online gambling, causing substantial financial hardship to his employer and employees. He was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison, three years supervised release, and ordered to pay $877,507 in restitution.
berkshireeagle.com
· 2025-12-08
A 75-year-old North Adams man lost over $400,000 in a tech support scam that operated from June to September, in which a caller posing as a federal agent convinced the victim to withdraw cash and hand it to couriers, claiming he was implicated in money laundering. Boston resident Urvishkumar Vipulkumar Patel, 21, was arrested after an FBI sting operation at the victim's home and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud; he claimed he was hired to pick up packages and deliver them for a cut. The FBI advises that legitimate federal agencies never request money by phone or send couriers to collect funds
thepaypers.com
· 2025-12-08
This is an introductory piece for The Paypers' 2024 report on fraud detection technologies, not a news article about a specific fraud incident.
**Summary:** The report documents rising fraud challenges in financial services, with authorized fraud growing 22% in 2023 and average fraudulent transaction amounts increasing 43% to $3,222. The inaugural Next-Gen Tech to Detect Fraud and Fincrime Report 2024 examines emerging threats including APP fraud, investment scams, and romance scams, while exploring how financial institutions can leverage AI, data sharing, and regulatory compliance strategies to combat financial crime in an evolving threat landscape.
makeuseof.com
· 2025-12-08
Social media scammers use four primary tactics to defraud users: phishing attacks that mimic trusted sources to steal personal information, fake profiles impersonating friends or family to request money or sensitive data, fraudulent giveaways and job offers designed to capture credentials or personal information, and romance scams involving lengthy deception to build trust before financial exploitation. Users can protect themselves by avoiding unsolicited messages and suspicious links, verifying suspicious contacts through alternate communication methods, checking for warning signs like poor grammar and unverified accounts, and researching companies before responding to job offers.
wgal.com
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission's "Protecting Older Consumers" report found that older adults reported losing over $1.9 billion to fraud in 2023, though the true total is estimated at $61.5 billion when accounting for unreported cases. Seniors are reluctant to report fraud due to embarrassment and fear of losing independence, and they suffer significantly higher average losses ($918) compared to younger victims ($432). The three most common scams targeting older people are tech support scams, lottery/sweepstakes scams, and romance scams, with payments typically made through Bitcoin or gift cards.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
Meta is deploying facial recognition technology to combat celebrity scam advertisements on Facebook and Instagram, which fraudulently use celebrities like Elon Musk and Martin Lewis to promote investment schemes and cryptocurrencies. The system compares flagged ad images against celebrities' profile photos to automatically delete confirmed scams, with early testing showing promising results. Additionally, Meta is testing facial recognition for account recovery while acknowledging that scammers increasingly use deepfake technology to create more convincing fraudulent endorsements.
theguardian.com
· 2025-12-08
Meta announced a trial program using facial recognition technology to combat celebrity investment scam ads, comparing ad images against public figures' profiles to detect and remove fraudulent content in real time. The December rollout will involve 50,000 opt-out celebrities or public figures worldwide, with the same technology also enabling account recovery through video selfies. Meta acknowledged that while early testing shows promising results, some scams will inevitably slip through as scammers continuously adapt their tactics, and the company faces lawsuits from Andrew Forrest and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission over its failure to prevent scams using their images.
inews.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Hundreds of pensioners lost their life savings to pension scammers in recent years, with 559 reported cases in the last year resulting in £17.75 million in losses and an average loss of £46,959 per victim. Pension scams take various forms—including fake pension reviews, unauthorized early withdrawals, and fraudulent transfer schemes—and have proliferated through social media and online advertising, exacerbated by economic uncertainty and the cost-of-living crisis. Experts argue the UK's pension fraud reporting system is inadequate and call for greater preventative measures and bank protections for vulnerable older customers.
consumervoice.uk
· 2025-12-08
Citizens Advice research found that approximately 9 million people in the UK (18% of the population) fell victim to financial scams in the past year, with over three-quarters of victims exposed through social media. The most common scams included fake debt advice (3 million affected), friend-in-need scams (2.5 million), pension scams (2.5 million), investment scams (2.5 million), and parking QR code fraud (2.5 million), with one cryptocurrency trading scam victim losing his savings, home, and health after being pressured into a fake trading platform.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Two correctional officers at an Indiana prison, Martins Tochukwu Chidiobi and Lawrence Onyesonwu, were sentenced to three years in federal prison for stealing personally identifiable information from at least five inmates and using their identities to open fraudulent bank accounts between 2015 and January 2019. The defendants received at least $331,282 in fraud proceeds through these accounts, primarily from romance scam victims, and withdrew most funds as cash or transferred them to Nigerian bank accounts. Both men were also ordered to pay $5,000 fines and serve two years of supervised release following their prison sentences.
wnyt.com
· 2025-12-08
A 21-year-old Boston man was arrested for his role as a courier in a tech support scam that defrauded a 75-year-old Berkshire County resident of approximately $420,000 between June and October 2024. The victim was targeted via a computer pop-up claiming to be from Microsoft, then deceived into believing he was involved in money laundering and instructed to withdraw cash in installments and hand it to couriers; the suspect was arrested after delivering a box of cash to an undercover officer posing as the victim. Urvishkumar Vipulkumar Patel was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and release
cnn.com
· 2025-12-08
Hundreds of elderly Americans, including those with dementia, have been victimized by deceptive political fundraising tactics from both Republican and Democratic campaigns, with vulnerable donors unknowingly giving away millions of dollars through relentless text messages and emails that automatically enrolled them in recurring donations. A CNN investigation identified over 1,000 government complaints and found that elderly donors lost more than $6 million in a small sample alone, with some individuals giving away six-figure sums from their life savings, predominantly to Republican candidates and former President Donald Trump. The predatory practices exploit cognitive decline by making false urgent pleas for money appear to come directly from major candidates, draining bank accounts without donors' knowledge or consent
ahmedabadmirror.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article outlines common online scams targeting consumers during Cybersecurity Awareness Month, including romance scams (which prey on isolated individuals over extended periods), job scams (impersonating recruiters to steal money or personal information), investment scams (get-rich-quick schemes often involving cryptocurrency), and quiz scams (harvesting personal data for account breaches). The article provides warning signs and protective measures for each scam type, such as reverse-image searching suspicious photos, verifying job offers directly with companies, researching investment opportunities independently, and avoiding online quizzes that collect personal information.
abnnewswire.net
· 2025-12-08
Research from 2024 found that approximately 30% of U.S. consumers lost money to scams between 2020-2024, with nearly 80 million Americans affected and average losses of $545 per victim. Identity theft was the most common scam type (24% of victims), while romance scams caused the highest financial impact with average losses of nearly $2,000 and longer victim engagement. Nearly 70% of victims recovered some losses through their banks, though 54% considered switching financial institutions following the incident, with 59% identifying enhanced fraud detection technology as the most important fraud safeguard.
mcknightsseniorliving.com
· 2025-12-08
Older adults reported $1.9 billion in fraud losses in 2023, though the FTC estimates actual losses may have reached $61.5 billion when accounting for underreporting. Adults aged 60+ are significantly more vulnerable to specific scam types, including tech support scams (5x more likely), prize/lottery scams (3x more likely), and investment scams (which increased 34% year-over-year), with romance and business imposter scams also rising notably. The FTC and Senate Special Committee on Aging are expanding consumer education programs and partnerships to combat these increasingly sophisticated scams.
bankingjournal.aba.com
· 2025-12-08
Crypto investment scams have cost Americans billions of dollars, typically beginning with confidence or romance scams before escalating to demands for larger investments. FBI and CFTC officials discuss common typologies, warning signs for financial institutions, and how banks can partner with law enforcement to combat these schemes. The agencies have jointly developed educational materials to help identify and prevent crypto investment fraud.
einpresswire.com
· 2025-12-08
Nearly 80 million U.S. consumers (30% of the population) lost an average of $545 to scams between 2020-2024, with identity theft being the most common type and romance scams causing the largest financial impact at nearly $2,000 per victim. While 69-74% of victims recovered some losses through their banks or credit card issuers, over half considered switching financial institutions, and consumers identified advanced fraud detection and AI-based monitoring technologies as the most important safeguard against future scams.
valleybreeze.com
· 2025-12-08
Elder fraud complaints rose 14 percent nationally in 2023, resulting in $3.4 billion in losses, with Rhode Islanders over 60 losing $7.4 million to scams. U.S. Sen. Jack Reed, AARP Rhode Island, and the Rhode Island State Police held an Elder Fraud Prevention Summit to educate older adults on detecting and reporting fraud, emphasizing that tech support, romance, and investment scams are among the most common schemes targeting seniors. Experts stressed that victims should report incidents immediately and stay informed about evolving scams, noting that sophisticated criminals use artificial intelligence and psychological manipulation rather than targeting inherent vulnerabilities in older adults.
wthr.com
· 2025-12-08
Two New Castle correctional officers, Martins Chidiobi and Lawrence Onyesonwu, pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft after stealing personally identifiable information from at least five inmates and using their identities to open nine fraudulent bank accounts, through which $331,282 was deposited—most withdrawn as cash or transferred to Nigerian accounts originating from romance scams and other fraud schemes. Both men were sentenced to three years in prison, followed by two years of supervised release and $5,000 fines each.
financial-planning.com
· 2025-12-08
Charles Schwab is facing a federal lawsuit filed by an 84-year-old man and his 76-year-old wife who allege the financial firm failed to prevent scammers from stealing $18.5 million of their retirement savings. The fraud involved hackers posing as Schwab and law enforcement representatives who manipulated the couple into transferring nearly $30 million to a cryptocurrency exchange, with $18.5 million ultimately converted to crypto and sent to the scammers. This is the third similar lawsuit against Schwab in less than two months, highlighting a broader elder fraud crisis affecting seniors nationwide.
larimer.gov
· 2025-12-08
An 85-year-old man and 83-year-old woman in California fell victim to a tech support scam after clicking a popup that directed them to call "Microsoft Support Services"; the suspect collected $30,000 from them in person and later attempted to extort an additional $70,000 in gold bars. Arashdeep Dhaliwal was arrested in April 2024 when he returned to collect the gold and subsequently pleaded guilty to felony theft, receiving 30 days jail time at work release, 3 years supervised probation, and ordered to pay $30,000 in restitution to the victims.
indiatoday.in
· 2025-12-08
A 57-year-old man from Mangaluru lost Rs 56.7 lakh in a task-based scam where he was initially promised small payments for liking and subscribing to YouTube videos, then lured into depositing increasingly larger amounts through a Telegram group with false promises of high returns. After receiving minimal returns totaling Rs 52,000, the scammers stopped responding and disappeared, prompting the victim to file a case with cyber police under the Information Technology Act and Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The incident highlights a growing trend of social media-based fraud where victims are baited with easy money schemes before being exploited for larger deposits.
thefamuanonline.com
· 2025-12-08
Spam calls and communication fraud have become widespread globally, with scammers frequently targeting older adults aged 65 and up, who lose an average of $35,000 per victim according to Elder Affairs Florida. In response, Florida enacted House Bill 1171 effective October 1, which reclassifies fraud charges targeting seniors, minors, and people with disabilities to more severe felony levels—elevating misdemeanors to third-degree felonies and increasing penalties for higher-level offenses. The law also allows victims whose images or likenesses were used fraudulently to pursue legal action, while the Federal Trade Commission recommends protective measures such as avoiding unknown emails, securing personal information,
prnewswire.com
· 2025-12-08
A married senior couple lost $30 million in a coordinated fraud scheme involving impersonation, cryptocurrency transfers, and alleged negligence by Charles Schwab, Bank of America, and Unchained Trading. Scammers used confidential information from Schwab's 2023 data breach to convince the victims their investment accounts were compromised, then directed them to liquidate assets and convert funds to cryptocurrency. The lawsuit alleges that all three institutions failed to implement proper Know Your Customer (KYC) and Anti-Money Laundering (AML) protocols despite clear red flags of elder financial abuse and identity theft, and instead attempted to upsell additional services rather than halt the fraudulent transactions
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
An 82-year-old man named Dennis Jones was romantically scammed by a woman he met on Facebook who claimed to be a successful cryptocurrency investor named Jessie and offered to teach him how to profit from crypto investments. After developing trust with the scammer and hoping to leave an inheritance for his family, Dennis invested his savings, which turned out to be part of a fraudulent scheme. The devastating financial loss and emotional trauma led to Dennis taking his own life, and his son and daughter now share his story publicly to warn others about romance and cryptocurrency scams targeting seniors.
6abc.com
· 2025-12-08
A 70-year-old man in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania was targeted through a romance scam on LinkedIn beginning in August 2022, where a criminal posed as a woman to build trust and extract his personal information. The scammers used his identity to purchase iPhones and iPads connected to his AT&T account, then convinced him to facilitate cryptocurrency purchases and transfers as part of a money laundering scheme, resulting in approximately $10,000 in fraudulent charges before the bank detected the activity. The FBI warns that romance scams have become a billion-dollar-a-year enterprise increasingly used to turn victims into "money mules," with AI technology making such schemes more convincing,
cnbctv18.com
· 2025-12-08
A sophisticated scam targeting air travelers in India compromised approximately 450 passengers between July and August 2024, causing collective losses exceeding ₹9 lakh (₹900,000). The scheme involved a fake "Lounge Pass" app distributed via WhatsApp that requested facial scans and personal details, then used granted SMS permissions to intercept OTPs and conduct unauthorized credit card transactions, with funds redirected to third-party accounts. Cybersecurity experts recommend travelers download apps only from official stores, avoid unverified QR codes, and limit SMS access permissions to mitigate risks from this social engineering tactic exploiting the popularity of airport lounge services.
indianexpress.com
· 2025-12-08
Indians lost Rs 120.30 crore (approximately $14.5 million USD) to "digital arrest" scams in the first quarter of 2024, according to government cybercrime data. In these scams, fraudsters—primarily operating from Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia—pose as law enforcement officers via video calls and demand money from victims by falsely claiming they are involved in crimes or have received illegal parcels. The scam represents one of four major cyber fraud types affecting Indians, with digital arrest complaints comprising part of 7.4 lakh total cybercrime complaints filed between January and April 2024.
deccanherald.com
· 2025-12-08
Three professionals in Bengaluru—businessmen Ramit Goel (50) and Raman Kumar (51), and engineer Ramila S (45)—were defrauded in online trading scams, losing a combined Rs 9.54 crore. Goel lost Rs 6.56 crore, Kumar lost Rs 1.38 crore, and Ramila lost Rs 1.60 crore in what appears to be fraudulent investment schemes. The cases highlight the vulnerability of educated, middle-aged professionals to online trading fraud.
thebridgechronicle.com
· 2025-12-08
Two women in Pune lost a combined ₹46 lakh in separate cyber scams: one transferred ₹26.25 lakh to fraudsters promising stock market returns who then disappeared, while the other paid ₹20 lakh after being threatened with false police action involving a supposed suspicious package at the airport. Both cases have been reported to local police stations and investigations are underway.
newsbytesapp.com
· 2025-12-08
A 62-year-old woman from Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala lost ₹87 lakh in an online trading scam between September and October after fraudsters impressed her with market knowledge, showed fake profits on a fraudulent website, and repeatedly coerced her to invest more money. The scammers transferred funds across four different bank accounts and fully withdrew the money before the victim filed a complaint, prompting a cyber police investigation under charges of criminal breach of trust, cheating by personation, and IT Act violations.
kashmirobserver.net
· 2025-12-08
India's CERT-In cyber-security agency issued a public advisory detailing over a dozen online scams targeting citizens, with particular focus on the "digital arrest" scam where fraudsters impersonate government officials via WhatsApp or Skype, threatening victims with arrest to coerce them into transferring money under false pretenses of investigations or security deposits. Prime Minister Narendra Modi simultaneously warned the public about these scams in his radio address, recommending citizens verify agency identity directly, avoid panic-driven money transfers, and report incidents to the national cyber-security helpline (1930) or www.cybercrime.gov.in. The advisory also highlighted other prevalent scams including phishing,
businessday.ng
· 2025-12-08
Internet scams are a global concern causing significant financial losses and erosion of trust in digital transactions. India recorded $7.93 million USD in cybercrime losses across 4,850 cases in 2023, while Brazil experienced 1.8 million banking trojan infections the same year; Pakistan reported 32,072 suspicious transactions, and South Africa ranks 7th globally for cyber criminality, with identity theft and phishing attacks being prevalent across all regions. Governments are implementing awareness campaigns and stronger cybersecurity measures, but rapid digital infrastructure growth continues to outpace law enforcement efforts to combat evolving scam tactics.
viewfromthewing.com
· 2025-12-08
A passenger at Bangalore airport lost over $1,000 when lounge staff directed her to download a malicious "Lounge Pass" app and complete a facial scan, claiming these were required for entry. Scammers used the app to gain access to her phone, redirect calls, intercept one-time passwords, and fraudulently charge her credit card and transfer funds to a PhonePe account. The victim contacted her bank to report the fraud, and security experts recommend downloading apps only through official app stores, never sharing two-factor authentication codes, and being cautious of requests for biometric data at airport lounges.
presidentialprayerteam.org
· 2025-12-08
The FTC reported that older adults lost over $1.9 billion to fraud in 2023, though actual losses may exceed $61.5 billion, with seniors over 80 particularly vulnerable to tech support, lottery, family impersonation, and investment scams. The FTC's Scams Against Older Adults Advisory Group, established under the 2022 Stop Senior Scams Act, is working through enforcement, rulemaking, and outreach to disrupt these scams and improve consumer education. Bank transfers and cryptocurrency were identified as the most common payment methods used by fraudsters targeting seniors.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Jennifer LaBonte, 45, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for embezzling approximately $191,000 from automobile dealerships in Burlington, Vermont between 2013 and January 2024. As office manager with check-signing authority, LaBonte stole customer cash receipts and issued checks to herself for personal expenses while falsifying accounting records to conceal the theft. LaBonte has repaid the dealerships in full and faces sentencing on March 4, 2025, with potential penalties of up to 20 years imprisonment and fines up to $250,000.
ftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission obtained a court order to shut down a business opportunity scam operating under multiple names (Lunar Capital Ventures, Ecom Genie, Profitable Automation, and formerly Valiant Consultants) that defrauded consumers of more than $12 million since 2019 with false promises of $100,000+ monthly earnings through Amazon and Walmart e-commerce stores. Consumers paid $30,000-$35,000 to start online businesses that rarely generated promised returns, with operator Steven Mayer repeatedly rebranding the scheme under new company names to evade accountability for previous rounds of complaints and lawsuits. The FTC's
legalreader.com
· 2025-12-08
Two correctional officers at an Indiana prison, Martins Tochukwu Chidiobi and Lawrence Onyesonwu, were sentenced to three years in federal prison for stealing the identities of at least five inmates and using them to open fraudulent bank accounts between 2015 and 2019. The defendants deposited at least $331,282 in fraud proceeds—largely from romance scams and other schemes—into these accounts, then withdrew most of the money as cash or transferred it to Nigerian bank accounts. Both men pleaded guilty to aggravated identity theft and making false statements to financial institutions.
theconversation.com
· 2025-12-08
Fraud is now the leading crime against Canadian seniors, with scammers increasingly exploiting technological tools to create more sophisticated schemes including grandparent fraud (2,494 victims, $9.4 million in losses), romance scams ($59 million in 2022), and phishing attacks ($58 million in 2022). Seniors are particularly vulnerable due to social isolation, limited digital literacy (only 26% feel confident with technology), accessible savings, and the emotional manipulation that can override caution despite public awareness campaigns.
bizzbuzz.news
· 2025-12-08
India's Union Home Ministry revealed that approximately 46% of digital arrest scams, trading fraud, romance scams, and investment fraud cases originate from Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia, with victims losing a total of Rs 1,776 crore. The scams include trading scams (Rs 1,420 crores), investment frauds (Rs 222.58 crores), digital arrests (Rs 120.3 crores), and romance scams (Rs 13.23 crores), with complaint numbers rising from 4.52 lakh in 2021 to 7.4 lakh complaints in the first four months of 2024.
analyticsinsight.net
· 2025-12-08
Social media scams resulted in over $1.2 billion in losses last year, with common schemes including phishing (fake profiles impersonating organizations), romance scams (which cost nearly $1 billion in 2021), fake investment opportunities (over $330 million lost in 2022), fraudulent giveaways (40% of respondents affected in 2021), and impersonation scams targeting friends and family. Users can protect themselves by verifying account authenticity, avoiding suspicious links, staying informed about current scams, and reporting fraudulent activity to platforms.
indianexpress.com
· 2025-12-08
Indian victims lost Rs 1,420.48 crore in trading scams during the first quarter of 2024, where fraudsters used fake social media ads featuring well-known stock market experts to lure victims into unregistered trading apps and fake investment schemes. Victims deposited money believing they were buying shares, but were shown fake profits and trapped in endless deposit cycles by criminals demanding additional "taxes" before allowing withdrawals. Trading scams are one of four major online fraud schemes targeting Indians, alongside digital arrest, investment, and romance/dating scams.