Search
Explore the Archive
Search across 26,669 articles about elder fraud. Filter by fraud type, payment mechanism, or keywords.
8,010 results
in Financial Crime
wypr.org
· 2026-04-21
Elder financial fraud in Maryland has surged dramatically, with one in 20 older adults reporting financial abuse in 2024 and losing a combined $47 million—nearly five times more than in 2020, according to state officials. Scammers are using increasingly sophisticated tactics, including impersonating police officers and grandchildren, and leveraging artificial intelligence to sound convincing; one Montgomery County resident lost $10,000 after a fake police officer convinced her to transfer cash to a cryptocurrency kiosk. State leaders recommend verifying caller identities by hanging up and calling official numbers directly, and emphasize that there is no shame in being targeted, as older adults are often deliberately chosen by scammers.
myupnow.com
· 2026-04-21
Marquette County TRIAD, a partnership between local law enforcement and senior volunteer programs, is working to help seniors protect themselves from increasingly common fraud schemes such as rental scams, fake grandchild emergencies, and fake arrest warrant threats. While seniors are often targeted, officials emphasize that scams affect people of all ages and financial backgrounds, and recommend that victims and their families educate themselves and others to recognize warning signs. Seniors seeking help can contact the RSVP Director at 906-315-2607 for more information and safety resources.
yahoo.com
· 2026-04-21
A "pig butchering" cryptocurrency investment scam defrauded an Austin resident of $1.4 million between October 2025 and March 2026, with a Taiwan-based courier arrested for his role in the international fraud ring. The scam operated by building trust with victims through messaging apps, impersonating investment advisors, and convincing them to invest in a fake trading platform that promised daily returns of 3-5%, collecting money through cash handoffs, wire transfers, and gold purchases. To protect yourself, be wary of unsolicited investment offers from strangers online, never send money to unknown trading platforms, and verify any investment opportunity through official channels before committing funds.
knue.com
· 2026-04-21
A man was arrested in Austin, Texas after being accused of orchestrating a $1.4 million "pig butchering" investment scam, where he posed as an investment advisor on a messaging app to convince a victim to invest in a fake trading platform that promised 3-5% daily returns. The victim lost over $1.4 million between October 2025 and March 2026 before realizing the scam when he was unable to withdraw funds and was asked to pay additional fees. To protect yourself: be cautious of unsolicited investment offers from strangers on messaging apps, verify the legitimacy of any trading platform through official channels before investing, and report suspected fraud to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
americanbanker.com
· 2026-04-21
Iran's plan to collect cryptocurrency tolls from ships transiting the Strait of Hormuz uses the same financial infrastructure—including Tether stablecoin and U.S. correspondent banks—that criminals exploit to launder proceeds from major cryptocurrency scams affecting Americans. Americans lost $7.2 billion to crypto fraud in 2025, with older adults (aged 50+) accounting for over $4 billion of those losses through schemes like "pig butchering," where scammers build false trust before stealing funds. Banks and regulators face compliance challenges in distinguishing between legitimate cryptocurrency transactions and illicit flows used by both foreign governments and criminal networks operating through the same digital channels.
whsv.com
· 2026-04-21
Scammers are increasingly using AI technology to clone people's voices and manipulate their images into deepfakes for financial fraud and impersonation, with the technology becoming so accessible that everyday people—not just celebrities—are being targeted on social media platforms like Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Instagram. Victims have reported fraudsters using stolen audio clips to falsely endorse products like health supplements and insurance, sometimes taking months to get fake content removed. To protect yourself, experts recommend being cautious about sharing audio and video content online, verifying suspicious claims directly with the person allegedly making them, and reporting deepfake content to social media platforms immediately.
natlawreview.com
· 2026-04-21
Maryland officials and non-profits launched "PROTECT Week," a statewide campaign to combat financial exploitation of older adults, which has become one of the fastest-growing forms of elder abuse. Seniors are being targeted at alarming rates—reports show one in 20 older adults experience financial abuse, with victims over 60 losing $4.885 billion in 2024 alone, a 43 percent increase from the previous year. To protect yourself, experts advise: if someone tells you to keep money transfers secret or claims authority and urgency, slow down and tell a trusted friend or family member before acting, and take advantage of free community resources like webinars and workshops being offered during PROTECT Week to learn how to spot and prevent fraud.
newsarenaindia.com
· 2026-04-21
Digital arrest scams—where fraudsters impersonate police officers or judges to extort money through threatening video calls—are defrauding well-educated Indians, including a woman known to India's Chief Justice who lost her entire retirement savings. The scams have collectively swindled approximately ₹3,000 crore, and experts are recommending that banks and tech companies implement automatic transaction blocks and alert systems to prevent victims from making irreversible financial transfers when confronted with these threatening calls. To protect yourself, be skeptical of unexpected calls claiming to be from authorities, verify through official channels before sharing personal or financial information, and consider setting up transaction alerts with your bank.
tpr.org
· 2026-04-20
The San Antonio Police Department warns that online scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with criminals using AI-generated content, spoofed phone numbers, and high-pressure tactics to impersonate authorities and trick victims into sending money via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers. San Antonio seniors are particularly targeted, with 330 crimes reported in 2025, and impostor fraud—where scammers pose as police or government officials—being the most common scheme. To protect yourself, authorities recommend hanging up on suspicious calls and verifying claims directly with official agencies, avoiding unfamiliar numbers, being skeptical of urgency or secrecy demands, and consulting trusted contacts before sending money.
capitalfm.co.ke
· 2026-04-20
Romance scams have surged dramatically, with Kirsty's case exemplifying how sophisticated modern fraudsters operate—she lost £80,000 after being deceived by a Nigerian scammer posing as a British businessman on a dating app, who used fake banking websites and voice disguisers to build trust before requesting money. Reports show romance scams rose 20% year-over-year between 2024-2025, with victims in the UK losing £106 million in 2024 alone, while global fraud losses now exceed half a trillion dollars annually. To protect yourself, be cautious of dating app matches who quickly request money, verify identities independently rather than trusting shared photos or banking screenshots, and never send money or expensive items to people you haven't met in person.
globaldatinginsights.com
· 2026-04-20
Tinder and Zoom are partnering with World to offer optional iris-scanning verification through a "World ID" system that creates a "proof of humanity" badge to combat fake profiles, bots, romance scams, and deepfakes. The technology stores a unique verification code on users' devices without requiring personal information like names or addresses, though privacy concerns remain for some users. With deepfake fraud estimated to reach $40 billion in the US by 2027 and high-profile cases like a Hong Kong executive losing $25 million to deepfakes, the verification tools aim to help users confirm they're interacting with real people rather than AI-generated accounts.
forbes.com
· 2026-04-20
Senator Maggie Hassan has pressured four AI voice-cloning companies—ElevenLabs, LOVO, Speechify, and VEED—to explain how they prevent scammers from impersonating people's voices, after the FBI reported $893 million in losses from AI-related scams in 2025. Consumer Reports testing found that four of six voice-cloning products had minimal safeguards against cloning voices without consent, raising serious concerns about identity theft and fraud. To protect yourself, be skeptical of unexpected calls asking for money or sensitive information, verify caller identity through independent contact methods, and report suspected voice-cloning scams to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
tribuneindia.com
· 2026-04-20
Senior citizens across India are losing their life savings to organized cyber criminals who impersonate government authorities like police, CBI, and customs officials in "digital arrest" scams, with over 1,23,000 cases reported in 2024 alone causing losses of Rs 1,935 crore. Scammers typically claim the victim's identity has been misused or an illegal parcel is in their name, then pressure them to transfer money while threatening arrest and demanding secrecy. To protect yourself, never trust unsolicited calls claiming to be from authorities, never transfer money based on phone threats, and immediately contact your bank or police if you receive such calls—no legitimate government agency conducts arrests via video calls.
westorlandonews.com
· 2026-04-20
An organized fraud scheme in Central Florida targeted an 81-year-old woman who lost $24,000 after scammers gained access to her computer and falsely claimed they had deposited $50,000 into her account. A 40-year-old courier named Min Chen was arrested after attempting to pick up an additional $25,000 in what turned out to be simulated currency set up by detectives. Elderly people should be cautious of unsolicited emails and suspicious banking claims, and families are urged to discuss common scam tactics with senior loved ones and report suspicious activity immediately to law enforcement.
tribuneindia.com
· 2026-04-20
Senior citizens across India are losing their life savings to organized cybercriminals who pose as government officials and law enforcement through phone and video calls, claiming arrest warrants or account misuse to extort money. In 2024 alone, over 123,000 digital arrest fraud cases resulted in losses of nearly Rs 1,935 crore, with total digital fraud losses exceeding Rs 54,000 crore since 2021. To protect yourself, never transfer money based on such calls, maintain open communication with family about these threats, and verify any official claims directly with actual authorities through official phone numbers.
nypost.com
· 2026-04-19
Senior citizens are increasingly falling victim to sophisticated scams, including the "phantom hacker/courier scheme" that costs Americans over $500 million annually, exemplified by a 76-year-old New Jersey man who lost hundreds of thousands of dollars after calling a number in a fake Norton antivirus email. These scams take various forms—from Medicare fraud and "grandparent" schemes to romance and IRS impersonation scams—and often go unreported because victims are embarrassed, making the true financial impact likely far greater than estimated. Banks and businesses need to take responsibility for enabling these schemes, and seniors should be cautious about unsolicited emails and calls requesting personal information or urgent wire transfers.
marinij.com
· 2026-04-19
A Marin County man was sentenced to two years in jail for defrauding an elderly Greenbrae resident out of approximately $250,000 through a mortgage fraud scheme in which he falsely posed as a licensed contractor, stole the victim's identity to obtain a fraudulent loan, and laundered the stolen funds through business accounts. The victim, an 80-year-old art school owner, lost over $1 million and expressed frustration that the sentence was insufficient for the harm caused. To protect yourself, be cautious of unsolicited contractor offers, verify that anyone working on your home is properly licensed, monitor your credit and loan accounts for unauthorized activity, and consider placing a fraud alert on your credit file if you're a senior or vulnerable to identity theft.
escudodigital.com
· 2026-04-19
Law enforcement agencies from the U.S., U.K., and Canada jointly dismantled a major cryptocurrency fraud ring called "Operation Atlantic" that defrauded over 20,000 victims across 30+ countries of more than $45 million through approval phishing scams—a technique where victims are tricked into granting wallet access via fake websites. Authorities froze approximately $12 million in stolen crypto and worked with blockchain analysis companies to track the criminals' funds and identify victims. To protect yourself, be cautious of unsolicited requests for wallet permissions, verify that websites are legitimate before entering credentials, and never grant access to your crypto accounts through suspicious links or pop-ups.
bbc.com
· 2026-04-19
Romance scams have surged dramatically, with a woman named Kirsty losing £80,000 after being deceived by someone posing as a wealthy British businessman on a dating website who was actually a Nigerian scammer using sophisticated fake banking websites and voice disguisers. Romance scam reports rose 20% year-over-year in early 2025, with UK victims losing £106 million in 2024 alone, as scammers operate internationally across multiple countries and use money transfer services to hide stolen funds. To protect yourself, be cautious of online dating matches who quickly ask for money, verify financial claims independently, avoid sending money to people you haven't met in person, and report suspicious activity to local police and your bank immediately.
medicaldialogues.in
· 2026-04-19
A 35-year-old man in Delhi has been arrested for running a romance scam that defrauded over 500 women of approximately Rs 2 crore by creating fake profiles on dating apps, matrimonial sites, and social media, often posing as a doctor, lawyer, or businessman. He would build emotional connections with victims and then manipulate them into sending money by fabricating emergencies, financial crises, or marriage promises before disappearing. To protect yourself, be cautious of online profiles that seem too perfect, verify identities through video calls before sharing personal or financial information, and be wary of anyone quickly asking for money or moving conversations to private platforms like WhatsApp.
upi.com
· 2026-04-19
Three California residents were sentenced to 180 days in jail for submitting fake insurance claims showing a person in a bear costume damaging luxury vehicles like Rolls Royces and Mercedes. The scheme was exposed when investigators noticed the "bear's" movements looked suspiciously human and discovered that brown bears haven't existed in California since the 1920s. To protect yourself, be cautious of insurance claims with unusual circumstances, report suspicious video evidence, and remember that insurance fraud inflates costs for all consumers.
latimes.com
· 2026-04-18
California hospice providers have been systematically defrauding Medicare and vulnerable elderly patients by billing for end-of-life care for people who weren't actually terminally ill, a problem that was exposed in 2020 but has persisted despite promised reforms and a licensing moratorium. Despite years of pledges to strengthen oversight and enact new regulations, state officials have failed to implement meaningful protections, allowing the scams to continue and allegedly costing taxpayers over $260 million. Patients and their families should be cautious about hospice recommendations, verify a patient's actual medical condition before enrollment, and report suspicious billing practices to state health authorities or Medicare.
yahoo.com
· 2026-04-18
An Indian student visa holder named Venkateswara Chagamreddy was convicted of wire fraud conspiracy for scamming a 79-year-old Delaware County veteran out of over $64,000 by posing as a federal agent and convincing him to liquidate his bank account and purchase gold. Evidence showed Chagamreddy was working with others to defraud multiple elderly victims within a short timeframe, and he also obtained gold fraudulently from two other older women. To protect yourself, be wary of unsolicited communications asking you to move money or make urgent financial decisions, verify the identity of anyone claiming to be a government official through official channels, and consider discussing large financial requests with trusted family members or your financial advisor before acting.
tampafp.com
· 2026-04-18
A Florida couple, Karen and James Blackburn, were arrested for allegedly stealing nearly $470,000 from a senior citizen over nearly four years by gaining access to his Florida Retirement System account while posing as caregivers. Rather than using the funds for medical care, the couple spent the stolen money on luxury vacations, casino gambling, and fine dining while the victim developed Alzheimer's disease and became increasingly unable to manage his finances. Seniors and their families should monitor retirement accounts closely, verify who has access to financial accounts, and report suspicious activity to authorities immediately.
azfamily.com
· 2026-04-18
Arizona authorities are warning residents about romance scams that have cost victims thousands of dollars, with one recent case involving a Scottsdale woman who lost $55,000 after meeting someone on Facebook who claimed to be living overseas. These scams typically begin with strangers contacting people through social media or dating apps, building an intimate relationship, and then requesting money under false pretenses—with three Arizona residents losing a combined $155,000 recently. To protect yourself, authorities advise stopping any communication if someone you've never met in person asks for money, and reporting suspected scams to the BBB's Scam Tracker at bbb.org/scamtracker.
bbc.com
· 2026-04-18
Tinder and Zoom are introducing iris-scanning technology to verify that users are real people and not AI-generated bots or scammers, addressing growing concerns about fake accounts on these platforms. Users can scan their eyes through the World app or physical scanning devices to receive a "proof of humanity" badge, receiving a unique digital ID stored on their phone. This move comes as AI technology has made it increasingly easy for scammers to create convincing fake profiles and deepfakes, so users should consider verifying their identity if they want added confidence that other users are genuine.
medicaldialogues.in
· 2026-04-18
A 35-year-old cyber fraudster in Delhi was arrested for operating an elaborate romance scam that defrauded over 500 women of nearly Rs 2 crore across India. The accused created fake profiles posing as doctors, businessmen, and lawyers on dating apps, matrimonial sites, and social media, building emotional connections with victims before fabricating emergencies or personal crises to extract money. To protect yourself, be cautious of online relationships that quickly progress to requests for money, verify identities independently, and avoid sharing financial information with people you've only met online.
azag.gov
· 2026-04-18
Attorney General Mayes and 23 other state attorneys general are opposing the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's plan to drastically cut staff and reduce oversight of financial institutions, arguing it would weaken protections for consumers from fraud and predatory lending. The CFPB, which was created after the 2008 financial crisis to protect consumers, has already distributed over $21 billion in relief to affected Americans, but the proposed staffing cuts—including reducing a supervision team from 72 people to just one—would severely limit the agency's ability to monitor and enforce rules against financial companies. Consumers concerned about protecting themselves should stay vigilant about financial dealings and report suspected fraud to state attorneys general or the CFPB directly.
yahoo.com
· 2026-04-17
A 79-year-old Bradenton widower lost $31,000 in a romance scam after meeting a person posing as "Julia" on Facebook in 2023, who claimed to be a woman in the UK needing money to relocate to Florida. Benjamin Yakah, who was using stolen photos from an unsuspecting West Virginia woman, was arrested in Minnesota and convicted of grand theft, receiving one year in jail and four years of probation while being ordered to repay the victim. To protect yourself, be cautious of online relationships that quickly involve requests for money, verify identities through video calls, and alert authorities if you suspect you're being scammed—especially if family members express concerns about your online relationships.
wdrb.com
· 2026-04-17
A scam called "check washing" is hitting southern Indiana and Louisville, where thieves steal checks from the mail, chemically remove the ink to erase payment details while keeping the signature, then cash them for different amounts. Local business owner Jennifer Brummett lost nearly $30,000 when her mailed check was altered this way, forcing her to close her entire bank account. To protect yourself, law enforcement recommends using gel ink pens (harder to wash off), avoiding mailing checks when possible, and monitoring your bank statements closely—thieves can also use stolen account information to print additional fraudulent checks.
yonkerstimes.com
· 2026-04-17
A 75-year-old Larchmont resident nearly lost $25,000 in a targeted phone scam where a fraudster impersonated a Bank of America representative and convinced her that her phone had been hacked. Police arrested two men who arrived to collect the cash in a "money mule" scheme, with both suspects facing felony charges including grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property. Authorities advise that banks never ask customers to withdraw cash and hand it to representatives, and anyone receiving such calls should hang up immediately and contact local police.
jdsupra.com
· 2026-04-17
Americans lost over $20 billion to cybercrime in 2025, according to the FBI's Internet Crime Report, with criminals increasingly using cryptocurrency for money laundering and generative AI tools to create sophisticated scams like deepfakes and voice cloning. Older adults were hit particularly hard, experiencing dramatic increases in romance scams (up 30%), phishing attacks (up over 100%), and government impersonation schemes (nearly doubled). To protect yourself, remain skeptical of unsolicited contacts requesting money or personal information, verify requests through official channels before responding, and be especially wary of AI-generated audio or video that seems suspicious.
aol.com
· 2026-04-17
Emuobosan Emanuella Hall, a 45-year-old Nigerian love scammer, fled before starting her eight-year prison sentence in March 2025 after defrauding mostly elderly women of nearly $1 million. Hall and her accomplice posed as wealthy generals and entrepreneurs on social media, building trust with victims before requesting money through encrypted messaging apps. Federal authorities have issued a warrant for her arrest, with her last confirmed location being Atlanta's airport before she disappeared; residents should be cautious of romance scams on social media and verify the identity of online contacts before sharing personal information or sending money.
qns.com
· 2026-04-17
A Bayside woman named Tiffany Yang was sentenced to 120 days in prison and ordered to pay $2.5 million in restitution for running a "pig butchering" scam that defrauded 13 victims across the United States. Yang befriended victims online, convinced them to invest in fake assets through fraudulent websites, and showed them fake profits to encourage larger deposits before shutting down the sites and stealing the money. To protect yourself, be cautious of unsolicited investment opportunities from online contacts, verify investment platforms directly with official sources, and never wire money to accounts you haven't independently verified.
times.co.sz
· 2026-04-17
Foreign nationals operating in Eswatini defrauded unsuspecting victims of millions of Emalangeni through online scams, including "pig butchering" schemes, while funneling the stolen money into bank accounts in South Africa, Brazil, and other countries outside the kingdom. Police arrested several suspects and recovered about E10.2 million, but investigators believe the masterminds of these organized crime networks remain based offshore, using local operatives as the visible face of their fraud operations. To protect themselves, residents should be cautious of unsolicited investment opportunities, especially those promoted online, and verify investment platforms independently before depositing money.
qns.com
· 2026-04-17
A Corona woman named Catalina Corona pleaded guilty to stealing $9.5 million from an elderly Long Island couple over seven years while working as their personal assistant—she forged their signatures on checks to pay off her own credit card debt and buy luxury items from brands like Louis Vuitton. The victims, an investment banker and his wife, trusted Corona with their finances as part of her job managing bills and travel arrangements, but she exploited that access without their knowledge or consent. To protect yourself from similar scams, be cautious about granting financial access to household staff or caregivers, regularly monitor your bank statements, and consider requiring dual signatures or additional verification for large transactions.
foxbusiness.com
· 2026-04-16
# Summary
Three Los Angeles-area residents were convicted of insurance fraud for staging fake bear attacks on luxury vehicles using a person in a bear costume to collect insurance payouts. The scheme, which targeted at least three high-end vehicles (a Rolls-Royce Ghost, Mercedes G63 AMG, and Mercedes E350) on January 28, 2024, resulted in $141,839 in losses to insurance companies. The perpetrators were sentenced to 180 days in jail and two years of supervised probation, with a fourth suspect awaiting trial.
usatoday.com
· 2026-04-16
Former Alabama defensive lineman Luther Davis allegedly orchestrated an elaborate impersonation scheme where he and partner CJ Evins dressed up as NFL players—including Xavier McKinney, Michael Penix Jr., and David Njoku—using disguises, fake IDs, and fabricated documents to fraudulently obtain at least $19.8 million in loans from lenders. The three impersonated players were unaware of the scheme, which occurred over a 17-month period starting in May 2023. To protect yourself, be cautious of loan requests that seem unusual, verify the identity of loan applicants in person through official channels, and monitor your identity for unauthorized use.
latimes.com
· 2026-04-16
Two cousins pleaded guilty to operating a nationwide rental scam from 2013 to 2019 that defrauded victims of up to $8.5 million through fake Airbnb and Vrbo listings, fake reviews, and double-bookings that disproportionately targeted Black renters for cancellations. The scheme involved creating multiple fake host identities, listing properties with false or nonexistent addresses, and collecting payments before canceling reservations. To protect yourself, verify host legitimacy by checking reviews carefully, confirming property details before paying, and using only official booking platforms with buyer protection policies.
technologyreview.com
· 2026-04-16
Cyberscammers operating from money-laundering centers are using illicit hacking tools sold on Telegram to bypass banks' facial recognition security checks, allowing them to open fraudulent accounts and launder money by replacing live camera feeds with static images or deepfakes. Researchers identified dozens of Telegram channels selling these "bypass kits" and stolen biometric data designed to circumvent Know Your Customer (KYC) safeguards at major banks and crypto platforms worldwide. To protect yourself, use strong authentication beyond facial recognition where available, monitor your accounts for unauthorized activity, and be cautious about sharing identity documents online—report any suspicious account access attempts to your bank immediately.
dailyhodl.com
· 2026-04-16
An international law enforcement operation called "Operation Atlantic" involving agencies from the UK, US, and Canada has frozen over $12 million in cryptocurrency tied to approval phishing scams and identified more than 20,000 victims across these countries. Approval phishing is a fraud tactic where scammers trick victims into signing blockchain transactions that grant them access to steal funds from wallets, often after weeks of grooming through fake investment schemes. To protect yourself, be cautious of unsolicited investment opportunities, verify requests through official channels before signing any blockchain transactions, and never grant wallet access to unknown parties.
aol.com
· 2026-04-16
Florida authorities recovered $5.4 million stolen from romance and investment cryptocurrency scams that primarily targeted seniors across Florida and Massachusetts, with victims receiving refunds totaling $2 million. The scam affected residents in six Florida counties and Massachusetts, with one victim losing over $450,000 before learning their funds were recovered. To protect yourself, be cautious of romantic relationships that quickly pivot to investment opportunities, especially involving cryptocurrency, and report suspected scams to local law enforcement immediately rather than assuming your money is gone.
gazette.com
· 2026-04-16
Millions of elderly Americans lose over $7 billion annually to financial scams including romance, lottery, and sweepstakes schemes, with seniors being targeted because they are often trusting, have savings, and own homes. Criminals use multiple communication channels—online, phone, mail, TV, and radio—to gain trust and exploit victims. To protect yourself, stay cautious of unsolicited contact offering money or romance, verify requests through official channels, and consult resources like the FBI's fraud prevention guidance or local senior protection services.
forbes.com
· 2026-04-15
AI-generated scams are rapidly increasing, with the FBI receiving over 22,000 complaints in 2025 reporting AI fraud losses exceeding $893 million, though experts believe the actual number is much higher since many victims don't report due to shame. Common scams include romance/confidence schemes, banking fraud, sextortion targeting teenagers, and deepfake job interview scams, with vulnerable populations like seniors, isolated individuals, and young adults being particularly targeted. To protect yourself, remain skeptical of unsolicited contact from people you know, verify requests through alternative channels before sharing personal information or funds, and report any suspected AI scams to authorities rather than staying silent out of embarrassment.
securityaffairs.com
· 2026-04-15
Law enforcement agencies from the US, UK, and Canada coordinated in Operation Atlantic to disrupt cryptocurrency theft schemes, identifying over $45 million in stolen digital assets and freezing approximately $12 million for return to victims. The operation targeted "approval phishing" scams, a fraud tactic where criminals trick users into granting unauthorized access to their cryptocurrency wallets through fake prompts and websites, affecting more than 20,000 victims across the three countries. To protect yourself, be cautious of unexpected approval requests for your crypto wallet, verify that websites and apps are legitimate before entering credentials, and never grant access permissions to unfamiliar sources.
wausaupilotandreview.com
· 2026-04-15
Ramona Bartell, 70, is facing trial for elder fraud after a plea deal fell through in a case involving the theft of over $10,000 from an elderly, legally incompetent woman who has since died. Bartell and co-defendant Melissa Stark allegedly used the victim's money for personal purchases including designer handbags, Disney stock, and timeshares while Stark held power of attorney; Stark has already been convicted. The jury trial is scheduled to begin September 14, 2025, after the case has been repeatedly delayed since 2020.
scdailypress.com
· 2026-04-15
A mother and daughter who ran a nonprofit after-school program in Silver City pleaded guilty to Medicaid fraud, agreeing to pay $6 million in restitution and serve over 10 years in prison combined. They submitted false claims to Medicaid for services never provided, illegally used the Social Security and Medicaid numbers of children and adults, and fabricated psychological disorders—affecting 31 victims, mostly children. To protect yourself, monitor your Medicaid statements for unauthorized charges, check your credit reports regularly, and immediately report any suspicious use of your Social Security number to authorities.
lexingtonchronicle.com
· 2026-04-15
The Lexington Police Department formalized an updated partnership with the U.S. Secret Service to better combat electronic and cyberfraud crimes affecting residents. Under the agreement, a detective will receive specialized training and equipment to conduct forensic examinations of phones and computers, enabling the department to process evidence more quickly without sending devices to other agencies. This collaboration aims to prevent and investigate complex cyber-enabled financial crimes that impact the community.
nypost.com
· 2026-04-14
An 82-year-old retired sportswriter lost nearly $270,000 of his life savings in a "pig-butchering" scam after being contacted by someone posing as a young woman named "Daisy Miller" who built a romantic relationship with him before convincing him to invest in gold futures. The scammer used personalized details, glamorous photos, and emotional manipulation to gain his trust over 10 weeks, exploiting Levine's loneliness despite some of his own attempts to verify the person's identity. To protect yourself, be wary of unsolicited romantic advances from strangers online, especially those who quickly pivot to investment opportunities, and verify claims through official channels before sending any money.
cryptopolitan.com
· 2026-04-14
Crypto exchange Kraken discovered that two of its support employees illegally accessed customer data on approximately 2,000 accounts, which criminals then used to extort the company by threatening to release sensitive videos unless paid. Kraken refused to negotiate with the attackers, terminated the employees, and is working with law enforcement and cybersecurity experts to identify the culprits. The incident highlights a growing threat across the crypto industry where criminals target company insiders to gain unauthorized access to customer information.