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in Tech Support Scam
newsweek.com
· 2025-12-08
A French woman named Anne lost $850,000 to a romance scammer who used AI-generated deepfake images of Brad Pitt to pose as the actor on Facebook Messenger beginning in 2023. The scammer initially pretended to be Pitt's mother, then Pitt himself, and manipulated Anne with promises of love and marriage while requesting money for fabricated financial troubles and cancer treatment, ultimately leading her to divorce her millionaire husband. Experts warn that AI-enabled romance scams are increasingly common and effective because they target emotional vulnerabilities rather than logical reasoning, with victims often overlooking red flags in their desire for companionship and connection.
mainstreetdailynews.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, the IRS reported $5.5 billion in losses to tax fraud schemes, with criminals exploiting online tax filing through various scams including tax avoidance promises, refund fraud, IRS impersonation threats, filing support fraud, social media schemes, and recovery scams targeting previous victims. The IRS advises taxpayers to file early, create verified accounts with Identity Protection PINs, wait for official mail before responding to any IRS communications, and practice strong cybersecurity measures to protect sensitive information from increasingly sophisticated AI-enhanced scams.
manchesterjournal.com
· 2025-12-08
Vermont's Attorney General reported 3,533 scam reports in 2024, with "Computer Tech Support" scams leading at nearly 30% of reports—a position it has held for four consecutive years—followed by identity theft and law enforcement imposter scams. Email extortion scams made a concerning return after a four-year absence, now featuring screen-captured images of victims' homes to increase pressure for compliance. The state is strengthening consumer protection by merging its scam alert system with Vermont's existing emergency alert infrastructure, which will reach approximately 72,000 users and offer real-time notifications to help residents identify and avoid fraud.
salon.com
· 2025-12-08
This article is a political opinion piece criticizing Donald Trump's inauguration and the MAGA movement, not an article about elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It contains political commentary about Trump's appearance, demeanor, and leadership style, but no information relevant to elder fraud research.
govtech.com
· 2025-12-08
State Rep. Chris Pielli and the Housing Authority of Chester County hosted an educational "Scam Jam" program featuring experts from law enforcement and banking agencies to inform residents about common fraud schemes targeting seniors. The program highlighted various scams including grandparent scams using emotional manipulation and AI voice mimicry, elder financial abuse by caregivers, romance scams, and phishing schemes like fake EZ Pass notifications, emphasizing that scammers exploit social media information and that even intelligent people can be deceived.
edmondlifeandleisure.com
· 2025-12-08
**Title:** Get Ready for Scams in the Digital Age
Adults aged 60 and older reported over 100,000 complaints to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center in 2023, resulting in losses exceeding $3.4 billion—an 11% increase from 2022. Common scams targeting seniors include phishing, Medicare and health insurance fraud, and tech support scams. Protection strategies include staying skeptical of unexpected communications, avoiding sharing personal information online, monitoring finances for unauthorized activity, and reporting suspected fraud immediately to relevant authorities including the FTC, Medicare, or financial institutions.
tcpalm.com
· 2025-12-08
Two individuals were arrested as "couriers" in gold bar scams that defrauded at least three Indian River Shores residents of nearly $2 million in early 2024. The scams involved fake government officials calling victims and instructing them to purchase gold bars, which couriers then collected in person; one 77-year-old woman lost $156,000 across two separate meetings, handing over gold bars worth approximately $72,904 and $83,000. Rakeshbhai Harshadbhai Patel, 35, was arrested in January 2025, and Syed Makki, 36, was arrested in Colorado and awaits ext
newsbug.info
· 2025-12-08
Oak Grove Christian Retirement Village hosted an educational presentation by DeMotte police on January 8 covering elder financial abuse, which costs seniors over $3 billion annually with more than 13% of American elders victimized yearly. The presentation outlined eleven common scam types targeting seniors (including grandparent scams, charity fraud, identity theft, and tech support scams), noting that victims aged 80-89, particularly women living alone, face the highest risk and that underreporting remains severe due to embarrassment and fear of losing independence. Key protective measures include monthly financial monitoring, verifying requests by calling contacts directly, reporting fraud to the FTC, and consulting trusted advisors before financial decisions.
sooleader.com
· 2025-12-08
The Michigan State Police Alpena Post issued a warning about rising online and phone scams, noting that the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center received 880,418 complaints with losses exceeding $12.5 billion in 2023. Common scams reported locally include computer antivirus pop-up scams requesting financial information or remote access, and threatening extortion emails demanding payment via bitcoin or gift cards. The MSP advised citizens never to make payments through cash apps or gift cards to unknown sources, never share banking information over the phone, and never click links in suspicious emails.
gilavalleycentral.net
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, the IRS reported $5.5 billion in losses to tax fraud schemes, with criminals employing increasingly sophisticated tactics including tax avoidance scams, refund fraud, impersonation of IRS officials, fake filing support, social media schemes, and recovery scams targeting previous victims. The IRS advises taxpayers to file early, establish verified IRS accounts with Identity Protection PINs, wait for official mail-based communication, use strong cyber hygiene practices, and report any suspected fraud to protect against these evolving threats.
mainlinemedianews.com
· 2025-12-08
State Rep. Chris Pielli and the Housing Authority of Chester County hosted a "Scam Jam" educational program featuring experts from state and local law enforcement to help residents identify and avoid fraud targeting vulnerable populations, particularly seniors. The program covered multiple scam types including grandparent scams using emotional triggers, caregiver fraud involving isolated victims, romance scams, and impersonation schemes that exploit technology and social media information.
m.economictimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A 53-year-old French woman lost €830,000 ($850,000) to Nigerian scammers who impersonated actor Brad Pitt through AI-generated photos and fake romantic contact on Instagram, claiming he needed money for medical treatment. The case highlights how Nigerian fraudsters are evolving romance scams by incorporating deepfake and AI technologies, with authorities investigating three men in their 20s based in Nigeria. This represents a dangerous escalation of traditional "Yahoo Boys" internet fraud schemes that have plagued West Africa for years.
citybeat.com
· 2025-12-08
Pamela Moore, a 66-year-old grandmother with no prior criminal record, was sentenced to 24 months in prison in August 2024 for money laundering related to online romance scams. Between 2020 and 2023, Moore's bank accounts received over $8 million in criminally derived funds from romance scammers nationwide, and she personally converted approximately $1.7 million to Bitcoin at the scammers' direction. Moore herself had initially lost six figures to the same scammers after becoming emotionally vulnerable following her husband's death in 2015, eventually being manipulated into laundering their illicit proceeds through a fraudulent shell company.
theconversation.com
· 2025-12-08
A French woman in her 50s named Anne lost €830,000 ($1.2 million) to romance scammers who impersonated Brad Pitt using AI-generated fake photos, resulting in three suicide attempts and public harassment after her story aired on French television. Romance fraud is an emotional manipulation scam where fraudsters build trust through fake online relationships before soliciting money, often targeting highly educated individuals and affecting both men and women equally. Research shows victims are not lacking in judgment but rather psychologically vulnerable people seeking emotional connection, making them susceptible to the predictable scam pattern of initial contact, platform switching, excuses to avoid meetings, trust-building through "love bombing," and escalating
nypost.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI warns that phishing emails using urgent language like "act fast" are increasingly common red flags for scams, particularly those impersonating disaster relief charities or celebrities to solicit donations—with over 4,500 complaints reporting $96 million in losses to fraudulent charities and relief campaigns in 2024. The agency advises recipients to avoid clicking links or opening attachments from unknown senders, verify URLs and email addresses for errors, and never provide usernames or passwords to unsolicited messages. AI-powered scams are making fraud more sophisticated and believable, including romance schemes and impersonation scams that have cost victims thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
etedge-insights.com
· 2025-12-08
A 60-year-old technology professional in Bengaluru lost ₹2.8 crore to a sophisticated "free gift" scam in which a fraudster posed as a bank representative and delivered a smartphone preloaded with malicious software and a cloning app. After the victim inserted his SIM card, scammers gained remote access to his device, altered his bank account's registered mobile number, and siphoned funds from his fixed deposits. The article advises protecting against such scams by verifying unsolicited offers through official channels, inspecting unexpected devices before use, enabling two-factor authentication, and remaining skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true.
newsbug.info
· 2025-12-08
Oak Grove Christian Retirement Village hosted an educational program featuring DeMotte police officials who presented information on elder financial abuse, which affects over 13% of American seniors annually and costs victims more than $3 billion yearly. The presentation covered eleven common scam types targeting seniors—including grandparent scams, charity fraud, phishing, and tax scams—while noting that victims aged 80-89, particularly women and those living alone, are most vulnerable, and that only 1 in 44 incidents are reported due to embarrassment and fear of losing independence. Attendees learned protective strategies such as verifying requests before sending money, monitoring financial statements, and reporting scams to the FTC or calling
athensreview.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2025, scammers continue exploiting individuals through evolving phone, online, social media, and AI-powered schemes including voice recording manipulation, fake missing child posts, brushing scams, false invoices targeting businesses, and deepfake technology. Protection strategies include avoiding unfamiliar calls, verifying information through trusted sources, monitoring accounts for identity theft, enabling multi-factor authentication, and promptly reporting suspicious activity to the FTC, Better Business Bureau, or relevant authorities.
normantranscript.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, over 100,000 adults aged 60 and older reported fraud and scams to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, resulting in losses exceeding $3.4 billion—an 11% increase from 2022. Common scams targeting seniors include phishing emails and texts, Medicare and health insurance fraud (which resulted in $3.3 billion in recovered false claims in 2022), and tech support scams impersonating legitimate support representatives. The article provides protective measures including staying alert and skeptical of unsolicited communications, avoiding sharing personal information online, monitoring finances for suspicious activity, and reporting suspected fraud immediately to appropriate authorities.
lamilano.it
· 2025-12-08
The Municipality of Bari approved the "Prevention of Fraud against the Elderly 2025" project, funded by the Ministry of the Interior with €60,532, to protect the over-65 population (approximately 75,000 residents) from scams via phone, in-person, and online. The initiative includes the "I won't fall for it" awareness campaign, a network of "Security Sentinels" for listening and support, and information distribution through community centers, banks, and other local organizations.
newsbreak.com
· 2025-12-08
Rachel Chen, 26, of North Andover, pleaded guilty to tech support scams targeting elderly victims and was sentenced to 2-6 years in prison on one conspiracy count and 7½-15 years on another. Chen and her coconspirators defrauded at least three elderly victims of approximately $62,000 total by posing as Windows security representatives, claiming computer viruses and compromised accounts, then directing victims to withdraw cash and deposit it into dummy bank accounts. She was ordered to pay $40,000 in restitution and banned from working with elderly or disabled individuals.
24-7pressrelease.com
· 2025-12-08
AI-powered scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated in 2025, with fraudsters using artificial intelligence to create convincing phishing emails, deepfake videos, and fake dating profiles that manipulate victims into sharing financial or personal information. The scams span investment fraud, identity theft, and romance schemes, affecting millions worldwide. Protection requires strong cyber hygiene practices including multi-factor authentication, security software, profile verification through reverse image searches, and reporting suspected fraud to authorities like the Federal Trade Commission.
studyfinds.org
· 2025-12-08
A French woman in her 50s lost €830,000 ($1.2 million) to scammers posing as actor Brad Pitt using AI-generated fake photos, resulting in her financial ruin and three suicide attempts. The article details how romance fraud operates through a predictable pattern—fake profiles on dating sites, building trust through "love bombing," and escalating money requests—and notes that victims are often highly educated people seeking emotional connection rather than lacking judgment. Research indicates romance fraud affects both men and women globally, with Canadian authorities reporting 420 cases in 2022 resulting in $59 million in losses.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
Imposter scams using AI and deepfake technology are among the most prevalent forms of fraud in 2024, with Floridians reporting approximately 35,000 complaints to the FTC between January and September. Scammers impersonate government officials, celebrities, and tech support representatives to steal money and personal information through spoofed calls, texts, emails, and convincing video calls. The article provides red flags to recognize these scams—such as demands for cryptocurrency payments, unsolicited security alerts, and threats of arrest—and advises victims to report incidents to law enforcement or the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline.
arynews.tv
· 2025-12-08
A 60-year-old IT expert in Bengaluru lost Rs90 million (approximately Rs28 million according to conversion noted in the article) after falling victim to a free mobile phone scam where he purchased a SIM card to receive a "free" phone that was pre-loaded with malware and spyware. The scammer used the infected device to steal the victim's banking credentials, OTPs, and passwords, then drained his accounts—a fraud he only discovered when his bank called to alert him.
timesnownews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 44-year-old woman in Hyderabad lost Rs 77 lakh of her family's life savings to a multi-stage crypto investment scam that began with a fake part-time job offer on Telegram in December 2024. The scammers built her trust through small initial payments, then lured her into a fraudulent "VIP programme" where a fake platform showed profit on her crypto investments while blocking her withdrawal attempts and continuously demanding larger deposits. The woman became suspicious only after repeated denials of access to profits and requests for additional fees and taxes, at which point she contacted police who are now investigating the case.
nwmissourinews.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers impersonating Evergy electric utility have targeted Nodaway County residents since January, calling from cloned numbers and threatening immediate service disconnection unless customers purchase prepaid cards from Walmart to pay bills. Evergy warns that legitimate utility companies never demand immediate payment through gift cards, prepaid cards, or other untraceable methods, and advises customers to verify calls by contacting the company directly and avoiding suspicious links and emails. The scams particularly target vulnerable populations including elderly customers, and victims should report fraud to their bank and the utility company immediately.
kcentv.com
· 2025-12-08
The Temple Police Department is hosting a free Senior Scam Awareness Session on February 5 to educate community members about common scams targeting seniors, including Microsoft scams, IRS tax scams, Social Security/Medicare scams, and phishing schemes that typically request payment via prepaid cards, Bitcoin, or wire transfers. The session provides practical advice such as never sharing financial information with unverified callers, verifying contacts directly with banks, and checking official government websites for scam alerts. The event is open to all community members and aims to increase awareness of prevalent online and phone fraud tactics in Central Texas.
nbc-2.com
· 2025-12-08
A 32-year-old home health aide in Collier County, Florida was arrested for stealing bank and credit card information from an 82-year-old surgery patient she was hired to care for through a senior-caregiver app, then used the compromised accounts to make unauthorized purchases including Amazon orders and car insurance payments. The victim discovered the fraud when her bank statements stopped arriving and she found her accounts had been compromised. Experts note that such in-home caregiver scams are increasingly common, particularly targeting isolated seniors who may lack technological literacy, and recommend education and vigilance to recognize fraudulent tactics.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Fei Liang and Ziguang Li were sentenced to seven years and three months in prison for laundering over $6 million in proceeds from a nationwide "tech support" elder fraud scheme. The conspirators opened fictitious business bank accounts used to receive victim wire transfers after scammers falsely convinced elderly targets that they had criminal or technical account issues requiring immediate payment. Law enforcement recovered evidence from Li's residence including lists of fictitious businesses, victims' personal information, and bank account details for at least 25 entities involved in the money laundering operation.
theregister.com
· 2025-12-08
A six-nation law enforcement coalition (including China, Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, and Vietnam) claims progress in dismantling cyber-scam labor camps across Southeast Asia, reporting 70,000 arrests and over 160 people freed in 2024. These camps operate as forced labor schemes where victims are lured with fake job offers in tech support or call centers, have their passports confiscated, and are forced to run scams (particularly romance and tech support schemes) to pay off mounting debts; an estimated 100,000 Chinese citizens have been victimized, with workers from Brazil and other countries also rescued from facilities in Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos,
e.vnexpress.net
· 2025-12-08
A Lafayette, Louisiana woman lost over $60,000 in a romance scam involving deepfake technology on Threads, where a scammer impersonated Elon Musk using AI-generated voice and video in fake video chats. The victim was manipulated into purchasing gift cards at multiple locations and eventually sending thousands of dollars after being promised a Tesla and falsely told a FedEx truck had crashed. Authorities could not recover the funds since they were voluntarily sent, and experts urge people to verify suspicious online relationships and watch for warning signs in loved ones.
techradar.com
· 2025-12-08
Sextortion scams are evolving to use personalized intimidation tactics, including victims' home addresses, phone numbers, and images of their neighborhoods in emails to create a false sense of immediate threat. Scammers now exploit invoicing platforms to bypass email security filters, claim devices are infected with malware like Pegasus, and demand cryptocurrency payments while threatening public humiliation or physical visits. Organizations and individuals can reduce vulnerability through robust email filtering and user education about these sophisticated social engineering tactics.
wsaw.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection outlines key strategies to prevent scams targeting older adults. While people in their 20s report scams most frequently, older adults experience the largest financial losses due to factors including unfamiliarity with technology and age-related cognitive conditions. The article recommends protecting yourself by securing social media privacy, avoiding engagement with scammers, verifying website legitimacy, and reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement or DATCP, while emphasizing the importance of supporting scam victims without blame.
indianexpress.com
· 2025-12-08
A 73-year-old retired Kerala High Court judge lost over Rs 90 lakh after joining a fraudulent WhatsApp group impersonating Aditya Birla Money, where scammers promised 850% returns on investments and disappeared with his funds. According to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, Indians lost over Rs 120 crore to investment scams in Q1 2024 alone, with over 81,000 fake investment groups operating on WhatsApp. Investment scams typically involve fraudsters building trust through fake credentials, professional-looking platforms, and fabricated success stories, gradually escalating victim investments before vanishing with the funds.
fox13seattle.com
· 2025-12-08
A 74-year-old Washington woman lost $624,711 in life savings to a scammer who impersonated a federal agent after a fraudulent pop-up alert on her computer convinced her account had been hacked. The victim liquidated her stocks and IRA contributions, initially intended to be wired via Bitcoin, but when that failed, she purchased gold bars and handed them to 42-year-old Zhichao Huang in a Lynnwood parking lot. Huang was extradited from Los Angeles and police believe this scam is part of a larger operation targeting seniors using similar tactics.
walkermn.com
· 2025-12-08
Scams targeting Americans 60 and older resulted in over $3.4 billion in losses in 2023, with imposter fraud rising significantly. The article provides seven protective strategies for older adults, including: ignoring unsolicited offers, avoiding suspicious links, being wary of pressure tactics, verifying remote access requests, withholding sensitive information, refusing to send money to unknown individuals, and designating a trusted contact at financial institutions.
dakotanewsnow.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers in the Sioux Falls region are impersonating law enforcement and the IRS to defraud residents through phone calls and text messages. In one recent case, a 64-year-old woman lost $2,000 after a caller falsely claimed she had outstanding warrants and threatened immediate jail if she visited the sheriff's office in person. Experts advise that these scams exploit fear and authority, use pressure tactics to cloud judgment, and often involve requests to pay money upfront—a red flag since legitimate government agencies never contact people unsolicited via phone, text, or social media to demand payment.
mashable.com
· 2025-12-08
An E-ZPass scam text claims recipients have unpaid tolls and threatens fines or license suspension, directing them to click a malicious link. The scam texts typically originate from Philippine phone numbers (+63 country code) and use urgent language and suspicious URLs to deceive victims. The Federal Trade Commission advises recipients not to click links, contact their tolling agency directly to verify, and report/delete the messages, as clicking could expose personal information and enable identity theft.
express.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Lloyds Bank is warning customers never to share one-time passcodes, passwords, or activation codes, as fraudsters are impersonating bank staff over the phone to steal account access and funds. Criminals use stolen personal details to appear legitimate and employ tactics like claiming they need codes to cancel fraudulent payments or secure accounts, though legitimate banks never request such information unsolicited. The warning comes as unauthorized fraud losses reached £358 million in the first half of 2024, with cases rising 19% year-on-year to over 1.5 million incidents.
voanews.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers created a fake Russian-language transcript of a Tucker Carlson interview with Pavel Durov to promote a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme (ProTON-Invest) promising $13,000 monthly earnings, using a copied Voice of America article page to appear legitimate. The scheme purchased Facebook advertising through hacked accounts spanning the Philippines, Mexico, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, demonstrating how fraudsters exploit well-known media outlets and public figures to deceive potential investors. Neither Durov nor Carlson was involved in the scam, and Meta stated it takes action against fraud on its platforms.
news.trendmicro.com
· 2025-12-08
The IRS is sending legitimate $1,400 Economic Impact Payments to eligible individuals by late January 2025, but scammers are impersonating the IRS via text messages to trick recipients into clicking malicious links and revealing personal information like Social Security numbers and addresses. The IRS never initiates contact via text, email, or social media to request personal information, so recipients should ignore these scam texts and verify eligibility directly through irs.gov to protect themselves from identity theft and fraudulent tax returns filed in their names.
e.vnexpress.net
· 2025-12-08
On Wednesday, police in Dak Lak province, Vietnam arrested four individuals (H'Nguyen, Nguyen Thanh Nhan, Nguyen Tran Trung Hieu, and Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc) for operating a large-scale fraud network that accessed personal information of 50,000 people and made over 100,000 scam calls daily, stealing an estimated trillions of Vietnamese dong (with the Dak Lak group receiving over VND200 billion). The scammers used multiple tactics including posing as TikTok representatives offering "appreciation gifts," promoting work-
trinidadexpress.com
· 2025-12-08
A 72-year-old grandmother from Sangre Grande was reported missing after traveling to Brazil to meet a man posing as the Crown Prince of Dubai via Facebook and WhatsApp in a romance scam; the same week, a French interior decorator lost €830,000 to someone impersonating Brad Pitt. Romance scams exploit victims' emotional needs for connection and intimacy through careful trust-building, with scammers using fabricated stories to request money; in Trinidad and Tobago alone, over 100 people lost more than $2.3 million to suspected romance scams between 2020 and 2021.
hoodline.com
· 2025-12-08
An Ashford senior lost thousands of dollars to fraudsters posing as FDIC representatives who convinced her that her bank account had been hacked and persuaded her to withdraw $25,000 for transfer to a "secure account." Law enforcement conducted a sting operation that intercepted the cash and arrested the courier, while investigators determined the scam was connected to a larger criminal network. The Pierce County Sheriff's Department is urging seniors to be wary of unsolicited financial calls, trust their instincts, and communicate with family members about such scams.
ksl.com
· 2025-12-08
Senior citizens in Utah are increasingly targeted by sophisticated scams including romance fraud and AI-generated impersonation calls, with 19% of those over 60 reporting fraud to police (though actual rates are likely higher due to underreporting driven by shame). Authorities recommend creating shame-free environments for reporting, establishing family verification code words, and recognizing warning signs such as rushed requests for money, demands for cryptocurrency or credit card numbers, and quick declarations of love without effort to meet in person.
tomsguide.com
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission issued a warning about evolved "brushing" scams, where fraudsters send unsolicited packages to victims using stolen personal information, but now include malicious QR codes on cards or notes that direct recipients to phishing websites designed to steal credentials, financial information, and device data through malware infection. While victims can legally keep the unwanted packages, the FTC advises protecting oneself by avoiding unknown QR codes, using strong unique passwords with multi-factor authentication, monitoring credit reports, and installing antivirus software. This scam indicates personal information compromise and increased exposure to identity theft.
wsoctv.com
· 2025-12-08
Over $1.03 trillion was lost to scams globally in 2024, with scammers increasingly using artificial intelligence, imposter tactics, and evolving technology to deceive victims. Key emerging threats include AI-powered phishing, deepfake videos, and voice cloning, alongside traditional imposter scams (including grandparent and romance scams) where median losses reached $800-$14,740 depending on the scam type. Scammers are shifting from phone calls to email and text messages as their primary contact method, making it essential for people to remain skeptical of unsolicited communications.
boston25news.com
· 2025-12-08
Scams and fraud losses reached over $1.03 trillion globally in 2024, with scammers increasingly leveraging new technology to evolve their tactics. Key emerging threats for 2025 include AI-powered scams (using deepfakes, AI-generated images, and synthetic voices to enhance phishing and imposter schemes), traditional imposter scams (including grandparent and romance scams, with median losses of $800 in 2023 and $14,740 for government imposter scams), and a shift toward email and text-based contact methods rather than phone calls. Learning about these developments helps potential victims stay ahead of scammers who aim to steal personal information
tomsguide.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams trick victims into believing they're in a genuine romantic relationship with a scammer who then manipulates them into sending money and personal information through emotionally exploitative tactics. According to FTC data, nearly 70,000 people reported romance scams in 2022, resulting in $1.3 billion in losses, with people aged 55-64 and those recently experiencing relationship loss being particularly vulnerable targets. The article advises protecting yourself by recognizing warning signs, verifying identities, being cautious about requests for money, and using security measures like VPNs to safeguard personal data.