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Scammers are sending fake text messages falsely claiming recipients owe tolls to the Arizona Department of Transportation, using "smishing" tactics with spoofed websites and foreign phone numbers to deceive people into paying. Arizona has no toll roads, making these messages easily identifiable as fraudulent; authorities recommend deleting the messages without clicking links and reporting them to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes warned consumers about "smishing" scams—fraudulent text messages designed to trick recipients into downloading malware, sharing sensitive information, or clicking links to counterfeit websites that steal personal and financial data. Common smishing tactics include fake unpaid toll notices, job offers, bank alerts, package delivery notices, and tax refund claims. The FTC reported that consumers lost over $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024 (a 25% increase), with Arizona's Consumer Information and Complaints Unit receiving nearly 22,000 complaints and recovering a record $5.2 million for consumers.

Elder fraud cases are rising nationwide, with Arizona experiencing the highest rate at 289 cases per 100,000 seniors, and older adults losing $3.4 billion to scams in 2023. Louise Harrison, 73, lost $2,000 in an Arizona jury duty scam in which fraudsters impersonated law enforcement and sent a fake arrest warrant to pressure payment. Experts warn that scams are evolving to exploit technology, including voice-cloning AI, romance schemes, and urgent payment demands via phone, text, and social media, and recommend education and awareness efforts through organizations like AARP, the Better Business Bureau, and R.O.S.E. to protect

"Pig butchering" scams, which lure victims into fake investment schemes, became the most frequently investigated crime by the Secret Service in Arizona in 2024, with the scam causing an estimated $2.5 billion in nationwide losses and an average loss of $700,000 per investigated case. Arizonans lost millions to this fraud, which has continued to increase in frequency and impact.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes launched a webpage for residents to report disruptions to Social Security services, citing concerns about potential workforce cuts and service reductions announced by the Trump Administration. At the time of the announcement, Social Security checks were still being distributed normally, though some disruptions had begun to be reported; the webpage aims to document issues so the Attorney General's office can hold the federal government accountable.

Jiaci Liu pleaded guilty in San Diego federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud after participating in a tech support scam targeting senior citizens in California and Arizona. Between June 2023 and his arrest, Liu collected over $202,500 from six victims (aged 63-83) who were tricked by fake pop-up warnings and fraudulent bank representatives into withdrawing cash. Liu's role involved collecting the withdrawn funds from victims' homes; he was arrested after a Poway resident became suspicious when instructed to hand over $28,000 to a supposed U.S. Marshals Service representative and contacted police instead.

A man pleaded guilty in San Diego federal court to conspiracy to commit wire fraud after targeting senior citizens in California and Arizona through a tech support scam scheme. Between June 2022 and June 2023, Jiaci Liu and his co-conspirators defrauded six victims—ranging from their mid-70s to 83 years old—of over $202,500 by using fake pop-up alerts claiming computer viruses, then posing as bank representatives to convince victims to withdraw cash. Liu was arrested in June 2023 outside a Poway resident's home after attempting to collect $28,000; he is scheduled for sentencing in June 2025.

Scammers have conducted multi-state toll fraud campaigns since late 2024, targeting residents with automated texts, calls, and spoofed websites claiming unpaid toll bills—even in states like Arizona, Connecticut, Missouri, and Mississippi that have no toll roads. The scams have grown increasingly sophisticated, mimicking official state transportation department websites and using threatening language, prompting state DOTs to issue warnings and work with law enforcement to track perpetrators. Residents are advised to verify messages by checking sender phone numbers, contacting toll agencies directly, and recognizing that legitimate agencies never request payment via text.

A wave of SMS phishing (smishing) scams impersonating U.S. toll authorities like E-ZPass, SunPass, and TxTag has spread across the country, with some users receiving up to 7 fraudulent messages daily. The scams use urgent language threatening fines or license suspension and direct victims to fake websites designed to steal personal and payment information through domains that closely mimic legitimate toll service sites. State transportation departments including Wisconsin and Arizona have issued public warnings, and the FBI recommends reporting suspicious messages to ic3.gov along with the originating phone number and malicious link.

Rep. David Valadao's Romance Scam Prevention Act advanced through the House Committee on Energy and Commerce, requiring dating apps to notify users who have interacted with accounts banned for fraudulent activity. The Federal Trade Commission reported romance scam victims lost over $1.1 billion in 2023, with fraudsters exploiting the 60 million users of online dating services by using fake identities to manipulate people for financial gain. The bill addresses a gap in current protections where scammers move conversations off dating platforms to avoid detection, though similar notification requirements already exist in Vermont, Utah, Colorado, Arizona, and New York.

NYC radio host and City Council candidate Frank Morano admitted he wrote a parole letter recommending the release of Robert Giuliano, 49, a convicted romance scam artist, after being manipulated through flattery by the ex-con. After Giuliano's June 2023 release, he immediately resumed his schemes—defrauding travelers with a fake concierge service and targeting women—before being arrested in Arizona in December 2023 and extradited to New York as a fugitive. Morano acknowledged being "duped" by a "professional con artist" and vowed never to help prisoners again, though he characterized the resurfaced story as a political smear attack

In January 2023, an Arizona mother fell victim to an AI voice-cloning scam in which a caller impersonated her daughter in distress and demanded $1 million (eventually settling for $50,000) before she discovered the hoax. Hong Kong now faces escalating threats from AI-enabled fraud, with residents losing HK$8.52 billion (US$1.1 billion) to online scams in the first 11 months of 2024, as deepfake technology makes voice and face cloning increasingly realistic and difficult to detect. The article calls for urgent action to protect residents—particularly the elderly and young—from these sophisticated AI scams.

Attorney General Kris Mayes joined 20 other states in filing an amicus brief opposing mismanagement at the Social Security Administration, which has resulted in service disruptions affecting millions of beneficiaries. Arizona received nearly 300 complaints from residents reporting website outages, phone service failures, and payment delays, while approximately 2,800 SSA employees have taken early retirement or buyouts and further staff cuts are planned despite the agency's administrative costs being only 0.5% of its budget. The brief challenges claims of widespread fraud and improper payments—the SSA Inspector General found less than 1% of benefits paid between 2015-2022 were improper—and argues that

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes warned job seekers to be alert for employment scams, which typically involve fake job postings on websites, social media, and direct contact via phone, email, or text that request personal information like Social Security numbers or bank account details before interviews. The scams often feature unrealistic promises of high-paying jobs with minimal qualifications or remote work opportunities, and may impersonate legitimate employers by replicating logos and using established job boards. Mayes advised job seekers to research employers before sharing information, request in-person interviews, never pay upfront fees, and avoid sending financial or banking details before officially starting a position.

Scammers tailor their fraud tactics by age group, targeting Gen Z with employment and crypto scams on social media, millennials with investment fraud via text and email, Gen X with retirement-focused investment schemes, and seniors with romance, home improvement, and crypto scams that often result in losses of $10,000 to $100,000 or more. Seven key warning signs of scams include unsolicited contact from strangers, requests for money or wire transfers, artificial urgency, coaching about what to tell financial institutions, and discouragement from trusting banks. The article advises verifying suspicious offers through Google searches, consulting trusted contacts and financial institutions, and recognizing that fraudsters use

Kingsley Sebastian Ibhadore, a Nigerian citizen and lawful U.S. resident from Phoenix, was sentenced to federal prison for laundering approximately $4 million in proceeds from romance scams by structuring financial transactions to evade detection. The case underscores the significant impact of organized online romance fraud schemes operating across Arizona and the nation.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes launched a new webpage to publicly document cases where social media companies (Instagram, Snapchat, Telegram) are named in connection with enabling illegal activities, including drug trafficking, fraud, scams, gang violence, and human trafficking. The initiative highlights research showing that up to 13% of social media posts promote illicit drug sales and 80% of teen fentanyl deaths can be traced to social media contact, while noting that Section 230 legal protections currently shield these platforms from direct liability. Since 2022, Mayes' office has seized over 25 million fentanyl pills and 405 pounds of fentanyl powder

A Nigerian national, Okezie Bonaventure Ogbata, was sentenced to 97 months in prison for his role in an international inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded over 400 elderly and vulnerable U.S. victims of more than $6 million. The scheme involved sending fraudulent letters falsely claiming victims were entitled to multimillion-dollar inheritances from deceased overseas relatives, then convincing them to send money for delivery fees and taxes that never resulted in any actual inheritance payments. The investigation was conducted by ICE, the U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and international law enforcement agencies from the UK, Spain, and Portugal.

Kingsley Sebastian Ibhadore, a 40-year-old Nigerian national in Glendale, Arizona, was sentenced to 17 months in prison for laundering over $500,000 in romance scam proceeds through 24 bank accounts using false identities between July 2019 and March 2020. Acting as a "money mule," Ibhadore structured withdrawals below federal reporting thresholds and continued transferring funds even after confirming their fraudulent origins, with the U.S. Secret Service ultimately identifying him through bank surveillance footage across Arizona.

This article is not relevant to elder fraud research. It is a television station's informational listing of local Phoenix-area events, businesses, and community activities airing on May 9, 2025, including restaurant week, food bank initiatives, golf outings, and entertainment venues. No scams, fraud, elder abuse, or related content is present.

Kingsley Sebastian Ibhadore, a 40-year-old Glendale man, was sentenced to 17 months in prison on May 5 for his role as a "money mule" in online romance scams, having pleaded guilty to conspiring to commit structuring. Between July 2019 and March 2020, Ibhadore used 24 bank accounts under false identities to deposit and withdraw over $500,000 in romance scam proceeds in amounts below federal reporting thresholds to avoid detection. Surveillance footage captured him conducting transactions using fraudulent identities at multiple Arizona banks, and he continued the illegal activity even after confirming the funds came from romance sc

Kingsley Sebastian Ibhadore, a 40-year-old Glendale man, was sentenced to 17 months in prison on May 5 for his role as a "money mule" in online romance scams, pleading guilty to structuring charges. Between July 2019 and March 2020, Ibhadore used 24 bank accounts under multiple aliases to withdraw over $500,000 in small amounts below federal reporting thresholds, deliberately concealing and distributing funds stolen from romance scam victims. Surveillance footage documented him conducting transactions using fraudulent identities at multiple Arizona banks even after confirming the money originated from romance scams.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced 22 new indictments against individuals and entities involved in a fraudulent sober living home scheme, with charges including money laundering, theft, conspiracy, fraudulent schemes, patient referral fraud, and forgery. The defendants' initial arraignment took place in Maricopa County Superior Court. All defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

SRP (Salt River Project) and AARP issued a joint warning about utility scams targeting older adults, particularly around the Memorial Day weekend, noting that Arizona has the highest fraud rate against seniors in the country at 289 cases per 100,000. Common scams include fake payment websites, phishing texts/emails impersonating utility companies, and fraudsters posing as utility workers, all designed to create urgency and pressure immediate payment. Customers should protect themselves by calling SRP directly to verify account status, avoiding suspicious links and unusual payment methods (gift cards, cryptocurrency), and reporting suspected scams to law enforcement and the AARP Fraud Helpline at 877-908-3360

A cryptocurrency investment scam targeting two victims resulted in approximately $563,000 in stolen funds, which the U.S. Attorney's Office for Northern District of Ohio is seeking to forfeit as 679,981.22 USDT tokens. A victim in Solon, Ohio lost roughly $500,000 after being contacted by someone posing as "Kristina Tian" on LinkedIn who gained his trust and directed him to transfer cryptocurrency to a fraudulent investment platform; an Arizona woman lost $63,000 (including $15,000 from her 401(k) and $48,000 from a home equity loan her daughter obtained) through a similar scheme initiated on a

Elder fraud targeting seniors age 60+ is rapidly increasing, with nearly 72% of scams initiated using personal data scraped from the internet or purchased from data brokers, enabling criminals to conduct highly personalized attacks like AI-powered grandchild impersonation and spoofed bank calls. Texas seniors lost an average of $51,700 per complaint, while Arizona experienced the highest elder fraud rate per capita at 3.5 cases per 1,000 seniors. Protection strategies include freezing credit, using call-filtering apps, employing password managers, discussing scams with family, and utilizing data removal services to scrub personal information from people-search sites and data brokers.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes held a town hall in Douglas to educate residents about scams targeting elders, including voice cloning and romance scams increasingly found on social media. Arizona had the highest elder fraud rate in the nation at nearly 300 cases per 100,000 seniors in 2023, with authorities recovering only $5 million of over $300 million in losses during 2024. The discussion emphasized the importance of public education and contacting local law enforcement to verify suspicious communications as protective measures.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes held a town hall meeting in Douglas to educate seniors about common scams, including voice cloning and romance scams on social media platforms. Arizona experienced nearly 300 elder fraud cases per 100,000 seniors in 2023—the highest rate in the nation—though the attorney general's office recovered $5 million in 2024 out of over $300 million in losses. The event emphasized the importance of contacting local law enforcement for verification and staying informed about fraud tactics targeting older adults.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes conducted an educational tour across the state, including Douglas, to raise awareness about elder fraud targeting seniors as Arizona's population ages. In 2023, Arizona experienced 289 elder fraud cases per 100,000 seniors, with one in 10 older adults becoming victims of abuse or exploitation; Mayes highlighted that AI-enabled voice cloning is making scams more convincing, as exemplified by an attendee who nearly fell victim to an impersonation scam claiming her daughter needed emergency funds. The Attorney General emphasized that seniors are targeted because they typically have savings and encouraged reporting fraud to her office for assistance.

Scammers are exploiting AI chatbots and online college enrollment systems to commit large-scale financial aid fraud, with crime rings creating "ghost students" who enroll in courses just long enough to collect federal aid checks using stolen identities. California community colleges alone reported 1.2 million fraudulent applications in 2024 resulting in at least $11.1 million in unrecovered losses, with victims like Heather Brady discovering loans for over $9,000 fraudulently taken out in their names. The U.S. Education Department has implemented temporary ID verification requirements for first-time aid applicants and is developing more advanced screening measures to combat the fraud that now imperils the

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes reported on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day that Arizona has the highest rate of elder fraud in the nation, with one in ten adults victimized by scams. The state saw 346 elder fraud cases in 2022 according to the Internet Crime Complaint Center—the highest rate nationwide—with scammers employing tactics including romance schemes, financial "mule" operations, phishing emails impersonating government agencies, and family member impersonation to exploit elderly victims' trust and emotional vulnerability.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes held town halls to educate seniors about increasingly sophisticated scams, including grandparent scams using AI-generated voice clones that impersonate relatives and demand thousands of dollars, as well as text scams impersonating government agencies. According to a 2024 Federal Trade Commission report, older adults lost over $1.9 billion to fraud in 2023. Mayes advised seniors to establish code words with loved ones and to recognize red flags such as requests for wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency, warning that legitimate government agencies never contact people unsolicited for money or personal information.

Arizona residents are receiving fraudulent text messages falsely claiming to be from ADOT, threatening suspended licenses and vehicle registration cancellations unless unpaid traffic tickets are paid immediately. This "smishing" scam uses fear-based tactics to pressure recipients into clicking malicious links; ADOT clarifies it does not collect tickets or send payment demands via text, and advises recipients to delete messages and avoid clicking links or replying.

Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes announced the launch of a new public Elder Abuse Registry containing civil, criminal, and administrative actions involving vulnerable adults reported to the Attorney General's office. The registry, updated monthly and available on the AGO's website, aims to increase transparency and help seniors and their families make informed decisions about care while strengthening protections against fraud, neglect, and abuse. Arizona residents can report elder abuse through multiple hotlines including Adult Protective Services, Area Agency on Aging, and the Attorney General's TASA Helpline.

The U.S. Department of Justice announced reinvigorated efforts to combat transnational elder fraud schemes costing billions of dollars, with recent prosecutions targeting romance fraud, lottery fraud, tech support fraud, and grandparent scams. Key cases include Troy Murray, who sold a database of over seven million elderly Americans' personal information to Jamaican lottery fraudsters and laundered $1.6 million in proceeds, and Dennis Anderson and Frank Angelori, who brokered lead lists to Jamaica-based scammers from 2015-2020. Individual victims lost significant sums, with one Arizona victim losing over $400,000 to a lottery fraud scheme.

Ghanaian businessman Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng and multiple associates have been charged in coordinated U.S. federal prosecutions for operating transnational romance and inheritance scams targeting elderly Americans between 2013 and 2024. Boateng allegedly led a decade-long scheme convincing seniors they could claim gold and jewels if they paid fabricated taxes and fees, while related defendants in Ohio and elsewhere defrauded elderly victims through fake romantic relationships and fraudulent business deals, laundering proceeds to Ghana and other countries. These cases represent part of a broader Department of Justice crackdown on international fraud networks preying on seniors, announced in conjunction with World Elder

Jamaican national Sherwayne Benjamin Bellinfantie was extradited to the United States in June 2025 to face charges for participating in a romance and lottery sweepstakes scheme that defrauded an 85-year-old Arizona resident of over $400,000 between 2015 and 2019. Bellinfantie and co-conspirators posed as romantic interests and falsely claimed the victim had won lottery prizes, requesting money for taxes and fees, while sending flowers to reinforce the deception. He faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering, each carrying a maximum 20-year prison sentence.

The FBI has filed to seize nearly $680,000 in cryptocurrency from a sophisticated romance scam targeting professionals on LinkedIn and dating apps. Two victims—a Solon, Ohio resident who lost $500,000 and an Arizona woman who lost $63,000—were deceived into investing in cryptocurrency after scammers built trust through social media before moving conversations to encrypted platforms. Investigators traced the stolen funds across blockchain networks, identifying how criminals converted the stolen assets to Tether stablecoin, demonstrating law enforcement's growing ability to track cryptocurrency fraud despite the technology's irreversible transactions and pseudonymous nature.

A Jamaican man, Sherwayne Benjamin Bellinfantie, was extradited to Arizona and charged with wire fraud and money laundering for deceiving an 85-year-old woman in Vail, Arizona into sending nearly $400,000 between 2015 and 2019 through a romance scam involving fake lottery winnings. The FBI reports that online lottery scams targeting seniors in Arizona increased 400% between 2023 and 2024, with such international prosecutions being exceptionally rare. The article notes common scams include "pig butchering" schemes involving cryptocurrency and tech support frauds, and recommends avoiding unknown contacts, urgent messages, an

Arizona's Medicaid Fraud Control Unit received the Inspector General's Award for Fighting Fraud, Waste, and Abuse from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2025, marking the second time in five years the office earned this honor. In fiscal year 2024, the unit achieved 91 indictments, 41 convictions, and recovered over $74 million, with joint investigations yielding an additional $140 million in recoveries through cases involving drug diversion, patient abuse, unnecessary surgeries, and fraudulent billing schemes across 44 provider types.

Jamaican man Sherwayne Benjamin Bellinfantie was extradited to Tucson to face federal charges for orchestrating a romance and sweepstakes scam targeting an 85-year-old Vail woman from 2015 to 2019. The victim lost $400,000 after being deceived into believing she was in a romantic relationship and had won a lottery; she has since passed away. This case reflects the FBI's growing concern over romance and lottery scams in Arizona, which saw a 400 percent increase in lottery scams between 2023 and 2024.

This article is not about elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It is a political statement from Arizona's Attorney General regarding a Supreme Court decision on birthright citizenship policy. It falls outside the scope of the Elderus research database, which focuses on elder fraud and abuse cases.

The Department of Justice announced charges against over 300 defendants in the largest coordinated healthcare fraud takedown in U.S. history, alleging they defrauded Medicare and private insurance programs of approximately $14.6 billion through unnecessary medical procedures and illegal schemes. Cases included unnecessary skin grafts applied to elderly and terminally ill Medicare patients in Arizona, a transnational catheter fraud operation involving Russian-based criminals who filed $10.6 billion in fraudulent Medicare claims using stolen identities, and the illegal distribution of 15 million prescription opioid pills by medical professionals and pharmacies. The DOJ established a new "fusion center" to consolidate data and combat healthcare fraud, which represents

Ghanaian businessman Joseph Badu Boateng, known as Dada Joe Remix, was extradited to the United States to face charges for orchestrating a romance and inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded victims of over $100 million between 2013 and 2023, primarily targeting elderly Americans. Boateng and his network used fake online profiles posing as romantic partners and promised access to nonexistent gold and jewelry to manipulate victims into sending money for fabricated fees and taxes. He now faces federal prosecution in Arizona on charges of wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering, following a collaborative investigation by the FBI, U.S. Diplomatic Security Service, an

Ghanaian businessman Joseph Badu Boateng was extradited to the United States to face charges for orchestrating a romance and inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded victims of over $100 million between 2013 and 2023, primarily targeting elderly Americans. Boateng and his network used fake online profiles to manipulate victims into sending money under false pretenses, including fabricated inheritance claims and promises of gold and jewelry access. He faces federal charges including conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering and will stand trial in Arizona.

Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng, a Ghanaian national, was extradited to the United States in June 2025 to face charges for participating in a romance and inheritance fraud scheme targeting elderly victims worldwide from 2013 to March 2023. The scheme involved Boateng and co-conspirators posing as romantic interests and falsely claiming to possess gold and jewels that required payment of taxes and fees to release. Boateng faces charges of Conspiracy to Commit Wire Fraud and Conspiracy to Commit Money Laundering, each carrying a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.

Joseph Kwadwo Badu Boateng was extradited from Ghana and appeared in federal court in Arizona on charges related to a romance fraud scheme targeting elderly victims worldwide from 2013 to 2023. The scam involved fraudsters claiming to have gold and jewels available to victims if they paid upfront costs for taxes and fees. Boateng faces up to 20 years in prison on each of two federal charges—conspiracy to commit wire fraud and conspiracy to commit money laundering.

Scam calls are increasing in Marana, Arizona, with fraudsters impersonating law enforcement and demanding payment for missed jury duty or arrest warrants, often requesting bitcoin, gift cards, or wire transfers. Americans lose over $25 billion annually to phone scams, and victims should hang up and verify by calling law enforcement directly, never pay money to police over the phone, and report fraud to their financial institution, law enforcement, the FTC, and monitor their credit if compromised.

Federal agencies coordinated the 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, resulting in criminal charges against 324 defendants responsible for over $14.6 billion in health care fraud, with particular concerns about fraudulent activity in the hospice industry in California, Texas, Nevada, and Arizona. The operation seized more than $245 million in assets, prevented payment on $4 billion in false claims, and included civil charges and settlements totaling $48.5 million. Vulnerable populations, including seniors relying on Medicare and Medicaid, were identified as primary targets of these criminal schemes.

Arizona Senator Mark Kelly led a bipartisan Senate effort urging federal agencies to coordinate against transnational criminal networks operating "scam labor camps" in Southeast Asia and elsewhere that traffic or coerce individuals into defrauding older Americans. According to the FBI, Americans over 60 lost more than $3.4 billion to online scams in 2023—an 80% increase in two years—through tactics including tech support scams, cryptocurrency fraud, romance scams, and government impersonation. The lawmakers requested that the Secret Service, State Department, and Treasury Department enhance international law enforcement partnerships, dismantle trafficking operations, strengthen public awareness campaigns, and improve interagency coordination while reporting back by July