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An elderly woman near Wake Forest, North Carolina was scammed out of $200 by a man claiming to represent the NC Department of Transportation who offered to pour leftover concrete on her driveway for $500 total. The scammer took the $200 cash she had available, roped off the driveway with caution tape, and promised to return the next morning with workers to complete the job, but never returned. The Wake County Sheriff's Office is investigating the incident, and NCDOT confirmed no legitimate work was occurring in the area and advised residents to verify any such offers through official NCDOT offices.

Guilford County, North Carolina is experiencing a surge in "court scams" where criminals impersonate deputies, spoof official numbers, and demand immediate payment claiming victims have missed court or owe fines; residents have lost at least $100,000 to these schemes over the past two years. The Guilford County Sheriff's Office emphasizes that legitimate deputies will never demand immediate phone payment or request personal information via call or email, and is launching community education initiatives including a free senior fraud prevention academy starting September 25th to help residents recognize and avoid these scams.

A woman posing as a federal agent scammed a North Carolina resident out of $25,000 in a two-stage scheme that began with a phone call claiming the victim had committed a crime. When the scammers initially failed to convince the victim to transfer funds via cryptocurrency, they escalated by sending the woman to the victim's home to collect cash in person. The suspect was captured on camera and authorities released her image to the public seeking identification.

Shirbartis Jones-Alston, a 48-year-old motivational speaker and ordained minister from North Carolina, was arrested in August 2025 and charged with exploiting two elderly adults under her care through financial crimes and neglect. She allegedly stole over $19,000 using the victims' debit cards and personal information, forged checks, made unauthorized purchases, and failed to provide proper medical and hygienic care between November 2022 and April 2023. Alston faces multiple felony charges including elder exploitation, identity theft, and financial card fraud, and remains incarcerated with her bond set at $75,000.

Privacy Journal's 2025 study comparing 100 U.S. cities across six safety metrics found Vermont to be the safest state for online dating, while Nevada ranks as the most dangerous due to high rates of identity theft, romance scams, and violent crime. Arizona reports the highest number of romance scam cases, while South Carolina and North Carolina rank among the riskiest states overall, driven by elevated rates across multiple risk factors including STD incidence, violent crime, and fraud reports.

A 95-year-old North Carolina woman lost $18,000 to a door-to-door driveway repair scam in May, where a man falsely claimed to represent the city government and promised subsidized repairs; the work cracked immediately after completion. Brian Alexander Taulton, 57, was arrested in September after defrauding multiple elderly victims of over $100,000 combined through similar home repair schemes across multiple states, and is facing 22 felony charges including exploiting disabled/elderly persons and obtaining property by false pretense.

Americans lost $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, a 25% increase from the previous year, with older adults facing particular vulnerability. North Carolina's "Fraud Free Fridays" program offers free monthly educational sessions (broadcast live on Facebook and YouTube) covering emerging scams including cryptocurrency, AI fraud, and holiday schemes, while AARP's Fraud Watch Network provides resources, alerts, and guidance to help people recognize and report fraud in their communities.

Brian Alexander Taulton, 57, was arrested in Wake County, North Carolina, and charged with exploiting elderly residents through a driveway repair scam that defrauded victims of approximately $100,000. Taulton allegedly posed as a city worker or offered unsolicited asphalt repair services, collecting upfront payments (including nearly $16,000 from one victim and $18,000 from a 95-year-old) before performing substandard or no work; he is also facing fugitive charges in Virginia for similar crimes. Authorities advise residents to verify credentials, request references, and avoid pressure tactics emphasizing urgency, as elder fraud costs an estimate

A 70-year-old Volusia County woman lost nearly $60,000 to a romance/charity scam in which suspect Cory Woodall falsely claimed funds were needed to help a wounded military dog and bring a retired Army general back to the United States. Woodall, extradited from North Carolina, used the money to purchase personal items including a 2023 Hyundai, trailer, and lawn mower, with half sent in cash. He faces charges of organized scheme to defraud and grand theft, was booked without bond, and the victim plans to pursue court restitution.

Brian Taulton, a 56-year-old from West Virginia, was arrested on charges of defrauding North Carolina residents between February 2024 and June 2025 by posing as a Duke Energy employee and driveway repair contractor, stealing approximately $90,000 and attempting to steal an additional $38,600 from elderly and disabled victims. Taulton would knock on doors claiming to have leftover asphalt from nearby jobs, then either perform substandard work or not complete repairs at all, with individual victims losing amounts ranging from $7,000 to $20,000. He faces 22 felony charges related to exploitation and fraud, an

Christopher Gibbon, 54, was arrested in Connecticut in August 2025 after nearly six years as a fugitive for his role in a Jamaican lottery scam that operated from December 2016 to July 2018. Gibbon participated in the scheme by receiving payments from victims who were fraudulently told they had won the lottery and needed to pay taxes on their winnings; he collected money from at least four victims, including one North Carolina resident who sent $50,000, and forwarded portions to co-conspirators in Jamaica. He is charged with conspiracy to commit mail fraud, wire fraud and bank fraud, along with additional counts of mail fraud and bank fraud, and will be detained until trial

# Romance and Extortion Scams in North Carolina A tragic case in North Carolina has exposed the deadly risks of online romance scams, where a Jonesborough man was manipulated and extorted by scammers posing as romantic interests before taking his own life in October 2023. North Carolina has seen a surge in various scams affecting over 500 victims and $17 million in losses, including romance fraud, impersonation schemes, and sextortion targeting vulnerable individuals—ranging from elderly residents to teenagers. To protect yourself, authorities advise verifying any unsolicited contact by independently calling known numbers, never sharing personal or financial information with unverified callers, and being cautious of online profiles pressuring you for money, cryptocurrency investments, or wire transfers.

Carol West lost $60,000 in a romance scam conducted by Cory Woodall, a North Carolina resident who was extradited to Volusia County to face charges of organized fraud scheme and grand theft over $20,000. West sent money through traditional transfers and Bitcoin, which detectives tracked being moved multiple times, and while she may not recover her funds, Woodall now faces criminal prosecution.

A phishing scam text message claiming recipients have outstanding traffic tickets with Saturday payment deadlines and license suspension threats circulated across multiple states including Tennessee, North Carolina, and Minnesota, with scammers including fraudulent payment links. Law enforcement agencies confirmed the scam and clarified that government agencies do not send text messages about traffic fines or suspensions; residents are advised to delete messages, avoid clicking links, and use only verified official phone numbers or websites ending in .gov.

North Carolina's Department of Justice held a "Scam Jam" educational event in Mecklenburg County to raise senior awareness about fraud and scams, which are increasing in frequency daily. The event focused on helping seniors identify scams and understand what steps to take if victimized, including calling the Department of Justice fraud hotline (833-FRAUD-1) to report incidents. Officials emphasized that prevention through education is the most effective approach, as scam attempts have grown exponentially over the past five years.

North Carolina state officials are warning residents of a toll scam circulating via email and text messages that uses fake websites to collect personal information by falsely claiming outstanding balances on toll roads. The scammers impersonate NC Quick Pass and threaten legal consequences, though the legitimate service never requests payment or threatens action through text. Experts advise keeping software and antivirus programs updated to protect against these phishing attempts.

This is an educational piece about insurance enrollment assistance rather than a scam warning. Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina offers guidance to help North Carolinians select appropriate health insurance plans during enrollment periods through retail center locations and their website (BlueCrossNC.com). The centers provide one-on-one member support for plan selection, enrollment assistance for Medicare and ACA plans, and community engagement programs.

A woman filed a fraudulent deed claiming ownership of a high-end home in Raleigh, North Carolina, listing herself as both grantor and grantee; the actual homeowner, Craig Adams, stated he had never met the woman and had no connection to the fraudulent filing. When contacted by reporters, a man claiming to be the woman's attorney questioned what law was broken by recording the deed, highlighting the lack of accountability measures at the Wake County register of deeds.

Ashley Lamb from the Area Agency on Aging presented information about the Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program, which has operated since 2003 under North Carolina's Department of Insurance. The program aims to empower seniors aged 60 and older and their caregivers to prevent healthcare fraud, waste, and abuse through education and outreach, utilizing trained SHIP volunteers to provide free counseling and assistance across a 10-county region.

**Summary:** This is an educational piece on how to research child care providers in North Carolina. Parents can visit ncdhhs.gov to search for child care facilities by name, city, or county, and view their licensing status, violation records, inspection history, and facility details to make informed decisions about their child's care.

A former romance scammer from Nigeria who operated between 2016-2021, earning over $70,000, revealed his tactics to a news organization—targeting primarily single parents on dating apps through excessive compliments, emotional manipulation, and appeals to financial need (such as claiming inability to afford medicine). Last year, over 64,000 Americans lost more than $1 billion to romance scams, with North Carolina ranking 10th in losses; the scammer now works as a consultant for an identity verification company to help expose these schemes.

This article is not related to elder fraud or abuse. It describes a law enforcement incident involving a high-speed chase and shooting near Wilson County, North Carolina. It does not involve scams, fraud targeting elders, or elder abuse, so it falls outside the scope of the Elderus database.

This article is not related to elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It is a weather report about the Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) visibility in North Carolina and does not fall within the scope of the Elderus database. I cannot provide a summary for this content.

This article is not relevant to the Elderus elder fraud research database. It describes a memorial service honoring K9 Santos, a police dog from Wake County, North Carolina, who was accidentally shot by a police officer in 2023. The content focuses on law enforcement and animal services, not elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse.

The FBI in Raleigh warned of a sharp rise in cryptocurrency investment scams across North Carolina, with losses increasing more than 50% year-over-year and totaling nearly $4 billion nationally. Scammers target victims through social media and job networking sites, building trust through shared interests before convincing them to invest and displaying fake profits to encourage continued investment, after which they disappear with the funds. North Carolina residents have lost tens of millions to these schemes, with individual victims losing amounts ranging from $40,000 to over $53,000.

A Hickory, North Carolina woman fell victim to a romance scam in 2022 after being contacted by a man posing as someone in Africa on LinkedIn, who gradually built trust through emotional manipulation before requesting money for medical expenses. North Carolina ranks ninth nationally for romance scams, with 4,422 victims losing $18 million in 2022, while Americans overall lost over $1 billion to such schemes that year, with scammers increasingly using AI, deepfakes, and voice cloning to deceive victims.