Explore the Archive

The Local Office on Aging in Roanoke, Virginia advises seniors to protect themselves from cyber scams and identity theft by staying informed about their finances, recognizing common scam tactics, and safeguarding personal information. The organization is hosting a free Senior Legal Safety Conference on September 20 featuring presentations on fraud prevention and legal protections for older adults.

Samuel Kristofer Bunner of West Virginia was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison for defrauding a dementia patient of $1,906,229 through bank fraud and aggravated identity theft, including selling the victim's real estate, draining accounts, and opening fraudulent credit cards. Bunner used the stolen funds to purchase homes, campers, cars, and consumer goods, and was ordered to pay full restitution of $1,906,229 and serve five years of supervised release following his prison term.

Contra Costa Senior Legal Services (CCSLS), a nonprofit providing free legal aid to seniors 60+ for over 40 years, hosted a Summer Soirée & Symposium fundraiser on August 22nd featuring panel discussions on aging, entertainment, and refreshments. The organization presented the inaugural Elder Justice Award to Judge Virginia George in recognition of her advocacy for elder law and older adults' rights in the county. CCSLS assists over 1,000 seniors annually with legal issues including preventing evictions, combating elder abuse and fraud, and estate planning.

A consumer advocate from the West Virginia Attorney General's office visited the Vienna Senior and Wellness Center to provide seniors with education on scam prevention, elder abuse awareness, and general consumer protection issues. The advocate offers monthly visits on the second Thursday of each month to answer questions and help seniors address fraud concerns and other consumer protection matters.

A 52-year-old Maryland man was charged with operating a "Gold Bar Scam" that defrauded a 74-year-old Bethesda victim of over $1 million between May and June. The scam involved sending official-looking FTC lawsuit letters, then posing as an attorney who convinced the victim to convert his assets into gold eight separate times. Investigators believe this is part of a larger scheme affecting multiple elderly victims across Maryland, Delaware, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Virginia.

Virginia's Attorney General Jason Miyares established a new investigatory task force within the attorney general's office dedicated to targeting elder abuse, recognizing the protection of seniors as a commonwealth priority. The editorial board supports this initiative as a meaningful step forward in combating elder fraud and abuse in the state.

Elder fraud complaints to the FBI increased 14% last year, with over 100,000 people aged 60+ reporting scam victimization in 2023, compared to only 18,000 people under age 20. West Virginia is particularly vulnerable due to its aging population and residents' trusting nature. Common scams include malware schemes that lead to fake law enforcement calls demanding payment via wire transfer or gift cards, romance/online dating fraud, and insider schemes perpetrated by family members or caregivers, with law enforcement and community outreach efforts ongoing to raise awareness and prevention strategies.

Elder fraud complaints to the FBI increased 14% last year, with over 100,000 people aged 60 and older reporting scam victimization in 2023, compared to only 18,000 people under 20. West Virginia, having one of the nation's oldest populations, is particularly vulnerable to schemes including malware scams (where scammers pose as tech support or federal agents demanding payment), romance scams, and insider fraud perpetrated by family members or caregivers. Law enforcement officials recommend elders avoid clicking unknown links, recognize that legitimate agencies never demand phone payment or gift cards, and encourage younger family members to regularly check in about their online safety.

In May 2024, a 72-year-old Lynchburg, Virginia resident named Marsha Burks had over $8,000 stolen by an in-home caregiver, with over 100 fraudulent charges accumulating on her credit card before the theft was discovered by family members. The case highlights vulnerabilities in elder financial protection, though it coincided with the July 1 implementation of "Larry's Law" in Virginia, which allows banks to contact emergency contacts when suspicious activity is detected—a provision that could have prevented further fraud in Burks' case. Virginia reported over $90 million in elder financial abuse losses across 2,000 complaints in 2023, making

Larry's Law, which took effect in Virginia on July 1, was named after Larry Cook, who lost over $3 million to an online phishing scam in 2020-2021 through more than 70 wire transfers to Thailand. The law, unanimously passed as House Bill 692 and signed by Governor Glenn Youngkin in April, requires financial institutions to train employees to recognize financial exploitation and allows banks to contact emergency contacts when suspicious activity is detected. This legislation addresses a critical gap in elder fraud prevention, as Virginia reported 2,475 elder fraud complaints totaling over $94 million in losses in 2023.

Elder financial exploitation is trending upward in West Virginia and nationally, with seniors aged 60+ losing $3 billion to scammers last year and $27 billion in suspicious elder fraud activity reported by the U.S. Treasury Department. U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld emphasizes that while some cases can be reversed if reported immediately, prevention is critical—he advises seniors and their families to resist pressure to act quickly, avoid clicking unexpected links in texts or emails, and consult trusted loved ones before sending money.

Elder financial fraud is trending upward in West Virginia and nationally, with Americans aged 60 and older losing $3 billion annually to scammers. U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld advises seniors and their families to resist pressure to act quickly, avoid clicking unexpected links in texts and emails, and to contact law enforcement immediately if money is sent fraudulently, as funds can sometimes be recovered or frozen. The fraud targets vulnerable populations and often involves schemes using artificial urgency, such as lottery processing fees or fake emergencies from loved ones.

U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld addressed the prevalence of elder fraud in West Virginia and nationwide, noting that seniors are commonly victimized by both strangers and trusted individuals such as loved ones and caretakers. The segment aimed to raise public awareness about these crimes and provide information on how to prevent them.

House Bill 692, "Larry's Law," took effect in Virginia on July 1, 2024, requiring financial institutions to train employees to identify and report potential elder financial exploitation and notify seniors' trusted contacts of suspicious activity. The law was named after Larry Cook, a retired Navy commander from Herndon, Virginia, who lost $3.6 million in a phishing scam; his niece and estate administrator, Janine Williamson, advocated for the legislation, which unanimously passed the Virginia General Assembly and aims to strengthen frontline defenses against elder financial fraud.

A U.S. Navy veteran and federal employee from Charles Town lost nearly $2 million after befriending Sam Bunner at a local American Legion; Bunner, recognizing the veteran's cognitive decline, obtained power of attorney and systematically emptied his bank and investment accounts and sold his real estate, resulting in Bunner's 10-year federal prison sentence. The article highlights common elder fraud schemes in West Virginia, including caretaker theft, romance and tech support scams, government impersonation, and family member exploitation, while recommending protective measures such as resisting urgency, avoiding online money transfers, limiting power of attorney authority, and securing valuables for in-home care situations.

A U.S. Navy veteran in West Virginia lost nearly $2 million after his caregaker, Sam Bunner, obtained power of attorney and emptied his bank, investment, and real estate accounts; Bunner was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. West Virginia experiences high rates of elder fraud involving both strangers (tech support scams, romance scams, government impersonation) and known individuals (caregivers, family members), targeting the state's large senior population. The U.S. Attorney's Office recommends resisting pressure to act quickly, avoiding unsolicited money transfers, limiting power of attorney authority, securing valuables during in-home care, and reporting suspected sc

A U.S. Navy veteran from Charles Town lost nearly $2 million to Sam Bunner, a caretaker who befriended him at the American Legion, obtained power of attorney, and systematically emptied his bank and investment accounts while selling his real estate; Bunner was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. The article highlights that West Virginia seniors face significant risks from both caretakers and strangers perpetrating scams including tech support schemes, romance scams, government impersonation, and family member theft, with artificial intelligence making these schemes increasingly difficult to detect. Protective measures include resisting pressure to act quickly, avoiding sending money to online contacts, limiting power of attorney authority,

A U.S. Navy veteran in West Virginia lost nearly $2 million when his caretaker, Sam Bunner, obtained power of attorney and emptied his bank and investment accounts; Bunner was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. Senior citizens in West Virginia are frequently targeted by both strangers (tech support scams, romance scams, government impersonation) and trusted individuals (family members, caregivers) who exploit their longevity, savings, and trusting nature. To protect against such fraud, individuals should resist pressure to act quickly, avoid sending money to online contacts, carefully consider power of attorney arrangements, and secure valuables and financial documents from in-home caregi

A U.S. Navy veteran in West Virginia lost nearly $2 million when Sam Bunner, a caretaker who befriended him at a local American Legion, obtained power of attorney and emptied his bank and investment accounts and sold his real estate. The article outlines common elder fraud threats in West Virginia—including caretaker theft, romance and tech support scams from strangers, and family member exploitation—and provides protective measures such as resisting pressure to act quickly, avoiding unsolicited online money transfers, and securing valuables and documents when in-home care is needed.

A U.S. Navy veteran from West Virginia lost nearly $2 million when his caretaker, Sam Bunner, used a power of attorney to drain his bank and investment accounts and sell his real estate; Bunner was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. The article highlights that seniors in West Virginia face significant vulnerability to both caregiver fraud and stranger scams (tech support, romance, and government impersonation schemes), with recent AI advances making these scams harder to detect. The U.S. Attorney's Office recommends resisting urgency, avoiding unsolicited money transfers, securing valuables, and carefully limiting power of attorney authority to protect vulnerable adults.

A U.S. Navy veteran from West Virginia lost nearly $2 million when Sam Bunner, a caretaker who befriended him at a local American Legion, obtained power of attorney and systematically emptied his bank and investment accounts and sold his real estate, exploiting the victim's declining cognitive abilities; Bunner was sentenced to 10 years in federal prison. The article notes that West Virginia seniors are particularly vulnerable to both caretaker/family fraud and stranger scams (including tech support, romance, investment, and government impersonation schemes), and recommends protective measures such as resisting urgency, avoiding online money transfers, carefully granting power of attorney, using trusts with restrictions

A University of Virginia geriatric physician warns that elder fraud has reached epidemic levels, with Americans 60 and older losing over $3 billion to scams in the previous year and fraud increasing 23 percent year-over-year. The "grandparent scam," where callers impersonate grandchildren in distress requesting bail money, remains one of the most common schemes, exploiting victims' emotional responses and sense of urgency. Dr. Archbald-Pannone advises seniors to stay cautious of unsolicited contacts, take time before responding, consult trusted contacts, and report incidents without embarrassment to help combat the evolving tactics used by scammers.

A University of Virginia doctor warns that elder scams have reached epidemic levels. The article highlights growing concern about financial fraud targeting elderly populations, though specific case details or statistics are not provided in the available excerpt.

A U.S. Navy veteran from Charles Town, West Virginia, lost nearly $2 million to his caretaker Sam Bunner, who used a power of attorney to drain the victim's bank, investment accounts, and sell his real estate while exploiting the elderly man's cognitive decline; Bunner received a 10-year federal prison sentence. The opinion piece by U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld outlines common elder fraud schemes in West Virginia, including caretaker theft, romance scams, tech support schemes, and family member theft, and recommends protective measures such as resisting pressure to act quickly, avoiding sending money to online contacts, carefully granting power of attorney, using tru

Americans age 60 and older lost more than $3 billion to scammers in 2023, with elder fraud complaints to the FBI increasing 14% that year, though actual losses are likely underreported due to embarrassment and incomplete age data. Older adults are particularly vulnerable because they tend to be more trusting, have financial assets, and may be less comfortable with technology; tech-support scams are most common, while investment scams cause the largest losses. Prevention through education on identifying scams, reporting crimes, and building awareness is critical to combating this growing epidemic and mitigating its traumatic psychological effects on victims.

Dennis Jones, an 82-year-old Virginia man, lost his entire life savings to a "pig butchering" scam after being groomed online for months by a woman claiming to be named Jessie who convinced him to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency; devastated by financial ruin, he died by suicide before his family could help him recover. Pig butchering scams, run primarily by Chinese criminal gangs operating from Southeast Asia, involve con artists building relationships with victims over months before pressuring them to invest in fake cryptocurrency platforms, with the FBI estimating these scams stole nearly $4 billion from American victims in the past year alone—a 53% increase from the previous year

World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15) prompted Virginia State Police to highlight common scams targeting older adults, including a software update scam that defrauded one Virginia senior of $36,000 and the "Grandparent scam" using AI voices to impersonate grandchildren in distress. The advisory recommends independent verification of requests, avoiding gift card or cryptocurrency payments, establishing trusted "buddy systems," and regular financial audits to help vulnerable adults protect themselves from fraud and identity theft.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of West Virginia hosted a financial crimes conference in Wheeling to educate bank officials, credit union staff, and other financial professionals on identifying and preventing fraud targeting vulnerable populations. The conference covered multiple fraud types affecting West Virginians, including elder financial abuse (subdivided into "elder thefts" by known individuals and "elder scams" by strangers), romance scams, and money laundering, with federal law enforcement and prosecutors sharing current trends and investigation insights. The training emphasized helping financial professionals recognize suspicious activity, properly file reports, and understand why victims—particularly elderly and trusting West Virginians—often resist warnings about ongoing scams.

The U.S. Attorneys' offices for West Virginia's Northern and Southern districts hosted a Bank Secrecy Act and Anti-Money Laundering Conference in Wheeling to educate banking officials, compliance officers, and other financial professionals on identifying and preventing money laundering, elder financial exploitation, and romance scams. The conference featured panels with FBI agents, IRS agents, and federal prosecutors discussing strategies to better protect older West Virginians, with particular focus on the challenge of preventing victims from sending additional money to their exploiters. Officials noted an uptick in elder financial exploitation cases across the region and committed to improving protective measures.

Samuel Kristofer Bunner, 51, of Ranson, West Virginia, was sentenced to over 10 years in federal prison for defrauding an elderly man with dementia of nearly $2 million. After befriending the victim at a VFW where he worked, Bunner obtained power of attorney and systematically stole from him by selling real estate, liquidating investment accounts, and opening fraudulent credit cards. The victim's quality of care has deteriorated significantly as a result of losing his life savings, and Bunner has been ordered to pay $1.9 million in restitution, though full recovery is unlikely.

Samuel Kristofer Bunner, 51, of West Virginia, was sentenced to 121 months in federal prison for defrauding an elderly man with dementia of approximately $1.9 million through real estate sales, account theft, and identity fraud. Bunner used the stolen funds to purchase homes, vehicles, and consumer goods, and has been ordered to pay full restitution, though recovery is unlikely; the fraud significantly reduced the quality of care available to the victim in his declining years. Bunner's wife, Wendy Bunner, is a co-defendant awaiting sentencing.

Federal prosecutors in West Virginia are warning that the state's large elderly population is particularly vulnerable to financial schemes including romance scams and money laundering related to drug and human trafficking, citing West Virginia's older demographics and trusting culture as risk factors. Two U.S. Attorneys are organizing a statewide conference in June to educate financial professionals on recognizing suspicious activity and identifying signs of elder abuse, trafficking, and fraud.

A Norfolk, Virginia woman discovered her monthly energy bill had dramatically increased from approximately $80 to over $1,100 between February and March 2024, prompting her to suspect she was a scam victim. Dominion Energy advised customers concerned about billing irregularities to contact the company immediately, noting that while the utility will investigate potential fraud, customers remain responsible for paying bills but may receive flexible payment arrangements.

AARP Virginia identifies three prevalent Medicare scams in 2024: false billing for unreceived diabetes treatments and devices, offers of free products (typically cheap or nonexistent) in exchange for Medicare numbers, and free genetic testing at health fairs designed to harvest Medicare information. Seniors are advised to scrutinize monthly Medicare statements, only share their Medicare number with legitimate healthcare providers, and report suspected fraud to local law enforcement or AARP's Fraud Watch Network.

Financial scams targeting seniors are rising, with the FBI reporting that scams cost 80,000 seniors $3.1 billion in 2022. The Smyth County Chamber of Commerce hosted an Older Americans Day event where Virginia Attorney General Jason Miyares and local law enforcement warned residents about common scams—including phone calls impersonating banks or loved ones—and emphasized never sharing personal financial information unsolicited. Officials advised victims to contact the Attorney General's Office or call 911, and encouraged a "trust, but verify" approach to any requests for sensitive data, particularly given emerging threats from artificial intelligence that can mimic voices.

Scammers in Virginia Beach are impersonating sheriff's deputies and sending fake court summonses via text and phone calls to defraud residents of between $2,500 and $9,000. The criminals use spoofed official numbers and direct victims to transfer money via wire, gift cards, or cryptocurrency, with similar scams in nearby Chesapeake resulting in losses of at least $15,000 per victim. Law enforcement advises that legitimate authorities never request money over the phone and recommends hanging up on suspicious calls, independently verifying numbers, and reporting fraud immediately to police.

This press release announces the annual U.S. Attorney Awards for the Northern District of West Virginia, recognizing 22 public servants and law enforcement officials for exceptional work in criminal investigations and community service. Among the honorees, Dontuwee Boykin (IRS-Criminal Investigations), J.W. Smith (West Virginia State Police), and Loretta Phillips received the Outstanding Elder Fraud Investigation award for their dedication to combating elder fraud in the region.

U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld honored 22 public servants and law enforcement officials in Ohio County, West Virginia for exceptional work in criminal investigations and community service, including recognition for outstanding efforts in drug trafficking, violent crime, human trafficking, and identity theft cases. Notable honorees included the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force and Marshall County Drug Task Force for drug investigations, and Dontuwee Boykin, J.W. Smith, and Loretta Phillips specifically recognized for outstanding elder fraud investigation work. The annual United States Attorney Awards ceremony recognized individuals who went "above and beyond the normal call of duty" in bringing criminals to justice across the Northern District of West Virginia.

Georgia resident Malachi Mullings received a 10-year prison sentence for laundering $4.5 million in proceeds from business email compromise (BEC) attacks targeting healthcare providers and romance scams targeting individuals, including numerous elderly victims, between 2019 and July 2021. Mullings used multiple bank accounts under his company name to conceal the fraud, purchasing luxury items including a Ferrari with stolen funds; one romance scam victim alone lost $260,000. He pleaded guilty to eight charges including money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering as part of a larger scheme involving nine other suspects across Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia that defrauded state Medicaid programs

**Summary:** Sunyu Qian, 31, from Fairfax, Virginia, pleaded guilty to defrauding elderly people of approximately $1.1 million through gift card scams between November 2020 and August 2023, as part of a larger criminal organization that used the cards to purchase electronics. In a separate scheme from April 2023 to March 2024, Qian used counterfeit price tags to purchase baby formula at deep discounts from retailers, defrauding them of $124,000. Qian pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, with sentencing scheduled for September 18 and a

A sophisticated property fraud scheme involving Jose Manuel Santiago, Rosson Dwayne Hamilton, and Vernon Lavoie resulted in multiple homes being stolen and sold without owners' knowledge across Virginia, Florida, and North Carolina. The trio created fraudulent bank accounts in homeowners' names, with Lavoie using fake IDs to impersonate owners; one home in Tampa, Florida sold for $65,000 and a U.S. Army veteran lost his house along with military memorabilia and his Jeep. Santiago received three years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, Hamilton received one day, and Lavoie received two years and seven months; experts recommend homeowners obtain

The Lynchburg Police Department is warning about romance scammers who manipulate victims—often lonely individuals met on dating apps and social media—into becoming "money mules" that launder proceeds from human trafficking and drug trafficking, sometimes over months or years. Victims who are exploited this way have been prosecuted as criminals in Lynchburg despite being manipulated, with charges potentially reaching felony level depending on amounts involved; last year Virginians lost $205 million to fraud overall. Police advise victims to immediately cut contact with scammers and report to local law enforcement.

James City County, Virginia authorities reported a rise in impersonation scams where callers falsely posed as law enforcement officers ("Deputy Shawn Anby" and "Derek Petterson") claiming victims had missed court appearances and threatening arrest warrants unless they immediately transferred funds. The scammers provided fake badge numbers and claimed affiliation with regional police and sheriff's departments in Richmond and Kent, with similar incidents reported across Virginia in January through April. Officials emphasized that legitimate law enforcement and courts never contact people by phone requesting money or personal financial information.

An FBI report revealed that scammers stole over $94 million from Virginia residents over age 60 in 2023, representing a 56% increase from the prior year and moving the state into the top 10 nationally for elder fraud losses. Tech support fraud was the most commonly reported scam type, with victims over 60 losing more than all other age groups combined, some resorting to remortgaging homes and emptying retirement accounts to cover losses. The significant increase has been partially attributed to increased virtual activities and isolation following the COVID-19 pandemic, with experts noting that many cases go unreported to law enforcement.

A Fredericksburg, Virginia detective has been investigating an elaborate romance scam perpetrated by Fred Lee Dick Jr., who allegedly conned at least eight women out of tens of thousands of dollars by creating fake personas (including "Dean Orion Constantine") on social media. The suspect posed as a Marine and cancer patient to build romantic relationships, gaining access to victims' credit cards and personal assets, including an $88,000 truck he never returned; DNA evidence confirmed his identity, and police currently have 40 pending warrants for his arrest as they continue to locate him.

Criminals are impersonating Social Security Administration officials in phone scams, claiming victims' Social Security numbers have been suspended or offering higher monthly benefits to obtain personal information. AARP Virginia warns that scammers, who often already possess the last four digits of victims' numbers from dark web sources, are targeting people daily to steal complete Social Security numbers for fraud; imposter scams resulted in over $617 million in reported theft in 2023.

FBI forensic accountant Daniel Booth warns that cryptocurrency scams are increasingly prevalent in the Hampton Roads, Virginia region, representing traditional fraud schemes updated to use digital currency. Three common types include ransomware attacks on businesses (demanding crypto payments for system access), fake tech support scams targeting individuals (gaining remote access to steal financial data), and "pig butchering" schemes (fake investment websites encouraging victims to deposit money with false promises of trading gains, sometimes resulting in loss of life savings). Victims of cryptocurrency fraud are encouraged to report cases to the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

"Smishing" is a text message-based scam combining "phishing" and SMS that tricks recipients into clicking malicious links by claiming unpaid toll balances are due. The FBI issued a warning after more than 2,000 complaints across North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Illinois, though Virginia has not yet reported cases; authorities advise never clicking links in unsolicited toll-related texts and instead using official websites or calling legitimate customer service numbers to verify account status.

The Virginia Department of Transportation and FBI warned the public about a widespread "smishing" scam targeting over 2,000 people nationwide, in which fraudulent text messages claim recipients owe money for unpaid tolls and direct them to fake payment websites. The scam affects users of various toll systems including E-ZPass, NC Quick Pass, and SunPass, with messages often threatening late fees to pressure victims into clicking malicious links and providing financial information. Authorities advise recipients to verify toll balances directly through official websites, never click links in unsolicited texts, and report suspected fraud to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.

A Fostoria, Ohio woman fell victim to a Facebook impersonation scam when hackers posed as her friend requesting her phone number under the pretense of account recovery, gaining access to her Facebook account and a linked debit card that resulted in unauthorized charges of $441 for an airline ticket to Australia and $113 to ARC. The same scammers subsequently used the same tactic to compromise accounts of her friends and family members across multiple states including Ohio, Virginia, Florida, Arizona, and Texas. Local authorities advise users to unlink payment methods from social media accounts and verify requests through independent contact methods before providing personal information.