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in Robocall / Phone Scam
ksstradio.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article identifies common characteristics of scam calls targeting seniors by analyzing a recorded conversation between a scammer and a fraud researcher. Key red flags include calls to do-not-call-listed numbers, use of fake names shared across multiple scams, spoofed caller IDs, vague product information, and immediate requests for financial details rather than legitimate company information.
lovellchronicle.com
· 2025-12-08
The IRS issued a warning about impersonation scams targeting senior citizens, which are rising in prevalence. The advisory, released in connection with World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, emphasizes that the IRS will never demand immediate payment via gift cards or wire transfers, threaten to involve law enforcement, or request payment without allowing dispute opportunities. Seniors are urged to recognize these red flags to protect themselves from fraudsters impersonating tax authorities.
click2houston.com
· 2025-12-08
On May 28th, a Pearland, Texas resident named Missy Edwards lost $17,633 to scammers who spoofed a Wells Fargo phone number and falsely convinced her there was fraudulent activity on her account, then tricked her into initiating a wire transfer herself. Because Edwards voluntarily sent the money under false pretenses rather than having it stolen outright, the bank may not reimburse her, and recovery is extremely difficult since the funds are typically converted to cryptocurrency, which law enforcement agencies struggle to track.
pulse.com.gh
· 2025-12-08
This educational article provides Ghanaians with practical strategies to avoid scams, emphasizing the importance of verifying sources, recognizing red flags like urgent requests and unsolicited sensitive information demands, and identifying inconsistencies such as poor grammar and unprofessional presentation. Key protective measures include conducting thorough research on companies, using secure payment platforms, seeking advice from trusted sources, and verifying regulatory compliance before engaging with any offer.
ksat.com
· 2025-12-08
As Hurricane Beryl approaches Mexico, the Federal Trade Commission warns of disaster-related scams, including unlicensed contractors demanding advance payment for repairs with no written contracts, and online sellers offering discounted supplies that are never delivered. The FTC recommends verifying contractor credentials and insurance, obtaining written contracts, checking online reviews for authenticity, and seeking referrals from trusted sources to avoid fraudulent schemes following weather emergencies.
greenvilleadvocate.com
· 2025-12-08
Spoofing and phishing scams are increasingly common, with scammers using disguised online identities to steal personal and financial information from victims. Law enforcement recommends three key prevention steps: never share personal information or send money via gift cards to unknown callers (legitimate companies don't request this), avoid answering calls from unknown numbers, and verify caller identity by independently contacting the official organization. Victims can report suspected scams to the Federal Trade Commission at www.reportfraud.ftc.gov or 877-382-4357, or to local law enforcement.
news5cleveland.com
· 2025-12-08
Cryptocurrency scam victims in Northeast Ohio face a secondary threat from recovery scams, where fraudsters posing as lawyers from fake firms promise to retrieve lost funds but instead steal additional money. Between February 2023 and February 2024, such fictitious law firm schemes targeting crypto victims resulted in nearly $10 million in losses reported to the FBI. The FBI's Cleveland Midwest Cryptocurrency Task Force warns victims against recovery schemes and advises reporting all suspected scams to the BBB Scam Tracker or FBI.
rogersbank.com
· 2025-12-08
Grandparent scams involve fraudsters calling seniors while impersonating a grandchild and claiming an emergency (accident, arrest) to create urgency and pressure victims into wiring money. Scammers may employ accomplices posing as police officers, lawyers, or bail bondsmen to increase credibility, and increasingly use fake dating profiles and social media to build trust before requesting funds. To protect against these scams, seniors should verify claims through independent contact with family members, stay alert to new acquaintances seeking financial involvement, and contact their bank if they suspect fraudulent activity.
wbrc.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are defrauding victims across the country, including Alabama, by using stolen photos and videos from legitimate dealerships to sell classic cars that don't exist. Victims typically lose $5,000 to $30,000 after sending deposits electronically, with little chance of recovery as the money is often moved offshore and scammers disappear after payment. The Better Business Bureau recommends personally inspecting vehicles and paying in person rather than sending money electronically to avoid this scam.
times-herald.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are impersonating the Coweta County Sheriff's Department in phone calls, claiming victims failed to appear for jury duty and threatening legal consequences to pressure them into paying money. The scam uses personal information and legal terminology to appear credible, creating a false sense of urgency that makes vulnerable populations, particularly elderly individuals, more likely to comply before verifying the caller's legitimacy. Law enforcement advises that courts and police never request personal information, Social Security numbers, or payment over the phone, and recommends hanging up and independently verifying caller identity if such a call is received.
wvnews.com
· 2025-12-08
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.
newsregister.com
· 2025-12-08
Americans age 60 and older lost more than $3 billion to scammers in 2023, with elder fraud complaints to the FBI increasing 14% year-over-year, though actual losses are likely far higher due to underreporting and unreported crimes. Older adults are disproportionately targeted because they tend to be trusting, have savings, and may be less comfortable with technology, with tech-support scams, romance scams, and investment frauds being the most common schemes. Prevention through education—such as being cautious of unsolicited contacts, verifying businesses online, and never sharing personal information with unverified sources—can help mitigate the psychological and financial
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
This article contains two separate incidents: (1) In Bhopal, police registered a molestation case against a man and his wife after the wife allegedly slapped a 42-year-old neighbor woman who had complained about the husband's staring behavior. (2) In Mumbai, a woman defrauded her neighbor of approximately Rs 7 lakh ($840 USD) using an AI-generated male voice to create a fake romantic relationship and job opportunity scam.
**Note:** The primary article appears to be a general assault/molestation case unrelated to elder fraud. Only the secondary reference involves fraud relevant to the Elderus database (the AI voice romance scam).
westerniowatoday.com
· 2025-12-08
The Des Moines County Sheriff's Office warned the public about jury duty scams in which fraudsters impersonate court officials, demand payment or personal information via phone, and threaten arrest to coerce victims into paying fines through prepaid cards or electronic transfers. Scammers use spoofed caller IDs, personal information, and official-sounding details to appear legitimate, though legitimate courts never demand payment by phone or serve warrants this way. Residents are advised to verify any court contact independently and report suspected fraud to law enforcement.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
Robert Louis Sanchez, a 57-year-old from New Mexico, was sentenced to 18 months in federal prison for his role in a grandparent scam that targeted hundreds of elderly victims across the United States, resulting in over $3 million in losses. The scheme involved scammers calling seniors posing as grandchildren in distress (claiming car accidents or legal trouble) and then sending couriers to collect cash from victims' homes, with the money subsequently deposited in banks or laundered through cryptocurrency exchanges. Four other conspirators have also been convicted and sentenced, with charges pending against additional participants in the operation.
belltimescourier.com
· 2025-12-08
Following disasters, scammers target vulnerable victims through recorded calls promising government grants, flood insurance, or disaster assistance in attempts to steal credit card and banking information. Key prevention strategies include asking detailed questions of service providers, independently verifying identities by contacting organizations directly, avoiding high-pressure decisions, and consulting trusted sources before committing to any offers or contracts. Residents should report suspected scams to the Iowa Attorney General's Office and consult FEMA resources to verify legitimate disaster assistance.
m.economictimes.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
AI-enabled scam tools available for as little as $5 online enable fraudsters to create convincing voice clones and impersonate victims using personal data harvested from public social media accounts. Common AI scams target victims with fake emergency scenarios—such as claims that a friend is in jail needing bail or facing a medical crisis—to manipulate them into sending money to fraudulent accounts. To protect against these schemes, individuals should keep social media accounts private and always verify the authenticity of urgent requests before sending funds.
crozetgazette.com
· 2025-12-08
Patsy Froehlich fell victim to a remote access scam when a fake PayPal representative tricked her into allowing screen-sharing access to her computer, manipulating her into attempting a $20,000 bank transfer she believed was a refund correction; her bank caught the suspicious transfer and prevented the loss. The article also describes a separate Publisher's Clearinghouse prize scam targeting Andrew Taylor, who was asked to purchase gift cards as a supposed legal requirement to claim a $5.1 million prize, and notes that scammers increasingly use urgency, emotional manipulation, and emerging technologies like AI to defraud victims.
wsiu.org
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau warns of "grandparent scams" where fraudsters impersonate family members using phone calls, texts, or AI-generated voices to create false emergencies and extract money from vulnerable people. In a Hazelwood, Missouri case, a scammer posing as a grandson requesting bail money was stopped when a caretaker verified the grandson's safety; the BBB documented nearly 200 instances of this scam in 2023 with a median loss of $850 per victim. To protect yourself, verify caller identity through independent contact, question callers on personal details, avoid untraceable payment methods, and contact police if someone demands in-person money collection.
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
Cybercriminals are sending text messages impersonating highway toll authorities and transponder companies like E-ZPass, requesting payment for small unpaid tolls (typically $11-$13) to avoid larger late fees, with links that expose victims to malware and identity theft. The scam, which began in spring and has accelerated in recent months, is tailored to specific states with URLs mimicking legitimate toll services, and has prompted warnings from the FBI, state transportation departments, and the Federal Trade Commission.
aldailynews.com
· 2025-12-08
Alabama's Department of Human Resources warned SNAP recipients of over 100 phone scams in which fraudsters impersonated DHR or EBT Customer Service representatives to steal EBT card numbers and PINs; the department could not quantify total losses but noted most scams go unreported. Additionally, Alabama's Board of Pharmacy alerted pharmacists to a spoofing scam where callers falsely claim to represent the board and demand payment to resolve fabricated license sanctions.
nwitimes.com
· 2025-12-08
I cannot provide a summary of this document. This appears to be a dropdown list or database of country names and their formal designations, not an article about elder fraud, scams, or abuse.
To assist you, please provide an actual news article or transcript related to elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse that you'd like summarized for the Elderus database.
cnbc.com
· 2025-12-08
A 93-year-old grandmother (the real-life inspiration for the movie "Thelma") nearly fell victim to a grandparent scam in which a caller impersonating her grandson claimed he was in jail and needed $10,000, though her family stopped her before she sent money. Imposter fraud caused $2.7 billion in losses in the prior year, with scammers increasingly using AI-generated voice deepfakes to exploit victims through fear and urgency tactics, affecting an estimated 25% of adults according to a 2023 survey.
mychesco.com
· 2025-12-08
AARP Pennsylvania has warned of an increase in utility scams targeting older adults during summer months when energy usage and bills peak, with fraudsters posing as utility company representatives and using threats of service disconnection or offers of discounts to obtain personal information or payments. A recent AARP poll found that 62% of Pennsylvania voters aged 50 and older expressed concern about fraud and scams including robo-calls and phishing emails. AARP advises residents to verify any unsolicited utility claims by contacting their utility company directly using the number on their bill, noting that legitimate companies send multiple notices before disconnection and never demand immediate payment over the phone.
theguardian.com
· 2025-12-08
Researchers at Macquarie University have developed Apate, a system of conversational AI chatbots designed to intercept and waste the time of phone scammers by engaging them in prolonged conversations. The bots, which mimic elderly people with various accents and personalities, are deployed by telecommunications companies when they detect incoming scam calls, and simultaneously collect intelligence on scamming tactics, call patterns, and criminal networks to help disrupt the multi-billion dollar scamming industry. The initiative, funded with $720,000 from Australia's Office of National Intelligence, aims to protect vulnerable people from losing their life savings to telephone fraud schemes.
fox5atlanta.com
· 2025-12-08
A Georgia couple lost $49,000 in lifetime savings after receiving fraudulent text messages posing as Chase Bank fraud alerts; though the couple did not authorize the transaction and provided no passwords, Chase Bank initially denied reimbursement and closed their case four times. Following the couple's persistence in seeking a subpoena through the court system, Gwinnett County police investigated and issued an arrest warrant in May for 25-year-old Audrey Michelle Townsend from Texas, who confessed to receiving and distributing the stolen funds as part of a larger scam operation, though Chase Bank has still not reopened the case for reimbursement.
koaa.com
· 2025-12-08
A scam impersonating law enforcement officers from the El Paso County Sheriff's Office is defrauding dozens of people daily, with scammers claiming victims missed court appearances and demanding payment via gift cards or cryptocurrency to clear fake warrants. Detective Marissa Williams advises victims to request specific details from callers, independently verify identity by calling the agency directly, and report incidents to law enforcement, noting that many victims don't report due to embarrassment or believing nothing can be done.
m.economictimes.com
· 2025-12-08
AI-enabled scam software available for as little as $5 online is being used to defraud people through voice cloning and impersonation tactics. Scammers extract personal information and voice samples from public social media accounts to create convincing AI clones that impersonate victims to their friends and family, requesting emergency wire transfers for fabricated jail, medical, or business crises. To protect against these scams, individuals should keep social media accounts private and verify emergency requests directly with contacts before sending money.
greenwichfreepress.com
· 2025-12-08
Utility scammers impersonate water, electric, and gas company representatives via phone, text, or in-person visits, threatening immediate service disconnection unless customers pay outstanding bills urgently, often demanding payment through prepaid debit cards, gift cards, or wire transfers. The scams may also involve fake meter replacement offers, unauthorized home entry for "repairs" or "energy audits" to steal valuables or personal information, or promises of energy discounts to capture account details. To avoid these scams, consumers should hang up and call the utility company directly using a number from their official bill, never allow unscheduled entry into their home, request proper identification from utility workers,
montgomeryadvertiser.com
· 2025-12-08
Social Security scammers commonly impersonate federal agents and law enforcement officials, threatening arrest or benefit suspension to coerce victims into providing personal information or payments. To protect yourself, hang up immediately on suspicious calls, never share personal information or make payments, and report scams to the Social Security Administration's Office of Inspector General at oig.ssa.gov. The SSA will never threaten legal action, demand payment via gift cards or wire transfers, require secrecy, or send official documents with personal information via email.
indeonline.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are impersonating U.S. passport renewal websites to trick consumers into paying fees to fill out forms that are actually free downloads on the government website, then requesting additional payment for the actual renewal. Victims unknowingly provide personal information like Social Security numbers and payment details to fraudsters, with reported losses of at least $68 per incident. To avoid these scams, consumers should verify they are on the official state.gov website (not .com or similar variants), allow sufficient time for legitimate renewal processes, and confirm websites are secure before entering sensitive information.
nowhabersham.com
· 2025-12-08
Sheriff's offices in Hart and Stephens counties warned residents of two resurgent scams: a fake warrant telephone scheme where callers impersonate deputies and demand cryptocurrency payments for arrest warrants, and a door-to-door asphalt sealing scam targeting homeowners with artificially low prices. Authorities emphasized that legitimate law enforcement never solicits payment by phone and advised residents to hang up on suspicious calls, refuse door-to-door service offers, and contact local reputable contractors for actual home services.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated overseas scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans through internet and telephone fraud, with the vast majority of perpetrators escaping prosecution as law enforcement agencies become overwhelmed by the exponential growth in cases. Victims, particularly older adults targeted by romance, grandparent, and technical support scams, rarely recover their losses, and some cases result in tragic secondary consequences when victims become desperate or violent. The combination of low investigation priority at local police departments, difficulty tracking funds moved to cryptocurrency or foreign accounts, and federal prosecution thresholds means that scammers operate with minimal risk of being caught or held accountable.
m.economictimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated overseas scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans through internet and telephone fraud, with projections worsening as the population ages and AI technology advances fraud capabilities. Law enforcement agencies are overwhelmed and underfunded to investigate these crimes, resulting in few convictions and minimal recovery of stolen funds, while victims—particularly older adults—lose life savings to romance scams, grandparent scams, and technical support fraud. A tragic Ohio case illustrates the crisis: an 81-year-old man fatally shot an Uber driver after a scammer manipulated him into believing she was involved in a $12,000 bond extraction scheme, while the actual perpetrator remains
mb.com.ph
· 2025-12-08
Scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans through internet and telephone fraud, with sophisticated overseas criminals exploiting an aging population and increasingly using AI to evade detection and prosecution. Law enforcement agencies are overwhelmed by the exponential growth in scams, with most perpetrators escaping capture and victims rarely recovering their money, while some police departments treat financial fraud as lower priority than other crimes. The article illustrates the crisis through cases including an 81-year-old Ohio man who fatally shot an Uber driver after being targeted by a bond scam, and highlights how stolen funds are quickly converted to cryptocurrency or moved to foreign accounts, making recovery and investigation nearly impossible.
nypost.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from elderly Americans through internet and telephone fraud schemes including romance scams, grandparent scams, and technical support fraud, with perpetrators rarely caught or convicted due to law enforcement resource limitations and overseas origins making investigations difficult. The crime wave is projected to worsen as the population ages and AI technology advances, while victims—who rarely recover lost funds—are often discouraged from reporting due to police skepticism about voluntarily-sent money and the vast majority of cases going unreported.
apnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated international scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans, with law enforcement catching and convicting relatively few perpetrators due to resource limitations and investigation challenges, particularly for overseas crimes involving cryptocurrency and foreign accounts. Older Americans are especially vulnerable to romance scams, grandparent scams, and technical support fraud, rarely recovering lost funds including life savings, while some police departments deprioritize financial fraud cases and victims often remain unreported. As the U.S. population ages and AI technology advances, experts warn the crime wave is projected to worsen, with scammers facing minimal consequences for crimes that are increasingly easy to commit and difficult to prosecute.
nbcnewyork.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated overseas scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans through internet and telephone fraud, with relatively few perpetrators caught or convicted despite the exponential growth of such crimes. Victims—particularly older adults targeted by romance scams, grandparent scams, and technical support fraud—rarely recover their money, and law enforcement agencies lack sufficient resources to investigate cases, especially those involving cryptocurrency or foreign bank accounts. The article highlights a tragic Ohio case where an 81-year-old man fatally shot an Uber driver after being defrauded of $12,000, illustrating how scams can escalate to violence while the original scammers remain at large.
mk.co.kr
· 2025-12-08
Smishing attacks in South Korea have surged dramatically, with scammers impersonating financial institutions, investment firms, and government agencies through fake promotional text messages containing malicious URLs. These sophisticated schemes trick victims into visiting counterfeit websites or downloading malware-laden apps that steal personal information, enable remote device control, or lock data with ransomware demands; spam texts increased nearly 10-fold from 31.12 million in 2019 to over 168 million cases by mid-2023, with projections exceeding 400 million annually. The attacks exploit improved spam reporting visibility, regulatory changes affecting investment advisory services, and compromised text reseller companies to distribute fraudulent messages imp
ibj.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated overseas scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans through internet and telephone fraud, with relatively few perpetrators caught or convicted, according to AARP's Fraud Watch Network director. Victims—particularly older adults targeted by romance scams, grandparent scams, and technical support fraud—rarely recover their money, and law enforcement agencies are overwhelmed and under-resourced to investigate cases, especially those involving cryptocurrency or foreign bank accounts. The article illustrates the crisis through an Ohio case where an 81-year-old man fatally shot an Uber driver after being manipulated by a scammer into believing she was involved in a $12,000 bond fraud, while the actual
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated overseas scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans through internet and phone fraud, with the crime wave expected to worsen as the aging population and AI technology create easier opportunities for perpetrators while law enforcement struggles to investigate and prosecute due to limited resources and cases originating overseas. Victims, particularly older adults targeted by romance scams, grandparent scams, and technical support fraud, rarely recover their money, and many cases go unreported as victims feel discouraged by police who often mischaracterize fraud as "consensual transactions" and prioritize cases with higher dollar amounts or multiple victims.
mk.co.kr
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams and online fraud operations, predominantly run by Chinese criminal organizations based in Southeast Asia (particularly Myanmar and Cambodia), have caused an estimated $1.26 trillion in global damage annually through impersonation schemes, investment fraud, and phishing. Approximately 220,000 people are mobilized across Myanmar and Cambodia for these crimes, with victims including those abducted from 35 countries who are coerced to impersonate others via social media, email, and phone calls. In response, China has blocked over $157 billion in fraudulent transactions since 2021, and Myanmar authorities rescued 19 kidnapped South Koreans in the previous year as international law enforcement intensifies crack
fortune.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated overseas scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans through internet and telephone fraud, with relatively few perpetrators caught or convicted, according to AARP's Fraud Watch Network director. Law enforcement agencies are overwhelmed by the exponential growth of scams targeting older adults, who rarely recover lost funds from romance scams, grandparent scams, and technical support fraud, while victims are often discouraged from reporting due to misconceptions that voluntary money transfers constitute consensual transactions. The challenge is compounded by the use of cryptocurrency and foreign bank accounts, low federal prosecution thresholds, and the ease with which criminals operate with minimal consequences, with one Ohio case illustrating how fraud can
hindustantimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A 23-year-old man in Hyderabad lost ₹12 lakh after receiving a spoofed call claiming to be from FedEx stating his Aadhaar was being misused for illegal courier shipments; the scammers then impersonated Mumbai Cyber Crime officials and coerced him into transferring funds under the guise of an "investigation" via Skype video call. A case has been registered with Hyderabad Cyber Crimes police, and FedEx issued a warning that they never request personal information through unsolicited calls or emails.
itechpost.com
· 2025-12-08
Elder fraud in the U.S. is surging exponentially, driven by advancing AI technology and the technological gap exploiting older adults, with common schemes including romance scams and technical support fraud that often result in victims losing their life savings. Law enforcement faces significant challenges investigating these crimes—particularly when perpetrators operate overseas and convert funds to cryptocurrency—and many cases go unreported because victims hesitate to come forward or police dismiss financial fraud as consensual transactions. The FBI recorded a 14% increase in elder fraud cases in 2023, prompting experts to declare the situation a "crisis level" problem in society.
local.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
Amazon impostor scams resulted in 44,000 reports and $19 million in losses to consumers last year, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Criminals employ two primary tactics: complex multi-layered scams involving fake Amazon, bank, and law enforcement personas to increase perceived legitimacy, and fraudulent membership renewal messages with counterfeit websites designed to collect payment information. Consumers should verify transactions directly through official websites and customer service lines rather than clicking links or calling numbers from unsolicited emails or texts.
jamaica-star.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated overseas scammers steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans, with losses to adults over 60 ranging from $3.4 billion to $137 billion depending on the source, as law enforcement agencies lack resources to investigate the exponentially growing crime wave. Common schemes include romance scams, grandparent scams, pig butchering, and technical support fraud, with victims rarely recovering their money and often reluctant to report due to shame and self-blame. The problem is expected to worsen as the U.S. population ages and criminals increasingly use AI and cryptocurrency to evade detection, requiring coordinated action from technology, banking, retail, and telecommunications sectors to make fraud harder to execute
newsandsentinel.com
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated overseas criminals steal tens of billions of dollars annually from Americans through internet and telephone scams, with the crime wave projected to worsen as the aging population and AI technology make fraud easier to perpetrate and harder to prosecute. Law enforcement agencies are overwhelmed and underfunded to handle the exponential growth of scams—including romance, grandparent, and technical support fraud—with victims rarely recovering their stolen money and perpetrators rarely facing consequences. A notable case involved an 81-year-old Ohio man who fatally shot an Uber driver after being defrauded by scammers attempting to extract $12,000, highlighting how these crimes can have devastating downstream effects even as the perpetrators remain
complex.com
· 2025-12-08
Two women, Rosanna Lisa Stanley (48) and Gina Guy (37), were charged with defrauding 16 elderly men out of $7 million through a romance scam spanning from 2009 to 2024. The suspects used fake romantic relationships and personal connections to gain victims' trust before persuading them to send money for fabricated reasons including business deals and medical procedures. Both face multiple federal charges including wire fraud, conspiracy, and money laundering, each carrying up to 20 years in prison.
12news.com
· 2025-12-08
Arizona ranked fifth nationally for online romance scams in 2023, with more than 800 victims losing over $22 million, averaging $27,000 per victim—significantly higher than the national average of $2,000. The most dangerous emerging scams involve deepfake video calls, cryptocurrency investment schemes, and fake celebrity profiles using artificial intelligence technology. To protect themselves, potential victims should verify identities through reverse image searches, watch for signs of deepfakes like unnatural blinking and mismatched mouth movements, and never send money or cryptocurrency to unknown online contacts.