Search
Explore the Archive
Search across 19,276 articles about elder fraud. Filter by fraud type, payment mechanism, or keywords.
3,332 results
in Tech Support Scam
digit.in
· 2025-12-08
A 25-year-old woman in Coimbatore lost Rs 10 lakh in September when scammers posing as FedEx and cybercrime authorities threatened her with a "digital arrest" via a fake Skype video call, coercing her to transfer money under the pretense of verification. The fraudulent bank accounts were linked to similar scams across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Karnataka, Delhi, and Kerala, leading authorities to arrest key suspect Gopi Kumar, 42, in South Delhi, though his associates remain at large.
paymentsjournal.com
· 2025-12-08
Money mules—individuals who willingly or unwillingly move illicit funds between accounts—have become an increasingly effective tool for criminals to circumvent fraud detection systems, often recruited through social media platforms using "scam-fluencing" tactics that target students, retirees, and lower-income individuals seeking financial relief. Financial institutions face a complex challenge because many mules are already verified customers and may themselves be victims of coercion or deception, while the use of generative AI and fast digital payment systems enables criminals to scale mule recruitment and fund transfers rapidly and globally. To combat this threat, financial institutions need to implement continuous verification checks throughout the customer lifecycle rather than relying solely on initial Know Your Customer (
financial-planning.com
· 2025-12-08
FINRA warns that fraudsters are increasingly using AI technologies, including deepfakes of financial experts, to direct victims to fake investment clubs and fraudulent websites, while also manipulating victims into transferring money from legitimate accounts under false pretenses. The regulatory authority also highlights concerns about third-party vendors and subcontractors used by financial firms, noting that cybersecurity breaches at these third parties can create vulnerabilities and that some firms have failed to implement proper anti-money laundering safeguards or adequately test their identity verification systems.
fortune.com
· 2025-12-08
Criminals are increasingly using artificial intelligence and deepfakes to commit fraud, with consumers losing over $10 billion to fraud in 2023—a 14% increase from the previous year. Notable incidents include a $25 million deepfake video call scam targeting a Hong Kong firm employee and widespread AI-powered phishing schemes that bypass traditional detection systems. Experts project fraud losses could reach $40 billion in the U.S. by 2027 if current trends continue, with investment scams and imposter scams being the most prevalent threats targeting bank customers.
govtech.com
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission warned about a surge in SMS phishing scams (smishing) impersonating toll road agencies like EZDriveMA, North Texas Toll Authority, and Sunpass, with texts containing fake toll charges and links designed to steal banking and credit card information. The scams, orchestrated by Chinese groups using newly available spoofing kits, represent a shift from package delivery fraud schemes and aim to extract personal financial data from victims. The FTC recommends verifying toll charges through official agency contact information, avoiding clicking suspicious links, and reporting fraudulent texts to prevent becoming a victim.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Tax scammers are expected to escalate their tactics during 2025 tax season, employing AI-generated phishing emails, fake tax preparers, IRS imposter phone calls, and social media schemes to steal money and personal information from taxpayers. These scams can result in significant financial losses, identity theft, and emotional harm to victims. Protection strategies include verifying communications directly with the IRS through official channels, vetting tax preparers for credentials like a PTIN, ignoring unsolicited urgent payment demands, and avoiding suspicious social media offers.
cryptotimes.io
· 2025-12-08
Following the launch of official memecoins by President Trump and First Lady Melania, scammers have created fraudulent cryptocurrency tokens impersonating celebrities including Ivanka Trump, Barron Trump, Dean Norris, and Elon Musk to deceive investors. The fake $BARRON token reached a $460 million market value before crashing 95%, resulting in significant losses for victims, while multiple celebrities have issued public warnings about the unauthorized tokens being promoted under their names. These scams exploit the hype-driven nature of memecoins, which have minimal real value and are vulnerable to social media manipulation and misinformation.
business-reporter.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
CEO gift card fraud is a seasonal scam where attackers impersonate senior executives to trick employees into purchasing gift cards, exploiting holiday goodwill and busy schedules. Modern variants use sophisticated tactics including spoofed emails, social media reconnaissance, and generative AI to create convincing messages that bypass traditional email defenses, with these attacks increasingly enabled by cyber-crime-as-a-service platforms and tools like GhostGPT. Organizations face financial losses and reputational damage when falling victim, as these text-based scams lack obvious red flags that standard security systems are designed to catch.
news.syr.edu
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are impersonating U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other government agencies to target international students via email and phone, claiming visa issues exist and demanding urgent payments through gift cards. ITS advises that legitimate government agencies never demand payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers, and victims should report such contact to the ITS Helpdesk rather than responding to the fraudsters.
chronicleonline.com
· 2025-12-08
This article describes common scams targeting people of all ages, particularly elderly individuals, including fake virus warnings, fraudulent Medicare calls, package delivery texts, and voice recording schemes. The Citrus County Sheriff's Office is hosting a free public presentation by fraud detectives on February 3rd at the Homosassa Public Library to educate community members on how to recognize and protect themselves from con artists and scammers.
nzherald.co.nz
· 2025-12-08
Celebrity impersonation scams using AI-generated deepfakes of famous figures like Brad Pitt and Rod Stewart are becoming increasingly sophisticated and convincing, exploiting psychological vulnerabilities that affect people across all age groups. Scammers capitalize on the emotional trust people feel toward familiar faces—whether celebrities or local news presenters—to promote fraudulent schemes, particularly targeting women with weight loss and financial products. Experts recommend skepticism toward offers that seem too good to be true, verifying information directly from official sources, and slowing down decision-making when approached with investment or product opportunities.
pymnts.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are increasingly personalizing financial fraud tactics by targeting specific demographics based on vulnerabilities and life circumstances, similar to legitimate business marketing strategies. A 2024 PYMNTS Intelligence report found that approximately 3 in 10 U.S. consumers (77 million people) lost money to scams over the past five years, with most victims losing over $500, and that different age groups face different scam risks—such as Gen Z being three times more likely to fall victim to employment scams while older consumers face higher rates of fake eCommerce and identity theft scams. Financial institutions play a critical role in protecting customers by understanding scam tactics and the broader psychological and emotional damage these
newcastlepacer.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, adults aged 60 and older filed over 100,000 fraud complaints to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, losing more than $3.4 billion—an 11% increase from the previous year. Oklahoma's Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready outlines common scams targeting older adults, including phishing, Medicare and health insurance fraud, and tech support scams, and recommends protection strategies such as staying skeptical of unsolicited communications, avoiding sharing personal information online, and immediately reporting suspected fraud to relevant authorities including the FTC, Social Security Administration, or financial institutions.
veronews.com
· 2025-12-08
Investigators arrested two men—Rakeshbhai Harshadbhai Patel and Syed Mubbashir Makki—who allegedly stole $156,256 from a 77-year-old Indian River Shores woman in a sophisticated international scam involving fake government agents, ransomware pop-ups, and gold bar theft in February 2024. The scheme, which has victimized elderly, affluent people across multiple states (with 49 victims in Wisconsin alone losing over $38 million), involved coercing victims to convert bank funds into gold bars under the pretense of securing compromised accounts, then having couriers retrieve the gold in parking lots
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
This article by Stefan Leipold, CEO of STARKinc.biz/ProsSysCo.biz, explains AI-based social engineering scams where perpetrators use publicly available voice and video samples from social media to create deepfakes impersonating victims' children or company executives and requesting emergency payments via cryptocurrency or gift cards. The scams exploit emotional vulnerability by fabricating urgent situations (stolen wallets, medical bills, bail), with the perpetrator's communications appearing authentic through AI-cloned voices and animated video replicas. Leipold recommends verification through direct phone calls to the alleged caller and logical thinking about payment methods, as legitimate organizations never request emergency payments via WhatsApp,
consumerreports.org
· 2025-12-08
A 70-year-old widow in Santa Clara County, California lost $25,000 in a spoofing scam when a caller impersonating a Wells Fargo fraud department representative used her personal information to gain her trust and extract banking details. Over 90 minutes, the scammer obtained her account password and transaction information, then changed her contact number and authorized a fraudulent wire transfer while keeping her distracted on the phone. Scammers increasingly use spoofed caller IDs, personal data obtained from the dark web, and AI deepfakes to impersonate trusted institutions and individuals, making verification of legitimate contacts and independent confirmation essential protection strategies.
darkreading.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers in Namibia are using deepfake videos and impersonation of former First Lady Monica Geingos to perpetrate investment scams, particularly forex trading schemes, targeting vulnerable victims including at least one woman who lost her retirement savings. Similar impersonation scams featuring political figures and celebrities are widespread across Africa, exploiting limited law enforcement resources and cross-border criminal operations that are difficult to track and prosecute.
wkow.com
· 2025-12-08
Dane County Sheriff's Office detectives stopped an elderly woman from losing $25,000 in a tech support scam that began with a fake Microsoft pop-up alert directing her to withdraw funds and deposit them into a cryptocurrency ATM. The scammers later attempted to contact her again by spoofing the sheriff's office phone line, but she avoided the calls after being warned by the detective. In a similar case, Summit Credit Union staff also used the sheriff's office Scam Alert flyer to prevent another victim from losing $88,000 to a fraudulent lawyer impersonator.
ksltv.com
· 2025-12-08
A former romance scammer from Nigeria revealed his methods to KSL, explaining how he targeted vulnerable American women on Facebook—particularly those appearing lonely—by posing as a soldier and building relationships over months before requesting money for emergencies. Over five years, he defrauded victims of more than $70,000, including at least one Utah resident, though he claims to have reformed after realizing the severe emotional damage caused to a 62-year-old woman who lost $20,000 and became severely depressed. The interview comes as Americans lost $1.14 billion to romance scams in 2023, with 207 Utahns losing $5.4 million that year
substack.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, scams targeting older adults resulted in approximately $3.4 billion in losses, according to the FBI's Elder Fraud Report. Common schemes include romance scams, tech support fraud, grandparent scams, government impersonation, lottery scams, and home repair fraud, with perpetrators typically using intimidation tactics or appeals to family relationships to pressure victims into sending money. Experts recommend maintaining awareness, being cautious of high-pressure situations, and reporting suspected fraud as the best defenses against these schemes.
home.barclays
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, fraud and scams reached unprecedented levels, with 18 percent of consumers victimized and 34 percent knowing a scam victim, particularly targeting parents and grandparents. Investment scams emerged as the costliest threat, accounting for one-third of all scam losses with an average claim of £15,564, while 75 percent of scams originated on social media and tech platforms, including sophisticated AI voice-cloning schemes that remain underrecognized by consumers. The article emphasizes that while awareness campaigns have successfully educated the public about traditional scams like fake delivery and HMRC fraud, newer technological scams and recruitment fraud require increased education and cross-industry collaboration
asisonline.org
· 2025-12-08
Cryptocurrency investment scams cost Americans $3.96 billion in 2023, a 53% increase from 2022, according to the IC3. These scams entice victims with promises of lucrative investment returns and represent a significant portion of the $4.57 billion in total investment fraud reported that year. The article provides guidance on identifying red flags that indicate a cryptocurrency investment opportunity may be fraudulent.
thetimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Poppy, an 84-year-old widow from Manchester, lost £20,000 to three separate romance scams over two and a half years after becoming isolated following her husband's death and during the Covid lockdown. The scammers posed as American men and exploited her loneliness and declining memory by building emotional connections before requesting money for fabricated emergencies. Romance scams in the UK increased 6% in 2024 with victims losing £99.4 million, and criminologists note that previous victims are particularly vulnerable to repeat victimization due to the grooming tactics used.
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are exploiting Elon Musk's reputation by promoting fake "energy-saving" devices through unsolicited emails, social media ads, and pop-ups, claiming the products can reduce electricity bills by 50% or more. These fraudulent websites use fake celebrity endorsements, doctored photos, pseudo-scientific language, and fake customer reviews to appear legitimate, but deliver either non-functional plastic devices or nothing at all after collecting upfront payment via credit card or PayPal. No legitimate plug-in device can actually reduce home electricity usage, and consumers should be wary of unsolicited offers making exaggerated claims about bill reduction.
bangkokpost.com
· 2025-12-08
The Royal Thai Police established an international coordination centre in collaboration with 16 countries' embassies to prevent foreign nationals from being recruited into call centre scam operations in Myanmar, particularly through the Mae Sot border crossing in Thailand. The centre will enable real-time data sharing and communication between Thai police and foreign embassies to identify at-risk citizens arriving without clear travel plans and warn them against illegal border crossings and criminal employment. Many foreigners have been deceived into joining scam gangs or online gambling operations in Myanmar under false promises of high earnings, making prevention through international cooperation critical since Thai authorities cannot conduct direct operations in Myanmar.
slguardian.org
· 2025-12-08
**Romance Scam Victimization - Poppy's Case (UK)**
An 84-year-old woman from Manchester named Poppy fell victim to three separate romance scams between 2021 and 2023, losing approximately £20,000 total. The scams involved fraudsters posing as an American oil worker, a wealthy businessman, and a NATO medic, each requesting financial help through various pretexts; her brother discovered the full extent of the fraud when managing her finances due to her declining memory. While NatWest refunded £16,000 of her losses, the case highlights a growing epidemic of romance scams in the UK, with
themonroesun.com
· 2025-12-08
Common scams targeting victims include fake attorney calls claiming a loved one needs bail money, utility shutoff warnings, lottery schemes, romance scams, and cryptocurrency investment fraud. Law enforcement advises that when unsolicited callers request personal information or money, recipients should hang up and independently verify the claim by contacting the supposed organization or person directly. Scammers use tactics such as keeping victims on the phone to prevent critical thinking, leveraging personal information like Social Security numbers, and coaching victims on how to send money discreetly to avoid detection by store employees.
mb.com.ph
· 2025-12-08
In the Philippines, over 8,000 people lost more than PHP 155 million to online scams in the first eight months of 2023, prompting Senator Mark Villar to champion the Anti-Financial Account Scamming Act—legislation designed to address emerging digital fraud threats including phishing, smishing, vishing, and quishing. The proposed law creates specific penalties for financial account fraud and money muling schemes while empowering the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to investigate suspicious transactions more swiftly and without traditional banking secrecy constraints.
hindustantimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A 42-year-old man in Bengaluru lost ₹70,000 after downloading a malicious APK file disguised as the "Vahan Parivahan" app, which he accessed through a WhatsApp message falsely claiming he had a traffic violation. The malware compromised his phone, enabling unauthorized credit card transactions, though his wife's linked accounts were protected before fraudsters could access them. Police registered charges under the Information Technology Act and cheating statutes, and authorities advised the public to avoid downloading APK files from unknown sources.
ksl.com
· 2025-12-08
Christopher Maxwell, a former romance scammer operating from Nigeria, earned over $70,000 over five years by targeting lonely American women on Facebook while posing as a U.S. soldier, before claiming to have reformed after realizing the emotional harm he caused victims like a 62-year-old woman who lost $20,000. According to the Federal Trade Commission, Americans lost $1.14 billion to romance scams in 2023—double the losses from 2021—with Utah residents losing $5.4 million in 2023 alone. Maxwell now works to expose romance scamming tactics, warning that scammers typically target women appearing lonely in photos and spen
12news.com
· 2025-12-08
Arizona banking customers are experiencing a surge in sophisticated tech scams, with victims losing hundreds of thousands of dollars to fraudsters who use alarming text messages about account fraud to trick people into revealing account credentials. The Better Business Bureau also reports a spike in romance scams ahead of Valentine's Day, with victims averaging $126,000 in losses per person in early 2024, typically initiated through social media or dating websites with warning signs including rapid friendships, quick money discussions, and reluctance to video chat. Banks emphasize that contacting financial institutions within 24 hours of suspected fraud is critical, as scammers typically transfer funds overseas quickly, making recovery difficult after that window closes.
theguardian.com
· 2025-12-08
O2 created "Daisy," an AI chatbot designed to impersonate an elderly grandmother who wastes scammers' time through confusion, tangential conversations about knitting and scones, and technical incompetence. Over several weeks, the bot successfully detained individual fraudsters for up to 40 minutes each—time they could not spend targeting real victims—by feigning difficulty with computer instructions and repeatedly changing the subject. The project, developed in collaboration with scam baiter Jim Browning, was primarily designed as an awareness campaign rather than a full-scale rollout, demonstrating how AI could be used defensively against fraud.
www3.erie.gov
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams involve fraudsters creating fake online dating profiles to build romantic relationships and eventually request money from victims. Red flags include requests for urgent payments, use of untraceable payment methods, claims of living abroad or military service, reluctance to meet in person, and rapid relationship escalation. According to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, romance scam victims lost over $600 million in 2020 alone, and victims should immediately cease contact, document evidence, report to law enforcement and the FTC, and alert the dating platform.
digit.in
· 2025-12-08
A 42-year-old Bengaluru resident lost Rs 70,000 after falling victim to a fake traffic challan scam that began with a WhatsApp message claiming his SUV had violated traffic rules. When he clicked a malicious link to download the fraudulent "Vahan Parivahan" app, malware compromised his phone, allowing scammers to access his credit card and make unauthorized transactions to an e-commerce platform. The article advises users to verify traffic fines on official government websites, avoid clicking unknown links, refrain from downloading APK files from unverified sources, and enable two-factor authentication on banking apps.
kymkemp.com
· 2025-12-08
A Humboldt County family narrowly avoided losing money to an AI voice-cloning scam in which fraudsters used artificial intelligence to impersonate their son Izaak and demand $15,000 in bail for a fabricated car accident and DWI charge. The family verified the scam by contacting an attorney, bail bondsman, and ultimately reaching their son at home; however, a similar scam in Harris County, Texas resulted in a $5,000 loss when a couple believed the AI-cloned voice of their son requesting emergency bail money. The FTC advises using personal security questions or code words known only to family members to verify callers' identities, an
northfortynews.com
· 2025-12-08
The Larimer County Sheriff's Office warns Northern Colorado residents about 13 emerging scams in 2025, including cryptocurrency investment fraud, fake security warnings, rental and car buying scams on online marketplaces, romance schemes, and impersonation of law enforcement or government agencies. Common tactics involve pressure, secrecy, and requests for untraceable payments via Bitcoin, wire transfers, or gift cards. The advisory recommends verifying all financial transactions with official sources, never sending money to unknown parties, and treating urgent demands with skepticism.
pcmag.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article explains how phishing scams work and provides guidance on detecting them. The author, a security software tester with 30+ years of experience, describes how fraudsters create fake websites that mimic legitimate ones (banks, PayPal, Facebook, etc.) to steal login credentials, which they then use to access victims' accounts and drain funds or commit identity theft. Key detection strategies include scrutinizing the address bar for suspicious URLs, checking for poor website design that doesn't match the authentic site, and remaining vigilant for subtle tricks like misspelled domain names or lookalike characters.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Senior citizens in Kolkata are disproportionately vulnerable to digital arrest scams due to a combination of factors including low digital literacy, emotional vulnerability from isolation, generational trust in authority figures, and reduced confidence with age. Mental health professionals and law enforcement attribute the scams' success to elderly victims' concerns about reputation and security, their smaller social networks that prevent them from seeking advice, and the post-COVID shift to digital transactions without adequate support or updated knowledge of cyber threats. Police recommend awareness campaigns and encouraging victims to discuss suspicious requests with others before complying with threats, particularly those involving money.
wccbcharlotte.com
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau in North Carolina identified the top five scams of 2024, with online purchase fraud, phishing/imposter schemes, employment scams, debt collection fraud, and sweepstakes/lottery scams ranking as the most prevalent threats in the region. These scams increasingly employ sophisticated technology and social engineering tactics, with fraudsters either delivering no products after payment, impersonating trusted entities to steal personal information, or collecting upfront fees for non-existent prizes or jobs. The BBB emphasizes consumer education and vigilance as critical tools to combat these schemes and maintain marketplace trust.
wbbjtv.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams cost victims over a billion dollars annually and typically begin with a scammer initiating contact through text or dating apps, building trust over time, and then requesting money, gift cards, or bank account information under false pretenses such as military deployment or travel expenses. Common red flags include stolen profile photos (which can be identified through reverse image searches), requests to move conversations off dating platforms, and inconsistencies in stories. To protect yourself, use unique dating app photos, avoid connecting with people who have no mutual friends, inform trusted contacts about new online connections, and conduct reverse image searches on suspicious profiles.
wrdw.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams cost victims over a billion dollars annually, with scammers using tactics like the "meet-cute" text and military impersonation to build trust before requesting money or financial information, sometimes defrauding victims of tens of thousands of dollars. To protect yourself, use reverse image searches to verify photos, avoid using dating app photos from social media, and consult friends and family about new online contacts, as anyone—from young people targeted in sextortion schemes to lonely older adults—can fall victim to these increasingly sophisticated scams.
express.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
A 16-year-old girl in Glasgow was scammed out of £125 after clicking on a fake social media advert for clothing brand Lucy & Yak that offered items at unusually low prices; she entered her debit card details but the items never arrived, though her bank successfully recovered the funds. The scam mimicked the legitimate brand with authentic logos and product images, with only a subtle dollar sign instead of a pound symbol as a red flag. The incident highlights that teens are vulnerable to social media fraud, with research showing a quarter of British teens are likely to fall for scam texts, prompting warnings to verify sources and check official websites before making purchases.
carolinanewsandreporter.cic.sc.edu
· 2025-12-08
Final Victory Animal Rescue fell victim to a fake Venmo account impersonating the charity in December 2024, resulting in lost donations and adoption fees that were redirected to scammers. The incident highlights the increasing sophistication of online scams, with scammers creating legitimate-looking websites and payment accounts; the South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs reports that 33% of 2024 scam reports involved online contact, with purchase scams being the most common type. The charity emphasized the importance of verifying official charity accounts and recommended donating only to well-known registered organizations.
kstp.com
· 2025-12-08
During tax season, scammers pose as tax preparers and IRS agents to steal personal information, refunds, and identities, with some fraudsters filing returns to collect refunds of thousands of dollars in victims' names. To protect yourself, hire accredited local tax preparers with verifiable credentials and Preparer Tax Identification Numbers, be aware that the IRS initiates contact by mail (never by phone or email), and file your return early using trusted software or free IRS resources to prevent identity theft. Red flags include unsolicited IRS contact, pressure to pay immediately, or offers of instant refunds with high fees.
transylvaniatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau in southern Piedmont and western North Carolina released its 2024 top five scams report, identifying online purchase, phishing/imposter, employment, debt collection, and lottery/prize scams as the most prevalent schemes in the region. The report highlights how scammers increasingly use sophisticated technology and social engineering tactics to deceive victims, such as impersonating trusted entities to steal personal information or tricking job applicants into paying fake training fees. The BBB recommends consumers visit BBB.org's scam tracker to report fraudulent activity and emphasizes that a healthy marketplace requires informed consumers and principled businesses working together to prevent scams.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
A federal court issued a permanent injunction against Michael Brian Cotter and five companies operating a large-scale technical-support fraud scheme that defrauded hundreds of elderly and vulnerable Americans from 2011 to 2020. The scheme used fake Microsoft security pop-ups to trick victims into calling India-based call centers, where fraudsters gained remote computer access and convinced victims to pay hundreds to thousands of dollars for unnecessary software and services. The injunction permanently bars the defendants from selling technical-support services via telemarketing or websites and transfers 19 fraudulent domain names to the U.S. government.
philstarlife.com
· 2025-12-08
A Thai-British beauty queen lost 4 million baht after two scammers, Ramil Pantawong and 31, and Thanawut Kanyaphanthe, 28, impersonated Thai Department of Special Investigation officers and falsely accused her of money laundering to trick her into transferring funds. The two suspects were arrested as part of a 50-member gang operating from Cambodia that used AI technology to alter their faces during video calls and had victimized at least 163 people with similar schemes involving fake narcotics and money-laundering accusations. The suspects revealed they had been recruited under false pretenses and forced to work for Chinese gang leaders who controlled the operation through threats
english.gujaratsamachar.com
· 2025-12-08
Indian authorities launched a special awareness campaign during Valentine's Week to combat romance scams, where cybercriminals pose as romantic interests to solicit money from victims. A recent case in Ranchi involved a woman who lost ₹7 lakh after meeting a man on a matrimonial site who claimed to need emergency funds before their planned meeting, then disappeared. Authorities urge people to report suspected fraud by calling 1930 or filing complaints at cybercrime.gov.in, emphasizing the need to verify online connections before sending money.
wbckfm.com
· 2025-12-08
FBI warned Gmail users nationwide, including in Michigan, of sophisticated AI-powered phishing scams impersonating Google support staff who contact victims by phone (with spoofed caller ID) and follow up with emails requesting account recovery codes that grant scammers access. The scam is particularly dangerous because it uses AI technology to create highly believable impersonations, with even tech-savvy victims describing it as "the most sophisticated phishing attack" they've encountered. The FBI advises never responding to unsolicited contact from companies claiming to be Google, banks, or other support services, and instead independently contacting those companies to verify any suspicious communications.