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7,257 results in General Elder Fraud
daytonatimes.com · 2025-12-08
Elder fraud is rising nationwide, costing seniors $3.4 billion annually, with Volusia County reporting $4.6 million in losses over the past year as scammers target older adults through imposter calls, investment fraud, and tech scams. The Volusia County Sheriff's Office created a three-person financial fraud unit and used a screening of the movie "Thelma"—which depicts a grandmother falling victim to an imposter scam—to educate 140+ seniors on fraud awareness and prevention. A 90-year-old attendee avoided a fake son/lawyer scam demanding $10,000 by verifying her son's location, exemplifying the importance of
yourdailyjournal.com · 2025-12-08
The Hamlet Senior Center hosted a fraud prevention symposium led by North Carolina Attorney General's Office investigator Luke Perrin to educate seniors on recognizing and avoiding scams. Perrin addressed common misconceptions—such as the false belief that only elderly people are targeted—and provided practical advice including how to identify suspicious emails and phone calls, the importance of using credit cards over debit cards for online purchases, and warnings about social media scams that use fake surveys to steal security question answers. The event drew a standing-room-only crowd, prompting the Senior Center Director to plan additional fraud prevention programs for the broader community.
bbc.com · 2025-12-08
Scammers are sending fraudulent links to grieving families claiming to offer livestreams of funeral services, initially charging £15 but potentially using the transactions to clone credit cards and drain bank accounts. The fraudsters use public records to identify the bereaved, create fake profiles with authentic details and photos of the deceased, and trick mourners into clicking malicious links that appear legitimate. Authorities advise verifying any funeral livestream links directly with funeral directors or crematoriums, as genuine services never require payment and links come only from official providers.
katc.com · 2025-12-08
A Nunez resident narrowly avoided a door-to-door scam when a man impersonating a DIRECT-TV employee attempted to collect personal information and bills from his home; the resident later confirmed with DIRECT-TV that no representative had been sent. The scammer, operating from an unmarked red car, claimed to be addressing customer complaints about pricing, and similar incidents were reported in the area with the suspect impersonating both DIRECT-TV and Dish employees. Sheriff officials advise residents to request valid peddler's licenses, verify caller identity directly with companies, and avoid sharing personal information or documents with unsolicited visitors.
celebratingthesoaps.com · 2025-12-08
Priscilla Presley filed a lawsuit against four former business associates, including memorabilia auctioneer Brigitte Kruse, alleging financial elder abuse and fraud. According to the complaint, the defendants deceived Presley into signing away 80 percent of her income, defrauded her of over $1 million, and forced her into indentured servitude by isolating her from family and gaining her trust. Presley is seeking $1 million in damages plus legal fees and aims to block the defendants from accessing her financial records.
b985.fm · 2025-12-08
Scammers in Maine, New Hampshire, and Massachusetts are exploiting the July 2024 Microsoft outage (caused by a CrowdStrike software update affecting 8.5 million Windows machines) through phishing emails and text messages that either request personal information or send malware-infected files under the guise of computer fixes. Residents are advised to rely on official sources for information, verify email addresses and links carefully, and check on elderly relatives, as the legitimate fix was deployed automatically without user interaction needed.
wvnews.com · 2025-12-08
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.
thesenior.com.au · 2025-12-08
Consumer group Choice surveyed 280 scam victims and found that 61% lost confidence in online financial transactions, while banks failed to prevent or adequately support most victims—with four out of five saying their bank did nothing to flag the scam beforehand. Australians lost $2.7 billion to scams in the most recent year, predominantly affecting older people, yet banks, telcos, and tech platforms face minimal consequences despite having the technology to detect and prevent fraud. Choice calls for mandatory business obligations including consumer reimbursement for scam losses, fair reporting pathways, and enforceable rules for financial institutions and digital platforms.
indiatoday.in · 2025-12-08
A 77-year-old Bengaluru woman lost Rs 1.2 crore over 20 days in a scam where criminals impersonated telecom department and Mumbai Crime Branch officials, threatening her with arrest for alleged money laundering and demanding she transfer funds for "verification." The scammers used fabricated documents and intimidation tactics to manipulate the victim into sharing her bank details, then disappeared after the transfer. The article advises staying vigilant against such calls, verifying caller identities through official channels, never sharing financial information with unknown callers, and remembering that genuine officials do not threaten immediate arrest or demand money transfers.
saltwire.com · 2025-12-08
A community member shares personal and secondhand experiences with scams targeting seniors, including a technical support scam where he was hacked after granting remote access to his computer and an investment fraud that depleted an elderly man's savings. The writer calls for increased public awareness, urges seniors to be cautious with unsolicited calls, and advocates for telecom companies to better block scam calls originating internationally, while noting that embarrassment often prevents victims from reporting incidents.
cheknews.ca · 2025-12-08
A 70-year-old senior in Nanaimo was scammed out of $150 on June 7 when four people (two adults and two youth) in a Dodge Caravan approached him claiming they needed ferry money to reach Vancouver for a flight to Toronto; in exchange, they gave him two rings and a gold chain that were later determined to be worthless. Similar fake jewelry scams have been reported multiple times across Vancouver Island in 2024, with victims targeted by groups posing as families in financial distress who offer jewelry as collateral for cash loans they never intend to repay.
kxxv.com · 2025-12-08
A healthcare administrator in Texas highlights that seniors born before 1950 are particularly vulnerable to scams due to their trusting nature, with the most common frauds involving Medicare/Medicaid, Social Security, home repairs, and grandparent impersonation schemes. The FBI reported that scams targeting people over 60 caused over $3.4 billion in losses last year, and experts recommend seniors avoid sharing personal information over the phone, resist pressure to act immediately, and consult trusted contacts before transferring money.
consumer.ftc.gov · 2025-12-08
This article educates military families and job seekers on recognizing online job scams, warning that legitimate employers never ask applicants to pay for positions or send checks to be partially returned. Red flags include unsolicited job offers, fake testimonials, unverifiable companies, and requests to communicate through unusual platforms like Microsoft Teams, with scammers targeting vulnerable individuals through job sites, social media, and email.
Phishing General Elder Fraud Scam Awareness Cash Check/Cashier's Check Money Order / Western Union
crossroadstoday.com · 2025-12-08
Non-attorneys such as insurance salesmen, mortgage brokers, and real estate agents perpetrate living trust scams targeting elderly individuals in communities. To protect yourself, avoid purchasing estate planning services remotely, watch for red flags like claims of authorization in all 50 states, resist fear-based marketing tactics, and be cautious of social media solicitors offering these services.
crossroadstoday.com · 2025-12-08
This appears to be a news section header or navigation page for Community Crossroads rather than a specific article about elder abuse or scam prevention. The page lists several unrelated news stories, none of which directly address elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse prevention. To provide an Elderus summary, please provide the full text of a specific article focused on elder abuse or fraud prevention.
justice.gov · 2025-12-08
Six Nigerian nationals were sentenced to prison terms ranging from 82 to 128 months for operating an international inheritance fraud scheme that targeted elderly U.S. victims through personalized letters claiming they were entitled to multimillion-dollar inheritances from deceased relatives. Victims were deceived into sending money for alleged delivery fees and taxes, with proceeds routed through a complex network of U.S.-based accomplices; the defendants defrauded over 400 victims and were ordered to pay more than $6 million in restitution.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com · 2025-12-08
A 77-year-old woman from Bengaluru lost Rs 1.28 crore in a sophisticated cyber fraud scheme where scammers impersonated telecom and police officials, falsely accusing her of money laundering and threatening arrest using forged documents to extract her banking information. After she transferred the substantial sum under the pretense it would be returned following a fabricated investigation, the fraudsters became unreachable and she filed a police complaint. The article advises victims to verify requests through official channels, avoid sharing personal information with unsolicited callers, use strong passwords with two-factor authentication, install security software, and monitor bank accounts regularly for suspicious activity.
ifamagazine.com · 2025-12-08
Research from LV= found that 3.8 million UK adults lost money to purchase scams last year, with young adults aged 18-34 reporting higher victimization rates across all scam types (phishing, trusted organization impersonation, refund scams, and others) compared to those aged 65 and over. The disparity is attributed partly to younger adults spending significantly more time online (averaging 4 hours 35 minutes daily), making them more exposed to fraudulent schemes.
mainstreetnews.com · 2025-12-08
The Arcade Police Department reported two fraud incidents: a woman reported unauthorized charges on her financial transaction card, and an elderly woman was financially exploited through several unauthorized withdrawals from her account—a case classified as both elder financial abuse and fraud. Additionally, a separate incident involved theft by deception when a Facebook Marketplace firewood purchase was not delivered.
themix.net · 2025-12-08
Priscilla Presley, 79, filed an elder financial abuse lawsuit on July 18 against four former business associates—Brigitte Kruse, Kevin Fialko, Vahe Sislyan, and Lynn Walker Wright—alleging they orchestrated a scheme to isolate her and fraudulently obtain power of attorney over her finances, resulting in approximately $1 million in losses. The defendants allegedly convinced Presley that her previous advisers were incompetent and tricked her into signing contracts that granted them 80% of her income. Presley is seeking at least $1 million in damages plus attorney's fees and punitive damages, while the defendants have denie
justice.gov · 2025-12-08
Jose Alejandro Zuñiga Cano, a Peruvian call center operator, pleaded guilty to his role in a $15 million transnational mail and wire fraud scheme that targeted over 30,000 Spanish-speaking U.S. residents, including elderly people and recent immigrants. Zuñiga's operation made unsolicited calls falsely claiming victims had won prizes or qualified for free English courses, then impersonated lawyers and court officials to threaten victims with arrest and immigration consequences unless they paid. He was the 12th defendant convicted in the scheme, which also included a restitution scam targeting previous victims.
legalnewsline.com · 2025-12-08
I appreciate you sharing this content, but I'm unable to provide a meaningful summary. The text appears to be fragmented headlines and article openings from multiple unrelated stories covering child welfare law, pharmacy practices, weight loss, employment disputes, music industry litigation, and election safeguarding—none of which relate to elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse that the Elderus database focuses on. Please provide a complete article specifically about elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse for summarization.
oig.ssa.gov · 2025-12-08
Two Dominican nationals, Rafael Ambiorix Rodriguez Guzman and Felix Samuel Reynoso Ventura, were extradited to the United States and charged in connection with a "grandparent scam" that defrauded hundreds of elderly Americans across multiple states out of millions of dollars. Operating from call centers in the Dominican Republic, the defendants allegedly impersonated attorneys, police officers, and court personnel, convincing elderly victims that their grandchildren needed emergency bail money or legal fees following arrests or accidents. Both men face charges including wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering conspiracy, with potential sentences of up to 20 years in prison per count.
golocalprov.com · 2025-12-08
Alfred Appiah, a 35-year-old employee at an international renewable energy company in Rhode Island, was sentenced to seven months in federal prison for defrauding his employer of $158,000 through over 600 unauthorized purchases on a company credit card between June 2021 and December 2021. Appiah pleaded guilty to three counts of wire fraud and was ordered to pay full restitution of $158,850.43; his fraudulent purchases included personal expenses such as travel, clothing, entertainment, and various services.
foxnews.com · 2025-12-08
Senior citizens lose approximately $3 billion annually to elder fraud, with scammers increasingly targeting seniors due to their financial security and trusting nature. The article identifies eight common scams affecting elderly individuals, including tech support/home repair fraud, grandchild impersonation schemes, government agency impersonation, fake sweepstakes, phishing emails (particularly fake Geek Squad invoices), overpayment scams, and unsubscribe email phishing attempts. Key prevention strategies include verifying caller identities independently, confirming stories with family members before sending money, avoiding clicking suspicious links, and researching companies before making purchases.
riskandinsurance.com · 2025-12-08
Cybercriminals are using AI-generated deepfakes to conduct sophisticated fraud, including a notable case where fraudsters impersonated finance leaders in a video call to trick an employee into transferring $25 million. In 2023, funds transfer fraud and business email compromise accounted for 56% of cyber claims with an average loss of $275,000 per claim and total losses reaching $2.9 billion, with over 90% of survey respondents unable to distinguish real people from deepfakes. Organizations are advised to implement employee training, authentication protocols like code words, advanced security tools, and strict financial transaction policies to combat this threat.
desertnews.com · 2025-12-08
The Boron Seniors Center hosted a fraud prevention seminar in July presented by Alta One Federal Credit Union's branch manager Carol Hooks, who emphasized that seniors are disproportionately targeted by scammers despite fraud affecting all age groups. Hooks advised community members to trust their instincts when suspicious communications seem illegitimate, avoid following scammer instructions, and contact their financial institution or local police if they suspect fraud. The credit union has conducted multiple educational seminars across locations after members fell victim to fraud, recognizing that financial institutions cannot stop scams once they are underway and prevention through awareness is essential.
claimsmag.co.uk · 2025-12-08
In 2023, the UK recorded over 17,000 cases of telecom facility takeover fraud, a 13% increase from the previous year, with the telecom sector now accounting for two in five such cases. Criminals impersonating network operators increasingly targeted vulnerable mobile users aged 61 and over, who represented nearly 27% of all facility takeover cases. Experts recommend consumers protect themselves by refusing to divulge personal information, verifying unexpected calls directly with companies, monitoring accounts for suspicious activity, and reporting suspected fraud to Action Fraud.
indiatoday.in · 2025-12-08
Online scammers in India are increasingly targeting elderly individuals through sophisticated fraud schemes, including impersonation of government officials and threats of arrest. Notable cases include a 77-year-old woman in Bengaluru who lost Rs 1.28 crore after scammers posing as telecom and police officials coerced her into sharing bank details, and a Chandigarh woman defrauded of Rs 72 lakh in a "digital arrest" scam. Seniors are particularly vulnerable due to limited digital literacy, natural trust in authority figures, and financial stability, making awareness, verification of unsolicited contacts, and updated device security essential protective measures.
nypost.com · 2025-12-08
An elderly Portland couple lost $44,000 in a Facebook-related scam after the husband searched for Facebook customer service and was directed to a fraudulent website with a fake tech support number. The scammers convinced them their credit card had been hacked, gained remote access to their devices, and manipulated them into wire transferring their life savings to "resolve" fabricated fraudulent activity. The incident reflects a growing trend: FBI data shows fraud complaints from seniors increased 14% in 2023, with total losses reaching $3.4 billion.
aol.com · 2025-12-08
This educational article describes 12 common scams targeting seniors, including government impersonation (IRS, Medicare, Social Security), fake charity donations, lottery/sweepstakes schemes, phishing emails, voice recording scams, grandchild emergency requests, computer repair scams, and romance scams. The article advises seniors to verify requests independently, never provide personal information to unsolicited callers, hang up without responding to suspicious calls, and confirm the identity of family members before sending money.
mypunepulse.com · 2025-12-08
A 77-year-old woman in Bengaluru was defrauded of Rs 1.2 crore by scammers posing as government officials who fabricated accusations of illegal SIM card purchase and money laundering, then coerced her into transferring funds by threatening arrest with forged documents. The victim realized she had been scammed only after attempting to contact the fraudsters once the supposed investigation concluded. Key prevention measures include independently verifying caller identities, being skeptical of threats demanding immediate payment, protecting personal financial information, and verifying claims through official channels.
wbznewsradio.iheart.com · 2025-12-08
Malden High School alerted families to a phishing scam in which criminals impersonated school administrators and emailed students fake job opportunities to steal personal and bank information. The scammers also made threats of physical violence and displayed gun images to coerce compliance, though authorities determined the threats lacked credibility. At least one student, senior Samara, nearly fell victim after clicking a fraudulent link but avoided submitting her information.
kttn.com · 2025-12-08
Zella Rives, 57, of St. Louis County, Missouri, was sentenced to 18 months of house arrest and five years of probation and ordered to repay $131,155 for fraudulently obtaining Social Security disability benefits for her son over 13 years by concealing he was not disabled and falsely reporting his employment and resources. Her son, Gino Rives, was separately sentenced to 87 months in prison for the disability fraud and additional charges involving the financial exploitation of two elderly women, from whom he fraudulently obtained over $855,000 and a house.
cubaheadlines.com · 2025-12-08
An 87-year-old and 82-year-old couple in Miami lost $18,500 in a grandparent scam where a caller impersonated their grandson claiming to be arrested, directing them to send bail money via a Lyft driver who delivered it to the perpetrator. Agustín García Marsán, 38, was arrested and faces multiple charges including elder theft and organized fraud after being linked to similar scams across Florida and North Carolina using fake identities and ride-sharing services to collect money from elderly victims.
sandiegouniontribune.com · 2025-12-08
World Elder Abuse Awareness Day highlights the widespread problem of elder abuse, with approximately 5 million older adults abused annually in the United States, though only 1 in 14 cases are reported. Financial fraud is the most common form of elder abuse, with victims losing roughly $30 billion yearly, and can be prevented through awareness of common scams (lottery schemes, identity theft, phishing), use of technology safeguards (bank alerts, account monitoring), and maintaining social connections. Older adults and their supporters are encouraged to report suspected abuse to Adult Protective Services, local law enforcement, or resources like the National Center on Elder Abuse and the Eldercare Locator (1-800
cbc.ca · 2025-12-08
Ahmad Ebadi, a 26-year-old from Quebec, pleaded guilty to three counts of fraud for his role as a "bagman" collecting money in a grandparent scam targeting Saskatoon seniors in December 2023. The scam involved criminals posing as grandchildren and lawyers claiming family members were in legal trouble and needed bail money, with Ebadi collecting the funds in person; one couple nearly lost $9,000 before police intervened with a sting operation. Both the prosecution and defense recommended a sentence of 1.5 to 2 years, with the judge to rule later in the summer on whether Ebadi serves time in jail or in the community.
indianexpress.com · 2025-12-08
Two senior citizens in Maharashtra lost a combined Rs 96 lakh in stock market scams involving fake investment apps and WhatsApp groups impersonating legitimate companies like IIFL. A 65-year-old retiree from Thane invested Rs 46 lakh after responding to an online advertisement, while a Navi Mumbai senior citizen lost Rs 50 lakh through a similar scheme; both discovered their money had disappeared when attempting withdrawals. Police report these scams are increasingly targeting vulnerable elderly victims, with fraudsters operating from other states and converting stolen funds into cryptocurrencies sent abroad, though immediate reporting to the cyber helpline (1930) may help recover funds.
jcsentinel.com · 2025-12-08
In 2023, elder fraud reports to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center rose 14 percent, with over 101,000 victims aged 60 and older losing more than $3.4 billion—an average of $33,915 per victim. The most common scams included tech support fraud, investment schemes (costing $1.2 billion alone), government impersonation, romance scams, and cryptocurrency fraud, with scammers often using spoofed caller IDs and posing as agencies like the IRS and Social Security Administration. TARCOG hosted a Fraud & Scam Summit in Alabama to educate the community about these schemes and provide resources to
wxii12.com · 2025-12-08
Fraud investigators in Guilford County are warning senior citizens about a court-related scam in which callers falsely claim victims missed jury duty or failed to appear in court, demanding payment of fines to resolve the alleged offense. Detective Chris Malloy emphasized that law enforcement does not collect money over the phone and advised potential victims to recognize this as a fear-based scam; scammers accept payment through gift cards, cash, cryptocurrency, and gold, and are difficult to prosecute, especially when operating from overseas. The Guilford County Sheriff's Office offers a senior academy program to help residents protect themselves against fraud.
reformer.com · 2025-12-08
Lt. Adam Petlock of the Brattleboro Police Department provided an educational presentation to seniors at the Brattleboro Senior Center on July 24, 2024, covering scam prevention strategies and methods for identifying fraudulent schemes. The presentation aimed to equip older adults with knowledge to protect themselves from becoming victims of scams.
nbcnewyork.com · 2025-12-08
Two Long Island men posing as unlicensed contractors for a fake company called "Top Line Masonry" targeted senior homeowners by performing minor repairs, then deliberately causing additional damage to justify larger jobs and deposits before disappearing. David Young, 31, and Adam Turner, 25, pleaded guilty to multiple charges; police confirmed at least one victim in Floral Park and suspect additional victims in surrounding areas, with Nassau County reporting 31 home improvement scams targeting seniors aged 70-90 that year alone.
readthereporter.com · 2025-12-08
American Senior Communities is hosting a free educational session in partnership with the Indiana Attorney General and U.S. Department of Justice to teach seniors how to recognize and avoid scams and fraud. The session covers common elder fraud tactics, including grandparent scams, romance scams, and fake investment schemes, which collectively cost seniors over $5.9 billion annually. The event takes place July 25 from 2-4 p.m. at Allisonville Meadows in Fishers, Indiana.
sandiegouniontribune.com · 2025-12-08
At a California senior scam awareness seminar, officials warned that seniors remain the primary target for financial fraud due to their assets, with losses exceeding $3.4 billion reported to the FBI in 2023 alone. Common scams targeting older adults include online romance fraud (median loss over $9,000 for those 70+), annuity schemes, imposter calls impersonating government agencies and companies, tech support scams, and home remodeling fraud. Experts advised seniors to verify caller information independently, recognize high-pressure sales tactics and false urgency, and remember that government agencies do not initiate contact by phone.
fairfaxhs.fcps.edu · 2025-12-08
Four Fairfax High School students—Advik Atyam, David Nam, Nathan Kim, and Yousif al Atbi—created ScamCops, an award-winning educational website and AI chatbot designed to help seniors identify common scams, after each experienced personal scam losses. The project, which won first place in the 2024 Fairfax Area Student Shark Tank Technology Challenge, has expanded into a nonprofit with 2,000 website views and users across 36 countries, featuring a scam identification quiz, educational blog, and student volunteer "cops" who present at retirement homes. The initiative addresses a critical problem: according to the FTC, consumers lost over
foxnews.com · 2025-12-08
Priscilla Presley, 79, filed a lawsuit in July against four former business associates—Brigitte Kruse, Kevin Fialko, Vahe Sislyan, and Lynn Walker Wright—accusing them of financial elder abuse and fraud that resulted in her losing over $1 million. According to Presley's claims, the defendants gained her trust, isolated her from loved ones, and fraudulently induced her to sign contracts surrendering 80% of her income in a "meticulously planned" scheme. The defendants have characterized the lawsuit as retaliatory, claiming they provided legitimate assistance to Presley.
13wham.com · 2025-12-08
The FBI is warning consumers in the Rochester area about gold bar scams targeting seniors, where fraudsters trick victims—often through impersonation schemes like posing as grandchildren in distress—into liquidating their savings to purchase gold bars that are then picked up by couriers. People aged 60 and older lost $3.4 billion to scams in the previous year, with individual victims losing between $500,000 to over $1 million in single incidents, and the average elder fraud loss reaching $33,000. The FBI emphasizes that legitimate government agencies and businesses will never request consumers to purchase gold or precious metals, and urges victims to report suspicious activity immediately to the Internet Crime Complaint
aol.com · 2025-12-08
**Scam Type:** Asset liquidation scam (posing as tech support, finance, or government officials) **What Happened:** Scammers called senior citizens claiming their financial accounts were hacked or at risk, then convinced victims to convert assets into cash, gold, or silver, which the scammers then collected via courier or took control of remotely. The FBI reported over $55 million in losses nationwide from this scam in the second half of the previous year, with recent activity reported in the Rochester area. **Key Prevention Tips:** Legitimate government agencies and businesses never ask you to convert assets to cash or valuables; avoid disclosing home addresses to unknown cal
tribtoday.com · 2025-12-08
The Warren-Trumbull County Public Library hosted an FBI presentation on elder fraud on August 1, covering current scam schemes, victim support resources, and prevention strategies. The free program was presented in partnership with Trumbull 100 to educate the community on protecting seniors from fraud.
gazettejournal.net · 2025-12-08
**Summary:** The IRS issued a warning about rising impersonation scams targeting seniors, in which fraudsters pose as government officials via phone calls, emails, and text messages to steal personal information and money. IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel emphasized that combating these scams requires coordination between federal agencies and the tax community to reach and protect vulnerable seniors and taxpayers.