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in Government Impersonation
jcsentinel.com
· 2025-12-08
Several Jackson County residents received threatening telephone scams impersonating the IRS, Attorney General's office, and courts, with callers demanding immediate payment via wire transfer or debit card under threats of arrest, liens, or garnishment. Common scams included IRS impersonation, fake arrest warrants for unpaid taxes or missed jury duty, and charity donation schemes, all designed to extract money or personal information for identity theft. Authorities advised hanging up on such calls and contacting the IRS directly at 1-800-829-1040 or reporting incidents to the Treasury Inspector General at 1-800-366-4484.
wdrb.com
· 2025-12-08
During the holiday season, scammers are impersonating U.S. Postal Service representatives via text messages, claiming packages are held and directing recipients to click links and enter credit card information to claim delivery. The USPS confirmed these texts are fraudulent and warns consumers never to click unfamiliar links or provide personal/financial information in response to unsolicited messages. Additionally, counterfeit stamps sold at significant discounts (20-50% off) on social media and e-commerce sites are circulating, and law enforcement recommends deleting suspicious texts and reporting them to local post offices.
timesnownews.com
· 2025-12-08
Former Miss India Shivankita Dixit lost Rs 99,000 in a "digital arrest" scam after fraudsters impersonating CBI officials falsely accused her of human trafficking and drug smuggling via WhatsApp, coercing her into immediate payment. Digital arrest scams exploit fear and urgency by using fake documents and credible-seeming video calls to convince victims they face legal action unless they pay fines. To stay safe, victims should verify caller identity through official sources, never share sensitive information, remain calm under pressure, consult trusted contacts, and report suspicious activity to police immediately.
mitrade.com
· 2025-12-08
A 33-year-old resident of Thane district, India lost over $25,000 in a cryptocurrency investment scam after being contacted by someone posing as a representative of a crypto investment company who promised high-yield returns. The victim transferred funds between November 8 and December 3 before the scammer became unresponsive when he requested to withdraw his earnings. Police have registered a complaint under the Information Technology Act and are investigating to trace the international phone number used in the fraud.
wmur.com
· 2025-12-08
New Hampshire's Assistant Attorney General Alexandra Sosnowski warns consumers about holiday shopping scams, particularly those occurring online during the Christmas season. Key recommendations include verifying retailer URLs and checking reviews on trusted sources like the Better Business Bureau before purchasing, monitoring package deliveries to prevent porch theft, avoiding clicking links in unsolicited text messages claiming delivery issues, and purchasing gift cards directly from retailers to avoid tampered cards. The alert emphasizes taking extra time to verify sources and using tracking information directly from retailers rather than through suspicious links.
5newsonline.com
· 2025-12-08
During the 2023 holiday season, Arkansas saw a surge in scam reports, with 53 complaints submitted to the Better Business Bureau in one month, including fake Facebook ads for online shopping and "smishing" text messages impersonating USPS requesting personal information. One victim, Lisa Kirkpatrick, lost money on a counterfeit Old Navy ad and was further threatened by scammers claiming that disputing the charge would damage her credit. The USPS Inspection Service launched a "Don't Get Snowed" campaign urging people not to click suspicious links, report messages to authorities, and conduct urgent financial transactions in person rather than via unsolicited online communications.
bankingjournal.aba.com
· 2025-12-08
"Fraud as a service" is a growing criminal business model where perpetrators offer tools and infrastructure to commit fraud, recruiting unwitting "money mules" to transfer funds through their bank accounts. Financial losses from fraud targeting seniors over 60 have surged from $500 million in 2018 to $3.5 billion in 2023, with schemes also prevalent on social media platforms targeting younger demographics and even infants through synthetic identity fraud. Banks have a critical 72-hour window to recover fraudulent funds before money leaves accounts, and implementing name-matching verification and monitoring for suspicious transaction patterns like unusual velocity or peer-to-peer transfers can help prevent fraud.
montgomeryadvertiser.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, Alabama residents lost $96.4 million to online scams across 5,763 victims, ranking the state 27th nationally for scam susceptibility. The article identifies rising threats including AI-generated deepfakes (which accounted for 39% of national scam losses), look-alike fraudulent websites, and untraceable payment methods like cryptocurrency and gift cards, with scammers predominantly operating overseas where U.S. law cannot reach them and 95.7% of stolen money goes unrecovered.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Terrance Alonzo Pruitt, 47, of Bessemer, Alabama was convicted of two counts of wire fraud for defrauding an elderly family member with dementia of $550,000 between September and December 2023. Pruitt illegally obtained power of attorney, became a joint account holder, changed account addresses, altered beneficiary designations, and transferred the victim's funds to his personal accounts, later moving $500,000 to an account excluding the victim. The case was investigated by the FBI and prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Alabama.
wusa9.com
· 2025-12-08
Montgomery County's Office of Consumer Protection warned residents about text message phishing scams targeting holiday shoppers, in which scammers impersonate USPS and other mail carriers to trick victims into clicking malicious links that steal personal and financial information. The advisory recommends verifying delivery issues directly with official company websites, avoiding clicking unsolicited links, and reporting suspicious texts to carriers to protect against these schemes that exploit the increased package deliveries during the holiday season.
fox43.com
· 2025-12-08
Montgomery County's Office of Consumer Protection warns residents about SMS phishing scams targeting holiday shoppers, wherein scammers send text messages impersonating USPS or other mail carriers with fraudulent links claiming package delivery issues to steal personal and financial information. To protect themselves, consumers should avoid clicking unsolicited message links, verify delivery issues directly with official company websites, never provide sensitive information via text or email, and report suspicious messages to their carrier by forwarding to 7726 (SPAM).
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
An elderly couple in Williamson County, Illinois lost $121,000 to an imposter scam in which fraudsters posing as PayPal representatives and federal agents convinced them their accounts were compromised and persuaded them to withdraw cash for "secure" federal custody. Three Chinese nationals have been arrested and charged with federal wire fraud for their roles in the conspiracy, which involved sending pictures of withdrawal slips and arranging cash pickups using code words. U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe warned southern Illinois residents about the prevalence of such scams, which typically begin with communications claiming suspicious account activity and escalate through threats about losing savings and retirement funds.
signalscv.com
· 2025-12-08
Multiple U.S. regulatory agencies reported in December that elder financial exploitation costs Americans over $28 billion annually, with over 155,000 cases reported between June 2022 and June 2023 linked to approximately $27 billion in suspicious activity. The FBI documented over 101,000 elder fraud complaints in 2023, with victims over 60 losing an average of $33,915—nearly 270% higher than 2020—primarily through investment scams, business email compromise, romance scams, and government impersonation schemes. Regulatory agencies urged financial institutions to strengthen protections by increasing account oversight, training employees to recognize exploitation, and coordinating with law enforcement and elder
wmix94.com
· 2025-12-08
An elderly couple in Williamson County, Illinois lost $121,000 in an imposter scam where criminals posing as PayPal representatives and federal agents convinced them their accounts were compromised and persuaded them to withdraw cash for "secure" federal custody. Three Chinese nationals were arrested in October and face federal wire fraud charges after attempting to pick up the withdrawn funds at the couple's residence. U.S. Attorney Rachelle Aud Crowe warned southern Illinois residents about the prevalence of imposter scams targeting seniors, which typically involve fraudsters impersonating legitimate companies or government officials to manipulate victims into draining their accounts.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Brandon Alford, a 47-year-old employee in Washington, Indiana, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for defrauding his employer through a scheme involving a fake company called A&D Distributing LLC. Between December 2017 and January 2023, Alford submitted 25 fraudulent invoices totaling $1,006,500 for machine parts that were never ordered or delivered, while also evading taxes on the fraud proceeds from 2017-2022. He was ordered to pay $1,006,500 in restitution to his employer and $319,793.02 to the IRS.
hometownstations.com
· 2025-12-08
The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of Financial Institutions issued a December 2024 alert warning Ohioans about the rising prevalence of gift card scams during the holiday season, noting that Americans lost nearly $217 million to such scams in the previous year. Common scam tactics include government impostors demanding payment for taxes, tech support fraudsters, romance scams, and fake prize claims, with scammers pressuring victims to purchase gift cards and insisting on immediate payment. The DFI recommends purchasing gift cards only from reputable sources, inspecting cards before purchase, avoiding third-party sellers, and remembering that legitimate businesses and government agencies never demand payment via gift cards.
cyberscoop.com
· 2025-12-08
Abiola Kayode, a 37-year-old Nigerian cybercriminal on the FBI's Most Wanted list, was extradited from Ghana to face wire fraud charges for his role in business email compromise (BEC) and romance fraud schemes that defrauded businesses of over $6 million between 2015 and 2016. The scheme involved impersonating executives to trick employees into making fraudulent wire transfers, with stolen funds diverted to accounts controlled by Kayode and co-conspirators. Several of Kayode's accomplices have already been convicted and sentenced to prison terms ranging from 45 to 96 months.
shu.edu
· 2025-12-08
Smishing—a phishing scam conducted via SMS text messages—is surging among Android and iOS users, with cybercriminals impersonating banks, government agencies, and retailers to steal personal information, trigger identity theft, or install malware. The FBI urges users to avoid clicking links or downloading attachments from unknown numbers and recommends enabling multi-factor authentication, accessing official websites directly, and reporting suspicious texts to carriers. Common smishing tactics include fake bank alerts, false tax refunds, account suspension warnings, fraudulent delivery notices, and unrealistic prize offers.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Kolkata Police launched a cybercrime awareness initiative targeting senior citizens in response to a surge in digital arrest scams, where criminals impersonate law enforcement via video calls using fake police stations and uniformed officers to intimidate victims into transferring money. Senior citizens account for approximately 52% of digital arrest fraud victims, with 320 complaints recorded since June and two Mumbai residents arrested for defrauding a 65-year-old of Rs 66.3 lakh using this scheme. Police advise citizens to identify red flags such as random numbers and multiple "officers," avoid engaging with callers, verify identities through official channels, and report incidents immediately while contacting financial helplines to freeze transfers
deccanherald.com
· 2025-12-08
A 68-year-old senior citizen in Bengaluru lost Rs 1.94 crore to cyber fraudsters who conducted a "digital arrest" scam between November 30 and December 7. The scammers impersonated Mumbai crime branch officers via WhatsApp video call, falsely claiming the victim was involved in money laundering linked to businessman Naresh Goyal, then pressured him to transfer his entire fixed deposit in multiple installments while restricting his communication with others. The victim discovered the fraud only after discussing it with his daughter, who helped him file a police complaint.
moco360.media
· 2025-12-08
A 26-year-old Rockville man was sentenced to five years in prison (10 years with suspension) for his role in a gold bar scam targeting a 94-year-old Silver Spring resident who nearly lost approximately $230,000. Mathon posed as a federal agent, convincing the elderly victim that his identity had been stolen and he needed to purchase gold bars for safekeeping, but law enforcement interrupted the scheme with a sting operation that caught Mathon attempting to collect the package. This marks Montgomery County's first conviction in a local gold bar scam case, which prosecutors note involves organized, international criminal networks that specifically target vulnerable elderly victims.
indiatoday.in
· 2025-12-08
The "digital arrest" scam, which has cost Indians ₹120 crore in the first four months of 2024, involves fraudsters impersonating law enforcement officials via phone calls to falsely accuse victims of crimes like money laundering and extort money by threatening immediate "digital arrest"—a term that does not exist in Indian law. The scam targets individuals across all sectors, including professionals, by creating psychological pressure through urgency, threats of isolation, and demands for confidentiality, and can be identified by suspicious unofficial contact numbers, pressure tactics, and threats against disclosure to family members.
highlandcountypress.com
· 2025-12-08
The Ohio Department of Financial Institutions warns consumers about gift card scams, which cost Americans nearly $217 million last year according to FTC data. Scammers impersonate legitimate businesses and government agencies to pressure victims into making payments via gift cards, particularly during the holiday season when gift card purchases are popular. The advisory provides protective measures including purchasing cards only from reputable sources, inspecting cards before purchase, and remembering that legitimate businesses and government agencies never demand gift card payments.
kxii.com
· 2025-12-08
Text message scams, known as "smishing," are increasing in frequency and effectiveness by impersonating legitimate companies like Amazon and USPS, particularly during the holiday shopping season. These fraudulent messages prompt recipients to click links or confirm personal information, potentially leading to malware installation and theft of sensitive data including credit card numbers, passwords, and social security numbers. Scammers operate this as a high-volume, low-risk numbers game targeting no specific demographic, making it highly profitable; experts recommend avoiding clicking links and instead visiting company websites directly to track packages.
vancouver.citynews.ca
· 2025-12-08
Vancouver Police reported a scam targeting seniors in December 2024 in which fraudsters impersonated bank representatives via phone calls, claiming irregular account activity and convincing victims to surrender personal information and bank cards to couriers. Two seniors lost approximately $40,000 combined—a 72-year-old lost $30,000 and an 81-year-old lost $6,500—after being manipulated into providing passwords, PINs, and home addresses. Police advised the public that legitimate financial institutions never send couriers to collect bank cards and recommend hanging up on such calls and verifying directly with their bank.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A senior citizen in Bengaluru lost Rs 1.94 crore from his fixed deposit after falling victim to a "digital arrest" scam that began with a WhatsApp video call on November 30th. Fraudsters impersonating a Mumbai Crime Branch officer falsely accused him of money laundering involvement, threatened legal action, and isolated him from help while manipulating him into transferring funds in multiple installments over a week. The victim's daughter discovered the fraud on December 7th when he confided in her, leading to a police complaint.
torquenews.com
· 2025-12-08
Adam Herrera listed his 2007 Toyota Tacoma for $13,000 on OfferUp and met potential buyers at an In-N-Out parking lot in Hesperia, California, where they sabotaged his vehicle by pouring water into the engine oil while distracting him during a test drive. When the truck began smoking, the scammers offered him only $5,000, but Herrera recognized the scheme after reviewing his dash camera footage and refused to sell. The incident cost him $1,500 in repairs at a Toyota dealership, and the Hesperia Police Department's investigation was ongoing at the time of reporting.
huffpost.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2021, gift cards were the top payment method used by scammers, resulting in $148 million in stolen funds from consumers. Scammers tamper with physical gift cards on store display racks by removing protective film, recording card and PIN numbers, and covering their tracks, then use computer programs to drain funds when victims activate the cards. Unlike credit and debit cards, gift cards lack protections under the Electronic Funds Transfer Act, making it difficult for consumers to recover fraudulently used funds, and experts recommend buying cards from the back of display racks, under cashier supervision, online from reputable retailers, or giving cash instead.
dailyexcelsior.com
· 2025-12-08
Digital arrest scams are a sophisticated cyber fraud where perpetrators impersonate law enforcement officials to extort money or personal information from victims through false accusations of crimes like money laundering or identity theft. Multiple victims in India lost significant sums—ranging from 46 lakhs to 5.9 crore—after being intimidated by scammers using phone spoofing, deepfake technology, and legal jargon to create urgency and fear. These scams leverage psychological manipulation, phishing portals, and demands for untraceable payments via cryptocurrency or gift cards to exploit victims who are prevented from verifying the legitimacy of communications.
newskarnataka.com
· 2025-12-08
A Bengaluru senior citizen lost Rs 1.94 crore from his fixed deposit in a sophisticated cyber scam that began on November 30 when scammers impersonated a Mumbai Crime Branch officer via WhatsApp video call and falsely accused him of money laundering involvement. Using psychological manipulation tactics including fake "digital arrest" and threats of legal consequences, the fraudsters coerced the victim into transferring funds in multiple installments over several days while keeping him isolated. The scam was uncovered on December 7 when the victim disclosed the situation to his daughter, who recognized it as fraud and helped him file a police complaint.
timesrepublican.com
· 2025-12-08
Three Iowa volunteers with the Central Iowa Retired Senior Volunteer Program presented a fraud prevention program highlighting major scams targeting seniors, including a Fort Dodge victim who lost over $500,000 to scammers and a Marion woman who lost $30,000. Common schemes discussed included grandchild impersonation scams, fraudulent Medicare reimbursement demands, and affinity fraud targeting religious or ethnic groups, with the volunteers providing prevention strategies such as not answering unknown callers, verifying urgent requests by calling relatives directly, and avoiding upfront payments to strangers.
taipeitimes.com
· 2025-12-08
**Type:** Educational/Prevention Advice
An expert psychiatrist in Taiwan recommends three preventive measures to protect elderly people from fraud: regular cognitive function assessments to detect early impairment, reducing alone time through social engagement and community activities, and holding major assets in trusts or guardianship arrangements. The advice comes amid rising elderly fraud cases in Taiwan, including a retired physician who lost over NT$10 million and actress Tan Ai-chen who lost over NT$1 million, with scammers typically targeting seniors during daytime hours when family members are at work.
thelivenagpur.com
· 2025-12-08
A 65-year-old man in Nagpur lost Rs 5.08 lakh in a "digital arrest" scam between December 4-6, when fraudsters called claiming his mobile number was linked to money laundering and threatened immediate arrest. The victim was manipulated into transferring the funds online before realizing the deception. Ajni Police registered a case under BNS Section 318(4) and IT Act provisions, with the investigation ongoing.
india.com
· 2025-12-08
A 68-year-old senior citizen in Bengaluru lost Rs 1.94 crore (approximately $233,000 USD) in a "digital arrest" scam that occurred on November 30. The victim received a WhatsApp video call from a scammer posing as a Mumbai police officer who accused him of involvement in a money laundering case, then coerced him into transferring funds over seven days under the guise of a fake "digital arrest" investigation. The fraud was discovered when the victim's daughter learned of the scheme and reported it to police.
normantranscript.com
· 2025-12-08
This personal account describes the author's experience with multiple phone and online scams during the holiday shopping season, including fake credit card offers, IRS threats, and Microsoft Windows license warnings. The author documents various fraudulent calls and contacts from scammers impersonating legitimate companies (Visa, Google, Corporations for Character, the IRS, Social Security, and Microsoft), as well as suspicious emails, highlighting how these schemes remain profitable despite being widely known. The piece emphasizes the importance of educating oneself on scam recognition and avoiding being victimized by these common variations on familiar themes.
afro.com
· 2025-12-08
Task scams—fraudulent online job schemes initiated through unsolicited texts and WhatsApp messages—surged dramatically in 2024, accounting for nearly 40 percent of all job scam reports and causing losses exceeding $220 million in the first half of the year alone. These scams typically lure victims with vague work opportunities like "app optimization," provide small initial payouts to build trust, then demand upfront investments for promised larger commissions that never materialize, with cryptocurrency serving as the primary payment method. The FTC warns consumers to ignore unsolicited job messages, never pay money upfront for employment, and recognize that any promised earnings from "gamified tasks" are fraudulent.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A 65-year-old retired government employee in Panchkula lost Rs 4.36 lakh to a social media romance scam perpetrated by two women, Anita Pandey and Sweety Chandrakar, who posed as business associates online. The article also highlights two related elder fraud trends: a 60-year-old engineer losing Rs 68 lakh through a fraudulent share trading app, and a spike in "digital arrest" scams targeting seniors in Kolkata, with one victim losing over Rs 66 lakh.
clickondetroit.com
· 2025-12-08
Researchers at USC Dornsife have identified a potential early warning sign of Alzheimer's disease: sudden poor financial decision-making in older adults who otherwise test cognitively normal. The study found that thinning of the entorhinal cortex—a brain region that deteriorates first in Alzheimer's disease and helps assess future outcomes and value—is associated with financial vulnerability, suggesting that unexplained susceptibility to scams or poor money choices could indicate early cognitive decline before other symptoms appear. Early recognition of this sign may prompt earlier testing and diagnosis, allowing patients and families more time for treatment planning and emotional adjustment.
postandcourier.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI issued a public warning about an advanced tech support scam targeting South Carolina seniors, where scammers pose as tech support and instruct victims to liquidate assets and purchase gold bars for courier pickup to resolve fabricated device or financial account issues. South Carolina residents aged 60 and older reported losses exceeding $9 million from January through November, with similar cases occurring nationwide, and the multi-layered scheme often involves networks of criminals working together over weeks or months. The FBI advises seniors to avoid clicking unsolicited links, never provide computer access to unknown individuals, and verify suspicious claims by visiting financial institutions in person rather than contacting provided phone numbers.
wfiwradio.com
· 2025-12-08
An elderly couple in Williamson County, Illinois lost $121,000 to an imposter scam in which criminals posing as PayPal and federal agents convinced them their accounts were compromised and directed them to withdraw cash for "secure" deposit. Three Chinese nationals were arrested in October and now face federal wire fraud charges after attempting to collect the cash from the victims' home using code words provided by the scammers. The U.S. Attorney's Office reports a rising trend of such imposter scams targeting seniors in southern Illinois, where fraudsters use scare tactics and pressure victims to keep withdrawals secret from their banks.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Two Irish brothers, Patrick and Matthew McDonagh, were sentenced to 18 months in prison for conspiracy to commit wire fraud targeting elderly homeowners across the United States. The scheme involved falsely claiming homes needed urgent repairs (roof holes, foundation damage) and pressuring victims to write checks; one Shoreline, Washington homeowner lost $435,000, while victims in Oregon, Illinois, and Bellevue lost an additional $798,000 combined. The defendants have agreed to pay over $1 million in restitution to their victims.
snopes.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Brushing scams—where scammers mail unsolicited items to recipients with QR codes to generate fake positive reviews—are real threats, but viral Facebook warnings from police departments exaggerated the danger of scanning QR codes. While scanning a QR code alone does not automatically compromise a phone or drain bank accounts, scammers using QR code phishing (Quishing) require victims to take additional steps, such as entering login credentials on malicious websites mimicking legitimate services.
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-08
During the holiday season, scammers exploit shoppers' stress and excitement through various schemes, including package delivery scams that use fake links mimicking legitimate carriers (like "uspsts.top" instead of "usps.com") to steal personal information or payment, and charity scams where fraudsters impersonate legitimate organizations to solicit donations. The article advises consumers to verify packages through original shipping confirmations, independently research charities before donating, maintain antivirus software, and watch for red flags like poor grammar and suspicious links.
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are increasingly using sophisticated emotional manipulation tactics—such as texts about sick puppies—to engage potential victims, with experts predicting this trend will accelerate in 2025 due to improved AI and deepfake technology. The article highlights that older Americans are frequent targets, losing over $3.4 billion to fraud in 2023 with an 11% year-over-year increase in reported losses among those over 60. Key scams to watch include employment fraud, cryptocurrency schemes, and impersonation scams that exploit emotional triggers and misuse of company names and hiring manager identities.
prunderground.com
· 2025-12-08
"Senior Savvy: A Comprehensive Guide to Avoiding Scams" is an educational resource released by financial expert Andy LaPointe that teaches seniors to recognize and prevent fraud across multiple platforms, including phishing emails, social media scams, cryptocurrency schemes, romance scams, and door-to-door deception. The guide provides step-by-step explanations, real-world examples, and actionable strategies for responding to scams, with particular emphasis on protecting seniors during high-risk periods like the holiday season when scammer activity increases.
theintelligencer.net
· 2025-12-08
Gift card scams are increasingly popular during the holiday season, with American consumers losing nearly $217 million to these scams last year, according to FTC data. Scammers pose as legitimate businesses or government agencies to pressure victims into making payments via gift cards, using tactics such as false tax claims, fake tech support, romance schemes, and prize scams. To protect themselves, consumers should only purchase gift cards from reputable sources, inspect cards before buying, avoid third-party sellers, keep receipts, and remember that legitimate businesses and government agencies never demand payment via gift cards.
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
AI-enabled scams are projected to cause $40 billion in losses by 2027, up from $12.3 billion in 2023, as fraudsters increasingly adopt deepfake technology, voice cloning, and AI chatbots for romance scams and business email compromise attacks. Criminal activity on fraud-focused channels surged 644% between 2023 and 2024, with scammers now offering "fraud-as-a-service" tools and recruiting workers to create deepfake content. The FBI and fraud experts warn that 2025 will see AI scams become mainstream, particularly in targeted business fraud (like the $30 million Hong Kong Zoom imperson
vietnamnet.vn
· 2025-12-08
Online scams caused Vietnamese citizens an estimated VND 18.9 trillion in losses during 2024, affecting approximately 0.45% of smartphone users (one in 220 people), according to the National Cybersecurity Association's survey of 60,000 participants. The three most common scam types were fake investment schemes promising high returns (70.72% of respondents), impersonation of organizations or government agencies (62.08%), and deceptive prize-winning or promotional messages (60.01%), with fraudsters increasingly using deepfake technology and automated tools. The report emphasizes that only 45.69% of victims reported scams to authorities, and recommends users
hindustantimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A 68-year-old Bengaluru resident lost ₹1.94 crore from his fixed deposit after falling victim to a "digital arrest" scam in which fraudsters impersonating Mumbai crime branch officers accused him of money laundering and held him under fake digital arrest for seven days. The scammers contacted him via WhatsApp video call on November 30, claimed his ATM card was seized in connection with Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal, and coerced him into transferring funds in multiple installments while threatening him to remain silent. He discovered the fraud only when he confided in his daughter on December 7, who helped him file a police complaint with the southeast
theitem.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI is investigating an advanced multi-layered tech support scam targeting elderly South Carolinians, where scammers pose as tech support and government officials to convince victims their devices and financial accounts have been compromised, then instruct them to liquidate assets and purchase gold bars for courier pickup. South Carolina seniors aged 60 and older reported losses exceeding $9 million to tech support scams from January through November, with similar cases occurring nationwide. The schemes involve coordinated networks of criminals using fake documents, routing calls between accomplices, and can persist for weeks or months before victims discover their accounts have been depleted.