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mynorthwest.com
· 2025-12-08
Irish brothers Patrick and Matthew McDonagh were sentenced to 18 months in prison for defrauding elderly homeowners across the country of over $400,000 through a roofing and foundation repair scam. The pair traveled nationally approaching elderly homeowners, falsely claiming urgent repairs were needed, then pressured victims into writing multiple checks for unnecessary or fake work; in one Shoreline case, they stole $435,000 from a single homeowner before the scheme was uncovered. The defendants pleaded guilty and agreed to pay over $1 million in restitution to victims in Washington, Oregon, and Illinois.
cnet.com
· 2025-12-08
Package and delivery scams are surging during the 2024 holiday season, with four main types targeting consumers: brushing (fraudsters using stolen information to create fake accounts and send unsolicited items), smishing (fake delivery texts with malicious links), fake missed-package notifications with phishing links or QR codes, and physical package theft by thieves using stolen tracking information. To protect yourself, verify package status through official carrier websites rather than links in messages, monitor credit cards for unauthorized charges, delete any fake accounts created in your name, and report suspicious activity to the FTC.
abc7.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are exploiting the holiday shipping season with "smishing" scams—fake text messages claiming package delivery problems and requesting personal information or credit card details through malicious links. The U.S. Postal Service does not contact customers via text, email, or phone calls about package issues, and customers should instead use legitimate free tracking options like Informed Delivery or USPS text tracking signup. Anyone who clicks suspicious links or shares personal information should report the incident to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
usatoday.com
· 2025-12-08
providencejournal.com
· 2025-12-08
During holiday seasons when package deliveries increase, scammers impersonate UPS, FedEx, and USPS through phishing text messages and emails to steal personal and financial information, typically using malicious hyperlinks that direct victims to fraudulent websites. Consumers can identify these scams by watching for distorted logos, grammatical errors, urgent language demanding immediate action, requests for money or personal information, and suspicious links that don't match their stated destinations. Those who receive suspicious delivery messages should not click links and should report them to the Federal Trade Commission or directly to the shipping carriers' fraud departments.
fincen.gov
· 2025-12-08
FinCEN issued an alert warning the public about fraudsters impersonating FinCEN officials or misusing the agency's name, insignia, and authority to perpetrate financial scams, including schemes exploiting beneficial ownership reporting and the Money Services Business Registration tool. FinCEN emphasized that legitimate officials will never threaten, demand immediate payment, or contact people via unsolicited email, call, or text, and urged the public to report suspected impersonation to the Treasury Inspector General, FTC, and FBI. Victims aged 60 and older can report fraud to the Department of Justice's National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11.
telus.com
· 2025-12-08
This article highlights the rising prevalence of online fraud in Canada, with over 40,600 fraud reports and $503 million in losses as of October 2024, while noting that victims often experience significant emotional trauma alongside financial losses. The piece features the case of Miriam Edelson, who lost $7,500 to a scammer impersonating authorities and claiming her identity was compromised, emphasizing how shame and silence prevented her from seeking help initially. The article stresses that fraud can happen to anyone, encourages victims to report incidents and speak openly about their experiences rather than suffer in silence, and notes that scammer responsibility lies entirely with the perpetrator, not the victim.
amsterdamnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Victor Anthony Valdez, a Bronx-based Social Security Administration employee, pleaded guilty in December for his role in a "grandparent scam" targeting elderly New Yorkers and New Jerseyans, in which he collected cash payments from victims who had been deceived by Dominican Republic-based call centers posing as distressed grandchildren or their representatives. The scheme defrauded vulnerable seniors of thousands of dollars each through false claims of arrest or legal troubles. Authorities recommend that older adults verify caller identities through personal questions, keep social media private, avoid transferring money or buying gift cards, and report suspected fraud to local law enforcement or the National Elder Fraud Hotline at
cnet.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Scammers are exploiting increased holiday online shopping with fake delivery text scams (smishing), claiming package delivery problems to trick victims into clicking malicious links or sharing personal and financial information. According to a CNET survey, 66% of US adults fear falling for holiday scams, with these nondelivery package scams topping the list. To protect yourself, verify delivery notifications directly through official websites rather than clicking links, watch for red flags like typos and urgent language, and avoid clicking links in unsolicited messages.
nbcdfw.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI and Better Business Bureau warn of a surge in holiday season scams targeting consumers during Christmas shopping. Common scams include misleading social media ads leading to counterfeit products, illegal pyramid schemes disguised as gift exchanges (like "Secret Sister"), fake toll collection texts, phishing emails offering free gift cards, and fraudulent seasonal job postings that exploit personal information. Consumers are advised to research businesses on BBB.org, verify offers directly with official sources, review app privacy policies, and avoid clicking links in unsolicited messages.
wusa9.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service warned of a "smishing" scam in which fraudsters send text messages impersonating USPS, claiming packages cannot be delivered and directing recipients to click malicious links (such as https://usps.com-packagesue.net) to confirm address information. The scam aims to steal financial account information, compromise credit reports, and obtain personal data for identity theft or resale. The FCC recommends never clicking suspicious links, deleting fraudulent texts, keeping devices updated with security software, enabling multi-factor authentication, and contacting USPS directly through their official website to verify package status.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A 56-year-old businessman from New Delhi lost Rs 23 lakh ($27,600 USD) to a fake stock trading platform after scammers built trust through a WhatsApp group offering market tips, then directed him to a fraudulent website where they showed false profits to prevent his withdrawal attempts. Delhi Police arrested a 21-year-old Kolkata resident who supplied bank accounts to the fraudsters and identified accomplices including a woman who rented her account to the scam ring, with investigations ongoing to apprehend the main perpetrators operating from abroad.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
A retired submarine commander lost $3.6 million to scammers despite his banks' concerns, prompting Virginia to propose "Larry's Law"—legislation requiring banks to report suspected fraud to police. However, industry lobbyists successfully removed the mandatory reporting clause before the bill passed, and similar elder fraud protection measures in California and Pennsylvania have also been blocked or weakened by banking industry opposition, even as elderly Americans lose an estimated $28 billion annually to fraud. Banks argue that consumer education and voluntary reporting to adult protective services are sufficient, but enforcement of existing reporting requirements remains lax across states.
luxtimes.lu
· 2025-12-08
An international police operation in late 2022/early 2023 raided three call centres in Poland and arrested 20 suspects involved in grandparent scams targeting elderly Luxembourgers. The organized fraud gangs impersonated police or justice officials claiming a family member caused a fatal accident in Germany, demanding cash or valuables as bail; one victim lost €100,000-€120,000 in jewellery and nearly fell for a €50,000 additional demand before her real son uncovered the scheme. The scammers operated with clear task divisions, made mass calls to targeted areas, and changed phone numbers frequently to avoid detection, though some attempts failed when victims contacte
fox43.com
· 2025-12-08
During the holiday shopping season, scammers exploit rushed consumers through look-alike websites and phishing emails, including fraudulent USPS notifications that direct victims to fake sites designed to steal personal information. Scammers purchase domain names with common typos, knowing busy shoppers may mistype URLs, though legitimate companies often buy these domains to protect customers. Consumers should verify website legitimacy by checking reviews, looking for poor grammar or misspellings, and being cautious before entering payment information on unfamiliar sites.
wave3.com
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau identifies twelve common holiday scams that increase during the festive season, including advent calendar fraud, fake charities, imposter emails/texts mimicking legitimate companies, fake shipping notifications, misleading social media ads, gift exchange schemes, puppy scams, and fake toll collection texts. The BBB advises consumers to verify charities through official evaluators, avoid unsolicited links and texts, use credit cards for social media purchases for protection, and contact companies directly through official channels if suspicious activity occurs. These scams particularly harm consumers with tight budgets who are trying to purchase gifts and prepare holiday meals.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed suit against Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and Wells Fargo, alleging they rushed the Zelle peer-to-peer payment network to market without adequate fraud protections, resulting in over $870 million in customer losses across seven years of operation. According to the complaint, hundreds of thousands of customers filed fraud complaints and were denied assistance, with JPMorgan Chase alone receiving 420,000 complaints involving $360 million in losses. The banks and Zelle disputed the allegations, with the companies claiming the CFPB's figures are misleading and that they maintain strong fraud prevention measures.
waylandstudentpress.com
· 2025-12-08
The Wayland Police Department issued a holiday season warning about rising scam activity, identifying the "Grandparent" scam—where perpetrators impersonate family members in distress requiring bail money—as particularly prevalent among elderly residents. Common scam tactics include impersonation of police or family members via phone, text, email, or social media, with scammers using personal background information to create urgency and fear; police also flagged pet scams, noting one family lost $3,600 before discovering a fake Corgi listing was fraudulent. Chief Edward Burman recommends residents immediately report suspected scams to police if personal information or money has been exchanged, and advises that
ajc.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Postal Service released holiday fraud prevention tips as mail scams increase during the busy pre-Christmas mailing season. Common threats include phishing and smishing scams (fraudulent emails and texts impersonating USPS), mail theft targeting packages, and counterfeit stamps sold at suspiciously low prices. Customers are advised to avoid clicking links from unknown senders, use signature confirmation and tracking for packages, never mail cash, and purchase stamps only from official USPS providers.
deseret.com
· 2025-12-08
Holiday shopping scams cost Americans over $309 million in non-payment and non-delivery fraud last year, with nearly 80% of consumers falling victim to scams—a 10% increase from the prior year. The FBI warned consumers against unrealistic deals during peak shopping periods, as scammers exploit holiday distractions and increased transaction volumes through tactics including counterfeit in-demand items, fake charities (affecting nearly 1 in 3 people), phishing emails and texts, fraudulent gift card offers, and fake employment opportunities. Common advice includes avoiding unsolicited links, verifying charity legitimacy, and purchasing only from authorized retailers.
lowenstein.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Task scams—sophisticated schemes where scammers pose as legitimate companies and lure job seekers to perform simple fake tasks with promises of payment—caused victims to lose over $220 million in the first half of 2024 alone. Scammers typically send unsolicited job offers, request deposits or fees to access supposed earnings, and often use cryptocurrency to make recovery impossible. Businesses face significant risks including reputation damage, legal liability, and hiring disruption when their brands are impersonated in these schemes.
wdef.com
· 2025-12-08
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed a lawsuit against Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, and Zelle's parent company Early Warning Services, alleging they rushed to launch the peer-to-peer payment network without adequate fraud protections, resulting in over $870 million in losses to customers since 2017. According to the suit, the three banks received hundreds of thousands of fraud complaints totaling more than $870 million collectively and often denied assistance to victims, while Zelle has been slow to implement anti-fraud measures and close fraudulent accounts. The lawsuit claims the banks prioritized competing with rival payment apps like Venmo and CashApp over customer safety.
grandrapidsmn.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece outlines how digital scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated and widespread across all age groups. Key tactics include phishing emails and texts impersonating banks or employers, phone scams posing as government agencies or tech support, and online shopping fraud, all enabled by advances in technology like AI-generated messages and deepfakes. The article emphasizes that staying informed about these evolving fraud methods is essential for protecting personal finances and information in an increasingly digital world.
bangaloremirror.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Bengaluru experienced severe cybercrime losses in 2024, with criminals stealing an average of ₹5.4 crore daily through digital arrest scams, fake investment schemes, and part-time job frauds, totaling ₹1,806 crore through November with individual losses ranging from ₹50,000 to ₹9 crore. The city recorded 16,357 cybercrime cases by year-end, with police successfully freezing ₹611.29 crore in fraudulent transactions and recovering ₹122.87 crore for victims. Authorities emphasize the critical "golden hour" immediately after fraud is reporte
unfilteredwithkiran.com
· 2025-12-08
The USPS warned consumers during the holiday season about fraudulent text messages impersonating the postal service, requesting personal information or payment to resolve fake delivery issues such as invalid zip codes. USPS clarified it does not request personal information or payment through unsolicited messages and advised customers to verify suspicious messages directly through usps.com or the official app, avoid clicking links, watch for red flags like poor grammar and urgent demands, and report scams to 7726 (SPAM).
fox43.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are sending fake shipping notification texts (commonly impersonating USPS or FedEx) during the holiday season to trick consumers into clicking malicious links and compromising personal information. The scam exploits the difficulty of tracking multiple online orders by claiming packages cannot be delivered due to issues like invalid zip codes. To avoid falling victim, consumers should maintain a list of their actual orders and verify tracking numbers directly through legitimate retailer websites rather than clicking links in unsolicited messages.
pymnts.com
· 2025-12-08
This article discusses investment opportunities in India's emerging digital economy, not elder fraud or scams. It covers Kevin Carter's optimistic outlook on Indian internet companies and the rapid growth of India's quick commerce sector, which is expected to exceed $6 billion in 2024. The piece is not relevant to the Elderus database's focus on elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse.
bangkokpost.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, Thailand recorded 739,000 cybercrime complaints between March and November, causing 77 billion baht in combined damage, with romance scams, friend impostor scams, fraudulent text messages with malicious links, and false government official calls identified as the most common tactics. These scams targeted victims by establishing fake relationships to solicit payments, impersonating friends or relatives to borrow money, sending phishing messages to steal banking information, and posing as officials demanding payment for alleged illegal activities. The Royal Thai Police advised vigilance and urged victims to report crimes via their online platform or the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau hotline.
curlytales.com
· 2025-12-08
Two men from Kolkata reported being targeted in online dating scams orchestrated at specific venues. The first man matched with a woman on Hinge who arranged a date at Riders Cafe, where he discovered it was a known scam location and left before ordering; the second man was taken to Atmosphere Café and presented with an inflated bill of ₹2,500 for drinks and food after his date ordered expensive items. Both men recognized the schemes in progress and left the establishments before significant financial loss, highlighting a pattern of women using dating apps to lure men to complicit venues with exorbitant pricing.
bangkokpost.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, Thailand experienced a surge in cybercrime with 739,000 complaints filed between March and November, resulting in 77 billion baht (approximately 77 million baht daily) in damages. The four most prevalent scams were romance scams involving fake social media accounts and bogus investment schemes, friend impostor scams requesting loans, phishing text messages with fraudulent links, and false accusation calls impersonating government officials demanding money or app installations. Thai authorities urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspected fraud through the police online portal or the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau's 24-hour hotline.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
This article provides six free strategies for protecting finances from fraud, particularly during high-risk periods like the holiday season. The recommended safeguards include staying informed about trending scams (adoption, romance, grandparent, and elder fraud), freezing credit with major bureaus when not applying for loans, enabling multi-factor authentication on accounts, using password managers to create strong unique passwords, avoiding clicking links or calling numbers in unsolicited communications, and monitoring accounts regularly for suspicious activity. These preventive measures require no financial investment but can significantly reduce vulnerability to identity theft and fraud year-round.
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-08
An 82-year-old woman lost her entire life savings to an elaborate scam involving impersonation, psychological manipulation, and coercion that drove her to withdraw funds via Bitcoin and max out credit cards, after which scammers posed as FBI agents claiming to "protect" her and later extracted an additional $20,000. The article outlines common elder fraud tactics—including impersonation, prize scams, tech support fraud, romance scams, and emergency schemes—and provides red flags such as unsolicited requests for sensitive information, urgent payment demands, and requests for untraceable payment methods like cryptocurrency or gift cards.
publicnewsservice.org
· 2025-12-08
The United States Postal Service is warning customers about smishing scams, which involve fraudulent text messages requesting users to click links regarding package delivery issues in order to steal personal information such as passwords, credit card numbers, and dates of birth. In 2020, over 240,000 people fell victim to smishing and related schemes, losing an average of $800 each for a total of $54 million in damages. The USPS advises that legitimate tracking messages only come from users who have registered for text notifications on usps.com and recommends never clicking suspicious links.
publicnewsservice.org
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Postal Service warned customers against "smishing" scams, where criminals send fraudulent text messages impersonating the postal service and asking recipients to click links to resolve package delivery issues. These scams aim to steal personal information such as passwords, credit card numbers, and dates of birth; in 2020 alone, smishing and related fraud schemes affected over 240,000 victims and cost more than $54 million, with average losses around $800 per person. The Postal Service advises customers to never click links in unsolicited texts and to only expect text messages if they have registered for legitimate tracking services on usps.com or through
myeasternshoremd.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
The IRS issued an alert warning seniors about increasingly sophisticated tax scams designed to steal personal information and financial assets through manipulative tactics. The agency advises older Americans to avoid sharing sensitive data with unsolicited callers, verify suspicious communications independently, use strong passwords and two-factor authentication, and report fraud to the National Elder Fraud Hotline (833-FRAUD-11) or directly to the IRS.
nypost.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Postal Service warns of three major holiday scams: "smishing" (fraudulent text messages impersonating USPS to steal personal information), counterfeit postage stamps sold online at steep discounts, and mail/package theft targeting holiday deliveries. Consumers are advised to use only official USPS tracking services, purchase stamps directly from USPS or approved retailers, and promptly collect their mail and packages.
kiplinger.com
· 2025-12-08
An elder woman successfully identified and thwarted two "grandparent scam" calls by asking the caller which grandchild they were pretending to be, causing them to hang up. The article emphasizes that while older adults are often targeted by such scams, younger generations (Gen X, millennials, Gen Z) actually lose money to fraud at 34% higher rates than those over 60, typically through online shopping, investment, and job scams. The piece advises families to discuss financial safety during holiday gatherings and recommends being caller-aware, questioning suspicious calls, and verifying directly with the person or institution allegedly contacting you.
businessinsider.com
· 2025-12-08
During the holiday season, scammers are increasing phishing and "smishing" (SMS phishing) attacks targeting online shoppers by impersonating delivery services like USPS through fake emails and text messages requesting personal information for allegedly delayed packages. Law enforcement and security professionals warn consumers to verify sender information, avoid clicking unknown links, and be aware of "porch pirate" theft, recommending package tracking and alternative delivery methods to prevent losses. The scams exploit holiday shopping urgency and stress when consumers are more likely to panic and click malicious links.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are sending fraudulent text messages impersonating USPS and other shipping companies, claiming package delivery delays and directing recipients to click malicious links to "confirm" address information. These phishing texts exploit holiday shopping season expectations and attempt to steal personal information including names, addresses, and credit card numbers. Experts advise that legitimate carriers only send text updates to customers who have explicitly signed up for them.
lbc.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Between December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024, nearly £2 million was lost to authorized push payment (APP) scams during the festive period, with 596 scams reported to Santander bank including investment fraud, impersonation scams, and fake marketplace listings for goods and tickets. The scams exploited holiday distractions, with individual losses ranging from hundreds to over £600,000 in investment schemes. Santander advises consumers to verify payments carefully, avoid suspicious social media purchases, confirm identities through trusted contact methods, and research companies before sending money.
atg.wa.gov
· 2025-12-08
Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson announced that Metropolitan Commercial Bank will pay $10 million to the state as part of a fraud recovery initiative that has collected over $52 million from financial institutions that accepted stolen COVID-19 pandemic unemployment funds. Criminals stole more than $15 million from Washington's unemployment fund in 2020 using fake identities and MovoCash, a fintech company sponsored by Metropolitan, which failed to implement adequate anti-fraud and money-laundering safeguards. This marks the second phase of Ferguson's investigation—the first to pursue fintech companies through state consumer protection laws—following an initial phase that recovered $42 million from 26 financial institutions through asset forfeiture.
statesman.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article warns consumers to remain vigilant against holiday shopping scams, particularly credit card skimming and smishing fraud. Card skimmers are illegally installed devices on ATMs and payment terminals that capture card data and PINs to enable unauthorized purchases; consumers can detect them using the SCAN method (checking for cameras, comparing components, assessing tampering, and nudging readers). Smishing scams use text messages impersonating legitimate institutions like banks or the USPS to trick victims into revealing personal and financial information—recipients should report suspicious messages to 7726 (SPAM) and relevant authorities without clicking links.
leadertelegram.com
· 2025-12-08
This overview article describes prevalent scams targeting individuals across Wisconsin and the region, including impersonation scams (fake DSPS, IRS, and Microsoft representatives), grandparent scams, and romance scams that exploit personal information and emotional manipulation to extract money from victims. Between January 2022 and June 2024, approximately $3.54 million in scam losses were reported to Wisconsin's Department of Financial Institutions, though law enforcement suspects the actual total is significantly higher due to underreporting. Scammers commonly target lonely individuals and elderly people, particularly widowed men, using emotional manipulation, personal details from public sources, and fabricated scenarios to convince victims to send money or gift cards
the420.in
· 2025-12-08
This curated cybercrime report documents multiple fraud schemes affecting victims globally. Notable cases include: 21 arrested in India for defrauding 16,000 people of Rs 125 crore through fake identities and impersonation; a Mumbai family losing Rs 7.50 crore in a SIM swap attack; and an international crypto and romance scam resulting in 792 arrests involving 148 Chinese nationals. Key advisory: counterfeit products (particularly cosmetics) sold via platforms like Temu pose serious health risks, and vulnerable populations should verify OTPs and account access to prevent unauthorized transactions.
gmtoday.com
· 2025-12-08
The Mequon Police Department issued a warning about a spike in fraud cases in its community, noting that scams have become increasingly sophisticated and are targeting vulnerable populations through various methods including phishing, impersonation, tech support fraud, investment schemes, and cryptocurrency-related scams. Victims often lose thousands of dollars through wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency with little chance of recovery, and emotional distress frequently prevents reporting. The department recommends residents remain vigilant, verify unsolicited offers, protect personal information, and anticipate that scams will continue to evolve with advancing technology, including AI-driven schemes.
commercialappeal.com
· 2025-12-08
Older adults reported $1.9 billion in fraud losses to the FTC in 2023-2024, with actual losses potentially reaching $61.5 billion, and they suffer significantly higher median losses ($1,450 for those 80+) compared to younger people ($480 for ages 20-29). Older adults are particularly vulnerable to investment scams ($538 million in losses), tech support scams (5 times more likely than younger people), and romance/impersonation scams, with payment methods ranging from gift cards to cryptocurrency and bank transfers. The FTC and Better Business Bureau are working to combat these scams through enforcement actions and prevention messaging, though challenges remain including
thestar.com.my
· 2025-12-08
A retired U.S. submarine commander lost $3.6 million to scammers in Asia despite his banks' concerns, prompting Virginia lawmakers to propose "Larry's Law" requiring banks to report suspected fraud to police; however, industry lobbyists successfully removed this clause before passage. Across the United States, elderly Americans lose an estimated $28 billion annually to fraud, yet states struggle to hold banks accountable as the industry resists legislation that would increase their liability, citing concerns about costs and customer impact, while existing reporting requirements often go unenforced.
cxotoday.com
· 2025-12-08
India faces elevated APP (Authorized Push Payment) scam vulnerability due to massive digital payment adoption (129.3 billion real-time transactions in 2023), low consumer awareness in rural areas, and cultural trust in authority figures that fraudsters exploit through impersonation. APP scam losses in India are projected to reach INR 49,626 million by 2028, with businesses of all sizes—from small companies lacking technical resources to large enterprises with fragmented systems—requiring scalable fraud detection tools, employee training, and AI/machine learning solutions to combat evolving threats.
peoplesdefender.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece warns about "smishing" scams targeting drivers, where criminals send text messages impersonating toll road authorities like E-ZPass, requesting payment of small amounts (typically $11-$12) to avoid $50 late fees and including fraudulent payment links. The scam, which began in March according to the FBI, is increasingly state-specific and may target recent travelers. The article advises recipients to delete such messages, never click embedded links, contact toll authorities directly through official channels to verify charges, and report suspicious texts to the FBI's IC3.gov, the Better Business Bureau, or state attorneys general.