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forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
A successful California businessman lost over $700,000 in a crypto romance scam after meeting a woman online who posed as an investment partner, showing him falsified wallet gains of $2 million before blocking his withdrawal attempts. Romance scams in cryptocurrency are increasingly common because the sector lacks banking-level regulatory oversight and uses anonymous wallets that make it nearly impossible to trace stolen funds once they are transferred through crypto mixers. Investors must exercise heightened due diligence when approached with unsolicited investment opportunities, particularly in the crypto space, as the combination of emotional manipulation and regulatory gaps creates significant vulnerability to fraud.
moneywise.com
· 2025-12-08
A 74-year-old senior in Lynwood, Washington lost $624,711 in life savings to a gold bar scam after responding to a fake Charles Schwab pop-up and being manipulated by scammers posing as federal agents who convinced her to liquidate investments and convert them to gold bars, which she handed over in a parking lot. The suspect, 42-year-old Zhichao Huang, was extradited from Los Angeles to face charges, and investigators suspect the scheme may be part of a larger fraud ring, as the FBI reported over $55 million in similar gold bar scam losses between May and December 2023. To protect themselves, seniors
paymentsjournal.com
· 2025-12-08
Money mules—individuals who willingly or unwillingly move illicit funds between accounts—have become an increasingly effective tool for criminals to circumvent fraud detection systems, often recruited through social media platforms using "scam-fluencing" tactics that target students, retirees, and lower-income individuals seeking financial relief. Financial institutions face a complex challenge because many mules are already verified customers and may themselves be victims of coercion or deception, while the use of generative AI and fast digital payment systems enables criminals to scale mule recruitment and fund transfers rapidly and globally. To combat this threat, financial institutions need to implement continuous verification checks throughout the customer lifecycle rather than relying solely on initial Know Your Customer (
ceotodaymagazine.com
· 2025-12-08
Multiple celebrities fell victim to various fraud schemes, demonstrating that wealth and fame do not protect against scams. Notable cases include Cristiano Ronaldo losing $320,000 to a fraudulent travel agent, Noel Edmonds suffering from a £245 million bank loan fraud scheme, Tiger Woods experiencing $30,000 in identity theft, Billy Joel losing millions to his former manager Frank Weber (recovering only $8 million of $90 million sued), Robert De Niro losing approximately $1 million to art fraud, and Ben Stiller losing $250,000 to a dishonest financial planner. These cases span Ponzi schemes, embezzlement, identity theft
boston25news.com
· 2025-12-08
Scams and fraud losses reached over $1.03 trillion globally in 2024, with scammers increasingly leveraging new technology to evolve their tactics. Key emerging threats for 2025 include AI-powered scams (using deepfakes, AI-generated images, and synthetic voices to enhance phishing and imposter schemes), traditional imposter scams (including grandparent and romance scams, with median losses of $800 in 2023 and $14,740 for government imposter scams), and a shift toward email and text-based contact methods rather than phone calls. Learning about these developments helps potential victims stay ahead of scammers who aim to steal personal information
wsoctv.com
· 2025-12-08
Over $1.03 trillion was lost to scams globally in 2024, with scammers increasingly using artificial intelligence, imposter tactics, and evolving technology to deceive victims. Key emerging threats include AI-powered phishing, deepfake videos, and voice cloning, alongside traditional imposter scams (including grandparent and romance scams) where median losses reached $800-$14,740 depending on the scam type. Scammers are shifting from phone calls to email and text messages as their primary contact method, making it essential for people to remain skeptical of unsolicited communications.
crowdfundinsider.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance fraud remains a persistent threat, with scammers creating fake online identities on social media and dating apps to build trust with victims before manipulating them into sending money. Bank of Ireland warns consumers to remain vigilant, noting that red flags include refusals to video call, overly rapid declarations of love, and requests for money, and emphasizes that victims should never send funds to individuals they have only interacted with online. The bank calls for stronger platform safeguards and notes that many cases go unreported due to victim shame, with survivors experiencing significant financial losses and emotional trauma.
mothership.sg
· 2025-12-08
Singaporeans lost at least S$385.6 million to various scams in the first half of 2024, including e-commerce fraud, job scams, investment schemes, and government impersonation scams. The article highlights specific cases such as a luggage scam that defrauded 19 victims of S$7,000 and a Facebook egg scam that cost a family their life savings of S$150,000. Singapore's response includes the ScamShield app and helpline (1799) designed to identify scam messages and calls, block fraudulent numbers, and provide immediate assistance to potential victims.
deccanchronicle.com
· 2025-12-08
Two individuals, Thokala Sridhar and Akramuddin, were arrested in Jangaon district for operating a fraudulent investment scheme through the Costa app, which deceived approximately 2,000 victims with false profit promises and recruitment incentives (pressure cookers, motorbikes, and cars). Investors lost an estimated Rs 15 crore after the app disabled withdrawals, with some individuals investing up to Rs 1 lakh each, and a third conspirator from Australia was implicated in orchestrating the scheme.
slguardian.org
· 2025-12-08
Cryptocurrency scams targeting new investors are rising, including pump-and-dump schemes on meme coins, romance scams (causing $185 million in losses from 2021-2022), and fraudulent investment schemes promising unrealistic returns ($575 million in losses). Protection strategies include never sending crypto to strangers, verifying contact sources before engagement, and avoiding blackmail attempts, as cryptocurrency transactions are irreversible.
odishabytes.com
· 2025-12-08
The Odisha Crime Branch arrested two individuals from Madhya Pradesh for involvement in digital fraud schemes: Sachin Kolan was arrested for a Rs 1.06-crore digital arrest scam targeting a senior scientist in Bhubaneswar, with Rs 8.82 lakh traced to his account, and Sameer Ali was arrested for defrauding a Cuttack businessman of Rs 2.5 crore through a fake online investment scheme (TECHSTARS PRO) advertised via a WhatsApp group called Ram Investment Academy. The businessman invested Rs 2.58 crore between March and April before the scammers disappeared and demanded additional commissions to
fox13seattle.com
· 2025-12-08
A 74-year-old Washington woman lost $624,711 in life savings to a scammer who impersonated a federal agent after a fraudulent pop-up alert on her computer convinced her account had been hacked. The victim liquidated her stocks and IRA contributions, initially intended to be wired via Bitcoin, but when that failed, she purchased gold bars and handed them to 42-year-old Zhichao Huang in a Lynnwood parking lot. Huang was extradited from Los Angeles and police believe this scam is part of a larger operation targeting seniors using similar tactics.
indianexpress.com
· 2025-12-08
A 73-year-old retired Kerala High Court judge lost over Rs 90 lakh after joining a fraudulent WhatsApp group impersonating Aditya Birla Money, where scammers promised 850% returns on investments and disappeared with his funds. According to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, Indians lost over Rs 120 crore to investment scams in Q1 2024 alone, with over 81,000 fake investment groups operating on WhatsApp. Investment scams typically involve fraudsters building trust through fake credentials, professional-looking platforms, and fabricated success stories, gradually escalating victim investments before vanishing with the funds.
express.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Scam calls impersonating HMRC have increased by 84% since December, with fraudsters using automated messages in American-accented voices to threaten taxpayers with legal action and financial penalties ahead of the self-assessment deadline. Victims reported receiving intimidating calls claiming incorrect tax returns or demanding immediate payment, with scammers becoming aggressive when questioned. HMRC has warned the public never to share login details with unsolicited callers and provided red flags to identify fraudulent communications, noting that HMRC will never threaten legal action or arrest via voicemail.
abc7ny.com
· 2025-12-08
A Queens woman lost $700,000 in a gold bar scam after criminals installed malware on her computer and impersonated federal agents, convincing her that her bank accounts were hacked and she was under surveillance. The scammers manipulated her over two months through emails, phone calls, and texts, first draining her checking account with a $20,000 cash drop-off, then instructing her to purchase gold bars and coins from a Jackson Heights store in three separate transactions totaling nearly $700,000. The Nassau County District Attorney has arrested at least one alleged courier involved in this scam, which is occurring across the country.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Fei Liang and Ziguang Li were sentenced to seven years and three months in prison for laundering over $6 million in proceeds from a nationwide "tech support" elder fraud scheme. The conspirators opened fictitious business bank accounts used to receive victim wire transfers after scammers falsely convinced elderly targets that they had criminal or technical account issues requiring immediate payment. Law enforcement recovered evidence from Li's residence including lists of fictitious businesses, victims' personal information, and bank account details for at least 25 entities involved in the money laundering operation.
witnessngr.com
· 2025-12-08
Sterling Bank Limited and its holding company were investigated by Nigeria's Police Force following a petition by Maiden Systems Ltd, which alleged mismanagement, fraudulent debits, and misappropriation of funds from accounts held at the bank. Police investigators found the bank could not provide evidence to counter allegations including fraudulent debits totaling approximately US$28.3 million for unexplained loan repayments, failure to provide account statements, and misappropriation of funds between 2016-2020. The investigation concluded Sterling Bank was "found wanting" on the charges, with the police unable to obtain satisfactory explanations for the disputed transactions.
agrinews-pubs.com
· 2025-12-08
Artificial intelligence is increasingly enhancing and creating new scams in 2025, enabling fraudsters to generate fake profiles, emails, images, audio, and videos to perpetrate investment schemes, romance scams, and impersonation fraud. The FBI recommends protecting oneself by establishing secret verification phrases with family members, hanging up on suspicious calls, avoiding sending money or gift cards to unknown persons, and learning to recognize AI-generated content through online research. Awareness and vigilance are essential defenses against these evolving threats.
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
Alex Beckman, founder and former CEO of AI startup On (formerly GameOn Technology), and his wife Valerie Lau Beckman were charged with wire fraud, securities fraud, and conspiracy after allegedly misappropriating over $4 million in investor funds to purchase a home, pay for private schools, buy luxury cars, and fund a wedding, while falsifying company financials that showed annual revenue materially less than $500,000 despite raising $125 million from venture capitalists and celebrity investors including Joe Montana and André Iguodala. The fraud was discovered in July 2024 when the board found a company account that should have contained $11 million held only $0
deccanherald.com
· 2025-12-08
A Bengaluru-based chartered accountant lost Rs 23.20 lakh in a stock investment scam that used deepfake videos of billionaires Mukesh Ambani, Narayana Murthy, and Sudha Murty to appear legitimate. After encountering the manipulated videos on Facebook in October 2024, the victim provided personal details, registered on a fraudulent website, and made multiple transfers between October and December 2024, only to be denied withdrawal requests and asked for additional payments. Police registered the case in January 2025 and are investigating the money trail and tracing the involved banks.
mothership.sg
· 2025-12-08
Singaporean actor Laurence Pang, 78, lost S$36,000 (approximately 1.5 million Philippine pesos) to a romance scam involving a woman named "Mika" whom he met on the dating website Pinalove in late 2024. After being charmed by the woman and fake photos she sent, Pang was lured into a fake e-commerce and cryptocurrency investment scheme disguised as a Rakuten Global reseller opportunity, where he was unable to withdraw his invested funds due to fake orders that continuously prevented him from completing transactions.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
Namibia's former First Lady Monica Geingos issued a public warning after scammers used manipulated videos and fake social media accounts impersonating her to defraud victims into investing in fraudulent forex schemes, with at least one person losing her entire retirement savings. The deepfake and voice-cloning scam has been ongoing for nearly two years and has worsened significantly in recent months, with fake accounts proliferating across TikTok, Instagram, and X using her image and similar-sounding voice to solicit money. Cyber-security experts note this type of celebrity impersonation scam is widespread across Africa and globally, with scammers exploiting the public's trust in well-
24-7pressrelease.com
· 2025-12-08
AI-powered scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated in 2025, with fraudsters using artificial intelligence to create convincing phishing emails, deepfake videos, and fake dating profiles that manipulate victims into sharing financial or personal information. The scams span investment fraud, identity theft, and romance schemes, affecting millions worldwide. Protection requires strong cyber hygiene practices including multi-factor authentication, security software, profile verification through reverse image searches, and reporting suspected fraud to authorities like the Federal Trade Commission.
newsbug.info
· 2025-12-08
Oak Grove Christian Retirement Village hosted an educational program featuring DeMotte police officials who presented information on elder financial abuse, which affects over 13% of American seniors annually and costs victims more than $3 billion yearly. The presentation covered eleven common scam types targeting seniors—including grandparent scams, charity fraud, phishing, and tax scams—while noting that victims aged 80-89, particularly women and those living alone, are most vulnerable, and that only 1 in 44 incidents are reported due to embarrassment and fear of losing independence. Attendees learned protective strategies such as verifying requests before sending money, monitoring financial statements, and reporting scams to the FTC or calling
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Jennifer O. Djan, a 32-year-old Ghanaian national in Rhode Island, was convicted of money laundering conspiracy for operating fake business bank accounts that funneled millions of dollars in fraud proceeds—obtained from scam victims across the U.S. seeking companionship and financial opportunities—to co-conspirators in Ghana. Beginning in September 2020, Djan registered a fraudulent "logistics" business and rapidly moved large sums through multiple accounts, often transferring funds within days to other conspirators or to Ghana. She is scheduled for sentencing on April 22, 2025.
aba.com
· 2025-12-08
The American Bankers Association Foundation launched its 2025 financial education campaigns as part of a three-year commitment to reach five million Americans, celebrating the organization's 100th anniversary. The Foundation's four national initiatives—Teach Children to Save, Get Smart About Credit, Safe Banking for Seniors, and Lights, Camera, Save!—provide free resources to banks and their employees, with new content for 2025 including updated materials on fraud prevention, cryptocurrency investment scams, money mule scams, and check fraud. Since 2023, nearly 40,000 bank volunteers from 1,115 banks have reached 1.7 million people through these programs.
himachalheadlines.com
· 2025-12-08
A retired government officer from Hamirpur lost ₹82 lakh (his life's savings) in an online investment scam after being lured through a Facebook link to a WhatsApp group promoting a fake app called "Stock Jio" that promised 1200% returns on stock and IPO investments. After transferring funds across eight transactions, the victim discovered the fraud when withdrawal requests were ignored; cyber police froze ₹16 lakh but recovery of the remaining amount is ongoing. Similar scams have targeted over a dozen victims in Himachal Pradesh recently, with authorities warning the public to avoid unverified investment links and verify legitimacy before transferring funds.
deccanchronicle.com
· 2025-12-08
A retired government official in Hyderabad lost Rs 3.57 lakh after his Upstox trading account email was fraudulently changed and stocks were transferred without authorization, while a private employee lost Rs 17.48 lakh to an investment scam involving fake high-return schemes promoted via WhatsApp and Telegram between November 2024. The Rachakonda cybercrime police are investigating both cases to identify the perpetrators, with the second victim realizing the fraud only after being asked to pay additional taxes when requesting a refund.
nypost.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI warns that phishing emails using urgent language like "act fast" are increasingly common red flags for scams, particularly those impersonating disaster relief charities or celebrities to solicit donations—with over 4,500 complaints reporting $96 million in losses to fraudulent charities and relief campaigns in 2024. The agency advises recipients to avoid clicking links or opening attachments from unknown senders, verify URLs and email addresses for errors, and never provide usernames or passwords to unsolicited messages. AI-powered scams are making fraud more sophisticated and believable, including romance schemes and impersonation scams that have cost victims thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
secretservice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Pig butchering is a billion-dollar cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme where scammers build trust with victims—often through fake romantic relationships on dating apps or unsolicited social media contact—and convince them to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency projects that promise high returns. Victims are gradually encouraged to transfer increasing amounts of money until they suffer financial ruin, with the scammer disappearing once substantial funds have been obtained. To protect yourself, avoid unsolicited investment advice from online contacts, verify investment legitimacy through regulatory authorities, never share personal financial information with people you haven't met in person, and be suspicious of projects with guaranteed high returns or romantic interests who refuse to meet in person or appear on video calls.
cxtoday.com
· 2025-12-08
A CloudSek study found that Zendesk's free trial offering is vulnerable to abuse by scammers who create fake brand-impersonating subdomains to conduct phishing attacks and "pig butchering" investment scams. The research identified several cases over six months where Zendesk clients were targeted by fraudulent domains, demonstrating how attackers could exploit the platform's lack of email verification to deceive employees into clicking malicious links or revealing sensitive data. The report recommends blacklisting unverified Zendesk instances, using detection tools to identify suspicious subdomains, and implementing employee phishing awareness training to mitigate the risk.
citybeat.com
· 2025-12-08
Pamela Moore, a 66-year-old grandmother with no prior criminal record, was sentenced to 24 months in prison in August 2024 for money laundering related to online romance scams. Between 2020 and 2023, Moore's bank accounts received over $8 million in criminally derived funds from romance scammers nationwide, and she personally converted approximately $1.7 million to Bitcoin at the scammers' direction. Moore herself had initially lost six figures to the same scammers after becoming emotionally vulnerable following her husband's death in 2015, eventually being manipulated into laundering their illicit proceeds through a fraudulent shell company.
newportdispatch.com
· 2025-12-08
Jessica Russell, a 42-year-old from Barre, pleaded guilty to wire fraud after defrauding an elderly victim of over $84,000 by gaining her trust through emotional manipulation—falsely claiming she had lost a child like the victim—then obtaining power of attorney to steal funds from the victim's home sale. Russell used the stolen money to purchase a home in Barton and a 2017 Mitsubishi SUV, falsely claiming both purchases were her own, while the victim's health and mental state declined. She faces sentencing on June 12.
aba.com
· 2025-12-08
The American Bankers Association Foundation and U.S. Postal Inspection Service released educational infographics on money mule scams and check fraud, which have been rising in recent years. Money mule scams involve criminals using others' bank accounts to launder illegal funds, often recruited through fake job postings and online platforms, while check fraud targets businesses through stolen, altered, or counterfeit checks. Both organizations provided consumer and business protection recommendations, including monitoring accounts, avoiding unofficial money transfers, limiting access to sensitive information, and using bank fraud prevention services.
hoodline.com
· 2025-12-08
Kaua'i County's Agency on Elderly Affairs organized an educational event on February 12 featuring Kupuna Alert Partners to teach seniors about fraud and scam prevention, including Medicare fraud, identity theft, securities fraud, and prescription drug misuse. The free community event included presentations and resource tables from multiple government agencies, with pre-registration encouraged and accessibility accommodations available upon request.
spectrumlocalnews.com
· 2025-12-08
fosters.com
· 2025-12-08
Hampton residents lost nearly $1 million to phone, email, text, and social media scams over 13 months, with many involving cryptocurrency, according to Hampton Police Chief Alex Reno—though he notes this represents only reported cases. One particularly devastating case involved a "pig butchering scheme" where a resident lost $480,000 after a scammer built trust through social media before introducing a fraudulent investment opportunity. The Hampton Police Department has become New Hampshire's first law enforcement agency to open a Coinbase account to potentially freeze and recover stolen cryptocurrency, and the chief urges residents to contact police before sending money rather than after they've been victimized.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
Cryptocurrency ATM scams are rising, with criminals exploiting poorly regulated "crypto kiosks" to steal hundreds of millions of dollars annually by tricking victims into depositing cash via fraudulent QR codes. In 2023, the FBI recorded over 5,500 crypto kiosk complaints totaling $189 million in losses, with North Dakota alone losing more than $6 million. North Dakota House Bill 1447, which passed both chambers and awaits the governor's signature, would establish consumer protections including operator licensing, daily transaction limits, fraud warnings, fee disclosures, and transaction receipts to help prevent these crimes and aid law enforcement investigations.
pembinavalleyonline.com
· 2025-12-08
The Winkler Police Report documented three fraud incidents during the holiday season: a male resident lost money to an online investment scam after downloading a fraudulent app and providing sensitive personal information; an elderly woman was targeted in a grandparent scam where a caller claimed to be her grandson needing bail money and fraudulently accessed her bank account; and another male victim sent multiple payments to a scammer posing as a lawyer who promised to recover funds from a fraudulently opened Bitcoin account. Police advised victims to report incidents to the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre, contact their banks, and protect their personal information to prevent further losses.
ricemedia.co
· 2025-12-08
A 24-year-old Singaporean student and part-time videographer named Leo lost approximately $1,000 to a job scam that promised quick cash for watching and liking TikTok videos. The scam began with small legitimate-seeming payments of $30-$50, but escalated into repeated demands for "admin fees" ranging from $20 to $350, ultimately leaving Leo unable to recover owed payments when he questioned the scheme. The incident exemplifies a broader pattern of job scams targeting financially struggling Singaporeans seeking side income, exploiting their vulnerability during economic hardship and leaving victims dealing with financial loss, shame, and psychological distress.
straitstimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Singapore actor Laurence Pang, 78, lost approximately S$35,000 (1.5 million pesos) to an online romance scam operated from the Philippines. He met a woman named "Mika" on the dating site PinaLove in late 2024, and was persuaded to invest in what he believed was a legitimate e-commerce reseller business on a fake Rakuten platform; however, the system prevented him from withdrawing profits while generating fake orders. Philippine National Police confirmed Pang was victimized by cyber criminals operating a scam hub, with the scammers using heavily edited photos and romance tactics to target wealthy, lonely
metro.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Wayne Westhead, a 65-year-old British Army veteran, lost £152,000 to a fraudulent Bitcoin investment scheme advertised on Facebook using Sir Rod Stewart's image, which targeted him while he was caring for his wife with breast cancer and later grieving her death. The scammers used fake investment returns and pressure tactics to convince him to invest over four years, with funds going to a "ghost account" rather than actual Bitcoin holdings. Westhead eventually recovered his £152,000 plus £45,000 in interest after his lawyers successfully argued that Nationwide building society had failed to protect him from financial exploitation during his vulnerable circumstances.
wcpo.com
· 2025-12-08
Following California wildfires, the Better Business Bureau warns of donation scams targeting well-meaning donors who want to help disaster victims. To protect themselves, donors should research charities for specific details about their aid efforts, verify organizations through official websites, and watch for red flags such as vague language and AI-generated images on charity sites.
deccanherald.com
· 2025-12-08
Fraudulent deposit scams operate when unregistered individuals establish fake finance companies that circumvent regulatory requirements and target investors within close-knit communities. These schemes attract victims by promising unrealistically high returns on their deposits, exploiting trust and lack of regulatory oversight to conduct their operations discreetly.
newsbug.info
· 2025-12-08
Oak Grove Christian Retirement Village hosted an educational presentation by DeMotte police on January 8 covering elder financial abuse, which costs seniors over $3 billion annually with more than 13% of American elders victimized yearly. The presentation outlined eleven common scam types targeting seniors (including grandparent scams, charity fraud, identity theft, and tech support scams), noting that victims aged 80-89, particularly women living alone, face the highest risk and that underreporting remains severe due to embarrassment and fear of losing independence. Key protective measures include monthly financial monitoring, verifying requests by calling contacts directly, reporting fraud to the FTC, and consulting trusted advisors before financial decisions.
tcpalm.com
· 2025-12-08
Two individuals were arrested as "couriers" in gold bar scams that defrauded at least three Indian River Shores residents of nearly $2 million in early 2024. The scams involved fake government officials calling victims and instructing them to purchase gold bars, which couriers then collected in person; one 77-year-old woman lost $156,000 across two separate meetings, handing over gold bars worth approximately $72,904 and $83,000. Rakeshbhai Harshadbhai Patel, 35, was arrested in January 2025, and Syed Makki, 36, was arrested in Colorado and awaits ext
mondaq.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance fraud—where scammers impersonate celebrities or create fake identities to build trust with victims before demanding money—is a rapidly growing crime, with the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau reporting 8,792 cases and losses exceeding £94.7 million in the past year. A notable case involved a 53-year-old French woman defrauded of £700,000 over 18 months by someone posing as Brad Pitt, with fraudsters typically spending about a year building trust before requesting funds through pretexts like medical emergencies or investment opportunities. Authorities note that romance fraud is heavily under-reported due to victim shame, though early reporting without alert
investopedia.com
· 2025-12-08
The IRS Criminal Investigation unit uncovered over $9.1 billion in tax fraud and financial crimes in 2024, with scams expected to peak during the 2025 tax-filing season. Common tactics include scammers impersonating IRS agents or tax preparers to claim taxpayers owe additional taxes or are due larger refunds, with threats of arrest or requests for bank details to steal information. Retired taxpayers and those nearing retirement are frequent targets, and experts recommend taking time to verify communications and avoiding pressure from scammers rather than responding immediately.
goldrushcam.com
· 2025-12-08
Three defendants were charged by federal grand jury for operating PageTurner, a fake book publishing scheme that defrauded over 800 elderly authors of approximately $44 million between September 2017 and December 2024. The scammers, including Gemma Traya Austin of Chula Vista and two Philippine-based executives, contacted victims unsolicited and falsely promised that their books would be published or turned into films if they paid upfront fees for taxes and transaction costs. All three defendants were arrested in December 2024 and face charges including mail and wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy.
koamnewsnow.com
· 2025-12-08
**Online Romance Scams Warning (January 20, 2025)**
The Better Business Bureau issued a warning to consumers about online romance scams. The alert advises awareness of this fraud scheme, though the article excerpt provided does not contain specific details about affected victims, dollar amounts, or particular incidents.