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foxnews.com
· 2025-12-22
Scammers are sending fake Netflix suspension emails that exploit holiday confusion about billing and subscriptions to trick people into clicking malicious links or revealing personal information. The fraudulent emails mimic Netflix's legitimate branding but contain telltale spelling errors like "valldate" instead of "validate" that reveal them as scams. To protect yourself, verify any account suspension alerts by calling the company directly rather than clicking links in emails, and stay alert to these phishing attempts especially during busy holiday seasons.
katc.com
· 2025-12-22
# Holiday Scam Summary
As holiday shopping rushes intensify, scammers are targeting shoppers—particularly seniors—with fake online storefronts that mimic legitimate brand websites and offer deals that seem too good to be true. Research shows 62% of people 65 and older have fallen victim to these schemes, with seniors losing an estimated $1.5 billion to fraud in just the first half of the year. To stay safe, shoppers should verify website addresses carefully, be skeptical of unusually steep discounts, and avoid clicking on ads or links from unfamiliar sources, especially during the holiday season.
mauinow.com
· 2025-12-22
Hawaii's Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs is warning consumers about increasingly sophisticated holiday scams that use artificial intelligence and technology to exploit victims, including fake investment schemes, deepfake impersonations of celebrities, and fraudulent "AI trading bots" promising guaranteed returns. State securities regulators investigated over 8,800 cases in 2024, resulting in $259 million in fines and restitution, revealing that while scammers employ new tools, their core goal remains stealing money from unsuspecting victims. Consumers should be cautious of unsolicited investment pitches—especially those involving FOMO (fear of missing out), online relationships pushing financial commitments, and promises of guaranteed AI-driven returns—and verify the legitimacy of investment opportunities before sending money.
ksl.com
· 2025-12-22
Inheritance scams are resurging, with scammers contacting people via email, messages, and letters claiming they've inherited money from deceased relatives or unknown wealthy people. The scams typically ask victims to pay upfront fees or provide personal and financial information, promising they can claim nonexistent inheritances worth thousands or millions of dollars. To protect yourself, be skeptical of unsolicited messages about unexpected money, never pay fees upfront for inheritances, and verify claims through official channels rather than trusting the scammer directly.
laist.com
· 2025-12-21
During the holiday season, nearly 9 out of 10 U.S. adults have been targeted by scams, with common schemes including fake shipping notifications, stolen packages, and fraudulent charity requests. Scammers exploit the stress and distraction of holiday shopping by creating fake social media stores selling counterfeit branded items that disappear after purchase. To protect yourself, research unfamiliar vendors by searching for "scam" or "fraud" alongside their name, always pay with a credit card for better consumer protections, and be cautious when purchasing gift cards that scammers may have already compromised.
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-21
The FBI is warning about virtual kidnapping scams where criminals steal photos from social media, digitally alter them, and use them as fake "proof of life" to demand ransom payments from victims. These scams rely on fear and urgency—scammers typically text claiming they've kidnapped a loved one and threaten violence if payment isn't made immediately, using timed messages to prevent victims from examining the fake images closely. To protect yourself, slow down and scrutinize any suspicious messages; look for warning signs like missing tattoos or scars, unusual body proportions, or details that don't match reality, and verify claims by contacting loved ones through a known phone number rather than responding to the message.
theitem.com
· 2025-12-21
Scammers are increasingly using AI technology to create sophisticated fraud schemes, including voice and video cloning that can impersonate loved ones, as well as automated email and text scams that operate at massive scale. These AI-powered scams are becoming more convincing and harder to detect, with criminals able to create personalized content that tricks victims into sending money or revealing personal information. To protect yourself, be skeptical of unexpected calls or messages requesting money or personal information—especially from family members—and verify requests through alternative contact methods before responding.
forbes.com
· 2025-12-21
An 86-year-old woman lost $700,000 to scammers who used fake security warnings to convince her to withdraw money from her banks, and she's now suing Merrill Lynch, UBS, and TD Bank for failing to stop the unusually large transactions despite her documented vulnerability to fraud. The scam is part of a broader pattern where criminals impersonate trusted institutions and law enforcement to trick people into transferring their savings. To protect yourself: never withdraw funds based on unsolicited warnings, remember that legitimate banks and government agencies will never ask you to transfer money for safekeeping, and if you're concerned about cognitive decline, consider designating a trusted family member to monitor your accounts as an early warning system.
theguardian.com
· 2025-12-21
Criminals are using AI voice-cloning technology to create realistic voicemails impersonating loved ones in distress (claiming accidents, injuries, or robberies) to trick people into sending money quickly. The scammers only need a brief audio clip—as little as three seconds from social media videos or casual phone responses—to generate convincing synthetic voices that exploit emotional urgency and bypass skepticism. To protect yourself, verify unexpected money requests through a different communication channel (call the person back directly), be suspicious of emotional appeals for quick transfers, and never send money based solely on voice messages, even if they sound authentic.
theconversation.com
· 2025-12-21
# Scam Safety During the Holiday Season
Australians lost over A$2 billion to scams in 2024, with losses expected to remain similar this year, as scammers intensify their efforts during the busy Christmas period when people are distracted and stressed. Common holiday scams include fake online stores, phishing emails posing as delivery services, cryptocurrency investment schemes, and romance scams targeting lonely individuals. To protect yourself and family, be cautious of unsolicited offers, verify websites before shopping, avoid clicking links in unexpected messages, and never send money to people you've only met online—particularly if they request urgent payments.
aol.com
· 2025-12-21
A 74-year-old Tennessee retiree was tricked by romance scammers who posed as a celebrity and then impersonated FBI and government officials to extort $86,900 from him, ultimately leading to his suicide in October 2023. Three perpetrators—Stephen Anagor, Chinagorom Onwumere, and Salma Abdalkareem—who were working on behalf of a relative in Nigeria, have been convicted and sentenced to prison with orders to pay restitution. To protect yourself, be wary of online relationships with celebrities or people you haven't met in person, never send money to "resolve legal issues," and verify any official communications directly through official government channels rather than through email or unsolicited contacts.
aol.com
· 2025-12-21
# Social Security Scam Summary
Scammers posing as Social Security Administration employees have defrauded consumers, including an elderly Pennsylvania couple who lost over $1.3 million in a recent incident. Legitimate SSA representatives will never threaten you, demand immediate payment, or ask for personal information like your Social Security number or bank details over the phone. To protect yourself, verify any unexpected calls before acting, use strong passwords and multi-factor authentication on accounts, and stay skeptical of unsolicited contact from government agencies.
newslj.com
· 2025-12-21
A Laramie resident fell victim to a phishing email impersonating the University of Wyoming that used a realistic DocuSign request to trick them into clicking a malicious link, while a Sheridan resident received a phone call from a scammer posing as a police officer demanding $3,500 for a fake arrest warrant related to missed jury duty. Both scams targeted people during vulnerable moments—year-end business periods and work hours—and used convincing details like official logos, badge numbers, and confirmed personal information to appear legitimate. To protect yourself, verify unexpected document requests and financial demands by contacting the institution directly through official channels rather than using contact information from the suspicious message, and remember that legitimate law enforcement will never demand immediate payment over the phone.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-21
# Pig Butchering Scam Summary
A 51-year-old New Jersey father lost $280,000 in a "pig butchering" scam after a woman contacted him on Facebook claiming to be interested in his life, gradually building a romantic relationship with him through messaging apps, then convincing him to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes. This type of scam targets vulnerable individuals emotionally, earning their trust over weeks or months before pivoting to investment opportunities that appear to show quick returns but are actually fake. To protect yourself, be cautious of unsolicited romantic advances from strangers online, never share financial information or investment access with people you haven't met in person, and verify any investment opportunity through independent financial advisors rather than trusting links provided by new connections.
capitalethiopia.com
· 2025-12-21
The scam industry has evolved from petty crimes into a sophisticated, borderless operation that costs the global economy billions annually and now funds organized crime and destabilizes communities. Digital technology—including social media, cryptocurrency, AI deepfakes, and gig economy platforms—has made it easier for scammers to operate at scale, from forced labor operations running romance scams in Southeast Asia to boiler-room fraud targeting North Americans and pyramid schemes preying on economically vulnerable communities worldwide. To protect yourself, remain skeptical of unsolicited messages and offers that seem too good to be true, verify contact information independently before sharing personal or financial information, and report suspected scams to local authorities.
nypost.com
· 2025-12-20
# Holiday Scam Summary
During the 2024 holiday season, scammers are targeting shoppers with five main schemes—including fake shipping alerts, non-delivery scams, and too-good-to-be-true deals on social media—that cost Americans hundreds of millions of dollars in losses. To protect yourself, experts recommend verifying links by going directly to retailer websites rather than clicking suspicious messages, being wary of urgent demands for payment, and checking URLs for signs of fraud. If a deal seems too good to be true or a message pressures you to act immediately, it's likely a scam designed to steal personal information or install malware on your device.
abc7.com
· 2025-12-20
During the holiday shopping season, cybercrimes surge as scammers target rushed shoppers through fake text messages, emails, and websites designed to steal money and personal information. Common scams include fake package delivery notices that redirect victims to fraudulent sites asking for credit card details, and fear-based scams that pressure victims into buying gift cards. To protect yourself, slow down before clicking links, verify sender information carefully, avoid urgent or too-good-to-be-true offers, and use a credit card rather than a debit card when shopping online.
ozarkradionews.com
· 2025-12-20
Missouri Attorney General Catherine Hanaway is warning residents about holiday gift card scams, where criminals impersonate government officials, utilities companies, or loved ones to pressure victims into buying gift cards and sharing their codes—money that becomes impossible to recover once spent. These scams exploit urgency and fear during the busy holiday season, targeting popular retailers like Walmart, Target, Amazon, and Apple, with millions of dollars lost nationwide annually. Missourians should remember that no legitimate organization requests payment via gift card, and anyone who suspects they've been scammed should contact the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Hotline at 800-392-8222 or report it online at ago.mo.gov.
wcpo.com
· 2025-12-20
# Fake Delivery Text Scams Surge During Holiday Season
During the holiday shopping rush, scammers are sending fake delivery notification texts to consumers claiming package problems and urging them to click suspicious links or pay fees—with victims in the Cincinnati area already losing hundreds of dollars, including one woman who lost $180 through Zelle. To protect yourself, avoid clicking links in text messages and instead check your packages directly through official carrier websites or apps, remembering that legitimate delivery companies never request payment or personal information via text. If you receive a suspicious delivery text, report it to the Better Business Bureau's scam tracker, and always bring packages inside immediately after delivery to prevent theft.
womansworld.com
· 2025-12-20
Romance scammers are posing as celebrities on social media to build fake relationships with victims and steal money, as documented by Reddit users sharing stories of loved ones who lost thousands of dollars and damaged their financial accounts. Victims—often fans of the impersonated celebrities—are manipulated through daily contact, fake gifts, and fabricated meeting plans, leading them to send money for various excuses. To protect yourself, be skeptical of online relationships with celebrities, never send money to someone you haven't met in person, verify identities through official channels, and report suspicious accounts to social media platforms immediately.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-20
A 74-year-old retired teacher in Tennessee was victimized by an international romance scam in which con artists impersonated a celebrity and later FBI/government officials to extract $86,900 from him—money obtained through loans and savings—before he died by suicide in October 2023. Three perpetrators, including two U.S. residents working with accomplices in Nigeria, were convicted and sentenced to federal prison with orders to pay restitution. Seniors should be extremely cautious about unsolicited online romantic relationships, especially if requests for money follow, and should verify claims about legal matters by contacting official authorities directly rather than responding to suspicious emails or messages.
cp24.com
· 2025-12-20
# Holiday Fraud Alert Summary
During the holiday season, Canadians lose hundreds of millions of dollars to scammers who exploit busy, distracted shoppers through fake websites, tampered gift cards, and phishing emails that impersonate banks. Recent data breaches have given criminals access to personal information they use to impersonate financial institutions and conduct romance scams on social media. To protect yourself, never click suspicious links, enable two-factor authentication, change passwords regularly, and watch for red flags like urgent demands, requests for gift card payments, or calls asking for passwords—remembering that legitimate banks will never request sensitive information over the phone.
aol.com
· 2025-12-20
A 51-year-old New Jersey father lost $280,000 after being targeted by a "pig butchering" scam—a sophisticated fraud scheme that combines romance manipulation with fake investment opportunities. A scammer posing as a woman named Ailis befriended him on Facebook, built emotional trust through daily messages and affection, then convinced him to invest in a fraudulent cryptocurrency scheme that promised high returns. To protect yourself: be extremely skeptical of unsolicited romantic advances from strangers on social media, never invest based on recommendations from people you've only met online, and verify investment opportunities through independent sources before transferring any money.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-20
# Medicare Scam Summary
Medicare scam calls targeting seniors have surged 40% year-over-year, with fraudsters using personal information stolen from the dark web to impersonate healthcare providers and convince older Americans to verify or share their Medicare numbers. The calls come frequently throughout the day from seemingly local numbers, and scammers use convincing scripts claiming seniors need to confirm coverage, update information, or accept new benefits—though Medicare rarely initiates unsolicited calls. To protect yourself, hang up on unexpected Medicare-related calls, never share your Medicare or Social Security number with callers, and verify any legitimate requests by contacting Medicare directly through its official phone number or website.
aol.com
· 2025-12-20
# Medicare Scam Summary
Medicare scam calls have surged 40% year-over-year, with fraudsters using personal data stolen from the dark web to impersonate healthcare officials and pressure seniors into revealing their Medicare numbers or personal information. Scammers use deceptive tactics like claiming to offer new benefits, free equipment, or warning of coverage disruptions, often calling dozens of times daily with spoofed local numbers. To protect yourself: remember that Medicare rarely makes unsolicited calls, verify any requests through official channels by calling Medicare directly at 1-800-MEDICARE, and never share your Medicare or Social Security number over the phone unless you initiated the call.
blockmanity.com
· 2025-12-20
An 80-year-old woman from St. Charles County lost her entire life savings of $35,000 to a sophisticated cryptocurrency scam that began with a fake PayPal phishing email and escalated through caller ID spoofing and false claims about illegal activity. Scammers manipulated her into withdrawing cash and depositing it into a Bitcoin ATM, after which the funds were transferred to overseas wallets and became irretrievable. To protect yourself, be skeptical of unsolicited emails and calls claiming account problems, never click links in suspicious emails, independently verify alerts by contacting your financial institution directly, and remember that legitimate banks will never pressure you to move money to cryptocurrency or ask you to withdraw cash.
therogersvillereview.com
· 2025-12-20
Tennessee's Department of Commerce & Insurance is warning residents about a surge in holiday scams using sophisticated technology like AI, which state regulators investigated over 8,800 cases of in 2024, resulting in $259 million in fines and restitution. Common scams include romance-based investment schemes ("pig butchering"), deepfake impersonations of celebrities or trusted contacts, and fake AI trading bots designed to steal money from victims. Investors should be skeptical of unsolicited investment pitches—especially those involving new technologies or celebrity endorsements—and verify the legitimacy of any investment opportunity before sending money.
ciso.economictimes.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-20
Scammers in India are increasingly exploiting Telegram's encrypted channels to run fake investment schemes, lottery scams, and job offer frauds, resulting in over ₹1,100 crore in losses during the first half of 2025. The fraudsters use pressure tactics, deepfake videos, and "pig butchering" schemes to build trust before stealing money through fake trading apps and QR code redirects. Users should be wary of unsolicited investment opportunities on Telegram, avoid scanning unfamiliar QR codes or downloading apps from private chats, and remember that private channels offer no guarantee of safety.
localnewsmatters.org
· 2025-12-19
Marin County authorities have launched a program where local banks alert customers—especially seniors—to potential fraud when they request unusual cash withdrawals or cashier's checks, handing them informational cards that encourage them to reconsider if someone else requested the money. The two-month pilot program involves three branches each of Bank of Marin and Westamerica Bank working with the District Attorney's Office and police to identify victims before scammers can steal their funds. If you're an older adult or helping one, be cautious of unsolicited requests for large sums of money and contact local police before transferring funds to unknown people, particularly around holidays when such scams increase.
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-19
During the holiday shopping season, scammers are sending fake delivery tracking texts and QR codes that mimic legitimate retailers, tricking busy shoppers into clicking links that steal their personal information and login credentials. The scam works because people are overwhelmed with genuine package tracking during the holidays and may not notice when something looks slightly off. To protect yourself, be cautious about clicking tracking links in unsolicited texts, verify URLs before entering any information, and consider going directly to retailer websites rather than clicking links from messages.
kbzk.com
· 2025-12-19
During the holiday shopping season, cybercriminals use fake websites and phishing scams to steal personal and financial information from unsuspecting shoppers. Security expert Anthony Cochenour advises consumers to carefully verify that websites look legitimate before entering any information, and warns that scammers can pay search engines to make fake sites appear near the top of search results. If you suspect you've been scammed, contact your financial institution immediately to protect your accounts.
khou.com
· 2025-12-19
# AI-Powered Holiday Scams Surge
Artificial intelligence is enabling scammers to create highly personalized and convincing phishing emails, texts, and social media ads during the 2024 holiday season, with over 33,000 Christmas-themed phishing emails and 10,000 scam ads already identified targeting shoppers of all demographics. Online shoppers, package delivery trackers, and social media users are all vulnerable, as scammers use AI to analyze data and customize messages that appear legitimate, making them more likely to succeed than traditional mass-mailing scams. To protect yourself, remain cautious of urgent messaging designed to rush you into action, watch for subtle warning signs in communications, and be wary of offers that lack genuine customer support with only chatbots available instead of real contact information.
kwch.com
· 2025-12-19
# Holiday Shipping Scam Alert
Scammers are sending fake shipping notifications via text and email designed to look like official messages from carriers like Amazon and the U.S. Postal Service, particularly during the holiday season when people are rushing to receive gifts. The Sedgwick County District Attorney's office warns that these scams are the most frequently reported fraud during the holidays and can result in financial loss. To protect yourself, verify the source of any delivery notification before clicking links or providing information, rather than acting on urgent-sounding messages.
wnct.com
· 2025-12-19
Federal agents seized $8.5 million in cryptocurrency linked to "pig butchering" scams, where criminals pose as romantic interests or business contacts to trick victims into depositing money on fake trading platforms that freeze accounts and demand additional "taxes" to withdraw funds. The scammers immediately moved stolen money through multiple cryptocurrency wallets to hide its origins, but the FBI successfully traced and recovered the funds. To protect yourself, be wary of unsolicited messages from strangers offering investment opportunities, verify that cryptocurrency platforms are legitimate before investing, and never send money to someone you haven't met in person or pay fees to recover lost investments.
governor.hawaii.gov
· 2025-12-19
Hawaii's Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs is warning consumers about sophisticated holiday scams, with state securities regulators handling over 8,800 investigations in 2024 that recovered $259 million in fines and restitution. Scammers are increasingly using artificial intelligence and new technologies to execute schemes like "pig butchering" (romance scams combined with fake investments) that exploit people's fear of missing out on trending investments. Consumers should be cautious of unsolicited investment pitches, especially those involving new technologies or platforms that build trust through online relationships, and verify any investment opportunities through official channels before committing money.
cryptorank.io
· 2025-12-19
# Crypto Scam Task Force Summary
Americans lost over $3.6 billion to cryptocurrency scams in the first nine months of 2025, with losses driven primarily by access-control exploits (58%) and phishing attacks (21%), prompting US Senator Jerry Moran to introduce the SAFE Crypto Act to establish a federal task force dedicated to combating these crimes. The task force, which would coordinate efforts across the Treasury Department, Justice Department, and other agencies, operates with no dedicated budget or new investigative powers and serves mainly an advisory role rather than conducting independent operations. To protect yourself, be cautious of phishing attempts and unsolicited investment opportunities—especially romance and "pig-butchering" schemes—and only use reputable exchanges and custodians when dealing with cryptocurrencies.
abc7news.com
· 2025-12-18
# Holiday Scam Summary
During the peak holiday shopping season, when consumers are expected to spend over $1 trillion, scammers are exploiting distracted shoppers through 12 common schemes including fake social media ads, phishing emails offering free gift cards, fraudulent toll collection texts, and fake job postings. People have lost money to counterfeit items, unauthorized charges, identity theft through gift exchanges, and malware-infected holiday apps. To protect yourself, verify social media products before purchasing, avoid clicking links in unsolicited emails, never share personal information in gift exchanges with strangers, check app privacy policies, and confirm any fees directly with official agencies rather than through text links.
abc7news.com
· 2025-12-18
Scammers are using AI technology to clone people's voices from social media videos and voicemails, then calling their families to request money for fake emergencies—a scam that's increasingly effective, with 70% of people unable to distinguish cloned voices from real ones and victims losing anywhere from $500 to $15,000. To protect yourself, experts recommend establishing a secret "safe phrase" with loved ones that you can use to verify their identity during suspicious calls.
ice.gov
· 2025-12-18
During the 2025 holiday shopping season, online criminals are targeting American consumers with counterfeit merchandise, fraudulent deals, and stolen goods advertised at suspiciously low prices, exploiting the rush and urgency of holiday shopping. The U.S. government's Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center warns that these scams can result in consumers losing money while also supporting illegal operations that harm legitimate businesses and jobs. To stay safe, shoppers should be skeptical of deals that seem too good to be true, watch out for phishing scams and fake offers, and verify the authenticity of products before making purchases.
wsls.com
· 2025-12-18
During the holiday season, phishing scams—fraudulent texts, emails, and calls impersonating delivery companies, banks, and government agencies—surge significantly, putting shoppers and account holders at risk of having personal and financial information stolen. The Better Business Bureau warns that scammers use tactics like claiming you have undelivered packages or account problems to trick you into clicking malicious links or revealing sensitive data. To protect yourself, delete suspicious messages without clicking links, independently verify sender information through official channels, enable multi-factor authentication on accounts, and back up your data.
kwch.com
· 2025-12-18
Scammers are increasingly using AI technology to target holiday shoppers through fake social media profiles, voice clones, and deepfake videos, with the FBI reporting over 9,000 AI-related fraud complaints in the first seven months of 2025. To protect yourself, experts recommend avoiding suspicious QR codes in unsolicited packages, using a password manager to maintain unique passwords for each account, and enabling multi-factor authentication on all online accounts.
spectrumlocalnews.com
· 2025-12-18
Hawaii officials are warning residents about a surge in holiday scams powered by artificial intelligence and technology, including deepfake voice impersonations of trusted friends, fake investment schemes, and fraudulent trading bots that promise guaranteed returns. According to state regulators, scammers are exploiting people's fear of missing out on tech investments and using AI-generated videos and cloned voices to steal money, with tactics ranging from romance scams to fake cryptocurrency and stock offerings. To protect yourself, be cautious of unsolicited investment pitches, verify requests for money by contacting friends or institutions directly through known channels, and avoid platforms promising guaranteed returns, especially those using AI or cryptocurrency.
rte.ie
· 2025-12-18
Banks are warning of a significant rise in "smishing" scams—fraudulent text messages impersonating banks, delivery services, or government agencies—which accounted for 57% of reported fraud incidents at AIB this year, particularly affecting busy people during the holiday season. Customers are advised to never click links or call numbers from unsolicited texts, always verify contact through trusted sources, and be especially cautious of "safe account" scams where criminals pose as bank staff asking people to transfer funds for security reasons. Additional threats include investment scams promising unrealistic returns, and the key protection is to stay vigilant, hang up on suspicious callers immediately, and seek independent financial advice before any investment.
waff.com
· 2025-12-18
The Better Business Bureau has warned consumers about 12 digital scams targeting people during the holiday season, including fake social media ads, counterfeit websites, pyramid scheme gift exchanges, phishing texts claiming toll fees are owed, and fraudulent job postings. These scams primarily steal money and personal information from victims through deceptive links and fake websites that impersonate legitimate businesses and charities. To protect yourself, avoid clicking suspicious links in unsolicitive messages, verify charities through give.org, expect legitimate toll notices by mail rather than text, and be cautious of job offers that don't involve in-person interviews.
spectrumlocalnews.com
· 2025-12-17
Throughout 2025, Hawaii residents fell victim to increasingly sophisticated scams, including phone impersonations of police officers and sheriffs who falsely claimed victims had legal issues and demanded payment via gift cards or other methods. Law enforcement agencies warned the public that legitimate police officers never request payments over the phone and urged residents to be skeptical of unsolicited calls claiming to be from authorities. To protect yourself, hang up on unexpected calls from law enforcement, independently verify any legal claims by contacting your local police department directly, and never purchase gift cards or send money in response to phone calls.
savingadvice.com
· 2025-12-17
A sophisticated phone fraud wave is targeting older adults, particularly during winter when seniors spend more time indoors and rely heavily on phone communication. Scammers are using spoofed local phone numbers and impersonating government agencies (Medicare, IRS, Social Security) or medical providers to manipulate seniors into sharing personal information or sending money through high-pressure tactics. Experts advise older adults to remain skeptical of unexpected calls, verify caller identity independently by hanging up and calling official numbers directly, and never provide personal or financial information over the phone.
adn.com
· 2025-12-17
Scammers posing as government officials and law enforcement are targeting Alaskans with calls demanding payment for missed jury duty or arrest warrants, causing losses exceeding $1.3 million in 2024—more than five times the previous year. To protect yourself, never provide personal information or make payments to callers claiming to be officials, and report suspicious calls immediately to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center and your bank, as early reporting may allow funds to be recovered. The scammers use caller ID spoofing, personalized details, and intimidation tactics to appear legitimate, so staying calm and verifying through official channels is crucial.
patch.com
· 2025-12-17
Scammers in California are targeting residents with elaborate schemes involving fake romantic relationships, cryptocurrency investment platforms, and impersonations of Chinese police—costing victims their life savings by creating urgency and fear. The scams typically involve building trust through romance or investment education before stealing funds, or using intimidation tactics like threats of extradition to force victims to surrender their assets. To protect yourself, hang up on suspicious calls, never disclose personal information or send money to unsolicited requests, verify contact information through official channels, and report any suspicious activity to local law enforcement.
abc11.com
· 2025-12-17
# Holiday Scam Alert Summary
During the 2024 holiday season, as spending is projected to exceed $1 trillion, the Better Business Bureau warns consumers about 12 common scams targeting distracted shoppers, including fake social media product listings, gift exchange schemes that collect personal information, suspicious holiday apps with privacy concerns, phishing emails offering fake gift cards, and fraudulent charity solicitations. People have reported losing money on items never received, falling victim to counterfeit products, unexpected charges from fake free trials, and identity theft through fake job postings and toll fee texts. To protect yourself, verify charity legitimacy before donating, check app privacy policies, avoid clicking suspicious links or opening unsolicited emails, verify toll fees directly with official agencies, and be skeptical of job offers and social media deals that seem too good to be true.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-17
# Holiday Travel Scams Warning
As millions of Americans prepare for holiday travel, lawmakers are warning of a surge in travel fraud scams—including fake websites, phony airline and hotel impersonations, and counterfeit bookings—that cost consumers $274 million in 2024 and contributed to $1 trillion in global online travel fraud losses. Criminals are increasingly impersonating legitimate travel platforms to trick travelers into paying for fake trips or accommodations that don't match their online listings. To protect yourself, verify websites directly by typing URLs into your browser rather than clicking links, book only through official airline and hotel websites, and be cautious of unsolicited travel offers on social media or email.