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guardian.ng
· 2025-12-08
Four Nigerian citizens residing in the U.S. and Canada were sentenced to federal prison (ranging from 2.5 to 5 years) for operating romance and investment scams between 2017 and 2021, using fake identities on dating sites and social media to deceive victims into sending money via wire transfers and mail. The conspiracy involved dozens of victims who lost between thousands to over $400,000 each, with the defendants functioning as "money mules" to launder proceeds through shell companies and multiple bank accounts. The FBI and U.S. Postal Inspection Service investigated the case, which was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of Tennessee
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Four Nigerian men were sentenced to federal prison for operating a romance scam targeting victims in West Tennessee. The scam involved perpetrators posing as romantic interests to deceive and defraud victims, though specific victim counts and financial losses are not detailed in the provided excerpt.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
Raymond McDonald, a 51-year-old serial romance fraudster from County Durham, has been repeatedly imprisoned for scamming multiple women out of thousands of pounds through dating sites by posing as a wealthy, distinguished military man with properties abroad. Police believe he may have victimized "hundreds" of women over decades, with his latest victims reporting severe emotional trauma comparable to sexual assault, though he was arrested again in August 2024 after his December 2023 release. McDonald's scheme involved juggling simultaneous relationships while fabricating stories about military work, property investments, and fake marriages, extracting money for items and services that never materialized.
khaleejtimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A 45-year-old Abu Dhabi resident lost nearly $200,000 (AED 734,000) in a fake online trading investment scam that began in June 2019 when she responded to a Facebook advertisement for ufx.com. The scammers used sophisticated social engineering tactics—including professional-sounding agents, fake documentation processes, and promises of profitable deals—to convince her to make multiple deposits and take out a loan; even after she stopped sending money, bogus agents continued contacting her for years, eventually directing her to fake successor websites under different names. The case illustrates how investment scam operators persistently target victims across multiple platforms and employ evol
edmonton.ctvnews.ca
· 2025-12-08
I appreciate you providing this, but I need to let you know that the content provided appears to be corrupted or improperly formatted—it consists primarily of timestamp data rather than actual article text about the aurora forecast.
To provide an accurate summary for the Elderus elder fraud database, I would need the actual written content of the article. However, based on the title alone, this article about aurora borealis forecasts in Alberta does not appear to be related to elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse, so it would fall outside the scope of what Elderus documents.
Could you please provide the full text of an article related to elder fraud or scams?
travel.nine.com.au
· 2025-12-08
A US air traveler lost nearly $4,000 after calling what they believed was Delta Air Lines customer service to correct a name discrepancy on an international flight ticket, only to discover they had reached scammers impersonating the airline. The fraudsters quoted an inflated initial fee of $18,000, then reduced it to $2,389.32, which the victim paid, while the actual name change required no charge when handled through legitimate Delta channels. The incident serves as a warning to always contact airlines through official websites rather than phone numbers found via search engines.
patch.com
· 2025-12-08
A 26-year-old Minnesota man, Benjamin Yakah, was arrested and faces grand theft charges after defrauding a 77-year-old Bradenton widower of over $100,000 in an eight-month internet romance scam. The victim was deceived by a fake Facebook profile using stolen photos of a West Virginia woman, who posed as "Julia" and convinced him to send cash and checks to Minnesota accounts under the pretense of relocating to Florida to be with him. The victim's children alerted authorities in June, leading to a five-month investigation and Yakah's arrest; evidence suggests he victimized additional people in other states.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 30-year-old San Leandro woman, Qingyun Chen, was arrested for allegedly running a large-scale tech support scam that targeted elderly victims throughout the Bay Area by convincing them their computers were infected with viruses, then directing them to withdraw cash that couriers collected from their homes. Chen was identified during a September investigation into the scheme and charged with grand theft and theft/embezzlement of an elder adult, with bail set at $2.5 million; investigators recovered significant cash and evidence from two of her homes.
saharareporters.com
· 2025-12-08
Four Nigerian nationals—Patrick Edah, Efe Egbowawa, Igocha Mac-Okor, and Kay Ozegbe—were sentenced to federal prison (30 to 60 months) for operating a romance and investment scam that defrauded victims across the U.S., including Western Tennessee, from 2017 to 2021. The defendants used fake identities and dating site profiles to establish romantic relationships and solicit emergency financial assistance, with victims losing thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars, including one Tennessee resident who lost over $400,000. They were convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering after laundering scam proceeds through
mysuncoast.com
· 2025-12-08
A 77-year-old widower from Bradenton, Florida lost over $100,000 in a romance scam after meeting someone claiming to be "Julia" on Facebook Messenger who posed as a woman from the United Kingdom seeking to relocate to America. Benjamin Yakah from Minnesota was arrested after investigation revealed he operated the scam, using stolen photos and convincing the victim to send cash and checks to pay off fabricated debts; evidence suggests there are additional victims. Yakah is awaiting extradition to Manatee County as the investigation continues.
gizmodo.com
· 2025-12-08
O2, the UK's largest mobile network operator, deployed an AI voice chatbot called "Daisy" that mimics an elderly person to waste phone scammers' time and divert them from real targets. The chatbot engages scammers in lengthy conversations (40+ minutes) using social engineering tactics and provides fake information when asked for personal details, preventing actual fraud. While this "scambaiting" approach helps protect vulnerable elderly people who are commonly targeted with tax and arrest-related scams, concerns remain that similar voice-cloning technology could be misused for grandparent scams and other elder fraud schemes.
wtap.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
This educational piece presents financial fraud prevention advice from Jeff Sandy, a former West Virginia law enforcement official, highlighting common scams targeting the Mid-Ohio Valley including impersonation of loved ones (such as the "grandparent scam") and too-good-to-be-true offers. Sandy recommends critical thinking (asking "who, what, when, where, why"), maintaining open communication with elderly family members, limiting personal information shared online and in obituaries, and reporting fraud immediately to law enforcement or the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center (ic3.gov) without shame.
thehackernews.com
· 2025-12-08
Google has identified sophisticated scam techniques including landing page cloaking, where fraudsters impersonate legitimate websites and use AI-generated deepfakes to conduct investment fraud and credential theft schemes. The report highlights emerging tactics such as scareware redirects, app clones, and cryptocurrency scams originating from organized crime syndicates in Southeast Asia, with Google blocking over 5.5 billion policy-violating ads in 2023 and launching new scam detection features in its Android Phone app to protect users.
al.com
· 2025-12-08
The Madison County Sheriff's Office is warning residents about a phone scam in which fraudsters impersonate law enforcement and court officials, threatening arrest for missed jury duty and demanding immediate payment of fake fines, sometimes including forged legal documents. The scammers use both automated and live calls to intimidate victims into sending money they do not owe. Residents are advised to verify caller identity through official channels, never provide personal or financial information to unknown callers, and report suspicious calls to the sheriff's office.
devdiscourse.com
· 2025-12-08
A 72-year-old retired engineer in Delhi lost Rs 10.3 crore in a "digital arrest" scam where fraudsters called claiming an illegal package was intercepted in his name, then coerced him via video call on Skype to transfer funds while he was held virtually hostage for eight hours. Delhi Police's Cyber Cell has frozen Rs 60 lakh and is investigating with suspected international involvement, while attempting to recover the remaining funds.
dhs.gov
· 2025-12-08
A Danvers, Massachusetts man, Trung Nguyen, was convicted of operating an unlicensed money transmitting business and money laundering after converting over $1 million in cash to Bitcoin through his unregistered company National Vending, LLC between 2017 and 2020. Nguyen deliberately evaded banking regulations and accepted cash from scam victims and a drug dealer, knowingly facilitating their criminal activities by converting their proceeds into cryptocurrency without filing required reports or registering with federal authorities.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
A 26-year-old Minnesota man, Benjamin Yakah, was arrested and charged with grand theft after stealing over $100,000 from a 77-year-old Bradenton widower through an eight-month romance scam on Facebook. The scammer posed as a woman named "Julia" from the United Kingdom, using stolen photos and claiming to need money to pay debts before relocating to Florida, while all funds were directed to Yakah's bank account in Minneapolis. The investigation, initiated by the victim's family in June 2024, revealed additional victims in other states, and Yakah is being extradited to Manatee County to face charges.
wisn.com
· 2025-12-08
A gold bar scam has defrauded 49 Wisconsin residents of approximately $13 million, with victims averaging losses exceeding $250,000 each. Scammers impersonate bank officials and federal authorities, convincing victims their accounts are hacked and instructing them to purchase gold bars for "protection," then deploy couriers to collect the gold before disappearing with it. Two couriers, Gourav Patel and Junjie Liang, have been arrested in connection with the scheme, which operates across the upper Midwest.
thehindu.com
· 2025-12-08
A 50-year-old woman named Sarojini died under unnatural circumstances after her family lost ₹12.7 lakh in a job scam where her daughter was fraudulently promised employment with the Central Plantation Crops Research Institute. Sarojini had sold her jewelry and taken loans to make the fraudulent payments, and police arrested a former DYFI leader accused of orchestrating the scheme after the daughter filed a complaint.
americanbanker.com
· 2025-12-08
The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) issued an alert warning that deepfake technology—including manipulated identity documents, AI-generated audio, and synthetic video—is increasingly being used to commit fraud against banks and credit unions. While no quantified data yet exists on the financial impact, law enforcement agencies report deepfakes pose a major threat to the U.S. financial system. FinCEN provided banks and credit unions with detection methods and red flags, such as visual inconsistencies in photos, third-party webcam plugins during verification, and reverse-image matches to AI-generated faces, and requested institutions file suspicious activity reports using the tag "FIN-2024-DEEP
browndailyherald.com
· 2025-12-08
In early March, a Warwick grandparent couple lost $18,000 to a "grandparent scam" in which fraudsters impersonated their grandson needing bail money; when asked for an additional $40,000, the couple recognized the scheme and contacted police, leading to the arrest of two out-of-state men who were found with $60,000 in cash and allegedly collected $230,000 from similar schemes. Rhode Island has experienced a 22% growth rate in elder fraud cases between 2022 and 2023—the third-highest in the nation—prompting increased law enforcement investigations, legislative proposals to combat scams, and awareness campaigns by organizations like
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A California man lost $20,000 to a tech support scam after receiving a pop-up warning that his account was compromised and being instructed to withdraw cash and mail it to a New York City address. NYPD Detective Justin Guzman intervened quickly upon the victim's report, intercepting the package at a Bayside, Queens apartment before the scammers retrieved it and successfully returning the funds. The case illustrates how scammers evolve tactics—when gift card fraud failed, they pivoted to requesting actual cash—and highlights the importance of police responsiveness in combating these schemes.
scoop.co.nz
· 2025-12-08
A 26-year-old UK national, Jack Dylan Hennessy, was sentenced to three years and three months imprisonment for his role as a cash courier in a fake police scam that defrauded Auckland residents of $337,700. The scam involved criminals cold-calling victims while posing as police officers, convincing them to withdraw cash under the pretense of assisting a covert operation, then collecting the money in person. Two other men face ongoing court proceedings for their alleged involvement in related scam activities across New Zealand.
dailyhodl.com
· 2025-12-08
A J.D. Power study found that 29% of US bank customers and 22% of credit card users experienced fraudulent activity on their accounts within the past 12 months, with only 46% and 40% respectively reporting they were asked to take fraud prevention measures in the last 90 days. The study indicates that financial institutions have an opportunity to improve customer satisfaction and loyalty by better handling fraud cases and educating customers on protection measures. Additionally, regulators and major banks issued warnings about "quishing"—a QR code phishing scam where criminals embed malicious codes in emails and PDFs to steal passwords, financial details, and personal information.
usatoday.com
· 2025-12-08
Bank fraud affected 29% of bank customers in the past year, with 45% of those victims experiencing multiple incidents, according to a J.D. Power study. Fraud proliferates through peer-to-peer payment apps, data breaches that expose personal information to scammers, and social engineering tactics where fraudsters impersonate banks. Experts recommend customers proactively protect accounts through security centers, complex passwords, and fraud alerts rather than only reactively monitoring transactions.
thenationonlineng.net
· 2025-12-08
A 28-year-old internet fraudster named Patrick Akpoguma was arrested in Lagos after defrauding multiple victims through romance scams, cryptocurrency fraud, and identity theft, earning over $500,000 in three years by impersonating prominent figures like a U.S. Army Colonel and cryptocurrency expert using fake social media accounts and masks. During his arrest on November 7, 2024, Akpoguma attempted to bribe police with $100,000 to secure his release, but officers rejected the bribe, documented it as evidence, and proceeded with prosecution.
thesun.ng
· 2025-12-08
A 28-year-old internet fraudster, Patrick Akpoguma, was arrested in Lagos after police rejected his $100,000 USD (N174 million) bribe offer during investigation into his crimes. Akpoguma confessed to operating romance scams, identity theft, cryptocurrency fraud, and other cyber crimes over three years, during which he allegedly defrauded victims of over $500,000 USD and used proceeds to purchase multiple properties including houses and a vehicle worth N100 million.
verifythis.com
· 2025-12-08
I cannot provide a summary for this request. The content provided is a corporate website for TEGNA (a media company) listing their broadcast stations, advertising services, and organizational structure. This does not contain any information about scams, fraud, elder abuse, or related incidents that would be relevant to the Elderus fraud research database. Please provide an article or transcript that discusses an actual fraud case or elder abuse incident.
popsci.com
· 2025-12-08
US consumers lost a record $10 billion to fraud in the past year (a 14% increase), with scammers increasingly targeting older adults via phone—over two-thirds of UK residents over 75 surveyed reported experiencing at least one fraud attempt in six months. In response, UK mobile operator Virgin Media O2 created "Daisy," an AI-powered grandmother chatbot that wastes scammers' time by providing false information and engaging in lengthy, meandering conversations, with some interactions lasting over 40 minutes. While Daisy aims to reduce real victim targeting, scammers are simultaneously deploying AI voice-cloning technology to perpetrate new frauds including imp
krone.at
· 2025-12-08
A 60-year-old woman from Salzburg lost 65,000 euros to a fake police officer who called claiming her son was in prison and needed bail to avoid incarceration. The perpetrator attempted to extort an additional 50,000 euros, but the scam was discovered when the woman contacted her son directly and learned he was not in legal trouble. Police warn against this bail scam tactic and advise verifying caller identities, refusing to be pressured, avoiding strangers, and contacting emergency services to confirm claims.
staradvertiser.com
· 2025-12-08
Two Aiea, Hawaii women were federally charged with wire fraud, bank fraud, aggravated identity theft, and conspiracy for stealing a credit card number and check from a man in his 90s between February and March, using them to make over $20,000 in unauthorized purchases at spas, car dealerships, jewelry stores, and other businesses. Kalehuaiwilliamekamaile "Maile" Montez and Totie Tauala also allegedly used stolen identities of a California woman and an Arizona woman to facilitate the fraudulent transactions. The scheme was discovered when the victim's caregiver and daughter were contacted by a credit card company
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Henry Aragon, a 54-year-old Golden resident and one of six Coloradans indicted, was sentenced to repay over $19 million in a nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme that victimized more than 150,000 Americans and generated $300 million over two decades. The scheme deceived elderly and vulnerable victims into approving magazine subscription renewals through false claims about reducing costs or calling from existing subscription companies, when perpetrators were actually fraudulently charging them for new subscriptions. Sixty individuals across 14 states and two Canadian provinces were involved in the operation, with Aragon credited as the scheme's deviser and operator.
fallriverreporter.com
· 2025-12-08
A 30-year-old New York man, Xuejian Wu, was arrested after defrauding a North Reading, Massachusetts elderly resident of more than $10,000 through a sophisticated online scam involving remote computer access, threats, and Bitcoin transactions. Wu was apprehended when he appeared at the victim's home impersonating a federal agent to attempt collecting additional funds, and he was charged with multiple counts of larceny and conspiracy. The case highlights the targeting of seniors through technology-based fraud and the importance of reporting suspected scams to law enforcement promptly.
abc7chicago.com
· 2025-12-08
A Wisconsin woman lost $433,279.53 in a gold bar investment scam after scammers impersonated Apple and FTC officials, falsely claiming her identity was stolen and bank account hacked. Across Wisconsin, 49 people reported similar scams to the FBI, losing approximately $13 million total, with couriers like Gourav Patel and Junjie Liang arrested for collecting the purchased gold bars from victims' homes. The scam operates by convincing victims their accounts are compromised and instructing them to buy gold bars supposedly for protection at the Federal Reserve, which couriers then collect and never return.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
Dr. Ruchika Tandon, a 44-year-old Indian neurologist, lost approximately 25 million rupees ($300,000) to an elaborate "digital arrest" scam in which fraudsters impersonating law enforcement officials coerced her through video calls into believing she was under federal investigation for money laundering and trafficking. Over a six-day period, the scammers maintained constant surveillance via video call, manipulating her into draining her family's savings from multiple accounts including banks, mutual funds, and insurance policies. According to official figures, Indians lost over 1.2 billion rupees to this type of scam between January and April 2024, with over
pymnts.com
· 2025-12-08
Greg Hancell, a fraud expert at Lynx Tech, warns that QR code scams are rapidly growing and now account for over 20% of online scams, making them harder to identify than traditional phishing because victims cannot see the destination link before scanning. Fraudsters typically replace legitimate QR codes with counterfeit ones in public spaces like parking lots and restaurants to trick people into sharing sensitive data and payment information. To protect themselves, consumers should look for physical tampering signs (like stickers or damage), verify QR code sources, check URLs before proceeding, and use verification tools, while banks can provide financial protection through AI-powered fraud detection systems.
tori.ng
· 2025-12-08
Patrick Akpoguma, a 28-year-old Nigerian internet fraudster, admitted to conducting romance scams, identity theft, and cryptocurrency fraud over three years, accumulating over $500,000 in illicit gains. He operated by impersonating high-profile individuals (including a U.S. Army officer and cryptocurrency expert) using fake accounts and a purchased silicone face mask to deceive victims into sending cryptocurrency payments, and later attempted to bribe police with $100,000 to avoid arrest. Akpoguma was arrested following complaints from residents in Lagos and faces court arraignment.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
Terrence Bender, a 32-year-old Chicago rap artist and barber known as "Blends," pleaded guilty to participating in a nationwide wire fraud conspiracy that operated from March 2017 to November 2018, causing over $103,000 in losses. The conspiracy used stolen payment card information to fraudulently purchase high-end goods and services such as private jets, luxury hotels, designer puppies, and exotic cars, with businesses unknowingly processing the transactions before cardholders disputed the charges. Bender and five co-defendants, including music promoter Antonio Strong (who received a 3-year prison sentence), were held accountable for their roles, with Bender
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Three New York residents—Rohan Lyttle (97 months), Caron Pitter (66 months), and Charlene Marshall (34 months)—were sentenced to prison for their roles in a Jamaican lottery scam targeting elderly Americans between 2017 and 2020. The defendants received and laundered funds from victims who were falsely told they had won Publisher's Clearing House prizes and needed to prepay taxes, with victims losing over $1.1 million collectively through cash packages, wire transfers, and fraudulent credit card and ATM withdrawals in Jamaica; each defendant was ordered to pay $245,147.98 in restitution.
bankrate.com
· 2025-12-08
A J.D. Power survey found that 29 percent of bank customers experienced fraud on their accounts in the past 12 months, with younger customers (under 40) experiencing higher rates at 42 percent. While 92 percent of customers remained loyal to their banks after fraud was resolved, the study revealed that only 20 percent or fewer customers actively use fraud prevention methods like two-factor authentication or biometric verification. Key recommendations include setting up account alerts, enabling two-factor authentication, using biometric authentication, regularly monitoring accounts, and locking debit cards when not in use.
energized.edison.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece advises consumers to remain vigilant against evolving fraud tactics, particularly during International Fraud Awareness Week. Southern California Edison received 1,562 fraud complaints in 2023 totaling $251,000 in losses, with scammers increasingly targeting churches through fake past-due bill alerts and fraudulent barcodes; the article provides protective measures including verifying secure websites, safeguarding personal information, and using only authorized payment methods. The positive trend shows a 54% drop in fraudulent complaints between 2022-2023, attributed to improved customer awareness.
newsbreak.com
· 2025-12-08
A 26-year-old Minnesota man, Benjamin Yakah, was arrested following a five-month investigation by the Bradenton Police Department's Elder Fraud Unit for stealing over $100,000 from a 77-year-old Bradenton widower through a romance scam. The victim was deceived by a fake Facebook profile using photos stolen from a West Virginia woman, with the scammer posing as "Julia" and convincing the victim to send money for an alleged debt settlement in Minnesota. The victim's children discovered the fraud in June 2024, and Yakah is currently awaiting extradition to Manatee County; investigators believe there may be additional victims in other
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
A Bronx man, Bashiru Ganiyu, was sentenced to 13 years in prison for his role in an international fraud and money laundering scheme that targeted elderly victims through romance scams between 2020 and 2022. Ganiyu received nearly $12 million from over 40 victims into bank accounts he controlled, deceiving them into sending money under the false pretense of romantic relationships, then laundering the proceeds to co-conspirators based in Ghana. He was ordered to forfeit over $11.7 million and pay restitution of approximately $7.7 million.
entergynewsroom.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece identifies ten common impostor utility scams, including disconnection threats demanding prepaid card payments, fake billing routing numbers, bogus equipment fees, overpayment refund requests, and post-disaster power restoration charges. The article notes that the Better Business Bureau reported a median loss of $463 per victim in 2023 and advises customers that legitimate utilities send written disconnection notices, offer multiple payment methods, handle equipment upgrades proactively, process refunds via mail or account credits, and do not charge for disaster-related power restoration.
timesnownews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 70-year-old retired engineer in Delhi lost over Rs 10.3 crore in a "digital arrest" scam that spanned 19 days, beginning in late September 2024. Scammers posing as courier company staff and a Mumbai Police officer manipulated him by claiming a banned substance parcel contained his Aadhaar details, then convinced him to transfer money to "safe accounts" under threat of arrest. Police managed to freeze Rs 60 lakh of the stolen funds, with recovery efforts ongoing.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Robert Namath Emory, 54, of Lancaster, South Carolina, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for embezzling nearly $5 million from his employer, Mar Mac Protective Apparel, where he served as head of accounting. Emory exploited a flaw in the company's invoice payment system from January 2016 onward by doubling vendor invoices, making electronic payments to vendors, and then writing physical checks to himself using the company's check numbers. He faces up to 20 years in federal prison, a $250,000 fine, restitution, and supervised release.
miragenews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 46-year-old woman was charged with 52 offences, including fraud and larceny, for allegedly stealing over $18,000 from an 89-year-old nursing home resident through 311 fraudulent transactions while employed as a caregiver. The investigation began in October 2024 following a report to Camden Police, and the suspect was arrested in November 2024 and remanded in custody pending trial scheduled for January 2025.
gmtoday.com
· 2025-12-08
Investment scams remain the highest risk for adults over 55, followed by online purchase scams and romance scams, according to the Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker Risk Report. The article provides consumer protection guidance including: avoiding unsolicited calls (especially from spoofed numbers), recognizing red flags like pressure to act quickly or requests for unusual payment methods, hiring only licensed contractors after thorough vetting, being alert to emergency scams targeting grandchildren, and avoiding Medicare fraud schemes involving "free" medical equipment.
thereflector.com
· 2025-12-08
Seniors are increasingly targeted by phone scams, particularly those using artificial intelligence to mimic loved ones and request money or personal information. In 2023, the FBI reported over 101,000 elder fraud victims aged 60+ lost an average of $33,915 each, with Battle Ground police documenting an 85.3% surge in fraud cases between October 2023 and October 2024. Experts advise seniors to hang up on any unsolicited caller requesting money or sensitive data, verify requests independently through official phone numbers, and avoid untraceable payment methods like gift cards or cryptocurrency.
villagelivingonline.com
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau identified twelve holiday season scams consumers should avoid, including misleading social media ads, social media gift exchanges (pyramid schemes), fraudulent holiday apps, phishing emails offering free gift cards, fake job postings, and impostor scams. The BBB advises exercising caution with unsolicited messages and payment requests via wire transfer, third parties, or prepaid cards, and recommends verifying business legitimacy through BBB.org before making purchases or sharing personal information.