Search
Explore the Archive
Search across 22,013 articles about elder fraud. Filter by fraud type, payment mechanism, or keywords.
11,660 results
in Scam Awareness
yubanet.com
· 2025-12-08
PG&E customers reported over $190,000 in losses to utility scams during 2025, with scammers impersonating utility representatives and threatening service disconnection unless immediate payment is made via prepaid debit cards or digital payment apps. PG&E has received over 10,000 scam reports affecting residential and business customers, with vulnerable populations including seniors and small business owners being targeted. PG&E advises customers never to provide financial information over the phone or email, and to report suspicious contacts by calling 1-833-500-SCAM or visiting www.pge.com/scams.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
U.S. Attorney Jeanine Ferris Pirro announced a civil complaint against cryptocurrency stolen through a Business Email Compromise scheme in which a scammer impersonating Trump-Vance Inaugural Committee Co-Chair Steve Witkoff defrauded a donor of $250,300 in cryptocurrency on December 26, 2024. The scammer, located in Nigeria, used a fraudulent email address with a lowercase "L" substituted for an uppercase "I" to appear legitimate, and laundered the funds through multiple wallets before the FBI recovered $40,300 through blockchain analysis. Law enforcement urges donors to carefully verify email addresses and website URLs before sending cryptocurrency,
ag.state.mn.us
· 2025-12-08
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison warned residents about door-to-door pest-control scams involving high-pressure sales tactics, hidden fees, and undisclosed long-term contracts. The scam typically targets consumers off-guard during summer months, with fraudsters failing to deliver services, imposing surprise charges, or forcing automatic contract renewals. Consumers are advised to avoid pressure tactics, read contracts carefully before signing, verify local peddler registration, and report suspected scams to the Attorney General's office rather than remaining silent out of embarrassment.
ballardspahr.com
· 2025-12-08
The Aspen Institute's National Task Force on Fraud and Scam Prevention, launched in 2024, addresses a critical problem: criminals steal $430 million daily from American families, totaling $158 billion annually and funding transnational criminal organizations involved in drug trafficking and human trafficking. This podcast features discussions with task force leaders about the scope of fraud in the U.S., systemic vulnerabilities that scammers exploit, the role of emerging technologies like AI in perpetuating scams, and the need for a coordinated national strategy involving government, law enforcement, industry, and consumer advocates to combat fraud at its root.
ksbw.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers posing as PG&E targeted families across California's Central Coast, with nearly 200 reports in the past six months from Monterey, Santa Cruz, San Benito, and San Luis Obispo counties, including over 70 cases in Salinas alone. The scam primarily involved phone calls demanding immediate payment and personal information, deliberately targeting vulnerable populations including seniors, immigrants, and non-English speakers. PG&E advises the public that legitimate representatives will never request payment or personal information by phone and urges victims to report suspicious calls to customer service.
kzyx.org
· 2025-12-08
**Government Impersonation Scam Alert - Mendocino County**
The Mendocino County Sheriff's Office issued a public alert on July 3, 2025, regarding a surge in fraudulent phone calls and emails targeting senior citizens, in which scammers falsely claim victims have missed court summonses or have arrest warrants issued against them and demand personal information or money. Most reported victims recognized the fraud and did not comply, but authorities urge the public to verify any legal concerns independently through official government contact information and to recognize that legitimate agencies never demand payment via phone for warrants or fines.
consumerfinancemonitor.com
· 2025-12-08
The Aspen Institute launched the National Task Force on Fraud and Scam Prevention in 2024 to develop the first coordinated U.S. national strategy against financial fraud, which currently costs Americans $430 million daily and $158 billion annually while funding transnational criminal organizations. Fraud losses reported to the FBI have increased 15-fold over the past decade, with new technologies like AI making scams more sophisticated, prompting leaders from government, law enforcement, industry, and civil society to collaborate on cross-sector solutions including improved data-sharing, victim support, and a unified reporting system.
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
A North Carolina widower fell victim to a romance scam over nearly a decade, during which his girlfriend and her daughter convinced him to pay approximately $2,800 monthly in rent and living expenses in Los Angeles, causing him to struggle with basic obligations like property taxes. The scammer, a woman named Bobbie whom he met on a dating site in 2011, had a criminal history with arrests for assault and harassment, warning signs the family had flagged years earlier. The author discovered the fraud when her father revealed he could only cover half his property taxes, prompting her husband (a bankruptcy lawyer) to investigate and uncover the long-running financial exploitation.
fox35orlando.com
· 2025-12-08
Following the 2025 hurricane season, officials warn residents to be cautious of unlicensed contractors and scammers seeking to exploit storm damage. The Better Business Bureau recommends vetting contractors in advance of needing repairs to protect oneself from hurricane-related fraud schemes.
pcworld.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article explains that while scams predate the internet, digital platforms have enabled fraudsters to operate faster through multiple channels like fake texts, emails, and malicious websites. The key advice provided by ethical hacker Mike Danseglio is to adopt a default mindset of suspicion and always verify requests by contacting organizations directly using independently sourced contact information rather than following links or phone numbers provided in unsolicited messages. Additional security practices include maintaining updated antivirus software, using password managers, and limiting personal information shared online.
cheknews.ca
· 2025-12-08
A 53-year-old man was arrested in Saskatchewan on a Canada-wide warrant for defrauding a Sunshine Coast woman of $110,000 through a romance scam, in which he built trust over several months before convincing her to invest in a non-existent business venture. The initial report led to the identification of multiple additional victims, and authorities are seeking anyone else who may have been defrauded by the suspect. Romance-investment scams, also known as "pig butchering," are rising across Canada, with fraudsters using dating apps and social media to establish relationships with victims—particularly targeting lonely individuals—before soliciting cryptocurrency investments or other financial schemes.
pennlive.com
· 2025-12-08
Three Lycoming County men, all age 70 or older, lost nearly $6 million in a romance scam operated from China involving enticing pictures of women who promised romance or investment returns. The scam targeted lonely older men, with one victim losing approximately $4.5 million and another sending $1 million total after being told the woman was being held hostage at the airport. District Attorney Marino warns that money sent in these scams leaves the country within minutes, making recovery difficult, and urges victims to report incidents to the FBI despite embarrassment.
paloaltoonline.com
· 2025-12-08
Palo Alto and Santa Clara County law enforcement hosted educational seminars in spring to help seniors recognize and prevent scams, as the country experienced a record $16.6 billion in scam losses in the previous year—a 33% increase. The top five scams targeting seniors involve impersonation: grandparent scams (fake emergencies using AI voice replication), financial services impersonation, government imposter scams, tech support fraud, and romance scams, with warning signs including rushed calls demanding secrecy and threats. Experts advise seniors to hang up on suspicious calls, verify requests directly with the entity, and remember that legitimate institutions never request sensitive information or demand immediate
vietnamnews.vn
· 2025-12-08
Interpol's March 2025 report revealed that victims from at least 66 countries have been trafficked and forced into labor at online scam centers, with 74% taken to Southeast Asia and emerging centers in West Africa, the Middle East, and Central America. Victims are lured through fake job advertisements, detained in compounds, and coerced to commit various fraud schemes including investment scams, romance fraud, and gambling fraud, with those resisting facing threats, abuse, or torture. The report identifies this as a "double-edged threat" affecting both trafficked workers and victims deceived online, with criminals increasingly using AI and deepfake technology to enhance their operations, prompting Interp
therecord.media
· 2025-12-08
Interpol reports that West Africa, the Middle East, and Central America are emerging as new cybercrime hubs mirroring trends from Southeast Asia, with scam centers relying on human trafficking to force victims into conducting investment fraud and romance scams. As of March 2025, victims from 66 countries have been trafficked into online scam centers, with approximately three-quarters sent to Southeast Asian compounds where they face debt bondage, beatings, sexual exploitation, and torture under the control of Chinese-speaking crime syndicates. The agency's five-year analysis shows that while not all fraud perpetrators are trafficking victims, those held against their will endure severe exploitation and abuse.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Ehis Lawrence Akhimie, a Nigerian national, pleaded guilty to operating a transnational inheritance fraud scheme that defrauded over 400 elderly and vulnerable U.S. victims of more than $6 million. The scheme involved sending personalized letters falsely claiming victims were entitled to multimillion-dollar inheritances from overseas relatives, then requesting upfront fees for delivery and taxes before victims could receive the funds. Akhimie faces up to 20 years in prison, and seven co-conspirators from the United Kingdom, Spain, and Nigeria have also been convicted in connection with this international fraud operation.
times-herald.com
· 2025-12-08
Coweta County experienced two distinct fraud schemes targeting residents: a sophisticated phone scam impersonating law enforcement deputies claiming seniors had active warrants and demanding immediate bail payments via threatening calls from restricted numbers, and a separate scheme using fraudulent invoices mimicking city departments (such as Planning and Zoning) to solicit wire transfers for fake fees around $4,900. Local authorities emphasized that legitimate law enforcement and government agencies never demand payment by phone or wire transfer, and urged victims to hang up immediately and report incidents to the sheriff's office or contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-372-8311.
thespacecoastrocket.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Dongdong Ye and Mei Mei Dong, owners of Da Sushi restaurant in Rockledge, Florida, face felony theft charges in Wisconsin for allegedly operating a multi-state gift card scam targeting elderly victims. The scheme involved fraudulent tech support pop-ups that tricked victims into purchasing and providing gift card information; investigators traced gift card usage to store purchases in Florida and Canada, identifying Ye through surveillance footage showing distinctive tattoos. At least three elderly victims lost substantial amounts ($4,300, $25,000, and $75,000), with suspicious deposits totaling tens of thousands of dollars linked to the couple's bank account from victims in multiple states.
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-08
A Houston small business owner lost $20,000 from her business loan after a scammer impersonating a Prosperity Bank official gained access to her account by referencing her travel habits and requesting account verification information. The scammer transferred the funds to internal bank accounts, and while the bank recovered $12,000, only that amount has been restored so far. The incident underscores the need for small business owners to implement security measures such as strong passwords, account monitoring, and multi-factor authentication to protect against increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes.
mirror.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
A 43-year-old man from Southampton was scammed out of £200 by a fraudster impersonating Jennifer Aniston using AI-generated videos and deepfakes on social media; the scammer claimed to need money for Apple subscriptions and sent fake identification before receiving non-refundable gift cards. The victim's case is part of a broader wave of deepfake romance scams targeting vulnerable individuals, with another documented case involving a French woman losing nearly £700,000 to someone posing as Brad Pitt over the course of a year.
awfulannouncing.com
· 2025-12-08
This article is not about elder fraud, scams targeting seniors, or elder abuse. It's a sports media commentary piece about ESPN reporters being briefly fooled by a parody social media account impersonating NBA insider Shams Charania to spread a false retirement rumor about announcer Mike Breen. This does not fit the Elderus database scope.
indianexpress.com
· 2025-12-08
Three men from Jharkhand were arrested for operating a phishing and identity theft scam that defrauded a 49-year-old Delhi resident of Rs 10.8 lakh (approximately $13,000 USD) by impersonating a bank and requesting KYC updates via fake links. The sophisticated operation involved spoofed calls, malicious apps to intercept OTPs, and laundering stolen funds through gaming apps and digital wallets using mule accounts and fake SIM cards. Police recovered multiple devices and linked the accused to additional complaints through the National Cybercrime Reporting Portal.
firstcoastnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A Putnam County woman lost over $7,500 and her car to a romance scam in which a fraudster impersonated actor Jason Momoa through Facebook and messaging apps, using AI-generated videos to build trust before requesting money via Bitcoin and CashApp. Romance scams are increasingly costly across Florida, with the FTC reporting over 42,000 reports in 2023 alone resulting in $823 million in nationwide losses, and scammers now employing sophisticated technology including deepfake videos and cloned faces. Experts recommend verifying digital contacts' identities, avoiding sharing personal information, never sending money to unknown individuals, and immediately reporting suspected scams to law enforcement an
paloaltoonline.com
· 2025-12-08
Palo Alto police and FBI officials held an educational seminar at Mitchell Park Community Center to help seniors prevent scams, as the nation faced a record $16.6 billion in scam losses in the previous year—a 33% increase. Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office, led by Deputy Bob Yee, is expanding fraud prevention seminars throughout the region, teaching participants to identify the five most common senior scams involving impersonation: person-in-need/grandparent scams, financial services fraud, government impersonation, tech support scams, and romance scams. Experts advise seniors to hang up on suspicious callers, verify requests by contacting organizations directly, and remember
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A multi-crore insurance scam in Uttar Pradesh's Sambhal district, involving policies fraudulently taken out in the names of terminally ill or deceased individuals across 12+ states, resulted in at least four murders committed to access insurance payouts—including the killing of a paralyzed man for a Rs 95 lakh policy and another victim for Rs 2.7 crore. Senior government officials, insurance regulators, and over 50 insurance companies convened to address systemic vulnerabilities, proposing reforms including stricter scrutiny of Section 45 (which restricts claim denials after three years), enhanced data sharing between insurers, real-time fraud detection systems
working.wisc.edu
· 2025-12-08
cointelegraph.com
· 2025-12-08
In Q2, cryptocurrency users experienced a rise in sophisticated "psychologically manipulative" scams that shifted from technical hacking to social engineering tactics, according to blockchain security firm SlowMist. Attack methods included malicious browser extensions disguised as security plugins (like "Osiris"), tampered hardware wallets sold via fake lottery offers or social media, and phishing websites cloning legitimate services—with one victim losing $6.5 million from a compromised cold wallet purchased on TikTok. These attacks exploit user anxiety and urgency rather than advanced technical exploits, manipulating victims into revealing sensitive information like private keys and seed phrases.
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-08
**Amazon Phishing Email Scam**
Scammers send fraudulent emails impersonating Amazon, claiming account lockouts, suspicious logins, or unverified purchases to trick recipients into clicking malicious links and entering login credentials or payment information. Users can verify authentic Amazon communications by checking their Amazon Message Center (accessible via the website or app), and should watch for red flags including spoofed sender addresses, spelling errors, generic greetings, suspicious links, and IP address-style URLs.
pennlive.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Postal Service is warning Americans about "brushing" scams, where unsolicited packages containing low-value items are sent to real addresses by third-party sellers seeking to create fake verified reviews and boost their ratings. These deliveries signal that personal information—including names, addresses, phone numbers, and payment details—has been compromised and could be used for identity theft, credit fraud, or phishing attacks. The USPS recommends reporting suspicious packages at USPIS.gov, auditing financial accounts, updating passwords, and monitoring credit reports to protect against further exploitation.
attorneygeneral.gov
· 2025-12-08
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday issued a consumer alert warning residents to be cautious of scammers exploiting storm and flood damage by targeting those seeking vehicle purchases and home improvement contractors. The advisory recommends verifying contractor registration, obtaining written estimates, avoiding large upfront payments, using bank certificates of completion, and reporting suspected scams to the Bureau of Consumer Protection.
ftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Scammers monitor business hiring announcements on social media to impersonate new employees' supervisors and request urgent favors, such as purchasing gift cards or sharing financial information, exploiting new hires' eagerness to please. Businesses can protect employees by clearly communicating how they will contact staff, explicitly stating they will never request gift cards, and encouraging employees to verify unexpected messages through known contact numbers. Scammers impersonating businesses may violate the FTC's Impersonation Rule and should be reported to ReportFraud.ftc.gov or IdentityTheft.gov.
echopress.com
· 2025-12-08
**More than 200 seniors attended the Alexandria Senior Expo on June 26, where law enforcement officials and banking professionals educated attendees on recognizing and preventing phone, internet, and mail-based scams.** The event, hosted by Triad (a partnership of Douglas County Senior Services, Sheriff's Office, and Alexandria Police), featured 30 vendor tables, breakout sessions, and a keynote speaker from the Minnesota Department of Commerce. Attendees shared personal experiences with scams, including a fake utility bill for $53.24, grandson scams, and tech support scams, highlighting the importance of discussing fraud experiences to help others avoid similar victimization.
thenews-gazette.com
· 2025-12-08
Medicare loses an estimated $60 billion annually to fraud, errors, and abuse, affecting all beneficiaries. The article provides prevention guidance for Medicare beneficiaries, caregivers, and community members, including reviewing Medicare statements for unauthorized charges, monitoring for suspicious medical equipment deliveries, protecting Medicare numbers, and reporting concerns. The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) offers free education and assistance to help detect and prevent Medicare fraud.
patch.com
· 2025-12-08
State Senator Meg Loughran Cappel hosted a senior fraud prevention seminar in Bolingbrook, Illinois on July 8 to educate older adults about common scams and financial exploitation tactics. The free two-hour event, held in partnership with local officials and the chamber of commerce, featured presentations on protecting against scams, identity theft, phone spoofing, and fraudulent businesses, including a representative from the Illinois Attorney General's office.
tricitiesbusinessnews.com
· 2025-12-08
This article is not about elder fraud. It contains one brief educational section warning seniors about Medicare scams, noting that scammers pose as Medicare representatives to steal personal information and Medicare numbers through calls, texts, door visits, or online ads, and advising that legitimate Medicare will never call unsolicited asking for personal information. The remainder of the article covers unrelated topics: a downtown Kennewick shopping promotion, a new cancer treatment device at a local hospital, and a grant to a meals-on-wheels program.
swlaw.com
· 2025-12-08
Timeshare scams in Los Cabos have become a sophisticated, organized fraud operation linked to Mexican transnational criminal organizations, targeting American and Canadian property owners with false promises of reselling, renting, or investing in timeshares. From 2019 to 2023, nearly 6,000 U.S. citizens reported losses totaling close to $300 million, though the FBI estimates actual losses are significantly higher due to underreporting. Scammers exploit victims through fake escrow accounts impersonating legitimate Mexican banks, fraudulent government correspondence, and high-pressure sales tactics creating artificial urgency to transfer funds to Mexico-based accounts.
businessinsider.com
· 2025-12-08
A Boston business owner discovered scammers using his company's name and AI-generated profile to post fake job listings on LinkedIn, which attracted over twenty applicants before removal. The article reports that AI-enabled scams have quadrupled in the past year, with fraudsters increasingly using deepfakes and AI-generated content to impersonate businesses, employees, and authority figures—including a case where a finance clerk at engineering firm Arup was deceived into approving over $25 million in fraudulent transfers via a video call with deepfake recreations of colleagues. Businesses across multiple industries are struggling to protect themselves and customers as AI lowers barriers to entry for scammers and makes it harder to
the420.in
· 2025-12-08
INTERPOL issued a warning that organized scam centres have rapidly expanded globally from traditional Southeast Asian bases into Africa, Latin America, and beyond, with criminal groups trafficking thousands of people across borders under false job promises and forcing them to conduct online scams (romance, cryptocurrency, and sextortion schemes) from guarded compounds. Recent enforcement operations including Operation Storm Makers II and Operation Serengeti resulted in over 1,000 arrests and identified nearly 35,000 trafficking and cyber fraud victims, though these criminal networks continue generating billions annually through sophisticated use of AI, cryptocurrency, and other advanced tools. INTERPOL called for increased international cooperation, stronger border controls, public awareness campaigns, and closer coordination between financial
vieravoice.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, scams targeting seniors aged 60 and older caused over $3.4 billion in losses—an 11% increase from the previous year—with particularly severe consequences for retirees who struggle to recover stolen life savings and face reduced access to healthcare and housing. Brevard County is combating this epidemic through community initiatives including Scam Jam, a fraud prevention workshop by Helping Seniors of Brevard and AARP's Fraud Watch Network that educates seniors on recognizing scam tactics and identity theft prevention, with over 70 participants graduating from the first session. The article provides warning signs of scams (pressure to act quickly, requests for gift cards or
griffindailynews.com
· 2025-12-08
Pradip Parikh, 67, and Alpesh Patel, 40, were convicted for operating an India-based call center scam that defrauded millions of Americans, primarily elderly victims, by impersonating Social Security Administration officials and claiming their Social Security numbers had been compromised. The defendants collected over $1 million from victims through controlled bank accounts, including $600,000 from a 70-year-old New Jersey resident and $300,000 from a recently widowed mother of eight, which they laundered and kept portions of for themselves. Parikh was convicted of conspiracy to commit money laundering and two counts of money laundering, while Patel
wpsdlocal6.com
· 2025-12-08
SOMA Cyber Inc., a Paducah-based cybersecurity company, is hosting a free cyberfraud and scam awareness session on July 25 aimed at educating elderly individuals about identifying and avoiding common online scams. Executive Vice President Johnny Sanders emphasized that AI tools like ChatGPT have made phishing emails easier to create, and stressed the importance of recognizing that cyber threats affect local communities, not just distant cities. Sanders recommends using multi-factor authentication, being cautious with payment information, avoiding suspicious messages that seem too good to be true, and having conversations with older family members about scam prevention.
hartselleenquirer.com
· 2025-12-08
Sweetheart scams and other fraud schemes target vulnerable populations including seniors aged 61+ and young adults aged 13-28, with elderly victims losing an estimated $77.7 billion globally in 2023 alone. Common scams include imposter schemes, online shopping fraud, investment fraud, and phishing attempts via email, text, and phone. Protection strategies include using strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, verifying unsolicited contacts, trusting instincts when something feels suspicious, and reporting suspected scams to the FTC.
usatoday.com
· 2025-12-08
An older Florida couple lost more than $80,000 in a PayPal phishing scam after responding to a fraudulent text message claiming an unauthorized charge on their account, then following the scammers' instructions to wire funds and hand over cash to a courier. The scammers impersonated Norton Security representatives and exploited the victims' confusion about a $50,000 deposit to extract additional payments. This case reflects a broader trend of rising phishing and text message scams, with Americans losing nearly $500 million through text scams in 2024, with seniors over 60 suffering disproportionate losses totaling nearly $5 billion annually.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
Singapore's police gained new powers under the Protection from Scams Act starting in 2024 to seize and restrict bank accounts of suspected scam victims who refuse warnings, allowing authorities to block transactions for up to 30 days with possible extensions while preserving access for essential expenses. The measure addresses a surge in scams to a record S$1.1 billion ($860 million) in 2024, with common schemes including job, investment, e-commerce, and romance scams, though critics have raised concerns about potential abuse of power and lack of accountability.
news5cleveland.com
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau warns consumers to be vigilant during the Independence Day holiday, as scammers intensify efforts to target Americans through fraudulent charity solicitations for military causes and deceptive ads for patriotic merchandise and fireworks. Consumers should verify charities through the BBB or give.org before donating, avoid clicking on social media ads offering suspiciously low prices, and shop directly on official websites using credit cards to protect against fraud.
wilx.com
· 2025-12-08
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel warned consumers of a scam using caller ID spoofing to impersonate the Department of Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division, falsely claiming recipients' accounts would be shut down unless they made immediate payments. The scammers use real department phone numbers to appear legitimate and pressure victims into disclosing personal and financial information. The Attorney General emphasized that the department never calls to demand money or threatens account closures, and urged consumers to report suspicious calls.
zdnet.com
· 2025-12-08
**Missed-delivery scams spoofing UPS are prevalent during summer shopping seasons and peak package delivery times.** Scammers send text messages claiming delivery attempts failed, instructing recipients to reply "Y" to activate clickable malicious links that lead to fake UPS websites designed to harvest personal information (names, addresses, phone numbers, Social Security numbers, and credit card details). Once obtained, criminals use this data for identity theft, unauthorized purchases, or install surveillance software on victims' devices.
dallasobserver.com
· 2025-12-08
"Pig butchering" cryptocurrency scams—where fraudsters gradually build trust with victims before stealing their money—are rapidly growing across North Texas, with victims losing between $500,000 to $3 million each. Financial counselor Steve Benton has investigated a dozen cases involving seniors who were lured through fake social media profiles and fake crypto apps that displayed false investment gains, with global scammers stealing nearly $64 billion through these schemes in 2023 alone. The scams are difficult to prosecute because funds are moved through unregulated cryptocurrency channels, and many perpetrators operate from labor-trafficking compounds in Southeast Asia where workers are forced to target victims.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
Cybersecurity expert Fuad Hamidli is educating New Jersey residents about how scammers manipulate victims by exploiting emotions, impersonating authority figures, and increasingly using AI technology to create fake voices and videos. In 2024, New Jersey consumers reported $321 million in fraud losses, though actual losses are believed to be significantly higher due to underreporting, and scammers employ sophisticated global operations with extensive training in emotional manipulation and behavioral targeting.
islandsweekly.com
· 2025-12-08
Medicare scams cost billions annually by targeting older adults through unsolicited calls, texts, and online ads impersonating Medicare or medical providers to obtain Medicare numbers, which scammers then use to fraudulently bill Medicare for services or equipment never received. Victims face risks including denied coverage, identity theft, financial stress, and compromised access to needed healthcare services. The Office of the Insurance Commissioner recommends protecting yourself by never sharing Medicare or Social Security numbers with unsolicited contacts, being skeptical of "free" offers, regularly reviewing statements for suspicious charges, and reporting fraud to 1-800-MEDICARE or your local Senior Medicare Patrol.