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Michigan residents and others nationwide have received phishing text messages falsely claiming unpaid toll bills from services like EZ Pass, with scammers using fake links and professional-looking payment pages to steal credit card information. The Better Business Bureau reported approximately 800 complaints about this scam in 2024, with scammers also impersonating the Michigan Department of Transportation despite Michigan having no toll roads; authorities warn that legitimate toll agencies never request payment via text message and advise victims to report such messages to the FTC or file complaints with state attorneys general.

The Michigan State Police urge residents to recognize and avoid common scams transmitted through phone calls, text messages, and social media, including romance scams that manipulate victims into sending money through fake emergencies, tech support scams offering fake virus solutions, and toll payment scams. Key warning signs include unsolicited contact, artificial urgency, unusual payment demands (cryptocurrency or gift cards), and requests for personal or financial information. Authorities recommend trusting instincts, consulting trusted contacts or law enforcement if something seems suspicious, and not feeling ashamed to report suspected fraud.

Global cybercrime cost nearly $10 trillion in the previous year and is expected to rise in 2025, with scammers increasingly targeting everyday people through common fraud schemes. Michigan State University experts highlight three major scam types: package delay scams (smishing texts impersonating delivery services), romance fraud (building fake emotional relationships to extract money), and other cyber threats, offering guidance on protection strategies such as verifying official websites and recognizing common fraudster tactics like fake military profiles or stolen social media images.

An Oxford, Michigan woman, 68-year-old Sandy Selvan, lost her entire life savings of approximately $475,000 to a romance scammer who impersonated actor Mark Harmon over Facebook and a messaging app. The scammer convinced Selvan to sell her home and car over the course of ten months, claiming he needed funds while working on a film in Italy and promising to marry her and support her and her adult son with special needs. After Selvan sent the money, the scammer's account disappeared, leaving her with no assets and facing eviction.

A 68-year-old Oxford, Michigan woman lost approximately $475,000 of her life savings in a romance scam after being contacted on Facebook by someone impersonating actor Mark Harmon. Over ten months, the scammer convinced her to wire money by claiming he was in Italy under contract and needed funds to return to her, with promises of marriage and financial security for her and her adult son with special needs. She sold her home and car to send the money, and when the scammer disappeared after claiming to board a flight to her, she faced eviction with nowhere to go.

A Northern Michigan woman lost over $20,000 in an online romance scam in 2024 after being contacted by someone impersonating a celebrity actor on Instagram. The scammer used love bombing and emotional manipulation, gradually building trust before requesting money for fabricated emergencies; the victim only recognized the fraud when asked for an additional $100,000. Experts note that romance scammers exploit emotional vulnerabilities and common interests to establish trust, and victims should understand that such crimes result from criminal manipulation rather than personal fault.

A 68-year-old Oxford, Michigan woman lost nearly $500,000 in life savings to a romance scammer who impersonated "NCIS" actor Mark Harmon over a ten-month period beginning in April 2023. The victim sold her home and car to wire funds to the scammer, who claimed his money was tied up in California and he needed the loan to return from Italy, but disappeared after receiving the money. The Oakland County Sheriff's Department is investigating the case, and authorities note that such romance scams are increasingly common and often originate overseas, making recovery of funds difficult.

**Summary:** Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel warned residents to watch out for post-storm scams following severe weather that swept across Michigan in late March 2025. Common fraud schemes include contractors overcharging for repairs, imposters claiming to offer government funding for disaster relief, and fraudulent charity solicitations; residents are advised to verify contractor credentials, obtain multiple written estimates, research charities before donating, and avoid unsolicited payment requests via wire transfer or gift cards.

In 2024, Michigan residents reported $204 million in fraud losses—a dramatic increase from $60 million in 2020—with an 84-year-old woman losing $40,000 to a man posing as a bank employee serving as one documented case. Scams targeting older adults have diversified to include impersonation, extortion, investment fraud, tech-support schemes, and cryptocurrency fraud, with crypto scams alone affecting Michigan seniors at growing rates (141 instances in 2022 vs. 262 in 2023, with losses rising from $14 million to $24 million). AARP Michigan is responding with fraud prevention education sessions, document sh

This article does not contain information relevant to elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It is a sports article about Thanksgiving week basketball tournaments in Southwest Florida. It is not appropriate for the Elderus database.

The Michigan Department of Treasury is warning taxpayers about cybercriminals attempting to commit tax-related identity theft by fraudulently filing state income tax returns and claiming refunds during tax season. Scammers use tactics like creating urgency and threatening criminal action to extract personal information from unsuspecting victims. The department recommends cybersecurity measures including using secure networks, avoiding suspicious links and unsolicited requests for personal information, using strong passwords, and reporting suspicious activity to authorities.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a consumer alert warning about a Bitcoin ATM scam targeting unsuspecting victims, particularly older adults. The scam involves fraudulent calls or messages claiming financial accounts are compromised, with callers impersonating legitimate companies or law enforcement and threatening prosecution to coerce victims into withdrawing cash and depositing it into Bitcoin ATMs, after which the money is irretrievably converted to cryptocurrency. Because Bitcoin ATMs lack regulation and oversight, unlike traditional banking systems with fraud prevention measures, victims have no meaningful consumer protections and funds cannot be recovered once the transaction is complete.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a consumer alert warning residents about Bitcoin ATM scams targeting older adults, in which fraudsters pose as representatives from companies like Apple, Google, or law enforcement to convince victims their accounts are compromised and demand immediate payment. Victims are instructed to withdraw cash from banks and deposit it into Bitcoin ATMs, where it is converted to cryptocurrency and sent to scammers; once transferred, the money cannot be recovered because Bitcoin ATMs lack oversight, regulation, and fraud prevention measures unlike traditional financial institutions. The alert advises consumers never to deposit money into Bitcoin ATMs at anyone's request, to be wary of urgent calls, to verify requests with their banks, and to report suspecte

This article addresses consumer economic sentiment and trade policy—not elder fraud. It reports that U.S. consumer sentiment fell to pandemic-era lows in April due to trade war concerns, with respondents increasingly worried about unemployment and inflation, though no fraud, scams, or elder abuse are discussed in the content provided.

San Ramon student Adya Gupta founded Impactt Kids, a volunteer-driven nonprofit that provides scam education training to seniors and caregivers to help them recognize and avoid phone and internet fraud. The initiative, inspired by Gupta's grandmother who frequently receives scam calls, has trained seniors at local living centers on identifying scam calls, phishing emails, and fraudulent IRS, Medicare, and lottery schemes, with participants reporting successful fraud prevention as a result. The program plans to expand by integrating AI-powered scam detection tools and establishing a hotline for seniors to verify suspicious calls.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel and State Transportation Director Bradley C. Wieferich warned consumers about an increasing toll scam in West Michigan involving fraudulent text messages falsely claiming recipients owe unpaid tolls to MDOT and threatening legal action. The scam uses deceptive links mimicking the official MDOT website, though legitimate toll bills are only sent by mail—never via text—and Michigan has no toll roads except at three specific bridge facilities. Consumers are advised to ignore unsolicited texts with urgency language, suspicious links, and requests for financial information, and to report such "smishing" texts to SPAM (7726) and the Federal Trade Commission.

The Michigan Senate passed a four-bill package designed to strengthen protections for seniors and vulnerable adults facing abuse and exploitation. The legislation increases penalties for financial crimes against older adults, extends the statute of limitations for prosecuting embezzlement cases from six to ten years, allows vulnerable adults to obtain personal protection orders, and establishes multidisciplinary teams to prevent and detect elder abuse—addressing a statewide problem affecting over 73,000 older adults and costing victims more than $28 billion annually in financial scams and fraud.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released a scam awareness roundup highlighting major fraud schemes targeting state residents, including disaster relief and charity scams, government imposter fraud, phishing/smishing attacks, cryptocurrency "pig butchering" romance scams, and data breach identity theft. The advisory recommends consumers verify charity legitimacy before donating, never click suspicious links or provide personal information to unsolicited contacts, monitor credit reports regularly through AnnualCreditReport.com, and implement security measures like two-factor authentication and password changes following data breaches.

**Title:** Older Adults Embracing AI Tools for Daily Living with Growing Educational Support Older adults across the country are increasingly using AI-powered tools such as voice assistants (Alexa, Siri, Google Home), chatbots (ChatGPT), and health wearables to simplify daily tasks, improve medication adherence, and support independent aging. Educational programs like AARP's Senior Planet and Michigan's GetSetUp offer free or low-cost classes to help seniors learn these technologies, with research showing that older adults respond positively to user-friendly AI applications for household control, health monitoring, and personal productivity, though experts recommend caution when using AI for medical

Online scammers stole a record $12.5 billion from consumers in 2024, with text message scams alone accounting for $470 million in losses and phone scams averaging $1,500 per victim. Michigan Legacy Credit Union partnered with Wayne State University's Institute of Gerontology to train employees in fraud prevention, enabling staff to identify and stop scams through careful questioning—such as one incident where a teller prevented a woman from withdrawing $20,000 after confirming her daughter was not actually in jail. The initiative focuses on educating consumers and front-line workers to recognize common impersonation schemes involving government agencies like the IRS, Social Security Administration, and local

Michigan's senior centers face a crisis due to inconsistent state funding, creating stark inequities in services available to older adults. Well-funded centers like Rochester's OPC offer comprehensive activities (pickleball, tai chi, pools) supported by local millages, while under-resourced centers like Plymouth's operate part-time with minimal budgets and struggle to survive without dedicated tax support. As Michigan's population ages faster than most states, advocates call for systemic change to ensure equitable access to senior recreation and services across all communities.

Michigan's senior centers face significant funding inequities as the state's rapidly aging population strains its services. Well-funded centers like Rochester's OPC operate with comprehensive programs and modern amenities supported by local millages, while underfunded centers like Plymouth's operate limited hours and struggle to survive on cobbled-together budgets from municipal contributions and grants. Twelve of Michigan's 83 counties lack dedicated senior care taxes, creating a "have and have-nots" system that limits seniors' access to activities proven crucial for combating dementia and extending life.

A Warren, Michigan man, Mohammad Gazi, was charged with false pretenses and computer fraud after a senior citizen from Oakland County lost over $40,000 in a tech support scam. The victim received calls from someone impersonating a McAfee Computer Security representative who claimed funds were mistakenly deposited in her account and instructed her to withdraw and hand over cash on three separate occasions; she became suspicious after a fourth contact and alerted police, leading to Gazi's arrest through a sting operation.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel warned of an uptick in celebrity-impersonation scams where fraudsters pose as famous figures like Snoop Dogg and Garth Brooks to steal money through romance scams, cryptocurrency/investment schemes, or merchandise fraud. The AG advised residents to never send money or personal information to online contacts claiming to be celebrities, and to verify requests through official channels before responding.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a warning about increasing celebrity impersonation scams targeting state residents, involving fraudsters posing as celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Garth Brooks, and military leaders to perpetrate romance scams, cryptocurrency "pig butchering" schemes, and merchandise fraud. Common tactics include creating deepfake audio and videos, using high-pressure tactics and fear appeals, and requesting money, sensitive information, or unusual payment methods. The attorney general advises victims to avoid sending money to online contacts, never share personal or financial information with strangers online, and report suspected scams to Michigan's Consumer Protection Team.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a consumer alert warning of an uptick in celebrity impersonation scams, where fraudsters pose as celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Kid Rock, and Garth Brooks to steal money through romance scams, cryptocurrency schemes, and merchandise fraud. The scams often exploit victims on dating apps and social media by building fake relationships or promoting fake investment opportunities, with scammers using AI to create convincing voice and video impersonations. The AG recommends victims avoid sending money to online contacts, verify caller information independently, and report scams to the Department of Attorney General.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued a public advisory warning residents about increasingly common celebrity impersonation scams, in which fraudsters pose as famous figures like Snoop Dogg, Garth Brooks, and Kid Rock to deceive victims into sending money. Common schemes include romance scams (where victims believe they're in relationships with celebrities and send substantial sums), cryptocurrency/investment scams, and merchandise fraud; one notable case involved a French woman who sent over $800,000 to someone impersonating Brad Pitt. Nessel advises never sending money to online contacts, avoiding pressure to rush into relationships, and consulting trusted contacts before engaging with strangers on social media.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel warned of a surge in online scams where perpetrators impersonate celebrities (Snoop Dogg, Garth Brooks, Kid Rock) and military/government officials to defraud victims. Common schemes include romance scams, cryptocurrency/pig butchering fraud, merchandise scams, and AI-generated deepfake calls, with scammers using high-pressure tactics and requests for money via untraceable methods like gift cards and cryptocurrency. The advisory recommends never sending money to online contacts, verifying identities through official channels, and avoiding sharing personal or financial information with unverified online sources.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel warned consumers about a rising trend of scams impersonating celebrities (including Snoop Dogg, Garth Brooks, and Kid Rock) and military leaders to defraud victims. The scams include romance schemes, cryptocurrency/pig butchering investment frauds, and merchandise scams, often using AI-generated deepfakes to appear authentic. Nessel advised consumers never to send money to online contacts claiming to be celebrities, to verify requests through trusted contacts, and to avoid sharing personal or financial information with unverified online sources.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel warned of a surge in scams where fraudsters impersonate celebrities like Garth Brooks, Snoop Dogg, and Kid Rock, as well as military officials, to steal money from victims. The scams typically involve romance schemes, cryptocurrency/"pig butchering" investment frauds, and merchandise purchases, with scammers increasingly using AI-generated deepfakes to create convincing audio and video impersonations. The attorney general advised consumers never to send money to online contacts, avoid sharing personal or financial information with strangers, and to be wary of high-pressure tactics, unusual payment requests, and demands for gift cards or cryptocurrency.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel issued consumer alerts about a rising trend of scams impersonating celebrities (Snoop Dogg, Garth Brooks, Kid Rock) and military leaders. The scams include romance fraud, cryptocurrency/pig butchering schemes, merchandise fraud, and AI-generated deepfake audio and video impersonations designed to extract money from victims. The alert advises consumers never to send money or personal information to online contacts claiming to be celebrities or officials, to verify requests through trusted contacts, and to be wary of urgent investment opportunities or requests for banking details.

Scammers are impersonating Garth Brooks on dating apps and social media, convincing victims they are in romantic relationships with the country singer before requesting money, according to Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel. This romance scam scheme has also targeted impersonations of Kid Rock and Snoop Dogg, with perpetrators using elaborate tactics to extract funds from unsuspecting fans.

A 53-year-old Michigan woman was deceived in a romance scam involving deepfake technology, where a scammer posing as a French man named "Richard" used AI-generated video calls and fake photos to manipulate her into taking out loans totaling $26,000. The scam exemplifies a growing threat, with projections of 8 million deepfakes to be shared globally in 2025—approximately one-fifth of which will be used in romance scams—as scammers increasingly employ artificial intelligence to impersonate romantic interests.

Beth Hyland, a Michigan administrative assistant, was targeted by a romance scam artist who posed as a Frenchman named "Richard" on Tinder, using deepfake videos during Skype calls and stolen photos to deceive her. The scammer manipulated her emotionally by presenting himself as a potential romantic partner while employing AI-generated deepfakes, which are difficult to detect without specialized tools.

Michigan residents, particularly in the west, have received fraudulent text messages impersonating the Michigan Department of Transportation and toll companies like E-Z Pass, pressuring them to pay fake outstanding toll balances through malicious links to steal personal and financial information. The scam has spread nationwide with 60,000 complaints reported to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center in 2024, originating from various area codes including overseas servers, making prosecution difficult. Residents should ignore these texts, never click embedded links, and verify toll obligations directly through official websites or by contacting MDOT at 517-241-2400, as legitimate toll bills in Michigan are sent by mail only.

Law enforcement in Michigan warns that scammers use urgency and secrecy to target victims, particularly seniors, requesting payment via hard-to-trace methods like gift cards and cryptocurrency. Common tactics include impersonating government agencies, using AI-generated calls, posing as family members or romantic interests on social media, and demanding payment for fictitious warrants or debts. Authorities advise victims to immediately freeze accounts, file police reports, avoid clicking suspicious links, verify caller identities through independent searches, and remember that legitimate businesses and government agencies never request payment via gift cards.

Adult Protective Services in Macomb and Michigan released an annual report on efforts to combat elder abuse, neglect, and exploitation among the growing senior population. The article highlights a significant barrier to assistance: many seniors lack knowledge of available support systems, as illustrated by the case of Shirley Cook from Clinton Township, who relocated multiple times to escape abuse but struggled to navigate available resources.

Michigan residents are being targeted by text message scams falsely claiming they owe tolls through EZ-Pass or the DMV, with scammers directing victims to fraudulent links to steal credit card information. The Michigan Department of Transportation warns that these scams are not legitimate—MDOT operates no toll roads and never contacts residents via text or email about payments. Residents should avoid clicking links in suspicious toll-related messages and instead contact official agencies directly before making any payments.

The Better Business Bureau of Northwest and West Central Ohio and Southeast Michigan operates ScamGuard, an educational program launched three years ago to protect seniors from increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes. The program warns older adults about common scams including telephone/tech support scams, gift card tampering, fake charities, grandparent scams, sweepstakes fraud, and online dating schemes, providing practical advice such as verifying unfamiliar callers, researching charities before donating, and never sending money to individuals met only online.

DMV text message scams, known as "smishing," are expanding across multiple states including Colorado, Indiana, Minnesota, California, Michigan, and North Carolina, with earlier warnings issued in Illinois, Pennsylvania, Florida, New Jersey, Georgia, and New York. These fraudulent texts falsely claim recipients have unpaid traffic tickets or outstanding bills and threaten consequences like vehicle registration loss, driving privilege suspension, or credit score damage unless they click a link and pay. The Federal Trade Commission advises recipients not to click links or respond, instead contacting their state DMV directly through official channels and reporting the messages to their wireless provider, the FTC, and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.

A 53-year-old Michigan administrative assistant lost $26,000 to a romance scam involving a man posing as a French project manager named "Richard" who used deepfake videos during Skype calls to appear authentic. Over several months, the scammer emotionally manipulated the victim into taking out loans under the pretense of needing legal and translation help in Qatar, then disappeared when confronted. The case highlights the growing threat of AI-generated deepfakes in romance scams, with projections estimating eight million deepfakes will be shared worldwide in 2025, approximately one-fifth of which involve romantic fraud schemes.

In response to rising scam cases in Metro Detroit, Chase and the Detroit Police Department hosted a workshop for seniors to educate them on common fraud tactics and prevention strategies, coinciding with World Elder Abuse Awareness Month. According to the FBI, individuals 60 and older lost nearly $4.9 billion to scams in 2024, with Michigan residents alone losing over $206 million to fraud last year, and the average victim losing $35,101. The workshop emphasized the motto "trust but verify" and covered common scams including impersonation, spoofing, phishing, and vishing, recommending that seniors verify contacts, avoid sharing personal information, resist pressure to act quickly, an

Jason Garza, 45, of Wyandotte, Michigan, was charged with embezzling over $166,000 from his employer, Montway Auto Transport, between 2021 and 2022 by offering customers unauthorized discounts in exchange for direct payments via peer-to-peer payment apps, which he kept for personal use rather than remitting to the company. He faces six felony charges including three counts of embezzlement ranging from $1,000 to over $100,000 and three counts of using a computer to commit a crime, with potential sentences up to 20 years.

Dr. Sophie Toya, a Michigan physician, was sentenced to four years in federal prison on June 26, 2025, for orchestrating a $6.3 million Medicare fraud scheme involving over 7,900 medically unnecessary orthotic braces prescribed to more than 2,600 elderly and disabled patients, often without clinical evaluation or patient contact. Toya used deceptive television advertisements and telehealth consultations to solicit prescriptions, with some patients receiving multiple braces in single visits and undercover agents obtaining prescriptions after less than one-minute phone calls. In addition to her prison sentence, Toya was ordered to pay $3.6 million in restit

Charles Schumer, 75, of Freeland, Michigan, was charged with embezzling over $200,000 from a vulnerable adult relative for whom he served as attorney-in-fact, allegedly transferring retirement assets to his business account and making unauthorized purchases that did not benefit the victim. Schumer faces two 20-year felony counts: Embezzlement of $100,000 or more by an Agent and Embezzlement from a Vulnerable Adult. The case was prosecuted by Michigan's Attorney General Health Care Fraud Division.

Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel warned consumers of a spoofing scam in which fraudsters impersonate the Department of Attorney General's Consumer Protection Team, using caller ID spoofing to appear as legitimate officials and falsely claiming recipients' information has been "flagged" with credit agencies to extort immediate payment. The Department clarified it never calls to demand money, charge fees, or negotiate debt over the phone, and urged consumers to hang up on such calls and report them directly to the Consumer Protection Team.

Michigan participated in the Department of Justice's 2025 National Health Care Fraud Takedown, which resulted in criminal charges against 324 defendants nationwide involving over $14.6 billion in false billings and 15.6 million illegally diverted controlled substance pills, with $245 million in assets seized. Two Michigan cases were charged: James Alexander Carthron billed Medicaid approximately $11,000 for 23 telephone visits he did not provide, and Daleena Taree Miller billed Medicaid $8,640 for services she did not render and falsified medical records as a Community Living Support worker.

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.

Kaushalkumar Chaudhary, age 30 from India, was sentenced to 63 months in prison for his role as a "money mule" in a wire fraud conspiracy targeting elderly and vulnerable victims. Working with coconspirators in the U.S. and India, Chaudhary collected cash, gold, and silver from 14 victims by posing as law enforcement officials claiming the victims' accounts were compromised or under investigation, resulting in over $500,000 in losses and a restitution order of $524,947.

Kaushalkumar Chaudhary, 30, from India, was sentenced to 63 months in federal prison for wire fraud targeting elderly and vulnerable victims, defrauding 14 people of over $500,000. Chaudhary acted as a "money mule" in a scheme where fraudsters posed as FBI agents and government officials, convincing victims their social security numbers had been stolen so they would convert their assets into cash, gold, and silver for "protection." He was arrested in August 2024 when police intercepted him attempting to collect gold and silver from a victim's home, and was ordered to pay $524,947 in restitution.