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A 73-year-old Marysville, Washington grandmother was defrauded of at least $20,000 by a scammer impersonating MSNBC anchor Ari Melber through a fake Facebook profile, who convinced her to send money for his sick dog and later claimed to be in love with her, even sending a fake engagement ring and AI-generated voice messages. The scammer had manipulated Patricia over four months and nearly convinced her to travel to New York to meet him in person before her family intercepted her during a layover in Portland. The case reflects a broader trend, with the FBI reporting over 101,000 people age 60 and older fell victim

Brandon Alford, a 47-year-old employee in Washington, Indiana, was sentenced to two years in federal prison for defrauding his employer through a scheme involving a fake company called A&D Distributing LLC. Between December 2017 and January 2023, Alford submitted 25 fraudulent invoices totaling $1,006,500 for machine parts that were never ordered or delivered, while also evading taxes on the fraud proceeds from 2017-2022. He was ordered to pay $1,006,500 in restitution to his employer and $319,793.02 to the IRS.

Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, a 40-year-old Nigerian national, was arrested in Texas in December 2023 on 14 counts of wire fraud for operating a romance scam that defrauded victims of over $3.3 million. Using fake profiles under variations of the name "Giovanni" on dating websites like Match and Christian Café, Nwadialo posed as a deployed military officer and convinced victims to send money for various false expenses, including military fines, funeral costs, and investment schemes; individual victims lost between $270,000 and $2.4 million.

The Commodity Futures Trading Commission charged Washington State pastor Francier Obando Pinillo with operating a fraudulent multilevel marketing scheme involving digital assets that defrauded at least 1,515 customers, primarily Spanish-speaking members of his church, of at least $5.9 million. Pinillo falsely claimed to operate an automated cryptocurrency trading platform offering guaranteed monthly profits up to 34.9% while actually misappropriating all customer funds and fabricating account statements; he also operated a Ponzi scheme by using later customers' assets to pay earlier investors. The CFTC is seeking restitution, disgorgement of ill-gotten gains, civil penalties, trading

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson is warning small businesses of scam letters impersonating the Secretary of State's Office that demand excessive payments (over $200) for business filings while threatening fines or business dissolution; similar telephone scams targeting Latino businesses have also been reported, with at least 40 complaints received since early November. The fraudulent letters, which include the state seal and publicly available business information to appear legitimate, contain telltale signs of fraud such as Sacramento, California addresses and .org website links instead of official .gov sites. Business owners are advised to verify filing status directly with the Secretary of State and to report suspected scams to the Attorney General's Office.

Senator Marsha Blackburn warned during a Senate hearing that seniors are increasingly targeted by AI-enabled fraud and scams, with criminals using sophisticated tools like personalized phishing emails and chatbots to deceive consumers at scale. The FTC reported that scams cost Americans $10 billion over the last 12 months, with AI driving much of this increase. Blackburn called for Congress to pass legislation establishing online privacy standards and stronger protections for consumers in the digital space.

A phishing scam targeting members of the trans community in Washington, D.C. attempted to redirect employee payroll by sending fraudulent emails impersonating workers and requesting banking information changes. At least two individuals—SC Nealy, founder of LGBT+ Counseling Collaborative, and SK Smigiel, a content creator—were targeted, with Nealy falling victim after providing banking details based on a convincing fake email. The scammers reportedly gathered personal information from social media to craft targeted messages, highlighting how phishing scams evolve and exploit vulnerable communities.

The U.S. Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has joined a multi-sector national task force convened by the Aspen Institute to develop a comprehensive strategy for preventing fraud and scams. FinCEN will participate in working groups alongside financial services, technology companies, consumer advocacy groups, and federal agencies to create cross-sector recommendations for combating fraud. This initiative expands FinCEN's public-private partnerships in addressing fraud, cybercrime, and illicit finance risks.

This article announces The Assembly Caribbean 2024, a virtual anti-financial crime conference hosted by ACAMS on December 5-6, 2024, featuring over 40 experts and regulatory officials addressing compliance challenges in the Caribbean region. The conference will cover fraud risks including elder fraud, romance scams, and "pig butchering" schemes, alongside discussions of money laundering, sanctions enforcement, virtual assets regulation, and the fentanyl crisis. The event aims to provide compliance professionals with practical strategies to detect financial crimes and implement effective anti-money laundering measures tailored to the Caribbean's unique AFC landscape.

This article announces President-elect Trump's nomination of former NFL player Scott Turner to lead the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), based on Turner's prior experience as executive director of the White House Opportunity and Revitalization Council during Trump's first administration. Turner's previous work overseeing 16 federal agencies resulted in over $50 billion in private investment through Opportunity Zones, which funded affordable housing, clean technology, and community revitalization projects. The nomination has been supported by former HUD Secretary Ben Carson and Senator Tim Scott, with the Senate Banking Committee expected to consider the nomination.

The Eldercare Locator launched a national "Home for the Holidays" campaign to help older adults and families protect themselves from financial fraud and scams during the holiday season. According to the FBI, scams targeting people age 60 and older resulted in over $3.4 billion in losses in 2023, with fraud increasing during the holidays due to heightened online shopping and donation appeals that scammers exploit, particularly targeting isolated or lonely individuals. The campaign provides resources to help older adults recognize, prevent, and report financial scams and fraud.

**Article:** "Senior Citizens Targeted by Technology Scams: How to Identify and Protect Against Fraud" by Beth Swift, Washington Evening Journal Senior citizens are increasingly targeted by technology scams including impersonation fraud, prize/sweepstakes schemes, tech support scams, charity fraud, and IRS threats, with older adults disproportionately victimized because they typically have savings and good credit. The article identifies key warning signs—unsolicited contact, artificial urgency, requests for money or personal information, unrealistic offers, and poor communication quality—and advises seniors to verify caller identity independently, never share sensitive information, consult trusted contacts before responding to requests

The Washington County Sheriff's office warned senior citizens about a sweepstakes scam in which fraudsters contact victims claiming they won the "American Senior Citizen Association Sweepstakes" and demand payment via cashier's check to claim their prize. The sheriff's office urged seniors not to provide money or personal information to the scammers and provided resources for reporting the fraud to the Ohio Attorney General's Fraud Division or the sheriff's office directly.

The Washington State Department of Transportation warned the public about a phishing scam using fraudulent text messages impersonating its Good To Go! tolling system, directing recipients to fake websites designed to mimic legitimate DOT pages in order to steal payment information. The DOT advised account holders to verify toll balances directly through its official website, delete unsolicited payment requests, and remember that the agency never requests birth dates or driver's license numbers for toll payments. Suspected victims were instructed to report fraudulent messages to the Federal Trade Commission.

A Venezuelan national, Deivy Jose Rodriguez Delgado, was sentenced to 25 years in federal prison for using dating apps to lure three American men to the Dominican Republic, then holding them hostage at knifepoint and forcing them to have family members send ransom money to his CashApp account in July 2022. Delgado was arrested in September 2022 after Dominican authorities traced a vehicle used in two of the abductions to him and found a knife in his car. Experts warn this sophisticated romance scam targeting lonely individuals seeking connections online is difficult to detect and increasingly common internationally, recommending victims meet strangers only in public places.

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of Washington announced multiple healthcare fraud prosecutions protecting patients and consumers. The largest case involved Lincare Holdings, Inc., which agreed to pay $29 million in August 2023 for fraudulently overbilling Medicare for oxygen equipment; as part of the settlement, Lincare refunded $976,137 in overcharged co-pays to 4,917 patients. Additional cases included convictions and settlements involving kickback schemes, unnecessary medical equipment billing, and insurance fraud totaling millions of dollars in penalties and restitution.

Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, a 40-year-old Nigerian national, was arrested at Houston airport on 14 counts of wire fraud for operating romance scams that defrauded multiple women of millions of dollars. Using fake profiles on dating platforms (Match, Zoosk, Christian Cafe) under assumed names, he posed as a U.S. military member stationed overseas and fabricated scenarios—including inheritance issues, military fines, and investment opportunities—to solicit money from victims, with individual losses ranging from $310,000 to $2.4 million. He faces up to 20 years in prison and will be extradited to Washington state for arra

Franklin Ikechukwu Nwadialo, a 40-year-old Nigerian national, was arrested and indicted on 14 counts of wire fraud for operating a romance scam that defrauded victims of over $3.3 million in Western Washington. Using false profiles with the name "Giovanni" on dating platforms like Match and Zoosk, Nwadialo posed as a military serviceman and manipulated victims into sending money through various pretexts, including claims about his father's death, military fines, and investment opportunities. One victim alone lost $2.4 million, while others lost between $270,000 and $310,000 each

Walter Holt III, a 35-year-old Washington, Pennsylvania resident, pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud for preparing and submitting falsified Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) COVID-19 relief loan applications for Charleroi borrowers in March and May 2021, collecting fees for the fraudulent applications. He faces up to 40 years in prison and $1 million in fines, with sentencing scheduled for January 31, 2025.

Seniors reported losing more than $1.9 billion to fraud last year, with actual losses potentially reaching $61.5 billion when accounting for unreported cases, according to an FTC report highlighting romance scams, business impostor schemes, and cryptocurrency fraud as major threats. Older Americans face particular vulnerability due to retirement funds, life insurance proceeds, and assets that criminals target, and many victims avoid reporting due to shame or fear of being perceived as incapable. The FTC is strengthening protections through the Scams Against Older Adults Advisory Group and seeking congressional amendments to expand refund authority, while experts emphasize the need for banks and law enforcement to deploy advanced technology and increase criminal prosecution efforts.

During Medicare open enrollment, seniors are targeted by scammers through unsolicited phone calls, texts, and phishing links seeking their Medicare numbers, which are as sensitive as Social Security numbers. Common tactics include offering lower plan prices, requesting payment for plan selection help, or promising free gifts in exchange for personal information. The Better Business Bureau advises seniors to hang up on unsolicited callers, verify requests directly with legitimate companies like Healthcare.gov or Medicare, and watch for red flags such as pressure to act immediately or offers that seem too good to be true.

An 81-year-old grandmother from Washington D.C. lost her entire life savings of $109,000 to a phone scammer posing as a Social Security Administration agent who convinced her that her personal information had been compromised and instructed her to transfer funds to secure her accounts. Despite red flags including grammatical errors in a fake Supreme Court certificate and the scammer's requests for unusual payment methods, Baxley made multiple transfers totaling $109,000 before her son discovered the fraud. This case reflects a broader trend in which scams targeting seniors aged 60 and older resulted in over $3.4 billion in losses last year, with experts advising that legitimate government agencies communicate

An 81-year-old Washington grandmother lost $109,000 to a phone scammer who impersonated a Social Security Administration agent and used a fake Supreme Court document to create urgency about bank fraud. The victim transferred funds to shell companies (Yongri Trading Inc. and Shengya WS Inc.) and mailed $15,000 in cash based on the scammer's instructions, while her bank stated it followed proper protocols during the fraudulent transactions.

An 81-year-old woman in Washington, D.C. lost approximately $109,000 in a government impersonation scam after receiving a phone call claiming to be from the Social Security Administration. The scammer sent fraudulent documents (including a fake "U.S. Supreme Court" certificate with numerous grammatical errors) and text instructions directing her to transfer funds and mail cash to multiple accounts. This case illustrates a growing trend: the FBI reported elder fraud targeting those 60 and older exceeded $3.4 billion in losses last year, a significant increase from 2022, and authorities advise that legitimate government agencies contact people by mail only, never by phone, email

Danielle Baltimore, a 40-year-old direct support professional in Washington, D.C., was sentenced to 180 days in prison for financially exploiting two vulnerable adults with developmental disabilities under her care. In December 2023, Baltimore coerced the two clients to shoplift items (sneakers, clothing, and merchandise) from Walmart on her behalf, then retrieved the stolen goods; one victim complied due to fear of harm. The case was prosecuted under the U.S. Attorney's Elder Abuse and Financial Exploitation Initiative in collaboration with the D.C. Office of Inspector General.

A bipartisan group of lawmakers introduced the "Protect Our Children Act" to reauthorize and modernize the Internet Crimes Against Children (ICAC) Task Force Program through 2027. The legislation would update the program's requirements for child exploitation prevention, provide liability protections for investigators, and modernize the program to address current technology and needs. Since its inception in 1998, ICAC has trained over 826,700 law enforcement officers and operates through 61 coordinated task forces representing more than 5,400 federal, state, and local agencies.

This article is not relevant to the Elderus database. It concerns former President Donald Trump's statements about a potential 2028 presidential run and his views on COVID-19 vaccines—political content with no connection to elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse.

In 2017, Congress eliminated a tax deduction that had allowed fraud victims to deduct their losses from taxable income, leaving scam victims to pay taxes on stolen money. Susan Whittaker testified before a Senate Committee about her elderly husband with Alzheimer's who lost $28,000 to an imposter scam (with only $8,000 recovered), highlighting the financial and emotional toll on victims. Democratic Senator Bob Casey is advocating to reinstate the provision, arguing victims should not be "victimized a second time" through taxation, while the repeal is set to expire next year, giving lawmakers an opportunity to restore the deduction.

**Summary:** Scammers impersonating Safelite AutoGlass technicians lured Central Washington residents through Facebook Marketplace by offering discounted windshield services, then collected payments via third-party apps before arriving and charging higher prices than advertised. At least five victims fell for the scheme in one week, prompting Safelite and local law enforcement to warn residents to contact companies directly through official channels, avoid third-party payment apps, and verify technician credentials.

A widespread scam targeting Washington residents impersonates court officials and police, claiming victims missed jury duty and have arrest warrants unless they pay fines immediately. Scammers use phone calls or emails (which legitimate courts never do) and request payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers, often also demanding sensitive personal information like Social Security numbers. Residents should verify contact by hanging up and calling the court directly, and report suspected scams to the FTC.

Billions of dollars are lost annually to scams targeting older Americans, with the FBI reporting over $3 billion in losses in 2023 alone, including devastating cases such as romance scams, sextortion schemes, and AI-enabled impersonations that have cost some seniors their entire life savings. The AARP Fraud Watch Network receives more than 100,000 calls yearly from affected seniors, and experts testified before U.S. Congress emphasizing that criminals continue to evolve their tactics with increasing sophistication. Lawmakers are responding with bipartisan legislation and recommendations for education, public outreach, and federal efforts to combat spoofing and robocalls as key strategies to protect vulnerable seniors.

**Scam Losses in Cuyahoga County, Ohio More Than Double; Nationwide Fraud Crisis Escalates** Reported scam losses in Cuyahoga County jumped from $1.2 million in 2023 to $2.7 million in 2024, with fraudsters using spoofed caller IDs, stolen personal data, and cryptocurrency to steal larger amounts in shorter timeframes. A particularly dangerous trend involves scammers posing as federal agents claiming victims' bank accounts are involved in drug trafficking, convincing them to move savings to crypto "wallets" and in some cases obtaining house sale proceeds—with national fraud losses reaching $

Law enforcement in North Central Washington is warning residents about three prevalent scams: fake prize claims (where a woman lost thousands after being told she won a truck), grandparent scams claiming a relative needs bail money, and jury duty scams threatening arrest for failure to report unless a fine is paid. Authorities advise victims to hang up immediately, avoid sharing personal information or sending money, and contact their local county court with any questions rather than engaging with callers.

Two Irish brothers, Patrick and Matthew McDonagh, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud for stealing over $400,000 from elderly homeowners across the Northwest and Illinois by posing as home repair contractors. Using high-pressure tactics and false claims of necessary repairs (roof holes, foundation cracks), they defrauded victims in Washington, Oregon, and Illinois of hundreds of thousands of dollars, with one Shoreline, Washington homeowner losing $435,000. The brothers have agreed to make restitution totaling over $1 million to their victims and face sentencing in November 2024, with prosecutors recommending 26 months in prison for each defendant.

Three individuals—Chidi Olujie, Jennifer Chibueze, and Jessica Nortey—were charged with conspiring to launder over $1 million in proceeds from romance scams and other online frauds between 2016 and 2019, allegedly using shell companies and fraudulent bank accounts to move stolen money. The defendants face up to 20 years in prison on money laundering conspiracy charges plus an additional two years for aggravated identity theft. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Columbia and investigated by the FBI's Washington Field Office.

During August 19-25, 2024, the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office investigated numerous incidents across the county, including one elder abuse and fraud case reported on August 21 in Belhaven, though specific details and dollar amounts were not disclosed. The week also saw two credit card/ATM fraud incidents (August 20-21), multiple motor vehicle thefts, assaults, and property crimes across various locations in Washington, Aurora, Chocowinity, and surrounding areas.

Iowa County Sheriff Rob Rotter reports that scams are vastly underreported due to victim embarrassment, with an estimated 59 million people scammed annually and $50,000-$60,000 lost yearly in Iowa County alone. Rotter highlighted common scams including lottery/tax schemes (one couple lost $130,000 across multiple scams), robocalls targeting seniors with health insurance offers, and "grandparent scams" where callers impersonate grandchildren in distress, recommending victims report fraud to authorities and verify caller identity by hanging up and calling back known numbers.

Law enforcement in North Central Washington warns residents about three prevalent scams: prize-winner schemes where victims are told they've won prizes (like vehicles) and pressured to pay fees, grandparent scams involving fake emergencies claiming relatives need bail money, and jury duty scams threatening arrest for failing to appear unless fines are paid immediately. The article advises victims to hang up without engaging scammers, avoid sharing personal information or sending payments, and verify claims directly with official county offices rather than responding to unsolicited calls.

Three men—two from Cleveland and one from Michigan—were indicted for stealing $30,000 from a Washington County senior citizen through an overpayment scam in July, where they posed as PayPal representatives and convinced the victim to provide a refund. The suspects are also linked to a similar $30,000 theft in Franklin County, and investigators indicate there are additional victims throughout the Great Lakes region. Law enforcement advises seniors to verify requests for money or gift cards by contacting family, friends, or local authorities before complying.

During the week of August 12-18, 2024, the Beaufort County Sheriff's Office investigated one elder fraud case involving larceny on August 16 at 7600 block Slatestone Rd. in Washington at 12:19 p.m. Additionally, the office documented multiple other fraud incidents during this period, including credit card/ATM fraud on August 12 and general fraud reports on August 14 and 15, though specific details and dollar amounts were not provided in the incident log.

Cybercriminals have expanded text message scams impersonating state electronic toll collection systems across multiple U.S. states (Illinois, Florida, North Carolina, and Washington), with the FBI reporting over 2,000 complaints since early March. The scams use fake government websites and urgent messaging to trick drivers into clicking links and entering personal and financial information, with some scammers also collecting data for additional criminal activities. Symantec researchers recommend state governments increase public awareness campaigns and coordinate with federal agencies to combat these threats, which have also affected Australia, Canada, and Japan.

Scammers are sending fraudulent text messages to drivers claiming they have unpaid tolls, creating a sense of urgency by threatening additional fees if balances aren't paid immediately through fake toll payment websites. The Identity Theft Resource Center reports this scam is proliferating across the country, exploiting drivers' anxiety about legitimately owing toll fees by using real toll system names like "Good-to-Go" in Washington State and "Easy Pass" on the East Coast. The scheme preys on consumers' fear of accumulating fines and encourages them to click malicious links or provide personal information to cybercriminals.

The Federal Trade Commission warns Washington State residents about utility company barcode scams in which fraudsters impersonate utility companies via calls or messages, creating urgency around unpaid bills and directing victims to scan QR codes or barcodes to pay through Walmart, Walgreens, or other payment methods. To protect themselves, consumers should independently verify bills by contacting their utility company using official phone numbers or websites, recognize that legitimate utilities do not demand specific payment methods that prevent refunds, and immediately report suspected fraud to reverse payments if money has already been sent.

A Washington business owner nearly fell victim to an impersonation scam when a fraudster posing as a National Australia Bank representative called his assistant, requesting banking credentials under the pretense that his business credit card had been blocked due to activity in Darwin. The scammer targeted an account containing $3 million, but the business owner and assistant recognized red flags—including the scammer's inability to provide account details or the correct banker's name—and verified the call through official channels, preventing any loss. The article notes that impersonation scams are among the most common fraud tactics, with the Australian Tax Office receiving 22,000 reports of government impersonation scams in the past year, emphasizing the importance of vigilance

Two Irish nationals, Patrick and Matthew McDonagh, were arrested and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud for stealing over $435,000 from an elderly Shoreline, Washington homeowner through a contractor scam. The brothers posed as repair workers, falsely claiming the victim's roof had holes and foundation was cracked, then pressured him to write multiple checks for fake repairs and building supplies over several days in January 2024. The FBI investigation also connected them to approximately $50,000 in additional contractor fraud complaints in Oregon and Washington using similar tactics of fake photos and misrepresentation.

The IRS warned that scammers are increasingly targeting tax professionals through phishing scams to steal taxpayer information and commit identity theft. Common tactics include posing as new clients to distribute malware, impersonating the IRS to obtain professional identification numbers (EFIN, PTIN, CAF), promoting fraudulent "Zero Tax programs," and sending AI-generated fake IRS letters. Tax professionals are advised to remain vigilant and can report suspected phishing attempts to [email protected].

A phishing scam is targeting Washington drivers by sending text messages impersonating the Good To Go tolling service, directing recipients to a fake website (mygoodtogotoll.com) to pay a purported unpaid toll of $6.67 with threats of additional $66.70 charges. The Washington State Department of Transportation warned drivers not to click the malicious link and reminded them the legitimate payment website is MyGoodToGo.com without the word "toll" in the URL. The Better Business Bureau recommends avoiding unsolicited messages, verifying website URLs carefully, and never replying to suspected scam texts.

Remote job scams are targeting college students through fake job postings on legitimate sites and email, where scammers send fraudulent checks as "advance payments" and instruct victims to wire portions of the funds to other accounts. When the checks bounce days later, victims are held liable for the full amount by their banks while the money sent to scammers becomes unrecoverable, leaving students with significant financial losses.

Washington residents lost $5.5 million in electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card reader scams over two years, affecting approximately 9,000 people who receive food assistance and other government benefits, with an average loss of nearly $600 per household. The scams involved thieves placing devices on card-reading machines to steal benefit information, with most fraudulent transactions occurring out of state through card cloning. The Washington State Department of Social and Health Services has reimbursed $3 million in stolen benefits and encourages affected residents to report losses within 30 days by calling the agency or visiting an office.

A HostingAdvice.com survey of 3,000 parents found that Washington state parents monitor their children's online activities less rigorously than the national average, with only 36% monitoring daily and 43% actively overseeing their kids' online habits. The primary parental concern is exposure to inappropriate content (44%), with monitoring methods including browser history checks (33%) and parental control software (25%), though experts recommend greater vigilance given recommendations for warning labels on social media apps.