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flvoicenews.com
· 2026-09-18
The House passed four bipartisan bills targeting senior fraud, including the GUARD Act (H.R. 2978) allowing state and local police to use federal grants to investigate elder financial fraud and "pig butchering" schemes involving cryptocurrency, which passed 414-7. Two additional bills would make permanent a Justice Department fraud division created under President Trump and require states to share records from federally funded programs like Medicaid with federal investigators to combat an estimated $245.7 billion in fraud since January 2025. All four bills now await Senate action.
valdostatoday.com
· 2026-09-18
Ogechi Urenna Udunka of Decatur, Georgia was sentenced to 10 years in prison for her role in laundering $158,000 stolen through a Business Email Compromise (BEC) scam targeting an agricultural company. The scam occurred when criminals sent fraudulent emails impersonating an Oregon seed company, tricking the victim into wiring funds that Udunka then received and disbursed to conceal their origin. Udunka was ordered to pay full restitution and perform 200 hours of community service.
kalb.com
· 2026-09-18
Grant Parish Sheriff's Office warns residents about increasingly sophisticated scams that stole approximately $400 million from Americans in 2024, with common tactics including impersonation of banks through spoofed caller IDs and romance scams that build trust over weeks or months before requesting money. The sheriff advises residents to hang up on suspicious calls, verify requests directly with their bank using official numbers, avoid sending money to unknown individuals, and be aware that Cash App transfers lack FDIC protection.
news9.com
· 2026-09-18
Oklahomans lost over $131 million to scams in 2025, with investment fraud showing a significant increase particularly in the Tulsa area, according to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center and Oklahoma Department of Securities. Scammers are using relationship-building tactics through social media and text messages to gain trust before promising guaranteed investment returns through fake portfolios and advisers. The state is launching a fraud prevention program in November to combat the growing threat, which affects victims across all age groups.
icij.org
· 2026-09-18
Simon Leviev, the convicted fraudster known as the "Tinder Swindler" who scammed at least six women out of approximately 7 million pounds through romance fraud on dating apps, plans to launch a dating app called Safe Love despite serving only five months of his 15-month Israeli prison sentence for theft, fraud, and document forgery. The Online Dating and Discovery Association has urged Apple and Google to block the app, arguing that allowing a convicted fraudster to operate in the dating industry undermines efforts to combat fraud and poses serious risks to users. Leviev claims he is now rehabilitated and wants to teach men to respect women and help users date safely, justifying his involvement by stating his fraud experience
mbiz.heraldcorp.com
· 2026-09-18
Multiple South Korean entertainment agencies have warned fans about impersonation scams on social media, where fraudsters create fake accounts mimicking celebrities' official handles to solicit money, personal information, and financial details through direct messages. The scams typically involve promises of exclusive fan meetings or personal connections, with perpetrators using similar usernames differing by only one or two characters and directing victims to click links or scan QR codes. Police reported 2,192 romance and impersonation scam cases in the previous year with damages totaling 136 billion won ($98.5 million), roughly double the prior year's figures.
thecyberexpress.com
· 2026-09-17
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan GUARD Act on September 15, 2026, legislation designed to combat elder financial fraud and cryptocurrency investment scams by providing state, local, and Tribal law enforcement with additional resources, training, and blockchain tracing tools. The bill addresses the growing problem of "pig butchering" crypto scams and other financial crimes, with FBI data showing $20.9 billion in total internet crime losses in 2025, including $11.37 billion in cryptocurrency-related losses. The legislation now advances to the Senate and has garnered support from organizations including AARP, the Iowa State Police Association, and various financial and consumer protection groups.
cbsnews.com
· 2026-09-17
Priscilla Johnson, 33, pleaded guilty to defrauding a 90-year-old Colorado man out of $40,000 through a romance scam in which she posed as "Elizabeth John" and claimed to need money for cancer treatment and stolen items. Investigators have since linked Johnson to at least two other victims, including an 80-year-old man from whom she obtained approximately $7,500 and another man who lost roughly $450,000 in a fraudulent business investment scheme. As part of her plea agreement, Johnson must repay the initial victim in full plus interest and complete 60 hours of community service, though authorities continue investigating whether additional victims exist.
yahoo.com
· 2026-09-17
Ohio seniors lost over $160 million to fraud in 2025, with an average loss of $20,000 per victim, according to FBI data. Scammers are increasingly using artificial intelligence, including voice imitation technology, alongside traditional methods like investment schemes, phishing emails, and impersonation of government agencies and tech companies. Many of these transnational scams originate in Southeast Asia, India, and Africa, with cryptocurrency schemes being particularly prevalent.
raccoonvalleyradio.com
· 2026-09-17
The US House passed the bipartisan GUARD Act 414-7, which provides grant funding for local law enforcement to combat elder fraud and recover stolen assets. The bill, co-led by Iowa Congressman Zach Nunn, addresses a growing crisis where Iowans lost $96 million to fraud last year, including schemes like "pig butchering" scams where a 69-year-old Des Moines retiree lost $164,000 to an online fraudster posing as a friend.
thecooldown.com
· 2026-09-17
A Central Florida woman lost thousands of dollars to a romance scam after being catfished by someone impersonating social media influencer Thane Rivers, who convinced her to send money for airfare, hotels, and gift cards. When the scammer sent a fraudulent $4,000 check that her bank rejected, Rice became liable for the amount and now pays $130 monthly from her Social Security to repay it. Romance scams cost Florida residents $22.2 million in 2025 alone, with nearly $930 million lost nationally, as scammers increasingly use social media impersonation and AI to appear more convincing.
koreaboo.com
· 2026-09-17
A woman in her 30s was defrauded of approximately ₩35 million KRW ($25,400 USD) in a romance scam where a scammer impersonated actor Lee Dong Wook over the course of more than a year, using AI-generated images and intimate conversations to build trust before requesting money. The victim withdrew from her savings and living expenses to send funds to the fake actor who promised a serious relationship and family meetings. Lee Dong Wook's agency, King Kong by Starship, issued a statement clarifying that their artists never request money or personal information through messaging apps or social media.
yahoo.com
· 2026-09-17
Five alleged leaders of the Black Axe organization were extradited from South Africa to the United States in September 2024 to face charges related to years of online romance scams, advance fee schemes, and money laundering spanning 2011-2021. The conspirators used fake identities on dating websites and social media to target U.S. victims with fabricated stories—such as romantic partners stranded in South Africa needing money—and pressured victims to send cash, electronics, and personal information, with some victims coerced through threats to distribute sensitive photographs. The scheme involved laundering proceeds through U.S. bank accounts controlled by victims and shell companies before transferring funds to South Africa.
ewn.co.za
· 2026-09-17
Cybersecurity experts warn that artificial intelligence is making romance scams increasingly difficult to detect, as criminals use AI-generated fake images, videos, and voices to build convincing false identities. The warning comes after six Nigerian nationals were extradited to the United States for allegedly using romance scams to defraud over 100 victims of more than R100 million. Experts advise users to be suspicious of unsolicited messages from strangers and emotional sob stories requesting money, and recommend verifying profiles through reverse-image searches.
macaudailytimes.com.mo
· 2026-09-17
This article examines Macau's safety paradox, noting conflicting safety rankings—Kakapo's study placed it 89th globally while Numbeo ranked it 5th—despite government statistics showing declining overall crime rates and very low violent crime. However, financial crimes remain a significant concern, with fraud cases totaling 1,006 in the first half of 2026 (down 10.8% but still substantial), including investment scams, official impersonation, and romance scams causing "high financial losses," alongside a troubling 12.2% rise in gambling-related cases. The article cautions that low violent crime rates should not mask the real financial harm documented in Macau
gazettengr.com
· 2026-09-17
The FBI secured the extradition of 235 fraudsters from Nigeria and other countries, representing a 60 percent increase in fugitive returns, according to FBI Director Kash Patel. Notable cases include Samuel Ugberease, extradited in May 2024 for romance scams and wire fraud, and two Nigerian "Yahoo Boys" extradited in August 2024 for child exploitation and sextortion. The FBI's intensified international collaboration, including over 100 calls to foreign partners, has significantly increased the prosecution of internet fraudsters in the United States.
nationthailand.com
· 2026-09-17
Two US House committee chairmen requested the Trump administration investigate 28 people and entities, including Thai financier Vorapak Tanyawong, for possible sanctions over alleged links to Southeast Asian scam operations. The lawmakers attribute growing American financial losses to Chinese criminal organizations operating industrial-scale scam compounds in Southeast Asia that exploit approximately 400,000 trafficking victims forced to commit cryptocurrency fraud, romance scams, and other schemes. They estimate cyber-scam profits in the Mekong subregion equaled nearly 40% of combined formal GDP in 2024, with scam operations allegedly protected by corrupt officials in Myanmar, Cambodia, and Laos.
theguardian.com
· 2026-09-17
A new three-part BBC documentary series examines romance scams in which multiple women were deceived by the same man who posed as a romantic interest online and manipulated them into sending him money. The program features three middle-aged women sharing their experiences of being targeted while vulnerable and lonely.
news.tuoitre.vn
· 2026-09-17
A transnational fraud ring operating from Laos defrauded thousands of Vietnamese victims of approximately $57.7 million through a scheme involving fake Facebook accounts and bogus e-commerce websites promising commission payments. Police arrested 91 suspects (64 Vietnamese nationals and 27 foreigners) on September 12 following a coordinated raid by Vietnamese and Laotian authorities in Bokeo Province. The operation, which ran from early 2025 until its shutdown, lured victims by building trust on social media before redirecting them to fraudulent shopping task websites to steal their money.
vladtv.com
· 2026-09-17
DJ Vlad's 80-year-old mother was defrauded of $200,000 in an FBI impersonation scam where fake federal agents gained remote access to her computer, claiming her Social Security and bank account were compromised, then directed her to purchase gold coins and transfer them in a parking lot exchange. The scam utilized tactics including fake pop-ups, authority impersonation, isolation from family, and manipulation through fear, with former CIA officer Charles Finfrock explaining how such schemes exploit vulnerable seniors. The case highlights the growing prevalence of elder fraud and gold-based scams targeting seniors.
pymnts.com
· 2026-09-17
The House passed the bipartisan GUARD Act on September 15 with a 414-7 vote, providing state and local law enforcement additional federal grant funding and resources to investigate financial scams targeting seniors, particularly cryptocurrency-based "pig butchering" schemes where fraudsters gradually build trust before stealing victims' savings. The legislation authorizes federal agencies to assist local authorities with blockchain-tracing technology to track stolen money and pursue perpetrators who often operate from overseas networks. The bill now moves to the Senate, where a similar measure has already been advanced.
intpolicydigest.org
· 2026-09-17
A significant share of people over 50 are using online dating apps and websites to find long-term partners, with about 23% of those in their 50s having tried dating sites, though nearly half encountered suspected scammers according to Pew Research data. The article discusses how technology has made long-distance relationships more feasible for older adults but also highlights important considerations around practical logistics, trust, and safety when dating internationally after 50.
moneymag.com.au
· 2026-09-17
Tracy Hall lost $317,000, including her 20-year superannuation savings, to serial fraudster Hamish McLaren, whom she met on a dating app and believed was her romantic partner and financial advisor over 16 months. McLaren, using the false identity "Max Tavita," engineered the relationship to gain her trust, forged investment documents, and made the accounts disappear while presenting himself as a caring finance executive. McLaren was convicted of defrauding 15 Australian victims of over $7.6 million and was released on parole in July.
legis1.com
· 2026-09-16
The House passed the GUARD Act (H.R. 2978) with overwhelming bipartisan support by a 414-7 vote on September 15, expanding federal grant funding for state and local law enforcement to investigate elder financial fraud and "pig-butchering" schemes—confidence scams involving cryptocurrency investment fraud. The legislation also authorizes federal agencies to assist in using blockchain technology for fraud investigations and requires the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network to report to Congress on fraud trends, with an estimated implementation cost of $128 million through fiscal 2031.
wrnjradio.com
· 2026-09-16
The U.S. House passed the bipartisan GUARD Act (H.R. 2978), which allows state, local, and tribal law enforcement to use federal grant funding to investigate elder financial fraud, cryptocurrency "pig butchering" scams, and other financial crimes targeting older Americans. The legislation provides resources for investigators to hire analysts, obtain specialized training, and access blockchain-tracing tools to track stolen money and identify perpetrators operating across transnational networks. The bill now moves to the Senate and would also require federal agencies to report to Congress on the scope and losses from financial scams targeting seniors.
rsc-pfluger.house.gov
· 2026-09-16
The House of Representatives passed the GUARD Act (H.R. 2978), legislation designed to combat financial scams targeting seniors by providing state, local, and Tribal law enforcement with federal grant funding to investigate elder fraud schemes, including "pig butchering" scams where fraudsters gradually convince victims to invest in fake cryptocurrency investments before stealing their funds. The bill aims to strengthen coordination between law enforcement agencies and support the use of blockchain tracing tools to recover stolen assets, with lawmakers citing examples such as North Dakota's $14.4 million in reported fraud losses in 2024 affecting vulnerable seniors.
gottheimer.house.gov
· 2026-09-16
The House of Representatives passed the bipartisan GUARD Act (H.R. 2978) on September 15, 2026, to combat elder fraud costing Americans billions annually by empowering state, local, and Tribal law enforcement with investigative tools and resources to track scammers, recover stolen funds, and protect seniors from financial fraud schemes. The legislation, co-led by Representatives Josh Gottheimer, Zachary Nunn, and Scott Fitzgerald, now moves to the Senate for consideration. Supporters including credit unions, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, and AARP emphasized the act addresses the epidemic of sophisticated scams targeting retirees' life savings.
ottumwaradio.com
· 2026-09-16
The U.S. House passed the bipartisan GUARD Act 414-7, which provides state and local law enforcement with resources and tools to investigate financial fraud and "pig butchering" scams targeting older Americans, including blockchain tracing technology to recover stolen funds. According to the FBI, Iowans lost $96 million to fraud in 2025, an 85 percent increase from the previous year, with scammers using social media, email, text messages, and phone calls to lure retirees into fake investment schemes. The legislation, led by Representatives Zach Nunn, Josh Gottheimer, and Scott Fitzgerald, now awaits Senate consideration.
foxnews.com
· 2026-09-16
A woman lost nearly $1 million over two years in a LinkedIn romance scam involving a man using the stolen identity and photos of a real person named Brian Haugen. The scammer built trust gradually through compliments and conversation before requesting money, and crucially returned some initial payments to establish credibility before escalating to larger financial demands. The scammer exploited the victim's connection to a mutual LinkedIn contact to lower her guard and used information from her social media to craft a convincing approach.
madamenoire.com
· 2026-09-16
Six Nigerian nationals affiliated with the Black Axe crime network were extradited from South Africa to the United States in September 2026 to face wire fraud and money laundering charges related to romance scams targeting over 100 American women. The defendants allegedly defrauded victims of approximately $6 million through sophisticated schemes in which they posed as romantic interests claiming emergencies and requesting money or electronic devices. The criminal conduct spanned from 2011 through 2021, with the defendants operating from Cape Town as regional leaders of the international crime organization.
theverge.com
· 2026-09-16
Thousands of users, mostly men in their mid-to-late 30s, were catfished on a network of approximately 28 fraudulent dating apps that used AI personas and hired gig workers to impersonate real women seeking connections. The scam, uncovered by Anthropic researchers, involved AI chatbots generating most conversations while occasional interactions with real paid workers created false credibility, with the apps falsely marketed as platforms for meeting genuine people. While the specific financial losses were not detailed in the available reporting, the scheme represented an industrial-scale operation using multiple AI providers to deceive users over an extended period.
tvsourcemagazine.com
· 2026-09-16
This article contains entertainment news about television and streaming releases, premieres, and renewals—not information about scams, fraud, or elder abuse. It is not appropriate for an elder fraud research database summary.
surfshark.com
· 2026-09-16
Users reported losing $425 million to WhatsApp scams in 2025, according to FTC data, as scammers exploit the app's intimate nature and direct messaging capabilities to conduct social engineering attacks. Common scams include verification code theft (risking full account takeover), wrong number schemes that build trust before promoting fake investments or cryptocurrency trading, and family emergency impersonations requesting urgent money transfers. Red flags include suspicious links, requests for verification codes or personal information, and unsolicited messages from unknown contacts claiming urgent situations or investment opportunities.
sentinelcolorado.com
· 2026-09-16
A 33-year-old woman pleaded guilty to stealing $40,000 from a 90-year-old widower in a romance scam where she posed as a grieving fiancée and later claimed to have cancer requiring treatment. The investigation uncovered additional potential victims, including an 80-year-old man who lost $7,500, and evidence of other similar schemes involving at least one person reporting a $450,000 loss. Under her plea agreement, Johnson must repay the stolen money with interest and perform 60 hours of public service, with no jail or prison time.
unodc.org
· 2026-09-16
Human trafficking for forced online scam operations is expanding rapidly across South Asia, with victims from at least 80 countries identified in scam compounds that operate from disguised locations like hotels and offices rather than obvious secured facilities. Since 2022, countries including Sri Lanka, Nepal, and Bangladesh have documented hundreds to thousands of arrests related to cybercrime, romance scams, investment fraud, and cryptocurrency schemes that generate billions for organized crime networks. Victims are coerced into targeting people worldwide, while both the trafficked individuals and global scam victims experience severe financial loss, violence, and psychological harm.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2026-09-16
Suze Orman advises surviving spouses to avoid making major financial decisions immediately after a partner's death, as grief impairs judgment and large life insurance payouts attract scammers targeting vulnerable bereaved individuals. Fraud losses among adults 60 and older surged from $600 million in 2020 to $2.4 billion in 2024, with investment and romance scams being particularly prevalent, though the actual toll may reach $81.5 billion when accounting for unreported cases. Orman recommends couples prepare in advance by establishing legal documents, sharing financial knowledge, verifying beneficiaries, and coordinating Social Security strategy to prevent the surviving spouse from facing urgent decisions without crucial information
ghanaiantimes.com.gh
· 2026-09-16
This article discusses the psychological and environmental factors that motivate employees to commit occupational fraud within organizations, identifying perceived pressure, opportunity, rationalization, perceived unfairness, and greed as key drivers. The piece emphasizes that Ghana faces significant fraud risks including investment scams, romance scams, identity theft, embezzlement, and misappropriation of public funds, which pose major threats to economic growth and organizational reputation. The article argues that management can prevent internal fraud by creating favorable work environments with strong ethical cultures, robust internal controls, and fair treatment of employees.
ww2.kqed.org
· 2026-09-16
A man named Daejon Love catfished women on dating apps by falsely claiming to be an NFL player for the San Francisco 49ers, a deception that circulated widely on social media during the summer. The scam involved Love presenting himself with fake credentials and professional football player status to deceive potential romantic partners. While specific financial losses are not detailed in this excerpt, the scheme represents a common catfishing fraud targeting women through dating platforms using false identity claims.
law.georgia.gov
· 2026-09-16
Ogechi Urenna Udunka of Decatur, Georgia pleaded guilty to theft and money laundering for her role in a Business Email Compromise scam that defrauded an agricultural company of $158,000 in June 2021. She received the stolen funds through fraudulent wire transfers and then conducted financial transactions to conceal the money's source before disbursing it to herself and others. Udunka was sentenced to 10 years with 90 days in prison and the remainder on probation, and ordered to pay full restitution and perform 200 hours of community service.
therecord.media
· 2026-09-16
The U.S. House of Representatives passed the bipartisan GUARD Act, which would redirect existing federal grant funding to equip local law enforcement with tools to investigate financial scams, including blockchain technology training and cryptocurrency tracing software. The legislation addresses a critical gap in scam investigations, as cases typically don't reach federal thresholds while local police lack resources to pursue them, particularly targeting the vulnerability of seniors to fraud schemes operated by overseas criminal groups. Cryptocurrency-related losses for Americans reached a record $11.4 billion in 2025, with investment fraud accounting for $8.6 billion of that total.
myvillager.com
· 2026-09-15
Minnesota seniors lost $111.4 million to financial scams in 2025, with common schemes including romance scams, law enforcement impersonation, and extortion. A payment processing industry worker advocates for Congress to pass the TRAPS Act, which would establish a comprehensive federal task force to coordinate with local law enforcement in combating these crimes and recovering victims' funds, particularly those sent overseas.
tvinsider.com
· 2026-09-15
Emmy Award-winning journalist Mariana van Zeller goes undercover in a new National Geographic documentary to expose the $1 billion romance scam industry, posing as a dating app user to understand the tactics and psychological manipulations scammers use. An estimated one in seven American adults has lost money to romance scammers, with victims experiencing devastating consequences including home foreclosures, and the scams have become increasingly sophisticated with the use of generative AI to impersonate celebrities and public figures. Van Zeller investigates one scammer posing as a military general, partnering with a hacker to identify and confront him, while also interviewing victims whose lives have been upended by these crimes.
bleepingcomputer.com
· 2026-09-15
Five alleged leaders of the Black Axe cybercrime syndicate have been extradited to the United States to face wire fraud and money laundering charges for orchestrating a decade-long international fraud campaign involving advance fee schemes and romance scams from 2011 to 2021. The defendants used fake identities, social media, and VoIP numbers to deceive victims into sending money by posing as romantic partners, and used coercion tactics including threats to publish intimate photos when victims refused payment. If convicted, they face up to 20 years in prison for wire fraud and money laundering charges.
newsroom.kbc.com
· 2026-09-15
KBC has launched "guardian angel," a new security feature now available to over 4 million customers in Belgium that allows them to appoint a trusted person to review and approve suspicious payments before execution, specifically designed to combat human takeover fraud and manipulation scams. The feature was developed following a successful pilot with 2,000 users and demonstrated its effectiveness in one case where a daughter was able to stop fraudsters from stealing her father's savings after detecting suspicious activity. KBC is also making the technology available to other financial institutions to help combat the rising trend of fraud schemes that exploit trust and emotions rather than hacking bank systems.
unite.ai
· 2026-09-15
The article discusses how AI-generated deepfakes have made traditional dating safety advice obsolete, with a 2025 study showing 99.9% of people cannot reliably distinguish real from synthetic images and deepfaked selfies rising 58% in 2025. Rather than relying on users to spot fakes, platforms should use AI to analyze patterns of user behavior across multiple signals—device information, location, account activity—since while individual elements can be faked, maintaining consistency across all signals simultaneously becomes prohibitively expensive for fraudsters. Romance scams alone cost $1.5 billion in 2025, with global online-scam losses estimated between $88.3-114.1 billion,
finance.yahoo.com
· 2026-09-15
This article is not about a scam or fraud. It is a press release announcing Perscivo, a new decision intelligence platform designed to help dating app users analyze conversation patterns to identify whether online connections are progressing authentically. The platform addresses concerns about romance scams (which cost consumers $1.14 billion in 2023) but is itself a legitimate analytical tool, not a scam report.
pulse.ng
· 2026-09-15
Five Nigerian men allegedly linked to the Black Axe criminal network were extradited from South Africa and face federal fraud charges in the US for operating romance scams from at least 2011 to 2021, with maximum collective prison sentences potentially reaching 100 years. The defendants allegedly posed as romantic interests on social media and dating websites to deceive US victims into sending money or valuable items, sometimes threatening to release sensitive photographs if victims refused, while also laundering money from advance-fee fraud and business email compromise schemes. South African authorities reported the scheme targeted over 100 US women, including pensioners and businesspeople, allegedly defrauding them of more than R100 million (approximately $5.5 million
salemreporter.com
· 2026-09-15
The Oregon Division of Financial Regulation warned investors about fraudsters using artificial intelligence to create sophisticated-looking investment pitches, websites, and videos, including deepfakes impersonating celebrities or trusted individuals and AI-generated romance scams. The agency urged consumers to verify investments independently, avoid pressure tactics, and remember that offers sounding too good to be true likely are scams. Suspected victims can report fraud to Oregon's Division of Financial Regulation at 1-888-877-4894 or the Federal Trade Commission.
leadership.ng
· 2026-09-15
Five Nigerians based in South Africa were extradited to the United States and charged with defrauding American women of over $6 million through online romance scams between 2011 and 2021. The defendants, identified as leaders of the Black Axe criminal organization, used fake identities on social media and dating platforms to trick victims into sending money and valuables, and allegedly laundered proceeds through U.S. bank accounts and shell entities. If convicted on all conspiracy charges, the five men could face up to 100 years in prison combined, with individual charges carrying maximum sentences of 20 years for wire fraud and money laundering, plus mandatory consecutive sentences for aggravated identity theft.
witness.co.za
· 2026-09-15
This article documents a gender-based violence crisis in Richmond, South Africa, where a fourth woman, 37-year-old Sibongile Mdali, was beaten to death by her boyfriend Funda Shelembe (44), who has been arrested and charged with murder. The killing is part of a pattern of femicide in the area that also includes the shooting deaths of two women by a boyfriend and another woman allegedly beaten by her adult children, prompting community leaders and government stakeholders to launch initiatives and dialogues urging women to report abuse and calling for stronger protection measures.