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A 70-year-old Missouri man was victimized in a sextortion scam where he sent intimate photos to an online romance scammer, who then extorted him for $2,500 and threatened to share the images; a second extortionist impersonating police demanded additional money by threatening to contact his employer. Sextortion—threatening to publish intimate images to coerce victims into financial or behavioral compliance—is an evolving form of abuse affecting not only minors but also older adults, with 7.6% of adults ages 50-64 and 8.4% of those 65+ reporting victimization, though actual rates are likely higher due to underreporting

While younger adults (ages 20-30) are more than twice as likely to fall victim to scams than those over 60, older adults lose significantly more money per incident, accounting for approximately $61 billion of the estimated $158 billion in total consumer fraud losses last year. Scammers tailor their tactics by age group, targeting seniors with tech support and gift card scams while exploiting younger people through romance, shopping, employment, and sextortion schemes. The persistence of the misconception that older adults are the primary victims masks the reality that vulnerability to fraud affects all age groups, requiring vigilance across demographics.

Canadian fraud and cybercrime losses exceeded $638 million in 2024, a significant increase from $578 million in 2023, with investment scams accounting for $311 million of losses, according to the Canadian Anti-fraud Centre. Beyond financial damage, victims report severe emotional and psychological harm including feelings of betrayal, shame, anxiety, and depression, which can be compounded by victim-blaming from others. Experts emphasize that fraud's impact extends across all demographics and fraud types, and that supportive responses from those victims confide in are critical to their healing.

In 2024, consumers lost $5.7 billion to investment scams—the highest amount for any fraud type and a 24% increase from 2023—with the typical victim losing over $9,000, according to FTC data. Common schemes include "pig-butchering" scams where fraudsters build trust through relationships before pitching high-return investments in cryptocurrency, often using AI-generated deepfakes and operating from organized crime centers in Southeast Asia. Consumers can reduce their risk by being skeptical of pitches with urgency, unusual payment methods (especially cryptocurrency), and attempts to isolate them from telling others.

This educational article outlines major scam trends for 2025, including AI-enhanced scams (phishing, deepfakes, voice cloning), imposter scams where fraudsters pose as trusted contacts or companies with a median loss of $800 per victim, sextortion schemes involving explicit content extortion, romance scams using fake profiles and deepfake video calls, and phone-based scams using robocalls and malware. The article emphasizes that scammers primarily seek personal information or money, and recommends skepticism when contacted unexpectedly, especially regarding urgent requests or investment opportunities.

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.

Sextortion scams targeting U.S. residents have surged 137% in 2025, with cybercriminals using AI-generated deepfakes, stolen passwords from data breaches, and personalized information including home addresses and photos obtained via Google Maps to threaten victims into paying ransom. Experts at Avast identified over 15,000 Bitcoin wallets associated with these scams and recommend victims never pay demands, report incidents to the FBI or IC3, enable multi-factor authentication, and use password managers and dark web monitoring services to protect themselves.

Sextortion scams targeting U.S. residents increased 137% in early 2025, leveraging AI-generated deepfake images, stolen passwords from data breaches, and personal information available on the dark web to create highly personalized and threatening extortion demands. Cybercriminals are using sophisticated tactics including fake explicit photos, threatening messages containing victims' real addresses obtained via Google Maps, and demanding Bitcoin payments, with over 15,000 unique Bitcoin wallets identified in one variant of the scheme. Security experts advise victims not to pay ransom or engage with scammers, to enable multi-factor authentication, use password managers, monitor dark web exposure, and report incidents to the FBI

**Summary:** A 20-year-old Chinese international student in Malaysia died by suicide after being targeted by a China-based scam syndicate that impersonated police and demanded approximately RM156,000 (RMB258,000) to avoid extradition and imprisonment. The student, Lee, endured four days of severe emotional and psychological pressure from the scammers who claimed she was a murder suspect and monitored her 24/7, ultimately leading her to jump from the 39th floor of her condominium despite attempts by her mother to help after discovering the scam through her handwritten letter and call logs.

Imposter scams are among the most commonly reported forms of fraud, according to Federal Trade Commission data, with scammers posing as trusted businesses, government entities, family members, or romantic interests to deceive victims. While older adults typically lose larger sums when victimized, people in their 30s and 40s report the highest fraud victimization rates per age group, with scammers using tactics like fake Facebook accounts, urgency-creating threats, grandparent schemes, and romance scams to trick victims into sending money, gift cards, or personal information. Common scam tactics include impersonating utilities or banks threatening service shutoffs, posing as stranded relatives needing emergency funds

**Financial Scams on the Rise; Community Education Efforts Expand** U.S. consumers lost over $12.5 billion to fraud in 2023—a 25% increase from the previous year—with email and phone calls being the most common scam methods and imposter scams most frequently reported. Pineland Bank, the Nassau County Sheriff's Office, and the Nassau County Council on Aging are partnering to offer free fraud awareness seminars to educate the public on recognizing and avoiding financial scams, noting that fewer than half of victims report incidents due to embarrassment and fear of losing independence. Experts advise consumers to become informed about evolving scam

An 82-year-old Indian retiree and his wife were defrauded of approximately $395,000 by cybercriminals impersonating federal law enforcement officials who convinced them to transfer funds over a 10-day period. The scam employed fabricated Supreme Court letters and isolation tactics to maintain control over the victims. These incidents reflect a broader pattern of rising cybercrimes in India targeting elderly individuals through impersonation, blackmail, and romance scams, driven partly by limited digital safety awareness among seniors.

**Trend Micro Research on Australian Scam Vulnerability** A Trend Micro survey of 1,072 Australians revealed significant misconceptions increasing scam vulnerability, including beliefs that scams require oversharing (31%), are easily spotted by poor grammar (47%), or that extortion only occurs through explicit photo sharing (32%). Australians lost over $2 billion to online scams in the past year, with investment scams targeting a quarter of respondents, yet only 15% discussed scam response strategies with family and just 9% use verification phrases against impersonation scams. The research recommends staying wary of unsolicited communications, enabling two

The Boston Police Department is warning of increased online romance scams targeting people across dating apps and social media, where scammers build fake emotional relationships and request money for emergencies, military expenses, or fraudulent cryptocurrency investments. These scams also employ sextortion tactics, threatening to release explicit photos unless victims pay, and victims should never send money to people they haven't met in person and should report incidents to local police, the FTC, or FBI's IC3. Red flags include requests to move conversations to private messaging apps, frequent cancellations of in-person meetings, demands for money or explicit photos, and attempts to isolate victims from friends and family.

Americans lost $9.3 billion to cryptocurrency fraud in 2024, a 66% increase from 2023, with people over 60 suffering disproportionately—accounting for $2.8 billion in losses (30% of total crypto fraud) despite representing only 17% of the population, averaging $83,000 per victim. Investment fraud was the largest scam category affecting seniors, while crypto ATM fraud complaints nearly doubled year-over-year, with elderly victims losing $107 million through these schemes alone. The FBI's "Operation Level Up" initiative has identified and notified potential victims, saving an estimated $285 million since its January 2024 launch.

This educational guide explores the intersection of fraud and mental health, examining how the prevalence of scams—which cost Americans over $12 billion in 2024—creates psychological stress and constant vigilance in daily life. The article discusses how exposure to fraud, whether direct or indirect, can lead to anxiety, distrust, and destabilizing uncertainty, particularly as scammers increasingly use deceptive text messages, emails, and phone calls to target victims through romance scams, impersonation schemes, and fake job offers. The piece emphasizes the importance of protecting one's digital identity and provides strategies for managing the mental health impacts of living in an environment where fraudulent threats are pervasive and often difficult to distinguish

Boston police issued a warning about a surge in online romance scams that use fake dating and social media profiles to deceive victims across all ages and genders. Scammers pose as romantic partners and fabricate emergencies—such as medical bills, travel expenses, or legal fees—to extort money, with tactics increasingly involving cryptocurrency investment schemes and sextortion. The department advised residents never to send money or personal information to people they haven't met in person and to report incidents to local police and the Federal Trade Commission.

A Brazilian judge sentenced Joel Ferreira de Souza to 128 years in prison for laundering proceeds from the Braiscompany Ponzi scheme, which defrauded approximately 20,000 investors of around $190 million between 2020-2023. Simultaneously, the U.S. SEC charged Ramil Palafox with operating a fraudulent crypto and foreign exchange scheme called PGI Global that raised $198 million from investors worldwide, with Palafox misappropriating over $57 million for personal luxury purchases while using remaining funds to pay earlier investors in a Ponzi-like structure.

According to the FBI's 2024 Internet Crime Report, Americans aged 60+ reported approximately 147,000 cybercrimes totaling $4.885 billion in losses, averaging $83,000 per victim—representing 40% of all cybercrime losses despite being a portion of complainants. Seniors are particularly vulnerable to phishing, tech support scams, investment fraud, and romance scams due to declining digital literacy and social isolation, with investment scams causing the largest financial losses for this age group.

According to the FBI's 2024 Internet Crime Report, Americans over 60 lost approximately $4.885 billion to cybercrimes in 2024—about 40% of all reported cybercrime losses—averaging $83,000 per victim, representing a 46% increase in complaints from the prior year. Seniors are particularly vulnerable due to declining digital literacy and financial awareness, with investment scams, tech support scams, and romance scams causing the largest losses, often involving cryptocurrency. The most common cyberattacks targeting this demographic include phishing, spoofing, extortion, sextortion, and personal data breaches, with criminals exploiting loneliness and trust

A sextortion scam is circulating via email where cybercriminals claim to have recorded victims viewing adult content using Pegasus spyware and demand payment of around $1,450 in cryptocurrency within 48 hours, threatening to share the videos with contacts. The scam exploits emotional manipulation and may include previously compromised passwords to appear credible, though scammers are actually guessing and have no actual footage. Victims should not respond or pay, instead reporting the email to [email protected], updating passwords, enabling two-step verification, and contacting local police or support services if money was lost.

Romance scams cost Australians over $23 million last year, with fraudsters creating fake online identities to build emotional connections and exploit victims for money or personal information. While older adults, widowers, divorcees, migrants, and Indigenous people are frequently targeted, anyone seeking love online can fall victim to increasingly sophisticated scammers. Key warning signs include love bombing, pressure to move off dating platforms, secrecy, avoiding in-person meetings, and requests for money—and protection requires never sharing personal/financial details, avoiding intimate photos, refusing to send money, and recognizing that AI-generated images can fake video verification.

College students face multiple scams during back-to-school season, including phishing emails impersonating school financial departments that trick students into revealing login credentials and personal information. The Better Business Bureau warns students to be vigilant against common schemes such as fake credit card offers, fraudulent apartment rentals, scholarship scams, ID theft, online shopping fraud, and test preparation blackmail scams that exploit their vulnerability as they prepare for the new academic year.

Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting older Australians with "sextortion" scams, which now account for over 30% of personal scams, where perpetrators threaten to release compromising sexual images or videos unless victims pay ransoms in cryptocurrency. These emotionally manipulative schemes use artificial intelligence and personal information from data breaches to personalize threats and appear credible, with victims including seniors who were traditionally not targeted and who often experience profound shame and fear that prevents them from seeking help. Experts recommend protecting oneself by avoiding sharing intimate photos online, being skeptical of unsolicited emails with demands, verifying whether personal details actually indicate device compromise, and reporting incidents to the Australian Cyber Security

Meta platforms Instagram and Facebook are experiencing a surge in scams operated by international fraud rings from China, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and the Philippines, with an internal Meta analysis revealing that 70% of newly active advertisers promote scams or low-quality products. Common scam tactics include phishing, fake giveaways, investment schemes, romance scams, fraudulent job offers, and sextortion, which exploit urgency and emotional manipulation to deceive users. Despite recognizing the problem, Meta has deprioritized scam enforcement, allowing repeat offenders to accumulate multiple violations before facing consequences.

Meta platforms (Instagram and Facebook) are experiencing a surge in scams operated by fraud rings in China, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, and the Philippines, with internal Meta analysis showing 70 percent of newly active advertisers promoting scams or low-quality products. Despite recognizing the problem, Meta has deprioritized scam enforcement, allowing repeat offenders to accumulate violations before facing consequences. Common scam tactics include phishing, fake giveaways, investment/crypto schemes, romance scams, fake job offers, and sextortion, which exploit urgency and emotional manipulation to deceive users.

A 60-year-old retired man from Hyderabad lost 1.6 lakh rupees in a sextortion scam after being tricked into a nude video call with a fraudster posing as an acquaintance on WhatsApp. The scammer then threatened to post the intimate footage on social media and extorted multiple payments from the victim between May 17-22. Hyderabad Cyber Crime police have registered a case and are tracing the money trail to the accused's bank account.

A Kentucky family is advocating for stronger protections against "sextortion" scams, in which perpetrators threaten to release intimate images unless victims pay money, after their son's death. The FBI reports that at least 20 teenagers in the U.S. have died by suicide as a result of sextortion schemes since 2021. A new law signed by President Trump aims to help combat these online scams and prevent further tragedies.

Nearly half of mobile users (44%) encounter scams daily, with the highest rates in the US (51%) and UK (49%), yet 66% struggle to distinguish scams from legitimate communications. Over half of victims experience financial loss (52%), while Gen Z faces particularly high rates of extortion and sextortion scams (28% victimization rate), and 75% of all victims report serious emotional consequences including anxiety and depression. Despite widespread impact, only 17% of victims report scams to authorities, and the rise of AI-powered scams makes detection increasingly difficult.

Nearly half of mobile users encounter scams daily, with younger generations (Gen Z and Millennials) disproportionately targeted across calls, texts, emails, and apps. Social engineering scams are prevalent, affecting one in three users, while 74% have encountered phishing, smishing, or vishing attempts, with extortion scams rising due to AI sophistication. Despite these risks, fewer than one in five users employ protective measures like antivirus software or VPNs, and 75% of victims report serious emotional consequences including anxiety, depression, and lost trust.

Indonesian police arrested 38 suspects in Bali for operating a love scam syndicate that targeted American men through Telegram, using fake female identities to extract sensitive personal information. The suspects, who earned $200 monthly per victim, were working under someone controlling the operation from Cambodia. If convicted under Indonesia's electronic transaction law, they face up to 12 years in prison.

Investment scams cost Americans over $6.5 billion in 2024, with phishing emails and tech support scams adding another $4.1 billion in losses, according to FBI data. This article provides ten expert strategies for protecting investments, including verifying platform legitimacy, recognizing phishing and impersonation tactics, avoiding Ponzi schemes, being cautious of social media/romance scams, conducting thorough research, and identifying fake tech support and recovery scams. The advice emphasizes that as digital fraud becomes increasingly sophisticated, investors must stay vigilant by checking security certifications, verifying credentials directly, and remaining skeptical of unsolicited investment offers promising guaranteed high returns.

Romance scams on dating apps have escalated dramatically, with reported losses topping $1 billion globally in 2024 and a projected rise through 2025. Scammers use emotional manipulation, stolen photos, and increasingly sophisticated AI tools (deepfakes, voice cloning) to build fake relationships and extract money from victims, often through fake investment schemes or fabricated emergencies. The article illustrates this trend through Jay's experience with "Alina" and notes that India has been particularly hard-hit, with 39% of daters encountering scammers and 77% seeing AI-generated photos, while crypto-hybrid romance scams grew nearly 40% year-

Malwarebytes research surveying 1,300 people across the US and Europe found that 78% encounter scams on their smartphones at least weekly, with 44% encountering them daily, primarily through email (65%), phone calls/voicemails (53%), text messages (50%), malicious websites (49%), and social media (47%). Despite the high frequency of scam encounters, only 15% of respondents strongly agreed they could confidently identify a scam, highlighting the need for caution when receiving messages from unknown senders or urgent requests for money or personal information.

A Nationwide Building Society survey of 2,000 students found that 28% have been scammed, with purchase fraud (46%), WhatsApp impersonation scams (39%), and blackmail/sextortion scams (29%) being the most common types. The research revealed a rising trend of blackmail scams targeting younger people on social media, often linked to romance scams where perpetrators extract private images or information before demanding money under threat of exposure to victims' contacts.

In 2023, Americans lost $1.14 billion to romance scams, with the FBI reporting 17,910 complaints and $672 million in losses in 2024. Scammers build fake online relationships through stolen photos and personas on dating apps and social media, using emotional manipulation ("love bombing") to gain trust before requesting money, gifts, or sensitive information. Victims—who are often lonely, grieving, or trusting—experience lasting emotional and financial damage, with cryptocurrency increasingly used as the payment method due to its difficulty in tracing.

Romance scams defraud victims through fake online relationships, with Americans losing an estimated $1.14 billion in 2023 and the FBI reporting $672 million in losses from 17,910 complaints in 2024. Scammers build emotional trust through "love bombing" on social media and dating apps (40% and 19% of cases respectively), then manipulate victims into sending money, gifts, or cryptocurrency—with crypto transfers showing the highest median losses. These schemes cause lasting emotional and financial damage to vulnerable individuals seeking companionship, with the real toll likely higher due to underreporting.

In 2023, Americans lost an estimated $1.14 billion to romance scams, emotional cons in which scammers build fake online relationships to manipulate victims into sending money, gifts, or sensitive information. The FBI reported 17,910 romance scam complaints in 2024 totaling $672 million in losses, with scammers increasingly using cryptocurrency for faster, harder-to-trace payments. These scams typically begin on social media (40%) or dating apps (19%), where perpetrators use stolen photos and fake personas to establish emotional trust through "love bombing" before requesting money from vulnerable targets who feel they are helping a romantic partner in crisis.

In 2023, Americans lost an estimated $1.14 billion to romance scams, with the FBI reporting 17,910 complaints totaling $672 million in 2024 alone. Romance scammers build fake online relationships on social media and dating platforms to manipulate victims into sending money, gifts, or sensitive information, using emotional manipulation ("love bombing") and moving conversations to private messaging apps to avoid detection. These scams disproportionately affect lonely, grieving, or trusting individuals, and victims experience lasting emotional and financial trauma beyond the immediate monetary loss.

Blackmail and sextortion scams targeting students through dating apps are rising sharply in the UK, with nearly 8,000 reported cases referencing sextortion in 2023 compared to just 23 in 2014. Fraud investigators urge victims not to suffer in silence and recommend victims verify profiles through reverse image searches, consult trusted friends before sharing intimate images, and report cases to authorities. A Nationwide survey found 28% of students had been scammed and 50% worried about becoming victims.

Sextortion cases in Arkansas have already exceeded the total number of incidents reported throughout 2024, according to state police investigators. The scam involves perpetrators convincing teenagers to share explicit images online and subsequently using those images for blackmail, with investigators anticipating a further surge in cases during the summer months.

In 2025, scammers are expected to leverage AI-driven tactics to conduct increasingly sophisticated fraud, building on the $1.03 trillion stolen in 2024. The article identifies five emerging scams including AI-powered robocalls with cloned voices, SIM swap attacks targeting two-factor authentication weaknesses, and OTP bot attacks, while noting common warning signs such as unsolicited urgent communications, requests for money transfers or app downloads, and suspicious video or audio inconsistencies. Consumers are advised to recognize these red flags and use enhanced security tools to protect themselves against evolving fraud schemes.

Gen Z individuals in Hanoi fell victim to sophisticated impersonation scams despite growing up with digital literacy. Multiple cases involved fraudsters posing as police officers or bank employees, using psychological pressure and panic tactics to convince victims to transfer money; a 20-year-old lost 1.6 billion VND, another lost nearly 1 billion VND to fake police calls, and a 30-year-old lost 145 million VND total to a fake bank employee scam. The article highlights that scammers succeed not just through deceiving awareness but by exploiting psychological vulnerabilities and crisis-response confusion with constantly evolving scenarios and impersonation tactics.

Law enforcement in Spain, Estonia, France, and the United States dismantled a cryptocurrency investment fraud ring in Operation Borrelli that defrauded over 5,000 victims of €460 million ($540 million) globally, with five suspects arrested in June 2025. The scheme used romance baiting tactics to build trust with victims before directing them to fake crypto platforms, then laundered funds through Hong Kong-based banking networks and multiple international payment gateways. The operation highlights the growing sophistication of transnational cyber fraud, increasingly augmented by artificial intelligence, which authorities warn is outpacing legal systems designed to combat it.

Interpol reports that human trafficking-fueled online scam centers have expanded globally from Southeast Asia to at least 66 countries across all continents, with victims now sourced from South America, East Africa, and Western Europe in addition to original Chinese-speaking populations. Trafficking victims are lured with fake job offers, held captive, and coerced into committing online fraud targeting people abroad through increasingly sophisticated methods including AI-generated fake ads and deepfake profiles. These criminal networks are intertwined with other transnational crimes including drug and weapons smuggling, prompting Interpol to call for coordinated international action to disrupt trafficking routes and support victims.

Human trafficking-fueled online scam centres have expanded globally, with victims from 66 countries trafficked into fraudulent operations spanning Southeast Asia, West Africa, the Middle East, and Central America as of March 2025. Trafficking victims are detained in compounds and coerced into committing social engineering scams targeting financial fraud victims worldwide, while simultaneously suffering exploitation including debt bondage, beatings, and sexual abuse. INTERPOL warns this evolved regional threat now represents a global crisis, with emerging use of AI technology in fake job ads and deepfakes facilitating both victim recruitment and fraud schemes, requiring coordinated international law enforcement response.

San Francisco's Sunset District experienced nearly $7 million in scams last year, prompting supervisor workshops initially targeting seniors but expanded to reach teenagers who face different vulnerabilities—employment and romance scams on social media rather than financial schemes. The National Center for Missing and Exploited Children reported 546,000 cases of online enticement last year, with boys ages 14-17 particularly targeted by sextortion scams where perpetrators extract explicit images then extort money or additional content from victims within hours of contact.

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

Human trafficking networks are forcing hundreds of thousands of victims into online scam operations that have spread from Southeast Asia to 66 countries across all continents by March 2025, with 74% of victims still concentrated in Southeast Asia while new hubs emerge in the Middle East, West Africa, and Central America. Trafficked individuals are lured through fake job offers, trapped in compounds, and forced to commit fraud while facing debt bondage and violence, while simultaneously victimizing people globally who lose money and suffer emotional harm. The criminal networks are increasingly leveraging AI technology to create fake job advertisements and deepfakes for romance scams, and law enforcement has identified connections between these scam operations and trafficking routes used for

Interpol's analysis of global crime data reveals that online scam compounds—once concentrated in Southeast Asia—are expanding worldwide, with emerging hubs identified in West Africa, Central America, and the Middle East. Hundreds of thousands of victims from 66 countries have been trafficked into these compounds over the past five years, typically lured by fraudulent job advertisements and forced to conduct romance scams and other social engineering schemes while facing debt bondage, violence, and exploitation. Interpol warns that perpetrators are increasingly using AI to create convincing recruitment materials and victim profiles, and calls for coordinated international law enforcement response to combat this growing global threat.