Search
Explore the Archive
Search across 26,669 articles about elder fraud. Filter by fraud type, payment mechanism, or keywords.
4,606 results
in Tech Support Scams
brokerdaily.au
· 2026-08-28
Artificial intelligence is enabling increasingly sophisticated scams in Australia, with ASIC removing over 19,400 online scams in FY2026—a 182% increase—including deepfake websites and celebrity impersonations that have cost Australians over $7 million. Investment scams represent the largest fraud category with $837.7 million in losses reported, while overall fraud losses across multiple Australian agencies reached $2.18 billion, with cryptocurrency investment scams and fake investment platforms surging by 30% and 151% respectively. Scammers are exploiting AI to create convincing fake endorsements, spoof websites, and impersonations of government agencies and celebrities to deceive victims into
wired.com
· 2026-08-28
A Chinese woman lost over $100,000 in a romance scam where a fraudster posing as a Microsoft researcher lured her into cryptocurrency investment schemes on Microsoft Teams, with dozens of other victims in China reporting similar losses ranging from $1,500 to $300,000 through the same platform. The scammers instructed victims to download Teams and log in with credentials they provided, then disappeared with their money, leaving victims unable to access chat logs or recover funds. Microsoft has since added warning banners for Teams users in China and discontinued the personal version of the app in the country, while local law enforcement agencies have issued explicit warnings about Teams and similar platforms being used for fraud.
13abc.com
· 2026-08-28
The article discusses a new scam targeting people in the Toledo, Ohio area, noting that scammers are increasingly using advanced technology to deceive victims. While specific details about the scam type or dollar amounts are not provided in the excerpt, the story emphasizes the importance of public awareness and protective measures against evolving fraud schemes.
kltv.com
· 2026-08-28
Artificial intelligence is enabling scammers to create more sophisticated phishing emails, clone voices, and perform real-time face swaps to deceive victims, according to a Check Point Research cybersecurity report. The report also found that 87-93% of organizations inadvertently share sensitive information with external AI services monthly, creating additional security risks. Experts recommend using AI cautiously for low-risk tasks and avoiding connections between AI tools and sensitive accounts or data that could be exploited if compromised.
mynorthwest.com
· 2026-08-28
Five men have been indicted for laundering $7.4 million stolen from at least 77 elderly victims through tech support scams and impersonation schemes operating between October 2024 and March 2026. The defendants registered 21 shell companies and opened 44 bank accounts in Washington to receive funds via cashier's checks and money orders, then rapidly transferred the money to accounts in China and Hong Kong. The men face charges including conspiracy to commit money laundering and multiple counts of money laundering, with trials scheduled for November 9, 2026.
gcnews.com.au
· 2026-08-28
Bank of Queensland is warning Australians about increasingly sophisticated scams that use artificial intelligence and deepfake technology, as part of Scams Awareness Week (August 24-28). The bank urges people to pause before sharing personal or banking information, verify unexpected requests, and report suspected scams involving investment, impersonation, romance, phishing, or payment redirection tactics. No specific dollar amounts or individual victims are mentioned in this awareness campaign, which emphasizes that scam targets are not reflections of intelligence but rather victims of highly organized criminals adapting their methods.
cryptonews.net
· 2026-08-27
TRM Labs appointed former Monetary Authority of Singapore official Ziqing Ang as Head of Policy for Asia-Pacific to address rising cryptocurrency crime, which reached over $103 billion in adjusted volume in 2025. Investment scams, including pig-butchering schemes, accounted for 62% of fraud inflows last year, with criminal groups increasingly using cryptocurrency and AI-enabled technologies like deepfakes to conduct fraud operations across the region. Ang will work with regulators, policymakers, and law enforcement to develop policy responses as governments create rules for digital assets and artificial intelligence.
crypto.news
· 2026-08-27
This article is not about a scam or fraud incident—it is a news announcement about TRM Labs hiring a former Singapore regulatory official as their Asia-Pacific policy head. The article discusses the appointment and background of Ziqing Ang, as well as TRM Labs' research on cryptocurrency crime trends in the region, including investment scams and AI-enabled fraud, but does not describe an actual fraud case or victim impact.
trmlabs.com
· 2026-08-27
TRM Labs appointed Ziqing Ang as Head of Policy for Asia-Pacific to help regulators and institutions combat fraud and criminal networks in the region. The announcement highlights that crypto crime has surged from $123 million in 2020 to over $103 billion in 2025, with investment scams like "pig butchering" accounting for 62% of fraud losses, while AI-enabled scams have increased 40% as criminals use deepfakes and fabricated dashboards.
bankinfosecurity.com
· 2026-08-27
Australia's new Scams Prevention Framework, taking effect in March 2027, contains significant regulatory gaps that leave scammers largely unpunished while banks face penalties up to $52.7 million per violation. Dating apps, digital wallets, crypto exchanges, and non-bank payment providers are excluded from the framework, allowing romance scams and cryptocurrency investment scams to proliferate unchecked—with crypto scams up 30% year-over-year—while liability and reimbursement mechanisms across these unregulated platforms remain undefined. Despite industry warnings and multiple requests for clarification, the Australian Treasury has shown no indication of revising the exclusions or providing guidance on how victims will recover funds once scams cross
cybermagazine.com
· 2026-08-27
Global losses from remote-payment fraud are expected to reach $49 billion by 2030, as digitization has made financial institutions and consumers vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated scams. Scams, which include romance scams, fake job postings, fraudulent charities, and deceptive shopping deals, are the most prevalent form of fraud worldwide and are particularly difficult to combat because consumers often approve the fraudulent transactions themselves. AI and generative AI tools are enabling criminals to create convincing phishing emails, fake websites, and deepfake content at scale, while also being deployed defensively by financial institutions to detect and prevent fraud in real time.
krebsonsecurity.com
· 2026-08-27
Australian authorities arrested two men aged 21 and 23 from Western Australia suspected of being members of TeamPCP, a prolific cybercrime group that conducted the longest-running software supply chain attack spree by embedding malicious code in open-source software tools to extort thousands of global businesses. TeamPCP used a self-propagating worm called Shai-Hulud to compromise developer credentials and inject malware into widely-used software libraries, with one attack on LiteLLM affecting over 2,500 organizations and another compromising at least 3,800 code repositories on GitHub. The group also conducted recruitment contests offering $1,000 in cryptocurrency to participants who could conduct the
srnnews.com
· 2026-08-27
Poland's digital affairs minister has requested the European Commission impose a €250 million fine on Meta for failing to adequately remove fraudulent advertisements from its platforms, citing tests by Poland's cybersecurity team that found Meta ignored removal of 106 out of 122 identified fraudulent ads. The complaint follows Meta's $18 billion settlement with U.S. states over child addiction concerns and comes as Polish billionaire Rafal Brzoska previously sued Meta over fake advertisements featuring his likeness on Facebook and Instagram.
moaa.org
· 2026-08-26
Over 201,000 Americans age 60 and older lost approximately $7.7 billion to cyber-enabled crimes in 2025, with an average loss of $38,000 per victim and military retirees accounting for over half a billion dollars in fraud losses. Scammers increasingly target older adults through impostor schemes, romance fraud, and tech-support scams, exploiting vulnerabilities including loneliness, financial assets, unfamiliarity with technology, and cognitive decline, with artificial intelligence tools making these scams more sophisticated and effective. The FBI reported a 37% spike in complaints from 2024 to 2025, though experts believe actual losses are significantly higher due to underre
bernews.com
· 2026-08-25
The Bermuda Police Service is warning the public about two emerging scams: compromised WhatsApp accounts where criminals obtain verification codes (often by falsely claiming they relate to Zoom meetings) to hijack accounts and impersonate the account holder to request money from contacts, and AI-powered deep fake fraud where criminals use artificial intelligence to create convincing fake audio, video, or messages impersonating trusted individuals to create urgency and solicit money. The police advise verifying identities through security questions, contacting financial institutions immediately if money is transferred, and reporting suspected fraud to authorities.
foxnews.com
· 2026-08-25
Card skimming devices disguised as legitimate payment terminals are stealing Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card information nationwide, with criminals targeting grocery stores and retailers that serve low-income customers. The U.S. Secret Service found 16 sophisticated skimmers during a Los Angeles sweep of 328 businesses and estimates a single device can generate up to $1 million in stolen funds, with skimming costing consumers and financial institutions over $1 billion annually. EBT cards remain particularly vulnerable because many still use outdated magnetic-stripe technology that criminals can easily exploit, unlike newer credit and debit cards with chip or contactless payment options.
moneywise.com
· 2026-08-24
Scammers using AI are targeting recently widowed seniors by scanning obituaries to identify vulnerable victims, then contacting them with fabricated claims about unpaid taxes or hidden debts requiring immediate payment. In one reported case, a widow was defrauded of $7,000 after being told she needed to pay to preserve her late husband's inheritance. The FBI reports that Americans aged 60 and older lost $7.7 billion to internet and cyber-enabled crime in 2025, with an average loss of $38,500 per elderly scam case.
cybersecurity-insiders.com
· 2026-08-24
Researchers from Northeastern University, Ariel University, and Gen Digital found that AI chatbots are more effective at executing "Pig Butchering" scams than human fraudsters, successfully persuading victims to download malicious applications and share login credentials. The study demonstrates that AI systems can conduct scams at scale, maintain consistent conversations, and tailor messages to individual victims, making them harder to detect than traditional human-operated fraud. The findings underscore growing concerns that as AI technology becomes more sophisticated, criminals could exploit it to carry out increasingly convincing and scalable fraud schemes against vulnerable populations.
cyberghostvpn.com
· 2026-08-24
Romance scammers are increasingly using AI tools combined with personal data from data brokers and social media to create fake identities and manipulate victims at scale, with scammers leveraging publicly available information to identify vulnerable targets—particularly older adults—and generate realistic deepfakes for deceptive profiles. By automating personalized conversations and employing "love bombing" tactics, scammers build emotional trust before exploiting victims for financial gain or personal information. The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau warned in December 2024 that data brokers selling detailed personal profiles make it easier for scammers to target vulnerable populations.
zinc96.com.au
· 2026-08-24
Young Australians, particularly Gen Z and Millennials, are increasingly targeted by scammers due to their high volume of online financial activities including early investing, side hustles, frequent online shopping, and use of AI for financial advice, creating multiple touchpoints for fraud. While younger generations are digitally confident, this comfort can breed complacency and make them vulnerable to scams designed to blend into everyday digital interactions. Experts recommend slowing down and returning to basic security practices to protect against fraud.
aol.com
· 2026-08-24
Scammers using artificial intelligence are mining obituaries to identify and target recently widowed elderly people, with one documented case involving fraudsters who claimed a widow's late husband owed taxes and demanded $7,000 to "preserve her inheritance." According to the FBI, Americans aged 60-plus reported $7.7 billion in cyber crime losses in 2025 (up 59% from 2024), with an average loss of $38,500 per elderly scam case, and recently widowed seniors are particularly vulnerable because they are grieving while managing complex financial and administrative tasks. Fraudsters extract personal information from publicly available obituaries—including names, relatives, employers, and hometowns—
finance.yahoo.com
· 2026-08-24
Fraudsters are using artificial intelligence to scan obituaries and target grieving widows with elaborate scams, including one case where a widow was told she owed $7,000 to cover her late husband's supposed tax evasion scheme. AI enables scammers to quickly extract personal information from public obituaries and generate convincing deepfake communications to create phishing campaigns at scale. Elderly Americans aged 60-plus reported $7.7 billion in cyber fraud losses in 2025, with recently widowed individuals particularly vulnerable due to grief and the financial chaos of settling estates.
mpamag.com
· 2026-08-24
Phishing scams accounted for 52% of Bankwest's cases in financial year 2026, representing the only scam category to increase in volume year-over-year, while overall customer losses declined 43%. Australians aged 65 and over were disproportionately affected, accounting for 51% of scam exposure value at Bankwest, up from 45% the previous year, with the elderly representing 71% of losses across the 55+ age group. The data was released during Scams Awareness Week 2026, as Australians reported over $2.18 billion in total scam losses in 2025.
sarawaktribune.com
· 2026-08-24
Sarawak has experienced a surge in sophisticated financial scams powered by artificial intelligence and social engineering, with commercial crime cases rising 41.79% to 2,134 cases in the first five months of 2024, resulting in losses exceeding RM71 million. Recent victims include a Kuching woman who lost RM145,247 to a fake job offer, a Miri man who lost RM367,300 to a fraudulent investment scheme, and another individual who lost RM287,000 to a fake stock investment scam. Nationally, Malaysians lost RM2.8 billion to financial scams in 2024, with experts warning that AI-enabled
thesenior.com.au
· 2026-08-24
Cybercriminals are increasingly using AI to conduct convincing superannuation scams in Australia, with Australians losing $22 million to superannuation-related scams in 2025 at an average loss of $88,736 per victim. AI enables scammers to create sophisticated fake websites, messages, and endorsements that appear legitimate, while using personalized panic-inducing messages to pressure targets into quick decisions. Experts recommend pausing before acting on financial requests, verifying through official channels, using strong passwords with multi-factor authentication, and protecting primary email and phone accounts that serve as gateways to financial accounts.
bbc.com
· 2026-08-23
A 61-year-old man in Wales fell victim to a QR code parking scam after downloading a fraudulent parking app, which led to unauthorized charges of £1 initially and then a £60 monthly subscription to his bank account. QR code-related scams, known as "quishing," have increased by 700% over four years, with Report Fraud receiving 2,743 reports in the past 12 months compared to just 341 two years prior. Criminals are exploiting the growing use of QR codes in everyday situations like parking meters and advertisements to trick victims into downloading malicious apps or revealing banking details.
nst.com.my
· 2026-08-23
Over the past four years through June, 462 Malaysians aged primarily 21-40 lost RM32.7 million (approximately RM20,000 daily) to romance scams originating from dating platforms, where scammers build trust before directing victims to fake investment schemes, bogus trading platforms, and cryptocurrency scams. Malaysia's Deputy Communications Minister announced the government will not mandate dating app identity verification, instead focusing on stronger platform safeguards, improved scam detection, and public awareness to combat these cross-platform crimes. The government is adopting a layered approach involving telecommunications providers, financial institutions, and online platforms to disrupt the scam ecosystem and support investigations.
deccanherald.com
· 2026-08-23
Cybercriminals in Bengaluru have shifted from random targeting to strategically profiling high-net-worth individuals—including IT professionals, doctors, financial traders, and entrepreneurs—using social media scraping and dark web databases to execute sophisticated scams like fake investments and digital arrests. A notable case involved a 57-year-old IT professional losing Rs 31.83 crore over six months in a digital-arrest scam, though she delayed reporting for eight months. Investigators attribute the scams' success to victims' high disposable income, societal stigma preventing timely complaints, and the loss of the critical "Golden Hour" window needed to freeze funds before they are laundered offshore.
anz.com.au
· 2026-08-23
This article from ANZ's Scams Awareness Week discusses how scammers increasingly exploit human behavior and emotions through sophisticated tactics and AI-generated content to target Australians across various fraud types including invoice fraud, investment scams, and online marketplace schemes. ANZ's Customer Protection team emphasizes that anyone can become a victim regardless of background, and advises those suspecting fraud to stop transactions immediately, contact their bank, and seek support from trusted contacts and services. The article does not mention specific dollar amounts or particular victims, focusing instead on general prevention strategies and the evolving nature of scam tactics.
nbcsandiego.com
· 2026-08-22
Two Del Norte High School brothers founded StayCyberSafe, a workshop program that has expanded to approximately 20 chapters worldwide to educate senior citizens about recognizing and protecting themselves from scams. Seniors over age 50 lost $4.8 billion to cybercrime in 2024, highlighting the financial severity of the issue that the workshops address through teaching about social engineering tactics and other scam techniques. The initiative demonstrates the need for community-based fraud prevention efforts, as law enforcement alone cannot manage the thousands of daily scams targeting vulnerable populations.
salon.com
· 2026-08-22
Columbia House, a mail-order music club that closed in 2024, operated a negative-option billing scam where customers agreed to buy products at full price after receiving 8-12 CDs for a penny, with automatic charges if they failed to return rejection forms each month. The company faced widespread complaints for allegedly ignoring payments, manipulating purchase thresholds, and making subscriptions difficult to cancel, while also underpaying artists through reduced royalties. Despite its unethical practices that made it notorious for customer service abuses, Columbia House attracted nostalgic social media tributes upon closure, with the scam now seeming quaint compared to modern fraud schemes.
thecooldown.com
· 2026-08-22
A study comparing an AI chatbot to human scammers in simulated "pig butchering" fraud found the AI bot was significantly more effective, with 46% of participants installing a requested app versus only 18% for human scammers, largely because participants trusted the bot more and it maintained consistent engagement. Pig butchering scams involve fraudsters posing as friends or romantic partners over weeks or months before directing victims to questionable investments, and the research suggests AI automation could make such schemes more scalable, reaching more targets at lower cost with fewer warning signs. The findings highlight the need for stronger safeguards around AI impersonation and platform monitoring to detect and disrupt AI-enabled fraud earlier.
wptavern.com
· 2026-08-22
This article describes Face2social, an AI-powered tool that helps users verify online identities by comparing profile photos across Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and X to identify potential matching accounts. The tool is positioned as a safety measure for online dating and social connections, allowing users to confirm whether someone's profile photo appears on multiple platforms and check for consistency in their online presence. No specific fraud cases or dollar amounts are mentioned; the article focuses on explaining the technology as a preventive measure against catfishing, fake profiles, and romance scams.
cryptopolitan.com
· 2026-08-21
A 32-year-old Hong Kong man, Ma Che-hou, had his 56-month prison sentence upheld for orchestrating a fraud and money laundering scheme that lured five men with promises of employment and romance, ultimately trafficking them to Myanmar where they were tortured. The case highlights how criminal syndicates use cryptocurrency and stablecoins to launder fraud proceeds, with an estimated $14-17 billion sent to fraud-related crypto wallets annually, as part of a broader global fraud economy estimated at $442 billion in 2025. Hong Kong's lack of a distinct human trafficking law forced prosecutors to treat the trafficking and forced labor as aggravating factors within fraud charges rather than as
mashable.com
· 2026-08-21
Scammers are using artificial intelligence-generated audio deepfakes to impersonate celebrities, politicians, and other high-profile figures in fraud schemes. The article provides guidance on recognizing and avoiding these impersonation scams, though no specific dollar amounts or confirmed victim cases are detailed.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2026-08-21
Scammers are operating fraudulent sites like Poison Claude that offer AI tokens at 70-90% discounts by using stolen payment methods, exploiting free trials, and routing user prompts through unauthorized endpoints without proper security controls. These services have attracted hundreds of users and cost legitimate AI companies millions of dollars daily in losses, while also serving users in countries where U.S. AI models are restricted. Users accessing discounted tokens through these gray market resellers face serious legal and security risks, as the underlying transactions are illegal.
dailyhodl.com
· 2026-08-21
A North Kingstown, Rhode Island elderly woman with dementia was targeted by tech support scammers who used a fake police pop-up warning to gain remote access to her computer and bank account, stealing thousands of dollars. After remotely compromising her finances, the suspects appeared in person at her home claiming to offer technical support, and the fraud was discovered when a bank teller noticed unusually large withdrawals. Police describe this as a targeted scheme involving multiple cash drop-off points and are seeking an Asian male suspect, emphasizing the importance of verifying urgent claims directly with banks rather than trusting unsolicited callers.
aol.com
· 2026-08-21
A legal resident of the Bronx lost $4,820 to scammers using AI-generated videos and fake social media profiles impersonating real immigration attorney Angel Leal, who promised to help him obtain U.S. citizenship without taking the official exam. The scammers used artificial intelligence to clone the attorney's identity across multiple fake profiles and extracted money from the victim through repeated document requests sent via Zelle, later attempting extortion when discovered. The real attorney reports that over 8,000 fake profile videos using his likeness have been created to defraud immigrants seeking legal assistance.
radioiowa.com
· 2026-08-21
The Better Business Bureau warns Iowa residents who have previously fallen victim to scams to remain vigilant, as scammers often share victim lists and target the same people again with different fraud schemes. Common follow-up tactics include impersonating money recovery services, exploiting victims' shame or attempts to self-remediate. The BBB recommends reporting scams to trusted organizations like the Consumer Protection Division of the Iowa Attorney General's Office to create records and receive protection assistance.
abc7ny.com
· 2026-08-20
A legal Dominican immigrant in the Bronx lost $4,820 to an AI-generated fake immigration attorney scam after responding to a social media ad promising citizenship without an exam. The scammers used the identity of real Miami attorney Angel Leal, who discovered his image had been cloned to create thousands of fraudulent profiles targeting immigrants nationwide. After sending personal documents and money through Zelle, the victim fell behind on rent and utilities, and now fears identity theft after the scammers attempted extortion when discovered.
kyma.com
· 2026-08-20
GLP-1 weight loss medication scams are proliferating online, with the BBB Scam Tracker reporting numerous complaints involving unauthorized charges, non-delivery of products, and fraudulent deepfake celebrity endorsements. Victims have lost hundreds of dollars through fake websites, compounded medication sellers, and AI-generated videos falsely promoting weight loss products by trusted figures like Oprah Winfrey and Dr. Mark Hyman. Common schemes include unauthorized billing ($91 instead of $40, repeated $670 charges), failed refunds despite approval, and receiving products that don't match advertised ingredients or are never shipped.
hoodline.com
· 2026-08-20
A Louisville man lost over $1 million in a pig-butchering cryptocurrency investment scam that began with a pop-up ad and progressed through fake investment promises and fake profit displays. The scammers collected cash and physical gold across 14 in-person handoffs using couriers and demanded additional penalty payments before disappearing when the victim attempted to withdraw. The FBI reports that such schemes are increasingly using physical couriers to bypass bank fraud detection systems, with gold courier scams alone accounting for $219 million in losses nationally in 2024.
thestar.com.my
· 2026-08-19
Singapore implemented new anti-scam regulations on August 18 requiring messaging platforms to restrict unknown contacts and social media services to verify advertisers, targeting the country's significant fraud problem. Singapore lost over US$2.8 billion to scams between 2020 and mid-2025, with investment and romance scams proliferating through messaging apps and social media, which accounted for approximately 30% of scam cases in 2025. Platforms including WhatsApp, Telegram, Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok must comply with the new rules by January 31, 2027, or face penalties up to S$1 million.
asgam.com
· 2026-08-19
Cambodia's government revoked licenses for 20 casinos and suspended 29 others as part of a crackdown on technology-based scam networks operating from the country, shutting down 605 of 751 identified scam locations. Between July 2025 and July 2026, authorities prosecuted 4,147 suspects from 27 nationalities involved in organized criminal scam operations, including cryptocurrency investment fraud, romance scams, and illegal online lending schemes targeting both domestic and international victims. The crackdown, though demonstrating government commitment to combating online fraud, has severely impacted Cambodia's tourism industry, with international visitor numbers declining by 47.8% in the first five months of
moneymag.com.au
· 2026-08-19
In the first half of 2026, Australians reported $157 million in scam-related losses across 91,767 reports, down from $210 million the previous year, according to the National Anti-Scam Centre. Scammers are increasingly exploiting emotions like loneliness, greed, and impatience while using new technologies like AI to create more convincing messages, and they're adapting tactics to target Australians during vulnerable times such as tax season and periods of high online shopping activity. Common current scams include fake delivery notifications designed to steal login credentials and impersonation schemes where scammers pose as trusted organizations or family members to extract money or personal information.
wfmz.com
· 2026-08-19
Scammers on Facebook Marketplace target sellers by impersonating buyers, claiming to send payment via Venmo or Zelle, and then sending fake emails requesting the seller send money to "upgrade" their account to receive the payment—a scheme where no actual funds ever exist. The scam relies on fake buyer profiles (often using stolen photos) and fake payment confirmation emails, with victims losing real money if they send funds back to the fraudster. Sellers should verify payments directly through payment apps rather than relying on emails or screenshots, and scrutinize buyer profiles for warning signs like new accounts or minimal activity.
thediplomat.com
· 2026-08-19
Paul, a 50-year-old Nigerian, was trafficked into forced labor at a Cambodian online scam compound after seeking an admin job, where he was beaten, tortured, and forced into criminal work alongside hundreds of thousands of others. During a December 2025 Thai military airstrike on the scam hub in Choam where he was held, Paul survived by sheltering in a concrete drain while the casino and surrounding buildings were bombed repeatedly. Cambodia's scam industry, worth approximately half the country's GDP, became a target of military conflict between Thailand and Cambodia, which the Thai military framed as a "war against scammers" while Cambodia's ruling elites exploited the crackdown
wbrc.com
· 2026-08-19
An Alabama teacher lost approximately $9,000 after scammers impersonated Wells Fargo's fraud department via text and phone, convincing her to transfer money to what she believed was a secure account. The scam involved a fake debit card appearing in her Apple Wallet, and Wells Fargo has denied her fraud claim despite the incident being reported to police and the FDIC. The victim is warning others to be suspicious of unsolicited calls from banks and to verify requests independently rather than responding to pressure from callers claiming to represent financial institutions.
wcpo.com
· 2026-08-19
A heating and cooling technician lost $15,000 after receiving a fraudulent phone call impersonating his bank's fraud department; the scammer obtained verification codes and accessed his account. Bank impersonation scams are surging, with the FTC reporting consumers lost $3.5 billion to impostor scams last year, and scammers increasingly using AI to make calls more convincing. Experts advise people to be suspicious of unsolicited calls and watch for red flags like urgency, pressure, and requests to keep the contact secret.
blackenterprise.com
· 2026-08-19
Americans 60 and older reported more than 200,000 elder fraud complaints to the FBI in 2025, resulting in nearly $8 billion in losses, with scammers increasingly using AI technology to identify vulnerable victims through obituaries, create personalized scripts, and generate deepfakes. The growing threat particularly impacts the "sandwich generation" caring for both children and aging parents, with experts noting that actual losses are likely higher due to significant underreporting driven by victim shame and delay in disclosure. One widow lost over $7,000 after scammers falsely claimed her late husband owed taxes and threatened her inheritance.