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in Romance Scam
jamestownsun.com
· 2025-12-08
Two Maryland men were sentenced for operating a romance fraud scheme targeting elderly women on social media, where they impersonated U.S. military members deployed overseas to convince victims to send money for fabricated emergencies. Chinedu Ikenna Nwafor received 25 months in prison and was ordered to pay $180,000 in restitution, while Vitus Uzoma Uzowuru received 10 months time served and $50,000 in restitution; one North Dakota victim lost $200,000 across two transfers to the co-conspirators. A third defendant faces trial for similar wire fraud charges involving an $800,000 loss to another North Dakota
fox26houston.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, seniors lost $3.4 billion to scams (up 11% from 2022), with an average loss of $34,000, according to FBI data. Common schemes targeting seniors include romance scams and fraudulent gold bar schemes where scammers pose as federal agents. Family members are encouraged to use holiday gatherings to check on seniors for signs of scams—such as secretive behavior, unexplained financial transactions, or unsolicited contact—and to educate them about recognizing red flags like urgent demands for money.
malaymail.com
· 2025-12-08
Three Malaysian victims lost a combined RM5.4 million to love scams and phone fraud between October 2017 and November 2024. A 67-year-old accountant from Sabah lost RM2.2 million to a Facebook romance scam over seven years, while a 57-year-old woman lost RM2.47 million after a scammer posing as customs officials claimed her online boyfriend had been arrested, and a 61-year-old government pensioner lost RM804,903 to a phone scam impersonating utility and bank officials. All three cases are being investigated under Section 420 of the Penal Code, with
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A 67-year-old Malaysian woman lost RM2.2 million (approximately Rs 4.3 crore) over nearly a decade in an online dating scam that began in October 2017 when she connected with a scammer posing as an American businessman on Facebook. After he claimed to need travel expenses to relocate to Malaysia, she made 306 bank transfers to 50 different accounts, never meeting or video calling the person despite his repeated requests for money citing various emergencies. The victim only discovered the fraud in November 2024 after discussing the situation with a friend, making this potentially the longest single case of a love scam victim in Malaysia.
hindustantimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A 67-year-old Malaysian woman lost over RM2.2 million (INR 4.3 crore) in what authorities believe is the longest-running love scam involving a single victim, spanning nearly a decade from October 2017 to November 2024. The scammer, posing as an American businessman on Facebook, never met or video-called the victim but repeatedly requested money through voice calls, citing personal and business emergencies across 306 transactions to 50 different bank accounts, with funds sourced from loans given by family and friends. Malaysian authorities advise caution with online relationships, particularly when money is requested early, and recommend skepticism when relationships move too
mashable.com
· 2025-12-08
**Scams Expected to Surge in 2025 with Advanced Technology**
Scammers are becoming increasingly sophisticated, using stolen personal data, AI-powered deepfakes, and auto-dialing software with AI chatbots to target victims with highly personalized schemes. Cryptocurrency scams—including "pig butchering" (romance baiting) and investment fraud—are expected to proliferate in 2025, with victims losing hundreds of thousands of dollars on average. Security experts advise approaching unsolicited requests with skepticism and distrust rather than assuming legitimacy, as scammers now have access to information from data breaches and social media to make their schemes appear cre
telus.com
· 2025-12-08
This article highlights the rising prevalence of online fraud in Canada, with over 40,600 fraud reports and $503 million in losses as of October 2024, while noting that victims often experience significant emotional trauma alongside financial losses. The piece features the case of Miriam Edelson, who lost $7,500 to a scammer impersonating authorities and claiming her identity was compromised, emphasizing how shame and silence prevented her from seeking help initially. The article stresses that fraud can happen to anyone, encourages victims to report incidents and speak openly about their experiences rather than suffer in silence, and notes that scammer responsibility lies entirely with the perpetrator, not the victim.
kiplinger.com
· 2025-12-08
A 55-year-old machinist fell victim to a romance/catfishing scam where he sent money to a woman who repeatedly canceled meetings over the course of a year. The article features advice from social engineer Chris Hadnagy on how to help romance scam victims: avoid shaming language, threats to the scammer, or presenting evidence that triggers defensive reasoning; instead, gently encourage video verification and direct communication before any money changes hands, recognizing that victims in infatuation are less likely to think critically.
news18.com
· 2025-12-08
A 67-year-old Malaysian woman lost over Rs 4.4 crore (approximately $500,000) in a romance scam that lasted seven years, during which she transferred money 306 times to a man posing as a US businessman on Facebook, despite never meeting him in person or having a video call. The scammer used emotional manipulation and fabricated stories about relocation and business investments to gradually escalate financial requests, with much of the money borrowed from family and friends. The woman only discovered the fraud after confiding in a friend seven years later, prompting police to publicly warn about romance scams targeting vulnerable, lonely individuals seeking companionship online.
infosecurity-magazine.com
· 2025-12-08
Interpol has advocated for replacing the term "pig butchering" with "romance baiting" when describing a type of cyber-enabled financial crime, arguing that the original terminology dehumanizes victims and discourages incident reporting. In this scam, fraudsters build romantic relationships with victims on dating sites before convincing them to invest in fake cryptocurrency schemes or fraudulent opportunities, ultimately stealing their money and disappearing. According to the FBI, romance and confidence fraud resulted in victim losses exceeding $652 million, while investment fraud overall generated over $4.5 billion for cybercriminals.
opindia.com
· 2025-12-08
On December 10, Nigeria's EFCC raided a sophisticated romance and cryptocurrency investment scam operation in Lagos, detaining 792 suspects including 148 Chinese, 40 Filipinos, and various other foreign nationals who trained Nigerian accomplices. The syndicate operated from a luxury call center equipped with high-end technology, targeting victims primarily in America and Europe through social media platforms by impersonating foreign females and luring them into fake cryptocurrency investments on a platform called Yooto-dot-com, with activation fees starting at $35 USD. The operation recovered approximately 500 SIM cards and involved specially trained Nigerian operatives who were rewarded in cash for their participation in the frau
gbhackers.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
INTERPOL has advocated replacing the term "pig butchering" with "romance baiting" to describe scams where fraudsters emotionally manipulate victims into transferring money, often for fake cryptocurrency investments, before abandoning them with substantial financial losses. The organization argues that the new terminology is less stigmatizing and dehumanizing, encouraging victims to report crimes and seek support rather than remaining silent out of shame. This language shift is part of INTERPOL's broader Think Twice campaign to raise awareness about online scams and foster a justice system centered on victim dignity.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
I appreciate you wanting me to summarize this article, but the text you've provided only contains the headline "Romance scam bust" and publication information from WGAL (Lancaster/Harrisburg). The actual article content is missing.
To provide an accurate summary following the Elderus guidelines, I would need:
- Details about what the scam involved
- Who was affected and how many victims
- Any dollar amounts lost
- How the scam was discovered or who was arrested
- The outcome
Could you please provide the full article text so I can create a proper summary?
avonandsomerset.police.uk
· 2025-12-08
Free training is being offered to professionals who work with vulnerable people—including housing association staff, care workers, and NHS employees—to help them identify signs of romance fraud, a scam where criminals build fake online relationships to manipulate victims into sending money. Romance fraud victims often lose thousands of pounds and suffer significant emotional and psychological harm; the training aims to equip frontline workers to spot warning signs like requests for money from online contacts they've never met in person and to intervene before victims are exploited.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
A 77-year-old retired lecturer from Edinburgh was defrauded of £17,000 by a romance scammer who used AI-generated deepfake videos to pose as a woman named "Alla Morgan" working on an oil rig. The victim was initially skeptical but convinced by the fake video messages, and subsequently sent money through gift cards and bank transfers before her bank flagged the fraud. The case highlights the growing use of AI technology in romance scams, where scammers create convincing deepfakes to build trust and exploit vulnerable individuals.
thethaiger.com
· 2025-12-08
A South Korean man lost over 10 million baht to a Thai woman he met in a Pattaya bar in December 2020 in a romance scam that escalated over months with false claims of medical emergencies, family deaths, and ultimately a fake cancer death. The scammer extracted money through various pretexts including funeral expenses, car accidents, gambling debts, and cancer treatment, and later her alleged sister demanded additional funds for a fake funeral and insurance claim before all contact was severed. The victim, who had been sending the woman 40,000-50,000 baht monthly while traveling between South Korea and Thailand, discovered the deception when he could find no evidence of her death at the
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed suit against Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and Wells Fargo, alleging they rushed the Zelle peer-to-peer payment network to market without adequate fraud protections, resulting in over $870 million in customer losses across seven years of operation. According to the complaint, hundreds of thousands of customers filed fraud complaints and were denied assistance, with JPMorgan Chase alone receiving 420,000 complaints involving $360 million in losses. The banks and Zelle disputed the allegations, with the companies claiming the CFPB's figures are misleading and that they maintain strong fraud prevention measures.
punchng.com
· 2025-12-08
On December 16, 2024, Nigerian authorities arrested 792 suspects involved in romance scam syndicates, including 148 Chinese nationals, 40 Filipinos, and other foreign nationals along with Nigerian accomplices operating from a Lagos building. The foreign scammers paid their Nigerian recruits between N300,000 monthly and N80,000 weekly to conduct fraud activities on rotating shifts, with some workers earning N100,000 for just 10 days of work plus accommodation. The EFCC conducted a massive raid using over 30 buses and blocking all building exits, resulting in the arrest of the operation's core network engaged in online fraud schemes.
berkshireeagle.com
· 2025-12-08
Ellen, a 48-year-old widow, met "Frank," a supposed widower, on social media in early 2022 and developed an online relationship that progressed to private messaging platforms. Over approximately two years, Frank manipulated Ellen into sending over $60,000 by claiming his son needed cancer treatment in South Korea, using emotional appeals and promises of future in-person meetings that never materialized. The article documents this romance scam and provides warning signs and prevention strategies, including requesting recent selfies, insisting on face-to-face meetings, and verifying details that don't add up.
wdef.com
· 2025-12-08
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau filed a lawsuit against Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, Wells Fargo, and Zelle's parent company Early Warning Services, alleging they rushed to launch the peer-to-peer payment network without adequate fraud protections, resulting in over $870 million in losses to customers since 2017. According to the suit, the three banks received hundreds of thousands of fraud complaints totaling more than $870 million collectively and often denied assistance to victims, while Zelle has been slow to implement anti-fraud measures and close fraudulent accounts. The lawsuit claims the banks prioritized competing with rival payment apps like Venmo and CashApp over customer safety.
grandrapidsmn.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece outlines how digital scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated and widespread across all age groups. Key tactics include phishing emails and texts impersonating banks or employers, phone scams posing as government agencies or tech support, and online shopping fraud, all enabled by advances in technology like AI-generated messages and deepfakes. The article emphasizes that staying informed about these evolving fraud methods is essential for protecting personal finances and information in an increasingly digital world.
news.abplive.com
· 2025-12-08
A 77-year-old retired lecturer in Scotland was defrauded of £17,000 (approximately Rs 18 lakh) by a romance scammer who used AI-generated deepfake videos, fake documents, and impersonation to pose as a woman named "Alla Morgan." The scammer exploited the victim's loneliness following personal losses and gradually extracted money through various pretexts, including gift cards and a fake helicopter fare, before the victim's bank detected the fraud and alerted her. Scotland Police is investigating the case, and the scammer has reportedly continued attempting contact by sending false claims that the impersonated woman is imprisoned and needs money.
pymnts.com
· 2025-12-08
The social media platform Bluesky, which has grown to nearly 25 million users as an alternative to Twitter/X, is experiencing a rapid increase in scam activity including romance and "pig butchering" scams that use deceptive tactics to bilk victims of money. The platform's unique domain-based account verification system, while allowing users to self-verify, has created challenges in preventing fraud and may be too technically complex for average users. Though Bluesky reports aggressive efforts to shut down fraudulent accounts and claims scam issues remain below the scale seen on larger platforms, the trend reflects a broader 2024 landscape where scams have become the leading form of fraud affecting financial institutions.
bangkokpost.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, Thailand recorded 739,000 cybercrime complaints between March and November, causing 77 billion baht in combined damage, with romance scams, friend impostor scams, fraudulent text messages with malicious links, and false government official calls identified as the most common tactics. These scams targeted victims by establishing fake relationships to solicit payments, impersonating friends or relatives to borrow money, sending phishing messages to steal banking information, and posing as officials demanding payment for alleged illegal activities. The Royal Thai Police advised vigilance and urged victims to report crimes via their online platform or the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau hotline.
curlytales.com
· 2025-12-08
Two men from Kolkata reported being targeted in online dating scams orchestrated at specific venues. The first man matched with a woman on Hinge who arranged a date at Riders Cafe, where he discovered it was a known scam location and left before ordering; the second man was taken to Atmosphere Café and presented with an inflated bill of ₹2,500 for drinks and food after his date ordered expensive items. Both men recognized the schemes in progress and left the establishments before significant financial loss, highlighting a pattern of women using dating apps to lure men to complicit venues with exorbitant pricing.
bangkokpost.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, Thailand experienced a surge in cybercrime with 739,000 complaints filed between March and November, resulting in 77 billion baht (approximately 77 million baht daily) in damages. The four most prevalent scams were romance scams involving fake social media accounts and bogus investment schemes, friend impostor scams requesting loans, phishing text messages with fraudulent links, and false accusation calls impersonating government officials demanding money or app installations. Thai authorities urged the public to remain vigilant and report suspected fraud through the police online portal or the Cyber Crime Investigation Bureau's 24-hour hotline.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
This article provides six free strategies for protecting finances from fraud, particularly during high-risk periods like the holiday season. The recommended safeguards include staying informed about trending scams (adoption, romance, grandparent, and elder fraud), freezing credit with major bureaus when not applying for loans, enabling multi-factor authentication on accounts, using password managers to create strong unique passwords, avoiding clicking links or calling numbers in unsolicited communications, and monitoring accounts regularly for suspicious activity. These preventive measures require no financial investment but can significantly reduce vulnerability to identity theft and fraud year-round.
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-08
An 82-year-old woman lost her entire life savings to an elaborate scam involving impersonation, psychological manipulation, and coercion that drove her to withdraw funds via Bitcoin and max out credit cards, after which scammers posed as FBI agents claiming to "protect" her and later extracted an additional $20,000. The article outlines common elder fraud tactics—including impersonation, prize scams, tech support fraud, romance scams, and emergency schemes—and provides red flags such as unsolicited requests for sensitive information, urgent payment demands, and requests for untraceable payment methods like cryptocurrency or gift cards.
lbc.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Between December 25, 2023 and January 1, 2024, nearly £2 million was lost to authorized push payment (APP) scams during the festive period, with 596 scams reported to Santander bank including investment fraud, impersonation scams, and fake marketplace listings for goods and tickets. The scams exploited holiday distractions, with individual losses ranging from hundreds to over £600,000 in investment schemes. Santander advises consumers to verify payments carefully, avoid suspicious social media purchases, confirm identities through trusted contact methods, and research companies before sending money.
tribdem.com
· 2025-12-08
Elder financial exploitation is a growing problem in Pennsylvania, with scammers targeting older adults through romance scams, investment fraud, and schemes impersonating banks or government officials to steal money and personal information. The article advocates for updated state legislation to require banks and credit unions to place temporary holds on suspected fraudulent transactions and report them to local aging agencies, while also urging older residents to remain vigilant about recognizing scam warning signs. Current Pennsylvania law does not mandate reporting of elder financial abuse, leaving many vulnerable seniors without adequate legal protections against exploitation by family members, friends, or strangers.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
This article provides guidance on avoiding four major AI-enhanced scams targeting holiday shoppers: romance scams using deepfake video technology, fraudulent websites mimicking legitimate retailers, deepfake marketing videos featuring public figures, and time-sensitive investment schemes. The piece offers practical prevention tips for each scam type, such as using reverse image searches to verify identities, carefully checking website URLs, watching for unnatural elements in promotional videos, and consulting financial advisers before investing.
delawareonline.com
· 2025-12-08
As financial scams increasingly use AI technology, consumers should remain vigilant against four major holiday-season fraud tactics: romance scams using AI face-swapping, fake retail websites with AI chatbots, deepfake videos of celebrities promoting fraudulent deals, and urgent investment schemes promising guaranteed returns. Key prevention strategies include using reverse image searches to verify identities, carefully checking website URLs, watching for unnatural elements in promotional videos, and consulting financial advisers before investing. Banks recommend consumers leverage security features, stay informed about emerging scams, and exercise caution with digital payments.
radio.wpsu.org
· 2025-12-08
The FBI warns that criminals are increasingly using artificial intelligence tools to create more sophisticated and convincing scams, particularly phishing attacks and voice-cloning schemes that target victims during the holiday season. Key vulnerabilities include AI-generated emails and texts that mimic legitimate communications, deepfake voice calls impersonating loved ones (especially "grandparent scams"), and fraudulent websites that appear authentic. Experts recommend creating family code words, securing social media accounts, carefully verifying web addresses and email domains, and screening unfamiliar calls to protect against these evolving AI-enabled frauds.
npr.org
· 2025-12-08
Criminals are using artificial intelligence tools to create increasingly convincing scams during the holiday season, with phishing attacks being the most common threat. To protect yourself, experts recommend: verifying suspicious emails for subtle red flags (misspellings in domain names, logo variations), establishing secret code words with family members to verify identity during emergency calls, securing social media accounts by setting them to private and limiting personal information, and carefully checking website URLs and encryption before entering sensitive information, as scammers can use AI to create fraudulent websites that appear legitimate.
leadertelegram.com
· 2025-12-08
This overview article describes prevalent scams targeting individuals across Wisconsin and the region, including impersonation scams (fake DSPS, IRS, and Microsoft representatives), grandparent scams, and romance scams that exploit personal information and emotional manipulation to extract money from victims. Between January 2022 and June 2024, approximately $3.54 million in scam losses were reported to Wisconsin's Department of Financial Institutions, though law enforcement suspects the actual total is significantly higher due to underreporting. Scammers commonly target lonely individuals and elderly people, particularly widowed men, using emotional manipulation, personal details from public sources, and fabricated scenarios to convince victims to send money or gift cards
the420.in
· 2025-12-08
This curated cybercrime report documents multiple fraud schemes affecting victims globally. Notable cases include: 21 arrested in India for defrauding 16,000 people of Rs 125 crore through fake identities and impersonation; a Mumbai family losing Rs 7.50 crore in a SIM swap attack; and an international crypto and romance scam resulting in 792 arrests involving 148 Chinese nationals. Key advisory: counterfeit products (particularly cosmetics) sold via platforms like Temu pose serious health risks, and vulnerable populations should verify OTPs and account access to prevent unauthorized transactions.
wjcl.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, the WJCL 22 News investigations team uncovered multiple fraud and crime stories, including a case where an elderly woman was scammed out of approximately $170,000 through five wire transfers before her death in September. The investigative series also covered fentanyl-related deaths, modified firearms in the community, prison violence, ticket resale fraud affecting consumers, and law enforcement's use of new AI-powered technology to combat crime.
opb.org
· 2025-12-08
The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sued Zelle's operator (Early Warning Services) and three major banks—Bank of America, JPMorgan Chase, and Wells Fargo—alleging they failed to implement adequate fraud safeguards and investigate customer complaints, resulting in over $870 million in losses to customers over seven years. The CFPB seeks to stop unlawful conduct, obtain consumer redress, and impose civil penalties, while the defendants denied the allegations and argued the lawsuit was meritless and politically motivated.
gmtoday.com
· 2025-12-08
The Mequon Police Department issued a warning about a spike in fraud cases in its community, noting that scams have become increasingly sophisticated and are targeting vulnerable populations through various methods including phishing, impersonation, tech support fraud, investment schemes, and cryptocurrency-related scams. Victims often lose thousands of dollars through wire transfers, gift cards, or cryptocurrency with little chance of recovery, and emotional distress frequently prevents reporting. The department recommends residents remain vigilant, verify unsolicited offers, protect personal information, and anticipate that scams will continue to evolve with advancing technology, including AI-driven schemes.
commercialappeal.com
· 2025-12-08
Older adults reported $1.9 billion in fraud losses to the FTC in 2023-2024, with actual losses potentially reaching $61.5 billion, and they suffer significantly higher median losses ($1,450 for those 80+) compared to younger people ($480 for ages 20-29). Older adults are particularly vulnerable to investment scams ($538 million in losses), tech support scams (5 times more likely than younger people), and romance/impersonation scams, with payment methods ranging from gift cards to cryptocurrency and bank transfers. The FTC and Better Business Bureau are working to combat these scams through enforcement actions and prevention messaging, though challenges remain including
latintimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A 67-year-old California woman lost her home after falling victim to a Keanu Reeves romance scam, despite having previously warned others about the same fraud. Over two years, Goodson sent thousands of dollars in Bitcoin, gift cards, and wire transfers to scammers posing as the actor, who claimed to need financial help and wanted to marry her. She is now homeless and living in her car, but has gone public with her story to raise awareness about romance scams targeting vulnerable individuals.
times-standard.com
· 2025-12-08
This article discusses a catfishing/romance scam involving "Will," a 55-year-old man who has been sending money to a non-existent woman he met online over the past year. Social engineer Chris Hadnagy explains that confrontational approaches (calling the victim stupid, threatening the scammer, or showing proof articles) typically backfire by triggering defensiveness and the "Commitment and Consistency Principle," which causes victims to rationalize their choices. Instead, Hadnagy recommends gently encouraging verification through video calls, phone conversations, or planning in-person meetings, and using reflective questions to prompt critical thinking without triggering defensiveness.
nbcsandiego.com
· 2025-12-08
A 67-year-old woman in Vista lost tens of thousands of dollars over two years to a romance scam in which scammers impersonated actor Keanu Reeves, ultimately leading to her homelessness. The scammers used "love bombing" tactics, promising marriage while making repeated requests for gift cards, Bitcoin transfers, and wire transfers, with constant excuses preventing in-person meetings. Her case exemplifies the broader problem: romance scams cost Americans $1.1 billion nationally in recent years, with San Diego County victims losing $1.3 million in 2023 alone.
express.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
A cybersecurity expert warned of three common holiday scams targeting consumers during the Christmas season: fake sales on social media platforms (where scammers pose as sellers and demand gift card payments before disappearing), impersonation scams (where criminals hijack accounts to pose as family members requesting money or information, increasingly using AI voice cloning and deepfakes), and fake prize giveaways (which collect personal information or processing fees). These schemes exploit the holiday shopping rush and emotional vulnerabilities to quickly extract financial information and money from victims.
the-sun.com
· 2025-12-08
Cybersecurity experts warn that scammers intensify efforts during the Christmas holiday season, exploiting festive shopping and emotional vulnerability. Three prevalent scams include: fake sales where fraudsters pose as sellers on social media and demand gift card payments before disappearing; family impersonation scams that hijack accounts or use social engineering to extract money or sensitive information; and fake prize giveaways that collect personal data or processing fees. Defense strategies include maintaining skepticism toward unusual requests, verifying unexpected communications through alternative contact methods, and remembering that legitimate contests never require upfront payment.
rappler.com
· 2025-12-08
Cybercrime has evolved from isolated attacks into a sophisticated, organized industry using social engineering tactics (phishing, romance scams, identity theft) that exploit human psychology rather than technical complexity. Criminal networks operate like businesses with specialized roles and "crime-as-a-service" models, often employing lower-skilled workers—some coerced through human trafficking—while higher-tier operators profit substantially. Law enforcement faces significant challenges in tracing and prosecuting cybercriminals due to anonymity tools and cross-border operations, as demonstrated by Interpol's Operation Storm Makers II targeting Southeast Asian fraud networks in 2023.
wired.com
· 2025-12-08
Fraudsters increasingly use AI-generated deepfakes and voice cloning to impersonate family members in scams demanding urgent money for emergencies like kidnappings or accidents. The FBI and banks now recommend families create secret passphrases to verify identity during suspicious calls or messages, using unique phrases unrelated to publicly available personal information and kept strictly private. While family passphrases offer a useful defense layer, experts caution that victims in genuine emergencies may struggle to remember them due to panic or adrenaline.
nbcnewyork.com
· 2025-12-08
A 67-year-old San Diego woman lost tens of thousands of dollars over two years to romance scammers impersonating actor Keanu Reeves, ultimately losing her home and now living in her car. The scam began in 2022 when she was initially contacted by an imposter, but continued after she received messages from someone claiming to be the real Reeves, who offered sympathy and eventually claimed to want marriage, using isolation tactics and repeated requests for money via Bitcoin, gift cards, and wire transfers. According to the San Diego County District Attorney's Office, romance scams cost the U.S. $1.1 billion annually, with San Diego County victims losing $1.3
gtgazette.com
· 2025-12-08
The El Dorado County Area Agency on Aging is offering a free four-part educational series in January 2025 for family caregivers of seniors aged 60 and older, covering caregiver foundations, scam prevention (including check fraud and romance scams), elder abuse recognition, and legal rights and responsibilities. The sessions will be held Wednesdays at the Placerville Senior Center and feature experts from the Alzheimer's Association, Sheriff's Office, Adult Protective Services, and Senior Legal Services.
buckscountyherald.com
· 2025-12-08
This op-ed advocates for updated Pennsylvania legislation to better protect older adults from financial exploitation, which takes multiple forms including tech support scams, romance scams, investment fraud, and abuse by trusted individuals. The authors call for amendments to the state's Older Adults Protective Services Act to mandate reporting of elder financial abuse and allow banks to temporarily hold suspected fraudulent transactions while notifying authorities. Bank employees are identified as key defenders against elder financial exploitation, and the authors urge older Pennsylvanians to remain vigilant during the holiday season when scammers are particularly active.