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wbbjtv.com
Senior citizens reported $3.4 billion in fraud losses last year, an 11% increase, with scammers increasingly using AI-powered tools such as voice cloning and deepfakes to impersonate loved ones and gain access to bank accounts. Banks are developing new fraud-detection software using AI technology to identify check fraud, wire fraud, and ACH fraud, while experts recommend seniors enable call-blocking features, verify transactions with banks, and consult trusted contacts when suspicious activity occurs. Experts emphasize that financial institutions will never pressure seniors into quick transactions, and early detection is critical for recovery.
kimt.com
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird warned seniors on National Senior Citizens Day about scams targeting older residents, particularly impersonation schemes where fraudsters pose as family members or claim legal troubles to extract money. The attorney general's office runs "Stop the Scammers" educational events; one victim, Lynne Caltrider, helped authorities recover some lost funds and was awarded for her assistance in the investigation. Residents can report suspected scams to the Iowa Attorney General's office at 1-888-777-4590 or online.
portageonline.com
Two retired servicemen in Portage la Prairie—retired RCMP officer Colin Wilcox and Canadian Armed Forces veteran Glen Jones—launched a grassroots fraud prevention education program in March 2024, distributing hundreds of pamphlets and presenting to seniors' groups across Manitoba after witnessing a sharp increase in scams targeting older adults. Their presentations, supported by local businesses and the National Association of Federal Retirees, have reached several hundred people and highlighted real cases including a woman who lost $7,500 to a scammer impersonating a friend and the "grandparent scam" where callers claim a grandchild is in jail. The initiative emphasizes prevention strategies such as
cointelegraph.com
A North Wales Police investigation revealed that a scammer impersonated a senior UK law enforcement officer to steal £2.1 million ($2.8 million) worth of Bitcoin from a victim, likely identified through a data breach. The scammer created urgency by claiming the victim's identification documents were found on an arrested person's phone, then directed the victim to enter their crypto wallet seed phrase into a fake website, gaining full access to the funds. Police emphasized that they never contact people unexpectedly about crypto assets or request seed phrases, and advised victims to hang up on suspicious calls and verify directly with law enforcement.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
Three senior citizens in Hyderabad—an 81-year-old retired government employee, a 58-year-old school headmaster, and an 86-year-old retired physician—were collectively defrauded of approximately 48 lakh rupees in separate "digital arrest" scams between August 1-19. Fraudsters impersonated police and CBI officers, threatening the victims with arrest based on false charges (money laundering, obscene calls, human trafficking) and coercing them to transfer funds for "verification" or to prevent arrest. Cases were registered at Cyberabad, Siddipet, and Warangal police stations
portageonline.com
Two retired servicemen in Portage la Prairie—retired RCMP officer Colin Wilcox and Canadian Armed Forces veteran Glen Jones—launched a grassroots fraud prevention education program in March 2024 that has since delivered about 20 presentations to seniors' groups across Manitoba and neighbouring communities, distributing hundreds of pamphlets and pointer cards with fraud prevention tips. The presentations have documented significant losses, including one case where a woman lost $7,500 to a scammer posing as a friend, and highlight common schemes such as the "grandparent scam" and computer-generated robocalls. The program emphasizes prevention strategies, such as recognizing the telltale
yahoo.com
Federal investigators charged 13 people, including alleged ringleader Oscar Manuel Castanos Garcia, in connection with a "grandparent scam" operation based in the Dominican Republic that defrauded approximately 400 elderly victims (average age 84) of over $5 million. The scammers posed as grandchildren in distress and used accomplices posing as lawyers to pressure victims into withdrawing cash, which was then collected by Uber drivers and laundered; Uber's security team helped the FBI uncover the scheme by flagging suspicious activity. Many victims lost tens of thousands of dollars each, and authorities warn that most will not recover their money, with four suspects still at large.
azag.gov
Between 2018 and 2024, an organized retail theft ring operated by iSold It on eBay in Glendale generated over $2 million by selling stolen media (DVDs and Blu-Rays) through their Amazon storefront. Arizona Attorney General Kris Mayes indicted 25+ individuals including the business operators Charles Hudson Jr., Charles Hudson Sr., Sherry Hudson, and Carlos Flores, along with 24 "boosters" who supplied the stolen merchandise, on charges including Organized Retail Theft, Trafficking Stolen Property, and Illegally Conducting an Enterprise. Investigators recovered over $200,000 in stolen inventory during a
wweek.com
83-year-old real estate developer Walter Bowen sued his former senior vice president Barclay Grayson for elder abuse, alleging Grayson used Bowen's signature stamp to sign personal guarantees and loan documents without authorization, and misappropriated $250,000 of a $1.1 million improvement allowance intended for condo renovations. Bowen, who hired Grayson in 2003 despite Grayson's prior prison sentence for mail fraud, fired him in July 2024 and filed suit for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and financial abuse of a vulnerable person; the complaint also implicated the
states.aarp.org
Elder financial exploitation is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the Virgin Islands, prompting AARP Virgin Islands and the VI Department of Human Services to host the Elder Justice Summit 2025 on August 21, 2025, specifically targeting financial professionals, law enforcement, legal services, and government partners. The summit will feature keynote speaker Zoimé Álvarez Rubio (President & CEO of the Puerto Rico Bankers Association) and a panel of local experts discussing strategies to detect, prevent, and respond to financial fraud targeting vulnerable older adults before it depletes their savings and independence.
justice.gov
James L. Townes Jr., 50, of Berkeley, Missouri, and accomplice Charnay Bartlett, 29, were indicted on multiple counts for orchestrating a property fraud scheme in which they fraudulently transferred ownership of 16 homes and a duplex between September 2018 and April 2025 by stealing identities, forging signatures, and creating fraudulent notarized deeds. In a separate indictment, Townes was charged with falsely claiming disability benefits while simultaneously operating multiple businesses and managing investment accounts and notary commissions from February 2017 through August 2025. Both defendants pleaded not guilty to the combine
nbcchicago.com
A "funeral donation" scam has targeted shoppers in suburban Chicago retail and restaurant areas, where fraudsters approach victims claiming to collect money for a deceased friend's funeral, then refuse cash and request credit cards instead. Victims' cards have been charged thousands of dollars without authorization—in one Glenview case, a victim who agreed to a $10 donation was charged $4,800 total. Police departments in Glenview and Frankfort warn residents never to provide credit cards or phones to unknown solicitors and recommend donating directly to verified charities instead.
moodys.com
Fraud schemes are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with global losses exceeding $1 trillion annually and affecting individuals, businesses, and government bodies across the UK and worldwide. Emerging fraud types include sextortion scams (which more than doubled globally in 2023 to 26,718 cases) and romance scams (up 14% in 2024), often enabled by AI and deepfakes for identity theft and deception. Public-Private Partnerships, advanced technology tools, and regulatory reforms are being deployed to combat fraud, with the UK's National Fraud Initiative demonstrating success by preventing £510 million in fraud between 2022-2024.
thenigerialawyer.com
A Federal High Court in Lagos convicted eight cybercriminals on Wednesday following their guilty pleas to offences including romance scams, identity theft, and obtaining money by false pretence. The convicts, arrested during an EFCC sting operation at a hotel in Ogun State, received sentences ranging from one to six months imprisonment with fines between N200,000 and N6 million, and were ordered to forfeit devices and make restitution totaling millions of naira to victims. The judge emphasized that the sentences served as both punishment and deterrence for cybercrime offences under Nigeria's Cybercrimes Act.
saharareporters.com
Eight internet fraudsters were convicted by the Federal High Court in Lagos after pleading guilty to cybercrime charges including romance scams, identity theft, and obtaining money under false pretenses. The convicts, arrested in a sting operation at a hotel near the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library complex, received sentences ranging from one to six months imprisonment or fines between N200,000 and N6 million, with several admitting to earning millions in fraudulent proceeds and ordered to make restitution. This was part of a larger EFCC crackdown that arrested 93 suspects and has resulted in multiple convictions of internet fraudsters operating romance and cyberc
ktvo.com
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird warned seniors about common scams ahead of National Senior Citizens Day, including impostor schemes where scammers pose as family members or falsely claim victims are involved in crimes requiring payment. The article highlights a case where victim Lynne Caltrider was scammed out of a considerable amount of money directed to a cryptocurrency ATM, though authorities recovered a portion and arrested individuals involved; Caltrider received recognition for sharing her story to help law enforcement. The attorney general urges older Iowans to remain cautious, recognize warning signs, and report suspected scams to the Iowa Attorney General's office.
wfiwradio.com
Edward L. Stief, Jr., a 42-year-old from Effingham County, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, mail fraud, and unlawful monetary transactions after exploiting an elderly victim out of over $338,000. Stief gained the victim's trust through lawn care services, then obtained power of attorney, gained access to bank accounts, liquidated life insurance policies, and stole personal assets including gold coins and jewelry; he also removed the victim from a nursing home and failed to provide necessary medical care. Sentencing is scheduled for December 2nd, with potential penalties of up to 20 years for the fraud charges.
cnn.com
Financial scams have become increasingly prevalent and sophisticated, with the FBI reporting $16.6 billion in cybercrime losses in the past year—a 33% increase over the prior year with an average loss of $19,372 per victim. The FTC documented a more-than-four-fold increase between 2020 and 2024 in reports of older Americans (age 60+) losing $10,000 or more to scams, with some victims emptying entire bank accounts and retirement funds. Common schemes include imposter scams masquerading as government agencies or businesses, tech support scams, and prize/sweepstakes frauds, with red flags
investopedia.com
AI-powered bank impersonation scams are surging, with cyber fraud losses reaching a record $16.6 billion in 2024 (up 33% from 2023). Scammers now use artificial intelligence to create legitimate-looking emails, texts, and calls with perfect grammar and spoofed phone numbers, exploiting consumers' trained panic responses to fraud alerts. Key red flags include urgent requests for immediate action, unusual payment methods (cash withdrawals, bitcoin transfers, new accounts), and the article advises consumers to hang up and call the number on their debit card to verify any bank communication.
makeuseof.com
In 2024, scammers stole $16.6 billion using increasingly sophisticated tactics including AI-generated deepfakes, romance schemes, and cryptocurrency fraud. AI-powered voice clones enable criminals to impersonate trusted individuals and request urgent wire transfers, while romance scammers target vulnerable people on dating platforms, building emotional connections before requesting money for fabricated emergencies or investments. Cryptocurrency and investment scams remain particularly damaging, using social media ads and fake investment advisors to promise unrealistic returns and create urgency around missing opportunities.
khou.com
**Real Estate Wire Fraud Alert:** Scammers increasingly impersonate real estate agents, lenders, and title companies to deceive homebuyers into wiring money to fraudulent accounts, with first-time homebuyers being three times more likely to fall victim and 1 in 20 consumers expected to be scammed according to a 2025 CertifID report. Experts recommend verifying all wire instructions directly with verified phone numbers, remaining skeptical of urgent requests, and avoiding clicking unknown links in purchase-related communications.
trendmicro.com
Task scams are fraudulent employment schemes advertised through social media and text messages that promise easy remote work (like liking videos or writing reviews) with attractive compensation and benefits. Scammers use social engineering and psychological manipulation—including fake professional websites and initial small payouts—to build trust before escalating financial demands, ultimately trapping victims in a cycle of deposits to access their claimed earnings. The Federal Trade Commission reported increased task and employment scam complaints in 2024, with victims targeting a range of demographics but most commonly those seeking easy online income from home.
newamerica.org
Chicago residents identified online fraud as a major concern, with 90 percent of survey respondents rating protection from it as "important" or "very important." The Federal Trade Commission received 2.6 million fraud reports in 2024 resulting in $12.5 billion in losses, with Illinois accounting for over 186,000 fraud reports, and the article provides expert guidance on identifying, avoiding, and responding to various types of fraud including account fraud, non-delivery scams, and impersonation schemes.
morningjournalnews.com
Scammers are increasingly targeting older residents across the country with sophisticated fraud schemes, including requests for payment via Bitcoin, gift cards, or other virtual currencies, often using urgent or threatening language about fines, arrests, or endangered loved ones. Ohio reported 16,741 financial exploitation referrals of older residents between July 2024 and June 2025. The key protective measures include verifying contact through official channels, researching businesses before sending money, avoiding unsolicited requests for personal information, and trusting instincts when offers seem too good to be true.
wired.com
Organized crime gangs operating scam compounds in Southeast Asia (Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos) have been linked to billions of dollars in fraud over the past decade, and new research reveals these compounds are also connected to child sextortion operations. International Justice Mission researchers found that at least 493 child exploitation reports to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and approximately 18,000 additional reports containing IP addresses from known scam compound locations, are linked to these operations where an estimated 200,000 trafficking victims are forced to run scams 24 hours daily. The findings represent the first clear evidence connecting forced scamming operations to global child sextortion cases, which have
justice.gov
Edward L. Stief, Jr., a 42-year-old from Effingham County, Illinois, pleaded guilty to wire fraud, mail fraud, and unlawful monetary transactions after exploiting an elderly victim out of approximately $338,773. Stief gained the victim's trust by offering lawn care services, then convinced him to grant financial and healthcare power of attorney, subsequently withdrawing life insurance funds, stealing valuables including gold coins and jewelry, and coercing him to leave a nursing home for inadequate care. He faces up to 20 years imprisonment for the fraud convictions and up to 10 years for the monetary transaction charge at his December 2 sentencing hearing.
cnycentral.com
A married elderly couple from Throop, New York lost nearly $25,000 in a grandparent scam where callers impersonated their grandchild in distress; three local suspects were arrested in February 2023 and all funds were recovered. The Department of Justice charged 13 people involved in a sophisticated transnational elder fraud scheme that defrauded over 400 victims nationwide of $5 million total, with operations run from Dominican Republic call centers specifically designed to target elderly Americans, particularly those over 80 years old.
financial-planning.com
Stanley and Riki Tulin, an elderly couple, filed a federal lawsuit against JPMorgan alleging the bank failed to prevent investment advisor Scott J. Mason from defrauding them of over $19 million through forged signatures and fraudulent transfers. Mason pleaded guilty in January to schemes defrauding clients of more than $23 million and was sentenced to over eight years in prison, while the Tulins accuse JPMorgan of negligence, breach of fiduciary duty, and failing to properly oversee their accounts despite years of fraudulent activity.
scdailypress.com
The operators of Kids in Need of Support Services (KISS), a nonprofit after-school program in Silver City, New Mexico, were charged with submitting over $1.6 million in fraudulent Medicaid claims for services never rendered and committing identity theft using the Social Security numbers of dozens of children and adults in their care. CEO Susanne Kee and her daughter Bethanne Kee face multiple counts of fraud, identity theft, and conspiracy, with investigators finding evidence of impossible billing schedules (including psychotherapy claims for infants under 30 days old) and families confirming they never authorized or received the billed services. The investigation, conducted by the N.M. Department of
southwestledger.news
Christine Joan Echohawk, 54, of Pawnee, pleaded guilty to five felony charges for laundering approximately $1.5 million obtained through online romance scams targeting four elderly women (ages 64-79) in Florida, Utah, and Texas between September and December 2024. One victim sold her house to send $600,000 to the scammer; Echohawk received the funds through various accounts, converted them to cryptocurrency, and sent payments to an unidentified accomplice using the alias "Maurice Dinero." She was sentenced to 62 years in prison (8 years to serve, 54 suspended) and ordered to pay $621,750 in
coconutcreektalk.com
An 80-year-old Coconut Creek resident was defrauded through a fake loan scheme in which scammers texted him about a $10,000 loan eligibility, obtained his personal information, deposited fraudulent funds into his account, then instructed him to buy gift cards and provide the card numbers before the false deposits cleared, leaving his account overdrawn. Coconut Creek Police are warning residents to delete similar text messages and avoid sharing personal or financial information with unsolicited callers, as this scam falls into the "too good to be true" category.
cnycentral.com
A married elderly couple in Throop, New York lost nearly $25,000 in a grandparent scam after receiving a call claiming their grandchild was in trouble; the couple's local case was part of a larger federal investigation that charged 13 people involved in a transnational elder fraud scheme operating from the Dominican Republic that defrauded over 400 victims of approximately $5 million nationwide, with at least 50 victims in Massachusetts averaging 84 years old. Local deputies arrested three suspects and recovered the couple's money, while federal authorities determined the scammers used call centers in the Dominican Republic and unsuspecting rideshare drivers as intermediaries to funnel stolen funds
ainvest.com
In 2024, seniors aged 60 and older lost $4.885 billion to scams—a 43% increase from 2023—with investment fraud, imposter scams, and tech support fraud causing the most damage, including median losses of $20,000 per victim in investment schemes. The FBI and FTC attribute this surge to older adults' significant assets, limited digital literacy, and AI-enabled fraud tactics like deepfakes, compounded by low reporting rates (only 19% of victims report incidents). While regulatory tools like FINRA's trusted contact rules and AI-driven transaction monitoring have improved, gaps remain due to widespread financial illiteracy among seniors and scammers
justice.gov
Three men were sentenced to federal prison for stealing $520,910 in pandemic unemployment benefits between August and October 2020 through a scheme involving stolen debit cards and fraudulent unemployment claims. Kamaldeen Karaole, Stephen Olamigoke, and Johnson Omodusonu obtained 168 UI debit cards issued by California, Arizona, and Nevada using stolen personally identifiable information, then made 529 ATM withdrawals in Indianapolis to steal funds intended for workers unemployed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each defendant received sentences ranging from 2 to 4.25 years in prison and was ordered to pay full restitution of $520,910.
plumassun.org
The FBI warns of a QR code scam variation in which criminals send unsolicited packages designed to trick recipients into scanning codes that steal personal information or install malicious software on their phones. This evolves from traditional "brushing scams" where vendors ship unrequested items to boost product ratings. The FBI recommends avoiding unsolicited packages without sender information, not scanning unknown QR codes, and reporting suspected fraud to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
sierradailynews.com
The FBI warns the public about an evolving "brushing scam" variation where criminals send unsolicited packages with QR codes designed to steal personal and financial information or install malicious software on victims' phones. The packages often lack sender information to encourage scanning, and while not yet widespread, the agency advises consumers to avoid scanning unknown QR codes, reject unsolicited packages, and report suspicious activity to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at ic3.gov.
kare11.com
This article describes common scams targeting consumers—including IRS impersonation calls, toll payment texts, and lottery email schemes—and notes that fraud losses reached $12.5 billion in 2024, a 25% increase from the prior year. Scammers typically use spoofed numbers, demand urgent payment, and attempt to steal personal information or get victims to click malicious links. The article provides five resources for victims: filing complaints with state agencies (Wisconsin's Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection or Minnesota's Attorney General's Office), reporting to local police and the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, contacting AARP's Fraud Watch Helpline at 877-908-
wltx.com
The South Carolina Department of Consumer Affairs warns consumers of a barcode scam in which fraudsters impersonate law enforcement or utility company employees and send barcodes to victims, demanding they load money onto gift cards, prepaid cards, cryptocurrency, or e-cash at retail stores like Walgreens, Walmart, or CVS under threat of arrest or service disconnection. The agency advises that legitimate law enforcement and utility personnel never request payments via barcodes sent to stores, and recommends consumers watch for red flags including impersonation of trusted entities, claims of problems or prizes, pressure to act immediately, and requests for untraceable payment methods.
gov-pritzker-newsroom.prezly.com
Illinois Governor Pritzker signed two bills in August 2025 to protect consumers from cryptocurrency fraud: the Digital Assets and Consumer Protection Act (SB1797) and the Digital Asset Kiosk Act (SB2319). Illinois residents lost $272 million to cryptocurrency fraud in 2024, making it the most common type of financial fraud that year; the new legislation establishes state regulatory oversight of digital asset exchanges, requires kiosk operators to register and provide full refunds to scam victims, and caps transaction fees at 18% with daily limits for new customers.
analyticsinsight.net
AI voice cloning scams involve criminals using short audio clips to replicate voices and make fake emergency calls to family members, with elderly individuals frequently targeted into transferring large sums of money before discovering the deception. Warning signs include robotic-sounding voices, long pauses, avoided personal details, and pressure for quick payments; protective measures include using family code words, avoiding posting voice messages online, verifying calls through alternate contact methods, and staying calm to resist manipulation. Cybersecurity experts recommend families discuss these risks in advance, as all age groups—including students, professionals, and seniors—face targeting from scammers exploiting increasingly convincing AI technology.
people.com
Journalist Alex Sammon investigated a job offer scam by deliberately responding to a text message recruiting for fake remote work, which led him to uncover a Philippines-based "click farm" operation that required users to perform repetitive clicks on music streaming platforms while pressuring victims to make Bitcoin purchases to access earnings they could never withdraw. According to the FTC, Americans reported $470 million in losses to text scams in 2024, more than five times the amount reported in 2020, with tens of thousands of people reporting similar fraudulent job offer texts. Sammon lost less than $100 during his investigation but documented how scammers use fake recruiters and fake earnings to manipulate victims into
cantonrep.com
Sheriff Eric Weisburn outlines four key warning signs of scams—impersonation of trusted organizations, creation of false problems or prizes, pressure to act immediately, and demands for untraceable payment methods like gift cards or cryptocurrency—to help Stark County residents protect themselves. The article emphasizes that legitimate organizations never demand money or personal information unsolicited via phone, text, or email, and advises people to pause, verify through trusted contacts, and report suspected scams to local authorities or the FTC. Residents are encouraged to share their experiences to help prevent others from becoming victims.
today.rtl.lu
Luxembourg's Bee Secure initiative provides awareness and support for online security threats, particularly targeting vulnerable populations including older adults. The organization educates the public on three main online exploitation categories—grooming, non-consensual sharing of intimate images (NCSII), and sextortion—while noting that older people are especially susceptible to "romance scams" that can persist for months or years before victims realize they've been defrauded of significant sums of money. Bee Secure emphasizes that while perpetrators are often difficult to identify and prosecute, victims require strong emotional and social support networks to recover from these crimes.
thecable.ng
The Nigeria Immigration Service has begun deporting 192 foreign nationals convicted of internet fraud, with the first batch of 42 deported in early 2025. The deportations follow a major December 2024 EFCC operation that arrested 792 members of an international fraud syndicate (primarily Chinese, Filipino, and other nationals) operating from Lagos, where they trained others in romance and cryptocurrency scams. The court-ordered repatriations come after convictions were secured in June, and the EFCC had previously seized digital assets worth $222,729 from the convicted fraudsters.
premiumtimesng.com
The Nigerian Immigration Service deported 42 Chinese and Philippine nationals convicted of cyber fraud and Ponzi scheme offenses after the Federal High Court sentenced each to one year imprisonment and fined them N1 million. The syndicate operated from a Lagos building where foreign nationals trained Nigerian recruits to conduct romance and investment scams targeting victims in the US, Canada, Mexico, and Europe, generating over N2.26 billion through cryptocurrency and bank transfers between April and December 2024, with $222,729.86 in digital assets ordered forfeited.
techradar.com
Law enforcement agencies and cryptocurrency industry leaders froze over $300 million in stolen digital assets through coordinated efforts, including the T3 FCU initiative (led by TRON, Tether, and TRM Labs) which froze $250 million globally in its first year, and Canadian operations Project Atlas and Operation Avalanche which identified $74 million in losses and froze tens of millions more from romance and "pig butchering" scams affecting victims across 14 countries. However, freezing assets prevents scammers from accessing funds but does not return money to victims, who must still navigate lengthy legal processes and cross-jurisdictional coordination to recover their losses.
ainvest.com
**Summary:**
Global law enforcement agencies, blockchain analytics firms, and cryptocurrency exchanges collaborated to freeze over $300 million in stolen digital assets from cryptocurrency scams in 2024-2025, with notable successes including the T3 FCU initiative freezing $250 million and Project Atlas identifying over 2,000 fraud-linked wallets across 14 countries. These operations targeted large-scale fraud operations as well as persistent schemes like romance fraud and "pig butchering" scams, which defraud victims through incremental payments over time. The coordinated international efforts demonstrate growing capability to track and recover previously untraceable digital assets as crypto scams become increasingly sophisticated with AI and deepfake technology.
m.scoop.co.nz
The U.S. sanctioned leaders of Cartel de Jalisco Nueva Generación (CJNG) for operating timeshare fraud schemes that victimized Americans and generated revenue for the terrorist organization. Operating from call centers in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, English-speaking telemarketers impersonated brokers, attorneys, and government officials to defraud victims into paying advance fees and taxes, with U.S. victims losing nearly $300 million to these schemes between 2019 and 2023. The Department of Justice encourages fraud victims to report complaints to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center or contact the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-
komando.com
A Chinese cybercrime group stole data on 115 million U.S. payment cards over 16 months through sophisticated "smishing" (SMS phishing) scams that trick users into providing card information via fake payment alerts, with stolen cards immediately loaded into mobile wallets. Modern scams have become more convincing by using legitimately breached customer data (like names and emails) to craft personalized fake messages and employing "phishing-as-a-service" platforms that automate scam delivery and mimic authentic login pages, making them difficult to distinguish from real communications. To protect against these threats, individuals should use unique passwords for each account and employ password managers to prevent
sheriffs.org
This resource page addresses the growing problem of consumer fraud and scams, which target people across the country using increasingly sophisticated tactics including impersonation of law enforcement, online marketplace schemes, and international criminal operations. The article emphasizes that law enforcement agencies must adapt their response strategies and use education and awareness campaigns to help communities recognize and protect themselves from scams, with examples including cases where elderly individuals and ordinary citizens lost significant sums to criminals exploiting evolving technology. The National Sheriffs' Association and other agencies provide guidance and resources to help both law enforcement and the public combat this escalating threat.