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Roxana C. Laub, a 33-year-old Orange County Sheriff's Department employee, pleaded guilty to bank fraud and identity theft for forging her 75-year-old grandmother's checks (totaling approximately $45,000) and fraudulently using her credit cards for personal expenses between 2015 and 2022 without authorization. Laub also impersonated her grandmother during bank calls and used her grandmother's bank account to pay off the fraudulent credit card charges. She faces up to 30 years in federal prison and has agreed to repay all stolen funds, with sentencing scheduled for April 9, 2025.

A California woman lost $520 on two Usher concert tickets when they were fraudulently transferred to a stranger's account, but Ticketmaster resolved the issue and restored her tickets. The incident highlights rising ticket scam risks associated with major events, with cybersecurity experts advising concertgoers to use strong passwords and protect personal information when purchasing tickets online.

**Summary:** Dale Lake of Hanford, California, agreed to a consent decree resolving federal allegations that he operated as a "money mule" in a mail and wire fraud scheme targeting senior citizens. Victims were deceived into believing they had won lotteries or sweepstakes and sent money to Lake, who then transmitted the funds to accomplices in Jamaica; the decree permanently prohibits Lake from participating in prize promotion fraud or money transmitting businesses and authorizes postal inspection monitoring of his mail.

A 35-year-old Oakland man, Zhongqiang Chen, was arrested after scamming an elderly California woman out of $30,000 in a tech support fraud scheme. On November 12, 2024, Chen posed as McAfee Customer Service via email, gained remote access to the victim's computer, transferred $60,000 between her accounts, and falsely convinced her she owed him money, resulting in her initial payment of $30,000 before law enforcement intervened. Chen was arrested on November 14 when he arrived to collect a second $30,000 payment and faces charges including elder abuse, grand theft, and identity fraud.

Dale Lake of Hanford, California, agreed to a consent decree with the U.S. government after being accused of serving as a "money mule" in a lottery prize fraud scheme targeting senior citizens; he received money and gift cards from victims and transferred them to accomplices in Jamaica. Under the consent decree, Lake is permanently banned from participating in prize promotion fraud or any money transmission business, with the U.S. Postal Inspection Service monitoring his mail for compliance. The case represents a collaborative effort between federal authorities to dismantle fraud networks that exploit vulnerable elderly populations.

Christos Mavrokelos installed skimming devices on ATM machines throughout California over two years, stealing approximately $149,000 from at least 40 accounts before his arrest and sentencing to 18 months in prison in July 2024. Skimming—where criminals attach devices to card readers to capture magnetic stripe data and sometimes use cameras or fake keypads to steal PINs—costs financial institutions and consumers over $1 billion annually, with recent incidents reported at grocery stores and gas stations across multiple states in September 2024. Although skimmers appear sophisticated, experts note they are relatively simple to deploy and use once attached to machines, making them a persistent and widespread threat.

A 19-year-old California teenager, Remington Ogletree, was arrested and charged with wire fraud in October 2024 for alleged crimes committed between October 2023 and May 2024, and is suspected of being a member of the notorious cybercrime group Scattered Spider, which specializes in phishing and social engineering attacks on major corporations. Ogletree, an expert in phishing techniques, was released on $50,000 bail with strict conditions including surrendering his devices and being barred from registering domain names or using messaging apps. This arrest is part of broader law enforcement efforts against Scattered Spider, a loosely organized group of young men from the US

This piece describes legislative efforts focused on criminal justice reform in California rather than elder fraud prevention. The summary of passed legislation (Propositions 36, 47, 57 and Assembly Bill 109) outlines changes that shifted incarceration approaches, reduced penalties for certain crimes, and altered juvenile prosecution procedures, though it does not specify connections to elder fraud or abuse prevention.

Washington Attorney General Bob Ferguson is warning small businesses of scam letters impersonating the Secretary of State's Office that demand excessive payments (over $200) for business filings while threatening fines or business dissolution; similar telephone scams targeting Latino businesses have also been reported, with at least 40 complaints received since early November. The fraudulent letters, which include the state seal and publicly available business information to appear legitimate, contain telltale signs of fraud such as Sacramento, California addresses and .org website links instead of official .gov sites. Business owners are advised to verify filing status directly with the Secretary of State and to report suspected scams to the Attorney General's Office.

A former California broker pleaded guilty to 90 counts including grand theft, insurance fraud, elder abuse, and forgery after collecting $183,047 in premium payments from 32 victims over 8 years without actually placing their insurance coverage. She was sentenced to three years of formal probation with an order to pay $335,349 in restitution, facing up to 33 years in prison if she violates probation terms.

Brett Barber, a 45-year-old Costa Mesa man, was sentenced to 181 months in federal prison for operating two fraudulent real estate investment schemes that raised over $17 million from investors, including several elderly victims, between May 2019 and October 2021. Barber falsely promised guaranteed returns of 8-10% on house-flipping projects that did not exist, using investor funds instead to pay himself (approximately $2.9 million), co-conspirators, and earlier investors, with estimated losses of at least $7 million. He pleaded guilty to two counts of wire fraud and one count of criminal contempt, with a restitution hearing

An 85-year-old Brooklyn artist was defrauded of $135,000 after being contacted on LinkedIn by a scammer posing as an art dealer who directed him to a fake NFT marketplace resembling OpenSea, promising $300,000 in profits but then demanding a "fee" to access funds. The Brooklyn District Attorney's office shut down 40 fraudulent NFT websites connected to the scheme, which targeted artists and was traced to Nigeria, with investigators identifying at least two other victims in Georgia and California.

The Brooklyn District Attorney's office launched an investigation into fraudulent NFT platforms after an 85-year-old artist lost his life savings to a fake OpenSea website, uncovering 40 similar phishing sites targeting artists across the country. Scammers accessed victims' digital assets and laundered stolen funds through Nigeria, affecting at least three artists from New York, Georgia, and California. The DA's office shut down the fraudulent websites and advised NFT artists to verify site legitimacy and protect their crypto wallet seed phrases to prevent asset theft.

A 66-year-old San José man lost $170,000 in a "pig butchering" cryptocurrency scam, where scammers posed as investment advisors over Facebook and attempted to extract an additional $348,000 for fraudulent overseas taxes. Two Southern California residents, Liu Hong and Yalin Li, were arrested after law enforcement set up a sting operation at a bank parking lot; the case is notable because the victim realized the fraud while still in contact with the scammers, allowing authorities to intervene. Pig butchering scams cost Americans approximately $1 billion annually and typically involve multiple perpetrators, often including human trafficking victims forced to participate from Southeast Asia.

Alec Tahir Baker, 60, of Corona, California, was indicted on federal charges of conspiracy to commit money laundering, bank fraud, and aggravated identity theft for his role in a scheme that defrauded businesses, individuals, and the Town of Bristol, Rhode Island, of approximately $8.9 million. The conspiracy employed business email compromise tactics, including phishing emails to gain network access and vendor impersonation emails to redirect payments to accounts Baker controlled across over 40 bank accounts he created. Baker subsequently concealed the fraudulent proceeds through cash withdrawals, cryptocurrency transfers, and transfers to other accounts and individuals, including a $310,500 theft from Bristol municipal funds

Adam Herrera listed his 2007 Toyota Tacoma for $13,000 on OfferUp and met potential buyers at an In-N-Out parking lot in Hesperia, California, where they sabotaged his vehicle by pouring water into the engine oil while distracting him during a test drive. When the truck began smoking, the scammers offered him only $5,000, but Herrera recognized the scheme after reviewing his dash camera footage and refused to sell. The incident cost him $1,500 in repairs at a Toyota dealership, and the Hesperia Police Department's investigation was ongoing at the time of reporting.

A 73-year-old California woman was defrauded of thousands of dollars over four months by a scammer who impersonated MSNBC host Ari Melber on a fake Facebook profile, initially requesting money for a supposed sick dog and later claiming romantic interest and plans to marry her. The scammer used an AI-generated voice message to strengthen the deception and nearly convinced the victim to travel to New York City to meet in person, though a family member intercepted her during a layover and brought her home. The FBI reports that such scams targeting older adults are increasingly common, with over 101,000 people age 60 and older reporting fraud in the previous year.

Three individuals were convicted of abusing six disabled and elderly residents (ages 32-66) at an unlicensed care facility called Secure Hands Board and Care Facility in Riverside, California, where victims were found malnourished and living in unsanitary conditions without proper care. Joel Ombao received five years in prison, Ronnel Tiburcio received seven years, and Nimfa Molina received 122 days in jail for their roles operating the facility without proper licensing, staff, or equipment. The case was investigated and prosecuted by the California Department of Justice's Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse and the Riverside Police Department

Three operators of an unlicensed Riverside care facility were sentenced for neglecting and abusing six severely disabled residents aged 32-66, who were found malnourished, dehydrated, and living in squalor without proper medical care or staffing. Ronnel Tiburcio received seven years in prison after being convicted of six felony counts of elder abuse likely to produce great bodily harm and death, while facility owner Joel Ombao received five years and registered nurse Nimfa Molina received 122 days in county jail. The case was prosecuted by California's Division of Medi-Cal Fraud and Elder Abuse.

A 73-year-old California woman was scammed out of thousands of dollars by someone posing as MSNBC host Ari Melber on a fake Facebook profile over a four-month period. The scammer manipulated the victim by initially requesting money for his "sick dog," then claiming to be in love with her and promising marriage, and eventually sending an AI-generated voice message impersonating Melber before the victim attempted to fly to New York to meet him—an intervention by family members prevented the trip. The incident highlights the vulnerability of elderly individuals to romance and impersonation scams, with the FBI reporting over 101,000 people aged 60+ reporting fraud in the prior year.

**Summary:** California Attorney General Rob Bonta secured sentencing in a Riverside elder abuse case involving three defendants who operated an unlicensed board and care facility where six severely disabled residents aged 32-66 were found malnourished, dehydrated, and living in squalor without adequate care or staffing. Ronnel Tiburcio, assistant at the facility, was convicted of six felony counts of elder abuse and sentenced to seven years in prison; facility owner Joel Ombao received five years, and registered nurse Nimfa Molina received 122 days in jail.

California's Department of Justice is investigating Contra Costa County's Enhanced Care Management (ECM) program after the federal Office of Inspector General filed a complaint based on NBC Bay Area's reporting about the program allegedly ignoring vulnerable Medi-Cal patients' medical needs, resulting in patient deaths. A county nurse manager reported that since 2022, the program falsified medical visit records, billed the state for visits that never occurred or were conducted by untrained staff, and failed to address patients' medical needs—including one case where a patient died from untreated bed sores and another who received no health interventions for a year. Contra Costa County settled with the whistleblower nurse for $499,000

A retired submarine commander lost $3.6 million to scammers despite his banks' concerns, prompting Virginia to propose "Larry's Law"—legislation requiring banks to report suspected fraud to police. However, industry lobbyists successfully removed the mandatory reporting clause before the bill passed, and similar elder fraud protection measures in California and Pennsylvania have also been blocked or weakened by banking industry opposition, even as elderly Americans lose an estimated $28 billion annually to fraud. Banks argue that consumer education and voluntary reporting to adult protective services are sufficient, but enforcement of existing reporting requirements remains lax across states.

Matthew Ramos-Soto, a 27-year-old from Connecticut, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for his role in a multi-state grandparent scam targeting elderly victims. Operating as a courier posing as a bail bondsman, Ramos-Soto collected over $250,000 from victims across the United States between October 2022 and June 2023, as part of a larger fraud network that contacted elderly people claiming their relatives had been arrested and needed bail money. The scheme, which operated across multiple states including Wisconsin, Michigan, Vermont, Rhode Island, and California, resulted in restitution being ordered and prompted federal authorities to emphasize the importance of

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.

Canter Strategic Wealth Management, a $300 million RIA in California, sued former advisor Michael N. Bernier and LPL Financial, alleging they conspired to steal clients after Bernier resigned in October to join LPL. The suit claims Bernier improperly accessed and downloaded confidential client information before departing and violated a non-solicitation clause, resulting in over $20 million in client assets transferring to LPL within weeks; Bernier denies wrongdoing and claims he downloaded only personal files with permission. Canter is seeking injunctions, damages, and compensation for legal fees, adding to a pattern of recruitment-related litigation involving LP

An 80-year-old American woman, Diana Nelson, was victimized by a romance scam orchestrated by Nigerian fraudster Emmanuel Adeboye, who impersonated Hollywood actor Mark Hammon on Facebook and convinced her to travel to Ghana in November, where she was held captive and robbed of her phones, cash, and valuables. Adeboye also manipulated Nelson into obtaining a $15,000 reverse mortgage on her California home and attempted to have her house sold while she was detained; he later contacted her son demanding he sell the property and claiming Nelson had been arrested with undeclared gold and diamonds. The FBI and Ghana Police coordinated a sting operation using her credit

A 69-year-old woman in Salmon Arm, B.C. lost $9,000 after clicking a fraudulent Facebook link that displayed a fake security warning claiming she had been hacked and would be reported for accessing illegal content. She was manipulated into purchasing Apple iTunes gift cards and providing the codes to scammers, who could not be traced due to the California-based phone number used in the scheme.

Katherine Goodson, a 67-year-old California woman, lost tens of thousands of dollars over two years to a romance scammer impersonating actor Keanu Reeves, sending money via bitcoin, gift cards, and wire transfers, and is now living in her car. Romance scams are prevalent online, with Americans losing over $650 million to such scams in 2023, with adults over 60 suffering the largest losses at $3.4 billion collectively. Red flags include refusal to meet in person, requests for money, and pressure to use unconventional payment methods like gift cards or wire transfers.

A 67-year-old California woman lost tens of thousands of dollars to a romance scammer impersonating actor Keanu Reeves, sending money via bitcoin, gift cards, and wire transfers over two years and eventually becoming homeless. Romance scams are among the most common online frauds, with Americans losing over $650 million to such scams in 2023, and adults over 60 experiencing the largest financial losses at $3.4 billion collectively. Red flags for romance scams include refusal to meet in person, requests for money, and pressure to use unconventional payment methods like gift cards or wire transfers.

Scammers are sending text messages to people across multiple states, including California, demanding payment for toll road fees and threatening legal action, with links that can compromise personal information if clicked. The Identity Theft Resource Center reports these toll road scams are rapidly increasing, and California's Attorney General recommends victims delete suspicious messages, file complaints, verify accounts directly through official channels, and secure their financial information.

Scammers are sending text messages to Southern California FasTrak users demanding payment for toll lane usage, threatening excessive late fees and legal action to pressure victims into clicking malicious links. Metro officials confirmed the ExpressLanes system was not hacked and customers will never be contacted via text for payment, urging residents to ignore phishing attempts and report suspicious messages. The California Attorney General's office advises residents to verify toll charges through official websites or phone numbers, use their phone's spam reporting feature, and share warnings with others to prevent victimization.

Scammers sent phishing text messages to Southern California Metro ExpressLanes users and non-users, threatening legal action and excessive late fees to coerce payment of fake FasTrak tolls through malicious links. The Los Angeles County Metropolitan Transportation Authority confirmed no customer data was compromised and warned the public never to respond to, click links in, or use contact information from such messages. Similar phishing campaigns targeting FasTrak users have been reported across California since at least March.

A 69-year-old woman in Salmon Arm lost $9,000 after clicking a Facebook link that displayed a fake security alert claiming she had been hacked and threatened with child pornography charges. She was then manipulated by scammers into purchasing iTunes gift cards and providing the details to them, with RCMP unable to recover the funds as they traced to a California phone number. RCMP issued a warning to seniors about this type of fraudulent scheme.

Katherine Goodson, a 67-year-old California woman, lost tens of thousands of dollars over two years to a romance scam in which a fraudster impersonated actor Keanu Reeves, resulting in her becoming homeless. In 2023, romance scams caused over $650 million in losses nationwide, with adults over 60 suffering $3.4 billion in total losses. The FTC advises recognizing red flags such as refusal to meet in person or requests for unconventional payments like gift cards, and recommends ceasing communication immediately if a scam is suspected.

Scammers in Southern California have been sending fake text messages impersonating FasTrak (California's toll road payment system) with threats of legal action and financial penalties to trick drivers into clicking malicious links and entering sensitive banking and personal information. Despite obvious errors in the messages (misspelled "FasTrak" and fake URLs), many drivers have fallen for the scam due to panic about potential fines, with some victims having their phones compromised and personal data stolen. FasTrak officials warn that government agencies never contact customers via text and recommend deleting suspicious messages, verifying charges

A 67-year-old California woman lost tens of thousands of dollars over two years to a romance scammer who impersonated actor Keanu Reeves, ultimately becoming homeless and living in her car. In 2023, the FBI reported that victims lost over $650 million to romance scams targeting vulnerable individuals, with the majority of victims being over 60 years old, though many cases go unreported due to shame and emotional trauma.

A text message scam circulating in California falsely claims recipients owe FasTrak toll fees and directs them to click a link to pay, threatening late fees or legal action. California Attorney General Rob Bonta warns that FasTrak and The Toll Roads never request payment via text messages with website links, and advises recipients to avoid clicking the link, report the scam to the FBI and FTC, and verify any account information directly through official websites.

Katherine Goodson, a 67-year-old California woman, lost tens of thousands of dollars in life savings to a romance scammer posing as actor Keanu Reeves over two years, eventually leaving her homeless with minimal resources. Romance scams cost Americans over $650 million in 2023, with adults over 60 accounting for $3.4 billion in losses, making them the primary targets of scammers who impersonate celebrities, professionals, and companies. Red flags include requests for money through untraceable methods like Bitcoin and wire transfers, and victims are urged to verify identities independently before sending funds.

Three California residents filed a class action lawsuit against Apple in December 2024, alleging the company failed to adequately vet cryptocurrency trading apps on its App Store that were actually "pig butchering" scams designed to defraud investors. One plaintiff lost over $1.2 million after downloading the fraudulent app Digicoins, which froze his assets in February 2024, and the suit claims Apple misrepresented that its App Store vets apps for security, legitimacy, and legal compliance. The lawsuit seeks to represent all users who downloaded the scam apps Digicoins, SolLuna, or Forex5 from the Apple App Store

A text-based scam is circulating in California claiming recipients owe FasTrak toll fees and directing them to fraudulent websites to submit payment and personal information. California's Attorney General warns that legitimate tolling agencies do not send unsolicited text messages and advises recipients to avoid clicking links, file complaints with the FBI and FTC, and verify any toll charges directly through official agency websites.

**Summary:** Fraudsters are posing as AMBER Alert representatives and contacting residents to "register" children, requesting confidential information and home visits. The California Highway Patrol clarified that AMBER Alerts require no registration and are only activated by law enforcement agencies investigating actual child abductions, urging the public to avoid sharing personal information with unknown callers and report such contacts to local law enforcement.

A text phishing scam is targeting California drivers, claiming they owe money for FasTrak toll lane usage and threatening license suspension or late penalties if payment isn't made. Officials with Toll Roads (FasTrak's operator) warn that the company does not send unsolicited text messages to non-account holders, and advise drivers to ignore such messages and verify any claims by checking their accounts online or contacting their regional tolling agency directly.

California Highway Patrol warned of a scam where fraudsters impersonate "Amber Alert representatives" and contact parents requesting personal information, home visits, and fake enrollment fees for a phony Amber Alert system. The CHP clarified that the legitimate Amber Alert system is free, requires no registration or personal data, and operates only through official CHP channels. Victims are advised to report such contact attempts to local law enforcement.

Scammers are exploiting generosity during the California Wildfires (which began January 7th and displaced 200,000 people with $135 billion in damages) by posing as legitimate charities and FEMA officials to steal donations and charge fees for disaster assistance. Fraudsters use techniques including caller ID spoofing, AI-generated content, deepfakes, and fake charity websites to appear legitimate, making it difficult for donors to verify authenticity through phone, email, text, or social media contact. To protect themselves, donors should verify charities through Charity Navigator before giving, never provide payment information to unsolicited contacts, and avoid charities that use more than 25

Scammers are exploiting the California wildfires by creating fake donation pages and impersonating charities and government agencies to steal money from people wanting to help and to target disaster victims seeking assistance. People should verify organizations through legitimate channels (such as Give.org), watch for red flags like misspelled URLs and phishing emails, and avoid clicking links from unverified social media ads or unsolicited contacts, as AI-enhanced scams are becoming increasingly difficult to detect.

The Better Business Bureau warned of donation scams targeting both disaster relief donors and Southern California wildfire victims, noting that fraudulent charities typically emerge after major disasters and often initiate contact rather than waiting for donors to find them. To avoid scams, donors should verify charities through trustworthy resources like Give.org, avoid clicking suspicious links, look for specific program descriptions, and check state charity registration records. Reporting suspected scams to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center is recommended, though recovering money from fake charities—often operating outside the United States—is unlikely.

California's Attorney General warned of scams targeting wildfire victims and also highlighted illegal price gouging occurring during the state of emergency. The warning appears to address fraudulent schemes exploiting disaster victims seeking aid and services during wildfire recovery.

Los Angeles officials are warning residents affected by recent wildfires that scammers are actively targeting vulnerable victims through false job postings, impersonation of government employees and FEMA agents, phone/text phishing attempts, unsolicited in-person solicitations, and fraudulent donation schemes. Law enforcement recommends verifying credentials through official channels, avoiding sharing personal information via social media or unsolicited contacts, never paying through gift cards or cryptocurrency, and trusting your instincts if something feels suspicious. County Sheriff Robert Luna pledged that perpetrators—including those impersonating firefighters to commit burglaries—will face prosecution.

On January 9, 2025, Tulare Police arrested 28-year-old Hailong He in connection with an investment scam that defrauded an elderly victim of $130,000. The suspects posed as a trading company and used a fictitious phone application to convince the victim to invest money, arranging in-person cash pickups at his home and pressuring him for an additional $90,000 under false pretenses of account closure fees. Police conducted surveillance and apprehended the suspect during a planned third transaction, charging him with Financial Elder Abuse, Theft Under False Pretenses, and Grand Theft.