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in Robocall / Phone Scam
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NBC10 Boston
· 2025-05-23
Massachusetts consumer protection officials warn residents to stay alert against increasingly common scams, noting that older Americans lost nearly $5 billion to fraud in the past year. Key red flags include social media scams that create urgency, unsolicited phone calls, tech support scams, romance scams, and cryptocurrency schemes, with protective measures including ignoring unknown callers, using two-factor authentication, and regularly changing passwords.
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CBS Evening News
· 2025-06-01
A 26-year-old U.S. Navy electrician named Thomas Xiao admitted to passing sensitive military documents to a Chinese intelligence officer who posed as an investor and researcher on the Chinese social media app WeChat between 2021 and 2023. Chinese intelligence operatives are increasingly using social media and virtual contact to recruit U.S. military personnel and extract classified information, as traditional in-person espionage has become more difficult.
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The Straits Times
· 2025-06-02
This educational piece for children ages 9-12 explains what scams are and how they work. A scam occurs when someone tricks you into giving them money or personal information by impersonating trusted entities like banks, government agencies, or celebrities, typically through phone calls, messaging apps, or social media while offering fake prizes or credits in return. The article emphasizes that scams affect people of all ages and warns viewers to be cautious about unsolicited offers and requests for personal information.
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WFRV Local 5
· 2025-06-03
The Wisconsin Better Business Bureau warns that investment and cryptocurrency scams are the most prevalent frauds targeting adults 55 and older. The BBB recommends being cautious of phone fraud with spoofed caller IDs, avoiding pressure to act immediately, and verifying unusual claims by calling official sources directly rather than trusting the caller's information.
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FOX13 Memphis
· 2025-06-09
Scammers are sending fraudulent text messages to Tennessee residents claiming they have outstanding traffic tickets and threatening license suspension to pressure victims into paying fines immediately. The messages impersonate a nonexistent "Tennessee Department of Vehicles" and warn that unpaid tickets could damage credit scores. To protect yourself, contact law enforcement directly if you believe you have a legitimate ticket, and remember that government agencies send official notices through mail, not text messages.
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WJZ
· 2025-06-16
Maryland state leaders and AARP launched "Protect Week," a public education campaign coinciding with World Elder Abuse Day, to help older adults and families avoid financial exploitation and scams. In Maryland alone, over 3,200 people aged 60+ lost approximately $80 million to scams in the previous year, with fraud often originating from both strangers online and trusted individuals. The campaign emphasizes that scammers exploit elders' vulnerability and trusting nature through increasingly sophisticated schemes that create artificial urgency.
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Forbes Breaking News
· 2025-06-20
Senator Chuck Grassley questioned law enforcement experts about scam calls targeting elder citizens, focusing on gaps in information sharing between federal, state, and local agencies during elder fraud investigations. An expert testified that fragmented investigations across multiple agencies fail to identify coordinated criminal enterprises, citing San Diego County as an example where 12 independent law enforcement agencies did not share data and missed connections between victims across different cities targeted by the same criminals, and that national coordination is necessary to effectively combat this growing crime.
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Forbes Breaking News
· 2025-06-21
Senator Dick Durbin questioned experts about phone scams targeting seniors, highlighting the growing threat of crypto ATM fraud as a tool used by scammers. An Iowa attorney general investigation found that over 98% of money seniors sent through Bitcoin Depot and 95% through Coinflip involved fraudulent transactions, with victims often deceived into believing they were preventing criminal prosecution. Durbin described seniors crying and distressed while depositing money into crypto ATMs and referenced support for legislation to address this scheme, with the AARP confirming they have witnessed victims being directed to these machines by criminals.
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CP24
· 2025-06-20
Toronto Police are warning the public of a rise in impersonation scams where callers falsely identify themselves as police officers, providing fake investigator names and badge numbers with spoofed legitimate police phone numbers. The scammers claim victims are under investigation and attempt to extract personal and financial information. Police remind the public that legitimate officers never request banking or personal information over the phone.
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KY3 News - Springfield, Mo.
· 2025-06-23
During Alzheimer's Awareness Month, the Better Business Bureau warns that older adults with Alzheimer's, dementia, and those experiencing loneliness or isolation face elevated scam risk. The BBB recommends that seniors and caregivers familiarize themselves with common scams, establish communication plans for suspicious contacts, never share personal information with strangers, and hang up and independently verify any suspicious calls—especially those from imposters claiming to be government or bank officials who pressure immediate responses.
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News 4 Tucson KVOA-TV
· 2025-06-27
A Jamaican man named Sherwane Benjamin Bellfonte, known as "the Iceman," was extradited to Tucson to face federal prosecution for an elaborate romance and sweepstakes scam targeting an 85-year-old woman from Veil, Arizona, between December 2015 and January 2019. Bellfonte and his co-conspirators defrauded the now-deceased victim of approximately $400,000 by posing as a romantic interest while pressuring her to send money. The FBI reports increasing numbers of similar scams targeting Arizona's elderly population.
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NBC News
· 2025-06-26
A senior couple in Colorado lost $20,000 in a gift card scam after receiving a fraudulent email claiming they owed money for an unauthorized phone purchase. The scammer, posing as a federal agent named Rebecca, convinced them to purchase multiple gift cards and provide PIN codes, with the scammer eventually admitting to the theft when contacted by police. The couple, now in their mid-70s, must rebuild their savings from scratch, highlighting the devastating impact of these scams run by international criminal networks.
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FOX 2 St. Louis
· 2025-06-27
A new Better Business Bureau report examines sophisticated business scams where fraudsters impersonate vendors, access computer systems, and obtain sensitive data through breaches. The FBI reports $1.4 billion in losses from data breaches over three years, with IBM estimating average breach costs of nearly $5 million per business in 2024. The BBB recommends businesses implement multi-factor authentication, conduct cybersecurity training for employees, and establish unique passwords across all devices to protect against these increasingly complex attacks.
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LEX18
· 2025-06-30
A Lexington woman narrowly avoided a jury duty scam in June when a caller impersonating a county sheriff's deputy contacted her claiming she had failed to appear for jury duty. The scammer used sophisticated tactics including a real deputy's name, local area code, actual county address, and the victim's personal information to establish credibility, though he never requested payment and instead asked her to come to the sheriff's office in person. The woman's skepticism and decision to verify the claim prevented her from becoming a victim of what could have escalated to financial loss or worse.
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11Alive
· 2025-07-02
A Georgia woman lost nearly $30,000 in a "task scam" after responding to a text about a part-time remote job. The scammers posed as a legitimate company, provided fake credentials, paid her for initial training tasks to build trust, then demanded she invest her own money to continue work, ultimately revealing the entire job opportunity was fraudulent. The Federal Trade Commission reports that such schemes are surging, typically starting with text messages promising work like app optimization or product boosting, using small initial payouts to establish credibility before escalating financial demands.
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KOAA 5
· 2025-07-25
A Colorado author lost over $100,000 in a combined romance and cryptocurrency investment scam after meeting someone on a dating app who convinced him to invest in what appeared to be a legitimate cryptocurrency opportunity. The incident is part of a larger trend in Colorado, where residents lost more than $240 million to scams in the previous year according to FBI data. The scammer used video calls and seemingly normal conversation tactics to build trust before pivoting to the fraudulent investment scheme.
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NBC4 Washington
· 2025-07-25
Grey's Anatomy actor Chris Carmack and his wife, musician Aaron Slaver, publicly shared their experience as scam victims to reduce stigma around fraud. Aaron lost $2,000 after purchasing cushions on an online platform (Betsy) that were never delivered and the seller disappeared before the platform could assist them. The couple is part of a McAfee cybersecurity campaign using #mycamstory to encourage others to openly discuss their scam experiences.
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KTVN 2 News Nevada
· 2025-07-28
The Lyon County Sheriff's Office is warning of a rising trend in phone and identity scams targeting senior citizens, including scams impersonating law enforcement, government agencies, and family members in distress. Officials recommend that seniors stop and consult with trusted family members or official sources when encountering potential scams to avoid victimization.
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WCHS Eyewitness News
· 2025-07-28
Charleston Police and Chase Bank hosted a workshop to educate seniors on avoiding scams, as phone, text, and email fraud targeting this population is on the rise both nationally and locally. According to the Federal Trade Commission, West Virginians lost more than $27 million to fraud and scams in the past year, primarily from impostor schemes including EasyPass, jury duty, and romance scams. The workshop emphasized the importance of verifying communications directly with companies or agencies rather than responding to urgent-seeming messages.
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TODAY
· 2025-07-29
Summer scammers exploit seasonal activities by targeting travelers and vacationers through fake rental listings on platforms like Airbnb, Vrbo, and Facebook Marketplace. Key summer scams identified by the Association of Certified Fraud Examiners include travel-related fraud, and consumers are advised to be cautious when booking vacation properties and purchasing concert tickets during the season.
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FOX 9 Minneapolis-St. Paul
· 2025-08-05
An expert discusses how scams and fraud are defined as attempts to steal personal information or money through deception. Scammers obtain victims' information from multiple sources including shady websites, data breaches, and purchased lists from legitimate sources like mall registrations, then use this information to target potential victims through unsolicited calls and messages.
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WREG News Channel 3
· 2025-08-11
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KPBS Public Media
· 2025-08-11
An 86-year-old San Diego senior named Bob Duff was targeted by a romance scam when someone posing as a 37-year-old South Korean woman named Kalista initiated contact via text, built rapport over two days on the messaging app Telegram, and attempted to establish an emotional connection. The incident illustrates how tech-savvy scammers are increasingly targeting San Diego seniors by exploiting loneliness and using social engineering tactics on digital platforms.
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CBS TEXAS
· 2025-08-14
The FBI dismantled an international grandparent scam operation originating from a Dominican Republic call center that defrauded over 400 senior citizens of more than $5 million. Scammers used scripts to convince vulnerable seniors that a grandchild needed immediate financial assistance, while U.S.-based runners collected cash via Uber, until Uber's security team flagged the activity to authorities. Experts recommend families establish code words for phone verification and note that law enforcement never requests money over the phone.
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NBC10 Philadelphia
· 2025-08-14
An 86-year-old South Philadelphia woman was defrauded of $6,000 after receiving a call from scammers using AI-generated voice technology to impersonate her granddaughter claiming to be in a car accident and detained by police. A fake lawyer then demanded $10,400 to secure the granddaughter's release, settling for the $6,000 in cash the victim had available. The incident highlights how scammers exploit family emergencies and new technology to manipulate elderly victims into sending money quickly without verification.
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WHNT News 19
· 2025-08-19
Scammers are tricking consumers into paying fees for passport renewal forms that are actually free downloads from the U.S. government website. These fraudulent sites mimic the official government website (ending in .com instead of .gov) and may trick victims into providing personal and financial information, potentially leading to identity theft. Consumers should verify they are using the official site (travel.state.gov) and avoid clicking sponsored search results, while monitoring their bank accounts if they suspect they've been victimized.
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FOX5 Las Vegas
· 2025-08-20
The "one-ring scam" involves illegal robocallers making single-ring calls designed to trigger curiosity and prompt victims to call back numbers that appear to be US-based but are actually international (e.g., Sierra Leone's 232 area code, Dominican Republic's 809). When victims return the call, they risk being connected to premium international numbers with high per-minute fees that appear as mysterious charges on their phone bills. To avoid this scam, do not answer or return calls from unrecognized numbers, verify area codes before calling back, and report any fraudulent charges to the FTC.
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FOX59 News
· 2025-08-19
Imposter scammers are increasingly targeting seniors' life savings, with the number of older Americans reporting losses exceeding $100,000 increasing nearly sevenfold since 2020, according to FTC data. Scammers impersonating businesses and government agencies use three common tactics to create urgency and fear: claiming unauthorized account use, identity theft, or computer security problems, then instructing victims to move money to accounts they control under the guise of protection. The FTC advises never transferring money at a stranger's direction and instead hanging up and contacting trusted contacts or the agency directly to verify claims.
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WPLG Local 10
· 2025-08-21
An 85-year-old woman and her neighbor were scammed by a father-son contractor team who arrived unsolicited offering driveway repairs, charging $4,000 and $950 respectively for shoddy, incomplete work that did not meet promised standards. After a reporter confronted the contractors, both victims were made whole, which the article notes is an unusually successful outcome in contractor fraud cases.
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CNY Central
· 2025-08-20
Federal authorities arrested 13 people involved in a transnational grandparent scam that defrauded at least 400 elderly victims nationwide of approximately $5 million, with funds funneled to the Dominican Republic. Scammers called victims from call centers in the Dominican Republic, impersonating grandchildren in distress and requesting urgent wire transfers, sometimes using ride-share drivers to collect cash in person. An elderly couple from Cayuga County, New York, was among the victims, losing nearly $25,000 to the scheme.
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Eyewitness News ABC7NY
· 2025-08-22
A man was scammed out of $17,000 after a United Airlines representative accidentally transferred him to a scammer posing as another airline's customer service while rebooking his cancelled European vacation flights. The scammer convinced him to pay $17,000 for rebooking services that never went through, and United Airlines later confirmed their agent had googled a fake airline number and transferred the call unknowingly. United is working to resolve the situation with the victim.
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41NBC
· 2025-08-23
The Houston County Coroner warned residents about scammers impersonating funeral home staff who call grieving families and demand payment to continue services. Coroner James Williams advised people never to give credit card or personal information over the phone to unknown callers, and to report suspicious calls to law enforcement immediately.
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WRAL
· 2025-08-23
Money transfer apps like Zelle and Venmo lack fraud protections comparable to credit cards, leaving users vulnerable to scammers who have stolen over a billion dollars through these platforms. New York's Attorney General is suing Zelle, claiming inadequate consumer safeguards, while experts warn users to avoid unsolicited calls/emails from these apps, never search for help online (risking fake support scammers), and understand that funds sent to the wrong person are typically unrecoverable. To use these apps safely, only transfer money to trusted contacts you know.
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NewsChannel 5
· 2025-08-25
Consumer Reports experts provide guidance on identifying and avoiding text message (SMS) scams, which commonly impersonate legitimate sources like package delivery services, toll road authorities, and job recruiters to pressure recipients into clicking malicious links or providing personal information. Key warning signs include urgent language, unsolicited messages about services you haven't used, and requests to click links or update information. The advice emphasizes that scammers design messages to appear legitimate at first glance, making it important to pause before responding and verify communications directly with the supposed sender through official channels.
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8 News Now — Las Vegas
· 2025-08-26
In 2024, older Americans ages 60 and up lost $12.5 billion to scams and fraud—a 25% increase from 2023—with impostor scams being the most common type, where criminals impersonate government officials or companies like Amazon and PayPal. Las Vegas seniors including Bernardet Bartal reported falling victim to multiple schemes involving fake checks, fraudulent car repairs, and housing scams, losing thousands of dollars with little recovery. According to AARP, seniors face relentless daily contact from scammers through phone calls, texts, and emails attempting to extract personal information and money.
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NBC 6 South Florida
· 2025-12-09
An elderly woman named Christine lost $6,000 in a grandparent scam after receiving a panicked call from someone claiming to be her granddaughter Addison asking for emergency money; authorities believe the caller used AI-generated voice technology to impersonate her granddaughter, who was actually safe at work. The grandparent scam is a widespread fraud affecting over 147,000 victims annually with losses totaling nearly $4.9 billion, and scammers are increasingly using readily available AI voice-cloning tools that require minimal audio samples to create convincing impersonations.
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WDEF News 12
· 2025-09-04
Phishing scams have become increasingly sophisticated since the 1990s, with fraudsters now using emails, text messages, phone calls, QR codes, and AI-generated voices to deceive victims into sharing sensitive information like bank accounts, passwords, and social security numbers. Notably, younger adults aged 18-30 are now falling victim to these scams more frequently than older Americans, particularly through online shopping schemes, while businesses and consumers collectively face millions in losses annually from stolen funds, identity theft, and malware infections.
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Atlanta News First
· 2025-09-06
Fulton County launched a free online training program called "Avoid Cyber Threats" to help seniors recognize and avoid digital scams, following FBI data showing seniors suffered approximately $5 billion in financial losses last year. The program was created in response to the vulnerability of older adults to cyber fraud, illustrated by a resident's experience losing $2,000 to a phishing scam, and addresses the fact that Georgia ranks seventh nationally for internet crime losses.
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CBS Mornings
· 2025-09-06
This educational piece outlines warning signs and protection strategies against modern scams, particularly AI scams and romance scams. It highlights that scammers stole a record $16.6 billion through internet crimes like identity theft and online impersonation in 2024—a 33% increase from the previous year—by exploiting personal data left behind through online activity. The article recommends protective measures including investigating your digital trail through Google searches, managing social media profiles, and being aware of how data brokers collect and sell personal information to third parties.
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Bangkok Post
· 2025-09-08
This episode from the Bangkok Post examines Thailand's growing cyber scam epidemic, which has expanded into a trillion-dollar industry over the past three years as both scammer and victim numbers have surged. The content outlines common scam tactics including advance-fee schemes (fake Nigerian prince emails), phishing attacks impersonating banks and government agencies to steal identity and funds, and tech support scams where fraudsters pose as Microsoft to gain computer access. The episode illustrates how modern cyber scams are adaptations of centuries-old swindle techniques now conducted through digital channels.
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WUSA9
· 2025-09-08
DC's Attorney General filed a lawsuit against a major Bitcoin ATM operator after finding that 93% of deposits at these machines were linked to fraud, with victims having a median age of 71 and median losses of $8,000. The scam typically begins with a phone call from someone impersonating a bank, government official, or trusted company, who convinces seniors to deposit money into Bitcoin ATMs under false pretenses such as protecting their funds or assisting with a government investigation. Red flags include high-pressure tactics and artificial urgency in these calls.
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FOX Carolina News
· 2025-09-13
South Carolina ranks disproportionately high in scam calls and texts compared to other states and previous months, according to TrueCaller's monthly data tracking. Scam activity shows seasonality patterns, with increased fraud attempts during severe weather events like hurricanes and coastal damage. The caller ID and spam-blocking service provider attributes the targeting to both predictable seasonal trends and state-specific vulnerabilities.
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ABC News (Australia)
· 2025-09-18
Donna Nelson was arrested at a Japanese airport in January 2023 with 2 kilograms of methamphetamine hidden in her suitcase lining while traveling to meet a man she planned to marry. Nelson claims she was a victim of a romance scam, having been deceived online for two years by the man who convinced her to travel to Asia. Her family maintains her innocence, stating she was manipulated into unknowingly transporting the drugs as part of the scam.
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ABC15 Arizona
· 2025-09-22
Medicare scams are flooding seniors with phone calls and emails, with the Department of Justice estimating $60 billion in annual Medicare fraud losses. Scammers impersonate Medicare representatives and use threats (such as losing coverage) or offers of new Medicare cards to extract seniors' Medicare numbers, which they then use to fraudulently bill the program. Experts advise that Medicare will not contact beneficiaries by phone requesting personal information or offering to mail new cards.
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ABC News
· 2025-09-25
**Grandparent Scam - Voice Technology Fraud**
Scammers are using advanced voice technology to impersonate grandchildren in what the FBI identifies as an escalating problem targeting older adults. A 91-year-old victim (Shirley Morrow) was convinced by a call mimicking her grandson's voice that he was in legal trouble and needed $9,000; older adults collectively lost $4.9 billion to these scams, which typically involve fraudsters posing as family members in supposed emergencies to pressure immediate payment.
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ABC News
· 2025-09-25
A 91-year-old woman named Shirley Morrow lost $9,000 in a "grandparent scam" after receiving a phone call from someone posing as her grandson, claiming he was in jail following a car accident and needed bail money. The scam involves fraudsters impersonating a grandchild in distress and requesting immediate payment, with tens of thousands of cases reported nationwide targeting senior citizens. Scammers use voice mimicking technology and social engineering tactics to convince victims to withdraw cash before they realize they've been deceived.
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NowMedia Group
· 2025-10-03
Police in Kelowna issued a warning about a grandparent scam in which a fraudster called elderly victims claiming to be a lawyer, stating their grandchild had been arrested, and demanding $5,000 in cash to secure their release. The suspect then visited homes in person to collect the money, with two successful visits occurring on the same day in the 600 block of San Michelle Road and 1300 block of Cao Road. The RCMP urged the public to discuss scam awareness with elderly family members and provided a description of the suspect: a light-skinned male approximately 6 feet tall with dark slicked-back hair, long sideburns, and not
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Arizona’s Family (3TV / CBS 5)
· 2025-10-06
This podcast segment from "On Your Side" features hosts Gary Harper and Susan Campbell discussing the evolving nature of scams targeting vulnerable populations. The hosts highlight how scams have become increasingly sophisticated and believable over time, using technology to deceive victims—exemplified by Susan's personal anecdote about her grandmother falling for a classic Microsoft pop-up scam that prompted her to call a fraudulent number and potentially compromise her financial accounts. The hosts emphasize that scams are becoming more prevalent and convincing, affecting even intelligent and vigilant people, and stress the importance of family awareness and intervention to protect loved ones from fraud.
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WCCO - CBS Minnesota
· 2025-10-06
A survey across 11 countries found that Americans are the most-targeted population for scams globally, receiving approximately 100 scam attempts monthly or about 25 fraudulent contacts per week, including an average of nine scam calls, nine fraudulent emails, and seven suspicious text messages. The data suggests scammers view Americans as particularly vulnerable, with new scam variations emerging regularly, including work-from-home schemes and payment solicitations.
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WFXR NEWS
· 2025-10-08
The Better Business Bureau warned of increased scam activity during government shutdowns, particularly government impersonation scams where criminals pose as federal agencies to steal money or personal information. Common shutdown-related scams include fake passport expedited services, fraudulent messages claiming benefits are at risk unless payment is made, and impersonation of the IRS, Social Security, or law enforcement. The shutdown makes these scams more effective because confusion about which services remain open allows criminals to exploit victims, and official fraud reporting websites like the FTC's are offline, preventing victims from easily reporting incidents.