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lavalnews.ca
· 2025-12-08
Six of 16 suspects were arraigned in Quebec courts in connection with a $1 million province-wide fraud scheme targeting senior citizens with an average age in the late 70s. The suspects allegedly used telephone spoofing software to impersonate banks, institutions, and police officers to defraud 214 victims across 250 fraud cases. The arrests concluded a multi-year investigation by over 90 police officers that began in 2022.
pmg-ky1.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article defines elder abuse (including neglect, theft, abandonment, physical harm, and financial exploitation) and outlines support resources available to seniors. Multiple assistance options exist at local, state, and federal levels, including Adult Protective Services, legal aid, ombudsmen in care facilities, and online searches through justice.gov/elderjustice, with the article emphasizing that thousands of seniors over 60 are affected annually and that victims should not self-blame. The article notes that those with disabilities or memory problems are most frequently targeted, though anyone requiring assistance with daily activities can be vulnerable.
ntd.com
· 2025-12-08
Antony Linton Stewart, a 40-year-old from Jamaica, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for operating a lottery scam from 2010 to 2016 that defrauded U.S. seniors by falsely claiming they had won sweepstakes prizes and then repeatedly extracting fees and taxes from victims who never received anything. Stewart and his co-conspirators targeted elderly Americans by phone, instructing them to send money via wire transfer or mail to intermediaries before it reached Stewart, ultimately causing significant financial losses to his victims. Stewart was ordered to pay more than $1.1 million in restitution after being extradited to the United States
krocnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Two Minnesota brothers, Abdulkadir Nur Salah and Abdi Nur Salah, pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges in connection with the Feeding Our Future scandal, a $250 million scheme involving fraudulent claims under the Federal Child Nutrition Program. The brothers, who operated Safari Restaurant and a fraudulent nonprofit, received over $16 million in false reimbursements and must forfeit more than $1.5 million in bank accounts and several properties to the federal government.
wjon.com
· 2025-12-08
Two Minnesota brothers, Abdulkadir Nur Salah and Abdi Nur Salah, pleaded guilty to federal wire fraud charges for their roles in the Feeding Our Future scandal, a $250 million scheme involving fraudulent reimbursements from the Federal Child Nutrition Program. One brother's restaurant received over $16 million in fraudulent payments, while the other registered a fake nonprofit to obtain federal funding by falsely claiming to provide meals to children across Minnesota. Both men agreed to forfeit over $1.5 million in bank accounts and several properties to the federal government, with sentencing to be scheduled later.
khaleejtimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Several women in the UAE were defrauded by a European seller who sold counterfeit designer bags through social media groups, falsely marketing them as authentic luxury items at heavily discounted prices (Dh1,500-Dh2,000 versus authentic prices of Dh9,000+). Multiple victims, including a healthcare professional who purchased 10 fake bags and another buyer who nearly lost Dh30,000, filed police complaints after having their purchases authenticated at official stores and experiencing hostility when requesting refunds. The seller used elaborate Instagram unboxing videos and posed as a wealthy Arab to build credibility, with victims discovering the bags were actually worth as little as Dh
wflx.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers in Martin County spoofed the sheriff's office phone number to call residents claiming they had outstanding arrest warrants requiring immediate bitcoin payment to resolve. Two men lost a combined $20,000 in the scam last week before law enforcement intervened. The Martin County Sheriff's Office warns residents that legitimate agencies never request money over the phone and advises potential victims to stay calm and verify calls with trusted contacts or the sheriff's office directly, as bitcoin transactions are virtually impossible to recover.
indianexpress.com
· 2025-12-08
A retired Army colonel in his early 70s from Pune lost Rs 62 lakh in a "digital arrest" scam when fraudsters posing as Delhi Cyber Cell officers claimed he was involved in a Rs 500 crore hawala scam and coerced him to transfer his savings to fake government accounts over five days. The scam operated by threatening arrest, conducting fake video calls to simulate detention, and routing stolen funds through bank accounts in Karnataka, Assam, and Madhya Pradesh. This case is part of a broader pattern of digital arrest fraud targeting senior citizens and armed forces personnel in India, with recent victims losing crores of rupees to organized multinational syndicates.
finextra.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams are highly sophisticated fraud schemes that exploit emotional vulnerability and loneliness, affecting victims across all age groups but particularly targeting middle-aged adults (55-64) and older adults (65-74). In 2023, romance scams resulted in approximately $1.14 billion in reported losses in the United States, with a median loss of $2,000 per victim, with scammers increasingly using AI-generated images and fake social media accounts to build trust before requesting money for fabricated emergencies. A notable 2024 case involved a 53-year-old French woman who lost her entire life savings of $850,000 to scammers posing as
news.jrn.msu.edu
· 2025-12-08
A Michigan man and woman were charged with financially exploiting an 87-year-old Rochester Hills resident through fraudulent power of attorney, with one defendant embezzling over $400,000 and the other stealing thousands through unauthorized checks. A Michigan State University study in rural communities found that preventative training for family caregivers and seniors, combined with caseworker follow-up visits, effectively empowers people to identify and prevent financial exploitation of older adults. Michigan reports increasing financial exploitation cases, with over 4,000 referrals in fiscal year 2024, and research shows that even basic community education can raise awareness and help prevent elder fraud.
dailymail.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
A 91-year-old San Francisco millionaire, Geraldine Clark, was allegedly defrauded of approximately $5 million by her four live-in caregivers between 2015 and 2022 through forged checks and unauthorized withdrawals from her investment portfolio. The caregivers—Elsie Curameng, Milagros Alinas, Lilia Galdo, and Marina Suriao—exploited Clark's dementia (which they concealed from her family) and kept her sedated on high doses of Vicodin to drain her $9 million nest egg down to less than $200 before she died in
beincrypto.com
· 2025-12-08
A Coinbase user lost 110 cbBTC (valued at $11.5 million) after falling victim to a social engineering scam on Base network, with the stolen cryptocurrency quickly laundered across multiple exchanges. Blockchain investigator ZachXBT estimates that similar scams targeting Coinbase users have resulted in at least $150 million in losses over the past year, involving fraudsters impersonating support staff through phishing emails and spoofed calls to steal private keys and login credentials. Coinbase has not publicly addressed the issue, though the pattern of unreimbursed losses raises concerns about the exchange's fraud detection and customer protection measures.
thetimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Poppy, an 84-year-old widow from Manchester, lost £20,000 to three separate romance scams over two and a half years after becoming isolated following her husband's death and during the Covid lockdown. The scammers posed as American men and exploited her loneliness and declining memory by building emotional connections before requesting money for fabricated emergencies. Romance scams in the UK increased 6% in 2024 with victims losing £99.4 million, and criminologists note that previous victims are particularly vulnerable to repeat victimization due to the grooming tactics used.
brainerddispatch.com
· 2025-12-08
As tax season approaches, fraudsters are using increasingly sophisticated tactics—including artificial intelligence—to target taxpayers, with the FBI reporting 880,418 cybercrime complaints in 2023 resulting in losses exceeding $12.5 billion. Common tax scams include phishing emails impersonating IRS officials, unqualified tax preparers misusing client information, tax identity theft, and AI-enabled fraud schemes. Taxpayers should protect themselves by verifying preparer credentials, recognizing that the IRS initiates contact via mail rather than unsolicited phone calls or emails, avoiding suspicious links, and safeguarding personal information.
townandcountrymag.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, multiple high-profile fraud cases emerged involving sophisticated impersonation schemes: a Hermès heir reported a $13 billion fortune missing, Elvis Presley's estate discovered Graceland nearly sold at auction after a woman forged loan documents and signatures, and an Arup engineering employee wired $25 million to fraudsters using deepfake technology to impersonate company executives. The article highlights how modern scammers exploit advancing technology—including AI-generated voices and deepfakes—to impersonate authority figures, family members, and trusted individuals, with experts predicting AI-generated fraud could reach $40 billion by 2027. Recommended protections include establishing family
themonroesun.com
· 2025-12-08
Common scams targeting victims include fake attorney calls claiming a loved one needs bail money, utility shutoff warnings, lottery schemes, romance scams, and cryptocurrency investment fraud. Law enforcement advises that when unsolicited callers request personal information or money, recipients should hang up and independently verify the claim by contacting the supposed organization or person directly. Scammers use tactics such as keeping victims on the phone to prevent critical thinking, leveraging personal information like Social Security numbers, and coaching victims on how to send money discreetly to avoid detection by store employees.
bangkokpost.com
· 2025-12-08
A 52-year-old Thai woman was arrested at Hat Yai International Airport for her alleged role in Thailand's largest romance scam, which defrauded a multinational company's CFO of 6.3 billion baht (US$186 million) in 2022 using a fake LinkedIn profile of a US Army doctor. Orathai admitted to opening multiple Thai bank accounts for her Nigerian partner, who she claimed wanted to start a business, though the accounts were actually used to receive and transfer stolen funds from the fraud scheme. Warrants have been issued for approximately 100 Thai and Nigerian suspects involved in the transnational operation, with ongoing arrest efforts.
therecord.media
· 2025-12-08
A 52-year-old Thai woman was arrested at Hat Yai International Airport for her alleged role in a $182.8 million romance scam—Thailand's costliest on record. The woman, Orathai, was accused of opening bank accounts at the direction of her Nigerian boyfriend that were used to launder embezzled funds from EssilorLuxottica; the scam's original victim, the company's CFO, had been deceived over three months into transferring $182.8 million to 112 accounts across 17 countries after being romance-scammed via LinkedIn. The operation involved at least 23 suspects across Thailand, Malaysia, and Nigeria, highlighting how
realclearinvestigations.com
· 2025-12-08
Thomas Clasby, former director of the Department of Elder Services in Quincy, Massachusetts, was indicted for embezzlement, mail fraud, and wire fraud for allegedly using city funds as a personal slush fund since 2019, spending over $17,000 on personal items including steak, a self-portrait, and a music recording, while also allegedly funneling a $38,000 consultant contract back to himself. Clasby, who earned $111,971 annually, faces up to 40 years in prison and was fired in May 2024. The case is notable for the brazen nature of the fraud and because it diverted resources from programs intended to help seniors.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
James Henley, 35, of Greenwood, Indiana, was sentenced to ten years in federal prison for orchestrating complex fraud schemes over three years that defrauded homeowners, government agencies, a bank, and an attorney of approximately $2.9 million. His crimes included COVID-19 unemployment fraud ($1.1 million), home title theft (5 homes stolen and sold), mortgage fraud, and auto loan fraud, all facilitated through five fake businesses used to mask his identity and launder proceeds. Henley was ordered to pay $1,887,426.63 in restitution, with co-conspirators including his wife and an associate also facing
vcstar.com
· 2025-12-08
George Ronald Russell, a 68-year-old former Thousand Oaks resident, was sentenced to over one year in prison and ordered to pay $600,000 in restitution for a $1.1 million investment fraud scheme targeting elders. Russell pleaded guilty to 18 felony counts including elder grand theft, grand theft over $500,000, attempted grand theft, and money laundering, with the scheme connected to a DUI awareness booklet.
12news.com
· 2025-12-08
Arizona banking customers are experiencing a surge in sophisticated tech scams, with victims losing hundreds of thousands of dollars to fraudsters who use alarming text messages about account fraud to trick people into revealing account credentials. The Better Business Bureau also reports a spike in romance scams ahead of Valentine's Day, with victims averaging $126,000 in losses per person in early 2024, typically initiated through social media or dating websites with warning signs including rapid friendships, quick money discussions, and reluctance to video chat. Banks emphasize that contacting financial institutions within 24 hours of suspected fraud is critical, as scammers typically transfer funds overseas quickly, making recovery difficult after that window closes.
wwaytv3.com
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau warns taxpayers of common tax season scams, including IRS impersonation schemes where fraudsters call demanding immediate payment via prepaid cards or wire transfers, tax identity theft involving fake returns filed with stolen Social Security numbers, and phishing emails/mail directing victims to fraudulent websites. The BBB advises filing taxes early, verifying that the IRS never initiates contact by phone or email, using trusted tax professionals, and monitoring financial accounts for suspicious activity.
fox5vegas.com
· 2025-12-08
An 82-year-old Boulder City woman lost $40,000 in a Facebook-based romance scam involving a gold shipping scheme, and was nearly conned into sending an additional $100,000 before her daughter discovered the fraud through a joint bank account. Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department is hosting two public educational events in early February featuring Chase Bank officials and financial crimes specialists to teach residents how to identify romance scam red flags and protect themselves from similar frauds.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
A federal jury convicted two Indian nationals, Pranay Kumar Mamidi (27) and Kishan Vinayak Patel (26), of money laundering conspiracy tied to a "phantom hacker scam" that defrauded victims across four states of their life savings between May and November 2023. In this scam, perpetrators impersonated bank employees, FTC agents, and DEA special agents to trick victims—particularly elderly—into withdrawing savings and surrendering cash or gold bars at drop-off locations, with investigators estimating tens of millions of dollars laundered through the U.S.-based operation directed by co-conspirators in India. Six additional co-conspi
kymkemp.com
· 2025-12-08
A Humboldt County family narrowly avoided losing money to an AI voice-cloning scam in which fraudsters used artificial intelligence to impersonate their son Izaak and demand $15,000 in bail for a fabricated car accident and DWI charge. The family verified the scam by contacting an attorney, bail bondsman, and ultimately reaching their son at home; however, a similar scam in Harris County, Texas resulted in a $5,000 loss when a couple believed the AI-cloned voice of their son requesting emergency bail money. The FTC advises using personal security questions or code words known only to family members to verify callers' identities, an
tripwire.com
· 2025-12-08
Allen Giltman, a 59-year-old California man, was sentenced to seven years in prison for operating a scheme involving at least 150 fraudulent websites impersonating legitimate financial institutions between 2012 and October 2020. The scam defrauded over 70 victims—many elderly investors protecting their retirement savings—of approximately $50 million by luring them through search engine results and falsely promising higher investment returns. Giltman impersonated real FINRA brokers and funneled stolen funds to international accounts while using VPNs and encrypted communications to evade detection; he was ordered to forfeit $100,000 and various assets.
rbcroyalbank.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams remain one of the leading fraud schemes globally, with losses rising significantly through the 2020s and online dating scams increasing 72% in the past year. The article provides protective strategies including limiting personal information shared on social media, recognizing common red flags (such as overly perfect profiles, quick declarations of affection, requests for money, or excuses to avoid in-person meetings), and involving trusted friends and family to identify potential scams. Romance scammers exploit emotional vulnerability by researching victims' interests and using coordinated tactics to manipulate people into sending money, causing both financial and emotional harm.
hoodline.com
· 2025-12-08
Two Indian nationals were convicted in federal court for operating a massive money laundering scheme that defrauded victims across Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, and Indiana through "phantom hacker" scams between May and November 2023. Pranay Kumar Mamidi and Kishan Vinayak Patel posed as customer service representatives and fake law enforcement agents (impersonating Amazon, FTC, and DEA) to trick elderly and unsuspecting victims into converting their life savings to cash or gold bars for purported "investigations," with tens of millions of dollars laundered through their U.S.-based operation connected to a criminal network in India. Both defendants face up to 20 years in prison for each money
kttn.com
· 2025-12-08
Andres "Manny" Lopez, 36, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for defrauding at least nine victims of over $1.4 million between November 2019 and July 2023 through his Arizona auto repair business. Lopez accepted advance payments for vehicle upgrades, parts, and vehicle purchases with no intention of delivering, instead using the money for personal expenses and making false excuses to victims, including impersonating a Toyota dealership manager. He continued defrauding victims even after being indicted in October 2023, defrauding one victim alone of approximately $567,892.
hometownstations.com
· 2025-12-08
A federal jury in Ohio convicted two Indian nationals, Pranay Kumar Mamidi (27) and Kishan Vinayak Patel (26), of money laundering conspiracy for their role in distributing proceeds from phantom hacker scams that defrauded victims across four states of their life savings from May to November 2023. In these scams, victims are contacted by fraudsters posing as customer service representatives, FTC agents, and DEA officials who trick them into withdrawing cash or gold bars under false pretenses of account fraud investigations, with the laundered funds estimated in the tens of millions of dollars. Both defendants face up to 20 years in prison per count, an
freepressjournal.in
· 2025-12-08
The Maharashtra Cyber Police issued a public alert warning senior citizens about four prevalent scam types targeting them: digital arrest scams (where fraudsters impersonate police demanding online payment), investment frauds (promising unrealistic returns), sextortion (extorting money after obtaining private photos), and phishing scams (using suspicious links and OTP theft). The alert emphasizes that legitimate authorities never demand online payments or threaten arrest via phone, and advises seniors to verify investments with trusted advisors, avoid sharing personal information online, and report suspicious activity to the Cyber Crime Helpline.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Senior citizens in Kolkata are disproportionately vulnerable to digital arrest scams due to a combination of factors including low digital literacy, emotional vulnerability from isolation, generational trust in authority figures, and reduced confidence with age. Mental health professionals and law enforcement attribute the scams' success to elderly victims' concerns about reputation and security, their smaller social networks that prevent them from seeking advice, and the post-COVID shift to digital transactions without adequate support or updated knowledge of cyber threats. Police recommend awareness campaigns and encouraging victims to discuss suspicious requests with others before complying with threats, particularly those involving money.
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
Sandra Bullock warned fans that she has no social media presence and that any accounts claiming to be her are scams, following similar warnings from Brad Pitt after cybercriminals used his likeness in a confidence scheme that defrauded a French woman of $850,000. The article explains how modern celebrity impersonation scams have evolved from traditional "Spanish Prisoner" cons, now facilitated by AI-generated content and paid social media verification badges that allow scammers to easily pose as famous people. Experts warn that paid verification systems have replaced authentication requirements, making it increasingly difficult for users to distinguish legitimate accounts from fraudulent ones.
fbi.gov
· 2025-12-08
The FBI Philadelphia Field Office warns that romance scammers operate year-round by creating fake online identities to build trust with victims and manipulate them into sending money or personal information. Scammers often escalate these schemes by promising lucrative cryptocurrency investment opportunities through fraudulent websites, then deny withdrawal requests and demand additional fees before disappearing with victims' funds. The FBI advises people to verify online dating profiles, avoid sending money to online contacts, move slowly in relationships, and report suspected scams to the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
da.lacounty.gov
· 2025-12-08
A 27-year-old man in Lancaster, California was charged with stealing over $4,000 and attempting to steal over $13,000 in public benefits using fraudulent EBT cards obtained through skimming devices at an ATM. The suspect allegedly used nine different cloned cards and possessed multiple skimming devices, pinhole cameras, and re-encoded gift cards in what authorities describe as a sophisticated operation targeting vulnerable benefit recipients. The case highlights California's broader EBT fraud crisis, with over $100 million in stolen funds reported statewide in the past year, primarily in Los Angeles County.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
The Department of Justice filed civil actions against five telecom companies and three individuals for facilitating hundreds of millions of fraudulent robocalls originating primarily from India, targeting elderly and vulnerable Americans with government and business imposter scams. Despite repeated warnings, the defendants continued operating VoIP carrier services that enabled foreign-based fraud schemes involving fake Social Security, IRS, and tech-support calls designed to extort large sums of money from victims. A temporary restraining order was granted against Global Voicecom defendants, with the DOJ pledging to pursue both criminal and civil remedies against those knowingly facilitating these predatory calls.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Thomas Ressler, 66, of Montana, was sentenced to 36 months in prison in June 2018 for creating over 200 fraudulent sweepstakes and prize-notification letters used in an international mail-fraud scheme that defrauded thousands of elderly victims. His co-conspirators Ryan Young and Ercan Barka used Ressler's designs to send fake solicitations claiming recipients could claim cash prizes by paying processing fees, but victims who paid never received the promised prizes. The scheme targeted victims across the United States and foreign countries using purchased mailing lists, with some victims receiving only worthless jewelry or unrelated sweepstakes reports in return.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Three U.S. citizens were sentenced to prison for operating sweepstakes fraud schemes from Costa Rica that targeted hundreds of victims, many elderly, between 2007 and 2015. The defendants falsely claimed victims had won cash prizes and repeatedly demanded "refundable insurance fees" and other charges, with Bonner's scheme alone causing approximately $10 million in losses; Bonner received 180 months in prison and was ordered to pay $9.7 million in restitution, while Schiavone and Ricker received 48 and 42 months respectively and were ordered to pay $399,852 each in restitution.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
The Justice Department announced the largest coordinated elder fraud sweep in history, charging over 250 defendants from around the globe who defrauded more than one million Americans, predominantly elderly victims. The cases, prosecuted across more than 50 federal districts, involved 200 criminal charges and resulted in over half a billion dollars in losses from various financial schemes targeting seniors. The coordinated effort included criminal, civil, and forfeiture actions, with support from the FTC and state Attorneys General.
express.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
A 16-year-old girl in Glasgow was scammed out of £125 after clicking on a fake social media advert for clothing brand Lucy & Yak that offered items at unusually low prices; she entered her debit card details but the items never arrived, though her bank successfully recovered the funds. The scam mimicked the legitimate brand with authentic logos and product images, with only a subtle dollar sign instead of a pound symbol as a red flag. The incident highlights that teens are vulnerable to social media fraud, with research showing a quarter of British teens are likely to fall for scam texts, prompting warnings to verify sources and check official websites before making purchases.
nj1015.com
· 2025-12-08
A jury duty scam is resurfacing in New Jersey, where con artists contact people via phone, text, or email claiming they failed to appear for jury duty and threatening arrest unless they pay a fine immediately. The actual judiciary never requests payment, personal financial information, or identification numbers to resolve jury duty issues; legitimate communications may only request date of birth and residential address. Residents should hang up, avoid clicking links, and report suspected scam communications to their county jury management office and local law enforcement.
kstp.com
· 2025-12-08
During tax season, scammers pose as tax preparers and IRS agents to steal personal information, refunds, and identities, with some fraudsters filing returns to collect refunds of thousands of dollars in victims' names. To protect yourself, hire accredited local tax preparers with verifiable credentials and Preparer Tax Identification Numbers, be aware that the IRS initiates contact by mail (never by phone or email), and file your return early using trusted software or free IRS resources to prevent identity theft. Red flags include unsolicited IRS contact, pressure to pay immediately, or offers of instant refunds with high fees.
mynews4.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Postal Service and Postal Inspection Service issued a Valentine's Day alert about romance scams, which involve fraudsters creating fake identities online to build trust with victims before requesting money through mail, wire transfers, or gift cards for fabricated emergencies. The agencies recommend victims avoid relationships that escalate quickly or involve avoidance of video calls, never send money to online contacts, and report suspected scams to USPIS, local law enforcement, or the FTC.
ice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Three Chinese nationals pleaded guilty to wire fraud conspiracy for operating a gift card fraud scheme based in China that targeted U.S. citizens through romance and elder fraud schemes to obtain gift cards, which they then used to purchase high-value electronics for shipment to Asia. Naxin Wu, Mengying Jiang, and Mingdong Chen, operating as a cell in New Hampshire, were responsible for $1.4 million, $3 million, and $400,000 in fraudulent gift card purchases respectively, with sentencing scheduled for April 2025. The investigation by Homeland Security Investigations revealed that organized crime groups acquire gift cards through hacking and fraud schemes, then exploit no-sales-
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
A 75-year-old New York man, Carmine Maietta, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit mail fraud for operating a multi-million dollar scheme that sent fraudulent prize notification mailings to thousands of consumers from 2013 to 2018, deceiving them into paying fees for cash prizes they never received. Five defendants total pleaded guilty in the scheme, with Maietta facing a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison at sentencing. The case highlights how mass mailing fraud schemes specifically target elderly and vulnerable victims, and the Department of Justice emphasized its commitment to prosecuting perpetrators of elder fraud.
napavalleyregister.com
· 2025-12-08
The Napa County District Attorney's Office is training bank employees to identify and report suspicious transactions targeting seniors, as fraud against elderly clients continues to rise. The initiative focuses on recognizing red flags such as unusual large withdrawals, requests for cashier's checks, and transactions initiated by accompanying third parties—common tactics in lottery scams where victims are deceived into sending thousands of dollars in "good faith" money. One case illustrates the program's potential impact: a bank clerk prevented a man from wiring $10,000 to Canada after he revealed he believed he had won a foreign lottery, while another victim lost $13,000 before the perpetrators were arrested and ordered to repay her.
mynbc15.com
· 2025-12-08
Four Jamaican nationals were arrested in Baldwin County, Alabama as part of "Operation Jamaican Knights," a fraud ring that targeted elderly victims across the United States with a lottery scam, stealing over $200,000 from more than 75 victims nationwide. Victims were deceived into sending cash payments via FedEx, believing they needed to pay taxes to claim lottery winnings, with shipments intercepted at a Mobile FedEx center revealing the scheme in February 2023. The FBI recovered more than $180,000 and has returned most of it to victims, with six additional suspects identified and the investigation ongoing.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Fabrisio Arias was sentenced to 41 months in prison and ordered to pay $395,536 in restitution for laundering money in an international sweepstakes scam that defrauded at least 22 elderly victims between November 2020 and September 2022. Scammers based in Costa Rica used spoofed phone numbers to call seniors, impersonating IRS and FTC officials, convincing victims they had won prizes but needed to pay fees first; victims sent cashier's checks and money orders to Arias in California, who deposited the funds and transferred most to co-conspirators abroad. Many victims in their seventies to n
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
A federal court issued a permanent injunction against Michael Brian Cotter and five companies operating a large-scale technical-support fraud scheme that defrauded hundreds of elderly and vulnerable Americans from 2011 to 2020. The scheme used fake Microsoft security pop-ups to trick victims into calling India-based call centers, where fraudsters gained remote computer access and convinced victims to pay hundreds to thousands of dollars for unnecessary software and services. The injunction permanently bars the defendants from selling technical-support services via telemarketing or websites and transfers 19 fraudulent domain names to the U.S. government.