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nypost.com
· 2025-12-08
Cybercriminals are targeting Apple customers with phishing text messages that falsely claim suspicious purchases or unauthorized account activity, urging recipients to call a fraudulent support number or risk being charged. When victims call the fake support line, scammers impersonate Apple representatives to steal personal information or gain remote access to devices to install spyware and access bank accounts. Users should avoid clicking links or calling numbers in unsolicited messages and instead verify account security directly through official Apple channels or their bank.
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
Imposter scams cost consumers $2.7 billion in 2023, with scammers typically posing as government agencies or trusted companies to demand payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers. The FBI is warning of an unusual variant where scammers are mailing letters to business executives claiming to be the Russian ransomware gang BianLian, demanding $250,000-$500,000 in Bitcoin while threatening to release stolen data, though cybersecurity experts confirm no actual data breaches have occurred and the letters lack hallmarks of legitimate ransomware communications.
nypost.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams targeting older Americans are on the rise, with the FTC reporting nearly 70,000 victims in 2022, with people over 70 suffering median losses of $9,475. Bipartisan lawmakers introduced the Romance Scam Prevention Act, which would require dating apps to notify users who have interacted with accounts banned for fraudulent activity, enforced by the FTC and state attorneys general. The legislation was prompted by cases like that of 43-year-old Aurora Phelps, who met older men on dating sites, drugged them, and stole from their accounts, resulting in at least two deaths and 21 criminal charges against her.
9news.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI Denver Field Office warns of a rising cybercrime trend where criminals use free online file converter websites to install malware that steals personal information like Social Security numbers, banking details, and passwords; victims are advised to use built-in tools like "Print to PDF" instead. Colorado authorities also report ongoing "smishing" scams impersonating toll and parking agencies via text message, with Coloradans filing 44,945 fraud reports in 2024 totaling $210.7 million in losses, and experts emphasize that fraud targets people of all backgrounds and education levels.
wsls.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are impersonating Colonel Brandon Young, Chief Deputy of the Roanoke City Sheriff's Office, calling residents claiming they have warrants or failed to appear for jury duty and demanding payment to resolve the issue. The sheriff's office warns that it never calls to request money, and scammers are increasingly using spoofed local phone numbers (540 area codes) and fake domains to appear legitimate; victims are advised to question unexpected calls, avoid clicking unknown links, and never provide personal information.
wcyb.com
· 2025-12-08
Tennessee seniors lost $43 million to scams in 2023, with an 18% increase from the previous year, largely driven by romance scams on dating apps where perpetrators build trust before requesting money or financial access. U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn introduced the Romance Scam Prevention Act, which would require dating apps to notify users if they've communicated with someone banned for fraudulent activity and include warnings about potential scam attempts. The bill would be enforceable by the FTC and state attorneys general, addressing a nationwide problem in which romance scams alone cost victims $1.3 billion in 2022.
mirror.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
A 68-year-old retired care worker lost £22,000 to a romance scammer who posed as a widower named "Daniel Peeters" on Match.com over a four-month period from June to November. The fraudster used stolen photographs and fabricated increasingly elaborate stories—including a frozen bank account, a hospital accident, and marriage proposals—to manipulate the victim into making repeated wire transfers. Fortunately, solicitors from the National Fraud Helpline recovered all of the victim's lost funds through a fraud reclaim scheme.
agrinews-pubs.com
· 2025-12-08
Medicare fraud exceeded $100 billion in fraudulent claims during one calendar year, with additional losses from identity theft and stolen financial information. Scammers employ multiple tactics to obtain Medicare card numbers and personal information, including impersonating Medicare employees, falsely claiming cards have expired (they don't), offering cheaper coverage, threatening benefit cancellation, and promising refunds or free services. Seniors should never share their Medicare card number or personal information via phone, email, or text, and should report suspected scams immediately to 1-800-MEDICARE.
denvergazette.com
· 2025-12-08
A 27-year-old man from New Jersey was sentenced to six years in prison for stealing over $120,000 from an 80-year-old Highlands Ranch woman through a fake federal agent gold bar scam in July 2023. Sagar Jayeshkuma Patel posed as law enforcement after she clicked a virus pop-up, convincing her to purchase gold bars and hand them over at a convenience store; he was caught through cellphone records, credit card records, and surveillance footage, and ordered to pay approximately $144,000 in restitution. Patel is also under investigation for similar crimes in New York and Delaware and faces an ICE hold for being an un
vvdailypress.com
· 2025-12-08
A 75-year-old Apple Valley man foiled a tech support scam when he recognized a fraudulent pop-up ad claiming his information was compromised and asking him to withdraw $35,000. After reporting the scheme to the sheriff's department, the victim arranged for the suspect to pick up the money at his home, where deputies arrested 29-year-old Alex Yu of San Francisco on suspicion of attempted fraud. The incident underscores the importance of recognizing that legitimate banks and government agencies never request cash withdrawals or in-person money transfers.
bluewin.ch
· 2025-12-08
A Swiss family lost 22,000 francs (including their two daughters' savings accounts) through QR code fraud when a woman was tricked into scanning a malicious code while attempting to sell children's clothes on Facebook Marketplace; a fraudster posing as a Revolut employee directed her to scan the code, which gave criminals access to her e-banking credentials. The bank denied responsibility for compensation, and despite filing a police complaint, authorities were unable to recover the funds that had been transferred abroad. The family went public with their experience to warn others about this sophisticated scam targeting unsuspecting individuals through fake payment assistance.
newschannel9.com
· 2025-12-08
Tennessee seniors lost $43 million to scams in 2023, with an 18% increase from the previous year, largely driven by romance scams on dating apps where fraudsters build trust before requesting money for emergencies or loans. U.S. Senator Marsha Blackburn introduced the Romance Scam Prevention Act to require dating apps to notify users who have interacted with accounts banned for fraudulent activity, including the banned member's profile details and fraud warnings. The bill would be enforceable by the FTC and state attorneys general, addressing a national problem where romance scams alone cost victims $1.3 billion in 2022.
queensda.org
· 2025-12-08
Lise Rossopoulos, 59, of Kew Gardens Hills, Queens, was charged with grand larceny and criminal possession of stolen property for orchestrating a nationwide elder fraud scheme that defrauded senior citizens of over $500,000. The scam involved co-conspirators impersonating government officials (FTC and Amazon representatives) who convinced victims to wire money to bank accounts in Queens and upstate New York that Rossopoulos controlled, with funds withdrawn immediately after each transfer. Two identified victims—a 92-year-old from Hawaii and an 83-year-old from Kentucky—lost $446,000 and $101,980 respectively between February and July
zdnet.com
· 2025-12-08
A widespread "smishing scam" targeting Americans claims recipients owe unpaid tolls from E-ZPass or similar toll providers, with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center logging over 60,000 reports; the fraudulent texts originate from Chinese-speaking scammers selling phishing kits on Telegram and aim to steal personal and financial information rather than toll payments. The scam texts typically come from suspicious numbers or +63 Philippine country codes, contain shortened URLs, threatening language about license suspension or fines, and request small payment amounts to appear legitimate. Victims should not click links, report messages as spam, and if they've already entered payment information, immediately contact their bank, credit car
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Multiple Chicago residents fell victim to a street-based charity donation scam between June 2024 and November 2024, where con artists used emotional stories (such as raising funeral funds or awareness for causes) to gain trust, then charged victims thousands of dollars through Apple Pay and other digital payment methods when they believed they were donating only small amounts. The Illinois attorney general's office received approximately 10 complaints about this scheme, though one victim, Eliazar Rodriguez, was charged $3,000 for a carpet purchase after believing he donated $15, and he eventually recovered his funds after disputing the charge with his bank.
newsweek.com
· 2025-12-08
The Social Security Administration warned beneficiaries in March 2024 about scammers impersonating SSA representatives through phone, email, text, and social media to steal benefits and personal information using tactics like spoofed caller IDs, fake letterheads, and threats. Between mid-2024, nearly 45% of reported scams involved false claims about suspended Social Security numbers, with victims aged 70-84 losing an average of $11,902 compared to $2,346 for those under 29. The SSA urged citizens to hang up on suspicious contacts and report attempts to its Office of the Inspector General.
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-08
As romance scams targeting seniors surge, a bipartisan group of U.S. lawmakers introduced the Romance Scam Prevention Act, which would require dating apps to notify users if they've communicated with someone banned for fraud. According to the FTC, nearly 70,000 Americans reported romance scam victimization in 2022, with people aged 70 and older experiencing median losses of $9,475, and Tennessee seniors over 60 losing $43 million in 2023. The legislation would be enforced by the FTC and allow state attorneys general to bring civil actions, addressing a growing threat exemplified by cases like Aurora Phelps, who was charged with using dating
theguardian.com
· 2025-12-08
A call centre operation based in Tbilisi, Georgia defrauded victims of $35 million by using fake social media advertisements and news articles featuring celebrity endorsements (including radio DJ Zoe Ball and adventurer Ben Fogle) to promote non-existent cryptocurrency trading platforms promising AI-driven profits. Victims were directed to fraudulent platforms on Facebook and Google where no actual trading occurred, making this a classic advance-fee or investment fraud scheme targeting savers.
citizen.digital
· 2025-12-08
This educational article outlines five common scam tactics used by fraudsters in Kenya: unrealistically cheap offers and links promising wealth, pressure tactics with urgent payment demands, requests for sensitive banking information, poor communication and grammar, and emotional manipulation through hacked social media accounts. A 2022 TransUnion study found that while 80% of Kenyans encountered scam attempts, only 8% actually fell victim, emphasizing the importance of recognizing these warning signs. The article advises vigilance, direct verification with trusted contacts or institutions, and reporting suspicious activity to protect oneself and others from fraud.
nst.com.my
· 2025-12-08
I appreciate you providing this content, but I'm unable to summarize an article from what you've shared. The text contains only navigation menus, section headers, and website structure from what appears to be a news website (NST - New Straits Times), but no actual article content about scams, fraud, or elder abuse.
To provide an Elderus database summary, please share the actual article text - the headline, body content, and key details about the fraud or elder abuse incident being reported.
newsday.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, New Yorkers over 60 lost more than $203 million to scams including sweepstakes, tech support fraud, and government impersonation schemes, with Long Islanders accounting for $38 million of those losses. Governor Kathy Hochul has proposed legislation that would train bank employees, brokers, and financial advisers to recognize elder exploitation and legally empower them to place temporary holds (up to 55 days) on suspicious transactions while law enforcement investigates. The bill, supported by 43 consumer protection groups including AARP, aims to prevent funds from being permanently lost to scammers before fraud can be detected and stopped.
michigan.gov
· 2025-12-08
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel highlighted ongoing efforts to combat illegal robocalls during National Consumer Protection Week, noting that Michigan residents filed 32,647 robocall complaints in fiscal year 2024. The Attorney General's office has received over 14,000 robocall complaints since launching its crackdown initiative in 2019 and has taken enforcement action against voice service providers and companies transmitting suspected illegal robocall traffic. The article advises consumers to avoid providing personal information to suspicious callers, be wary of payment requests via gift cards or cryptocurrency, and report suspected fraud immediately.
thehackernews.com
· 2025-12-08
Google is rolling out AI-powered scam detection features for Android devices that identify suspicious patterns in text messages and phone calls in real-time, particularly targeting conversational scams and spoofing techniques used by fraudsters. The on-device detection system, launching in English in the U.S., U.K., and Canada, alerts users to likely scams during conversations without accessing private chat content unless users choose to report a message. Google is simultaneously expanding similar phone call scam detection to Pixel 9+ users and enhancing its Chrome browser's Safe Browsing capabilities with AI models designed to identify phishing and social engineering tactics.
cnbc.com
· 2025-12-08
Cybercrime marketplaces are dramatically lowering the barriers to entry for fraud, enabling less-skilled individuals to conduct sophisticated scams through "cybercrime-as-a-service" platforms that sell malicious tools, stolen data, and hacking expertise. These organized underground markets—including darknet sites and public platforms like Huione Guarantee—operate with corporate-like structures and cryptocurrency payments to facilitate illicit activities, with vendors on major platforms processing billions in transactions. Experts warn this professionalization and accessibility of cybercrime resources poses unprecedented global cybersecurity and fraud threats.
foxbusiness.com
· 2025-12-08
Cybercriminals are increasingly exploiting tax season with sophisticated phishing emails, deepfake calls, and fake tax preparation websites to steal money and personal information from Americans. According to McAfee research, nearly one in four Americans lost money to tax scams, with over half of victims losing more than $1,000, while 48% received fraudulent tax-related messages and scammers targeted sensitive data like Social Security numbers and banking information. Experts recommend ignoring unsolicited IRS communications, avoiding clicking suspicious links, and using two-factor authentication and unique passwords to protect against these evolving threats.
blog.ssa.gov
· 2025-12-08
The Social Security Administration and its Office of Inspector General launched the sixth annual "Slam the Scam" Day on March 6 to combat Social Security imposter scams, where fraudsters pressure victims into sharing personal information or making payments by claiming to fix alleged Social Security number problems. These scams affect all age groups and remain among the most commonly reported government imposter frauds to the FTC, with victims tricked through sophisticated tactics including caller ID spoofing, fake documents, and fraudulent letterhead. The agencies emphasized that Social Security will never suspend numbers, demand immediate payments, threaten arrest, or request gift cards or wire transfers, and urged citizens to report attempts to oig.ssa.gov
kgw.com
· 2025-12-08
A Portland woman lost over $40,000 in a romance scam after matching with a man on Tinder who posed as a civil engineer in Turkey and used fake hospital photos and fabricated documentation to build trust over several months before requesting money. The scammer used altered images of former MLB pitcher Phil Hughes and eventually moved $750,000 into her Vanguard retirement account before the funds disappeared when red flags prompted the company to freeze the account. According to experts, romance scams are increasingly common and sophisticated, with the FTC reporting $547 million in consumer losses to such scams in 2021, aided by AI technology that allows scammers to manipulate photos and deepfakes.
fox29.com
· 2025-12-08
A 78-year-old woman in Washington Township, New Jersey nearly lost $24,600 in a multi-layered scam involving fake iCloud alerts, spoofed police calls, and impersonation of a banker pressuring her to withdraw cash. An alert Uber driver recognized the suspicious situation and prevented the fraud by warning the woman and returning her to the bank to re-deposit the money. Washington Township Police partnered with the FBI to hold a senior scam awareness seminar in response to the incident.
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
Trump-themed memorabilia scams, particularly the Trump Rebate Banking (TRB) scheme, have defrauded supporters who were promised their coins and merchandise would appreciate in value or generate cash payouts. An Alabama woman lost over $152,000 in cryptocurrency after being promised a $13 million rebate for her Trump items, though the FBI later froze the stolen funds in federal custody. These scams exploit supporters' emotional investment in Trump's brand and remain prevalent across platforms like Telegram and X, with victims typically losing thousands of dollars to fraudsters posing as legitimate investment facilitators.
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-08
A massive data leak exposed an international crypto scam operation with call centers in Georgia, Israel, Spain, Cyprus, Ukraine, and Bulgaria that defrauded at least 32,000 victims of over $275 million USD. The scammers used fake news articles on social media featuring celebrities like Kevin O'Leary and Elon Musk to lure victims into fraudulent cryptocurrency investments, then deployed "recovery scammers" (using stolen identities) to extract additional payments from desperate victims—including a Canadian factory foreman who lost $200,000 and was later targeted for an additional $3,500. The leaked internal records, including over one million call recordings and 20,
92moose.fm
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Scammers in Maine are using artificial intelligence to clone voices and impersonate family members, with over 2,000 Maine residents falling victim to these AI-enabled scams in the past year according to the FTC. This evolved version of the "grandparent scam" uses voice spoofing to make fraudulent calls appear to come from relatives in distress asking for immediate money. Experts recommend verifying unexpected urgent requests by hanging up and calling back the person directly, as scammers rely on panic to succeed.
substack.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are increasingly targeting Substack writers and readers through impersonation of public figures like Keanu Reeves and the author themselves, using engagement patterns and trust-building tactics to gather information before attempting to defraud victims. The author, who lost one-third of her retirement funds to a scam in 2022, warns that sophisticated scammers profile users by age, hobbies, and interactions, and notes that recent romance scams alone exceeded half a billion dollars. She urges the community to be vigilant about fake celebrity accounts and impersonators, as even highly educated individuals and tech professionals have fallen victim to these schemes.
npr.org
· 2025-12-08
Twenty-five Canadians, mostly based in Quebec, were charged with defrauding hundreds of American seniors out of more than $21 million through a "grandparent scam" that operated from call centers in the Montreal area beginning in summer 2021. The scammers used spoofed phone numbers and fake identities (posing as grandchildren in legal trouble and attorneys) to convince elderly victims across 46 states to send money via in-person pickups, mail, or cryptocurrency, with some victims targeted multiple times and referred to as "whales." The scheme continued until June 2024 when Canadian law enforcement executed search warrants at the call centers, leading to the arrests of
ice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Twenty-five Canadian nationals were charged in Vermont federal court for operating a multi-million dollar "grandparent scam" that defrauded elderly victims across more than 40 U.S. states of over $21 million between summer 2021 and June 2024. Perpetrators operating from call centers near Montreal posed as grandchildren claiming to need bail money for fabricated arrests or as attorneys representing them, convincing victims to provide cash that was collected in person and laundered through Canada using cryptocurrency. Canadian law enforcement arrested 23 of the defendants on March 4, 2024, following search warrants executed at the call centers where they were actively making calls to elderly victims.
usatoday.com
· 2025-12-08
Federal prosecutors charged more than two dozen Canadian nationals in a "grandparent scam" that defrauded elderly victims of over $21 million across more than 40 U.S. states between summer 2021 and June 2024. Scammers operating from Montreal call centers impersonated grandchildren claiming to need bail money after accidents or posed as attorneys, using spoofed U.S. phone numbers and sometimes extracting multiple payments from victims by claiming bail amounts had increased; money was laundered back to Canada through various methods including cryptocurrency. Twenty-three of the 25 defendants were arrested in Canada, with two remaining fugitives facing up to 40 years in prison
theguardian.com
· 2025-12-08
An organized Georgian call center network scammed approximately 6,000 people across the UK, Europe, and Canada out of $35 million (£27 million) between May 2022 and 2023 using deepfake videos and fake celebrity endorsements featuring Martin Lewis, Zoe Ball, and Ben Fogle to promote fraudulent cryptocurrency and investment schemes. UK victims were disproportionately affected, accounting for about £9 million in losses, with some individuals defrauded of over £160,000 after spending hundreds of hours on calls with scammers. The fraud was exposed through a leaked dataset of over 1 million call recordings that revealed how the approximately
patriotledger.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Postal Inspection Service warns consumers about imposter scams during National Consumer Protection Week, where fraudsters pose as friends, relatives, or organization representatives to steal personal information and money using common phrases like "I'm in trouble" or "You've won!" The advisory provides six protective strategies including verifying identities through official channels, confirming distress messages with family members directly, being cautious of online romance scams, ignoring unsolicited USPS texts, and registering with the National Do Not Call Registry. Victims can report suspected fraud to the Postal Inspection Service at 877-876-2455 or online.
cbia.com
· 2025-12-08
The IRS released its 2025 "Dirty Dozen" list of top tax scams on February 27, identifying 12 prevalent threats including email phishing, misleading social media tax advice, fake charities, and fraudulent tax credit claims such as the Fuel Tax Credit and pandemic-era sick leave credits. These scams target taxpayers, tax professionals, and businesses year-round, seeking to steal personal information, enable identity theft, and generate fraudulent refunds. The IRS advises taxpayers to verify communications directly with official agencies and only claim tax credits for which they are genuinely eligible.
theguardian.com
· 2025-12-08
A leak of 1 million audio files from Georgian scam call centers exposed sophisticated cryptocurrency investment fraud schemes that defrauded victims of £9 million combined through "authorised push payment" (APP) fraud, which tricks people into voluntarily sending money from their bank accounts. In the first half of 2024, investment scammers cheated Britons out of at least £56 million, accounting for a quarter of the £214 million lost to APP fraud despite representing only 4% of cases. As of October 7, 2024, new UK regulatory rules now mandate banks refund victims up to £85,000 within five days for domestic transfers, significantly improving reimburs
wgme.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are increasingly using AI voice-cloning technology to impersonate family members and loved ones in distress, with "grandparent scams" becoming more convincing and difficult to detect. According to the FTC, imposter scams were the most common fraud type in Maine last year, affecting more than 2,000 victims, and experts warn this number could rise as fraudsters refine their tactics. To protect themselves, consumers should verify unexpected calls by hanging up and calling back directly, establish family code words, not trust caller ID, and resist pressure tactics that create urgency.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
A man in Anchorage fell victim to a QR code scam when fraudsters placed a fake QR code over a legitimate parking lot payment sticker, redirecting him to a phishing website and compromising his financial information. To protect yourself, examine QR codes for tampering, verify URLs match the legitimate business, never scan codes from unsolicited messages, keep phone security updated, and avoid rushing when making payments. Report scams immediately to your bank and the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline (877-908-3360) for free assistance.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
Federal prosecutors charged more than two dozen Canadian nationals operating from Montreal call centers in a "grandparent scam" that defrauded over 300 elderly victims across 40+ U.S. states of more than $21 million between summer 2021 and June 2024. The scammers posed as grandchildren or lawyers claiming relatives needed bail money after accidents, used spoofed U.S. phone numbers, sent in-person "bail bondsmen" to collect cash, and sometimes targeted repeat victims ("whales") with inflated bail amounts, with proceeds laundered to Canada via cryptocurrency. Most of the 25 defendants arrested in Canada face up to 20 years in prison
radio.wpsu.org
· 2025-12-08
Twenty-five Canadians, mostly based in Quebec, were charged with operating an elaborate "grandparent scam" that defrauded hundreds of elderly Americans across 46 states of more than $21 million between summer 2021 and June 2024. The scheme involved call centers in the Montreal area using spoofed technology to impersonate relatives in distress, claiming bail money was needed, with victims often targeted multiple times and referred to as "whales" if they provided substantial funds. All 25 defendants face conspiracy to defraud charges carrying up to 20 years in prison, with five also charged with money laundering conspiracy.
wcax.com
· 2025-12-08
A cooperative U.S.-Canadian law enforcement effort resulted in the indictment of more than two dozen Quebec men accused of stealing over $21 million through "grandparent scams," in which they impersonated grandchildren in distress to manipulate seniors into sending money. Experts emphasize that scams targeting seniors have become increasingly sophisticated and difficult to combat across borders, and recommend that families establish code words to verify callers' identities and report suspicious contacts immediately to authorities. Vermont officials note that red flags include requests for urgent payment via gift cards or cryptocurrency, and encourage victims to report incidents without shame to help law enforcement understand the scope of fraud affecting their communities.
khq.com
· 2025-12-08
Spokane business owner TJ Sneva lost $28,000 to a scam two years ago and has been unable to recover the funds despite his recovery efforts. Sneva is now speaking out publicly to warn others about the scam, though the article does not specify the type of fraud involved.
drydenwire.com
· 2025-12-08
Multiple Barron County residents lost a combined $50,000 to scammers, prompting Sheriff Chris Fitzgerald to issue a public warning urging vigilance against unsolicited calls requesting financial information. Sheriff Fitzgerald advised residents to verify suspicious requests before taking action and remain cautious of potential fraud attempts.
arabtimesonline.com
· 2025-12-08
A Kuwaiti woman lost her entire bank balance of 1,710 dinars and 835 fils after a fraudster posing as a bank employee called claiming her card was blocked and obtained her card number, PIN, and one-time password. Kuwait's Ministry of Interior warned the public about rising phone scams perpetrated by individuals outside the country, emphasizing that citizens should never share banking credentials with unknown callers, and highlighted emerging WhatsApp scams where fraudsters request money transfers through malicious links.
vermontbiz.com
· 2025-12-08
On February 20, 2025, a federal grand jury indicted 25 Canadian nationals for operating a "Grandparent Scam" from call centers in Montreal that defrauded elderly victims in Vermont and 40+ other states between summer 2021 and June 2024. Scammers posed as arrested grandchildren or their attorneys, convincing elderly victims to provide bail money (totaling over $21 million) that was then laundered to Canada through cash deliveries and cryptocurrency; 23 defendants were arrested in Canada on March 4, 2025, while two remain at large.
sjcda.org
· 2025-12-08
This article from the San Joaquin County District Attorney's Office provides educational information on common scam tactics, including impersonation of government agencies and businesses, spoofed caller IDs, and pressure tactics demanding immediate payment via cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or gift cards. The piece emphasizes that scammers create false emergencies or threats to bypass victims' critical thinking and lists reporting resources including the FTC and the District Attorney Consumer Fraud Department at (209) 953-7730. It also highlights local support services through the Family Justice Center for victims of various crimes including elder abuse.
michigan.gov
· 2025-12-08
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel reported that the state's Consumer Protection Team received over 10,000 written complaints and 20,000 phone calls in 2024, recovering $1.9 million for consumers through mediation, settlements, and refunds. The top complaint categories were internet/online purchases, retail delivery issues, motor vehicle sales, credit/financial concerns, personal services, health services, landlord/tenant disputes, utilities, contractors, and telecommunications billing problems.