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in Scam Awareness
wilsoncountysource.com
· 2025-12-08
Police departments and the Better Business Bureau are issuing warnings about a growing wave of QR code scams that direct victims to phishing websites, fraudulent payment portals, and malware. Common schemes include parking meter payment fraud, cryptocurrency wallet scams, romance scams, utility/government impostor scams, and phishing attacks via email or text. Consumers should verify QR codes before scanning, avoid codes from unfamiliar sources, check for tampering on public codes, and report suspicious activity to the BBB or FTC.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
A GOBankingRates survey of over 1,100 Americans found that nearly 40% reported being victims of identity theft, financial fraud, or financial scams. The article identifies 14 common scam types affecting Americans, including phone scams (17% of victims), money transfer scams (12%), online shopping fraud, phishing, imposter scams, Social Security scams, debt collection scams, romance scams, and tax scams, along with practical prevention tips for each. No specific dollar loss amounts are provided, but the survey emphasizes that scams are widespread and offer guidance on how to protect oneself from each type.
wflx.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams cost victims a median of $2,000, with total reported losses reaching $1.14 billion—the highest of any imposter scam category. Scammers are increasingly using AI and deepfakes to create fake profiles on dating apps and social media, stealing images and establishing fictitious identities to build trust before requesting money. Experts recommend victims never send money to online contacts they haven't met in person and use reverse image searches to verify profile photos, while recognizing that shame and embarrassment often lead victims to underreport these crimes.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
This is an educational awareness piece, not a news report of a specific scam incident. Here's the summary:
Romance scams are increasingly prevalent on social media, dating apps, and online platforms, with criminals evolving tactics to exploit lonely individuals into money laundering schemes, fraudulent cryptocurrency investments, and other fraud. AARP Texas hosted a Facebook Live educational event on September 4, 2024, featuring federal prosecutors and law enforcement to discuss warning signs of romance scams, protective measures, and resources for victims.
freep.com
· 2025-12-08
Metro Detroit police report a surge in scam schemes targeting residents, in which perpetrators impersonate government agencies, tech support, or financial institutions to convince victims to withdraw large sums of cash or cryptocurrency. Victims are instructed to either hand cash to "couriers" or deposit funds into bitcoin ATMs, with one Northville Township woman in her 70s losing $300,000 through a combination of cash, bitcoin, and gold bars in summer 2024. Scammers keep victims on the phone to prevent them from seeking help and often direct them to multiple banks to avoid suspicion.
journal-news.com
· 2025-12-08
College students are increasingly targeted by financial scams including fake scholarships, bogus apartment listings, and fraudulent credit card offers that seek personal information such as names, addresses, and Social Security numbers. Experts advise students to avoid unfamiliar websites, carefully review forms before completing them, protect sensitive information like phone numbers, and be skeptical of unsolicited scholarship offers via email, text, or social media. The Better Business Bureau recommends using antivirus software, guarding passwords, and having important documents sent to permanent addresses rather than dorms.
foxcarolina.com
· 2025-12-08
**QR Code Scams on the Rise**
The Better Business Bureau warned that scammers are increasingly using QR codes to direct victims to phishing websites, fraudulent payment portals, and malware downloads, with reports of fraud on parking meters, in emails, postal mail, and through romance scams impersonating utility and government officials. To protect against these scams, consumers should verify QR codes before scanning them, avoid scanning codes from strangers (especially those promising urgent opportunities), be wary of shortened URLs, and check for signs of tampering such as stickers placed over legitimate business codes.
theweek.com
· 2025-12-08
Solar panel scams have surged dramatically, with one-star reviews increasing over 1,000% since 2018, as fraudulent companies use high-pressure sales tactics, misleading financing arrangements, and predatory loans to defraud homeowners. Common schemes include misrepresenting incentives, selling non-functional panels, failing to honor lease obligations after company bankruptcies, and creating fake companies, with both smaller operators like Pink Energy and major companies like SunRun and Tesla facing legal complaints. Federal agencies are now investigating these practices alongside victims to combat the fraud affecting millions of U.S. homeowners.
wagmtv.com
· 2025-12-08
Aroostook County, Maine has experienced an increase in online scams using fake missing person posts to manipulate people into sending money, with scammers mimicking real emergencies like missing children or natural disasters. Red flags include unfamiliar names, photos from non-local locations, repeated posts asking for donations across multiple platforms, misspellings, disabled comments, and lack of official law enforcement sources. Police recommend verifying posts by contacting local law enforcement directly, checking with Facebook group administrators, and ensuring legitimate posts come from official sources like NCMEC or credible news outlets with specific details about the missing person.
abc11.com
· 2025-12-08
Back-to-school scams target families and students through multiple methods during the spending season, when families budget approximately $900 for school supplies. Common scams include copycat websites offering below-market prices, fake scholarship applications requesting upfront payment and personal information, fraudulent student loan forgiveness emails, and employment scams (such as the case of an NC A&T student who lost $2,400 after depositing a fake check from someone impersonating a university professor). Consumers should verify website security (https and lock symbol), research reviews across multiple sites, avoid unsolicited loan forgiveness offers, and use credit cards for purchases to dispute fraudulent charges.
uppermichiganssource.com
· 2025-12-08
The FTC reported that romance scams cost victims a median of $2,000 each, with total reported losses reaching $1.14 billion—the highest of any imposter scam. Scammers are increasingly using AI and deepfakes to establish fake profiles on dating apps and social media by stealing images and cloning voices to build trust before requesting money. Experts recommend victims never send money to online contacts they haven't met in person, use reverse image searches to verify photos, and monitor their privacy settings on social media.
theitem.com
· 2025-12-08
An 83-year-old Maryland woman named Mae fell victim to a tech support scam when a fake Apple alert prompted her to contact fraudsters posing as Apple and bank employees, who ultimately convinced her to purchase gift cards totaling thousands of dollars over a 10-hour period. The case illustrates a broader problem: an estimated $8 billion is stolen annually from seniors age 60 and older through fraud, with gift cards increasingly becoming the payment method of choice for criminals because they lack consumer protections afforded to credit and debit cards. Federal regulators have failed to adequately protect consumers from gift card fraud despite it being a growing problem, while technology companies and retailers benefit financially from these crimes due to
upi.com
· 2025-12-08
An 83-year-old Maryland woman named Mae fell victim to tech support fraud after clicking a malicious link on her frozen laptop, leading fraudsters to convince her to purchase gift cards worth thousands of dollars over a 10-hour period. The case illustrates a broader problem: an estimated $8 billion is stolen annually from seniors age 60 and older through fraud, with gift cards increasingly becoming the preferred payment method for criminals due to minimal consumer protections and difficulty in tracing funds. Federal regulators have failed to provide gift cards with the same protections as credit and debit cards, while retailers, technology companies, and fraudsters all profit from the scheme at victims' expense.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
An 83-year-old Maryland resident named Mae fell victim to a tech support scam that ultimately resulted in fraudsters convincing her to purchase gift cards as payment. The article documents how gift card fraud has become a leading payment method in elder fraud schemes, with an estimated $8 billion stolen annually from seniors age 60 and older, yet federal regulators have failed to implement consumer protections for gift cards comparable to those for credit and debit cards. The investigation reveals that while fraudsters, gift card companies, and retailers profit from these schemes, the privately-held technology companies managing the gift card infrastructure are best positioned to prevent fraud but lack legal requirements to do so.
wdbj7.com
· 2025-12-08
The Local Office on Aging in Roanoke, Virginia advises seniors to protect themselves from cyber scams and identity theft by staying informed about their finances, recognizing common scam tactics, and safeguarding personal information. The organization is hosting a free Senior Legal Safety Conference on September 20 featuring presentations on fraud prevention and legal protections for older adults.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
New York's Department of Consumer Protection issued guidance for National Senior Citizens Day warning older adults about reverse mortgage scams, advising that fraudsters may impersonate legitimate lenders, pressure clients to sign contracts without full disclosure, and discourage consultation with financial advisers or family members. The bulletin emphasizes that legitimate reverse mortgage professionals encourage borrowers to seek multiple opinions and conduct thorough research, and notes that federal law requires mandatory counseling for FHA-backed mortgages to protect consumers.
scroll.in
· 2025-12-08
A physiotherapist from Lucknow named Rose Jehan was trafficked to the UAE under false employment promises and enslaved by a Chinese-run cybercrime syndicate operating from Ajman, where she was forced to conduct investment scams against Indian victims while confined in an apartment with other trafficked women from South Asia. Working 13-hour shifts, she and approximately 100 other workers made 700-800 calls daily impersonating company representatives to defraud unsuspecting individuals, with Rose herself extracting Rs 500,000 from a retiree's life savings in one instance. The investigation revealed that the UAE had become a global hub for these operations, with thousands of
windsorstar.com
· 2025-12-08
A 26-year-old Windsor woman was charged with fraud over $5,000 in June after allegedly defrauding an intimate partner of approximately $18,500 by claiming to be pregnant and demanding money for medical expenses. Essex County OPP believe there may be additional victims of this romance scam and are continuing their investigation. Anyone with information is encouraged to contact the OPP or Crime Stoppers.
miragenews.com
· 2025-12-08
Since COVID-19, documentaries about true crime and romance fraud have surged in popularity, with filmmakers increasingly shifting focus from perpetrators to victims to provide a platform for survivors to share their stories and warn others. A QUT researcher cautions that while this trend is positive, victims should carefully select filmmakers with a proven track record of treating subjects with empathy and respect, as exclusivity agreements with major streamers may limit where their story can be told. The panel discussion at National Scams Awareness Week will explore how media narratives of victimization can both help and hinder support for fraud victims and what steps people can take to prevent and respond to scams.
columbuscountynews.com
· 2025-12-08
Federal investigators in North Carolina seized approximately $5 million in cryptocurrency tied to a "pig butchering" scam, in which criminals pose as romantic partners to build trust with victims before directing them to fake cryptocurrency trading platforms. The scammers promised high investment returns on these fraudulent platforms, then prevented victims from withdrawing funds and demanded additional payments for supposed taxes and penalties. The FBI traced victim funds through multiple cryptocurrency wallets used to launder the proceeds, with one victim losing an entire individual retirement account to the scheme.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
McDonald's official Instagram account was hacked, and scammers used it to promote a fake cryptocurrency giveaway that directed thousands of victims to a phishing website, stealing personal information and cryptocurrency wallet credentials and netting $700,000 in Solana tokens in what became known as a "rug pull" scam. McDonald's confirmed the incident, apologized for offensive language posted during the hack, and stated the issue had been resolved. The scam demonstrates how compromised high-profile social media accounts can be weaponized to conduct large-scale fraud by exploiting users' trust in official brand accounts.
timesnownews.com
· 2025-12-08
McDonald's official Instagram account was hacked in August 2024, resulting in a cryptocurrency scam that defrauded users of approximately $700,000 (Rs 5.8 crore). Hackers posted a fake giveaway promoting free cryptocurrency and directed users to a phishing website designed to steal personal information and wallet credentials; the scammers later bragged about the "rug pull" before McDonald's deleted the post and resolved the breach. The incident highlights the risks of cryptocurrency giveaway scams and underscores the importance of verifying the authenticity of digital currency offers before sharing financial information.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
A Wilkes-Barre woman fell victim to a romance/impersonation scam in which a fraudster posed as Barry Gibb of the Bee Gees via text messaging. The scammer requested the victim purchase six Apple gift cards and provide both the card information and her credit card details. The Wilkes-Barre City Police Department investigation into the incident is ongoing.
forbesafrica.com
· 2025-12-08
Elder fraud losses exceeded $3.4 billion in 2023, representing an 11% increase from the previous year, with scammers increasingly employing long-term relationship-building tactics rather than quick schemes targeting seniors aged 60 and older. Beyond elder fraud, the IRS has initiated over 460 criminal investigations into Employee Retention Credit (ERC) abuse, including a case where a preparer filed over $124 million in false claims, while also offering a second voluntary disclosure program through November 2024 for businesses to repay incorrectly claimed credits at 85% of the amount received.
americanbanker.com
· 2025-12-08
A neobank called Charlie is intentionally slowing payment processing speeds to combat the rising tide of financial fraud, implementing "Speed Bumps"—strategic pauses combined with real-time alerts and education—at vulnerable transaction moments. The company highlights that while most financial institutions prioritize faster payments, fraud has significantly increased with AI-enabled scams targeting all demographics, with elderly customers particularly vulnerable to long-con schemes like impersonation fraud and romance scams. Charlie's approach also allows customers to set custom transaction rules and designate family members as "fraud alert co-pilots" to monitor accounts, recognizing that even small frauds under $1,000 can have material consequences for those living pay
wral.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers create fake sports streaming links during high school football season to steal personal information, credit card details, and social security numbers from fans seeking online game streams. The Better Business Bureau warns consumers to verify links come from official school or media accounts, check account creation dates and URLs for suspicious details, and access streams directly from official websites rather than through social media links.
theconversation.com
· 2025-12-08
An 83-year-old Maryland woman named Mae fell victim to tech support fraud when she clicked a malicious link claiming to be from Apple, leading scammers posing as tech support and bank fraud personnel to convince her to purchase gift cards totaling thousands of dollars over a 10-hour period. The case illustrates a larger problem: an estimated $8 billion is stolen annually from seniors age 60 and older through stranger fraud, with gift cards increasingly becoming the preferred payment method for scammers because they lack consumer protections afforded to credit and debit cards and are easily converted to untraceable purchases or resold on dark web marketplaces. The investigation reveals that federal regulators have consistently
infosecurity-magazine.com
· 2025-12-08
Liverpool supporters were identified as the primary victims of football ticket scams during the 2023/24 English Premier League season, losing over £17,000 collectively, followed by Arsenal fans who lost £12,000, according to a NatWest Bank report. Individual losses averaged £180.66 per victim, with the highest single loss reaching £900, and April 2024 accounting for the largest monthly theft at £9,925.50. The bank urged fans to purchase from official sources, verify sellers, use secure payment methods, and avoid suspiciously low-priced offers to protect themselves from ticket fraud.
helpnetsecurity.com
· 2025-12-08
In the first half of 2024, Hiya detected nearly 20 billion suspected spam calls globally, with spam flag rates exceeding 20% of unknown calls in 25 of 42 countries, alongside a significant rise in AI deepfake voice-cloning scams—including a January robocall impersonating Joe Biden in New Hampshire. Medicare, health insurance, and tax scams dominated in the United States, while France and Spain experienced the highest European spam rates (53% and 51% respectively), Brazil received the most spam calls per capita (26 monthly), and Canada and the UK saw surges in Amazon and tax authority impersonation scams. Researchers anticipate voice
dfpi.ca.gov
· 2025-12-08
Cryptocurrency scams have surged 900 percent since the pandemic began, with over 46,000 Americans losing more than $1 billion to crypto fraud in 2021 alone. Common scams include phishing attacks, Ponzi schemes, fake ICOs, and fraudulent exchanges that exploit crypto's decentralized and hard-to-trace nature. Consumers should exercise caution by only investing what they can afford to lose, verifying information through credible sources, using secure storage methods, and consulting state and federal watchdog organizations like California's Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI).
liherald.com
· 2025-12-08
Nassau County police arrested two Bronx men in July 2024 after they attempted to scam a 73-year-old East Meadow resident by falsely claiming his bank account was compromised; the investigation revealed they were responsible for numerous additional scams. The county is warning residents about prevalent scams including home improvement fraud, fake relative arrest schemes, Social Security and IRS impersonation scams, lottery fraud, and computer remote access scams, which collectively cost victims thousands of dollars. Officials urge residents, particularly seniors, to remain vigilant, verify caller identities, avoid unsolicited services, and report suspected scams to authorities immediately.
rockislandtoday.com
· 2025-12-08
State Representative Dan Swanson reported on a community scam awareness event held in Alpha, Illinois, organized in collaboration with Farmers State Bank, the Illinois Attorney General's office, and local sheriffs to educate residents—particularly seniors—about various fraud schemes ranging from local to international operations. Swanson emphasized that awareness and simple precautions, such as avoiding unknown calls and protecting personal information, are the best defenses against becoming a scam victim. Additionally, an upcoming senior and veterans fair was announced for September 9 in Macomb to provide health screenings and information from senior service agencies.
fox61.com
· 2025-12-08
Connecticut's Department of Consumer Protection warned residents of a scam targeting Eversource and United Illuminating customers, where scammers impersonate utility company employees and offer fake senior rate discounts while requesting personal information like account numbers and payment details to commit identity theft and financial fraud. The DCP advised customers to hang up on unsolicited calls, verify legitimacy by calling the official number on their bill, and report scams to authorities and credit agencies.
news5cleveland.com
· 2025-12-08
Two Akron senior citizens—a 75-year-old and a 74-year-old—were defrauded of a combined $156,000 in an online scam that escalated to in-person theft. Scammers used fake pop-up warnings claiming hacked accounts and impersonated Microsoft and federal agencies to convince the victims to withdraw cash and hand it over to couriers who appeared at their homes. The cases have been referred to the FBI and Cyber Task Force, with police urging residents to be cautious of unsolicited demands for large cash payments and to report suspected fraud immediately.
securityboulevard.com
· 2025-12-08
Kansas bank CEO Shan Hanes was sentenced to 24 years in prison for embezzling $47.1 million through wire transfers to cryptocurrency wallets as part of a "pig butchering" scam in which he was the victim-turned-perpetrator. His actions directly caused Heartland Tri-State Bank to collapse, resulting in $9 million in losses to investors, with the FDIC absorbing the remaining $47.1 million. Hanes circumvented internal banking controls with the help of employees to facilitate the fraudulent transfers between May and June 2023.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
A Portland woman fell victim to a romance scam after matching with someone on Tinder who posed as "Barton Nathan" and convinced her to send over $40,000 under the guise of needing money for visa fees, medical emergencies, and legal costs. The scammer used emotional manipulation and false promises of meeting in person to extract funds over several months before the victim realized the relationship was fraudulent. Romance scams resulted in over $1.14 billion in reported losses across more than 64,000 cases in 2023, making them the costliest type of online fraud despite being significantly underreported due to victim shame.
1011now.com
· 2025-12-08
A 68-year-old woman in Lancaster County lost $7,000 after receiving a pop-up window on her computer warning of suspicious banking activity; she was directed to withdraw the money and convert it to Bitcoin, a common fraud tactic. In a separate incident, a man was targeted in an attempted sextortion scam via a dating app and Snapchat, where a woman threatened to share explicit photos unless he paid $2,000, though he avoided losing money by hanging up. The Lancaster County Sheriff's Office warns residents that anyone instructed to purchase Bitcoin by phone should hang up immediately, as these scams affect people of all ages.
theverge.com
· 2025-12-08
Shan Hanes, former CEO of Heartland Tri-State Bank in Kansas, was sentenced to 24 years in prison after embezzling $47.1 million from the bank and routing it to cryptocurrency accounts controlled by pig butchering scammers. Between May and June 2023, Hanes made 11 wire transfers using stolen bank funds while also embezzling from a local church, investment club, and his daughter's college savings account, ultimately causing the bank to collapse. Pig butchering scams, which lure victims into fake cryptocurrency investments through relationship-building on messaging apps and social media, have cost victims over $75 billion globally in recent years
muddyrivernews.com
· 2025-12-08
According to the Better Business Bureau's 2023 Scam Tracker Risk Report, approximately 16.4% of children ages 7-18 have been targeted by scams, with social media being the most popular method scammers use to contact them, followed by gaming platforms, email, and phone apps. The article provides parental guidance on protecting children online, including monitoring their online activity, teaching them about personal information sharing, recognizing phishing attempts, understanding app permissions, and considering parental controls to help establish safe online habits.
androidauthority.com
· 2025-12-08
Phone scams are increasingly sophisticated and cost US consumers $2.7 billion in reported losses in 2023 alone, with numbers rising annually. The article identifies 12 common phone and text scams including the "loved one in need" (grandparent scam), government impersonation (FBI/IRS), and other fraudulent schemes that exploit emotional pressure and official-sounding tactics. Key prevention strategies include verifying caller identity through alternative contact methods, refusing to send money to unknown callers, and being skeptical of urgent payment demands, especially via wire transfers or gift cards.
zdnet.com
· 2025-12-08
Singapore experienced a significant surge in scams from January to June 2024, with 28,751 cases resulting in SG$385.6 million (approximately $294.65 million) in losses—a 24.6% increase from the same period in 2023. Scammers increasingly targeted victims through messaging apps (particularly WhatsApp at 50.2% and Telegram at 45% of cases) and social media platforms (Facebook at 64.4%), using social engineering and deception to manipulate victims into self-executing fund transfers; notably, victims aged 65 and above suffered the highest average losses per incident, with government impersonation sc
abc7news.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI launched a new public awareness campaign called "Take a Beat" to educate the public about major fraud schemes, including impersonation scams (posing as banks or law enforcement), cryptocurrency investment fraud, grandparent scams using AI voice cloning, and recovery scams targeting previous fraud victims. One Bay Area victim lost $950 to a scammer impersonating a Citibank employee, illustrating how fraudsters exploit emotional urgency and personal information to manipulate victims into sending money or revealing passwords.
mid-day.com
· 2025-12-08
Multiple men in Mumbai were scammed through a coordinated dating app fraud scheme in which women matched with them on Tinder and lured them to the Godfather Club, where inflated bills ranging from Rs 35,949 to Rs 55,248 were presented for modest orders of food and drinks. The victims, including a 34-year-old IT professional who lost Rs 55,248 in a single hour, discovered they had been deceived only after the women disappeared with payment and deleted their profiles, leaving victims with no recourse except credit card statements. Following a news investigation, several victims came forward with evidence, ready to file police reports against the restaurant and the women involved in the sc
livebitcoinnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Tether, the issuer of the largest stablecoin USDT, assisted the US Department of Justice in recovering approximately $5 million stolen in a romance (pig-butchering) scam, where victims were deceived into investing in fraudulent cryptocurrency platforms. Since 2014, Tether has recovered $108.8 million in stolen USDT across more than 145 enforcement agencies in 40 jurisdictions by tracking and blocking wallets associated with illicit activity.
cointelegraph.com
· 2025-12-08
Tether, a stablecoin issuer, has assisted over 145 law enforcement agencies in recovering more than $108.8 million in USDT linked to illegal activities since 2014, including a recent $5 million seizure from "pig-butchering" romance scammers who deceived victims by posing as romantic interests. The company has voluntarily blocked over 1,900 wallets connected to illicit activity and collaborated with the DOJ, FBI, and US Secret Service on investigations, with romance scams showing an 85-fold increase since 2020.
the-sun.com
· 2025-12-08
A cybersecurity expert warned that major data breaches—including AT&T's 2024 compromises affecting millions of customers' personal information—enable sophisticated scams orchestrated by state-sponsored actors from China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran who use stolen data for social engineering attacks. Victims lose billions annually to romance scams and "pig-butchering" investment scams (particularly in cryptocurrency), with one in four Americans losing an average of $500 to scams in the past year. The expert recommends monitoring for phishing attempts, using unique passwords with a password manager, and enabling multi-factor authentication to protect against fraud resulting from data breaches.
eccalifornian.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams remain the leading fraud reported to the FTC, with San Diego County alone reporting over $1.3 million in losses in 2023 and nationwide losses exceeding $1.1 billion annually. Scammers, often operating from overseas labor camps, pose as romantic interests and request money for emergencies, investments, or personal situations, using common excuses like illness, military deployment, or business deals. The article advises potential victims to avoid sending money to unmet online contacts, verify photos using reverse image search, and be suspicious of requests to move conversations off dating apps or provide personal information.
birminghammail.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Used car buyers are warned of an emerging scam involving Vehicle Registration Number (VRN) and chassis number tampering, making stolen or cloned vehicles difficult to identify. The scam came to light after Wheeler Dealers host Mike Brewer was victimized by a buyer using false details despite verification checks. Experts advise buyers to verify vehicle history, inspect identification plates and logos carefully, compare chassis numbers against manufacturer records, and look for consistency across all printed VIN locations, with particular caution advised for pre-1980 vehicles where counterfeiting is easier.
timesofmalta.com
· 2025-12-08
A WhatsApp account hacking scam has been circulating in Malta for approximately one week, wherein victims receive messages from compromised contacts requesting they forward a six-digit SMS code, which grants hackers full account access. Notable victims include Kurt Sansone (MaltaToday executive editor) and Andrew Azzopardi (academic and radio host), with the scammers potentially able to access personal messages, contact information, and use stolen data for identity theft or blackmail. Malta Police advise users to never share verification codes, enable two-step verification, and immediately block suspicious contacts.
news.abplive.com
· 2025-12-08
A Mumbai man lost Rs 61,000 in a dating app scam where a woman met him at an upscale restaurant, ordered expensive items without showing him the menu, then left abruptly, leaving him to pay the inflated bill. The scam operates through dating apps like Tinder and Bumble, with victims reportedly threatened by bouncers if they refuse to pay bills ranging from Rs 23,000 to Rs 61,000, and at least 12 victims have been identified targeting the same venue and perpetrators. Similar schemes have been reported across major Indian cities including Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad.