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in Romance Scams
thetimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Kirat Assi, a 44-year-old London woman, was victimized by a nine-year catfishing scam perpetrated by her cousin Simran Bhogal, who created a fake online romance using the false identity of "Bobby Jandu," a cardiologist, and fabricated elaborate excuses to prevent in-person meetings. While Assi's case was unusual in involving no financial loss, charities report a 189-200 percent increase in catfishing cases overall, where perpetrators typically use emotional manipulation to extort money from victims, with some engaging in "sextortion" targeting teenagers. Assi won a civil settlement in 2
nbcphiladelphia.com
· 2025-12-08
**October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and experts emphasize protecting yourself from increasingly sophisticated scams using three key tactics: stay suspicious, stop to think, and stay protected.** Common scam methods exploit fear, urgency, and money incentives—such as fake tax return errors, impersonation of authority figures, and romance scams that can last years and target vulnerable individuals including seniors. Defensive measures include avoiding robocalls and suspicious texts, verifying contacts through official numbers, and using reverse-image searches to identify stolen photos used in romance scams.
thesun.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Megan Clarke, 20, fell victim to a romance scam perpetrated by a man claiming to be "Lord Bertie Underwood," whom she met in 2017 and became engaged to within six months. Upon discovering his true identity through online research approximately one year into the relationship, she learned he was a serial fraudster using multiple aliases with a criminal history, and that he had secretly opened credit cards and loans in her name, leaving her £30,000 in debt before fleeing. Though Megan reported the incident to police and Action Fraud, authorities were unable to recover her losses.
azcentral.com
· 2025-12-08
Americans lost an estimated $12.5 billion to online scams in the past year, with artificial intelligence-generated "deepfake" videos making investment frauds increasingly difficult to detect—the FBI estimates 39% of victims fell for deepfake-based schemes involving fabricated videos of business leaders, celebrities, or romantic interests. Scammers exploit AI to duplicate voices, crack passwords, and process large volumes of data, while most stolen money goes unrecovered, particularly when criminals demand payment in cryptocurrency and operate from overseas. Common defenses include using strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and scrutinizing videos for unnatural movements, inconsistent lighting, and mismatched lip movements
globalnews.ca
· 2025-12-08
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and security experts outline key scam prevention strategies as sophisticated fraud tactics continue to evolve. Scammers commonly exploit fear, urgency, and money as bait through phishing emails, spoofed caller IDs, robocalls, romance scams, and impersonation schemes targeting vulnerable populations including seniors and isolated individuals. The article recommends staying suspicious, stopping to think before acting, and staying protected by verifying requests through official channels and using tools like reverse image searches to identify potential fraud.
ironmountaindailynews.com
· 2025-12-08
Computer scams continue to evolve with increasing sophistication, affecting even experienced and intelligent computer users. This educational piece outlines eight prevalent scam types: imposter/impersonation scams, pig butchering scams (fake investment schemes), romance scams, payment app scams, online shopping scams, delivery scams, lottery scams, charity scams, and robocalls—each employing psychological tactics like creating false urgency, building trust, or exploiting guilt to manipulate victims into surrendering money or personal information. The article advises readers to remain vigilant and informed about these tactics regardless of their computer experience level.
highcountryshopper.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article outlines four common scams affecting individuals today: work-from-home scams that exploit job seekers through fake employment offers and requests for upfront payments or personal account access; tech support scams initiated by unsolicited pop-ups or calls impersonating companies like Microsoft or Apple to steal data or demand payment; romance scams where fraudsters build trust online before fabricating emergencies to solicit money; and grandparent scams targeting vulnerable individuals with urgent requests for untraceable payments. The article advises readers to verify unsolicited job offers and tech support contacts, be cautious with online contacts requesting money, and report suspected fraud to law enforcement, the FTC, FBI's Internet Crime Complaint
abc17news.com
· 2025-12-08
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and experts advise consumers to protect themselves from increasingly sophisticated scams by remembering the "three S's": stay suspicious, stop and think, and stay protected. Common scam tactics exploit fear, urgency, and money; frequent targets include seniors and vulnerable populations through robocalls, phishing emails, impersonation of authorities, and romance scams—with one 70-year-old woman losing tens of thousands over several months to a romance scammer. Experts recommend hanging up on unsolicited calls and texts, calling official numbers to verify requests, and asking trusted younger relatives to reverse-image search suspicious photos.
dlnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Former Canadian Olympic snowboarder Ryan Wedding allegedly led a major cocaine trafficking network that smuggled large quantities of drugs from California to Canada using cryptocurrency payments, including Tether (USDT), with one tracked payment involving 17,300 USDT linked to a drug deal. Wedding, who previously served prison time for cocaine trafficking in 2010, is now facing US prosecution for leveraging encrypted messaging and crypto to facilitate the operation. The case highlights ongoing concerns about cryptocurrency misuse in crime, though Tether reports it has frozen over $1.8 billion in illicit funds and is collaborating with law enforcement to combat criminal activity on its platform.
timesnownews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 48-year-old Bengaluru software engineer lost Rs 50 lakh after meeting a woman named "Shruthi Menon" on a dating app who lured him into a romance while convincing him to invest in fake stock trading schemes. The scammer used promises of marriage and fabricated investment returns to manipulate the victim into depositing money across multiple accounts, then demanded additional fees when he attempted to withdraw his supposed profits. Police registered a case under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita and Information Technology Act, with investigation ongoing to identify the perpetrators.
news.sky.com
· 2025-12-08
A Thai teenager named Poom-Jai was lured to Cambodia under false employment promises and forced to work in a "fraud factory" conducting "pig butcher" romance scams, where he manipulated lonely victims into investing money in fraudulent schemes before stealing it all. Across Southeast Asia, an estimated 300,000 scammers operating in heavily guarded compounds controlled by Chinese mafia have stolen at least £34 billion worldwide, with workers often trafficked, tortured, and imprisoned when they fail to meet targets or attempt escape. Poom-Jai eventually suffered beatings with electric batons when accused of theft and attempted a desperate escape from the compound.
theconversation.com
· 2025-12-08
In a landmark ruling, Australia's Financial Conduct Authority (AFCA) ordered HSBC to compensate a customer who lost $47,178.54 in a sophisticated "spoofing" scam where the victim was manipulated into revealing security passcodes through a fake bank text message. The decision is significant because AFCA rejected the bank's argument that the customer voluntarily disclosed codes and therefore wasn't entitled to compensation, instead finding the victim was manipulated rather than acting of free will. This ruling could reshape how Australian banks handle similar cases and supports broader sector reforms pushing financial institutions to take greater responsibility for detecting and preventing scams rather than placing the burden solely on consumers.
ftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission's 2023-2024 report on protecting older adults reveals that seniors reported losing over $1.9 billion to fraud in 2023, though the actual total is estimated at $61.5 billion when accounting for unreported cases. Older adults face disproportionate vulnerability to investment scams ($538 million in losses), tech support scams (5x more likely than younger adults), and romance scams, with cryptocurrency and bank transfers being the most costly payment methods used by fraudsters. The FTC's Scams Against Older Adults Advisory Group, created under the Stop Senior Scams Act, has implemented consumer education programs and developed industry training guidance to combat these
courant.com
· 2025-12-08
Tolulope Samuel Bodunde, a 33-year-old Nigerian citizen living in New Jersey, was sentenced to two years in prison for participating in an international internet fraud scheme that targeted multiple victims across the United States and abroad, including elderly women through romance scams. The conspiracy used money mules to funnel fraudulent proceeds through bank accounts, defrauding businesses and individuals by posing as legitimate recipients; Bodunde was ordered to pay $494,939 in restitution to three victims.
livebitcoinnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Hong Kong police arrested 27 individuals operating a "pig butchering" romance scam ring that stole $46.3 million from victims across Mainland China, India, and Singapore. The scammers posed as romantic partners online and used AI deepfake technology and fake cryptocurrency investment platforms to deceive primarily male victims into transferring digital assets, which they never recovered. The operation was run from an industrial complex in Hong Kong's Hung Hom neighborhood and employed trained staff and contracted developers to execute the scheme.
thepaypers.com
· 2025-12-08
In the first half of 2024, criminals stole £571.7 million through unauthorized and authorised fraud in the UK, a 1.5% decrease from 2023, though unauthorized fraud cases rose 19% to over 1.5 million incidents with card-not-present fraud increasing 26%. Authorised push payment (APP) fraud losses declined 11% to £213.7 million, with notable decreases in romance scams, investment scams, and impersonation fraud, and 59% of APP losses were recovered and returned to victims. Banks prevented £710.9 million in unauthorized fraud through security systems, with 98% of unauthorized fraud victims fully
yourmoney.com
· 2025-12-08
UK Finance's Half Year Fraud Report 2024 revealed a 16% rise in fraud cases compared to 2023, though total losses decreased 1.5% to approximately £1.5 billion. Authorized push payment (APP) fraud cases dropped 16% to 97,344 with losses falling 11% to £213.7 million, while romance scams, investment scams, and impersonation scams also declined; however, unauthorized fraud on cards, cheques, and remote banking surged 19% to 1.5 million cases totaling £358 million. Only 59% of fraud losses were returned to victims, though banks prevented £710.
sjgov.org
· 2025-12-08
This article describes San Joaquin County's District Attorney's office and its 175-year commitment to public safety under the leadership of Ronald J. Freitas, the 42nd District Attorney. The office maintains a zero-tolerance approach to prosecution and has established a Family Justice Center—a collaborative service delivery model that provides comprehensive support to victims of domestic violence, human trafficking, sexual assault, elder abuse, child abuse, and stalking under one roof. The center aims to help affected individuals and families feel safe and supported while navigating the help-seeking process and rebuilding their lives.
waow.com
· 2025-12-08
Northcentral Technical College partnered with the Wisconsin Department of Justice to educate elderly community members about common scams and fraud prevention techniques. The program highlighted romance/love scams as a primary threat, where scammers develop fake relationships with seniors over the phone to extract money, noting that victims in the area have lost homes and life savings to such schemes.
justice.org.au
· 2025-12-08
West Australian grandmother Donna Nelson, arrested in January 2023 after being victimized by a romance scam and allegedly attempting to import drugs into Japan, began trial in November 2024 with international human rights support. Nelson has been detained in Chiba prison for 21 months awaiting trial on drug trafficking charges, allegedly having been manipulated by a scammer she believed she was meeting after 18 months of online communication. Her family and legal representatives argue she is a victim who should not be criminalized, citing concerns about her isolated confinement and lack of family contact during pre-trial detention.
cointelegraph.com
· 2025-12-08
Hong Kong police arrested 27 people in October for operating a crypto romance investment scam that used AI deepfakes to defraud victims of $46.3 million. The scammers, mostly targeting men from mainland China, Taiwan, India, and Singapore, posed as women using deepfake technology to lure victims into fake cryptocurrency investment schemes operated from an industrial building in Hung Hom. The operation employed university graduates in digital media and overseas IT professionals to build the fraudulent platform and develop training materials for the deepfake scams.
odishabytes.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are increasingly using deepfake technology and artificial intelligence to perpetrate fraud, employing tactics including romance scams (where victims are lured into fake relationships and defrauded of millions), "digital arrest" schemes (where fraudsters impersonate law enforcement to coerce victims into extended video calls and payments), and investment scams using deepfake videos of celebrities like Virat Kohli and Ratan Tata to promote fraudulent apps. Notable victims include men across Taiwan, Singapore, and India who lost over $46 million to romance scams, and Indian textile baron SP Oswal who was defrauded of $833,000 after being
bitcoinist.com
· 2025-12-08
Hong Kong authorities dismantled a HK$360 million ($46.3 million) cryptocurrency romance fraud scheme operating over approximately one year, arresting 27 suspects who lured victims from Hong Kong, India, Singapore, and Malaysia into fake online relationships and cryptocurrency investment scams. Police seized over HK$200,000 in cash and luxury goods, and authorities emphasized the need for victims to verify cryptocurrency platforms and investment opportunities before participating.
therecord.media
· 2025-12-08
A global law enforcement operation called SOGA X conducted in June and July across 28 countries arrested over 5,100 people and shut down tens of thousands of illegal gambling websites, recovering more than $59 million in illicit proceeds during the UEFA 2024 European Football Championship. The crackdown exposed links between illegal gambling operations and organized cybercrime centers involved in human trafficking, romance scams, and "pig butchering" fraud schemes, with one Philippine raid rescuing over 650 trafficking victims who had been forced to conduct online fraud. Notable takedowns included dismantling a Vietnamese gambling ring generating $800,000 daily and disrupting organized crime operations in Thailand, Greece, an
interpol.int
· 2025-12-08
**Operation SOGA X (June-July 2024):** An international law enforcement operation involving INTERPOL and 28 countries made over 5,100 arrests and recovered USD 59 million in illicit proceeds from illegal gambling networks. The operation rescued more than 650 human trafficking victims in the Philippines who had been lured with false employment promises and forced into running cyber scams including romance scams and cryptocurrency fraud, while also dismantling major illegal betting operations in Vietnam, Thailand, and Greece that generated hundreds of millions in illegal transactions through money laundering schemes.
pcworld.com
· 2025-12-08
A Hong Kong-based scam ring of 27 people used romance-fraud schemes combined with real-time deepfake video technology to steal approximately $46 million from victims across China, Taiwan, India, and Singapore. The scammers created fake profiles with AI-generated photos, built romantic relationships through messaging, and when victims requested video verification, used deepfake software to convincingly impersonate the attractive women in their profiles before convincing targets to "invest" in fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes. This "pig butchering" technique, which has reportedly stolen as much as $75 billion globally, is expanding internationally with increasing sophistication as AI tools make it easier for organized crime rings to create convincing
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
This article explains Zelle, a peer-to-peer payment service vulnerable to fraud because transfers are often irreversible. According to a congressional investigation, customers at Bank of America, Chase, and Wells Fargo disputed $166 million in Zelle fraud in 2023, but only 38% was reimbursed; from 2021-2023, the three banks rejected approximately $560 million in scam disputes. The article outlines seven common Zelle scams including account takeover, employment schemes, charity fraud, marketplace and rental scams, and impersonation scams, providing awareness and protective guidance for users.
marketrealist.com
· 2025-12-08
A vigilant bank teller in Australia prevented a 70-year-old woman from losing millions in a dating scam by asking probing questions about her decision to sell her home, ultimately discovering the woman was being manipulated by an online boyfriend who claimed to need money for overseas prison bail—a classic romance scam tactic that was confirmed through a reverse image search. The article also describes a similar incident where a Scottish postal employee protected an elderly woman from a bank impersonation scam, highlighting how alert employees can serve as critical safeguards against fraud that cost consumers approximately $8.8 billion in 2022.
fox61.com
· 2025-12-08
Tolulope Samuel Bodunde, a 33-year-old Nigerian citizen, was sentenced to two years in prison for participating in a multi-country business email compromise scheme that defrauded multiple victims including Connecticut, Colorado, Alaska, and New York-based companies. Bodunde specifically exploited elderly women through romance scams to serve as unwitting money mules and was ordered to pay $494,939 in restitution to three victims. The criminal network, led by co-conspirator Okechuckwu Valentine Osuji, operated over several years by impersonating legitimate entities in electronic communications to trick victims into transferring money to accounts controlled by the conspirators.
ibtimes.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Hong Kong police arrested 27 individuals, primarily tech and digital media graduates aged 21-34, for operating a sophisticated deepfake romance scam that defrauded victims across Asia of over $46 million. The organized criminal ring used AI-generated deepfake personas of attractive women to initiate romantic relationships with male victims in Singapore, India, Taiwan, and elsewhere, then manipulated them into investing in fake cryptocurrency platforms through a structured operation with training manuals and specialized departments. The scam operated for approximately one year before law enforcement dismantled the operation in a raid that seized over 100 cell phones, nearly $26,000 in cash, and luxury watches.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
This roundup covers multiple news stories, including one relevant to elder fraud: Hong Kong police reported a deepfake romance scam in which artificial intelligence was used to create fake video calls of an attractive woman to defraud men of $46 million. The article also covers unrelated topics such as parenting stress, AI risks, credit card debt concerns, and tourism regulations.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Carlton Rembert, 70, was sentenced to 66 months in prison for his role in a guardianship fraud scheme that stole over $1 million from at least 120 incapacitated elderly people in Pennsylvania between 2012 and 2018. Working with his sister Gloria Byars, a court-appointed guardian, and co-conspirator Alesha Mitchell, Rembert deposited over $695,000 in fraudulent checks into shell company accounts and spent the stolen funds on personal expenses including vacations and vehicles. Rembert was ordered to pay $534,335 in restitution to victims.
therecord.media
· 2025-12-08
Hong Kong police arrested 27 people for operating a romance scam ring that used AI-generated photos and deepfake face-swapping technology to defraud victims of $46 million across Hong Kong, mainland China, Taiwan, India, and Singapore. The syndicate operated from a headquarters in Hung Hom and recruited university graduates to create fake trading platforms and cryptocurrency investment schemes, with scammers using deepfake technology during video calls to impersonate attractive individuals and gain victims' trust. Police seized computers, phones, and approximately $25,750 in suspected proceeds.
cnn.com
· 2025-12-08
Hong Kong police arrested 27 members of a sophisticated romance scam ring that used deepfake AI technology to defraud victims across Asia of more than $46 million. The well-organized gang, composed of young university graduates, posed as attractive women to lure victims into fake romantic relationships, then coerced them to invest in a bogus cryptocurrency platform, using a detailed training manual to manipulate victims' emotions and trust. The scam operated for approximately one year before police raids in August recovered over 100 cell phones, nearly $26,000 in cash, and luxury watches.
decrypt.co
· 2025-12-08
Hong Kong police dismantled a deepfake romance scam that defrauded victims across Hong Kong, Singapore, and mainland China of approximately $46 million between October 2023 and the investigation's conclusion. The multinational fraud syndicate used AI-generated images and deepfake technology to pose as women in online relationships, eventually convincing victims to invest in fake cryptocurrency platforms with falsified transaction records showing profits, then preventing withdrawals. Authorities arrested 27 individuals, including university graduates and suspected triad members, who operated specialized roles in the scheme and earned tens of thousands of Hong Kong dollars monthly.
firstpost.com
· 2025-12-08
Hong Kong police dismantled a deepfake romance scam that defrauded victims across multiple countries of $46 million, arresting 27 suspects including college graduates who used AI-generated images of attractive women to build romantic relationships with victims before luring them into fraudulent cryptocurrency investments. The organized syndicate operated from an industrial unit in Hong Kong for approximately one year, using a detailed manual to manipulate victims' emotions and present fake profit records until victims discovered they could not withdraw funds. Police recovered over 100 cell phones, $26,000 in cash, and luxury watches during the raid, with the investigation ongoing.
crypto.news
· 2025-12-08
Hong Kong police arrested 27 people involved in a sophisticated romance scam that defrauded victims from multiple countries of $46 million between October 2023 and the investigation's conclusion. The syndicate used AI-generated photos and deepfake technology to pose as attractive women in online relationships, convincing victims to invest in fake cryptocurrency platforms while showing fabricated transaction records and discussing false future plans. The operation was highly organized with specialized roles in scamming, technical support, and accounting, with individual fraudsters earning tens of thousands of dollars monthly.
advertiserandtimes.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Two romance scams targeted Lymington residents, with fraudsters posing as Brad Pitt to contact a woman in her 70s via Facebook, and another scammer using a dating website to target a man in his 20s who lost £1,300. These incidents follow previous celebrity impersonation scams in the New Forest area, including a woman in her 90s who lost £13,000 to a fake Sir Tom Jones account and a man in his 60s who lost £910 to a Celine Dion impersonator. Hampshire police urged the public to recognize that wealthy celebrities would never request money from strangers online and encouraged vulnerable individuals and their relatives to exercise caution when
beincrypto.com
· 2025-12-08
Hong Kong police arrested 27 perpetrators (21 men and 6 women, mostly university graduates in digital media) operating a sophisticated romance scam that defrauded approximately $46 million from men across Asia between October 2023 and September 2024. The scammers used deepfake AI technology to create fake female personas who engaged victims in romantic conversations, building trust before convincing them to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency platforms from which funds could not be withdrawn. This case exemplifies the growing trend of AI-enabled romance scams (also called "pig-butchering" schemes), which have caused over $75 billion in global losses since 2020, with deepfake-specific sc
perthnow.com.au
· 2025-12-08
Cairns Police warned Australian residents about romance scams that begin with scammers using fake social media profiles to contact potential victims through unsolicited messages. These deceptive profiles appear authentic but are designed to manipulate victims into sending money, resulting in significant financial losses beyond emotional harm.
wired.com
· 2025-12-08
This article discusses the growing threat of real-time video deepfakes used for fraud, describing how Reality Defender and other companies are developing detection tools to combat the problem. Recent cases include a US Senate chairman being deceived by a fake Ukrainian official video call and an engineering company losing millions to deepfake video fraud, with romance scams also employing the technique. Multiple approaches are being developed, including Reality Defender's planned Zoom plug-in and academic research on challenge-based authentication, though these detection tools remain unavailable to the general public.
finextra.com
· 2025-12-08
Social media platforms, particularly Meta, face increasing pressure to combat fraud after a new UK Authorized Push Payment reimbursement scheme took effect in October, with Revolut reporting that over 60% of APP fraud victims in the first half of 2024 originated on Meta platforms. The article outlines six prevalent social media scams: romance scams (building trust before requesting money), job scams (fake postings requesting upfront fees or personal information, with finance roles most targeted at 35.45%), marketplace scams (rental and ticket fraud), phishing links, cryptocurrency/investment scams, and celebrity impersonation schemes. Payment service providers and social media companies are debating responsibility, with critics arguing
articles.listnr.com
· 2025-12-08
A 60-year-old woman lost $200,000 to a romance scammer who built trust with her through fake social media profiles before requesting money transfers. Police warn that romance scams typically begin with unsolicited messages from fake accounts that move conversations to other platforms, and scammers use fabricated stories about financial difficulties to solicit payments via bank transfers or cryptocurrency. Authorities advise victims and their families to verify in-person before sending money, immediately contact financial institutions if compromised, and report the scam to cybercrime units.
corporate-adviser.com
· 2025-12-08
Research from WEALTH at Work found that 13% of UK adults fell victim to pension scams in the past year, part of a total 6.2 million people affected by financial fraud overall, with victims losing an average of £1,000. Pension scams typically involved fake promises of guaranteed returns or early access to pensions, while other prevalent scams included purchase scams (27%), investment scams (19%), romance scams (14%), and tax refund scams (10%). The research emphasizes that fraudsters use professional-looking materials and multiple contact methods to appear legitimate, and recommends that people verify company registration with the Financial Conduct Authority, never rush financial decisions, and follow the
sbsun.com
· 2025-12-08
"Pig butchering" romance scams are siphoning millions of dollars from Californians annually through sophisticated cons where scammers build fake romantic relationships with victims before manipulating them into sending money. The scheme has devastating consequences, including destroyed families, erased retirement plans, and some victims driven to suicide, according to state officials working to combat the fast-growing fraud.
abc.net.au
· 2025-12-08
A 60-year-old woman from Cairns lost over $200,000 to an online romance scam after months of contact with a man claiming to be deployed in overseas military service who repeatedly requested money for various needs. Police say it is unlikely the victim will recover any funds, and the scam only ended when authorities intervened after receiving reports of suspicious activity. According to experts, romance scammers typically use profiles claiming military or business travel backgrounds, often operate from overseas to evade jurisdiction, and employ sophisticated emotional manipulation tactics, though victims are advised to report incidents to police, contact their bank, and use services like Scamwatch.
au.news.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
A 60-year-old Cairns woman lost $200,000 to a romance scammer who built trust with her through fake social media profiles before requesting money. Cairns Police have issued a warning about romance scams, which typically involve scammers posing as genuine individuals who gradually build relationships and convince victims to send funds via cash, bank transfers, or cryptocurrency. Police advise potential victims to verify the identity of online contacts before making any financial transactions and recommend contacting banks, blocking scammers, and changing passwords if victimized.
mypolice.qld.gov.au
· 2025-12-08
Cairns Police issued a public awareness alert about romance scams, in which perpetrators establish fake online identities to build trust with victims before requesting money or personal information. A recent case involved a 60-year-old Cairns woman who lost $200,000 to a scammer who gradually gained her trust over time. Police advise residents to be cautious of unsolicited online requests, verify identities in person before financial transactions, and report suspected scams to authorities or support services like ScamWatch or ID Care.
presstelegram.com
· 2025-12-08
"Pig butchering" romance scams have siphoned millions of dollars from Californians annually through sophisticated confidence schemes that build romantic relationships with victims before exploiting them financially. The scams have caused severe damage to victims' lives, including destroyed families, lost retirement savings, and in some cases, suicides. State agencies are working to combat this fast-growing fraud scheme that disproportionately affects vulnerable populations.
dailynews.com
· 2025-12-08
A Santa Monica software developer lost $740,000 in a "pig butchering" romance scam in which a scammer spent two months building trust and romantic connection before pitching a fake cryptocurrency investment scheme. The scam, which originated in China in 2019 and expanded globally during the pandemic, involves networks of scammers posing as romantic partners to exploit victims over weeks or months, with California residents losing over $1.1 billion to cryptocurrency investment scams in 2023 alone, and some victims driven to suicide after devastating financial losses.