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The FBI has identified five major scams targeting Texans: phishing emails mimicking banks to steal personal information, romance scams involving fake dating profiles that request money, lottery/sweepstakes scams requiring upfront fees to claim winnings, tech support scams requesting remote computer access, and IRS/government impersonation scams threatening legal action for immediate payment. The article advises Texans to be cautious of unsolicited requests for money or personal information and to trust their instincts when something seems suspicious.

This article is not about elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It concerns alleged election fraud investigations and raids conducted by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton on campaign workers and Latino community members in 2024. This content falls outside the scope of the Elderus elder fraud research database.

"Tip baiting" is a practice where customers on delivery apps like Uber Eats offer inflated tips to secure faster service, then reduce or eliminate the tip after delivery is complete. A Texas Uber Eats driver confronted a customer after her $21 tip was reduced to zero on a $143 order, and the issue has become widespread enough that even Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi experienced it while working undercover as a driver in California. In response to these findings, Uber has implemented changes including allowing drivers to view drop-off locations before pickup and distributing hundreds of millions in bonuses to address driver concerns.

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.

San Antonio's City Council approved a policy requiring municipal employees in high-contact departments—including police, fire, and health services—to receive training on identifying and reporting elder abuse, addressing what officials describe as an underreported crisis. In 2023, Bexar County documented 157 verified exploitation cases despite over 10,400 reports and nearly 7,000 investigations, with the county surpassing Harris County for the first time in verified cases as the elderly population grows. The initiative, developed with Texas Adult Protective Services, represents the first mandatory elder abuse training policy for city employees in Texas and is supported by a separate $800,000 federal grant to establish a Senior Justice Assessment Center for

Scammers are exploiting missing persons posts on social media, with fraudsters messaging families of missing people offering to help locate them for payment, while also creating fake missing child posts designed to spread malicious links. Alexandra Ashcraft, whose sister Courtney Martin has been missing since last year, raised awareness about these scams by creating an educational Facebook group and highlighting red flags in fake posts, such as improper wording, lack of contact information, and suspicious sources.

Josiah Anthony, lead pastor of Cross Timbers Church in Argyle, Texas, resigned after church elders discovered he engaged in sexual messaging and inappropriate communication with women members via text and social media. The elders initially stated his misconduct was non-sexual but later revealed a pattern of sexual and excessively personal communications with multiple women, which they characterized as non-consensual due to power imbalances, and indicated more allegations may emerge. Founding pastor Toby Slough will serve as interim lead pastor while the church searches for a replacement.

The Temple Police Department reported a surge in phone and online scams targeting Central Texas residents, including Microsoft, IRS tax, Social Security/Medicare, and law enforcement impersonation schemes. One victim received a call from someone posing as a Bell County Sheriff's deputy demanding several thousand dollars for a fake failure-to-appear warrant, using real names of county officials to appear credible. Police advise residents to verify caller identities independently, never share personal or financial information unsolicited, and report suspected scams immediately.

An 80-year-old Clinton woman named "Sylvia" lost $7,500 in a fake lottery scam that began in late 2023 when scammers called claiming she won a $7.5 million prize and required payment to claim it. The scammers convinced Sylvia to make ten monthly $500 payments via Apple gift cards, then exploited her further by demanding additional fees and recruiting her to cash checks from strangers in Texas and Florida and wire the money to the fraudsters. The scheme eventually unraveled when Sylvia's bank became suspicious of the checks, though by then the scammers had extracted thousands in stolen funds through her account.

I'm unable to access the full content of this Law360 article, as it appears to be behind a subscription paywall. To provide an accurate summary for the Elderus database, I would need the complete article text. If you could provide the full article content, I'd be happy to create a concise 2-3 sentence summary focused on the key details: the defendant's identity, the money laundering scheme, the amount involved ($8.5M), and any relevant outcomes or charges.

A healthcare administrator in Texas highlights that seniors born before 1950 are particularly vulnerable to scams due to their trusting nature, with the most common frauds involving Medicare/Medicaid, Social Security, home repairs, and grandparent impersonation schemes. The FBI reported that scams targeting people over 60 caused over $3.4 billion in losses last year, and experts recommend seniors avoid sharing personal information over the phone, resist pressure to act immediately, and consult trusted contacts before transferring money.

Following the CrowdStrike service outage, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton warned residents to be vigilant against scams exploiting the cybersecurity incident, particularly unsolicited contacts claiming to be from CrowdStrike requesting login credentials or personal information. Consumers are advised to immediately change any compromised passwords, avoid reusing them across accounts, and report suspected data breaches to their organization's customer support or IT department.

Following Hurricane Beryl's power outages in the Pasadena, Texas area, scammers targeted senior citizens in assisted living by directing them to a fraudulent 800-number posing as a hotel booking service. One victim was charged $207 for a fake hotel reservation with an incorrect phone number and was unable to verify the booking when she arrived at the hotel; she successfully disputed the charge with her credit card company. The incident highlights how scammers exploit seniors during disasters when they are vulnerable and seeking emergency shelter.

Following Hurricane Beryl, scammers known as "storm chasers" targeted Texas residents with fraudulent home repair services, typically arriving from out of state to exploit storm damage. Red flags include pressure tactics like same-day-only deals, unmarked vehicles, upfront payment demands, and offers to waive insurance deductibles—a practice that is illegal. Experts recommend obtaining multiple written estimates on company letterhead, verifying contractor credentials and references, and requesting documentation like warranties and bills of sale before hiring any repair service.

This article is not relevant to the Elderus elder fraud research database. It is a promotional piece for a food and entertainment television show called "Texas Eats" that features restaurant recommendations in San Antonio, Texas. It contains no information about scams, fraud, elder abuse, or related safety concerns.

A Georgia couple lost $49,000 in lifetime savings after receiving fraudulent text messages posing as Chase Bank fraud alerts; though the couple did not authorize the transaction and provided no passwords, Chase Bank initially denied reimbursement and closed their case four times. Following the couple's persistence in seeking a subpoena through the court system, Gwinnett County police investigated and issued an arrest warrant in May for 25-year-old Audrey Michelle Townsend from Texas, who confessed to receiving and distributing the stolen funds as part of a larger scam operation, though Chase Bank has still not reopened the case for reimbursement.

The FBI is warning Texas residents about an increasing number of scams operating in the state, noting that criminals are becoming more sophisticated by using AI tools to improve their fraud techniques. The agency advises people to never share banking information or purchase gift cards in response to unsolicited requests via text, email, or messaging apps, and to verify requests for money directly with family members before sending funds. Victims are urged to contact law enforcement immediately if they are scammed.

On May 28th, a Pearland, Texas resident named Missy Edwards lost $17,633 to scammers who spoofed a Wells Fargo phone number and falsely convinced her there was fraudulent activity on her account, then tricked her into initiating a wire transfer herself. Because Edwards voluntarily sent the money under false pretenses rather than having it stolen outright, the bank may not reimburse her, and recovery is extremely difficult since the funds are typically converted to cryptocurrency, which law enforcement agencies struggle to track.

Arlington, Texas police are investigating at least 20 suspicious deaths at nursing homes operated by Regla Becker, 49, owner of unlicensed Love and Caring for People LLC, who faces charges including abuse, negligence, theft, and fraud. One death has been ruled a homicide after the medical examiner found undescribed drugs (trazodone, tramadol, and mirtazapine) in client Steven Pankratz's body; police are also investigating whether Becker coerced client Karen Walker into signing a will leaving her house to Becker shortly before Walker's death in October 2022. The investigation is complicated by the

Adedayo John, a 35-year-old from Texas, was sentenced to seven years in prison for leading a money laundering and bank fraud ring that stole over $19 million from more than 50 victims through business email compromise and romance fraud schemes targeting elderly individuals. John directed conspirators to open fraudulent bank accounts, approximately $4.5 million in proceeds passed through accounts he controlled, and he was ordered to forfeit over $4.5 million and pay nearly $1.6 million in restitution. In total, 11 defendants pleaded guilty in the scheme, which collectively resulted in over $25 million in forfeitures and $8

An 84-year-old woman in White Settlement, Texas was targeted by a scammer who impersonated her bank's security team and threatened her into depositing $40,000 via Bitcoin ATM. Police intervened when a Good Samaritan called authorities, recovering $23,900 that the victim had already deposited, which was returned to her by officers. The case underscores that legitimate banks and law enforcement never call to demand money or payment.

An 84-year-old Texas woman was targeted by a scammer impersonating a Chase Bank security employee who convinced her to deposit money into a Bitcoin ATM to "correct a banking mistake." A Good Samaritan named Myndi Jordan discovered the woman at a gas station after she had already deposited $23,900, and alerted police; Sergeant James Stewart arrived and intervened, preventing the victim from losing the additional $16,100 she had prepared to deposit, for a total potential loss of $40,000.

This article is not relevant to the Elderus database. It discusses Netflix's plan to open immersive entertainment venues at shopping malls, including one at the Galleria in Dallas, as a strategy to revitalize declining mall traffic. There is no content related to elder fraud, scams, elder abuse, or senior citizen safety concerns.

A White Settlement, Texas police officer stopped a scam targeting an elderly woman who had been tricked by a Chase Bank impersonator into withdrawing $40,000 and depositing $23,900 into a Bitcoin ATM machine. The scammer used spoofed caller ID and threats of arrest—tactics common in pig butchering scams—before arranging transportation to a bank and convenience store. Authorities intervened before further losses occurred and are working to recover the deposited funds.

In recognition of World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, the FBI Dallas released findings from the 2023 Elder Fraud Report showing that elder fraud complaints increased 14% with reported losses totaling over $3.4 billion, averaging $33,915 per victim, with Texas accounting for over 7,000 complaints and $278.3 million in losses. Tech support scams were the most commonly reported elder fraud type in 2023, followed by personal data breaches, romance scams, non-payment/non-delivery scams, and investment scams. The FBI identified a formulaic tech support scam pattern where victims' computers are frozen with pop-ups claiming illegal activity, then

The FBI reports a significant increase in elder fraud cases, with $1.6 billion in losses from January to May 2024—nearly $300 million more than the same period in 2023—and notes that Texas alone lost over $278 million in 2023. The most common schemes targeting older adults include tech support scams, romance scams, investment scams, and government impersonation scams, with investment fraud showing the sharpest growth (up 419% in losses from 2021-2023, largely due to cryptocurrency). The FBI emphasizes that seniors should verify unknown contacts, resist pressure to act quickly, avoid sharing personal information with unverified sources, and monitor their

An elderly woman in White Settlement, Texas was targeted by a scammer posing as a Chase Bank security employee who instructed her to withdraw and deposit $40,000 in Bitcoin at an ATM while on a video call. A bystander, Myndi Jordan, noticed the victim depositing money at a Chevron gas station and called police; Sergeant James Stewart arrived and intervened before the full amount could be transferred, stopping the transaction after $23,900 had already been deposited. Police were able to coordinate with Bitcoin to recover the deposited funds, and authorities are warning the public that scammers can spoof bank phone numbers and use coercion and threats to manipulate victims into

A 91-year-old Rockland woman became a victim of credit card fraud when over $3,000 in fraudulent charges from Texas energy companies appeared on her statement in late 2022, shortly after she vacationed in Florida. Her daughter spent more than a year attempting to dispute the charges with Citibank, but the case was closed due to insufficient information, highlighting challenges elderly fraud victims face in resolving disputes. The incident reflects a broader trend in Massachusetts, where residents over 60 lost over $70 million to fraud in 2022, with seniors being significantly more vulnerable to online scams, investment fraud, and imposter schemes.

A 91-year-old Rockland woman became a victim of credit card fraud in late 2022 when over $3,000 in unauthorized charges from Texas energy companies appeared on her statement after a Florida vacation, though her family's dispute with Citibank was closed due to insufficient information. The case highlights a broader problem: Massachusetts residents over 60 lost over $70 million to fraud in 2022, with seniors 517 percent more likely to fall victim to online tech support scams than younger adults. Experts recommend families monitor elderly parents' financial accounts closely and discuss common scam tactics, including requests for unusual payment methods and pressure to act quickly.

A 2023 Better Business Bureau report shows phishing scam reports nearly doubled compared to 2022, with first quarter 2024 numbers on track to exceed last year's totals. U.S. consumers lost over $10 billion to fraud in 2023, with a couple billion attributed to imposter and phishing scams, including losses exceeding $1 million in Corpus Christi alone (though only 3-5% of victims report scams). Experts advise verifying unsolicited contacts by calling official business numbers independently and avoiding urgent pressure tactics and threats commonly used by scammers to extract personal information.

Bolanle Odeyale, a Nigerian citizen living in Texas, was ordered to remain in custody pending trial after being accused of helping Nigerian fraudsters launder millions of dollars obtained through romance scams. The Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals determined she posed a serious flight risk, particularly given an immigration detainer issued against her, and ruled that no release conditions could reasonably ensure her appearance at trial.

The Better Business Bureau warns that scammers posing as contractors frequently target disaster victims following severe weather events, such as Memorial Day weekend storms in Texas. The BBB provides guidance including contacting your insurance company, researching contractors through BBB.org and local licensing agencies, avoiding high-pressure sales tactics, refusing to sign over insurance checks directly to contractors, and being cautious of door-to-door solicitors and offers to illegally waive insurance deductibles. Key protective measures include getting references, requesting contractor identification, paying contractors directly with credit cards, and avoiding allowing unknown contractors unsupervised access to hard-to-inspect areas of the home.

Darlington Akporugo, 46, and Jasmin Sood, 35, were arrested on charges of operating an online romance scam that defrauded at least 13 elderly Americans of approximately $3.1 million between 2015 and 2022. The couple, who resided in Fulshear, Texas, targeted widowed victims on social media and dating platforms, building trust before coercing them to transfer money to accounts they controlled. Both face up to 30 years in prison if convicted, with Akporugo facing additional charges including aggravated identity theft and fraud related to access devices.

**Summary:** Residents of Bowie County, Texas have been targeted by telephone scams using caller ID spoofing to impersonate the Bowie County Sheriff's Office by displaying the department's actual main number (903-798-3149). The scams exploit local trust by making calls appear to originate from an official law enforcement source.

Texas ranks third in the nation for elder fraud, with 7,035 complaints from seniors over 60 resulting in losses exceeding $278 million in 2023, according to the FBI report. Scams include phishing, romance schemes, investment fraud, and cryptocurrency theft, with one couple in their 80s losing nearly $200,000 through a pop-up computer scam. Experts note that quick reporting is critical for potential fund recovery, though victims like the Shockeys have had limited success retrieving losses.

Texas ranks third nationally for elder fraud, with 7,035 complaints from people over 60 resulting in losses exceeding $278 million in 2023, involving scams such as phishing, romance schemes, and cryptocurrency fraud. The article features Dennis and Joy Shockey, an elderly couple who lost nearly $170,000 to a pop-up computer scam and recovered only about one-third through crowdfunding, illustrating how swift action is critical for potential fund recovery. Experts note that elderly Texans are particularly vulnerable targets, with scammers often funneling stolen money through fake accounts near the Mexican border.

The Consumer Financial Protection Bureau distributed $15 million in compensation checks to 13,413 Illinois residents who were victims of an online lending scam by Texas-based company Think Finance, which collected payments on loans that were legally void under state interest rate caps and licensing requirements. The settlement, part of a larger $384 million payout across 17 states to 191,000 victims, resulted from a 2017 lawsuit against Think Finance for making illegal electronic withdrawals and debt collection calls on non-existent debts. Affected Illinois residents received an average of $1,100 per check from the CFPB's victims relief fund.

Approximately 191,000 consumers who were fraudulently induced by Texas-based online lender Think Finance to repay loans they did not owe are receiving $384 million in restitution through the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau's victims relief fund, with distributions beginning May 14, 2024. The CFPB, which has distributed over $19 billion to more than 195 million defrauded consumers since 2010, is providing compensation through its Civil Penalty Fund after law enforcement stopped the company's operations.

An AARP article details election-related scams targeting voters, using a real incident where a fraud expert was approached by a scammer posing as a voter registration volunteer at a Christmas tree lot in Austin, Texas. The article explains that scammers use fake voter registration forms via phishing links, malicious apps, and in-person deception to steal personal data such as Social Security numbers, passwords, and payment information. The piece advises voters to register only through official government channels (online at government websites, by mail, or in person at election offices) and to avoid clicking unsolicited links or downloading apps from unofficial sources.

The FBI reported a 14% increase in elder fraud complaints in 2023, with seniors over 60 losing $3.4 billion across 101,000 reported cases, averaging $33,000 per victim. In Texas alone, over 7,000 seniors lost $278 million, with investment scams, government impersonation schemes, and romance scams showing the largest growth; investment scams averaged $270,000 per victim in Texas. The FBI advises seniors to avoid trusting unknown contacts, verify caller identities independently, and report fraud to enable broader conspiracy investigations.

Homeowners should beware of two types of property tax scams: companies charging fees to file free homestead exemptions (either as flat fees or percentage-of-savings arrangements) and fraudulent websites mimicking government property tax sites to mislead homeowners about deadlines and procedures. The article highlights a fake "Collincountyappraisaldistrict.org" site that ranks high in Google searches and displays incorrect deadline information, and advises Texas residents to report suspected fraud to the Texas Attorney General's office and verify information directly through official county appraisal district websites.

Michelle McIntosh, a 40-year-old Farmingdale woman, was arrested on May 2 after law enforcement caught her attempting to retrieve a package containing $9,000 in cash at a Hicksville post office. McIntosh had perpetrated a lottery scam against a 72-year-old Texas resident by falsely claiming he had won and instructing him to mail the fee to claim his winnings. She faces charges of Grand Larceny 3rd Degree and Criminal Possession of Stolen Property following the joint investigation by Nassau County Police, the Fraud and Forgery Unit, and the United States Post Office Investigations Unit.

A national initiative is training doctors across 22 states, Washington D.C., and Puerto Rico to identify elderly patients vulnerable to investment fraud and refer them to securities regulators and social workers. The program, expanding from a successful Texas pilot, represents a collaborative approach between investor protection groups, medical associations, and adult protection services to address senior investment scams as a public health issue.

The Texas Health and Human Services Commission warned of a surge in phone scams targeting SNAP and TANF benefit recipients, where scammers spoof the Lone Star Card Help Desk's caller ID to trick victims into revealing their PIN, Social Security number, and date of birth under the false promise of new or increased benefits. HHSC emphasized that legitimate agency representatives never request sensitive information via unsolicited calls, texts, or emails, and urged affected individuals to verify calls by hanging up and contacting the number on their Lone Star Card or reporting fraud to the OIG hotline.

The FBI warned of a resurgence in impersonation scams targeting Houston residents, where fraudsters pose as law enforcement or government agencies using caller ID spoofing to convince victims their identities or finances have been compromised. Victims in the area have lost tens of thousands of dollars after being pressured to transfer money to gift cards or cryptocurrency, with Texas reporting approximately $17 million in losses statewide at an average of $17,000 per victim. The FBI emphasized that legitimate government agents never request payment, gift cards, or immediate money transfers to resolve legal matters.

A 37-year-old Chinese man was trafficked to a compound in Myanmar under the guise of a theater job, where he was forced to conduct "pig butchering" cryptocurrency scams targeting Chinese and European victims by posing as romantic interests and soliciting increasingly large amounts of crypto currency in exchange for promised investment returns. The forced scam operations emerged from Chinese-run illegal economic zones that originated as money laundering and gambling operations in Southeast Asia, and according to a University of Texas study, such scams have stolen approximately $75 billion worldwide. The scammer himself became a victim of human trafficking after COVID-19 disrupted traditional gambling operations and led criminal syndicates to resort to

Scammers are operating a sophisticated cryptocurrency investment scheme that has seen exponential growth in Houston, using fake websites and apps that appear legitimate to trick victims into investing in non-existent cryptocurrencies. The perpetrators contact victims via email, phone, social media, or personal connections, starting with small requests (e.g., $5,000) and progressively requesting larger amounts while showing fake investment returns, ultimately draining victims' entire savings before disappearing. In 2023, this scam cost victims billions of dollars nationally and $300 million in Texas.

Cryptocurrency investment scams—often initiated through dating apps, LinkedIn, or text messages—have caused over $82.7 million in losses across the Houston area in the last 16 months, with the FBI receiving new reports approximately weekly. Scammers build romantic relationships with victims over weeks or months, then convince them to invest in fake cryptocurrency schemes that show fraudulent gains; one Harris County man lost over $800,000 after being lured through a dating app. Once funds are transferred, most money moves overseas within minutes to southeast Asia and west Africa, making recovery extremely difficult, though one victim was ordered restitution of less than 20 percent of his losses.

Real estate scams are surging, with the FBI's IC3 receiving 9,521 complaints in 2023 resulting in $145.2 million in losses, primarily through business email compromise (BEC) schemes targeting homebuyers and sellers. Notable cases include a Connecticut homebuyer who nearly lost $426,000 after receiving a spoofed email posing as their attorney, and a Texas realtor who identified a fraudulent property listing scheme. Common tactics include fake closing/wire fraud emails, rental listing scams, and home warranty schemes, with scammers exploiting the busy March-June real estate season by impersonating attorneys, lenders, and property owners to steal money

In 2023, the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center received over 100,000 complaints from individuals over 60, representing a 14% increase from the previous year, with scammers stealing $3.4 billion from seniors (an 11% increase from 2022). Tech support scams were the most common complaint, while investment scams caused the greatest financial losses at $1.2 billion, with the average loss per incident reaching nearly $34,000. California, Florida, and Texas experienced the highest concentrations of senior scam complaints.