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in Money Mules / Laundering
odaily.news
· 2026-08-11
North Korea stole at least $2.8 billion in cryptocurrency between January 2024 and September 2025, laundering the funds through criminal networks including money mules in the Philippines, Indonesia, and China to support its weapons programs. The stolen tokens were frequently mixed with proceeds from investment scams like "pig butchering" schemes and converted to cash through peer-to-peer markets and organized crime syndicates, with recovery efforts recovering only $48.4 million from the Bybit exchange hack.
decrypt.co
· 2026-08-11
North Korea stole at least $2.8 billion in cryptocurrency between January 2024 and September 2025, which researchers believe funds its weapons program, and is increasingly laundering these stolen assets through criminal networks used by scam syndicates to obscure the money trail. The regime converts the stolen crypto into cash through decentralized services, over-the-counter desks, and peer-to-peer traders, often using recruited money mules in the Philippines, Indonesia, and China, while breaking conversions into small amounts under $7,000 to avoid triggering bank reviews. In one major case, the Bybit exchange recovered only $48.4 million of the $1.5 billion
wjcl.com
· 2026-08-11
A Douglasville man was convicted of laundering over $2.7 million stolen from romance scam victims, primarily elderly adults who lost retirement savings between April 2020 and September 2021. Babajide Adesayo helped move victims' funds through a transnational network to China, Hong Kong, and Nigeria by disguising the transactions as vehicle payments from his automotive business. He was convicted on two counts of conspiracy to commit money laundering and 16 counts of transactional money laundering, with sentencing scheduled for November 20.
chinadailyasia.com
· 2026-08-10
Hong Kong police dismantled a "compensated dating" scam syndicate on August 4, arresting eight people involved in 80 fraud cases totaling over HK$6.2 million ($790,000) in losses. The scam, which operated since 2024, used online advertisements offering "sugar daddy" arrangements and fake lawyers to trick victims—predominantly women aged 19-41—into paying legal and penalty fees with promises of refunds that never materialized. Some victims were targeted again by secondary scams claiming to recover their losses.
singjupost.com
· 2026-08-10
This transcript from an August 2026 FBI interview does not contain information about elder fraud, scams targeting seniors, or fraud cases suitable for an elder fraud research database. The content focuses on FBI Director Kash Patel discussing World Cup security operations, counter-drone systems, and mentions Operation Blackout only in passing without substantive details about scam victims or fraud amounts.
rte.ie
· 2026-08-10
Recruitment scams are rising in Ireland, with criminals using legitimate company branding, conducting fake video interviews, and then requesting personal information, bank details, or upfront payments under the guise of onboarding. The scams are particularly effective because they mimic the entire genuine hiring process—application, interview, and job offer—making fraudulent requests feel like normal employment procedures. Job applicants are vulnerable because they typically authenticate employers through weak methods like logos and email signatures, while legitimate employers have multiple verification tools available.
timesleader.com
· 2026-08-10
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday addressed legislators about crime trends, highlighting that violent crime is generally down but drug offenses are increasing, with his office removing 56.5 million fentanyl doses from streets. He emphasized growing concerns about senior scams, noting Pennsylvania's large elderly population is at high risk, and revealed his office's newly created elder exploitation unit is already overwhelmed with cases. Sunday advocated for legislative action to empower financial institutions to place holds on potentially fraudulent transactions to prevent elder fraud, as stolen money is rarely recovered.
yellow.com
· 2026-08-10
Daren Li, a 42-year-old dual Chinese-St. Kitts national, received a 20-year maximum prison sentence for orchestrating a $73 million cryptocurrency fraud scheme involving Cambodia-based scam operations that targeted American victims through spoofed trading platforms and romance scams. Li became a fugitive in December 2025 after cutting off his ankle monitor, and the sentencing was imposed in absentia; at least $73.6 million in victim funds flowed through accounts he controlled, with roughly $59.8 million laundered through U.S. shell companies into cryptocurrency. The case represents one of the largest "pig butchering" prosecutions in the U.S
cbsnews.com
· 2026-08-10
A Douglasville man was convicted of laundering over $2.7 million stolen from victims of romance and online scams between April 2020 and September 2021, with elderly victims losing retirement savings. Babajide Adesayo, 41, helped move the stolen funds through a transnational network to China, Hong Kong, and Nigeria by disguising them as vehicle payments through his automotive business. He faces up to 20 years in prison on conspiracy charges and up to 10 years on each money laundering count, with sentencing scheduled for November 20.
sowetan.co.za
· 2026-08-09
A 73-year-old Cape Town widow lost over R14 million in a romance scam after meeting an impostor posing as an Italian businessman on a Christian dating site, who convinced her to transfer funds over five years under false pretenses of legal fees and emergencies. Seven suspects have been arrested and charged with fraud and money laundering, operating as a money-mule network that moved victim funds through multiple South African bank accounts to conceal their origin. The case highlights how romance scammers employ extended psychological manipulation to build emotional dependence before escalating financial demands.
sundaytimes.timeslive.co.za
· 2026-08-09
A 73-year-old Cape Town widow lost over R14 million to a romance scam after meeting a man identifying as "Mr Ael Alzando," an Italian businessman, on a Christian dating site between 2017 and 2022. Seven suspects have been charged with fraud and money laundering for allegedly operating a syndicate that created fake dating profiles, groomed vulnerable victims, and convinced them to deposit money into South African bank accounts under false pretenses of overseas emergencies. The scam was only discovered when Gray noticed all requested deposits were into local accounts despite being told the funds were needed abroad.
ppc.land
· 2026-08-09
Gen Z professionals lose money to employment scams at five times the rate of Baby Boomers—21% versus 4%—according to LinkedIn survey data, with Gen Z also showing higher vulnerability across multiple stages of job searching despite expressing greater confidence in their ability to spot scams. The research reveals that 90% of reported scam messages attempt to move conversations to private channels, often in the first message, and identifies work-from-home and entry-level positions as primary targets. Gen Z's increased susceptibility is partly attributed to market pressures, with 32% of Gen Z ignoring warning signs due to limited job options compared to 8% of Baby Boomers.
newindianexpress.com
· 2026-08-09
A Madhya Pradesh district panchayat member, Jagdish Malviya, was arrested for allegedly allowing his bank accounts to be used by cyber fraudsters to launder proceeds from online scams, earning a 2% commission to fund his political ambitions for a future Assembly election. The scheme involved a Rs 21.05-crore cryptocurrency investment fraud targeting a 70-year-old chartered accountant who was lured into a "pig-butchering" scam through a fake trading platform and lost Rs 5.34 crore. Investigators traced approximately Rs 2.93 crore deposited into Malviya's accounts since November 2025, which were then
timeslive.co.za
· 2026-08-09
A 73-year-old Cape Town widow lost R14 million to a romance scam between 2017 and 2022 after meeting a man posing as an Italian businessman on a Christian dating site. Seven suspects have been charged with fraud and money laundering after allegedly operating a syndicate that created fake online dating profiles to target vulnerable people, grooming victims and extracting money for fabricated emergencies. The widow only discovered the scam when she noticed all wire transfers were going to South African bank accounts rather than overseas as claimed.
highlandcountypress.com
· 2026-08-08
Abdoul Issaka Assimiou, 38, of Parma, Ohio, was sentenced to 63 months in prison for his role in an international romance fraud conspiracy that targeted elderly Americans from December 2017 to March 2024. Assimiou and co-conspirators used fake dating profiles and social media to deceive victims into sending money via wire transfer based on false stories, with Assimiou retaining portions of the stolen funds and shipping goods to accomplices in Ghana. He was ordered to pay $220,485 in restitution to 15 victims.
techtimes.com
· 2026-08-07
President Trump raised the issue of Southeast Asian cyber scam compounds with Chinese President Xi Jinping, according to a State Department official's testimony before the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, marking high-level U.S.-China diplomatic engagement on an issue where Beijing has historically prioritized enforcement only when Chinese nationals were victimized rather than Americans. The compounds, which operate across Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar under Chinese organized crime networks and employ trafficked workers, stole more than $12 billion from Americans in cyber scams last year, with pig-butchering cryptocurrency investment fraud being the dominant scheme affecting seniors particularly hard. China's recent crackdowns on these compounds have been "very successful" but appear driven primarily by protection of
finance.biggo.com
· 2026-08-07
Japan's Financial Services Agency is standardizing cybersecurity incident reporting across 17 sectors, including crypto exchanges, and has requested domestic crypto asset exchanges to implement fraud prevention measures targeting social media-based investment and romance scams that increasingly use cryptocurrency to transfer victim funds. The FSA and National Police Agency are requiring exchanges to restrict withdrawals for a set period after deposits, implement pre-registration systems for withdrawal destinations, and establish withdrawal limits to prevent rapid overseas transfers of fraud proceeds. These actions respond to surging damages from romance and investment scams where victims' funds are quickly moved through crypto exchanges, with recovery efforts hampered by perpetrators operating primarily in Southeast Asia.
pymnts.com
· 2026-08-07
The Senate CLARITY Act compromise draft seeks to regulate digital assets including stablecoins and decentralized finance while balancing industry growth with consumer protections and anti-money laundering provisions. Key revisions include restrictions on stablecoin rewards that resemble bank deposits, expanded protections for software developers and DeFi participants, and Treasury authority to impose civil penalties up to $5 million for violations. A Senate vote is expected in September after the August recess, following Democratic opposition that delayed floor consideration before the recess.
nbcmiami.com
· 2026-08-07
Two men, Santiago Orrego Gomez and Daniel Mauricio Gomez Garcia, were arrested in Colombia and extradited to Miami to face charges in a $50 million money laundering scheme linked to a drug trafficking cartel. The scheme, part of "Operation Count It Up," involved laundering proceeds from drug trafficking, cryptocurrency conversions, and elder fraud across multiple states using wire transfers and ATM deposits to obscure the money's origin.
hoodline.com
· 2026-08-07
Two Colombian nationals, Santiago Orrego Gomez and Daniel Mauricio Gomez Garcia, were extradited to Miami to face charges in a $50 million money laundering scheme that combined narcotics proceeds, cryptocurrency conversions, and elder fraud scam money. The pair, along with four co-defendants, allegedly used wired funds and ATM cash deposits across multiple states to obscure the origins of illicit money as part of Operation Count It Up. Elderly Americans have become increasingly vulnerable to these schemes, losing over $4.3 billion to cryptocurrency-focused scams in 2025, with criminals exploiting fast crypto conversions to move stolen domestic scam proceeds internationally.
ibtimes.co.uk
· 2026-08-07
A 64-year-old Truckee, California woman lost approximately $500,000 in cash and gold after scammers impersonating US Marshals convinced her that her savings were under investigation and needed to be converted to gold for protection. Two couriers, Anil Kumar and Amit Bhanwala-Singh, were convicted of exploiting an elderly person and attempting to obtain money under false pretenses, with Kumar facing up to 40 years in prison and Bhanwala-Singh having already been sentenced to 35 years. The case is part of a larger fraud trend targeting seniors, with the FBI reporting $219 million in gold-related scam losses in 2
newindianexpress.com
· 2026-08-07
A 70-year-old chartered accountant in Gwalior lost Rs 21.05 crore in a "pig butchering" cryptocurrency investment scam between December 2025 and June 2026, after being lured by fraudsters posing as investment consultants who showed fake trading profits and then demanded taxes to release funds. Police arrested an ex-serviceman and district panchayat member who provided his bank account as a mule account (receiving Rs 50 lakh in commissions) and a mechanical engineer accused of facilitating connections between the victim and organized cybercrime networks. Over Rs 2 crore was routed through the arrested man's accounts during a six-month
finance.biggo.com
· 2026-08-07
Japan's Financial Services Agency has requested cryptocurrency exchanges implement mandatory withdrawal delays and enhanced identity verification to combat fraud losses exceeding $1.04 billion through May 2026, primarily from social media-driven investment and romance scams. The agency is asking platforms to introduce waiting periods on crypto withdrawals, require pre-registration of withdrawal addresses, and implement risk-based withdrawal limits alongside phishing-resistant authentication and transaction monitoring. The crackdown targets a pattern where stolen funds are rapidly funneled through exchange accounts, with social media investment scams accounting for 70.04 billion yen and romance scams causing 20.2 billion yen in losses this year alone.
leadership.ng
· 2026-08-07
A UN report reveals that transnational cybercrime syndicates are relocating from Southeast Asia to Nigeria and other African countries due to weaker regulatory oversight, with online scam operations in the Asia-Pacific region generating $88.3-$114.1 billion in illicit proceeds in 2025. Criminal organizations now operate as sophisticated multinational enterprises with specialized departments for money laundering, human trafficking, and data harvesting, increasingly using AI to automate attacks and identify victims. The report warns that law enforcement crackdowns have displaced rather than dismantled these operations, and scam centers exploit trafficked workers coerced into participating in investment fraud, romance scams, and cryptocurrency theft.
saharareporters.com
· 2026-08-07
A self-proclaimed spiritual healer named Odigie Moses was arrested in Nigeria for sextortion after he allegedly deceived an Indian woman into performing a nude "spiritual cleansing" ritual on a live online session, secretly recorded it, and extorted $1,100 from her by threatening to release the video. Moses presented himself as a healer on social media with supernatural powers and manipulated the victim into sending money under duress after threatening to make the compromising footage public. The EFCC, Nigeria's anti-graft agency, is holding him in custody pending arraignment and prosecution on cybercrime and extortion charges.
thisdaylive.com
· 2026-08-07
African nations, particularly Nigeria, face rapidly escalating cybercrime threats as criminals weaponize artificial intelligence to enhance phishing, voice cloning, video manipulation, and synthetic identity fraud at scale, with AI reportedly linked to over half of all cybercrime cases in Africa in 2025. Nigerian criminal networks are heavily implicated in Business Email Compromise and online fraud across West and Central Africa, exploiting the nation's expanding digital economy and a youth population drawn to cybercrime due to unemployment and lack of legitimate economic opportunities. The article argues that law enforcement alone cannot address this crisis and calls for comprehensive prevention strategies, ethical reorientation, and rehabilitation programs rather than reactive arrest-and-prosecution approaches.
bhaskarenglish.in
· 2026-08-06
Rajasthan Police found that over 35% of cyber fraud complaints filed through the 1930 helpline were false, filed to settle personal disputes or harass rivals rather than report genuine crimes. In a review of 155 complaints, only 48 were legitimate cyber fraud cases while 55 were fabricated, with cases involving disputed payments for furniture (Rs 70,000), brick supplies (Rs 60,000), mistaken transfers (Rs 50,000), and family donations (Rs 27,360) wrongly reported as fraud. The misuse has created significant investigative burdens for Rajasthan Police and complicated efforts to address actual cybercrime.
coingeek.com
· 2026-08-06
A Hong Kong insurance agent lost HK$26 million ($3.3 million) in a "pig butchering" romance scam involving a fraudulent cryptocurrency investment app, after a man posing as a car trader built trust with her over six months and promised returns exceeding 800% before disappearing when she requested a withdrawal. Hong Kong police reported 25 investment scam cases involving online dating in a single week with total losses approaching HK$70 million ($8.9 million), warning that even financially experienced individuals are vulnerable to these schemes that use fake digital asset platforms to facilitate fraud.
world-border-congress.com
· 2026-08-06
Spanish authorities dismantled a criminal organization that laundered over four million euros from various scams, including CEO fraud, man-in-the-middle attacks, and "family in distress" schemes, resulting in the arrest of 20 people and identification of over 200 victims across Spain. The organization used techniques like "smurfing" (breaking large sums into small transfers), forged documents, and stolen identities to disguise illicit funds and made more than 9,200 money transfers, with significant portions sent to Nigeria. Authorities seized counterfeit documents, mobile devices, cash, jewelry, and over 400 documents related to the money laundering operation during raids on residences and money transfer
cryptorank.io
· 2026-08-06
Japan's Financial Services Agency and National Police Agency have requested stricter anti-fraud measures at cryptocurrency exchanges, including mandatory pre-registration of withdrawal addresses and enhanced transaction monitoring, in response to rising losses from investment and romance scams conducted on social media. The 11-point plan aims to prevent unauthorized transfers and slow the movement of stolen assets by adding verification layers, though it may introduce slight delays in the withdrawal process for users. These measures strengthen existing anti-money laundering and know-your-customer standards and could serve as a regulatory model for other jurisdictions globally.
citizen.digital
· 2026-08-05
Twin brothers Peter and Paul Okoye of Nigerian music duo P-Square accused their elder brother and manager Jude Okoye of orchestrating multi-billion-naira royalty fraud, alleging he diverted hundreds of millions of naira and over $1 million in digital music revenue through a secret offshore entity called Northside Music Limited without their knowledge. Peter filed a petition with Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), which formally charged Jude Okoye with money laundering and conversion of royalties, with Peter testifying in court that backend streaming data was tampered with to obscure royalty figures. The financial disputes and accusations have permanently destroyed any possibility of the group
kolotv.com
· 2026-08-05
Anil Kumar was convicted of exploiting an elderly person and attempting to obtain money under false pretenses as part of a phone scam ring that defrauded a 64-year-old woman of nearly $500,000. Kumar and co-defendant Amit Bhanwala-Singh posed as authorities, falsely claiming the victim was under investigation for money laundering, and then acted as couriers to collect the victim's converted assets including gold bars and cash across multiple deliveries. Kumar faces up to 40 years in prison at sentencing on September 24, while Singh was already sentenced to 35 years in May.
indianexpress.com
· 2026-08-04
A 56-year-old Pune businessman lost Rs 1.07 crore in an investment scam that used a deepfake video of Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman to lure him into a fraudulent forex trading platform promising SpaceX IPO shares. Over two months (June-July), the scammers systematically built credibility by showing fake profits, crediting Rs 1,000 to his bank account, and eventually displaying Rs 3.98 crore on a fake dashboard before demanding additional payments and cutting off contact. The fraud began with an Instagram advertisement featuring the deepfake video and progressed through 36 transactions to multiple mule accounts before the victim realized
yahoo.com
· 2026-08-04
Romance scams cost billions globally annually, with approximately 1 in 10 people age 50 and over reporting they've encountered online romantic connections that requested financial help or cryptocurrency investments. Scammers create fake profiles using stolen photos and celebrity identities to build emotional relationships over months before requesting money, with any financial ask being a clear indicator of fraud. Warning signs include love bombing, pressure for urgency, requests to move communication off social media, and the implausibility of genuine celebrities seeking romantic relationships with unknown internet users.
straitstimes.com
· 2026-08-04
Singapore introduced new anti-scam legislation targeting online account mules who provide personal details or supply accounts on platforms like Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Telegram, and Carousell for criminal activity, with penalties up to $10,000 in fines, three years imprisonment, and 12 strokes of the cane. The bill also increases penalties for non-compliant online service providers from $1 million to $10 million in fines and introduces police powers to issue disclosure orders and temporarily disable suspected scam accounts. Singapore lost $913.1 million to scams in 2025 alone, with government impersonation scams more than doubling to 3,363 cases
elon.edu
· 2026-08-04
Scammers posing as Wells Fargo fraud department and federal officials stole over $250,000 from Kaitlin Henze in May 2023 through a three-week scheme involving fake badges, letters, and documents that convinced her to empty her savings, retirement, investment accounts, and max out credit cards. Henze has since become an advocate for fraud victims and financial education, speaking publicly about her experience to help others recognize scam tactics and support fellow victims in their recovery.
businessday.ng
· 2026-08-04
AI is fueling 55% of Africa's cybercrime cases, with cyber-related losses reaching $484 million in 2025, according to INTERPOL's African Cyberthreat Assessment Report. Online scams using AI-generated voices and images are the most common attacks, with 72% of surveyed African countries reporting organized scam centers, while Nigeria alone recorded 5,822 ransomware detections. Cybercriminals are increasingly targeting critical national infrastructure and exploiting fintech and cryptocurrency sectors through mobile money fraud, Ponzi schemes, and romance scams.
finanzen.net
· 2026-08-04
An insurance agent in Hong Kong lost $3.3 million in a romance scam involving a fake boyfriend who directed her to a fraudulent cryptocurrency investment app showing fake profits. Between July 24-30, Hong Kong police received 25 similar romance-linked crypto fraud reports totaling $9 million in losses, with scammers typically building rapport through dating apps before convincing victims to invest in fake trading platforms that prevent withdrawals.
tampafp.com
· 2026-08-04
Sen. Ashley Moody introduced the SWIPES Act to combat gift card fraud targeting seniors through physical tampering and online schemes, which involves scammers stealing cards, recording redemption details, and draining balances remotely, or using fake websites and phone impersonation to trick victims. The legislation strengthens federal penalties for gift card theft, adds automatic two-year prison sentences for crimes against people 60 and older, and closes legal loopholes, with recent cases involving losses ranging from $20,000 to $11 million. Recent Florida prosecutions include a South Florida grocery store gift card ring and an individual caught with over 6,100 unauthorized cards valued at $1.9 million.
guardian.ng
· 2026-08-04
Cyber-related losses across Africa surged to $484 million in 2025, with AI now enabling 55% of reported cybercrimes and making attacks faster and harder to detect, according to INTERPOL's African Cyberthreat Assessment Report. Nigeria emerged as both a major source and target, recording 5,822 ransomware detections while its Bureau of Statistics website was compromised, as online scams exploiting mobile money platforms and AI-generated content became the most frequently reported cybercrime. INTERPOL attributed the surge to fragmented cybercrime legislation, weak AI preparedness among law enforcement, and weak real-time information sharing, though recent coordinated operations resulted in over 1
washoelife.washoecounty.gov
· 2026-08-04
A co-defendant in a major fraud ring was found guilty of exploiting an elderly person after conspiring with others to steal nearly $500,000 from a 64-year-old woman through an elaborate phone scam. The scheme involved impersonating a federal agent who falsely claimed the victim was under investigation for money laundering, pressuring her to convert her assets and 401(k) into gold bars and cash that were collected by courier co-conspirators across Nevada and California. Anil Kumar faces up to 40 years in prison at his September sentencing, while his co-defendant was previously sentenced to 35 years.
jdsupra.com
· 2026-08-03
In 2025, the FTC received over 3 million fraud reports totaling $15.9 billion in losses (likely $200 billion including unreported cases), with investment scams accounting for $7.9 billion and imposter scams for $3.5 billion. A House Financial Services Committee Republican report attributed the rise partly to fragmented federal complaint systems and lack of coordinated fraud-prevention efforts. The report recommended establishing interagency task forces, harmonizing data collection, strengthening information-sharing among financial institutions, and launching a unified national awareness campaign to combat fraud and scams.
military.com
· 2026-08-03
A former U.S. Postal Inspector, Scott Kelley, pleaded guilty to stealing over $340,000 in cash from elderly people and veterans between 2019 and 2023 by intercepting parcels containing money mailed by victims of lottery fraud scams. Kelley, who worked in the Boston division and was ironically tasked with investigating mail fraud targeting seniors, exploited his position by accessing a tracked list of suspicious parcels and stealing the cash inside them, then laundering the money and evading taxes. His victims included a 76-year-old retired Army veteran in Kansas from whom he stole $19,100, and he used the stolen funds for personal expenses including prostitutes
crypto.news
· 2026-08-03
Cryptocurrency kiosks located in convenience stores and gas stations have become the primary collection point for impersonation scams, with the FBI logging 13,460 complaints in 2025 resulting in approximately $389 million in losses, with roughly two-thirds of victims over age 60. While federal law treats kiosk operators as money services businesses subject to FinCEN registration and anti-money-laundering requirements, state regulation is highly fragmented, ranging from outright bans (Indiana, Tennessee, Minnesota) to licensing regimes with transaction caps and fraud protections to complete absence of oversight (such as in Texas, which leads the nation in reported losses). The regulatory inconsistency means operators face vastly
jdsupra.com
· 2026-08-03
New York Attorney General Letitia James testified before Congress that cryptocurrency fraud complaints to her office have nearly tripled in three years, driven by scams including "pig butchering," romance schemes, and investment frauds perpetrated largely by anonymous overseas actors. James urged Congress to strengthen cryptocurrency oversight and reject the CLARITY Act, arguing it would preempt state laws and weaken state and local law enforcement's ability to prosecute crypto fraud, and she recommended requiring crypto platforms to comply with anti-money laundering requirements and hold them financially liable for consumer protection failures.
ourquadcities.com
· 2026-08-03
Romance scams affect approximately 1 in 10 people age 50 and over, resulting in billions in losses worldwide annually, according to AARP. Scammers create fake online identities—often posing as celebrities or semi-professional athletes—to build emotional relationships over months before requesting money or financial favors. Key warning signs include requests for financial help, "love bombing" with excessive affection, and pressure from someone claiming to be a legitimate celebrity seeking a romantic connection with an average person.
fox6now.com
· 2026-08-03
A Wisconsin woman lost $433,000 in an elaborate scam that began when she clicked a pop-up ad impersonating her financial company; scammers convinced her over three months that she was hacked and persuaded her to buy gold coins and liquidate assets to "protect" her money, which were then handed to couriers who never returned. The scammers impersonated government officials and the Better Business Bureau, sent forged documents, and used threats and non-disclosure agreements to silence the victim. Three victims reported similar gold-buying scams to the BBB with combined losses around $3 million.
yahoo.com
· 2026-08-02
A Thousand Oaks senior was defrauded of $14,000 after clicking a malicious link that triggered a pop-up warning, leading scammers posing as FTC and Treasury Department officials to convince her she was under investigation for money laundering and needed to withdraw cash. She withdrew $14,000 from multiple banks and handed it to a courier who provided a password at her home, with the scammer remaining on the phone throughout and falsely claiming two people were watching her residence. Yongan Ma, 44, faces three felony charges for allegedly providing transportation for the courier and benefiting from the scheme.
nationthailand.com
· 2026-08-02
Thailand's Civil Court is hearing its first case testing digital platform liability for scams, with the Thailand Consumers Council suing 17 platform operators including Meta and LINE over fraudulent investment advertisements that caused consumers millions in losses. Between July 2021 and May 2026, the council received 11,815 complaints linked to online platforms—with Facebook accounting for nearly 60%—reporting at least 397 million baht in losses, of which over 84% remained unrecovered. The lawsuit targets overseas parent companies directly, arguing they bear responsibility for systemic safety failures and should share liability for crimes committed through their platforms.
dailyvoice.co.za
· 2026-08-02
Seven individuals accused of defrauding an elderly widow of approximately R14 million through a romance scam have been brought before the Muizenberg Magistrate's Court, with one defendant released on R20,000 bail. The scam involved a fraudster posing as a wealthy Italian businessman named Ael Alzondo on a Christian dating site, fabricating stories about business problems in Luanda and requesting money under false pretenses between July 2017 and October 2022. The accused face charges of fraud and money laundering for receiving and distributing the victim's deposits across multiple bank accounts.