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wnyt.com
· 2025-12-08
A Glenmont man's Facebook account was hacked during the holidays, and scammers used it to post fake Buffalo Bills season ticket listings. A Slingerlands woman, believing she was messaging her Facebook friend, sent $880 total through Apple Cash and bank transfer ($380, $500, and $300 for supposed parking and transfer fees) before becoming suspicious when the Bills box office confirmed they don't charge transfer fees. The victim filed a police report and is disputing the charges with her bank, while the account owner reported the incident to the FTC and New York Attorney General's Office.
express.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Beauty expert Molly fell victim to a sophisticated Amazon account scam in which a caller impersonating an Amazon fraud team member placed multiple iPhone 16 orders in her basket to establish credibility, then requested a one-time verification code to "close" her account—a tactic designed to gain unauthorized access. After the scammer hung up mid-call, the fraudulent orders disappeared, forcing Molly to cancel all her bank cards and change her passwords as a precaution. The incident highlights how scammers can manipulate even security-conscious individuals by exploiting trust and urgency, prompting wider awareness among social media users who shared similar experiences.
seacoastonline.com
· 2025-12-08
In Hampton, residents lost approximately $1 million to phone, email, text, and social media scams over a 13-month period ending January 2025, with many involving cryptocurrency. Police Chief Alex Reno noted that reported losses likely represent only a fraction of actual fraud losses, as victims often do not report incidents due to embarrassment.
fosters.com
· 2025-12-08
Hampton residents lost nearly $1 million to phone, email, text, and social media scams over 13 months, with many involving cryptocurrency, according to Hampton Police Chief Alex Reno—though he notes this represents only reported cases. One particularly devastating case involved a "pig butchering scheme" where a resident lost $480,000 after a scammer built trust through social media before introducing a fraudulent investment opportunity. The Hampton Police Department has become New Hampshire's first law enforcement agency to open a Coinbase account to potentially freeze and recover stolen cryptocurrency, and the chief urges residents to contact police before sending money rather than after they've been victimized.
spectrumlocalnews.com
· 2025-12-08
abc7news.com
· 2025-12-08
A Walnut Creek senior was targeted in a "grandson scam" where a caller impersonating her grandson said he was in jail and needed $7,500 in bail money; she withdrew the cash and gave it to a courier at her gated community, then was asked for an additional $5,000. This was the second such incident at Rossmoor in four months, and bank employees attempted to intervene both times by questioning the large cash withdrawals. Walnut Creek police recommend verifying emergency calls with other family members and establishing a family password to prevent such fraud.
m.economictimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A 53-year-old French woman lost €830,000 ($850,000) to Nigerian scammers who impersonated actor Brad Pitt through AI-generated photos and fake romantic contact on Instagram, claiming he needed money for medical treatment. The case highlights how Nigerian fraudsters are evolving romance scams by incorporating deepfake and AI technologies, with authorities investigating three men in their 20s based in Nigeria. This represents a dangerous escalation of traditional "Yahoo Boys" internet fraud schemes that have plagued West Africa for years.
citybeat.com
· 2025-12-08
Pamela Moore, a 66-year-old grandmother with no prior criminal record, was sentenced to 24 months in prison in August 2024 for money laundering related to online romance scams. Between 2020 and 2023, Moore's bank accounts received over $8 million in criminally derived funds from romance scammers nationwide, and she personally converted approximately $1.7 million to Bitcoin at the scammers' direction. Moore herself had initially lost six figures to the same scammers after becoming emotionally vulnerable following her husband's death in 2015, eventually being manipulated into laundering their illicit proceeds through a fraudulent shell company.
theconversation.com
· 2025-12-08
A French woman in her 50s named Anne lost €830,000 ($1.2 million) to romance scammers who impersonated Brad Pitt using AI-generated fake photos, resulting in three suicide attempts and public harassment after her story aired on French television. Romance fraud is an emotional manipulation scam where fraudsters build trust through fake online relationships before soliciting money, often targeting highly educated individuals and affecting both men and women equally. Research shows victims are not lacking in judgment but rather psychologically vulnerable people seeking emotional connection, making them susceptible to the predictable scam pattern of initial contact, platform switching, excuses to avoid meetings, trust-building through "love bombing," and escalating
cxtoday.com
· 2025-12-08
A CloudSek study found that Zendesk's free trial offering is vulnerable to abuse by scammers who create fake brand-impersonating subdomains to conduct phishing attacks and "pig butchering" investment scams. The research identified several cases over six months where Zendesk clients were targeted by fraudulent domains, demonstrating how attackers could exploit the platform's lack of email verification to deceive employees into clicking malicious links or revealing sensitive data. The report recommends blacklisting unverified Zendesk instances, using detection tools to identify suspicious subdomains, and implementing employee phishing awareness training to mitigate the risk.
coinbase.com
· 2025-12-08
Job scams have become increasingly sophisticated, with reported losses tripling between 2020 and 2023 to reach over $220 million in the first half of 2024. Common red flags include unsolicited job offers, requests for upfront payments, overpayment schemes involving fake checks, and cryptocurrency payment requests, with "task scams" accounting for nearly 40% of job scam reports in 2024. To protect yourself, verify employer credentials through official channels, avoid sharing sensitive information, use reputable job boards, and report suspicious activity to authorities like the FTC.
secretservice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Pig butchering is a billion-dollar cryptocurrency investment fraud scheme where scammers build trust with victims—often through fake romantic relationships on dating apps or unsolicited social media contact—and convince them to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency projects that promise high returns. Victims are gradually encouraged to transfer increasing amounts of money until they suffer financial ruin, with the scammer disappearing once substantial funds have been obtained. To protect yourself, avoid unsolicited investment advice from online contacts, verify investment legitimacy through regulatory authorities, never share personal financial information with people you haven't met in person, and be suspicious of projects with guaranteed high returns or romantic interests who refuse to meet in person or appear on video calls.
press-herald.com
· 2025-12-08
A call forwarding scam targets banking customers by impersonating financial institutions and tricking victims into activating call forwarding codes (*72 or *401) that redirect incoming calls to scammers, who then intercept sensitive account information. To protect against this increasingly common fraud, consumers should never enter forwarding codes on unsolicited calls, avoid sharing account information over the phone, verify caller identity independently, monitor accounts for suspicious activity, and hang up and call their bank directly using trusted contact information when something seems suspicious.
dfpi.ca.gov
· 2025-12-08
Following Southern California wildfires, the Department of Financial Protection and Innovation warns consumers to avoid scams targeting disaster victims, particularly deed-transfer foreclosure schemes, intentional default fraud, and advance-fee loan modification scams. The DFPI advises homeowners to contact their mortgage servicer directly or a HUD-certified counselor for legitimate relief options, and urges all consumers to verify company licensing before borrowing or investing. Residents can report complaints to the DFPI at dfpi.ca.gov or call 866-275-2677.
nypost.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI warns that phishing emails using urgent language like "act fast" are increasingly common red flags for scams, particularly those impersonating disaster relief charities or celebrities to solicit donations—with over 4,500 complaints reporting $96 million in losses to fraudulent charities and relief campaigns in 2024. The agency advises recipients to avoid clicking links or opening attachments from unknown senders, verify URLs and email addresses for errors, and never provide usernames or passwords to unsolicited messages. AI-powered scams are making fraud more sophisticated and believable, including romance schemes and impersonation scams that have cost victims thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars.
pandasecurity.com
· 2025-12-08
A French woman, Anne, lost approximately $850,000 in an 18-month romance scam in which a cybercriminal impersonated Brad Pitt and his mother on Instagram, using AI-generated fake images to build an emotional relationship and eventually convince her to fund fake medical and legal expenses. After discovering the deception when the real Brad Pitt appeared at the 2024 Venice Film Festival, Anne reported the crime and shared her story publicly to raise awareness, but subsequently suffered severe cyberbullying and depression. The case highlights the prevalence of romance scams, which cost victims over a billion dollars in 2023, and demonstrates how fraudsters exploit emotional vulnerability and celebrity admiration to manipulate
substack.com
· 2025-12-08
A Twitter/X account holder was compromised after falling for a phishing scam involving a fake copyright infringement notice email that mimicked official platform communications. The attacker gained access by trick the user into logging through a fraudulent form, then locked them out by adding themselves as a delegate account manager—a feature that persists even after password changes and two-factor authentication is disabled. The victim was unable to regain control despite attempting platform support, which provided only automated responses and could not resolve the issue due to the delegation exploit.
etedge-insights.com
· 2025-12-08
A 60-year-old technology professional in Bengaluru lost ₹2.8 crore to a sophisticated "free gift" scam in which a fraudster posed as a bank representative and delivered a smartphone preloaded with malicious software and a cloning app. After the victim inserted his SIM card, scammers gained remote access to his device, altered his bank account's registered mobile number, and siphoned funds from his fixed deposits. The article advises protecting against such scams by verifying unsolicited offers through official channels, inspecting unexpected devices before use, enabling two-factor authentication, and remaining skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true.
newsbug.info
· 2025-12-08
Oak Grove Christian Retirement Village hosted an educational program featuring DeMotte police officials who presented information on elder financial abuse, which affects over 13% of American seniors annually and costs victims more than $3 billion yearly. The presentation covered eleven common scam types targeting seniors—including grandparent scams, charity fraud, phishing, and tax scams—while noting that victims aged 80-89, particularly women and those living alone, are most vulnerable, and that only 1 in 44 incidents are reported due to embarrassment and fear of losing independence. Attendees learned protective strategies such as verifying requests before sending money, monitoring financial statements, and reporting scams to the FTC or calling
wktn.com
· 2025-12-08
The Auglaize County Sheriff's Office issued a public awareness alert urging residents to recognize elder fraud threats, which include phone calls, emails, pop-ups, text messages, and letters targeting seniors. The advisory recommends not sharing personal information with unverified callers, avoiding sending money or gift cards to strangers, verifying emergency claims and prize winnings through trusted sources, and reporting suspicious activity to the Federal Trade Commission.
nbcnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Criminals are sending text messages to people across the United States claiming they owe money for unpaid tolls, attempting to trick victims into revealing their banking information. Authorities have issued a warning about this scam as part of broader efforts to alert the public to fraudulent toll-related schemes.
nbc-2.com
· 2025-12-08
Florida drivers are being targeted by a phishing scam via text message impersonating SunPass, the state's electronic toll collection system, which falsely claims unpaid tolls are due by January 21, 2025, and threatens late fees and legal action to pressure recipients into clicking a malicious link. The scam is designed to steal personal information or money, and SunPass does not typically send unsolicited text payment demands; recipients should ignore the link and instead verify account information directly through the official SunPass website or customer service. Those who receive the fraudulent message should report it to their mobile carrier, the FTC, or Florida's Attorney General.
eagletimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers posing as Eversource energy company representatives are targeting customers in New Hampshire with threats to disconnect power unless they make immediate payments, using scare tactics to pressure victims into handing over money or personal information. Eversource and local police warn that the company never demands instant payment over the phone, requests gift cards or prepaid cards, or asks for personal information in unsolicited communications. Residents are advised to hang up on suspicious callers, verify requests through official company channels, and report incidents to local police.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau warns of four common tax season scams: tax identity theft through phishing and data breaches, email phishing impersonating the IRS, IRS impersonation via spoofed phone calls demanding payment under threats of arrest, and fraudulent "ghost" tax preparers who charge high fees and disappear. According to the IRS, taxpayers lost $5.5 billion to tax scams and fraud in 2023, and the BBB recommends verifying businesses, using personal accounts for deposits, and filing early to protect against these schemes.
kxxv.com
· 2025-12-08
McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara warned the public about a surge in cryptocurrency scams where scammers contact victims via email or text with threats (such as bail money needed or arrest warrants) to pressure them into depositing money into crypto kiosks. Reported losses from these scams jumped dramatically from $32,033 in 2023 to $3.84 million in the following year, with victims losing entire life savings; one New Braunfels woman lost $111,000, though another victim recovered $15,000 after police obtained a search warrant. Authorities advise victims to contact law enforcement immediately and warn that elderly individuals are frequently targeted by these
globalnews.ca
· 2025-12-08
Halifax police issued warnings about two suspects involved in multiple "grandparent scams" targeting seniors in the area, where callers impersonated arrested family members and demanded bail money, arranging to collect cash in person or via mail. Police emphasize that law enforcement and court officials never collect bail money at residences and urge seniors to hang up on such calls, avoid providing personal information, and verify caller identity before responding to money requests.
24-7pressrelease.com
· 2025-12-08
AI-powered scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated in 2025, with fraudsters using artificial intelligence to create convincing phishing emails, deepfake videos, and fake dating profiles that manipulate victims into sharing financial or personal information. The scams span investment fraud, identity theft, and romance schemes, affecting millions worldwide. Protection requires strong cyber hygiene practices including multi-factor authentication, security software, profile verification through reverse image searches, and reporting suspected fraud to authorities like the Federal Trade Commission.
wionews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 53-year-old French woman lost €830,000 ($850,000) to Nigerian scammers who used AI-generated photos to impersonate Hollywood actor Brad Pitt and convince her they were in a romantic relationship, claiming he needed money for medical treatment. The case exemplifies how Nigerian fraudsters, historically known for romance and sextortion scams, are adopting AI and deepfake technology to exploit victims, with cybercrime experts warning this technological evolution threatens to undermine years of progress in combating internet fraud.
studyfinds.org
· 2025-12-08
A French woman in her 50s lost €830,000 ($1.2 million) to scammers posing as actor Brad Pitt using AI-generated fake photos, resulting in her financial ruin and three suicide attempts. The article details how romance fraud operates through a predictable pattern—fake profiles on dating sites, building trust through "love bombing," and escalating money requests—and notes that victims are often highly educated people seeking emotional connection rather than lacking judgment. Research indicates romance fraud affects both men and women globally, with Canadian authorities reporting 420 cases in 2022 resulting in $59 million in losses.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
Imposter scams using AI and deepfake technology are among the most prevalent forms of fraud in 2024, with Floridians reporting approximately 35,000 complaints to the FTC between January and September. Scammers impersonate government officials, celebrities, and tech support representatives to steal money and personal information through spoofed calls, texts, emails, and convincing video calls. The article provides red flags to recognize these scams—such as demands for cryptocurrency payments, unsolicited security alerts, and threats of arrest—and advises victims to report incidents to law enforcement or the AARP Fraud Watch Network Helpline.
deccanherald.com
· 2025-12-08
A Bengaluru-based chartered accountant lost Rs 23.20 lakh in a stock investment scam that used deepfake videos of billionaires Mukesh Ambani, Narayana Murthy, and Sudha Murty to appear legitimate. After encountering the manipulated videos on Facebook in October 2024, the victim provided personal details, registered on a fraudulent website, and made multiple transfers between October and December 2024, only to be denied withdrawal requests and asked for additional payments. Police registered the case in January 2025 and are investigating the money trail and tracing the involved banks.
agrinews-pubs.com
· 2025-12-08
Artificial intelligence is increasingly enhancing and creating new scams in 2025, enabling fraudsters to generate fake profiles, emails, images, audio, and videos to perpetrate investment schemes, romance scams, and impersonation fraud. The FBI recommends protecting oneself by establishing secret verification phrases with family members, hanging up on suspicious calls, avoiding sending money or gift cards to unknown persons, and learning to recognize AI-generated content through online research. Awareness and vigilance are essential defenses against these evolving threats.
nwmissourinews.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers impersonating Evergy electric utility have targeted Nodaway County residents since January, calling from cloned numbers and threatening immediate service disconnection unless customers purchase prepaid cards from Walmart to pay bills. Evergy warns that legitimate utility companies never demand immediate payment through gift cards, prepaid cards, or other untraceable methods, and advises customers to verify calls by contacting the company directly and avoiding suspicious links and emails. The scams particularly target vulnerable populations including elderly customers, and victims should report fraud to their bank and the utility company immediately.
kcentv.com
· 2025-12-08
The Temple Police Department is hosting a free Senior Scam Awareness Session on February 5 to educate community members about common scams targeting seniors, including Microsoft scams, IRS tax scams, Social Security/Medicare scams, and phishing schemes that typically request payment via prepaid cards, Bitcoin, or wire transfers. The session provides practical advice such as never sharing financial information with unverified callers, verifying contacts directly with banks, and checking official government websites for scam alerts. The event is open to all community members and aims to increase awareness of prevalent online and phone fraud tactics in Central Texas.
nbcmiami.com
· 2025-12-08
South Florida residents received phishing text messages claiming unpaid toll deadlines and threatening late fees or legal action, with fake links mimicking SunPass (a toll agency) to steal banking information and personal data. The scam targets toll customers nationwide and uses urgency tactics to prevent victims from verifying legitimacy. Authorities advise recipients to avoid clicking links, verify messages through official SunPass channels (786727 number or official email addresses), check accounts directly on sunpass.com, and report suspected scams to their messaging app or by forwarding to 7726.
techradar.com
· 2025-12-08
Sextortion scams are evolving to use personalized intimidation tactics, including victims' home addresses, phone numbers, and images of their neighborhoods in emails to create a false sense of immediate threat. Scammers now exploit invoicing platforms to bypass email security filters, claim devices are infected with malware like Pegasus, and demand cryptocurrency payments while threatening public humiliation or physical visits. Organizations and individuals can reduce vulnerability through robust email filtering and user education about these sophisticated social engineering tactics.
wsaw.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection outlines key strategies to prevent scams targeting older adults. While people in their 20s report scams most frequently, older adults experience the largest financial losses due to factors including unfamiliarity with technology and age-related cognitive conditions. The article recommends protecting yourself by securing social media privacy, avoiding engagement with scammers, verifying website legitimacy, and reporting suspicious activity to law enforcement or DATCP, while emphasizing the importance of supporting scam victims without blame.
wkbw.com
· 2025-12-08
U.S. Customs and Border Protection issued a warning about two phone scams: one using spoofed Border Patrol numbers claiming the victim is in the country illegally and requesting Social Security numbers and dates of birth, and another involving scammers posing as CBP officers with pre-recorded or live calls claiming a package containing drugs and money was intercepted and requesting banking information. CBP emphasized that the agency does not solicit money or conduct enforcement over the phone, and urged residents to hang up and report such calls to the Federal Trade Commission.
13newsnow.com
· 2025-12-08
A scam targeting EZ Pass users in Hampton Roads, Virginia sends fraudulent text messages impersonating EZ Pass Virginia or toll facilities, requesting payment for alleged outstanding toll charges and threatening a $35 late fee to trick victims into clicking malicious links. VDOT warns users to contact customer service to verify any toll payment requests before submitting payment and directs them to tollroadsinvirginia.com to check legitimate account information.
democratandchronicle.com
· 2025-12-08
U.S. Customs and Border Protection warned New Yorkers of a rise in two phone scams: one using caller ID spoofing to impersonate Border Patrol agents and claim the recipient is in the country illegally, and another using pre-recorded messages or live callers claiming drugs and money addressed to the victim have been intercepted. Both scams attempt to extract personal identifying information or banking details by pressuring victims. The agency advises residents to hang up immediately, note the caller's number, and report suspected scams to the Federal Trade Commission at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
abc7ny.com
· 2025-12-08
A Queens woman lost $700,000 in a gold bar scam after criminals installed malware on her computer and impersonated federal agents, convincing her that her bank accounts were hacked and she was under surveillance. The scammers manipulated her over two months through emails, phone calls, and texts, first draining her checking account with a $20,000 cash drop-off, then instructing her to purchase gold bars and coins from a Jackson Heights store in three separate transactions totaling nearly $700,000. The Nassau County District Attorney has arrested at least one alleged courier involved in this scam, which is occurring across the country.
express.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Scam calls impersonating HMRC have increased by 84% since December, with fraudsters using automated messages in American-accented voices to threaten taxpayers with legal action and financial penalties ahead of the self-assessment deadline. Victims reported receiving intimidating calls claiming incorrect tax returns or demanding immediate payment, with scammers becoming aggressive when questioned. HMRC has warned the public never to share login details with unsolicited callers and provided red flags to identify fraudulent communications, noting that HMRC will never threaten legal action or arrest via voicemail.
indianexpress.com
· 2025-12-08
A 73-year-old retired Kerala High Court judge lost over Rs 90 lakh after joining a fraudulent WhatsApp group impersonating Aditya Birla Money, where scammers promised 850% returns on investments and disappeared with his funds. According to the Indian Cyber Crime Coordination Centre, Indians lost over Rs 120 crore to investment scams in Q1 2024 alone, with over 81,000 fake investment groups operating on WhatsApp. Investment scams typically involve fraudsters building trust through fake credentials, professional-looking platforms, and fabricated success stories, gradually escalating victim investments before vanishing with the funds.
newsbreak.com
· 2025-12-08
A 71-year-old Pennsylvania woman lost $16,000 in a gift card scam after receiving a fraudulent email in December 2024 claiming her bank account had been falsely charged by PayPal. When she called the number provided in the email, a scammer convinced her to purchase gift cards to resolve the issue, then repeatedly increased the amount demanded until she had paid $16,000 total. Police continue investigating the incident.
weku.org
· 2025-12-08
Members of Versailles Presbyterian Church in central Kentucky received fraudulent emails impersonating interim Pastor Katherine Redmond requesting gift cards for hospice patients. The scam targeted church congregants' charitable impulses, but the pastor quickly alerted attendees to block the scammer's email address, and no victims were reported. The Better Business Bureau warned that gift card requests—particularly those claiming emergency situations—are a common scam tactic because gift cards are non-recoverable.
northcentralpa.com
· 2025-12-08
A 71-year-old Lycoming County, Pennsylvania woman lost $16,000 to a phishing scam in December when she received a fraudulent email claiming her bank account had been falsely charged by PayPal. After calling the number provided in the email, a scammer convinced her to purchase gift cards to resolve the issue, then repeatedly increased the requested amount until she had paid $16,000 total. Police are continuing to investigate the case.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers in west London placed fraudulent QR codes on parking signs in at least six locations across Kensington and Chelsea in January, tricking drivers into paying parking fees directly to criminals instead of the council. Drivers who scanned the fake codes risked exposing their financial information and could still receive parking fines from the council for non-payment. The council removed the stickers upon discovery and reminded residents that legitimate parking payments are made through the PayByPhone app or by phone, not via QR codes.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are sending fraudulent text messages claiming unpaid toll fees, impersonating legitimate services like FastTrak and EZdriveMA, to trick recipients into clicking links and entering banking or credit card information. Authorities warn that these phishing scams originate internationally (including from the Philippines) and can lead to identity theft and account compromise. To protect themselves, consumers should avoid clicking links in suspicious messages, verify the legitimacy of the sender, and report scam texts to 7726.
vocm.com
· 2025-12-08
A west coast senior was defrauded of over $11,000 through unauthorized credit card use; Deer Lake RCMP identified and arrested a suspect who now faces charges. RCMP advise victims to collect documentation, contact their financial institution and local police, and recommends preventative measures including securing financial information, protecting credit cards and passwords, and avoiding prepayment for online marketplace purchases or gift card fraud schemes.
walkermn.com
· 2025-12-08
Scams targeting Americans 60 and older resulted in over $3.4 billion in losses in 2023, with imposter fraud rising significantly. The article provides seven protective strategies for older adults, including: ignoring unsolicited offers, avoiding suspicious links, being wary of pressure tactics, verifying remote access requests, withholding sensitive information, refusing to send money to unknown individuals, and designating a trusted contact at financial institutions.