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in Robocall / Phone Scam
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article identifies nine common scams expected to target people in 2025, including grandparent scams (using AI to impersonate relatives requesting money), mail fraud schemes, debt collection scams, and lottery/prize scams. The piece advises consumers to watch for red flags such as urgent language, requests for personal information, poor grammar, unsolicited contact, and suspicious links, while emphasizing that verifying identities directly and avoiding hasty decisions can protect against financial loss.
mdjonline.com
· 2025-12-08
**Article Type:** Educational/Awareness
Georgia's elder fraud investigators identified three dominant scam methods targeting seniors in 2024: Romance Scams (exploiting loneliness and shame), Bank Examiner Scams (impersonating government officials to trick victims into transferring funds), and Sweepstakes Scams (convincing victims they've won lotteries and must pay upfront fees). These scams persist because seniors are reluctant to report them due to embarrassment or fear of admitting vulnerability, and scammers target victims through social media and public information about their wealth and lifestyles.
patch.com
· 2025-12-08
A Norwalk senior citizen was scammed out of over $10,000 after a scammer posing as a Microsoft representative convinced them to withdraw cash and deliver it via package pickup at their home for an alleged software renewal issue. Police issued a warning after a similar scam victimized another resident in the Milford area, advising residents to be vigilant against software and computer scams, particularly those requesting cash payments and secrecy.
spokanejournal.com
· 2025-12-08
Financial fraud targeting older adults has significantly increased in sophistication, with U.S. financial institutions reporting approximately $27 billion in suspicious elder financial exploitation activity from June 2022 to June 2023, and older adults losing over $1.9 billion to fraud in 2023 alone (though the FTC estimates the actual figure may reach $61.5 billion). Check fraud has become particularly prevalent, increasing 385% nationwide since the COVID-19 pandemic, with criminals stealing checks from mailboxes and using chemical solvents to alter amounts while preserving signatures. Financial experts recommend protective measures including using permanent gel markers on checks, avoiding blank spaces, monitoring statements regularly, and educating family
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
The Eldercare Locator launched a national "Home for the Holidays" campaign to help older adults and families protect themselves from financial fraud and scams during the holiday season. According to the FBI, scams targeting people age 60 and older resulted in over $3.4 billion in losses in 2023, with fraud increasing during the holidays due to heightened online shopping and donation appeals that scammers exploit, particularly targeting isolated or lonely individuals. The campaign provides resources to help older adults recognize, prevent, and report financial scams and fraud.
turnto23.com
· 2025-12-08
During Medicare's open enrollment period, the FTC warned that scammers impersonate Medicare representatives to solicit personal information like Medicare or bank account numbers, or to file fraudulent claims for medical equipment. The agency advised Americans never to provide information to unsolicited callers, even if caller ID appears to show Medicare's number, and directed fraud victims to call 1-800-MEDICARE. Last year saw 447 healthcare fraud cases in the U.S. with a median loss of $1.4 million per offense.
bbc.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
This educational article outlines how artificial intelligence has made scams increasingly difficult to detect, particularly through text messages, voice calls, and audio impersonation that can replicate individuals' messaging styles and voices. It provides practical identification tips for common scams including text message frauds (impersonating companies), concert ticket resales on social media, and audio/impersonation scams, along with advice such as verifying unexpected requests through direct contact, checking for spelling errors and suspicious links, and establishing safe words with family members. The article recommends reporting scams through built-in blocking features on email and phone platforms.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Virgin Media O2 created "Daisy," an AI-generated grandmother chatbot designed to waste scammers' time by engaging them in lengthy conversations filled with rambling stories and feigned tech confusion. Since its November launch, Daisy has had over 1,000 conversations with scammers, with some lasting up to 40 minutes, as part of the company's fraud-prevention strategy in the United Kingdom where 69% of the public reports being targeted by scams. The initiative highlights the broader problem of phone fraud affecting both British and American consumers, while companies develop AI-powered defenses and consumers are advised to remain vigilant against unsolicited calls requesting personal financial information.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
Meta announced the removal of over 2 million accounts related to "pig butchering" scams in 2024, elaborate fraud schemes where scammers build fake romantic or friendly relationships with victims over months before directing them to fraudulent cryptocurrency investments. The FBI reported victims lost nearly $4 billion to crypto investment scams in 2023, with actual losses likely much higher due to underreporting, and Meta is implementing new defenses including automatic flagging of suspicious messages from strangers on Facebook Messenger, Instagram DMs, and WhatsApp.
usatoday.com
· 2025-12-08
During the holiday shopping season, consumers face increased fraud risks as scammers exploit busy shoppers and high transaction volumes. Common scams include fake advertisements offering deep discounts, fraudulent package tracking notifications, fake charities, counterfeit gift cards, and porch theft—with the Better Business Bureau reporting a 125% rise in scam complaints and over 80% of victims losing money on online purchase scams. Consumers are advised to verify retailers, avoid unsolicited emails and texts, research charities, and use package tracking technology and home security to protect themselves and their holiday purchases.
abcactionnews.com
· 2025-12-08
During Medicare's open enrollment period, the Federal Trade Commission warned of scams where fraudsters impersonate Medicare representatives to obtain personal information like Medicare or bank account numbers, or to file fraudulent claims for medical equipment. Consumers are advised never to share information with unexpected callers, as scammers can spoof caller IDs to appear as Medicare, and should instead contact 1-800-MEDICARE to report suspected fraud or obtain legitimate services through official government websites.
listverse.com
· 2025-12-08
This article is not relevant to the Elderus elder fraud research database. The content is a general listicle about various scams (cryptocurrency investment scams, online marketplace scams, phone scams, etc.) rather than a focused article about elder fraud, elder abuse, or scams specifically targeting older adults.
To be useful for Elderus, the article would need to specifically address scams affecting seniors, elder financial exploitation, or elder abuse cases. Please provide an article or transcript focused on elder-specific fraud or abuse for summarization.
malwarebytes.com
· 2025-12-08
Meta removed over 2 million accounts connected to pig butchering scams on Facebook and Instagram, which involve elaborate romance schemes designed to manipulate victims into cryptocurrency investment fraud before stealing their money. The scam centers, primarily located in Southeast Asia (Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia, UAE, and Philippines), often employ victims who are coerced into fraud work under threat of physical abuse after responding to fake job postings. Key warning signs include unsolicited messages from attractive profiles offering investment opportunities and requests to invest in cryptocurrency or transfer funds to the scammer.
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-08
A 26-year-old Winnipegger nearly fell victim to an elaborate Manitoba Hydro impersonation scam in which fraudsters used personal information, fake work orders, and realistic-sounding IVR systems to pressure her into depositing money at a bitcoin kiosk. The scammers posed as Hydro technicians and agents, claiming she had unpaid bills and threatening power disconnection within an hour, but the scheme was exposed when she visited actual Hydro headquarters. Manitoba Hydro confirmed awareness of the scam and reminded customers that the utility does not accept cryptocurrency, credit cards, e-transfers, or phone payments for bills.
nbclosangeles.com
· 2025-12-08
During the holiday shopping season, scammers are targeting gift cards by tampering with packaging on store racks, stealing card information, and draining the balance before purchase. According to AARP's fraud prevention director, 30% of people have given or received a worthless gift card, up 21% from two years prior, with one woman discovering multiple cards she gifted to community members had zero value. Experts recommend purchasing gift cards from locked displays or behind cashier counters, or sending digital gift cards via email or text to prevent theft.
ntd.com
· 2025-12-08
A 56-year-old Bradenton, Florida man was arrested for defrauding a 74-year-old Texas woman of at least $250,000 (possibly up to $600,000) by posing as Elon Musk on Facebook and promising a $55 million return on fake business investments. The article also highlights a related case where a 26-year-old Minnesota man was arrested for stealing over $100,000 from a 77-year-old widower through an online romance scam, reflecting a broader trend in which scammers stole at least $3.4 billion from Americans aged 60 and older in 2023.
becu.org
· 2025-12-08
Native and Indigenous elders in the U.S. face disproportionate risks of financial fraud and scams, with one documented case involving a tribal member losing $15,000 to a sweetheart scam. According to federal data, Alaska Native and Indigenous individuals are more likely to be victims of scams and less likely to report them than other groups, with approximately one million Indigenous and Alaska Native people over 65 across 574 federally recognized tribes. Community organizations are working to address this vulnerability by providing support without stigma, while recognizing that factors like regular tribal payments, Social Security, and cultural values around resource-sharing make older Indigenous people particularly attractive targets for financial exploitation.
mashable.com
· 2025-12-08
Blanca, a 29-year-old investor, lost $60,000 to Ascend CapVentures Inc. (operating as Ascend Ecom), a company that promised to manage an Amazon store on her behalf and generate five-figure monthly income. The Federal Trade Commission filed a lawsuit alleging the company defrauded customers out of at least $25 million by misrepresenting earnings potential and using customer investments to enrich themselves rather than manage stores. The FTC also took action against similar companies, Ecommerce Empire Builders and FBA Machine, highlighting widespread fraud in the ecommerce automation opportunity sector.
latimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers use multiple channels—email, phone calls, texts, fliers, and mail—to target victims year-round, with increased activity during the holiday season. Common scams include fake delivery notifications, timeshare exit schemes, fake virus warnings that trick victims into giving remote computer access, and tampered gift cards, with losses often unrecoverable as money is quickly moved offshore. The article advises consumers to never respond to communications from unknown sources and remain vigilant, as older adults suffer significantly greater losses than younger fraud victims despite millennials reporting fraud at higher rates.
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
A cybersecurity researcher discovered that Forces Penpals, a dating app and social network for military personnel, exposed an unencrypted, unpassword-protected database containing personal information on approximately 1.2 million U.S. and UK service members. The exposed data included names, addresses, Social Security numbers, military service documents, and user photos, which could be exploited for identity theft, romance scams, deepfakes, or to track military operations. After notification, Forces Penpals restricted public access to the database, though it remains unclear how long the exposure lasted or whether unauthorized parties accessed the information.
greekreporter.com
· 2025-12-08
Virgin Media O2 launched Daisy, an AI-powered virtual grandmother, to combat rising phone and online scams targeting older adults by engaging fraudsters in lengthy, complex conversations that waste their time and prevent them from victimizing real customers. The initiative addresses a critical problem: Americans over 60 lost $3.4 billion to scams in 2023 (an 11% increase from 2022), with the average victim losing $33,915, while 22% of Britons report facing fraud attempts weekly. Daisy uses advanced natural language processing and realistic voice synthesis to convincingly pose as a vulnerable elderly person, gathering intelligence on scam tactics while raising public awareness about digital
levittownnow.com
· 2025-12-08
As Medicare's December 7 enrollment deadline approaches, scammers pose as Medicare officials or insurance company employees via phone calls and text messages to trick older adults into disclosing Social Security numbers and sensitive information. Experts advise that legitimate Medicare programs and private insurers rarely contact beneficiaries by phone unsolicited, and recommend hanging up on suspicious callers, avoiding robocalls, and contacting insurers directly through official toll-free numbers to verify requests. Caregivers should help elderly relatives enroll early to avoid deadline pressure, which makes people more vulnerable to scams.
dicksoncountysource.com
· 2025-12-08
During Medicare's Open Enrollment Period (October 15–December 7), scammers impersonate Medicare representatives to steal personal information and money by falsely claiming they need Medicare numbers, Social Security numbers, or bank account details for new cards or fake medical equipment claims. Medicare never unexpectedly contacts beneficiaries to request personal information, sell coverage, or charge for cards, and consumers should hang up suspicious calls and verify by calling 1-800-MEDICARE or report scams to that same number.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Bengaluru traffic police uncovered a sophisticated extortion scam where fraudsters used Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) applications to spoof official police phone numbers and demand payments from victims under false claims of traffic violations and hit-and-run cases. The scammers targeted approximately 20 individuals across multiple cities by impersonating senior traffic police officials, though no confirmed losses have been reported as victims contacted police when contacted. Police are working to obtain data from VoIP app operators to trace the perpetrators, and have clarified that the traffic department only communicates violations through mail, formal notices, or official websites.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Bengaluru police are investigating sophisticated VoIP scams where fraudsters impersonate traffic police officers using spoofed official phone numbers to falsely accuse victims of traffic violations or hit-and-run cases, threatening digital arrest and demanding money. While no financial losses have been reported yet, victims describe receiving calls in multiple languages claiming rental vehicles registered to their Aadhaar cards were involved in accidents, with callers pressuring them to visit police stations or provide personal details. Authorities warn that these scams are particularly convincing because they use official department numbers, and advise the public to verify any such calls directly with police stations.
bbc.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
The article covers three financial topics: Over 800,000 people have used a dedicated fraud line in the UK over three years to report suspected scams and connect with their banks for protection, including one woman who lost £4,000. Complaints against wealth manager St James Place surged to 15,000 in the first half of the year during a historical fee review, with Financial Ombudsman complaints quadrupling year-over-year. Additionally, some first-time homebuyers find the government's Lifetime ISA scheme limiting due to a £450,000 property price cap that excludes them from purchasing in their areas.
wboc.com
· 2025-12-08
The Milford Police Department is warning residents of an impersonation scam in which callers falsely claim to be US Marshals and demand payment to clear alleged wanted statuses. Police remind the public that legitimate law enforcement agencies and court systems never request payment via phone calls or electronic transfers for fines, warrants, or bail. Residents with questions about phone scams are directed to the Federal Trade Commission's website.
i95rock.com
· 2025-12-08
The Massachusetts Better Business Bureau warns Connecticut residents about 11 prevalent holiday scams including fraudulent USPS package notifications, fake gift card offers, counterfeit job postings, look-alike websites, fake charities, phishing shipping links, puppy sales (with 80% of sponsored pet ads being fake), misleading social media advertisements, social media gift exchange schemes, and holiday-themed apps—all designed to steal personal information or money. Scammers use tactics like impersonating legitimate companies, offering free prizes, and creating convincing replicas of official websites and communications to deceive consumers during the holiday season.
mendovoice.com
· 2025-12-08
The Savings Bank of Mendocino County warned of increased scam calls targeting its customers, where fraudsters falsely claim accounts have been compromised and request debit card numbers, PINs, and personal information to conduct unauthorized transactions. The scammers spoof official bank phone numbers to appear legitimate; the bank emphasized it never requests personal information over the phone and advised customers to hang up and call back using verified numbers on bank statements.
techradar.com
· 2025-12-08
AI voice-clone scams are increasing as scammers use generative AI models to imitate family members, authorities, and celebrities in phone fraud schemes, requiring only small audio samples sourced from social media to create convincing synthetic voices. According to security experts, 28% of UK adults have been targeted by these scams, with only 30% confident they could recognize one; recommended safeguards include establishing secret phrases with loved ones, verifying callers through callback, and listening for artificial speech patterns.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
This column warns readers about the prevalence of holiday-season scams, which range from fake delivery notifications and fraudulent timeshare exit schemes to tech support scams and gift card draining. According to fraud prevention experts, sophisticated international criminal syndicates are targeting consumers through multiple channels, with older adults suffering particularly high losses despite millennials reporting fraud more frequently; one notable case involved an 85-year-old woman who lost $80,000 between Thanksgiving and Christmas to a fake virus warning scam. The article advises consumers to be vigilant when making purchases, booking travel, donating to charities, and handling gift cards, as stolen money is often transferred overseas and virtually impossible to recover.
gbnews.com
· 2025-12-08
ITV Love Island star Amy Hart lost £5,000 to a sophisticated phone scam in 2022 when fraudsters impersonated her bank's fraud team, demonstrated knowledge of her finances, and used high-pressure tactics to manipulate her into authorizing unauthorized access to her account. Hart has since spoken publicly about her experience to reduce stigma around victimization and encourage other victims to come forward, emphasizing that scammers are professionals who exploit psychological pressure rather than victim negligence.
coconutcreektalk.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
A Coconut Creek resident nearly fell victim to a bank impersonation scam when a fraudster called posing as a bank representative, claiming suspicious activity on his account and tricking him into sharing his login credentials and password. The scammer attempted to transfer funds from the victim's account, but the bank detected and blocked the fraudulent transaction before the money was dispersed. Coconut Creek Police warned residents that legitimate banks never call customers unexpectedly and advised hanging up on such calls.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
Ian Finlay lost over £50,000 when scammers contacted his mobile network impersonating him and requested a replacement SIM card, which was sent to a London address, allowing them to gain control of his phone and access his email and bank accounts while he was on holiday in Australia. The fraudsters obtained his personal information through phishing emails or stolen data from the dark web, exploiting gaps in the network's security verification process. His banks ultimately reimbursed the stolen funds after confirming the transactions were fraudulent, though Finlay expressed concern about how easily criminals circumvented security measures.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
Des Healey, a kitchen fitter from Brighton, lost £75,000 to a Facebook investment scam that used AI-generated deepfake videos falsely showing money-saving expert Martin Lewis and Elon Musk endorsing a bitcoin scheme. After initially investing £1,000 through a fraudster posing as financial adviser "Carl," Des was manipulated into taking out four loans totalling £70,000 to keep investing, only discovering the scam when his son heard suspicious background noise during a call with the scammer. Martin Lewis highlighted that scammers use psychological manipulation and urgency tactics, and emphasized that falling victim to scams does not indicate a lack of
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
Cybercriminals are using AI-generated phishing emails claiming that recipients' Apple IDs have been suspended, creating false urgency especially during Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping season to trick users into clicking malicious links and surrendering account credentials. The scams target Apple's 2 billion+ users by impersonating legitimate Apple communications, sometimes including sophisticated 2FA-bypass methodologies, and exploiting the affluent Apple user demographic. Apple advises users to verify sender email addresses, avoid clicking suspicious links, recognize that Apple never requests passwords or authentication codes via email, and contact Apple directly through its official website if they suspect account issues.
ucf.edu
· 2025-12-08
Scammers stole over $1.6 billion from victims in the first five months of 2024—a 20% increase from 2023—though actual numbers are higher due to underreporting. Researcher Nichole Lighthall at UCF's Adult Development and Decision Lab found that while most older adults recognize scams as a problem, they feel disempowered to prevent them, and scams range from minor losses of $50 to financially catastrophic amounts. Lighthall's research aims to empower seniors with knowledge and solutions, noting that modern scammers use increasingly relentless tactics like impersonation texts, robo-calls, and social engineering because
dailystar.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
A UK survey reveals that nearly one in three Brits worry about falling victim to purchase scams during Christmas shopping, with four in ten experiencing increased scam attempts during the festive season. UK Finance reported that a record £85.9 million was stolen through 156,516 purchase scams last year, with 92% occurring online—a 34% increase from 2022. The most common scams target high-demand items including phones (26%), tickets (23%), gift cards (23%), laptops (21%), and clothing (19%), typically involving fake products, counterfeit goods, or non-delivery after payment on fraudulent websites or social media ads.
advocacy.consumerreports.org
· 2025-12-08
Consumer Reports investigation found that wire transfer scams targeting bank customers are increasingly common, with victims rarely reimbursed—major banks like JP Morgan Chase, Wells Fargo, and Bank of America reimbursed customers at rates of only 2-24 percent in 2023. The scams exploit banks' security gaps using readily available "phishing-as-a-service" kits sold on Telegram and the Dark Web for as little as $150 monthly, with phishing complaints to the FBI more than doubling since 2019 to nearly 300,000 reports annually. Consumer Reports is calling on the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau to investigate these scams and support reforms including stronger account authentication, security
consumerreports.org
· 2025-12-08
Bank imposter fraud targeting customers is becoming increasingly sophisticated, with scammers using phishing schemes, hacked personal data, and affordable "phishing-as-a-service" cybercrime kits (costing as little as $150/month) to steal billions from Americans' bank accounts. Major banks like Wells Fargo have faced multiple class-action lawsuits, with documented losses exceeding $700,000 in individual cases, yet banks frequently deny reimbursement claims citing the Electronic Fund Transfer Act, which does not require them to reimburse customers who are tricked into authorizing fraudulent transfers. Key advice includes being skeptical of unsolicited calls claiming to be from banks,
ogletree.com
· 2025-12-08
Business Email Compromise (BEC) scams involve criminals spoofing legitimate email addresses to trick victims into sending wire transfers, with Real Estate Wire Fraud (REWF) targeting property buyers into wiring funds to fraudulent accounts. Between 2013 and 2022, the FBI documented over 211,000 BEC complaints totaling approximately $30.4 billion in losses, with REWF complaints surging 27% from 2020 to 2022 and losses jumping 72% to $446.1 million. The FBI recommends verifying payment requests independently through known contact information, avoiding unsolicited links, and confirming any account or procedural changes directly
gvnews.com
· 2025-12-08
This article discusses pig butchering, a evolving romance scam variation that originated in China where fraudsters build fake romantic relationships with victims (called "pigs") to eventually swindle them out of money. The piece, written by a Community Outreach Specialist with R.O.S.E. (Resources/Outreach to Safeguard the Elderly), alerts readers—particularly older adults—to this emerging fraud threat and directs them to roseadvocacy.org for information on the latest scams targeting seniors.
pulse.ng
· 2025-12-08
An American woman over 50 revealed in a viral video how she was victimized by two Nigerian romance scammers ("Yahoo boys") between 2020 and an unspecified later date, losing unspecified amounts of money to both perpetrators. The first scammer posed as a romantic interest for ten months before she discovered his true identity and Nigerian girlfriend when he accidentally called using his real phone number; the second scammer admitted to using her money for his mother's medical bills. Despite significant financial losses, the victim expressed no animosity toward her scammers and remained optimistic about recovery.
afp.gov.au
· 2025-12-08
The Australian Federal Police (AFP) partnered with Philippine authorities in October 2024 to dismantle a romance and cryptocurrency scam operation in Manila, resulting in the arrest of over 250 suspected cyber criminals and the seizure of hundreds of computers and thousands of mobile phones. The scammers targeted Australian men over 35 through dating apps and social media, building trust before directing victims to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency platforms while operating shifts aligned with Australian time zones. The AFP gathered intelligence on victim targeting methodologies and financial structures to help identify Australian victims and disrupt similar scam centers globally under Operation Firestorm.
examiner.com.au
· 2025-12-08
Over 260 people were arrested in Manila, Philippines during a raid on a romance scam operation that targeted Australian men over 35 through dating apps and social media. The scammers, working in shifts aligned with Australian time zones, built trust with victims before directing them to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency trading platforms. Australian Federal Police worked with Philippine authorities to gather intelligence on the scam's structure and money laundering operations, with plans to identify victims and shut down similar operations globally.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
An Ohio man lost his entire life savings of $425,000 in a cryptocurrency fraud scam that began in October 2023 when he was contacted via a pop-up claiming a tech issue and told his retirement account had been compromised. The scammer convinced the victim to grant remote computer access and wire money to stop fraudulent transactions, then stole and converted the funds to Tether (USDT) cryptocurrency. Federal authorities seized approximately $947,883 in USDT tokens in July 2024 and filed a forfeiture complaint in November 2024, seeking to return recovered funds to the victim as compensation.
fingerlakesdailynews.com
· 2025-12-08
Schuyler County officials issued a holiday season warning about gift card scams targeting seniors and consumers. Scammers impersonate government agencies, financial institutions, or legitimate companies via phone, email, or text to pressure victims into purchasing gift cards (Amazon, Walmart, Apple, etc.) and providing the card numbers and PIN codes. County officials emphasize that no legitimate business or government agency requests payment via gift card, and urge victims to report suspected fraud immediately to law enforcement, the gift card issuer, and keep receipts, as some companies may issue refunds.
thestar.com.my
· 2025-12-08
A 65-year-old retiree in Penang lost approximately RM1 million after being deceived by a phone scam syndicate that impersonated Tabung Haji officials and police officers, claiming his account was involved in money laundering and directing him to transfer his savings to a new account. In a separate case, a 55-year-old factory manager lost RM1.1 million to a similar scam in which fraudsters posing as NFCC and Sarawak police officers threatened detention and ordered her to transfer funds across nine accounts. Both victims only discovered the fraud after discussing the incidents with family members, and authorities are investigating the cases under Section
barbadostoday.bb
· 2025-12-08
This opinion piece discusses the vulnerability of elderly adults to digital scams and fraud, particularly in the Caribbean context. The author highlights that seniors aged 60 and older lost over US$3.4 billion to scams in 2023 according to FBI data, with the average victim losing US$33,915, and notes that older adults are targeted due to their trusting nature, substantial savings, technological inexperience, and emotional vulnerabilities exploited through tactics like grandparent scams and romance fraud. The article emphasizes that data breaches exposing personal information increase seniors' risk, and that most cannot recover financially from these losses due to their inability to re-enter the workforce.
saultstar.com
· 2025-12-08
Sault Ste. Marie Police Services is warning residents about an increase in "grandparent scams," where fraudsters contact seniors by phone impersonating grandchildren in legal trouble or their lawyers, typically demanding $5,000 to $10,000 in cash delivered by a fake courier. Police recommend that seniors pause and verify such claims by asking personal questions, contacting family members directly using known phone numbers, and never sharing money or personal information over the phone.