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Search across 22,013 articles about elder fraud. Filter by fraud type, payment mechanism, or keywords.

8,448 results in Robocalls / Phone Scams
wvtm13.com · 2025-12-08
Two text message scams are currently circulating: one falsely claims to be from the IRS offering a $1,400 economic impact payment and directs recipients to click malicious links and provide personal information, while the other impersonates toll agencies threatening license suspension for unpaid road tolls. Authorities warn recipients not to reply to or click links in these messages, noting that the IRS only contacts people by mail and will never request personal information or payment via text or email.
spectrumlocalnews.com · 2025-12-08
National Grid is alerting customers to scams in which fraudsters impersonate utility company representatives and demand immediate payment via prepaid debit card, threatening service disconnection. The company clarified that it never requests direct payment by debit card or wire transfer and does not threaten immediate disconnection, urging victims to contact local law enforcement.
bbc.co.uk · 2025-12-08
Safer Internet Day 2025 (February 11) focuses on protecting people from online scams, which are tricks designed to steal money or personal information through methods like fake giveaways, misleading products, and phishing links. The UK Safer Internet Centre advises people to spot red flags such as offers that seem too good to be true, avoid sharing personal information online, and refrain from clicking links in unexpected messages, with children especially encouraged to speak to trusted adults if concerned. Educational activities including a BBC Teach live lesson and "Scam Smashers" game will help participants identify and defend against scams.
richmondsunsetnews.com · 2025-12-08
The San Francisco Police Department released an educational video in partnership with a blessing scam survivor and Self-Help for the Elderly to raise awareness about blessing scams targeting the Chinese community. Blessing scams typically involve Cantonese-speaking suspects who pose as fortune tellers, claiming victims or loved ones are cursed and must surrender valuables to be "blessed," then replacing them with worthless items. The video emphasizes how to refuse scammers and encourages community members to report incidents to SFPD.
wkow.com · 2025-12-08
Dane County Sheriff's Office detectives stopped an elderly woman from losing $25,000 in a tech support scam that began with a fake Microsoft pop-up alert directing her to withdraw funds and deposit them into a cryptocurrency ATM. The scammers later attempted to contact her again by spoofing the sheriff's office phone line, but she avoided the calls after being warned by the detective. In a similar case, Summit Credit Union staff also used the sheriff's office Scam Alert flyer to prevent another victim from losing $88,000 to a fraudulent lawyer impersonator.
indianexpress.com · 2025-12-08
A retired Army colonel in his early 70s from Pune lost Rs 62 lakh in a "digital arrest" scam when fraudsters posing as Delhi Cyber Cell officers claimed he was involved in a Rs 500 crore hawala scam and coerced him to transfer his savings to fake government accounts over five days. The scam operated by threatening arrest, conducting fake video calls to simulate detention, and routing stolen funds through bank accounts in Karnataka, Assam, and Madhya Pradesh. This case is part of a broader pattern of digital arrest fraud targeting senior citizens and armed forces personnel in India, with recent victims losing crores of rupees to organized multinational syndicates.
lewistownsentinel.com · 2025-12-08
A Pennsylvania Attorney General representative educated veterans on fraud risks, noting that veterans are twice as likely to be scammed through schemes targeting military benefits, disability payouts, and pensions. Key prevention measures include being cautious of unsolicited contacts, researching entities through official government websites, shredding personal documents, and remembering that government agencies do not initiate contact via phone, email, or social media. Victims can report fraud to the Federal Trade Commission or Pennsylvania Attorney General's Office.
forbes.com · 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission reported that fraud losses exceeded $10 billion nationally in 2023, with 2024 showing alarming trends in scam types including online job scams, government impersonation, gift card fraud, and business investment schemes. Student loan scams have proliferated due to confusion over federal loan forgiveness programs, with criminals using phishing, upfront fee schemes, and identity theft tactics to prey on borrowers seeking debt relief. The FTC warns that legitimate assistance is available free through student loan servicers and the Department of Education, and that private companies cannot deliver forgiveness benefits that aren't already available through government programs.
bryantimes.com · 2025-12-08
The Williams County Department of Aging alerted the public to a phone scam targeting home-delivered meals service recipients, in which at least one senior was contacted by a scammer demanding payment for their meal service. The department emphasized that it never requests payment by phone and that meal service is never withheld based on ability to pay, with donations being entirely voluntary. The agency advised recipients and their families not to provide personal information to suspicious callers, to hang up immediately if pressured for payment, and to report incidents to local authorities or the department directly.
wflx.com · 2025-12-08
Scammers in Martin County spoofed the sheriff's office phone number to call residents claiming they had outstanding arrest warrants requiring immediate bitcoin payment to resolve. Two men lost a combined $20,000 in the scam last week before law enforcement intervened. The Martin County Sheriff's Office warns residents that legitimate agencies never request money over the phone and advises potential victims to stay calm and verify calls with trusted contacts or the sheriff's office directly, as bitcoin transactions are virtually impossible to recover.
darkreading.com · 2025-12-08
Scammers in Namibia are using deepfake videos and impersonation of former First Lady Monica Geingos to perpetrate investment scams, particularly forex trading schemes, targeting vulnerable victims including at least one woman who lost her retirement savings. Similar impersonation scams featuring political figures and celebrities are widespread across Africa, exploiting limited law enforcement resources and cross-border criminal operations that are difficult to track and prosecute.
freepressjournal.in · 2025-12-08
A 42-year-old woman from Mumbai lost ₹8.17 lakh in a WhatsApp task scam that began in January when she was contacted via Telegram and asked to share her mobile and UPI details. After receiving small initial payments and joining a WhatsApp group where she completed tasks for commissions, the fraudsters gradually convinced her to invest larger amounts, eventually claiming her "low credit score" prevented withdrawal and demanding an additional ₹4.5 lakh. The Andheri Police registered a fraud case and launched an investigation after she realized the scam and refused to send more money.
lavalnews.ca · 2025-12-08
Six of 16 suspects were arraigned in Quebec courts in connection with a $1 million province-wide fraud scheme targeting senior citizens with an average age in the late 70s. The suspects allegedly used telephone spoofing software to impersonate banks, institutions, and police officers to defraud 214 victims across 250 fraud cases. The arrests concluded a multi-year investigation by over 90 police officers that began in 2022.
thesenior.com.au · 2025-12-08
Romance scammers targeted Australians over 65 in 2024, using sophisticated phishing emails, social media, and fake dating profiles to deceive lonely seniors into sending money, resulting in nearly $8 million in losses. Cybersecurity experts recommend verifying online relationships with trusted friends or family before sending money, recognizing that scammers build trust gradually before requesting funds, and contacting your bank and ScamWatch immediately if victimized.
nypost.com · 2025-12-08
A 21-year-old Syrian refugee in Dubai provided firsthand testimony about working in a sophisticated mass scamming operation that employed over 1,000 workers across multiple desert facilities to conduct "pig butchering" romance scams targeting victims globally. After being hired under false pretenses for what he believed was an advertising job, the worker was forced to impersonate women and manipulate people into investing in cryptocurrency, working 12-hour shifts for minimal pay while his passport was threatened and movement restricted. The operation, run by Chinese managers and staffed primarily by desperate foreign migrants, is part of a transnational scamming industry estimated to have generated $1.03 trillion globally last year.
citizen.co.za · 2025-12-08
Several elderly women aged 65-78 in Ethekwini, KwaZulu-Natal, lost a collective R120,000 to an online romance scam in January 2025 involving a man posing as "Doctor Mike from London," a British doctor allegedly practicing in New York. The scammer used Facebook and phone numbers with USA and UK prefixes to establish contact, promised romantic dates in Durban, and then claimed to have been arrested at King Shaka International Airport with confiscated US dollars, requesting R20,000-R50,000 transfers to secure his release. The victims discovered the fraud only after traveling to the airport to meet him and finding themselves blocke
consumerreports.org · 2025-12-08
A 70-year-old widow in Santa Clara County, California lost $25,000 in a spoofing scam when a caller impersonating a Wells Fargo fraud department representative used her personal information to gain her trust and extract banking details. Over 90 minutes, the scammer obtained her account password and transaction information, then changed her contact number and authorized a fraudulent wire transfer while keeping her distracted on the phone. Scammers increasingly use spoofed caller IDs, personal data obtained from the dark web, and AI deepfakes to impersonate trusted institutions and individuals, making verification of legitimate contacts and independent confirmation essential protection strategies.
forbes.com · 2025-12-08
This article by Stefan Leipold, CEO of STARKinc.biz/ProsSysCo.biz, explains AI-based social engineering scams where perpetrators use publicly available voice and video samples from social media to create deepfakes impersonating victims' children or company executives and requesting emergency payments via cryptocurrency or gift cards. The scams exploit emotional vulnerability by fabricating urgent situations (stolen wallets, medical bills, bail), with the perpetrator's communications appearing authentic through AI-cloned voices and animated video replicas. Leipold recommends verification through direct phone calls to the alleged caller and logical thinking about payment methods, as legitimate organizations never request emergency payments via WhatsApp,
newsroom.paypal-corp.com · 2025-12-08
PayPal and Venmo warn that fraudsters exploit charitable giving by impersonating legitimate charities and relief organizations through phishing, high-pressure tactics, fake websites, and account spoofing to steal money and personal information from well-intentioned donors. The platforms recommend donating only through verified channels like PayPal Cause Hub and Venmo Charity Profiles, and provide guidance on spotting red flags including lack of transparency, unverified credentials, aggressive messaging, and inconsistent communication methods.
uk.news.yahoo.com · 2025-12-08
A 74-year-old Washington senior lost $624,000 in life savings to a gold bar scam orchestrated by 42-year-old Zhichao Huang, who was extradited from California to face charges. The scam followed a common pattern: a fake pop-up mimicking Charles Schwab prompted the victim to call a number, where an imposter claiming to be a federal agent convinced her to liquidate stocks and retirement accounts into gold bars, then collect them in a parking lot under false pretenses. Between May and December 2023, the FBI reported over $55 million in losses from similar gold bar scams targeting seniors nationwide, with investigators susp
sanfranciscopolice.org · 2025-12-08
The San Francisco Police Department released an educational video in partnership with Self Help for the Elderly and a blessing scam survivor to raise awareness about blessing scams targeting the Chinese community. Blessing scams typically involve Cantonese-speaking perpetrators who pose as fortune tellers, convincing victims they are cursed and must surrender valuables (cash and jewelry) to be "blessed," then replacing the items with worthless goods. The video emphasizes teaching community members, particularly seniors, how to refuse scammers and encourages reporting incidents to SFPD.
newcastlepacer.com · 2025-12-08
In 2023, adults aged 60 and older filed over 100,000 fraud complaints to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, losing more than $3.4 billion—an 11% increase from the previous year. Oklahoma's Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready outlines common scams targeting older adults, including phishing, Medicare and health insurance fraud, and tech support scams, and recommends protection strategies such as staying skeptical of unsolicited communications, avoiding sharing personal information online, and immediately reporting suspected fraud to relevant authorities including the FTC, Social Security Administration, or financial institutions.
pymnts.com · 2025-12-08
Scammers are increasingly personalizing financial fraud tactics by targeting specific demographics based on vulnerabilities and life circumstances, similar to legitimate business marketing strategies. A 2024 PYMNTS Intelligence report found that approximately 3 in 10 U.S. consumers (77 million people) lost money to scams over the past five years, with most victims losing over $500, and that different age groups face different scam risks—such as Gen Z being three times more likely to fall victim to employment scams while older consumers face higher rates of fake eCommerce and identity theft scams. Financial institutions play a critical role in protecting customers by understanding scam tactics and the broader psychological and emotional damage these
datingnews.com · 2025-12-08
New York State introduced legislation requiring dating platforms to notify users when they match with someone previously banned from the app, addressing the growing problem of romance scams that cost Americans $1.14 billion in 2023 alone. Romance scammers exploit users' desire for connection by building emotional trust before soliciting money, often using fake identities or celebrity impersonations. The legislation is part of the broader "Stop Hiding Hate" Act aimed at protecting New Yorkers from fraud while holding social media companies accountable for self-regulation.
usethebitcoin.com · 2025-12-08
Crypto romance scams, also known as "pig butchering," involve fraudsters forming fake online relationships with victims using AI-generated or stolen images, then pressuring them to invest in non-existent cryptocurrency platforms with promises of quick returns. In January 2025, Hong Kong Police dismantled a syndicate that defrauded victims in Malaysia, Singapore, and Taiwan of at least $4.37 million, while research shows crypto romance scammers stole over $4.4 billion globally in 2024. Red flags include rapid relationship progression, requests to pay taxes or fees before withdrawals, and inability to meet in person—victims should use common sense and remain vigilant against these
lexology.com · 2025-12-08
This educational resource from a law firm specializing in online fraud describes "pig-butchering" scams—sophisticated schemes where fraudsters build trust with victims over weeks or months through romantic or business relationships, then pressure them to invest large sums in fake opportunities like cryptocurrency or real estate projects. The article provides warning signs including high-pressure tactics, unrealistic returns, cryptocurrency payment requests, and offshore transfers, and recommends victims conduct background checks, research platforms, seek legal advice early, and stay informed about common fraud tactics. The firm notes it receives approximately 100 victim requests monthly but can only accept cases involving losses exceeding $500,000 due to the complex, resource-intensive nature of
katv.com · 2025-12-08
Rising imposter scams have prompted the U.S. Marshals to alert the public about fraudsters impersonating law enforcement officials via phone calls, claiming victims owe fines for arrest warrants, failed jury duty, or identity theft and threatening arrest unless immediate payment is made. Scammers use sophisticated tactics including spoofed government phone numbers, personal information verification, fake case numbers, and instructions to withdraw up to 80% of victims' assets and deposit funds into bitcoin ATMs, resulting in tens of thousands of dollars in losses per victim. The U.S. Marshals advise victims to contact their local FBI office and file complaints with the Federal Trade Commission, and remind the
Robocalls / Phone Scams Scam Awareness Financial Crime Cryptocurrency Crypto ATM Wire Transfer Gift Cards Cash
newsweek.com · 2025-12-08
Tax season scams employ increasingly sophisticated tactics including phishing emails impersonating the IRS, phone calls demanding immediate payment, fraudulent tax return filings to claim refunds, and fake tax preparers on social media platforms. Scammers exploit fear and urgency to pressure victims into revealing sensitive information or making payments. Taxpayers can protect themselves by filing early, verifying IRS communications directly, using secure internet connections, monitoring tax accounts, and only using IRS-registered tax preparers.
kxii.com · 2025-12-08
During tax season, scammers increase fraudulent activity through multiple methods including tax identity theft, IRS impersonation via phone/email/text, fake tax preparation services, and phishing links to counterfeit websites. The IRS will only contact taxpayers by mail, never through phone, email, or text, and experts recommend setting up an IRS PIN to prevent criminals from filing fraudulent returns on victims' behalf.
chronicleonline.com · 2025-12-08
This article describes common scams targeting people of all ages, particularly elderly individuals, including fake virus warnings, fraudulent Medicare calls, package delivery texts, and voice recording schemes. The Citrus County Sheriff's Office is hosting a free public presentation by fraud detectives on February 3rd at the Homosassa Public Library to educate community members on how to recognize and protect themselves from con artists and scammers.
timesleader.com · 2025-12-08
Pennsylvania Attorney General Dave Sunday issued a consumer warning ahead of Super Bowl LIX, alerting residents to ticket scams and merchandise fraud targeting eager fans traveling to New Orleans. The advisory recommends consumers purchase tickets only from legitimate websites like Ticketmaster and StubHub, avoid third-party sellers and suspicious URLs, use credit cards rather than gift cards or wire transfers, and conduct in-person transactions in safe locations. Victims of Super Bowl-related scams can file complaints with the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection.
Crypto Investment Scams Phishing Robocalls / Phone Scams Scam Awareness Cryptocurrency Wire Transfer Gift Cards Money Order / Western Union
news.syr.edu · 2025-12-08
Scammers are impersonating U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and other government agencies to target international students via email and phone, claiming visa issues exist and demanding urgent payments through gift cards. ITS advises that legitimate government agencies never demand payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or wire transfers, and victims should report such contact to the ITS Helpdesk rather than responding to the fraudsters.
hoodline.com · 2025-12-08
Antony Linton Stewart, a 40-year-old Jamaican national, was sentenced to 84 months in prison for orchestrating a lottery fraud scheme that targeted elderly U.S. residents from 2010 to 2016, convincing victims they had won sweepstakes prizes and extracting money until victims could no longer pay. Stewart was ordered to repay $1,104,041.74 in restitution, and the case was prosecuted as part of the Justice Department's broader initiative to combat foreign-based scams targeting seniors.
bgindependentmedia.org · 2025-12-08
Three senior citizens in Bowling Green lost over $32,000 to scammers within four days, using different methods including gift cards, Bitcoin, and cash. The incidents involved a 78-year-old woman tricked into purchasing $8,000 in gift cards after being told her Apple card was compromised, a 60-year-old woman who withdrew $20,000 in cash after a fake Geek Squad scam, and a third unreported victim. Police Lieutenant Ryan Tackett advised seniors to verify message sources, refuse suspicious payment requests, seek help from trusted contacts, and treat unsolicited requests with skepticism.
Phishing Robocalls / Phone Scams General Elder Fraud Scam Awareness Cryptocurrency Crypto ATM Gift Cards Cash Payment App
mykeenenow.com · 2025-12-08
New Hampshire elderly residents are experiencing a surge in lottery and sweepstakes scams, where perpetrators falsely claim victims have won prizes like Publishers Clearing House and demand upfront fees for taxes or processing through wire transfers, Bitcoin ATMs, or gift cards, with some victims losing $8,500 or more. Attorney General John M. Formella advises residents that legitimate lotteries never require payment to release winnings, unsolicited winning notices should be ignored, and PCH never calls winners in advance—victims should verify directly at 1-800-392-4190 and report suspected scams to local police or the Attorney General's Consumer Protection Bureau.
Lottery/Prize Scams Phishing Robocalls / Phone Scams General Elder Fraud Scam Awareness Cryptocurrency Crypto ATM Wire Transfer Gift Cards
kawartha411.ca · 2025-12-08
The City of Kawartha Lakes OPP issued a warning about an increase in grandparent/emergency scams targeting seniors in their area, where fraudsters call posing as distressed family members, police, or officials claiming a loved one needs immediate money for bail, accident damages, or foreign travel issues. The scammers use emotional manipulation, request secrecy, and extract personal information, with common scenarios involving car accidents or jail situations. Authorities advise recipients to hang up and verify claims independently, contact police non-emergency lines, inform bank tellers of large withdrawals, and report suspected fraud to local police or the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre at 1-888-495-8501
farrer.co.uk · 2025-12-08
The UK Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has published guidance encouraging private organizations—including banks, telecommunications providers, and digital platforms—to share personal data responsibly for fraud prevention and detection purposes, clarifying that data protection law should not be used as an excuse to avoid such sharing. The guidance provides practical recommendations including conducting Data Protection Impact Assessments, establishing clear data sharing agreements, identifying lawful bases for sharing, and implementing safeguards, while balancing fraud prevention efforts with UK GDPR compliance. This comes amid rising costs of authorized push payment (APP) fraud and increased cross-industry collaboration to combat scams through shared information about known or suspected fraudsters.
khou.com · 2025-12-08
A Houston woman received an unsolicited moissanite ring in the mail as part of a "brushing scam," where fraudsters ship inexpensive items to create fake verified buyer accounts and positive reviews, or to trick recipients into scanning QR codes that lead to malware-infected websites designed to steal personal information. The Better Business Bureau warns this scam has spread nationwide involving jewelry, speakers, and other items, and advises consumers never to scan QR codes on suspicious packages or enter personal information on unfamiliar websites.
cryptotimes.io · 2025-12-08
Following the launch of official memecoins by President Trump and First Lady Melania, scammers have created fraudulent cryptocurrency tokens impersonating celebrities including Ivanka Trump, Barron Trump, Dean Norris, and Elon Musk to deceive investors. The fake $BARRON token reached a $460 million market value before crashing 95%, resulting in significant losses for victims, while multiple celebrities have issued public warnings about the unauthorized tokens being promoted under their names. These scams exploit the hype-driven nature of memecoins, which have minimal real value and are vulnerable to social media manipulation and misinformation.
forbes.com · 2025-12-08
Seattle-based Hiya has launched an AI-powered phone app designed to detect and block deepfake scams in real time through intelligent call screening and synthetic voice detection. According to a 2024 Hiya survey, one in three Americans received at least one deepfake scam call, with 45% of targeted individuals falling victim to financial losses averaging $7,200. The free app (with premium features at $9.99/month) analyzes call audio to identify scam language and AI-generated voices while prioritizing user privacy by encrypting data on-device and immediately deleting transcripts from Hiya's servers.
buzzfeed.com · 2025-12-08
Nearly 70,000 people reported romance scams to the FTC in 2022, losing $1.3 billion collectively with an average loss of $4,400; a notable case involved a French woman who lost €830,000 ($865,000) to a scammer impersonating Brad Pitt over 1½ years, who used AI-generated images of the actor in a hospital to claim he had kidney cancer and needed money. The article advises family members to watch for sudden mood changes and secretive behavior in loved ones, avoid victim-blaming, and approach conversations with curiosity rather than accusations, since scammers often prepare victims to expect such criticism from their social
cbsnews.com · 2025-12-08
Tax scammers are expected to escalate their tactics during 2025 tax season, employing AI-generated phishing emails, fake tax preparers, IRS imposter phone calls, and social media schemes to steal money and personal information from taxpayers. These scams can result in significant financial losses, identity theft, and emotional harm to victims. Protection strategies include verifying communications directly with the IRS through official channels, vetting tax preparers for credentials like a PTIN, ignoring unsolicited urgent payment demands, and avoiding suspicious social media offers.
universe.byu.edu · 2025-12-08
U.S. consumers lost over $10 billion to fraud in 2023, a 14% increase from 2022's $8.8 billion, according to the Federal Trade Commission. Scams are becoming more sophisticated and prevalent, particularly through phishing emails, voice phishing (vishing), and voice cloning technology that can impersonate victims' loved ones to extort money. Cybersecurity experts warn that artificial intelligence is enabling scammers to target people across all age groups more effectively, and that no demographic is immune to fraud.
govtech.com · 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission warned about a surge in SMS phishing scams (smishing) impersonating toll road agencies like EZDriveMA, North Texas Toll Authority, and Sunpass, with texts containing fake toll charges and links designed to steal banking and credit card information. The scams, orchestrated by Chinese groups using newly available spoofing kits, represent a shift from package delivery fraud schemes and aim to extract personal financial data from victims. The FTC recommends verifying toll charges through official agency contact information, avoiding clicking suspicious links, and reporting fraudulent texts to prevent becoming a victim.
virginialiving.com · 2025-12-08
Elder fraud is an escalating epidemic affecting millions of seniors through phone, mail, internet, and in-person schemes, with fraudsters stealing an estimated $10 billion from Americans in 2023, though actual figures are likely higher due to underreporting from shame. Even highly intelligent individuals like former CIA/FBI director William Webster nearly fell victim to a Jamaican lottery scam demanding $50,000. Medical professionals and fraud prevention advocates recommend seniors verify unsolicited offers, be wary of urgent claims, and report scams without embarrassment using resources like AARP's Fraud Watch Network Helpline.
atg.wa.gov · 2025-12-08
Washington's Attorney General's Office warned residents to watch for charity scams exploiting donations for California wildfire relief efforts. The advisory urged donors to research charities before giving, verify tax-exempt status, avoid high-pressure tactics, and report suspicious solicitations to protect themselves from fraudulent organizations using deceptive names and websites.
taylorvilledailynews.com · 2025-12-08
The FBI Springfield Field Office warns that romance scams—where criminals use fake online identities to exploit victims for money—remain prevalent, with Illinois residents losing nearly $19 million to these scams in 2023 and nationwide losses totaling $652.5 million. Warning signs include requests to move communication off-platform, premature declarations of love, claims of living far away, and requests for money or personal information. The FBI recommends moving relationships slowly, researching profiles, avoiding sharing personal details, and not sending money to people you haven't met in person.
moneywise.com · 2025-12-08
A 74-year-old senior in Lynwood, Washington lost $624,711 in life savings to a gold bar scam after responding to a fake Charles Schwab pop-up and being manipulated by scammers posing as federal agents who convinced her to liquidate investments and convert them to gold bars, which she handed over in a parking lot. The suspect, 42-year-old Zhichao Huang, was extradited from Los Angeles to face charges, and investigators suspect the scheme may be part of a larger fraud ring, as the FBI reported over $55 million in similar gold bar scam losses between May and December 2023. To protect themselves, seniors
forbes.com · 2025-12-08
During tax filing season, scammers are targeting taxpayers with text messages claiming eligibility for a $1,400 Economic Impact Payment and requesting personal information through malicious links, according to an alert from the U.S. Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA). The IRS will never contact taxpayers via text, email, or social media, and legitimate payments are issued automatically; taxpayers should watch for red flags such as urgency language, requests for Social Security numbers, suspicious links (non-.gov domains), and grammatical errors, and should report suspected scams to [email protected].
paymentsjournal.com · 2025-12-08
Money mules—individuals who willingly or unwillingly move illicit funds between accounts—have become an increasingly effective tool for criminals to circumvent fraud detection systems, often recruited through social media platforms using "scam-fluencing" tactics that target students, retirees, and lower-income individuals seeking financial relief. Financial institutions face a complex challenge because many mules are already verified customers and may themselves be victims of coercion or deception, while the use of generative AI and fast digital payment systems enables criminals to scale mule recruitment and fund transfers rapidly and globally. To combat this threat, financial institutions need to implement continuous verification checks throughout the customer lifecycle rather than relying solely on initial Know Your Customer (
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