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deadlinedetroit.com
· 2025-12-08
Five men from Georgia and Alabama were charged with laundering at least $178,658 for a Nigerian sextortion scheme that targeted over 100 victims, including 17-year-old Jordan DeMay of Michigan, who died by suicide after being blackmailed for $300. The Nigerian scammers posed as females on Instagram, coerced victims into sending nude images, then extorted money by threatening to share the photos with contacts. The U.S. money launderers received victims' funds through cash applications, kept approximately 20 percent, converted the remainder to bitcoin, and funneled it to the Nigerian perpetrators.
independent.com
· 2025-12-08
Santa Barbara County District Attorney John Savrnoch announced that Chief Investigator Kristina Perkins will become the new host of the weekly "Scam Squad" podcast, which educates the public about fraud schemes targeting seniors, including internet, romance, and telemarketing scams. The podcast, launched in 2017 and produced by Patti Teel, airs on KTMS Newstalk 990 and is available on Apple Podcasts and YouTube, with Chief Perkins available to speak at community events and the District Attorney's Scam Hotline available at 805-568-2442 for reporting fraud.
al.com
· 2025-12-08
Five men from Alabama and Georgia were arrested on federal money laundering charges for their role in an online sextortion scheme that targeted over 100 teenage boys and young men. The defendants controlled financial accounts used to launder at least $178,658 in extortion proceeds, converting funds to bitcoin and sending them to Nigerian co-conspirators; the scheme resulted in the death of 17-year-old Jordan DeMay from Michigan in November 2022.
yourlocalexaminer.com.au
· 2025-12-08
Dr. Oliver Guidetti at Edith Cowan University developed the Fake Date Game, an educational simulation that teaches users to identify romance scams by analyzing animated dating app conversations and predicting outcomes. Romance scams cost victims $40 million collectively in 2023 with over 480 reported cases, and the game aims to empower players with skills to recognize manipulative tactics, protect personal boundaries, and engage in respectful online interactions. The tool is planned to expand into a smartphone app with diverse scenarios and demographics to serve as an educational resource in schools and on dating platforms.
metro.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams peak during summer months, with a 139% increase in reported scam value from May to June compared to March to April, according to Barclays analysis. While men report romance scams more frequently, women lose significantly more money on average (£8,900 versus £3,500 for men), as scammers pose as romantic interests or impersonate wedding vendors to gain trust and extract funds. Barclays advises online daters to verify identities before sending money and urges victims to report scams without shame, emphasizing that sophisticated tactics and time investment by scammers can fool anyone.
miaminewtimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Florida ranks second nationally for fraud incidents with 1,589 cases per 100,000 residents, according to FTC data from April 2023 to March 2024, with scammers taking $171 million from state residents in just the first quarter of 2024. The most common fraud schemes include impostor fraud, online shopping scams, and prize/investment fraud, with romance scams particularly targeting elderly residents in high-senior-population areas like South Florida. A Miami woman was recently arrested for operating a 15-year romance scam that defrauded more than a dozen elderly men of $7 million.
miragenews.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, Australians lost $2.74 billion to scams, with older people experiencing the highest impact of any demographic group. COTA Australia and NAB's Group Security team hosted a Scams Awareness webinar designed to educate older adults on identifying common scams (investment, remote-access, and romance scams), prevention strategies, and secure online practices. The educational session aimed to provide practical guidance and expert knowledge to help vulnerable populations protect themselves against increasingly prevalent fraud.
sowetanlive.co.za
· 2025-12-08
A 52-year-old South African nurse was defrauded of R500,000 (approximately $27,000 USD) in a romance scam involving a man named Felix Mugi and his aunt, who used elaborate tactics including false prophecies about her personal secrets, a container filled with cash, and promises of marriage to build trust within 25 days of meeting. The victim took out a loan to deposit money into a bank account as instructed, after which both scammers disappeared; she now faces R1 million in total repayment obligations at R14,000 monthly. The scammers employed psychological manipulation techniques, including religious settings and accurate personal information,
scmp.com
· 2025-12-08
Hong Kong experienced record fraud losses totaling HK$9.18 billion, with scams evolving through technological innovations including deepfakes, cryptocurrency hoaxes, phishing, and romance scams. The article distinguishes between fraud (unauthorized access to personal information through hacking) and scams (psychological manipulation to obtain information), and emphasizes that individuals and businesses must educate themselves on these increasingly sophisticated schemes to protect themselves.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI received more than 147,000 reports of scams and fraud targeting Americans ages 60 and older in 2024, with reported losses exceeding $100,000 more than tripling since 2020. Seniors are targeted because they control over 60% of the nation's wealth, and scammers use sophisticated impersonation, phishing, vishing, and smishing tactics to steal personal and financial information. The article advises awareness of these common scam types and recommends working with financial advisors to identify and protect against fraudulent schemes.
cointelegraph.com
· 2025-12-08
Wisconsin's Department of Financial Institutions launched a public investment scam tracker in July 2024 after Wisconsinites lost nearly $3.55 million to cryptocurrency fraud and financial grooming between January 2022 and June 2024, with most cases involving pig butchering scams or fraudulent crypto trading platforms. The searchable tracker, populated with consumer complaints, aims to alert the public and deter scammers by increasing transparency, while the DFI advises citizens to avoid sending money to unknown online contacts and to use only registered cryptocurrency services that comply with regulatory standards.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
A Chicago woman lost over $100,000 of her life savings in a romance scam after connecting with a man claiming to be a businessman named Gregory on a dating site; he gradually built emotional trust over weeks of communication without meeting in person, then fabricated an emergency requiring financial assistance and continued requesting money through wire transfers, checks, and gift cards to multiple entities. The FBI estimates seniors age 60+ have lost more than $3.5 billion to internet scams, and experts note that scammers use sophisticated tactics to build emotional bonds while remaining evasive about meeting in person, which is a key red flag for potential victims.
mk.co.kr
· 2025-12-08
This article discusses a TV episode of "The Unlocking Filer" featuring multiple crime cases, during which cast member Seo Jang-hoon warned viewers about online romance scams and the risks of meeting strangers from social media. Jang-hoon advised people to be skeptical of scenarios where attractive foreigners suddenly take interest in them and cautioned against sending money to unverified online contacts. The episode also covered a 1996 UK sexual assault case and a murder case involving property theft.
berkshireeagle.com
· 2025-12-08
An 88-year-old Dalton man lost $10,000 in a grandparent scam when a caller impersonating a lawyer claimed his grandson had been arrested and needed bail money. The victim handed the cash to a courier who came to his door, but became suspicious when the scammer called back demanding an additional $12,000, prompting him to contact police. Officers arrested 60-year-old Deborah Andrus of Pittsfield, who arrived to pick up money the police had replaced with bread in a box; Andrus claimed she was hired as a courier unaware of the scam, while investigators continue determining her level of involvement.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
An unmarried mechanical engineer in Visakhapatnam lost over Rs 28 lakh to an online dating scam in which cybercriminals created fake dating profiles featuring attractive women to build emotional connections and manipulate victims into transferring money under false pretexts. Police identified one gang member, Kommagoni Lokesh, and are searching for two accomplices; the scammers also threatened to blackmail victims by publishing personal information and compromising photos. The article advises users to verify profile authenticity through reverse image searches, never send money to online contacts, maintain clear boundaries on personal information, and immediately cease communication with suspicious individuals.
dos.ny.gov
· 2025-12-08
The Department of State's Division of Consumer Protection warns that military service members, veterans, and their families are frequent targets of scams, with fraud costing this community $477 million in 2023 and generating 93,735 fraud reports. The top three scam types targeting military members are imposter scams, online shopping scams, and investment-related scams, with young service members managing finances for the first time being particularly vulnerable. The division recommends placing an "Active-Duty Alert" on credit reports, researching purchases carefully, and being skeptical of "military-friendly" deals to protect against identity theft and fraudulent transactions.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Amowie Kelvin Imatitikua, a 37-year-old Nigerian national, pleaded guilty on July 26, 2024 to bank fraud, bank fraud conspiracy, and money laundering conspiracy for operating an online fraud scheme that netted over $400,000 between 2019 and 2021. Imatitikua opened fraudulent bank accounts using fake identities and foreign passports to receive proceeds from pandemic relief fraud, romance scams, and other online schemes perpetrated by co-conspirators. His sentencing is scheduled for November 6, 2024, with potential penalties including up to 30 years in prison and forfeiture of fraudulent proceeds
fintech.global
· 2025-12-08
Barclays reports a 139% surge in romance scam claims in May-June 2024 compared to March-April, with men representing 59% of victims but women losing significantly more money (averaging £8,900 versus £3,500 for men). The bulletin highlights that 32% of consumers avoid dating apps due to scam fears, and emphasizes that stigma around reporting these scams—with 30% of Brits hesitant to disclose victimization—increases vulnerability and hinders fraud prevention.
tech.hindustantimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A mechanical engineer from Visakhapatnam lost ₹28 lakh to a fake romance scam on a dating app, where scammers created fraudulent female profiles to build emotional trust before extracting money and subsequently blackmailing the victim with intimate images. Police arrested one member of a three-person gang operating the scheme and identified the scam pattern: fake profiles with attractive photos, intimate conversations to establish trust, fabricated stories to solicit large sums, and blackmail using personal details and compromising images. The article advises users to verify dating app profiles through reverse image searches, avoid individuals who profess feelings quickly, and refrain from sharing personal or financial information online.
mondaq.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance fraud is rapidly rising globally, with UK banks reporting 20% increases in cases, predominantly targeting women (43% more victims than men) through dating apps and social media platforms. Fraudsters build trust over time before manipulating victims into sending money via cryptocurrency, which they believed was irretrievable; however, recent legal developments have enabled courts to freeze and potentially recover stolen cryptocurrency through blockchain-based legal orders. Victims should recognize warning signs including reluctance to video call, fake profiles, sudden requests for money, and excuses preventing in-person meetings, and should report cases despite feelings of embarrassment.
birminghammail.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Barclays issued a warning about romance scams, revealing that while men account for 59% of reported cases, female victims lose significantly more money—averaging £8,900 compared to £3,500 for men. The bank urged customers to verify the identity of new romantic interests before transferring money and called for tech companies and governments to implement stronger anti-scam measures, particularly on social media platforms and dating apps where these scams primarily originate.
home.barclays
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams are rising seasonally, with claim values up 139% in May/June 2024 compared to March/April, and July 2023 accounting for 12% of all annual romance scam claims. While men represent 59% of romance scam victims, women lose significantly more per incident (averaging £8,900 versus £3,500 for men), with a 43% increase in reports from women during the peak period. The majority of romance scams originate on dating apps (35%) and social media (44%), with one-third of British consumers reporting they've avoided online dating due to scam fears.
dallasnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Kelly Mitchell, 58, had her Facebook account hacked and used to promote a fraudulent cryptocurrency investment scheme through fake images and religious messaging—a tactic combining impersonation and "pig butchering" scams where criminals pose as trusted contacts to solicit ongoing investments. According to FTC data, cryptocurrency scams cost Americans $1.41 billion across 47,537 reports in 2023, with experts recommending basic security measures like two-factor authentication and strong passwords as essential protection against these increasingly common social media fraud attacks.
moodyonthemarket.com
· 2025-12-08
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel will speak at a town hall in St. Joseph on August 4, 2024, to educate seniors about avoiding scams, following FBI data showing that elder fraud caused over $3.4 billion in losses in 2023, with an average victim loss of $33,915. The event, hosted by Region IV Area Agency on Aging, will address the most common scams targeting people aged 60 and older, including tech support scams (nearly 18,000 reported cases), romance scams, investment scams, and non-delivery scams. The free community event will provide consumer protection tips and scam prevention strategies.
unionleader.com
· 2025-12-08
More than 400 New Hampshire residents age 60 and older lost over $11 million to scams in 2023, with tech support fraud being the most common type and romance scams causing the highest financial losses. Seniors are disproportionately targeted because they are often polite, trusting, financially stable, and own homes, while scammers increasingly use online tactics like phishing and email scams targeting Baby Boomers with computer skills. Experts attribute the rise in elder fraud to increased online activity that exposes personal information, scammers' use of impersonation and research tactics, and significant underreporting due to victims' shame and embarrassment.
unionleader.com
· 2025-12-08
More than 100,000 Americans fell victim to scams in the past year, with two-thirds being seniors; in New Hampshire alone, over 400 residents aged 60 and older lost more than $11 million to fraud in 2023. Seniors are targeted because they are often polite, trusting, financially stable, and own their homes, making them attractive victims for scammers who pose as bankers, government agents, IT experts, and romantic partners. Tech support scams are the most common form of elder fraud, while romance and confidence scams result in the largest financial losses, though experts note these crimes are vastly underreported due to victims' shame and embarrassment.
courier-journal.com
· 2025-12-08
Juan Carlos Arcena Cabrera, a New York resident, was sentenced to two years and two months in federal prison for defrauding a Kentucky senior of $59,000 through a "grandparent scam" in which he posed as the victim's grandson claiming an emergency need for money. Cabrera, who pleaded guilty to targeting multiple victims over years, coordinated with others to fabricate scenarios such as car accidents or legal troubles, then repeatedly contacted victims impersonating attorneys and professionals to extract additional funds. The case is part of a national trend of grandparent scams that the U.S. Justice Department has prioritized, with some scammers using voice-cloning technology to increase authent
moneyweek.com
· 2025-12-08
Barclays reported a 139% increase in romance scam losses during May and June compared to the previous two months, with men averaging £3,500 in losses and women £8,900 per incident. Romance scammers create fake online profiles on dating apps and social media to build false romantic relationships before requesting money for claimed emergencies. To protect against these scams, people should verify online profiles through reverse image searches, ask probing questions, never send money to online-only contacts, and report suspicious accounts immediately.
indiatoday.in
· 2025-12-08
A mechanical engineer from Visakhapatnam lost Rs 28 lakh after being targeted by a romance scam on a dating app, where scammers created fake female profiles to build emotional trust before extracting money through fabricated stories and later blackmailing the victim with compromising photos. A 25-year-old man from Telangana was identified as part of a three-member gang operating this scheme, which police revealed uses rapid relationship escalation and emotional manipulation to exploit victims. Users of dating apps should verify identities through reverse image searches, avoid sharing personal information with unverified contacts, be skeptical of quick declarations of love, and report suspicious profiles to authorities.
standard.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Barclays Bank reported a 139% increase in romance scam reports between March-April and May-June 2024, with scammers posing as romantic interests to manipulate victims into sending money or personal information. While men report romance scams more frequently, women lose significantly more money on average (£8,900 versus £3,500 for men), and reports from female victims increased 43% during the period. The bank urged people to verify the identity of online romantic interests before sending money and emphasized that romance scams often originate on dating apps, social media, and websites.
timesnownews.com
· 2025-12-08
A mechanical engineer from Visakhapatnam lost Rs 28 lakh to an organized romance scam gang operating from Telangana, who created fake dating profiles, built emotional trust, and manipulated the victim into transferring money while threatening to release compromising photos. The article advises protection strategies including identity verification through reverse image searches, caution against rapid relationship escalation, safeguarding personal information, recognizing red flags like money requests and avoided video calls, and reporting suspicious profiles to platforms and authorities.
techtarget.com
· 2025-12-08
**Pig butchering** is a romance scam where fraudsters build false romantic or friendship relationships with victims, then convince them to invest in cryptocurrency on fake platforms controlled by the scammer, resulting in theft of the victim's money. In 2022, crypto scams caused $5.9 billion in losses. To avoid this scheme, people should be suspicious of unsolicited contact, promises of guaranteed high investment returns, fake investment apps on legitimate app stores, and should verify website legitimacy before investing.
ncnewsonline.com
· 2025-12-08
Seniors lost over $3.4 billion to scams last year, including romance scams, grandparent schemes, and technical support fraud, with criminals exploiting internet, phone calls, texting, and social media to target vulnerable populations. The Federal Trade Commission reported total U.S. fraud losses reached $10 billion in the previous year (a 14% increase), with email displacement and phone calls becoming the most common contact methods used by scammers. The article emphasizes that banks, law enforcement, and federal agencies must coordinate better efforts to combat fraud targeting seniors, and individuals should never share sensitive personal information or transfer money in response to unsolicited contact.
mirror.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Rodrick Lodge, a 69-year-old widower, lost his entire £85,000 life savings to a romance scam involving a woman named "Anita" in Kenya whom he met through an intermediary called Mary in 2020. After months of messaging, sending money for a non-existent house, business expenses, and medical bills, Lodge traveled to Kenya in December expecting to meet Anita, only to find she did not exist and all contact ceased after he discovered inconsistencies in her story. Lodge returned to the UK penniless and homeless, having reported the scam to Kenyan police with little hope of recovery.
unionleader.com
· 2025-12-08
More than 100,000 Americans fell victim to scams in the past year, with two-thirds being seniors; in New Hampshire alone, over 400 residents aged 60+ lost more than $11 million to scams in 2023. Seniors are targeted because they are often polite, trusting, financially stable, and own homes, making them attractive to scammers who use impersonation tactics (posing as bankers, government agents, IT experts, romantic partners, and relatives) and increasingly sophisticated online methods like phishing and email scams. Tech support scams were the most common type nationally, while romance and confidence scams caused the highest losses in New Hampshire
halesowennews.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Barclays reported a 139% increase in romance scam claims between March-April and May-June 2024, with women losing an average of £8,900 compared to men's £3,500 per incident, despite men reporting scams more frequently. Romance scams involve fraudsters posing as romantic interests to manipulate victims into sending money or personal information, often originating on dating apps, social media, and dating websites. The bank advises people to never send money to unmet individuals, verify identities before transfers, and report suspected scams to their bank and Action Fraud.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Barclays bank reported a 139% increase in romance scam claims between March-April and May-June 2024, with a 43% rise specifically among female victims who lose an average of £8,900 compared to men's average loss of £3,500. While men report romance scams more frequently, the analysis found that men are more willing to send money to newly-met online contacts, and the bank urged people to verify identities before transferring funds, emphasizing that scammers use sophisticated tactics and victims should not feel ashamed to report incidents.
chroniclelive.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Barclays reported a 139% increase in romance scam reports comparing March-April to May-June 2024, with women losing significantly more money on average (£8,900 versus £3,500 for men), though men report these scams more frequently. The bank found that romance scams, where perpetrators build false relationships to extract money or personal information, frequently originate on dating apps, social media, and dating websites, with a 43% increase in reports from women during the peak period. Barclays urged potential daters to verify identities before transferring money and emphasized the importance of reporting scams without shame, while calling for industry-wide collaboration to prevent fraud.
gbnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Barclays Bank warns of a sharp rise in romance scams, with a 139% increase in reported cases between March-June 2024 and losses reaching up to £9,000 per victim. While men report romance scams more frequently, women lose significantly more money on average (£8,900 vs. £3,500 for men), with female victims reporting a 43% increase in cases. The bank advises potential victims to verify the identity of online dating contacts before sending money, perform reverse image searches on profile photos, and seek advice from trusted contacts before transferring funds for urgent-sounding requests.
metro.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams peak during summer months, with a 139% increase in reported scam value from May to June compared to March to April, according to Barclays analysis. While men report romance scams more frequently, women lose significantly more money per incident—averaging £8,900 compared to men's £3,500—as scammers build trust to extract financial assistance. The bank also warns of wedding-related invoice scams and advises online daters to verify identities and be cautious of money requests from people they haven't met in person.
birminghammail.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Barclays reported a 139% year-on-year increase in romance scams from March-June 2024, with female victims losing significantly more money on average (£8,900) compared to male victims (£3,500), despite men representing the majority of romance scam reports. The scams typically originate on dating apps, social media, and dating websites, where perpetrators build trust before manipulating victims into sending money or personal information. The bank urged customers to verify the identity of new online contacts before transferring funds and emphasized the importance of reporting incidents without shame, as scammers use sophisticated tactics to exploit victims.
euroweeklynews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 69-year-old widower lost £85,000 in a romance scam after being introduced online to a woman named "Anita," who promised love and a shared future but proved to be a fabricated identity designed to exploit his emotions and finances. When Rodrick travelled to Kenya to meet his supposed soulmate, he discovered the deception, as Anita did not exist. Experts warn that romance scams targeting vulnerable, trusting individuals—particularly older adults—are increasing, and advise people to approach online relationships cautiously and never share personal or financial information quickly.
aljazeera.com
· 2025-12-08
In October 2021, La Awng was trafficked from Myanmar into a cyber-scamming operation in Laukkai run by Chinese criminal networks, where he was forced to conduct "pig butchering" romance scams targeting foreign victims into fake cryptocurrency investments. The Southeast Asian scam industry has expanded dramatically since the COVID-19 pandemic, with criminal syndicates generating approximately $64 billion annually in online fraud by 2023, employing hundreds of thousands of workers from over 60 countries held in prison-like conditions with threats of physical abuse and torture. La Awng's case exemplifies how vulnerable workers are deceived into trafficking situations through fraudulent job offers,
independent.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Barclays reported a 139% increase in romance scam reports between March-April and May-June 2024, with scammers targeting victims through dating apps, websites, and social media. While men report romance scams more frequently, women lose significantly more money on average (£8,900 compared to £3,500 for men), and female reports increased 43% during the period studied. The bank advises verifying the identity of online romantic interests before sending money and emphasizes that victims should report scams without shame, as scammers use sophisticated tactics to build trust.
mugglehead.com
· 2025-12-08
Visa Inc. is using artificial intelligence and machine learning to combat fraud, preventing $40 billion in fraudulent activity from October 2022 to September 2023 by analyzing over 500 transaction attributes in real-time to detect enumeration attacks that cost the industry $1.1 billion annually. Simultaneously, cybercriminals are increasingly leveraging generative AI, voice cloning, and deepfakes to execute romance scams, investment scams, and pig butchering schemes that are more convincing than ever, with scammers able to clone voices from less than three seconds of audio to deceive victims and banking employees.
taipeitimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Taichung police issued a warning about a sextortion scam targeting young people on dating and video chat sites, where victims are persuaded to strip naked on camera and then blackmailed for money with threats to distribute the footage. Since the start of the year, police handled 718 cases of online sexual exploitation and blackmail, with male victims comprising over half, predominantly young adults and teenagers; in one case, a high school student was threatened for NT$60,000. Police urge victims to report incidents immediately, preserve evidence, and strengthen privacy settings, emphasizing that some victims have tragically taken their own lives due to pressure from repeated blackmail.
headtopics.com
· 2025-12-08
Eight major digital tech companies (Google, Meta, Yahoo, X, Snap, TikTok, Discord, and Twitch) have voluntarily adopted an Australian Online Scams Code to combat fraud while the government develops mandatory legislation, committing to verify advertisers, screen for suspicious content, and increase intelligence sharing with regulators. The code addresses growing scam losses, particularly social media scams which reached $95 million in reported losses in 2023—a 250% increase since 2020—with most fraud originating from WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram, and online dating platforms.
khmoradio.com
· 2025-12-08
Illinois women are being targeted by two prevalent text message scams: a fake banking alert claiming unauthorized charges and requesting account verification information, and a "wrong number" romance scam where perpetrators build emotional relationships before stealing victims' money. The state is also warning of an additional tollway-related texting scam specific to Illinois, emphasizing that victims should not respond to or provide personal information in response to unsolicited messages.
thewhistler.ng
· 2025-12-08
A Nigerian man, Obinna Ezenwa, accused an American woman, Kymberly Stalvey Ann Shepard, of deception after they met on a dating app in 2018 and married in Nigeria in 2019, only to discover she was already legally married to multiple men and had concealed this fact. After she returned to the US and refused to file immigration paperwork for him as promised, claiming she had reached her sponsorship limit, their relationship deteriorated, leading to a defamation lawsuit filed by Ezenwa in 2022 and his being declared wanted by Nigeria's EFCC (Economic and Financial Crimes Commission) in April 2024
openaccessgovernment.org
· 2025-12-08
During the COVID-19 pandemic, cybercriminals exploited vulnerable populations through phishing emails (up 220%), fake vaccine offers, and impersonation scams, with older adults particularly targeted due to limited digital literacy and social isolation. Impersonation scam cases doubled to 39,394 in 2020, romance scams increased 38%, and investment scams rose 32%, resulting in £479 million in Authorized Push Payment fraud losses in the UK with victims recovering only £206.9 million. Financial services firms are urged to implement continuous fraud awareness campaigns and change communication practices to avoid inadvertently training customers to fall victim to scams.