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Search across 22,013 articles about elder fraud. Filter by fraud type, payment mechanism, or keywords.
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in Robocalls / Phone Scams
earth.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article presents research from Binghamton University showing that normal brain aging affects seniors' financial decision-making abilities by shrinking the prefrontal cortex and disrupting the brain regions responsible for math processing and memory retrieval. The study found that age-related cognitive decline increases vulnerability to financial scams, though financial literacy, language skills, and higher socioeconomic status provide some protective effects. Researchers recommend financial education, math practice, and caregiver vigilance as interventions to help older adults maintain financial independence and protect against fraud.
wilx.com
· 2025-12-08
Police across multiple states, including Michigan, are warning residents about "brushing scams" in which unsolicited packages containing items like bracelets, necklaces, or speakers arrive at homes with QR codes inside. Scanning these QR codes transmits personal information from the recipient's phone—including banking data and other sensitive details—directly to scammers, compromising the device. Authorities advise residents not to scan QR codes found in unfamiliar packages or from unknown sources.
abc7.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are exploiting the holiday shipping season with "smishing" scams—fake text messages claiming package delivery problems and requesting personal information or credit card details through malicious links. The U.S. Postal Service does not contact customers via text, email, or phone calls about package issues, and customers should instead use legitimate free tracking options like Informed Delivery or USPS text tracking signup. Anyone who clicks suspicious links or shares personal information should report the incident to the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.
wsaw.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article outlines common scam red flags and prevention strategies. Key warning signs include unsolicited text messages and calls impersonating banks, government agencies, or loved ones; requests to urgently transfer money via wire, gift cards, or cryptocurrency; pressure to stay on the phone during transactions; and requests for security codes or access to accounts. Banks and consumer protection officials advise victims to immediately contact law enforcement, their financial institution, and local consumer protection agencies if targeted by scammers.
timesofsandiego.com
· 2025-12-08
San Diego County officials warned that holiday season scams targeting seniors are increasing, with victims losing an average of $30,000 according to the FBI's 2023 Elder Fraud Report. Scammers use phone calls, texts, emails, and pop-ups impersonating banks, family members, or government agencies to convince seniors to wire money, purchase gift cards, or provide personal information. The county's Elder Justice Task Force has recovered $3.3 million and prosecuted multiple criminals since 2021, and residents are advised to verify unexpected contact by calling known numbers directly and to report suspected scams to local law enforcement or the FBI's IC3.gov website.
countynewscenter.com
· 2025-12-08
San Diego County residents over 60 lose an average of $30,000 to scams annually, with the holiday season being peak fraud time. In response, the Elder Justice Task Force was established in 2021 through collaboration between County Aging & Independence Services, the District Attorney's Office, law enforcement, and the FBI, successfully recovering $3.3 million and prosecuting numerous criminals. Experts advise that scammers use phone calls, texts, emails, and pop-ups impersonating legitimate entities, and victims should immediately stop engaging, verify contact information independently, and report cases to local law enforcement or the FBI at IC3.gov.
theitem.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI is investigating an advanced multi-layered tech support scam targeting elderly South Carolinians, where scammers pose as tech support and government officials to convince victims their devices and financial accounts have been compromised, then instruct them to liquidate assets and purchase gold bars for courier pickup. South Carolina seniors aged 60 and older reported losses exceeding $9 million to tech support scams from January through November, with similar cases occurring nationwide. The schemes involve coordinated networks of criminals using fake documents, routing calls between accomplices, and can persist for weeks or months before victims discover their accounts have been depleted.
mountaineagle.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are targeting older adults by offering free in-home services like cooking and cleaning in exchange for Medicare numbers, then fraudulently enrolling them in hospice care to bill Medicare. Hospice care is a specialized service for terminally ill patients (certified by doctors only), and unauthorized enrollment can negatively impact future Medicare coverage. To protect yourself, never share your Medicare number for "free" services, refuse to enroll in hospice for gifts or money, and report suspicious activity to 1-800-MEDICARE.
k99.com
· 2025-12-08
Colorado residents face an emerging threat from AI-powered deepfake scams expected to surge in 2025, including deepfake audio and video that impersonate loved ones or celebrities to manipulate victims into sending money. These scams exploit emotional connections by creating convincing fake videos of people the victim knows requesting financial assistance or using fake celebrity identities to build relationships before requesting money. The article advises all Colorado residents to learn to recognize scam warning signs and stay informed about these evolving tactics to protect themselves from financial loss.
wbtv.com
· 2025-12-08
The Burke County Sheriff's Office warned of two recent phone scams in which callers impersonated law enforcement officers demanding immediate payment via prepaid debit cards—one claiming the victim missed federal court with an arrest warrant, and another claiming compromising content existed on the victim's device. The sheriff's office emphasized that legitimate law enforcement will never request money, gift cards, or unusual payment methods, and advised people to hang up on suspicious callers and contact local law enforcement directly to verify claims.
hindustantimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A 68-year-old Bengaluru resident lost ₹1.94 crore from his fixed deposit after falling victim to a "digital arrest" scam in which fraudsters impersonating Mumbai crime branch officers accused him of money laundering and held him under fake digital arrest for seven days. The scammers contacted him via WhatsApp video call on November 30, claimed his ATM card was seized in connection with Jet Airways founder Naresh Goyal, and coerced him into transferring funds in multiple installments while threatening him to remain silent. He discovered the fraud only when he confided in his daughter on December 7, who helped him file a police complaint with the southeast
vietnamnet.vn
· 2025-12-08
Online scams caused Vietnamese citizens an estimated VND 18.9 trillion in losses during 2024, affecting approximately 0.45% of smartphone users (one in 220 people), according to the National Cybersecurity Association's survey of 60,000 participants. The three most common scam types were fake investment schemes promising high returns (70.72% of respondents), impersonation of organizations or government agencies (62.08%), and deceptive prize-winning or promotional messages (60.01%), with fraudsters increasingly using deepfake technology and automated tools. The report emphasizes that only 45.69% of victims reported scams to authorities, and recommends users
nypost.com
· 2025-12-08
Nigeria's anti-graft agency arrested 792 suspects, including 148 Chinese and 40 Filipino nationals, in a December 10 raid on a Lagos call center that orchestrated romance scams and fake cryptocurrency investment schemes targeting victims in the Americas and Europe. The operation involved Nigerian accomplices recruiting victims online through social media platforms like WhatsApp and Instagram, then handing them off to foreign scammers who pressured them to transfer money for nonexistent investments. Authorities seized computers, phones, and vehicles, and indicated they are investigating potential links to organized crime networks.
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
AI-enabled scams are projected to cause $40 billion in losses by 2027, up from $12.3 billion in 2023, as fraudsters increasingly adopt deepfake technology, voice cloning, and AI chatbots for romance scams and business email compromise attacks. Criminal activity on fraud-focused channels surged 644% between 2023 and 2024, with scammers now offering "fraud-as-a-service" tools and recruiting workers to create deepfake content. The FBI and fraud experts warn that 2025 will see AI scams become mainstream, particularly in targeted business fraud (like the $30 million Hong Kong Zoom imperson
prunderground.com
· 2025-12-08
"Senior Savvy: A Comprehensive Guide to Avoiding Scams" is an educational resource released by financial expert Andy LaPointe that teaches seniors to recognize and prevent fraud across multiple platforms, including phishing emails, social media scams, cryptocurrency schemes, romance scams, and door-to-door deception. The guide provides step-by-step explanations, real-world examples, and actionable strategies for responding to scams, with particular emphasis on protecting seniors during high-risk periods like the holiday season when scammer activity increases.
malwarebytes.com
· 2025-12-08
Task scams (or "gamified job scams") targeting job seekers surged 400% year-over-year, with the FTC reporting 5,000 cases in 2023 and 20,000 in the first half of 2024. Scammers lure victims through unsolicited messages offering simple online tasks like liking videos or rating images, initially displaying fake earnings to build trust before demanding deposits in cryptocurrency to access funds or complete higher-paying tasks. To avoid these scams, job seekers should reject unsolicited offers via text or messaging apps, never pay upfront to work, verify employers through official channels, and remember that legitimate employers never charge employees to
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
AI-enabled voice cloning tools are increasingly used in "grandparent scams" to impersonate loved ones and pressure victims, particularly seniors, into sending money quickly; in 2023 alone, senior citizens lost approximately $3.4 billion to financial crimes according to FBI data. Cybersecurity experts recommend families establish a unique "safe word" or phrase (at least four words, not easily researched online) and require callers requesting money to verify their identity using this phrase before any funds are transferred. The strategy exploits fear-based emotional responses that impair judgment, but can be effectively countered through proper family communication about the safe word protocol.
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-08
During the holiday season, scammers exploit shoppers' stress and excitement through various schemes, including package delivery scams that use fake links mimicking legitimate carriers (like "uspsts.top" instead of "usps.com") to steal personal information or payment, and charity scams where fraudsters impersonate legitimate organizations to solicit donations. The article advises consumers to verify packages through original shipping confirmations, independently research charities before donating, maintain antivirus software, and watch for red flags like poor grammar and suspicious links.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
AARP's Hearing Center offers expert guidance on avoiding phone scams and fraud, with a November Rural America Live show featuring an anti-fraud specialist who recommends not answering calls from unknown numbers as a key prevention strategy. The resource provides additional materials covering holiday scams, charity fraud detection, and other common scam types to help consumers protect themselves.
snopes.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Brushing scams—where scammers mail unsolicited items to recipients with QR codes to generate fake positive reviews—are real threats, but viral Facebook warnings from police departments exaggerated the danger of scanning QR codes. While scanning a QR code alone does not automatically compromise a phone or drain bank accounts, scammers using QR code phishing (Quishing) require victims to take additional steps, such as entering login credentials on malicious websites mimicking legitimate services.
ksat.com
· 2025-12-08
The Department of Homeland Security Investigations issued a holiday season warning about phone scams targeting seniors and vulnerable populations, including grandparent scams, charity scams, tech support scams, banking scams, and government impersonation scams. The agency recommends protecting yourself by avoiding sharing personal information, verifying caller identity, being skeptical of urgent requests, staying alert online, and reporting suspicious activity to HSI or local authorities.
wfiwradio.com
· 2025-12-08
An elderly couple in Williamson County, Illinois lost $121,000 to an imposter scam in which criminals posing as PayPal and federal agents convinced them their accounts were compromised and directed them to withdraw cash for "secure" deposit. Three Chinese nationals were arrested in October and now face federal wire fraud charges after attempting to collect the cash from the victims' home using code words provided by the scammers. The U.S. Attorney's Office reports a rising trend of such imposter scams targeting seniors in southern Illinois, where fraudsters use scare tactics and pressure victims to keep withdrawals secret from their banks.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Matthew Ramos-Soto, 27, from Connecticut, was sentenced to 41 months in federal prison for his role in a grandparent scheme wire fraud network that targeted elderly victims across the United States. Operating as a courier posing as a bail bondsman, Ramos-Soto collected over $250,000 from victims in Wisconsin alone between October 2022 and October 2023, with the broader scheme involving coconspirators who called elderly victims claiming their relatives needed bail money for serious accidents or crimes. Judge Peterson described the crime as "cruel and devastating" and emphasized the significant financial and emotional harm inflicted on victims.
postandcourier.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI issued a public warning about an advanced tech support scam targeting South Carolina seniors, where scammers pose as tech support and instruct victims to liquidate assets and purchase gold bars for courier pickup to resolve fabricated device or financial account issues. South Carolina residents aged 60 and older reported losses exceeding $9 million from January through November, with similar cases occurring nationwide, and the multi-layered scheme often involves networks of criminals working together over weeks or months. The FBI advises seniors to avoid clicking unsolicited links, never provide computer access to unknown individuals, and verify suspicious claims by visiting financial institutions in person rather than contacting provided phone numbers.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
The New York StateWide Senior Action Council identified Durable Medical Equipment (DME) fraud as its December fraud alert, warning seniors about scammers offering unsolicited calls or ads for free or low-cost braces and other unnecessary medical equipment to steal Medicare information and submit fraudulent claims. The organization advises seniors to guard their Medicare numbers like credit card numbers, avoid responding to unsolicited offers, ensure a doctor has personally assessed their condition before receiving equipment, and report suspicious activity to the NYS Senior Medicare Patrol at 800-333-4374.
prnewswire.com
· 2025-12-08
Durable Medical Equipment (DME) fraud, identified as December's Medicare fraud concern by the New York StateWide Senior Action Council, involves scammers making unsolicited calls to Medicare beneficiaries offering free or discounted braces and other unnecessary medical equipment to fraudulently bill Medicare. Seniors are advised to guard their Medicare numbers, avoid responding to unsolicited offers, ensure a doctor has personally assessed their condition before obtaining equipment, and report suspicious charges to the NYS Senior Medicare Patrol at 800-333-4374, as such fraud costs taxpayers an estimated $60 billion nationally per year.
the420.in
· 2025-12-08
This curated cybercrime report documents multiple fraud cases across India and internationally. Notable incidents include an Indore resident losing Rs 2.45 lakh to an AnyDesk remote access scam, a Rs 71 lakh online stock market fraud in Pune involving a Russian national, and a Chennai shopkeeper arrested for defrauding over Rs 1 crore through fake goods and job offer scams on social media. The report also highlights international cases including the extradition of a Nigerian cybercriminal to the US for wire fraud and romance scams, cryptocurrency scams targeting Jersey residents, and emphasizes that global scams cost $1.026 trillion annually
theriver953.com
· 2025-12-08
The Frederick County Sheriff's Department issued a public awareness alert about the $10 billion in fraudulent losses nationwide in 2023, highlighting common scams including employment schemes, gift card fraud, pop-up messages, text/phone impersonations, and sweepstakes cons. The department advises residents to remain skeptical of unsolicited communications, hang up on suspicious calls, verify information through official sources, and contact local law enforcement with concerns.
presidentialprayerteam.org
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission updated its Telemarketing Sales Rule to include inbound calls for technical support services, targeting a major fraud scheme where consumers are tricked into paying for unnecessary tech support through misleading ads and pop-ups. Older adults aged 60 and above lost over $175 million to these scams in 2023, making them disproportionately vulnerable to this type of fraud. The regulatory expansion aims to hold businesses accountable and recover funds for victims of tech support scams.
glensidelocal.com
· 2025-12-08
Louigi Frank, 35, was arrested on December 12 for operating a driveway repair scam targeting elderly residents through his company Seal Coat Pro. Frank and his wife approached an 89-year-old Bedminster Township resident claiming they had extra sealcoat material, then charged her $7,000 for unnecessary driveway work. Police report this is a common scam targeting seniors using the "extra material" sales pitch, and are asking other potential victims to contact Officer Jim Browne at 215-795-2972 ext. 108.
afro.com
· 2025-12-08
Task scams—fraudulent online job schemes initiated through unsolicited texts and WhatsApp messages—surged dramatically in 2024, accounting for nearly 40 percent of all job scam reports and causing losses exceeding $220 million in the first half of the year alone. These scams typically lure victims with vague work opportunities like "app optimization," provide small initial payouts to build trust, then demand upfront investments for promised larger commissions that never materialize, with cryptocurrency serving as the primary payment method. The FTC warns consumers to ignore unsolicited job messages, never pay money upfront for employment, and recognize that any promised earnings from "gamified tasks" are fraudulent.
normantranscript.com
· 2025-12-08
This personal account describes the author's experience with multiple phone and online scams during the holiday shopping season, including fake credit card offers, IRS threats, and Microsoft Windows license warnings. The author documents various fraudulent calls and contacts from scammers impersonating legitimate companies (Visa, Google, Corporations for Character, the IRS, Social Security, and Microsoft), as well as suspicious emails, highlighting how these schemes remain profitable despite being widely known. The piece emphasizes the importance of educating oneself on scam recognition and avoiding being victimized by these common variations on familiar themes.
english.factcrescendo.com
· 2025-12-08
Cybercriminals exploit unsecured public Wi-Fi networks to conduct banking scams using techniques like rogue hotspots and Man-in-the-Middle (MITM) attacks to intercept user credentials and sensitive data. In a documented case, a professional named Rohit connected to a fake airport Wi-Fi network and had his banking credentials stolen, resulting in ₹1.2 lakh (approximately $14,400 USD) in unauthorized transactions before a follow-up phishing email further compromised his account. The article explains that public Wi-Fi networks lack encryption, making them vulnerable to credential theft, session hijacking, and identity fraud, and advises users to avoi
taipeitimes.com
· 2025-12-08
**Type:** Educational/Prevention Advice
An expert psychiatrist in Taiwan recommends three preventive measures to protect elderly people from fraud: regular cognitive function assessments to detect early impairment, reducing alone time through social engagement and community activities, and holding major assets in trusts or guardianship arrangements. The advice comes amid rising elderly fraud cases in Taiwan, including a retired physician who lost over NT$10 million and actress Tan Ai-chen who lost over NT$1 million, with scammers typically targeting seniors during daytime hours when family members are at work.
newskarnataka.com
· 2025-12-08
A Bengaluru senior citizen lost Rs 1.94 crore from his fixed deposit in a sophisticated cyber scam that began on November 30 when scammers impersonated a Mumbai Crime Branch officer via WhatsApp video call and falsely accused him of money laundering involvement. Using psychological manipulation tactics including fake "digital arrest" and threats of legal consequences, the fraudsters coerced the victim into transferring funds in multiple installments over several days while keeping him isolated. The scam was uncovered on December 7 when the victim disclosed the situation to his daughter, who recognized it as fraud and helped him file a police complaint.
ktvq.com
· 2025-12-08
A Billings man nearly fell victim to a jury duty scam where fraudsters impersonating Yellowstone County Sheriff's deputies claimed he owed $3,000 in fines for missed jury duty and threatened immediate arrest. The victim, a cybersecurity professional, grew suspicious when details didn't align and verified with the actual sheriff's office that no such deputies existed. County officials warn that these scams occur several times monthly with varying tactics, and emphasize that legitimate law enforcement never demands payment by phone for jury duty violations.
english.gujaratsamachar.com
· 2025-12-08
A 72-year-old senior citizen in Ahmedabad lost ₹1.84 crore in a stock market investment scam orchestrated through a WhatsApp group called "VIP A8 Jeevan Team," where fraudsters posed as stock experts and convinced him to download a fake trading app and invest in fabricated IPOs and block deals. The victim discovered the fraud when scammers demanded ₹39 lakh as a "processing fee" to withdraw his purported profits, revealing that all displayed gains were fake and his money had been siphoned to multiple bank accounts. Cyber Crime Police have registered a case and are investigating the fraudsters' network while tracking
dailyexcelsior.com
· 2025-12-08
Digital arrest scams are a sophisticated cyber fraud where perpetrators impersonate law enforcement officials to extort money or personal information from victims through false accusations of crimes like money laundering or identity theft. Multiple victims in India lost significant sums—ranging from 46 lakhs to 5.9 crore—after being intimidated by scammers using phone spoofing, deepfake technology, and legal jargon to create urgency and fear. These scams leverage psychological manipulation, phishing portals, and demands for untraceable payments via cryptocurrency or gift cards to exploit victims who are prevented from verifying the legitimacy of communications.
huffpost.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2021, gift cards were the top payment method used by scammers, resulting in $148 million in stolen funds from consumers. Scammers tamper with physical gift cards on store display racks by removing protective film, recording card and PIN numbers, and covering their tracks, then use computer programs to drain funds when victims activate the cards. Unlike credit and debit cards, gift cards lack protections under the Electronic Funds Transfer Act, making it difficult for consumers to recover fraudulently used funds, and experts recommend buying cards from the back of display racks, under cashier supervision, online from reputable retailers, or giving cash instead.
the-sun.com
· 2025-12-08
Cybercriminals have used fake job advertisements to scam thousands of internet users in 2024, with over 20,000 fraudulent postings reported in just six months compared to 5,000 in all of 2023. The scams typically involve unsolicited text messages promising work completing "app optimization" or "product boosting" tasks, followed by requests to purchase equipment (often an Apple computer) that will supposedly be reimbursed—with victims losing an average of $2,000, including a college student who lost her entire $2,230 savings via Venmo. The FTC reports $41 million in cryptocurrency losses to job scams in the first half
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A senior citizen in Bengaluru lost Rs 1.94 crore from his fixed deposit after falling victim to a "digital arrest" scam that began with a WhatsApp video call on November 30th. Fraudsters impersonating a Mumbai Crime Branch officer falsely accused him of money laundering involvement, threatened legal action, and isolated him from help while manipulating him into transferring funds in multiple installments over a week. The victim's daughter discovered the fraud on December 7th when he confided in her, leading to a police complaint.
silive.com
· 2025-12-08
Multiple residents at NYC Housing Authority's New Lane complex in Staten Island have fallen victim to scams targeting electronic benefit transfer (EBT) accounts, with scammers exploiting seniors' difficulty navigating smartphone EBT apps. Local officials held a press conference to raise awareness and call for stronger law enforcement action, noting that underreporting is common because victims can recoup funds through a lengthy process, and state legislators indicated they would pursue harsher penalties for crimes targeting seniors. Victims are urged to file police reports and contact the relevant scam hotline for assistance.
vancouver.citynews.ca
· 2025-12-08
Vancouver Police reported a scam targeting seniors in December 2024 in which fraudsters impersonated bank representatives via phone calls, claiming irregular account activity and convincing victims to surrender personal information and bank cards to couriers. Two seniors lost approximately $40,000 combined—a 72-year-old lost $30,000 and an 81-year-old lost $6,500—after being manipulated into providing passwords, PINs, and home addresses. Police advised the public that legitimate financial institutions never send couriers to collect bank cards and recommend hanging up on such calls and verifying directly with their bank.
usatoday.com
· 2025-12-08
The FTC warns that "gamified" online task scams distributed via text and WhatsApp are rising dramatically, with reports increasing from zero in 2020 to 20,000 complaints in the first half of 2024, resulting in over $220 million in losses. These scams lure victims with promises of easy money for tasks like rating videos or liking images, then request cryptocurrency deposits that are never returned, with scammers sometimes using fake testimonials to re-engage hesitant targets. The FTC advises consumers to ignore unsolicited job messages, never pay money upfront, and report fraud at reportfraud.ftc.gov.
recordnet.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article warns consumers about holiday-season scams, noting that fraudsters exploit busy shoppers and high transaction volumes to commit fraud. Key concerns include fake advertisements offering deep discounts, porch theft (with $76 billion in packages vulnerable), fake package notifications, gift card scams, and social media schemes, with the Better Business Bureau reporting a 125% rise in scam reports. The article provides protective tips including verifying legitimate retailers, researching charities, avoiding unsolicited emails and texts, and using package tracking and home security measures.
consumer.ftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are targeting older adults by offering free in-home services like cooking and cleaning in exchange for their Medicare numbers, then fraudulently enrolling them in hospice care to bill Medicare. Only a doctor can certify hospice eligibility for terminally ill patients with a life expectancy of six months or less, and improper enrollment can negatively affect future Medicare coverage. To protect yourself, never share your Medicare number for free services, never agree to hospice enrollment for gifts or perks, and remember that Medicare representatives will not visit your home to sign you up for services.
wlky.com
· 2025-12-08
Kroger implemented security locks on gift card displays at all 116 of its Louisville and southern Indiana stores in response to a major gift card fraud scheme that cost customers over $1 million. Four men were arrested in October and charged with organized crime after tampering with gift cards at a local Kroger; the new locks make cards harder to remove and prevent altered cards from being returned to shelves. Police recommend customers continue inspecting gift cards for tampering before purchase.
philstarlife.com
· 2025-12-08
South Korean actress Yoo In-na revealed she was victimized by a romance scam in her early 20s when a scammer stole her photos from Cyworld (a Korean social network) and used her identity to defraud a man of approximately 1-2 million won (roughly $800-$1,600). The scam was resolved only after the victim confronted the perpetrator with evidence of the real Yoo In-na's identity, prompting the scammer to repay the borrowed funds. Romance scams remain a significant problem in the Philippines and globally, with authorities warning the public to verify identities online and be cautious of deepfake AI videos used by scamm
americanbanker.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, while overall fraud rates decreased, financial exploitation of seniors emerged as a growing concern for regulators and state authorities seeking to combat it. The year saw notable fraud incidents including a pig butchering scam that contributed to a regional bank's failure and a viral check fraud scheme on Chase Bank, highlighting evolving scam tactics targeting both consumers and financial institutions.