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pulse.com.gh
Nigeria deported over 100 foreign cybercriminals (primarily Chinese and Filipino nationals) convicted of orchestrating romance and cryptocurrency investment scams that defrauded victims worldwide out of millions. The deportations, announced by Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, were part of a larger crackdown that arrested 792 suspected cybercriminals in Lagos in December, signaling the country's commitment to combating international fraud syndicates that exploit its infrastructure to target victims in North America and Europe.
abcnews.go.com
A Denver man lost $17,000 to a scammer after calling United Airlines' customer service number to rebook a cancelled flight; the scammer, posing as a United agent named "David," convinced him to pay through a fraudulent payment link under the guise of a refund later, then disappeared without processing the promised refund. United Airlines confirmed the charge never reached their system and is conducting an investigation into how the call was transferred to the scammer within their system.
supercarblondie.com
An Ohio man was scammed out of $70 after receiving fake AI videos on Facebook from an account impersonating singer Jelly Roll, claiming he had won $50,000 and a car. The victim was convinced by a second video in which the AI used his full name, and was instructed to send money via Apple gift cards before a family member warned him of the scam. The victim reported the incident to police and is warning others to be skeptical of unsolicited prize claims and requests for payment via gift cards.
upnorthvoice.com
Prosecutor LaDonna Schulz presented to 50 seniors in Ogemaw County, Michigan, on June 18 about financial elder abuse, explaining that seniors are targeted because they typically have substantial assets and are reluctant to report scams due to embarrassment or fear of losing financial independence. The FBI reported 101,068 fraud complaints from people over 60 in 2023 resulting in $3.4 billion in losses, compared to $360 million lost by people aged 20-29, with common scams including romance fraud, phishing, fake charities, and toll/traffic ticket schemes. Schulz recommended protective measures such as placing credit freezes, setting up
tribtoday.com
Scammers are increasingly targeting senior citizens with evolving schemes involving cryptocurrency, gift cards, and virtual currencies, often using urgent or threatening language about fines, arrests, or family emergencies to pressure victims into immediate payment. Ohio reported 16,741 financial exploitation referrals of older residents between July 2024 and June 2025, demonstrating the widespread impact of these frauds. Key prevention measures include avoiding sharing personal or financial information with unsolicited contacts, verifying requests through official phone numbers, researching businesses before sending money, and trusting instincts when offers seem suspicious.
tribtoday.com
SCOPE (Senior Citizens Opportunity for Personal Endeavor) in Trumbull County created a vetted business list to protect seniors from scams and unreputable service providers. The list includes contractors, home health services, transportation, and other vendors that undergo thorough vetting including insurance, bonding, and background checks. The initiative began after seniors at local centers and a 4,000-member Facebook group were being targeted by questionable businesses, and it now helps seniors safely hire services while providing legitimate businesses access to this demographic.
birminghamtimes.com
Chase Bank and the Birmingham Police Department hosted a scam prevention education event for seniors at Five Points West Library, where attendees including Denise Biddings shared experiences of falling victim to fraud—Biddings' household lost nearly $600 to a gift card scam targeting her husband. Speakers emphasized that seniors are frequently targeted because scammers exploit their trustworthiness, unfamiliarity with technology, loneliness, and desire to help, with common scams including impersonation, romance, and unsolicited calls demanding personal information. Experts advised seniors and their families to avoid giving personal information over the phone, hang up and verify through official channels, and treat requests for secrecy as
sacobserver.com
A Chase Bank and AARP awareness event in Sacramento educated approximately 50 seniors about fraud prevention after California consumers lost over $1.7 billion to fraud in 2024, with people aged 60+ suffering hundreds of millions in losses. Experts highlighted common scams targeting older adults through fear (utility shutoffs), excitement (lottery wins), and romance schemes, emphasizing that identity theft is the #1 form of fraud occurring every two seconds in the U.S. The presentation recommended securing personal documents in safes, updating passwords regularly, avoiding unsolicited calls and links, and reporting suspicious activity to prevent emotional and financial devastation.
newsbreak.com
The article discusses a surge in impersonation scams targeting seniors, where scammers pose as government agencies or trusted businesses (like Amazon) to convince victims to transfer money for "protection," ultimately stealing it. The FTC reports a nearly 200% increase in reports of older Americans losing up to $10,000 since 2020, with a 400% increase in losses exceeding $100,000, and younger Americans are increasingly affected. The piece provides protective advice including being wary of money transfer requests, refusing demands for gift cards or cryptocurrency transfers, and hanging up to independently verify caller claims.
kstp.com
Mavious Redmond, a 54-year-old from Austin, Minnesota, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for impersonating her deceased mother to fraudulently collect Social Security benefits over 25 years, netting over $360,000. Beginning in 1999, Redmond deliberately circumvented Social Security Administration reporting requirements by forging signatures, using false personal information, and impersonating her mother in phone and in-person interactions. She was also ordered to serve supervised release following her prison term for this scheme that defrauded the Social Security program and taxpayers.
fox6now.com
Banks warn seniors to beware of phone scams involving "spoofing," where fraudsters impersonate legitimate financial institutions to steal personal and account information. Common scams targeting seniors include grandparent schemes, romance fraud, and business-targeted phishing calls; while there is no guarantee victims will recover lost funds, banks advise never sharing passwords or account details over the phone and hanging up to independently verify any suspicious calls before providing information.
cleveland.com
The Federal Trade Commission warned renters during peak moving season to avoid online rental listing scams, which often feature non-existent properties advertised at attractive prices to solicit upfront payments before victims discover the fraud. Red flags include payment demands via wire transfer, gift cards, cryptocurrency, or money transfer services, as well as hidden fees buried in fine print; the FTC recommends verifying properties in person, researching landlords online, and using secure, traceable payment methods only after confirming lease legitimacy.
justice.gov
Jiaci Liu, a Chinese national, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for his role in a multinational fraud conspiracy targeting seniors in Southern California and Arizona. The scam involved posing as tech support specialists, bank representatives, and government officials to convince victims to withdraw cash under false pretenses; Liu personally collected over $202,000 from elderly victims in a single week in June 2023, with a 63-year-old Poway resident thwarting the scheme by reporting his suspicions to authorities before Liu could retrieve the victim's $28,000 withdrawal.
newschannel9.com
A Chattanooga man lost $254,000 in a romance scam after meeting a scammer on a dating app who promised marriage and a life in Florida; he quit his job, sold his home, and showed up at the airport only to discover the ticket didn't exist and his accounts were emptied. Hamilton County investigators recovered $159,987.69 from the scammer's accounts. In a separate case, detectives recovered the full $54,000 stolen from another victim who was targeted by someone impersonating a U.S. Department of the Treasury representative demanding payment via cashier's check and gift cards.
consumer.ftc.gov
Romance scams begin when fraudsters create fake profiles on dating apps and social media, build trust with victims through rapid declarations of love, and then request money via gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency using fabricated emergencies or stories. Red flags include requests to move conversations off-platform, quick professions of love, excuses about being unavailable (overseas, military, lockdown), and profile pictures that fail reverse-image searches. Victims should report suspected scams to the dating platform and the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
commonsenseinstituteus.org
Financial fraud in Oregon resulted in an estimated $201 million in reported losses and $1.2 billion in unreported losses in 2025, with the FBI and FTC reporting significant increases in fraud cases nationwide. The state's economy faces a projected $3.9 billion reduction in GDP, $2.6 billion reduction in personal income, and approximately 15,000 job losses due to all financial fraud (reported and unreported). Oregon ranks 26th-28th among states for cyber-enabled crime losses and elder fraud complaints, with fraud cases up 3,336 since 2022 and total losses up 285% since 2020.
oodaloop.com
Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission deported 102 foreign nationals (60 Chinese and 39 Filipinos) convicted of cyber-terrorism and internet fraud, with additional deportations of 51 more foreigners occurring since mid-August. These individuals were part of a larger operation that victimized people through romance scams and fake cryptocurrency investment schemes designed to extract cash from targets. The deportations followed a December raid on Lagos that arrested 792 suspected cybercriminals, including 192 foreign nationals, as Nigeria intensified its crackdown on organized online fraud operations.
yahoo.com
Jim Maidens, a disabled Tennessee man and car enthusiast, lost $26,750 to a Facebook Marketplace scam after wiring payment for a 1963 Corvette advertised at an unusually low price without viewing it in person. The seller provided fraudulent paperwork and disappeared after confirming receipt of payment, blocking all communication attempts. The article outlines common red flags for advanced payment scams on marketplace listings—including drastically underpriced items, multiple cheap listings from one seller, stolen photos, and requests to switch to email—and recommends documenting evidence and reporting to Facebook and authorities.
wmar2news.com
A new job scam targeting freelancers uses fake checks paired with a plausible excuse to request refunds before the check clears, causing victims to lose their own money. Experienced freelancer Wendy Meyeroff nearly fell victim when a client named "Joan" paid a full project fee upfront, then requested half the payment back due to a "change of plans," asking for a money order to an unfamiliar address. The Better Business Bureau warns this scam affects various side hustles and recommends potential victims verify clients through social media, video calls, and thorough questioning.
itnews.com.au
Security researchers at Guardio tested Perplexity.ai's Comet autonomous AI browser and found it vulnerable to multiple scams and phishing attacks, including completing fraudulent transactions on a fake Walmart site, clicking links in phishing emails, and falling for prompt injection attacks on CAPTCHA pages. The research reveals that agentic AI browsers lack the natural skepticism humans apply to online interactions and inherit AI's tendency to trust easily and execute instructions without full context. Guardio recommends integrating proven security measures like phishing detection, URL reputation checks, and malicious file scanning into AI decision-making processes to protect users.
wbbjtv.com
Senior citizens reported $3.4 billion in fraud losses last year, an 11% increase, with scammers increasingly using AI-powered tools such as voice cloning and deepfakes to impersonate loved ones and gain access to bank accounts. Banks are developing new fraud-detection software using AI technology to identify check fraud, wire fraud, and ACH fraud, while experts recommend seniors enable call-blocking features, verify transactions with banks, and consult trusted contacts when suspicious activity occurs. Experts emphasize that financial institutions will never pressure seniors into quick transactions, and early detection is critical for recovery.
republicanherald.com
David P. Shallcross, director of the Pennsylvania Attorney General's Senior Protection Unit, conducted a fraud awareness seminar for approximately 25 seniors in Friedensburg, highlighting common scams targeting older adults including the "Sweetheart Swindle" (where scammers pose as romantic interests to extract money), lottery/investment schemes, and cryptocurrency fraud. Shallcross provided protective strategies such as verifying information sources, recognizing red flags like unsolicited requests for gift card payments, and using verification tools like the SEC's EDGAR database and FINRA.org; he noted that the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office returned $1.2 million to scam victims in
portageonline.com
Two retired servicemen in Portage la Prairie—retired RCMP officer Colin Wilcox and Canadian Armed Forces veteran Glen Jones—launched a grassroots fraud prevention education program in March 2024, distributing hundreds of pamphlets and presenting to seniors' groups across Manitoba after witnessing a sharp increase in scams targeting older adults. Their presentations, supported by local businesses and the National Association of Federal Retirees, have reached several hundred people and highlighted real cases including a woman who lost $7,500 to a scammer impersonating a friend and the "grandparent scam" where callers claim a grandchild is in jail. The initiative emphasizes prevention strategies such as
portageonline.com
Two retired servicemen in Portage la Prairie—retired RCMP officer Colin Wilcox and Canadian Armed Forces veteran Glen Jones—launched a grassroots fraud prevention education program in March 2024 that has since delivered about 20 presentations to seniors' groups across Manitoba and neighbouring communities, distributing hundreds of pamphlets and pointer cards with fraud prevention tips. The presentations have documented significant losses, including one case where a woman lost $7,500 to a scammer posing as a friend, and highlight common schemes such as the "grandparent scam" and computer-generated robocalls. The program emphasizes prevention strategies, such as recognizing the telltale
yahoo.com
Federal investigators charged 13 people, including alleged ringleader Oscar Manuel Castanos Garcia, in connection with a "grandparent scam" operation based in the Dominican Republic that defrauded approximately 400 elderly victims (average age 84) of over $5 million. The scammers posed as grandchildren in distress and used accomplices posing as lawyers to pressure victims into withdrawing cash, which was then collected by Uber drivers and laundered; Uber's security team helped the FBI uncover the scheme by flagging suspicious activity. Many victims lost tens of thousands of dollars each, and authorities warn that most will not recover their money, with four suspects still at large.
michigan.gov
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel released an Elder Abuse Task Force newsletter featuring legislative updates, educational resources, and information on scam psychology to help protect older adults. The newsletter highlights new legislation (House Bills 4418-4419) regarding patient consent decisions, free downloadable Power of Attorney forms, and the Michigan Guardianship Diversion Project, while reminding residents that over 100,000 Michigan seniors are victims of elder abuse annually and can report suspected cases by calling 800-24-ABUSE.
foxnews.com
This educational piece explains how criminals target retirees' retirement accounts and personal data, noting that elder fraud caused over $4.9 billion in losses in 2024, with 72% of cases involving personal data found online. The article advises retirees to remove their information from data broker websites and databases—either manually or through automated removal services—to reduce their vulnerability to identity theft, phishing attacks, and social engineering scams. Taking these protective steps helps secure hard-earned retirement savings by limiting the personal information scammers can use to craft convincing fraud attempts.
fox26houston.com
A 21-year-old college student lost all $4,400 of his savings after receiving a spoofed phone call claiming to be from Wells Fargo about unauthorized charges; the scammer instructed him to transfer his funds to an Apple Wallet, which actually drained his account. Wells Fargo stated it would not reimburse the victim, emphasizing that customers who follow instructions from spoofed calls do so at their own risk, and provided guidance on avoiding such scams including not trusting caller ID, refusing to share personal information or passcodes, and verifying requests through legitimate company channels.
nbcchicago.com
A "funeral donation" scam has targeted shoppers in suburban Chicago retail and restaurant areas, where fraudsters approach victims claiming to collect money for a deceased friend's funeral, then refuse cash and request credit cards instead. Victims' cards have been charged thousands of dollars without authorization—in one Glenview case, a victim who agreed to a $10 donation was charged $4,800 total. Police departments in Glenview and Frankfort warn residents never to provide credit cards or phones to unknown solicitors and recommend donating directly to verified charities instead.
army.mil
Military service members and their families face elevated fraud risks during high-stress periods like deployment transitions, with the Better Business Bureau reporting 273,937 complaints from military consumers between 2019-2024 and higher median losses compared to nonmilitary consumers. Common scams targeting this population include fake rental listings requiring advance payments, phishing emails impersonating military financial officials, and investment fraud promising unrealistic returns. To protect themselves, service members should use credit cards over cryptocurrency or wire transfers, verify requests by contacting organizations directly, and communicate openly with family members about finances.
students.wvu.edu
This educational advisory warns students, faculty, and staff to remain vigilant against cybercriminal scams targeting universities at the start of the semester, including fake job and scholarship offers, AI-powered phishing emails and voice calls impersonating authority figures, and malicious QR codes ("quishing"). The article advises verifying unexpected or urgent requests through trusted channels, never sharing sensitive credentials or personal information in unsolicited messages, and reporting suspicious emails to the university's security team.
techradar.com
Romance scams cost victims over £106 million in 2024 in the UK alone, with fraudsters increasingly using AI-generated deepfakes and synthetic identities to impersonate celebrities and trusted individuals, as demonstrated by a case where a French woman lost €830,000 to fake Brad Pitt impersonators. Beyond romance fraud, these same tactics are being deployed in investment scams, phishing attacks, and social engineering schemes, with investment scam losses reaching £144.4 million in 2024 and one Georgian network defrauding victims across multiple countries of $35 million using deepfake videos of money expert Martin Lewis.
moodys.com
Fraud schemes are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with global losses exceeding $1 trillion annually and affecting individuals, businesses, and government bodies across the UK and worldwide. Emerging fraud types include sextortion scams (which more than doubled globally in 2023 to 26,718 cases) and romance scams (up 14% in 2024), often enabled by AI and deepfakes for identity theft and deception. Public-Private Partnerships, advanced technology tools, and regulatory reforms are being deployed to combat fraud, with the UK's National Fraud Initiative demonstrating success by preventing £510 million in fraud between 2022-2024.
fox5atlanta.com
Fulton County, Georgia launched the Avoid Cyber Threats (A.C.T) Training campaign, a free self-paced program for residents 55 and older to help recognize and prevent online scams. The initiative responds to a surge in senior fraud cases—seniors account for nearly 40% of all fraud-related losses, and Americans 60+ lost $4.9 billion to scammers in 2024, with the average victim losing $83,000. The program covers phishing scams, personal information safeguarding, and emerging threats like AI voice cloning, with a county goal of training 2,000 seniors and caregivers by year's end.
ktvo.com
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird warned seniors about common scams ahead of National Senior Citizens Day, including impostor schemes where scammers pose as family members or falsely claim victims are involved in crimes requiring payment. The article highlights a case where victim Lynne Caltrider was scammed out of a considerable amount of money directed to a cryptocurrency ATM, though authorities recovered a portion and arrested individuals involved; Caltrider received recognition for sharing her story to help law enforcement. The attorney general urges older Iowans to remain cautious, recognize warning signs, and report suspected scams to the Iowa Attorney General's office.
myfoxzone.com
Texas seniors lost over $480 million to scams in 2024, ranking second nationally according to FBI data, with common schemes including charity fraud, romance scams, and jury duty threats targeting vulnerable older adults. Local organizations like San Angelo's Better Business Bureau and retirement communities are addressing the surge through education programs that teach seniors to recognize red flags, avoid panic-driven decisions, and report crimes without shame. Experts note that official complaint numbers likely underrepresent the true scope, as many victims fail to report due to embarrassment.
kshb.com
The Palmer Center in Independence, Missouri hosted its annual "Scamboree" event to educate approximately 175 senior attendees about fraud prevention, featuring resources on common scams including investment fraud and utility company impersonation schemes. According to the Senior Medicare Patrol program, Medicare loses an estimated $60 billion annually to fraud, errors, and abuse, with participants advised to avoid sharing personal information with unknown callers and to hang up immediately on suspicious calls.
cnn.com
Financial scams have become increasingly prevalent and sophisticated, with the FBI reporting $16.6 billion in cybercrime losses in the past year—a 33% increase over the prior year with an average loss of $19,372 per victim. The FTC documented a more-than-four-fold increase between 2020 and 2024 in reports of older Americans (age 60+) losing $10,000 or more to scams, with some victims emptying entire bank accounts and retirement funds. Common schemes include imposter scams masquerading as government agencies or businesses, tech support scams, and prize/sweepstakes frauds, with red flags
abc7.com
The Federal Trade Commission warns consumers about a phishing scam in which fraudsters impersonate Amazon via text messages claiming purchases failed quality inspections or are being recalled, requesting personal information for refunds. Victims who click malicious links risk having their money or personal data stolen. Consumers should verify issues directly through Amazon's official website or app and report suspicious texts to 7726 as spam rather than responding to or clicking links in unsolicited messages.
6abc.com
The Federal Trade Commission warns consumers of a phishing scam where fraudsters impersonate Amazon via text messages, claiming purchases failed quality inspections or are being recalled and offering refunds if victims provide personal information. Scammers use this method to steal money and sensitive data; consumers should verify any issues directly through Amazon's official website or app and report suspicious texts as spam rather than clicking links or responding to messages.
investopedia.com
AI-powered bank impersonation scams are surging, with cyber fraud losses reaching a record $16.6 billion in 2024 (up 33% from 2023). Scammers now use artificial intelligence to create legitimate-looking emails, texts, and calls with perfect grammar and spoofed phone numbers, exploiting consumers' trained panic responses to fraud alerts. Key red flags include urgent requests for immediate action, unusual payment methods (cash withdrawals, bitcoin transfers, new accounts), and the article advises consumers to hang up and call the number on their debit card to verify any bank communication.
kfvs12.com
This educational article outlines red flags for identifying phishing scams and cyber attacks, using a real example of an AI-generated voicemail threatening tax delinquency and potential asset seizure. Key warning signs include threats, artificial urgency, robotic voices, unsolicited contact from purported government or mediation services, and requests for immediate payment or callback. The Better Business Bureau advises people to verify contact through official channels and recognize that legitimate agencies typically contact via mail first, not unsolicited phone calls.
cleveland19.com
Scammers impersonate legitimate charities and create fake donation sites following natural disasters like hurricanes, exploiting people's desire to help during high-emotion situations. In 2024, disaster relief scams cost Americans $3 billion overall, with the FBI receiving over 4,500 complaints totaling $96 million in losses. People should watch for red flags including unexpected contact combined with pressure to act quickly or requests for unusual payment methods, and should verify organizations through trusted sources before donating.
kktv.com
The Colorado Bureau of Investigation (CBI) warned the public of a phone scam in which impersonators pose as CBI Cyber Crimes Special Agents and claim to have detected cybercrime activity. The scammers request personal information, financial account details, and remote computer access from victims, often providing fake callback numbers and demonstrating knowledge of real information to appear credible. The CBI emphasized that it never requests payment over the phone and urged the public to report suspicious calls.
makeuseof.com
In 2024, scammers stole $16.6 billion using increasingly sophisticated tactics including AI-generated deepfakes, romance schemes, and cryptocurrency fraud. AI-powered voice clones enable criminals to impersonate trusted individuals and request urgent wire transfers, while romance scammers target vulnerable people on dating platforms, building emotional connections before requesting money for fabricated emergencies or investments. Cryptocurrency and investment scams remain particularly damaging, using social media ads and fake investment advisors to promise unrealistic returns and create urgency around missing opportunities.
which.co.uk
This educational piece explains that scam vulnerability is not age-specific—anyone can become a victim regardless of how obvious a scam may seem, especially when caught at vulnerable times or subjected to manipulation by skilled fraudsters. The article emphasizes the importance of scam awareness and encourages people to sign up for free Scam Alerts services to better protect themselves against fraud.
autos.yahoo.com
A man in Springfield, Ohio was targeted by scammers using a deepfake video of rapper Jelly Roll claiming he had won a car and $50,000, with the catch that shipping costs needed to be paid upfront. The victim initially resisted but was convinced after receiving a second deepfake video personalized with his name, ultimately sending $70 in Apple gift cards before a family member intervened. This case illustrates how AI-generated celebrity deepfakes, combined with common scam tactics like requesting untraceable gift card payments, are increasingly used to defraud victims.
it-online.co.za
Luno's data shows that while crypto scams affect less than 1% of its 14 million customers, scams and fraudulent misrepresentation remain prevalent in digital currency, with the platform handling 516 scam-related queries over three months. Common fraud schemes include romance scams (one South African man lost R4 million over 4.5 years), phishing, impersonation of staff, money laundering schemes, and password compromises, with males aged 20-40 and females aged 20-30 most susceptible. Luno recommends security measures such as unique passwords, two-factor authentication, and passkeys, while noting that cryptocurrency's dec
thebrunswicknews.com
A letter to the editor describes how the writer's wife fell victim to a scam years ago, but received no follow-up from local, state, or federal law enforcement after reporting it to police—only a visit from a social worker evaluating their competency. The writer calls for increased public education about scams, noting that most originate overseas beyond law enforcement reach and that modern technology has enabled unprecedented criminal enterprises.