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cbc.ca
· 2025-12-08
Online fraud reports in Greater Sudbury increased from 381 to 405 cases per 100,000 people between 2022 and 2023, with police warning residents to never share personal information or allow remote computer access to strangers. Fraud and extortion account for approximately 60 percent of criminal internet activity nationwide, with victims often experiencing significant financial and emotional distress and reluctance to report crimes. Police recommend contacting the communications branch to report incidents, though investigations are complicated by perpetrators frequently operating internationally.
wbrc.com
· 2025-12-08
Terrance Alonzo Pruitt, 47, of Bessemer, Alabama, was indicted on two counts of wire fraud for defrauding an elderly family member between September and December 2023. Pruitt fraudulently obtained Power of Attorney over the victim without consent, became a joint account holder on the victim's bank accounts, altered payable-on-death beneficiaries, and transferred over $500,000 from the victim's accounts to his own personal accounts. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
abc3340.com
· 2025-12-08
**Elder Financial Abuse Surge in Alabama**
Alabama has experienced a dramatic increase in elder financial abuse cases since 2016, with reports growing from 23 cases that year to 243 cases nine months into the current fiscal year, according to the Alabama Securities Commission. Recent convictions include Gina Cook Gilbert ($2.5 million stolen from her elderly mother), Nicholas Houston Allen ($370,000 in ordered restitution), and James Langford III (accused of taking $200,000-$600,000 from an elderly woman's account as trustee). The exploitation typically exploits relationships of trust, often involving family members or caregivers targeting victims between
abc3340.com
· 2025-12-08
A 47-year-old Bessemer man, Terrance Alonzo Pruitt, was indicted on two counts of wire fraud for stealing over $500,000 from an elderly family member between September and December 2023. Pruitt obtained a Power of Attorney without the victim's knowledge, became a joint account holder, manipulated beneficiary designations, and transferred the funds to his personal accounts. He faces up to 20 years in prison.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Christopher Parks, Christopher Noah Parks, and Stephen Miller operated a fraudulent medical debt collection scheme through companies Assured Collections LLC and Assured Financial LLC, sending thousands of false debt collection notices nationwide to veterans and older Americans demanding payment for medical devices they either did not owe or had never received. The scheme, which Parks directed while incarcerated for prior healthcare fraud charges, caused consumers to pay debts that were largely illusory, leading a federal court in Oklahoma to issue permanent injunctions on August 2 barring the defendants from engaging in any future billing or debt collection activities.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Terrance Alonzo Pruitt, 47, of Bessemer, Alabama, was charged with wire fraud for executing a Power of Attorney over an elderly family member without permission and fraudulently transferring over $500,000 from the victim's bank accounts to his own between September and December 2023. Pruitt also became a joint account holder and altered payable-on-death beneficiaries on the victim's accounts. He faces a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison.
oig.ssa.gov
· 2025-12-08
Three Dominican nationals were extradited to face charges in a "grandparent scam" that defrauded hundreds of elderly Americans across multiple states out of millions of dollars. The defendants operated call centers in the Dominican Republic where they impersonated grandchildren in distress, then had "closers" pose as lawyers or police to convince victims to send thousands in cash via couriers or mail. Each defendant faces up to 20 years in prison and substantial fines if convicted on charges including wire fraud, mail fraud, and money laundering conspiracy.
nj1015.com
· 2025-12-08
Three Dominican Republic nationals were extradited to the U.S. and charged in a multi-state "grandparent scam" that defrauded hundreds of elderly victims across New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Massachusetts out of millions of dollars. The defendants operated call centers that impersonated family members claiming relatives needed bail money for vehicle accidents, with scammers posing as attorneys and police to pressure victims into sending thousands of dollars via courier or mail. The three men face charges including mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering as part of an 11-person indictment involving a long-running operation targeting vulnerable seniors.
popculture.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
YouTuber Fuslie fell victim to a "smishing" scam impersonating USPS, clicking a malicious link in a text message and entering her credit card information multiple times before realizing the website was fraudulent. She subsequently canceled all her cards to prevent unauthorized charges. The incident highlights the prevalence of these phishing scams, which attempt to steal personal and financial information by posing as legitimate government agencies or companies.
kare11.com
· 2025-12-08
The City of Blaine, Minnesota lost $1.57 million to an international wire fraud scam in August 2023 when fraudsters used a fake email address mimicking a legitimate contractor (New Look Contracting) to intercept a payment meant for a construction project. The scam was discovered when the real contractor inquired about their overdue payment, prompting Blaine to issue a duplicate payment; federal authorities later indicted a Maryland-based network that used confusingly similar company names and shell companies to steal and launder funds. The city did not publicly disclose the fraud for nearly a year, and it remains under federal investigation.
news.airbnb.com
· 2025-12-08
Airbnb partnered with the International Association of Financial Crimes Investigators (IAFCI) to combat travel scams as consumer research revealed that 47% of Americans have fallen for scams, losing an average of $2,697 per victim. The partnership provides safety guidance for online travel bookings, noting that scammers exploit deal-seeking behavior and use sophisticated tactics including fake websites, emails, and AI-generated content to trick travelers. Airbnb reported detecting and mitigating nearly 2,500 phishing domains globally in 12 months and recommends users only communicate, book, and pay directly through legitimate platforms.
interpol.int
· 2025-12-08
A Singapore commodity firm transferred USD 42.3 million to fraudsters in a business email compromise scam after receiving a spoofed email from what appeared to be a supplier requesting payment to a new bank account in Timor Leste. Acting swiftly through INTERPOL's Global Rapid Intervention of Payments (I-GRIP) mechanism, Singapore and Timor Leste authorities recovered USD 39 million from the fake account, arrested seven suspects, and recovered an additional USD 2 million through follow-up investigations. This represented Singapore's largest-ever recovery of funds lost to business email compromise fraud.
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
A Schwab Bank customer received a text message impersonating the bank's fraud department asking about a suspicious $2,500 transfer; after replying "No," scammers called and tricked the victim into authorizing two wire transfers of approximately $5,500 each, claiming the transfers would return funds to the account. The client's advisor successfully helped cancel the second transfer with Schwab, preventing total loss, though the scam demonstrates how fraudsters use legitimate account holder names and mass messaging to impersonate trusted financial institutions.
timesgazette.com
· 2025-12-08
The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) is a national program that educates Medicare beneficiaries and their families about detecting and reporting healthcare fraud, errors, and abuse, with particular focus on medical identity theft—when fraudsters use personal information like Medicare numbers to bill for unauthorized services. In 2023, the SMP program reached 1.2 million people through outreach events, assisted over 270,000 beneficiaries with fraud complaints, identified 26 emerging fraud schemes, and helped Medicare recover more than $111 million in fraudulent billings. The Ohio SMP, operated by Pro Seniors Inc., encourages beneficiaries to report suspicious activity and offers resources to protect Medicare information.
highlandcountypress.com
· 2025-12-08
The Senior Medicare Patrol (SMP) program empowers Medicare beneficiaries to prevent and report healthcare fraud, particularly medical identity theft where fraudsters use personal information to bill for unauthorized services. In 2023, the nationwide SMP program reached 1.2 million people through outreach events, assisted over 270,000 beneficiaries with fraud-related issues, and helped Medicare recoup more than $111 million in fraudulent billings while identifying 26 emerging fraud schemes.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
Major General Vladimir Shesterov and Patriot Park director Vyacheslav Akhmedov were detained in Russia on suspicion of embezzling over 40 million roubles ($470,000) in budget funds allocated to the military theme park near Moscow, with investigations examining evidence dating back to 2021. The arrests are part of a broader corruption crackdown in Russia's defence ministry that has involved at least a dozen officials and businessmen since April, signaling efforts by the Kremlin to eliminate waste and graft in military spending.
crypto.news
· 2025-12-08
The Australian Federal Police partnered with Chainalysis and major cryptocurrency exchanges to identify over 2,000 compromised crypto wallets belonging to Australians as part of "Operation Spincaster," targeting criminals using "approval phishing"—a fraud tactic where scammers trick victims into authorizing transactions that grant wallet control. Since May 2021, bad actors have stolen more than $4 billion in cryptocurrency through approval phishing attacks, often deployed in investment and romance scams, with the collaboration helping prevent further losses among identified victims.
wibx950.com
· 2025-12-08
**Police Impersonation Scam - Central New York**
Scammers are impersonating Oneida County Sheriff's deputies and calling residents claiming they have outstanding court proceedings and demanding payment, threatening arrest if victims don't comply. The Oneida County Sheriff's Office warns residents never to provide personal information (SSN, birthday, bank details, etc.) over the phone to unidentified callers and advises hanging up and calling the Sheriff's Office directly to verify any such claims.
northjersey.com
· 2025-12-08
Three Dominican men were extradited to New Jersey to face federal charges in a "grandparents' scam" that defrauded elderly Americans across the Northeast of millions of dollars. The defendants allegedly impersonated distressed grandchildren claiming arrest or emergency situations, convincing victims to send cash for bail or legal fees. The case involves 19 counts against 16 individuals total, with convictions carrying maximum sentences of 20 years per count plus fines.
capecodtimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A 25-year-old New York man was charged with larceny after allegedly stealing $100,000 from an Osterville resident through a business email compromise scam in November. Khaseem Allah of Albany redirected a $100,000 payment intended for a legitimate business transaction to an unauthorized account after the victim received a fraudulent email from a compromised business account. The theft was traced to a New York bank account through a joint investigation by Barnstable Police and the U.S. Secret Service, leading to Allah's arrest and arraignment with $50,000 bail.
manchestereveningnews.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Three major criminals were among those jailed in the UK in July: a romance scammer who defrauded women of over £210,000, a former high school headteacher (Neil Foden) convicted of sexually abusing four girls over four years and sentenced to 17 years, and a man who murdered two former partners. The article highlights these and other serious offenders sentenced that month, including a drink-driver who killed a baby and a TikTok terrorist who celebrated 9/11 attacks.
goldrushcam.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Since May 2024, Monterey County Sheriff's Office received reports of a phone and online fraud scheme targeting senior citizens, resulting in $97,000 in losses across four incidents. Suspects impersonated FTC or bank employees, instructing victims to withdraw cash ($10,000–$40,000) from multiple bank branches and hand it over to couriers who arrived at their homes; on July 16, 2024, 34-year-old Yang Liu of Alhambra, California was arrested when apprehended collecting money from a victim. Authorities advise seniors to hang up on callers claiming to be from financial institutions or law enforcement, verify contact information through official
freepressjournal.in
· 2025-12-08
The Enforcement Directorate arrested Trinamool Congress leader Anisur Rahman and his brother Alif Noor in connection with a multi-crore ration distribution scam in West Bengal, following the earlier arrest of former state food minister Jyotipriya Mullick in the same case. During raids on their properties, investigators recovered documents linking the brothers to the public distribution fraud and seized ₹40 lakh in cash from an associate's residence. Political opposition figures have alleged the scam is larger than currently acknowledged and called for investigation into higher-level officials.
wrat.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article from the Federal Trade Commission outlines common online scams and fraud schemes affecting consumers. Key scams discussed include spoofing (falsifying caller ID to impersonate legitimate organizations), the 809 scam (international callback schemes with high rates), catfishing (creating fake online identities for romance or exploitation scams), cramming (unauthorized small charges on bills), and family emergency scams (targeting grandparents with urgent requests for money). The article advises consumers to hang up on unsolicited callers, verify numbers independently, never share personal information with unknown callers, and be cautious of suspicious requests—noting that while younger adults report romance scams more frequently, older consumers typically lose
straitstimes.com
· 2025-12-08
More countries are establishing dedicated anti-scam centres to combat fraud through international collaboration, with Singapore's police urging every nation to create a direct point of contact for cross-border cooperation. Global scam losses reached an estimated US$1.02 trillion in the latest period, and successful fund recoveries—including a US$40 million business email compromise case and a $370,000 technical support scam recovery—demonstrate the effectiveness of rapid information-sharing and coordinated action among law enforcement agencies. Anti-scam centres enable swift fund tracing, account freezing, and sharing of emerging scam trends to prevent losses before stolen money reaches criminal syndicates.
dailyrepublic.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Ronnie Curtis Baker, 58, of Fairfield and Kimberly Mallory, 52, of Napa were charged in July with a $900,000 mortgage fraud scheme targeting an elderly Marin resident. Baker falsely posed as a licensed contractor in 2022 while Mallory, a notary public, aided the crimes, resulting in multiple felony charges including elder abuse, theft, forgery, and money laundering. Baker faces up to 23 years in prison and Mallory up to 9 years, with both subject to fines equal to double the victim's losses.
christianpost.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Elder Zhang Chunlei, a Christian house church leader in China, was sentenced to five years in prison in July 2024 on charges of "subversion of state power" and "fraud" after being detained since March 2021 for inquiring about arrested fellow church members. The court ordered him to pay approximately $2,700 in restitution and fines, though human rights groups assert the charges are unfounded and note his deteriorating health condition (liver cirrhosis) poses a survival risk while imprisoned.
startribune.com
· 2025-12-08
A federal jury convicted two Minnesota residents, Tashena Laverna Crump and Ballam Hazeakiah Dudley, for their roles in a $300 million telemarketing fraud scheme that operated from at least 2000 to 2020 and victimized over 150,000 elderly people nationwide. The scheme involved fraudsters calling victims with existing magazine subscriptions, falsely claiming to renew them at discounts, while actually enrolling victims in unwanted new subscriptions that resulted in charges exceeding $1,000 per month; Crump served as a call center manager overseeing fraudulent sales operations. This is one of the largest elder frau
cubaheadlines.com
· 2025-12-08
67-year-old Ana María Núñez was arrested by Miami police for a fraudulent investment scheme that defrauded a barber shop owner of $105,000 between April and May 2022. Núñez posed as an investment opportunity broker, claiming a fake company called ATP Expediter and Investment would sell satellites to China with promised returns of 100-400%, but never delivered on the promises and ceased contact. Núñez has an extensive criminal history dating back to 1996, including a 2022 case where she and her son stole $437,107 from a cancer patient, and she currently faces charges of first-degree grand theft and organized fraud.
cnn.com
· 2025-12-08
Consumers lost $210 million to payment app fraud in 2023, with losses on bank transfer services reaching $1.9 billion, as scammers increasingly target platforms like Zelle to impersonate legitimate services. Banks rarely reimburse victims, as existing law does not explicitly require reimbursement for authorized transactions induced by fraud, leaving consumers with little recourse. Congressional Democrats introduced legislation to close this loophole and protect consumers defrauded on peer-to-peer payment platforms, though passage faces industry opposition and uncertain prospects in the Republican-controlled House.
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-08
Toronto police arrested 10 people in a year-long investigation into a "SIM swap" fraud scheme that compromised over 1,500 cellular accounts across Canada, resulting in losses exceeding $1 million to victims, telecommunications companies, and financial institutions. The criminals used fraudulent identification and phishing techniques to take over victims' phone numbers, then exploited two-step authentication processes to access banking, email, and social media accounts. Police recommend protecting against SIM swaps by using authentication apps instead of phone-based verification, monitoring for loss of cell service, and limiting personal information shared online.
ksbw.com
· 2025-12-08
Since May 2024, the Monterey County Sheriff's Office has documented four fraud schemes targeting senior citizens, resulting in total losses of $97,000, with the most recent victim losing $40,000. Scammers impersonated FTC employees or bank representatives via phone or online, instructing victims to withdraw money from multiple bank branches and hand it over to couriers who arrived at their homes; one suspect, 34-year-old Yang Liu, was arrested in July. Authorities advise seniors to hang up on callers demanding money withdrawals, verify bank or law enforcement contact through official published numbers, and immediately report suspicious activity to law enforcement.
news3lv.com
· 2025-12-08
Five Chinese nationals, including Henderson resident Zao Wang, were charged as part of a multinational fraud ring that defrauded over 2,000 senior citizens out of $27 million between 2021 and 2023. The scheme operated through pop-up ads, emails, and phone calls to lure victims into contacting scam call centers, where conspirators gained remote access to their computers, built trust, and directed them to send money via wire transfers or mail, which was then laundered through cryptocurrency. All five defendants face charges of conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud and money laundering, with potential sentences of decades in prison if convicted.
eastcountymagazine.org
· 2025-12-08
Five Chinese nationals were arrested in connection with a multinational fraud ring that defrauded over 2,000 seniors of more than $27 million between 2021 and June 2024. The defendants and their co-conspirators contacted elderly victims through pop-up ads, emails, and phone calls, posing as technical support, government, and bank workers to trick them into installing remote desktop software and sending money via wire transfers and express mail packages to Southern California and Nevada addresses. The defendants collected packages from retail locations using fake identities and laundered money for Indian-based scam call centers as part of an organized conspiracy involving mail fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering.
nzherald.co.nz
· 2025-12-08
A coordinated scam operating in Wellington, New Zealand targeted at least 17 victims, primarily elderly people, who were deceived by callers posing as police officers claiming to need help catching dishonest bank or gold exchange employees. Victims were instructed to withdraw cash or purchase gold as "evidence," then had the money or gold collected by couriers posing as police, resulting in losses totaling several hundred thousand dollars. A 26-year-old was arrested with large amounts of suspected proceeds in his possession, though police believe the operation is coordinated by offshore criminals directing local couriers and warn the scam will likely continue.
siliconvalley.com
· 2025-12-08
Five Chinese nationals in California and Nevada conspired with India-based fraudsters to defraud over 2,000 elderly Americans of more than $27 million between 2021 and 2023 using tech support scams, government impersonation, and refund schemes. The defendants lured victims through pop-up ads and unsolicited calls to phony Indian call centers, then used remote access software to gain computer control and convince victims to send cash via wire transfer or express mail to businesses like CVS, which the defendants retrieved using fake IDs before laundering funds through cryptocurrency. Four of the five defendants were arrested during coordinated raids in Nevada and Los Angeles County in connection with the federal in
patch.com
· 2025-12-08
Two Napa residents, Ronnie Curtis Baker and Kimberly Mallory, were charged with elder abuse and mortgage fraud for allegedly stealing approximately $900,000 from an 80-year-old Marin County man through a scheme in which Baker posed as a licensed contractor and Mallory posed as a notary public. Baker faces up to 23 years in prison and Mallory up to 9 years, with both potentially owing fines double the amount stolen; Baker has six prior felony convictions for forgery and fraud.
timesofsandiego.com
· 2025-12-08
Five Chinese nationals were arrested in a coordinated operation for allegedly operating a multinational fraud ring that targeted over 2,000 seniors across the U.S. from 2021 to mid-2024, resulting in losses exceeding $27 million. The defendants used unsolicited pop-up ads, emails, and phone calls to direct victims to scam call centers in India, where they impersonated technical support and government officials, installed remote access software on victims' computers, and convinced them to send money via wire transfers or cash packages to addresses in Southern California and Nevada. The defendants allegedly picked up packages containing cash from CVS locations using fake IDs as part of an international money laundering operation for an Indian sc
pinkvilla.com
· 2025-12-08
A 74-year-old woman, Diane Field, sued reality TV star Vicki Gunvalson and her business partner Ali Hashemian, alleging financial elder abuse and fraud related to life insurance and annuity products sold through Gunvalson's insurance firm. Field claimed she was misled into believing a $300,000 life insurance policy was a one-time payment when it was actually an annual obligation, allegedly targeting her $6 million net worth. Gunvalson's attorney denied all allegations, asserting she is a professional insurance broker with 34 years of experience who followed Field's instructions and did not engage in fraud or elder abuse.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Five U.S.-based defendants were charged with money laundering conspiracy for facilitating a foreign sextortion scheme in which Nigerian nationals posed as young women online to extort sexually explicit images from teenage boys and young men, then blackmailed victims for money. The defendants controlled bank accounts receiving victim funds, kept 20% as commission, and converted the remainder to bitcoin for transfer to Nigerian co-conspirators, laundering at least $178,658 in proceeds—including funds from 17-year-old Jordan DeMay of Michigan, whose death resulted from the scheme.
startribune.com
· 2025-12-08
A 70-year-old Minnesota woman, Gayle J. Ferngren, was sentenced to 1¾ years in prison for her role in a global fraud scheme that victimized over $1.8 million from people across the country through romance fraud and pandemic aid scams. Ferngren was initially targeted by scammers posing as a romantic interest in 2016, but eventually became a knowing participant who transferred stolen funds to co-conspirators in Egypt, South Africa, and other locations. She was ordered to repay $1.76 million to victims and serve 100 hours of community service.
wilx.com
· 2025-12-08
Five U.S. men from Georgia and Alabama were charged with money laundering conspiracy for facilitating a sextortion scheme that resulted in the suicide of 16-year-old Marquette resident Jordan DeMay. The defendants allegedly received approximately $179,000 from victims, converted funds to bitcoin, and transferred the money to Nigerian co-conspirators, with DeMay sending $300 to one defendant hours before his death. The case involves over 100 sextortion victims and represents a major breakthrough in the two-year investigation into the criminal ring.
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.
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.
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.
rlsmedia.com
· 2025-12-08
On July 31st, Detective Kimberly McColligan of the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office led an elder fraud awareness seminar at the Dr. Martin Luther King Community Center in Newtonville, educating seniors about current financial scams, fraud identification, and reporting resources. The presentation was part of the ACPO's proactive effort to combat the millions of identity theft and fraud incidents reported nationally each year, with seniors comprising a significant portion of victims. The ACPO offers additional fraud awareness presentations and provided contact information for seniors seeking to report fraud or request community presentations.
coloradocommunitymedia.com
· 2025-12-08
On July 30, a Lunch and Learn event in Commerce City educated approximately 60 seniors about financial fraud, featuring Sarah Domke, a senior deputy district attorney specializing in financial crimes, who discussed common scams including phone and computer fraud, romance scams, fake warranty schemes, and threats of legal action. Domke outlined six hallmarks of scams—unsolicited contact, promises of money, requests for personal information, upfront payment demands, wire transfers or gift card payments, and emotional manipulation—and advised attendees on warning signs and protection strategies. The event highlighted that older adults are particularly vulnerable to financial fraud and provided practical awareness to help seniors recognize and avoid becoming victims.
sandiegouniontribune.com
· 2025-12-08
Five Chinese nationals in California and Nevada conspired with India-based fraudsters to defraud more than 2,000 elderly Americans of over $27 million between 2021 and 2023 through pop-up ads, phishing emails, and phone calls that led victims to phony call centers where scammers impersonated bankers and government officials and gained remote access to their computers. The victims sent cash and wire transfers to real businesses like CVS Pharmacy where the defendants picked up packages using fake IDs, then laundered the money through cryptocurrency transactions with their India-based co-conspirators. Four defendants were arrested during coordinated raids in Nevada and Los Angeles County; the fifth was
sgvtribune.com
· 2025-12-08
A multinational fraud ring involving five defendants from Southern California and Nevada targeted approximately 2,000 elderly people across the United States, defrauding them of more than $27 million between 2021 and 2023. The scammers used unsolicited pop-ups, emails, and phone calls to lure victims to call centers in India, then gained remote access to their computers and impersonated technical support, government, and bank officials to trick victims into sending money via wire transfer or express mail. The defendants allegedly laundered the stolen funds through cryptocurrency to co-conspirators in India, with four arrested in Los Angeles and Las Vegas in April and one arrested previously.