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corkbeo.ie
· 2025-12-08
Residents of Cork were warned about a text message scam in which fraudsters impersonate Revenue to trick users into sharing personal information by directing them to fake websites mimicking the official Revenue domain. The scammers use the stolen data to commit identity theft, open fraudulent credit lines, or sell the information online, though users can protect themselves by verifying texts come from the official "Revenue.ie" contact and checking that links end in ".ie" rather than ".com."
cyberdaily.au
· 2025-12-08
Australia's reported scam losses dropped 25.9% to $2 billion in 2024, with investment scams accounting for $945 million of losses, followed by romance, payment redirection, remote access, and phishing scams. However, experts warn the reported figures likely underrepresent the true impact, as many victims fail to report scams due to shame and embarrassment, with romance baiting scams being particularly devastating when combined with fake cryptocurrency platforms.
y105fm.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers have created fake Joann Fabrics websites offering discounts up to 91% following the company's announcement that all stores are closing in 2025. Multiple Minnesota residents have been victimized through fraudulent sites like joann-liquidation-us.com advertised on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest, with victims reporting unauthorized charges on payment methods and worthless gift cards purchased at steep discounts. The Better Business Bureau warns that this scam continues to resurface as scammers capitalize on the legitimate store closures to deceive crafters seeking liquidation deals.
nypost.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI has warned of a widespread "smishing" campaign using fraudulent text messages to steal personal and financial information from iPhone and Android users across the United States. Cybercriminals have registered over 10,000 malicious domains impersonating toll services and delivery companies (like DHL and FedEx), initially targeting victims with fake unpaid toll notifications and later expanding to fake delivery alerts; Dallas, Atlanta, Los Angeles, Chicago, and Orlando report the highest incident rates, with a fourfold increase in scams since January. The FTC advises recipients to delete suspicious messages, verify claims through legitimate company websites, and report incidents to the Internet Crime Complaint Center,
northjersey.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI warns of a "smishing" scam targeting E-ZPass users nationwide with fraudulent text messages claiming unpaid tolls of $3.95 to $12.55, designed to trick recipients into clicking malicious links and surrendering personal and financial information. E-ZPass does not initiate payment requests via text; users should delete suspicious messages and verify account status through official channels. Anyone who clicked the link should freeze accounts, change passwords, and file a complaint with the Internet Crime Complaint Center.
wxyz.com
· 2025-12-08
Michigan residents and others nationwide have received phishing text messages falsely claiming unpaid toll bills from services like EZ Pass, with scammers using fake links and professional-looking payment pages to steal credit card information. The Better Business Bureau reported approximately 800 complaints about this scam in 2024, with scammers also impersonating the Michigan Department of Transportation despite Michigan having no toll roads; authorities warn that legitimate toll agencies never request payment via text message and advise victims to report such messages to the FTC or file complaints with state attorneys general.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Star Strategies is hosting a Financial Elder Fraud Workshop on March 28 in Wooster, Ohio, featuring FBI Cleveland Division special agents who will discuss current fraud schemes targeting older adults. The workshop will educate participants on how financial scams have evolved and provide practical strategies for protection, in response to older adults losing $538 million to investment scams in 2024.
wpsdlocal6.com
· 2025-12-08
While younger adults (ages 20-30) are more than twice as likely to fall victim to scams than those over 60, older adults lose significantly more money per incident, accounting for approximately $61 billion of the estimated $158 billion in total consumer fraud losses last year. Scammers tailor their tactics by age group, targeting seniors with tech support and gift card scams while exploiting younger people through romance, shopping, employment, and sextortion schemes. The persistence of the misconception that older adults are the primary victims masks the reality that vulnerability to fraud affects all age groups, requiring vigilance across demographics.
law.georgia.gov
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, Georgia Attorney General Chris Carr's Consumer Protection Division secured nearly $80 million for Georgia taxpayers and consumers combined, including $3.3 million in restitution for nearly 500 older and disabled adults who were defrauded into purchasing unproven stem cell products. The division assisted over 26,755 consumers and conducted extensive education and outreach efforts, reaching more than 980,000 people through speaking engagements, webinars, and educational resources to help Georgians recognize and avoid scams and fraud.
dorsetecho.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Dorset Police have issued guidance on romance fraud and dating scams, which involve criminals building trust with victims over time to manipulate them into sending money through emotional appeals (such as claims of medical emergencies or travel costs). Officers conduct safeguarding visits to fraud victims to prevent repeat victimization, and police emphasize that scammers deliberately target vulnerable individuals using manipulative language to exploit them.
barchart.com
· 2025-12-08
Online dating platforms face escalating risks from AI-driven romance scams and deepfake deception, with over half of online daters reporting being scammed or pressured to send money, and celebrity impersonation scams averaging nearly $2,000 in losses. LatamDate.com recommends safety practices including keeping conversations on-platform, using video verification features early, protecting personal information, and avoiding financial transactions in favor of secure in-app gifting features to help users distinguish authentic connections from sophisticated digital fraud.
education.economictimes.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article provides women with ten cybersecurity tips to protect themselves against digital scams, including avoiding fraudulent job offers, being cautious on social media, using strong passwords and two-factor authentication, recognizing phishing attempts, avoiding romance scams, securing devices with passwords, and shopping safely online. The piece emphasizes that women across all professions—from homemakers to CEOs—face sophisticated digital threats and that digital vigilance, not just tech-savviness, is essential to safely navigate the online world.
securityweek.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, consumers filed 2.6 million fraud reports totaling over $12.5 billion in losses—a $2 billion increase from 2023—with investment scams ($5.7 billion) and imposter scams like romance and government fraud ($2.95 billion) being the largest loss categories, according to FTC data. The majority of scammers contacted victims via email, followed by phone calls and text messages, while bank transfers and cryptocurrency were the most common payment methods used in fraudulent transactions. The FTC is actively pursuing enforcement actions and refunding victims, including sending over 736,000 PayPal payments to consumers scammed by computer repair service companies.
luxtimes.lu
· 2025-12-08
This is an educational piece providing advice on protecting oneself from online scams. The expert outlines common scam types—including phishing emails, fake websites, investment schemes, romance scams, tech support scams, lottery scams, and job scams—and recommends protective practices such as being cautious with personal information, verifying requests directly with service providers, using strong passwords, and remaining skeptical of unexpected messages. The key message is that staying informed and vigilant about evolving fraud tactics significantly reduces the risk of falling victim to online fraud.
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, older adults lost a record $12.5 billion to scams and fraud—a 25 percent increase from 2023—with adults in their 70s reporting median losses of $1,000 compared to $417 for those in their 20s. The most common scams were imposter schemes (particularly government impostors, which surged from $171 million to $789 million), followed by online shopping, job opportunity, and investment scams, with investment fraud being the most lucrative for criminals at $5.7 billion in reported losses. The FTC notes that fraud's impact on older adults is often catastrophic, affecting retirement security and forcing
signalscv.com
· 2025-12-08
Twenty-five Canadian nationals were arrested for operating a "grandpailer scam" that defrauded elderly Americans across more than 40 states of over $21 million between summer 2021 and June 2023. The defendants, operating from call centers near Montreal, posed as grandchildren needing bail money and convinced victims to hand cash to fake bail bondsmen; the money was then laundered to Canada using cryptocurrency and other methods while victims were threatened with gag orders. The indictment includes five alleged call center managers facing up to 40 years in prison for conspiracy to commit money laundering, while other defendants face up to 20 years.
calgary.citynews.ca
· 2025-12-08
A Calgary woman in her 80s was scammed out of $12,000 in January 2025 after receiving a phone call from a man posing as a bank employee who claimed the bank needed her help investigating an employee. The suspect convinced the victim to purchase gift cards, share security codes, and withdraw cash from her bank, which he then picked up from her home; police are seeking the public's help to identify the suspect. The Calgary Police Service advises seniors to be wary of high-pressure tactics, requests for gift card or e-transfer payments, and to verify claims with trusted contacts before taking action.
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
Elon Musk claimed he could cut up to $700 billion in fraud and waste from Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid, but independent evidence does not support this assertion. Social Security's Office of Inspector General reported approximately $72 billion in improper payments between 2015-2022 (about 1% of total benefits), while Medicare and Medicaid combined made roughly $100 billion in incorrect payments in 2023, totaling approximately $170 billion across all three programs—far below Musk's claims. Achieving Musk's stated goals would likely require slashing benefits for recipients rather than eliminating fraud alone, as most program spending goes directly to benefici
pennlive.com
· 2025-12-08
The IRS is warning taxpayers about its 2025-26 "Dirty Dozen" list of common tax scams that increase during filing season, including email phishing, smishing via text messages, misleading social media tax advice, fake charity schemes, and false claims for fuel tax credits and non-existent self-employment credits. These scams can lead to identity theft, fraudulent tax credit claims, and other financial harm if taxpayers are not vigilant. The IRS emphasizes that scammers exploit tax season urgency to trick people into divulging personal information or filing false returns.
freep.com
· 2025-12-08
Americans lost a record $12.5 billion to scams in 2024, a 25% increase from 2023, with investment scams accounting for nearly half at $5.7 billion and bank transfers and cryptocurrency being the most commonly exploited payment methods. The Federal Trade Commission data shows 38% of consumers reported losing money to fraud in 2024, up from 27% in 2023, with the number of fraud reports remaining stable at 2.6 million. Michigan consumers alone reported $204 million in losses, with seniors ages 60+ losing $45.9 million, though younger consumers are also increasingly victimized.
theregister.com
· 2025-12-08
The FTC is distributing $25.5 million in refunds to consumers defrauded by Cyprus-based tech support scam companies Restoro and Reimage, which used fake malware warnings and scare tactics to trick victims into paying for unnecessary computer repairs, with payments averaging $34 per person among 736,375 victims. The companies agreed to a $26 million settlement and were barred from future misrepresentation, with the scam particularly targeting older consumers who lost between $27 and $58 per initial transaction, and sometimes significantly more through follow-up exploitation attempts.
wndu.com
· 2025-12-08
A nationwide scam targeting toll road account holders uses text messages claiming unpaid fees are due within 12 hours to create false urgency and pressure victims into paying or revealing personal information. Indiana State Police warn that legitimate toll road operators do not contact customers via text and advise recipients to verify through their account portals and report suspicious messages to the IC3, FTC, or identity theft authorities if information may be compromised.
fox5dc.com
· 2025-12-08
Americans lost $12.5 billion to scams in 2024, according to FTC data, with the increase driven by a higher percentage of victims reporting losses rather than more fraud reports overall. Impostor scams were the most commonly reported type of fraud, followed by online shopping issues, job/business opportunities, investments, and internet services. Regional losses included $30.4 million in Washington D.C., $198.9 million in Maryland, and $293.7 million in Virginia in 2024.
pymnts.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, the FTC received 2.6 million fraud reports (stable compared to 2023), but the percentage of victims who lost money increased significantly from 27% to 38%, representing a 25% overall increase in reported losses. Investment scams led all categories with $5.7 billion in losses (up 24%), followed by imposter scams at $2.95 billion, with government imposter scams alone reaching $789 million; consumers increasingly paid scammers via bank transfers and cryptocurrency.
the-daily-record.com
· 2025-12-08
Older adults in the U.S. lost $538 million to investment scams in 2024. Star Strategies is hosting a Financial Elder Fraud Workshop on March 28 in Wooster featuring FBI Cleveland Division special agents who will discuss current fraud schemes, their evolution, financial impacts, and protective strategies for seniors.
ottumwaradio.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, scams cost Iowa consumers over $50 million across nearly 14,000 reported fraud cases, with a median loss of $400 per victim. Seniors aged 80 and older, though representing a small number of victims, suffered the largest average losses at approximately $2,000 each, with investment schemes ($20 million) and romance scams ($8 million) accounting for the costliest fraud categories. The most frequently reported scams involved business/government impersonation, online shopping fraud, and prize/sweepstakes schemes.
riponadvance.com
· 2025-12-08
Senator Marsha Blackburn introduced the Romance Scam Prevention Act (S. 841) to combat romance scams that target senior citizens, particularly widowed and divorced individuals seeking connections on dating apps. According to the FTC, romance scams caused victims to lose $1.3 billion in 2022. The proposed legislation would require dating app providers to notify users when they have interacted with someone whose account was removed for fraud, aiming to protect vulnerable seniors from financial exploitation.
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
A 73-year-old woman in the Pacific Northwest lost $300,000 to an elaborate computer help desk scam in which criminals impersonating tech workers, investment officers, and a U.S. marshal convinced her over weeks of lengthy phone calls that her investment account had been hacked and instructed her to liquidate funds and purchase gold to "protect" her money. The scam devastated her entire family, eliminating her retirement savings and funds earmarked for her children's down payments and grandchildren's education, and may force her to sell her home to cover resulting tax debt. The case illustrates how scam victims' family members become "secondary victims" experiencing emotional, financial, and care
abcactionnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers in the Tampa Bay area have stolen over $1 million from senior citizens using phone scams that impersonate law enforcement, including jury duty summons, warrant, and failure-to-appear schemes. One victim, Beverly Boyarsky, nearly fell for a call claiming she owed $9,800 in bail for missing jury duty before recognizing the scam when the caller requested payment via Apple Pay and demanded she sign documents online. Law enforcement officials warn that courts always send jury summons by mail and legitimate authorities never demand payment over the phone, gift cards, or cash.
cityofmentor.com
· 2025-12-08
Mentor detectives report scams targeting seniors are at an all-time high, with 2-3 reports weekly in their city alone, though an estimated 87% of cases go unreported due to embarrassment. Recent local cases include a woman who lost $660,000 to a cryptocurrency scam initiated by a "wrong-number" text and a couple who lost $45,000 after clicking a malicious pop-up and speaking with an impostor bank officer. The article advises seniors to avoid unknown callers, never click suspicious links, verify requests through official channels, refuse gift card or cryptocurrency payments, guard personal information, and report incidents immediately to police to maximize recovery chances.
sylacauganews.com
· 2025-12-08
The Lincoln Public Library organized an educational initiative pairing high school cybersecurity students with senior citizens to teach fraud prevention, recognizing that seniors are frequently targeted by cybercriminals. High school students presented research on common cyber criminal tactics at an "Avoiding Online Scams" event held on March 14 at The Laundry Room in Lincoln, Alabama, open to the public.
clickorlando.com
· 2025-12-08
A Central Florida man lost $47,000 in a cryptocurrency investment scam that began with a fraudulent "accidental" text message. The scammer used "financial grooming" tactics—building rapport over weeks through personal conversations—before convincing him to invest in crypto, showing fake profits of $196,000 before claiming his account was frozen for "insider trading" and denying withdrawal requests. The U.S. Secret Service and FTC warn that such investment scams are prevalent, with Floridians losing $624 million to investment fraud in 2023, and advise ignoring unsolicited text messages from unknown contacts.
thecitizen.com
· 2025-12-08
An 82-year-old woman named Julie from Fayette County was scammed out of approximately $270,000 after receiving calls from people impersonating her bank who claimed there was an insider threat and convinced her to secretly withdraw funds via cashier's checks sent to multiple domestic addresses. Unlike many fraud cases where money is quickly converted to cryptocurrency and lost overseas, this case had a rare positive outcome: a UPS worker recognized one of the destination addresses in Waco, Texas as flagged by law enforcement, leading to the interception of the checks and recovery of all stolen funds. The article introduces an ongoing series about local scams and emphasizes that financial fraud is the most common and financially devastating crime affecting
kjrh.com
· 2025-12-08
A Sapulpa, Oklahoma woman who had previously fallen victim to scammers shared her experience with a phony toll bill text message scam, where fraudsters sent increasingly threatening texts claiming she owed toll money and threatening license suspension and legal action. A Bankrate study found that 68% of Americans have encountered scams, with baby boomers experiencing the highest rate of scam encounters (39%) despite Gen Z suffering the greatest financial losses (53%), and notes that economic pressures and inflation make individuals more vulnerable to fraud. Victims are advised to report fraud to the FTC, local law enforcement, and their financial institutions while taking steps to freeze credit and monitor accounts.
silive.com
· 2025-12-08
New York Attorney General Letitia James released data on the top 10 consumer complaints filed by state residents in 2024, with tens of thousands of New Yorkers falling victim to scams and fraud. Retail sales complaints topped the list at 5,150, followed by landlord/tenant disputes (3,856), automobile issues (3,761), and internet fraud (3,708), while credit, banking, and mortgage complaints ranked fifth at 3,560. The Attorney General's office encourages consumers to stay vigilant, follow fraud prevention tips available on their website, and report any scams or deceptive practices.
qconline.com
· 2025-12-08
A Davenport woman was scammed out of thousands of dollars by fraudsters posing as Blacktail Studio, a legitimate Portland woodworking business, after she found their custom furniture videos on Facebook. The scammers cloned the legitimate website, collected payment for a custom table, then demanded additional money for shipping and supplies while claiming the original owner had been arrested, ultimately requesting more funds before disappearing. The victim sent multiple payments before realizing she had been defrauded in what police acknowledged would be difficult to recover.
thecourier.com.au
· 2025-12-08
Rental scammers are targeting desperate tenants in Ballarat and surrounding areas through Facebook Marketplace, with two main schemes: requesting deposits before inspections and collecting personal identification documents to impersonate victims. An 18-year-old victim lost her rental after paying fortnightly rent to a scammer and was homeless for two to three months, while property owners have also discovered their listings fraudulently reposted by scammers. Authorities advise renters to verify property ownership independently, avoid paying deposits before inspections, and report suspicious activity to Scamwatch.
wbbjtv.com
· 2025-12-08
The Better Business Bureau's 2024 Scam Tracker Report identified investment and cryptocurrency scams as the top fraud type, with over 80% of victims losing money (median loss of $5,000) through financial grooming tactics. Other prevalent scams included employment scams (14% of reports), romance scams (highest median losses), and online shopping scams (30% of reports), with seniors aged 65+ losing the most money on average ($160) despite being least likely to fall victim. Publishers Clearing House, USPS, PayPal, and Amazon were the most commonly impersonated organizations in reported scams.
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are using fake Docusign accounts to send phishing emails impersonating PayPal, leveraging Docusign's legitimate infrastructure to bypass email security filters. The attack uses red flags including fake Gmail sender addresses, non-existent recipient addresses, and documents that don't require signatures—users can verify legitimacy by visiting Docusign.com directly and using the document security code provided in suspicious emails. PayPal and security researchers recommend customers remain vigilant, check accounts directly rather than through email links, and report suspicious activity.
dfpi.ca.gov
· 2025-12-08
California's Department of Financial Protection and Innovation (DFPI) shut down over 26 crypto scam websites in 2024 through its Crypto Scam Tracker and partnership with the state DOJ, uncovering $4.6 million in consumer losses across 2,668 complaints. The agency identified seven new scam types including bitcoin mining, crypto gaming, and crypto job scams, and increased its posted alerts to 303 while receiving over 400,000 unique visitors to the tracker. Authorities urge consumers to report suspected scams immediately, verify website domains, and avoid sending money to unknown contacts, as scammers employ increasingly sophisticated deception and emotional manipulation tactics.
click2houston.com
· 2025-12-08
A 2024 Better Business Bureau report identifies the top scams encountered last year, with cryptocurrency investment scams ranking as the riskiest, followed by employment scams and romance/friendship scams. Romance and friendship scams, which involve financial grooming over weeks or months to build trust before soliciting investments, reported the highest median loss at $6,099 per victim, while cryptocurrency investment scams affected over 80% of targets with median losses of $5,000.
ftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission is distributing $25.5 million in refunds to consumers deceived by Restoro Cyprus Limited and Reimage Cyprus Limited, two tech support companies that used deceptive marketing tactics to trick people into purchasing unnecessary computer repair services. The settlement, finalized in March 2024, resulted in 736,375 PayPal payments being sent to eligible consumers, with recipients required to redeem payments within 30 days and warned not to provide personal information or pay money to claim their refunds.
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
A 70-year-old Missouri man was victimized in a sextortion scam where he sent intimate photos to an online romance scammer, who then extorted him for $2,500 and threatened to share the images; a second extortionist impersonating police demanded additional money by threatening to contact his employer. Sextortion—threatening to publish intimate images to coerce victims into financial or behavioral compliance—is an evolving form of abuse affecting not only minors but also older adults, with 7.6% of adults ages 50-64 and 8.4% of those 65+ reporting victimization, though actual rates are likely higher due to underreporting
denver7.com
· 2025-12-08
Americans aged 60 and older are the most targeted group for scams, with elder fraud costing the nation $3.4 billion annually and averaging $33,915 per victim in 2023. Scammers exploit older Americans' cognitive vulnerabilities, loneliness, trust, and technological inexperience through impersonation via calls, texts, emails, and social media—sometimes using artificial intelligence to mimic voices. Protection strategies include monitoring accounts, using strong passwords and multi-factor authentication, verifying unexpected requests directly with contacts, and reporting suspected fraud to the FBI, FTC, local police, or state attorney general offices despite potential embarrassment.
pcmag.com
· 2025-12-08
Vermont officials charged 25 Canadians operating call centers near Montreal for conducting a "Grandparent Scam" that defrauded elderly Americans of $21 million between summer 2021 and June 2024. The scammers used personal information to impersonate grandchildren in distress, then posed as attorneys and bail bondsmen to convince victims to send money, which was transferred to Canada via cash pickups and cryptocurrency. Law enforcement dismantled the operation on June 4, 2024, when they executed search warrants and caught defendants actively calling victims, with the alleged ring leaders facing up to 40 years imprisonment if convicted.
atlantanewsfirst.com
· 2025-12-08
The FCC warned of increasingly sophisticated "grandparent scams" conducted via robocalls, following the indictment of 25 Canadians accused of running call centers near Montreal that stole tens of millions of dollars from elderly victims across 40+ U.S. states. Scammers impersonated grandchildren in legal trouble, used voice cloning and AI technology, and pressured victims to send bail money—ultimately transmitting $21 million to Canada through cash deliveries and cryptocurrency. The FCC advises recipients to hang up and call their grandchild back using a saved number, consult trusted contacts despite pressure to stay silent, and report suspicious calls to the National Elder Frau
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
A 70-year-old Missouri man fell victim to a sextortion scam in which he sent intimate photos to someone posing as a romantic interest, who then threatened to publish the images unless he paid $2,500; a second scammer then impersonated police and demanded additional money by threatening to contact his employer. Sextortion—coercing victims into financial or behavioral compliance by threatening to share intimate images—affects not only children and teenagers but also older adults, with surveys indicating that 7.6% of adults ages 50-64 and 8.4% of those 65+ have experienced it, though experts believe actual numbers are higher due to underreporting caused by shame
wsmv.com
· 2025-12-08
Senator Marsha Blackburn introduced the bipartisan Romance Scam Prevention Act with Senator John Hickenlooper, which would require dating apps to alert users about potential scammers and provide fraud prevention guidance. The legislation addresses a growing problem where romance scams cost Americans $1.3 billion in 2022, with seniors particularly vulnerable to losing their life savings to con artists on dating platforms.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article identifies six Social Security scams targeting Baby Boomers in 2025, including cost-of-living adjustment schemes, fake benefits applications, malicious security update tools, benefit suspension threats, and phony information update requests. According to the Office of the Inspector General, government impostors scammed Americans out of $577 million in the previous year, with approximately 61% of Social Security scams involving claims about SSN or benefits issues. The article advises recipients to verify communications directly through official SSA channels, avoid clicking suspicious links, and remember that the SSA will not demand money or threaten legal action via unsolicited contact.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
According to RBC's 2025 Fraud Prevention Month Poll, 96% of Quebecers report seeing more targeted and sophisticated scams, with 88% noting a significant rise in scam attempts and nearly one-third admitting they have let their guard down. The survey reveals widespread "fraud fatigue," with phishing, spear phishing, senior-targeting scams, and deepfake scams identified as the most prevalent threats, while respondents emphasize that staying vigilant, using multi-factor authentication, and pausing to verify message sources are critical defenses against fraud.