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in Scam Awareness
globalnews.ca
· 2025-12-08
October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and security experts outline key scam prevention strategies as sophisticated fraud tactics continue to evolve. Scammers commonly exploit fear, urgency, and money as bait through phishing emails, spoofed caller IDs, robocalls, romance scams, and impersonation schemes targeting vulnerable populations including seniors and isolated individuals. The article recommends staying suspicious, stopping to think before acting, and staying protected by verifying requests through official channels and using tools like reverse image searches to identify potential fraud.
lamilano.it
· 2025-12-08
**Operation "Game Over" Scam Bust** — Italian Carabinieri arrested three men (a 40-year-old and two 20-year-old sons from Caserta) who operated an organized "Carabiniere scam" targeting elderly victims aged 75-81. The gang stole approximately €70,000 in cash and jewelry between January and June 2024 by posing as police or lawyers in phone calls claiming a family member had been arrested, then collecting payment in person; much of the stolen property was recovered and returned to victims.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A 54-year-old woman from Bengaluru was defrauded of Rs 47 lakh and 857 grams of gold by a police head constable, his wife, and an associate who promised to secure government jobs for her two children between November 2021 and June 2024. The accused claimed connections with senior police and IAS officers that did not exist; when the children's names did not appear on the official KPSC selection list, the accused issued cheques worth Rs 58 lakh that subsequently bounced.
express.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
A text message scam is targeting vulnerable UK residents by impersonating the "UK Government Living Allowance Office" and falsely claiming recipients can receive a winter heating subsidy, with fraudulent links directing victims to fake government websites designed to steal personal information. The scam exploits recent government cuts to Winter Fuel Payments that reduced eligible recipients from 11.4 million to 1.5 million pensioners, creating confusion and urgency that scammers weaponize to pressure victims into acting quickly. Security experts advise recipients to verify messages independently and avoid clicking unsolicited links, especially those claiming to be from government bodies.
azcentral.com
· 2025-12-08
Americans lost an estimated $12.5 billion to online scams in the past year, with artificial intelligence-generated "deepfake" videos making investment frauds increasingly difficult to detect—the FBI estimates 39% of victims fell for deepfake-based schemes involving fabricated videos of business leaders, celebrities, or romantic interests. Scammers exploit AI to duplicate voices, crack passwords, and process large volumes of data, while most stolen money goes unrecovered, particularly when criminals demand payment in cryptocurrency and operate from overseas. Common defenses include using strong passwords, enabling two-factor authentication, and scrutinizing videos for unnatural movements, inconsistent lighting, and mismatched lip movements
nbcphiladelphia.com
· 2025-12-08
**October is Cybersecurity Awareness Month, and experts emphasize protecting yourself from increasingly sophisticated scams using three key tactics: stay suspicious, stop to think, and stay protected.** Common scam methods exploit fear, urgency, and money incentives—such as fake tax return errors, impersonation of authority figures, and romance scams that can last years and target vulnerable individuals including seniors. Defensive measures include avoiding robocalls and suspicious texts, verifying contacts through official numbers, and using reverse-image searches to identify stolen photos used in romance scams.
startribune.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
October's Cybersecurity Awareness Month highlights the increasing sophistication of scams, including phishing emails, text spoofing, and caller ID spoofing. Security experts advise consumers to remain vigilant by remembering the "three S's"—stay suspicious, stop and think, and stay protected—as scammers use tactics based on fear, urgency, and money to trick victims into sharing personal information or sending funds through romance scams, job scams, and impersonation schemes.
au.finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
An Australian couple lost $1,000 from their Centrelink payments after scammers impersonating a charity deceived them into providing sensitive information including their driver's license and myGov details. The National Anti-Scam Centre warns that criminals are increasingly targeting financially vulnerable Australians by posing as legitimate charities and government assistance programs to steal personal information and divert payments. People should independently verify organizations offering financial assistance and never share personal identifying information through social media or unsolicited contacts.
onmanorama.com
· 2025-12-08
**Digital Arrests Scam in India**
Scammers in India are conducting "digital arrest" fraud, impersonating law enforcement officers via video calls to falsely accuse victims of crimes and extort money while confining them to their homes. High-profile victims include Malayalam actor Maala Parvathi (who avoided loss) and former church leader Dr. Geevarghese Mor Coorilos (who lost Rs 15 lakh), while an atomic energy institute employee was defrauded of Rs 71.33 lakh; Kerala Police advise victims to use common sense, noting that India has no law permitting arrests over phone or
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A widow named "Beatrice" fell victim to a romance scam during the COVID-19 pandemic after matching with someone posing as a Spanish lumberjack on a senior dating site; after four months of building trust, the scammer requested money. According to the FTC and DHS, over 70,000 people reported romance scam losses in 2022, with older adults losing $240 million that year, as scammers use fake identities and emotional manipulation to extract savings from vulnerable individuals, often operating from West African countries. The article identifies warning signs including claims of living abroad, poor grammar despite English proficiency, excuses to avoid video calls, and requests to move conversations to
fox23.com
· 2025-12-08
QR code scams are increasing nationwide, with fraudsters using fake codes on parking meters, in unsolicited texts and emails, and on packages to impersonate utilities companies and the IRS, claiming urgent payments are due. The BBB recommends avoiding QR codes sent unexpectedly or appearing on social media and instead visiting official company websites directly to access legitimate payment portals and information. QR codes used by trusted businesses in person, such as restaurant menus, are generally safe, but consumers should be cautious of any codes that arrive unsolicited or claim that regular payment methods are unavailable.
about.fb.com
· 2025-12-08
Meta announced the expansion of facial recognition technology across its platforms (Facebook, Instagram) in the EU, UK, and South Korea to detect and remove celebrity-impersonation scams ("celeb bait"), where scammers use public figures' images to lure users to fraudulent websites requesting money or personal information. Since deploying these anti-scam measures, user reports of celebrity-bait ad scams dropped 22% globally in the first half of 2025, with facial recognition technology more than doubling the detection rate of such scams; the technology now protects nearly 500,000 public figures while remaining optional for users.
news.trendmicro.com
· 2025-12-08
Cybercriminals are conducting multiple scams this week involving deceptive texts and emails impersonating FasTrak, Apple, U.S. and Canadian customs services, and NY Toll Services to steal personal and financial data. These scams use urgent messaging and malicious links to harvest credentials and information, which scammers then use for identity theft, financial fraud, or sell on the dark web. To protect yourself, remain skeptical of unexpected communications, avoid clicking unfamiliar links, verify sources directly with institutions, and use security tools like Trend Micro ScamCheck.
livemint.com
· 2025-12-08
This article provides general awareness about credit card fraud, which occurs when unauthorized individuals use someone's credit card details to make purchases without consent. The piece emphasizes that credit card fraud is a growing concern in the digital age and advises readers to stay informed about common scam tactics and implement preventive security measures to protect their finances.
pentictonherald.ca
· 2025-12-08
The Palmyra Women's Institute is hosting a scam prevention education session featuring Chatham-Kent Police Special Constable Brenda Koldyk to address rising fraud losses in the community, including grandparent scams, romance scams (one victim lost $250,000), and various other schemes targeting seniors and vulnerable individuals. The November 7 session will cover warning signs, prevention strategies, and common scam types such as tax fraud, home renovation fraud, and impersonation scams, with Koldyk advising victims to verify requests with family members before sending money or gift cards.
newswire.lk
· 2025-12-08
A new financial scam in Sri Lanka targets SLTB depot employees and their relatives, with scammers calling to claim an accident occurred and demanding Rs. 10,000 be transferred via eZ Cash for vehicle repairs. The scammers impersonate senior officials, managers, garage owners, or police officers, with investigations revealing the phone numbers belong to deceased individuals or foreigners associated with drug trafficking. Police advise the public to verify such claims directly with relatives before transferring money.
semissourian.com
· 2025-12-08
Cape Girardeau police warned of the "Grandparent Scam," in which scammers posing as lawyers or government employees call victims claiming a grandchild has been arrested in Mexico and demanding large sums of money for their release. Two victims lost a combined $100,000 in the past month. Police recommend verifying the claim by contacting the alleged victim directly or the U.S. Embassy before sending money.
indiatoday.in
· 2025-12-08
Cybercriminals are exploiting Flipkart's Pay Later service during India's festive season sales by impersonating customer service representatives and requesting OTPs from users, claiming to prevent fraudulent transactions on their accounts. Flipkart confirmed this scam and emphasized it never requests sensitive information like OTPs via phone calls; users are advised to never share OTPs, hang up on suspicious calls, avoid falling for artificial urgency tactics, and report incidents to Flipkart or police immediately.
wisbusiness.com
· 2025-12-08
Extortion, particularly sextortion scams, ranked among the top five internet crimes in the FBI's 2023 report with over 48,000 cases, according to a Better Business Bureau warning. Sextortion scams operate through two primary methods: phishing (claiming to have hacked victims' devices and recorded compromising material) and romance schemes (building trust through fake relationships before blackmailing victims for money). Victims have reported losses ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars, with the scams exploiting fear of public embarrassment and loneliness to pressure victims into paying via bitcoin, gift cards, or wire transfers.
hypebae.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article identifies four warning signs of romance scams prevalent on dating apps: avoiding video calls or in-person meetings, lacking tagged photos with others on social media, requesting money before meeting, and unexplained gut feelings about the person. The piece references high-profile cases like "The Tinder Swindler" and Netflix's "Sweet Bobby" to illustrate how scammers manipulate victims emotionally to extract money, advising users to trust their instincts and never give more money than they can afford to lose.
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
This AARP article advises retirees to regularly monitor their credit reports even after paying off major debts, as errors and fraud can damage credit profiles built over decades. Free weekly credit reports are available from the three major bureaus at AnnualCreditReport.com, and seniors should check every few months to catch errors (which occur in 44% of reports checked) and signs of identity theft, taking action to dispute inaccuracies in writing with supporting documentation.
financial-planning.com
· 2025-12-08
An 80-year-old Texas man, Willard Holgate, had $460,000 stolen from his TD Ameritrade accounts after scammers in Hong Kong hacked his computer and initiated unauthorized wire transfers. His attorney secured a $97,200 FINRA arbitration award against TD Ameritrade (now owned by Charles Schwab) in 2024, arguing the firm failed to detect multiple red flags including unusual liquidation of long-held retirement accounts and Holgate's evident confusion during recorded calls with representatives. The case highlights how financial firms continue to do minimal fraud prevention without legal consequences, as elder fraud losses exceeded $3.4 billion in 2023
observertoday.com
· 2025-12-08
Assemblyman Clyde Vanel introduced legislation in New York that would elevate theft and fraud crimes targeting seniors over 60 to felony status, responding to an estimated $1.5 billion in annual elder financial exploitation in the state and $28.3 billion nationally. The bill aims to address the prevalence of scams targeting elderly victims, who lose an average of $33,915 per incident, by allowing prosecutors to treat age-targeted crimes more severely than similar offenses against younger victims.
atlantafed.org
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, Americans over 60 lost more than $3.4 billion to fraud—an 11 percent increase from 2022—with investment, tech support, email, and romance scams being the most common schemes. The author emphasizes that decline in financial judgment is an early sign of dementia, and recommends that families maintain regular voice contact with elderly relatives, monitor credit reports, apply credit freezes, and stay informed about legal and financial documents to prevent scams and elder fraud. Early intervention through personal relationships and periodic check-ins can help stop scammers before victims suffer financial loss.
aws.amazon.com
· 2025-12-08
This article describes Wipro and AWS's development of an Intelligent Financial Fraud Detection (IFFD) solution designed to address gaps in traditional fraud detection systems. The system uses AI and deep learning to detect fraud in real-time, with particular focus on elder fraud, which the FBI reported affected over 101,000 people age 60+ in 2023 with losses exceeding $3.4 billion. IFFD aims to reduce false positives to under 5% while identifying emerging threats like investment scams, romance scams, and grandparent scams before funds are transferred.
berkshireeagle.com
· 2025-12-08
A 75-year-old North Adams man lost over $400,000 in a tech support scam that operated from June to September, in which a caller posing as a federal agent convinced the victim to withdraw cash and hand it to couriers, claiming he was implicated in money laundering. Boston resident Urvishkumar Vipulkumar Patel, 21, was arrested after an FBI sting operation at the victim's home and charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud; he claimed he was hired to pick up packages and deliver them for a cut. The FBI advises that legitimate federal agencies never request money by phone or send couriers to collect funds
thepaypers.com
· 2025-12-08
This is an introductory piece for The Paypers' 2024 report on fraud detection technologies, not a news article about a specific fraud incident.
**Summary:** The report documents rising fraud challenges in financial services, with authorized fraud growing 22% in 2023 and average fraudulent transaction amounts increasing 43% to $3,222. The inaugural Next-Gen Tech to Detect Fraud and Fincrime Report 2024 examines emerging threats including APP fraud, investment scams, and romance scams, while exploring how financial institutions can leverage AI, data sharing, and regulatory compliance strategies to combat financial crime in an evolving threat landscape.
makeuseof.com
· 2025-12-08
Social media scammers use four primary tactics to defraud users: phishing attacks that mimic trusted sources to steal personal information, fake profiles impersonating friends or family to request money or sensitive data, fraudulent giveaways and job offers designed to capture credentials or personal information, and romance scams involving lengthy deception to build trust before financial exploitation. Users can protect themselves by avoiding unsolicited messages and suspicious links, verifying suspicious contacts through alternate communication methods, checking for warning signs like poor grammar and unverified accounts, and researching companies before responding to job offers.
montgomery.crimewatchpa.com
· 2025-12-08
**QUISHING Summary:**
Quishing is a phishing scam using fake QR codes to steal personal information and commit identity fraud, typically delivered through unsolicited text messages, emails, or social media posts that promise discounts or gifts. When scanned, these codes redirect users to fraudulent websites designed to collect sensitive data like names, addresses, banking details, and passwords. Protection strategies include avoiding scanning unknown codes, verifying sources directly through official channels, blocking spam messages, updating smartphone software, and being skeptical of unsolicited offers.
wgal.com
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission's "Protecting Older Consumers" report found that older adults reported losing over $1.9 billion to fraud in 2023, though the true total is estimated at $61.5 billion when accounting for unreported cases. Seniors are reluctant to report fraud due to embarrassment and fear of losing independence, and they suffer significantly higher average losses ($918) compared to younger victims ($432). The three most common scams targeting older people are tech support scams, lottery/sweepstakes scams, and romance scams, with payments typically made through Bitcoin or gift cards.
startribune.com
· 2025-12-08
Dodzi K. Kordorwu, 38, of Brooklyn Park was sentenced to 5¼ years in prison for his role in a nationwide romance fraud scheme that defrauded dozens of primarily older victims of more than $2.1 million over four years. Operating under fake personas like "Dr. Carmen Williams," Kordorwu built false romantic relationships with victims to convince them to send money, exploiting their emotional vulnerability and isolation. He was ordered to make full restitution and serve three years of supervised release.
wkyc.com
· 2025-12-08
A phone scam uses call forwarding codes (*72 on Verizon or **21 on T-Mobile) to redirect victims' incoming calls to scammers' numbers. Scammers impersonate banks and trick victims into dialing these codes followed by the scammer's number, allowing fraudsters to intercept authentication codes and gain access to financial accounts and funds. Victims should never dial these codes with unfamiliar numbers, and can disable call forwarding by dialing *73 (Verizon) or ##21# (T-Mobile) if compromised.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
Meta is deploying facial recognition technology to combat celebrity scam advertisements on Facebook and Instagram, which fraudulently use celebrities like Elon Musk and Martin Lewis to promote investment schemes and cryptocurrencies. The system compares flagged ad images against celebrities' profile photos to automatically delete confirmed scams, with early testing showing promising results. Additionally, Meta is testing facial recognition for account recovery while acknowledging that scammers increasingly use deepfake technology to create more convincing fraudulent endorsements.
theguardian.com
· 2025-12-08
Meta announced a trial program using facial recognition technology to combat celebrity investment scam ads, comparing ad images against public figures' profiles to detect and remove fraudulent content in real time. The December rollout will involve 50,000 opt-out celebrities or public figures worldwide, with the same technology also enabling account recovery through video selfies. Meta acknowledged that while early testing shows promising results, some scams will inevitably slip through as scammers continuously adapt their tactics, and the company faces lawsuits from Andrew Forrest and the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission over its failure to prevent scams using their images.
nbcboston.com
· 2025-12-08
Over half of Americans have been targeted by election-related scams, with younger voters particularly vulnerable to fake polls, political donation scams, and disinformation. Common tactics include fraudulent donation schemes where money doesn't reach intended campaigns or involves unauthorized recurring charges, survey scams that harvest personal information for phishing attacks, impersonation scams, and robocalls spreading misinformation. Voters should verify sources before donating, research organizations thoroughly, avoid clicking suspicious links, and report suspected scams to authorities.
inews.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Hundreds of pensioners lost their life savings to pension scammers in recent years, with 559 reported cases in the last year resulting in £17.75 million in losses and an average loss of £46,959 per victim. Pension scams take various forms—including fake pension reviews, unauthorized early withdrawals, and fraudulent transfer schemes—and have proliferated through social media and online advertising, exacerbated by economic uncertainty and the cost-of-living crisis. Experts argue the UK's pension fraud reporting system is inadequate and call for greater preventative measures and bank protections for vulnerable older customers.
news.abplive.com
· 2025-12-08
A woman lost over Rs 87,000 at Bengaluru International Airport after downloading a fraudulent "Lounge Pass" app when seeking airport lounge access in September 2024. The scammers used the app to gain access to her phone, set up call forwarding, and intercept OTPs to authorize unauthorized transfers to a PhonePe account. She reported the incident to the cybercrime department and urged others to be cautious about downloading unfamiliar apps and to remove unused applications from their devices.
wpsdlocal6.com
· 2025-12-08
During election season, scammers are exploiting heightened emotions to target donors through unsolicited political donation emails, calls, and social media pop-ups that request money and personal information. Local residents have reported receiving 10-20 fraudulent political emails daily from impostors posing as campaigns, with the Better Business Bureau identifying pushy donation requests, unsolicited links, and reward offers as common red flags. Experts advise researching campaigns before donating, avoiding clicking unsolicited links, and verifying requests directly with official campaign channels rather than responding to incoming communications.
consumervoice.uk
· 2025-12-08
Citizens Advice research found that approximately 9 million people in the UK (18% of the population) fell victim to financial scams in the past year, with over three-quarters of victims exposed through social media. The most common scams included fake debt advice (3 million affected), friend-in-need scams (2.5 million), pension scams (2.5 million), investment scams (2.5 million), and parking QR code fraud (2.5 million), with one cryptocurrency trading scam victim losing his savings, home, and health after being pressured into a fake trading platform.
wnyt.com
· 2025-12-08
A 21-year-old Boston man was arrested for his role as a courier in a tech support scam that defrauded a 75-year-old Berkshire County resident of approximately $420,000 between June and October 2024. The victim was targeted via a computer pop-up claiming to be from Microsoft, then deceived into believing he was involved in money laundering and instructed to withdraw cash in installments and hand it to couriers; the suspect was arrested after delivering a box of cash to an undercover officer posing as the victim. Urvishkumar Vipulkumar Patel was charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud and release
dailycitizen.news
· 2025-12-08
A senior scam awareness seminar will be held at the Whitfield County Senior Center on Friday from 11 to 11:45 a.m., led by Detective Brandon Fincher from the Sheriff's Office. The seminar will cover personal safety tips, how to recognize scams, and methods to avoid common fraud, with registration available by calling (706) 278-3700.
wpxi.com
· 2025-12-08
During Medicare open enrollment, seniors are targeted by scammers through unsolicited phone calls, texts, and phishing links seeking their Medicare numbers, which are as sensitive as Social Security numbers. Common tactics include offering lower plan prices, requesting payment for plan selection help, or promising free gifts in exchange for personal information. The Better Business Bureau advises seniors to hang up on unsolicited callers, verify requests directly with legitimate companies like Healthcare.gov or Medicare, and watch for red flags such as pressure to act immediately or offers that seem too good to be true.
cnn.com
· 2025-12-08
Hundreds of elderly Americans, including those with dementia, have been victimized by deceptive political fundraising tactics from both Republican and Democratic campaigns, with vulnerable donors unknowingly giving away millions of dollars through relentless text messages and emails that automatically enrolled them in recurring donations. A CNN investigation identified over 1,000 government complaints and found that elderly donors lost more than $6 million in a small sample alone, with some individuals giving away six-figure sums from their life savings, predominantly to Republican candidates and former President Donald Trump. The predatory practices exploit cognitive decline by making false urgent pleas for money appear to come directly from major candidates, draining bank accounts without donors' knowledge or consent
crowell.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are increasingly targeting System for Award Management (SAM.gov) registrations used by federal contractors through phishing emails impersonating the GSA and fraudulent access requests, aiming to compromise sensitive banking and tax information or divert government payments. Successful attacks can result in compromised accounts, modified certifications that jeopardize contract eligibility, or complete registration deletion, halting payments and requiring extensive recovery efforts. Companies can protect themselves by maintaining multiple SAM Administrators, carefully verifying all emails and access requests before clicking links, enabling multifactor authentication, and internally confirming any unexpected access requests before granting approval.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Minnesota Attorney General Keith Ellison shut down two fraudulent debt settlement companies, Financial Solutions Group and Accelerated Debt Settlement, that illegally collected fees and misrepresented their services, securing over $1 million in refunds for affected Minnesota clients. Warning signs of debt settlement scams include substantial upfront fees, promises of specific results, and lack of clear service information; consumers should seek help from legitimate nonprofit credit counseling organizations and be wary of claims that sound too good to be true.
visionsfcu.org
· 2025-12-08
"Smishing" scams impersonate Visions and other financial organizations via text messages to trick members into revealing login credentials, secure access codes, or account information through fake webpages and fraudulent phone calls. The article provides examples of common scams and prevention strategies, recommending that recipients avoid clicking links, verify sender numbers against official Visions contact information, and call the official contact center at 800.242.2120 to confirm legitimacy.
foxnews.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece warns that AI-powered misinformation poses significant cybersecurity risks during elections, with bad actors using generative AI to rapidly create fake news, deepfakes, phishing emails, and coordinated social media campaigns. A Trend Micro study found a critical gap in consumer awareness: while 79% of U.S. respondents felt confident identifying online scams, 62% actually failed to recognize a specific scam example, suggesting people underestimate the sophistication of AI-generated election-related misinformation. The article advises readers to recognize that election-related scams and misinformation have become increasingly difficult to spot without proper awareness and skepticism of suspicious content.
valpo.life
· 2025-12-08
**SMiShing Scam Overview:**
SMiShing is a phishing attack using text messages where scammers impersonate banks, government agencies, and other trusted sources to trick victims into clicking malicious links or revealing personal information like passwords and credit card details. Common tactics include fake bank alerts about account issues, delivery notifications, government refund claims, and prize offers—all designed to exploit urgency and fear. Red flags include unsolicited messages, generic greetings, suspicious links, and requests for sensitive information; victims should verify requests directly with their bank, avoid clicking unfamiliar links, and report suspicious texts to authorities.
ahmedabadmirror.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article outlines common online scams targeting consumers during Cybersecurity Awareness Month, including romance scams (which prey on isolated individuals over extended periods), job scams (impersonating recruiters to steal money or personal information), investment scams (get-rich-quick schemes often involving cryptocurrency), and quiz scams (harvesting personal data for account breaches). The article provides warning signs and protective measures for each scam type, such as reverse-image searching suspicious photos, verifying job offers directly with companies, researching investment opportunities independently, and avoiding online quizzes that collect personal information.
abnnewswire.net
· 2025-12-08
Research from 2024 found that approximately 30% of U.S. consumers lost money to scams between 2020-2024, with nearly 80 million Americans affected and average losses of $545 per victim. Identity theft was the most common scam type (24% of victims), while romance scams caused the highest financial impact with average losses of nearly $2,000 and longer victim engagement. Nearly 70% of victims recovered some losses through their banks, though 54% considered switching financial institutions following the incident, with 59% identifying enhanced fraud detection technology as the most important fraud safeguard.