Search
Explore the Archive
Search across 22,013 articles about elder fraud. Filter by fraud type, payment mechanism, or keywords.
8,448 results
in Robocalls / Phone Scams
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
An AARP Fraud Watch Network survey of 1,869 U.S. consumers found that 82 percent experienced or were targeted by holiday-related scams in the past year, with similar rates among adults 65 and older (80 percent), including delivery fraud notifications (up to 56 percent from 29 percent in 2022), online shopping scams, fake charity requests, and gift cards with no balance (29 percent). Only 28 percent of survey respondents answered seven or more of ten fraud-prevention knowledge questions correctly, indicating that while fraud remains rampant, consumer awareness and protective knowledge are not improving.
consumer.ftc.gov
· 2025-12-08
During Medicare's Open Enrollment Period (October 15 - December 7), scammers impersonate Medicare representatives to steal personal information and money by falsely claiming beneficiaries need to provide Medicare, Social Security, or bank account numbers for new cards or medical equipment claims. Medicare never unexpectedly contacts beneficiaries by phone, email, text, or social media to request personal information, sell coverage, or collect payment for cards. Beneficiaries should hang up on suspicious calls, verify directly with Medicare at 1-800-MEDICARE, and report scams to the same number or their local Senior Medicare Patrol.
ksat.com
· 2025-12-08
San Antonio police warn residents that holiday season scams spike during the giving season, with common schemes including fake package delivery texts with malware links, fraudulent social media ads and phishing websites, fake charities, "secret shopper" job scams involving bounced checks, and impersonation scams from criminals posing as banks or law enforcement. Authorities recommend shopping from reputable sources only, researching organizations before donating, verifying suspicious communications by calling companies directly, and remaining vigilant across all communication channels including texts, emails, and social media.
wsbt.com
· 2025-12-08
As online shopping increases during the holiday season, experts warn of a surge in phishing scams and fraudulent offers targeting shoppers through emails, texts, and fake shipping notifications designed to steal personal information and money. The Better Business Bureau reports that online scams now comprise 41% of all scams, with scammers using increasingly sophisticated tactics including AI-generated communications to exploit product shortages and consumer urgency. Consumers are advised to verify offers directly on company websites, use credit cards instead of debit cards for better fraud protection, and avoid clicking suspicious links or providing personal information to unsolicited messages.
thereflector.com
· 2025-12-08
Seniors are increasingly targeted by phone scams, particularly those using artificial intelligence to mimic loved ones and request money or personal information. In 2023, the FBI reported over 101,000 elder fraud victims aged 60+ lost an average of $33,915 each, with Battle Ground police documenting an 85.3% surge in fraud cases between October 2023 and October 2024. Experts advise seniors to hang up on any unsolicited caller requesting money or sensitive data, verify requests independently through official phone numbers, and avoid untraceable payment methods like gift cards or cryptocurrency.
gmtoday.com
· 2025-12-08
Investment scams remain the highest risk for adults over 55, followed by online purchase scams and romance scams, according to the Better Business Bureau Scam Tracker Risk Report. The article provides consumer protection guidance including: avoiding unsolicited calls (especially from spoofed numbers), recognizing red flags like pressure to act quickly or requests for unusual payment methods, hiring only licensed contractors after thorough vetting, being alert to emergency scams targeting grandchildren, and avoiding Medicare fraud schemes involving "free" medical equipment.
fox13memphis.com
· 2025-12-08
An educational meeting was held in Memphis where the Tennessee Division of Consumer Affairs taught seniors about common scams targeting older adults. Key advice included being skeptical of unsolicited calls, never sharing personal or financial information with unknown callers, and hanging up on suspicious contacts. The top scams affecting seniors include government imposter calls (especially during Medicare enrollment), fake tech support, sweepstakes scams, and grandchild-in-distress schemes, with scammers exploiting emotional manipulation and targeting older adults for their typically greater assets.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
Identity theft and fraud affect Americans at alarming rates, with the FTC estimating true losses at $137 billion in 2022 despite only $9 billion being officially reported, prompting AARP to urge stronger consumer protections before Capitol Hill lawmakers. Veterans face particular vulnerability, with one in three targeted by scammers who impersonated the VA or pitched fraudulent investments, resulting in $477 million in reported losses in 2023. The article provides practical prevention advice for common scams including holiday shopping fraud, solar panel schemes, and veteran-targeted impersonation scams, recommending consumers type website addresses directly, verify offers through trusted sources, and research companies before providing personal information or
nationalseniors.com.au
· 2025-12-08
National Seniors Australia's "Keep Scam SAFE" campaign, in partnership with CommBank, provides educational resources and workshops to help older Australians protect themselves from rising scams and fraud online. The campaign highlights common scam tactics including fake emails with urgent language, parcel delivery text messages (affecting 75% of scam targets), and voice cloning calls, while recommending protective strategies such as the "Stop, Check, Reject" approach, using Confirmation of Payee technology, regularly changing passwords, and accessing free digital literacy training through the Be Connected initiative.
mosselbayadvertiser.com
· 2025-12-08
Online scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with scammers using AI and fake social media giveaways to deceive victims who may lose thousands of dollars with little chance of recovery. The article outlines three key protective measures: avoiding unsolicited links and phishing attempts, recognizing "too good to be true" offers that exploit emotions, and strengthening online accounts through strong passwords and two-factor authentication. Keletso Mpisane, head of Blink by MiWay, emphasizes that pausing before responding to suspicious messages and contacting companies directly can help people avoid falling victim to these increasingly common scams.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A Panchkula resident named Kiran lost Rs 4.9 lakh to a fraudulent Amazon application scam after responding to a part-time job advertisement on Instagram, downloading a fake Amazon app, and sharing her banking details with scammers who then added her to a Telegram group for fake tasks. The article also documents similar scams affecting victims across India, including a woman in Karnataka who lost Rs 1.94 lakh to a fake Amazon job scheme and actress Karuna Pandey who transferred Rs 2.75 lakh after being targeted by impersonators posing as Mumbai Police officers.
indiatoday.in
· 2025-12-08
Dipika Maurya, a woman from Lucknow, lost Rs 1.75 lakh in a work-from-home scam that began in September when she received an unsolicited call offering easy money for liking and commenting on social media posts. After initially seeing returns, she was persuaded to invest Rs 1.75 lakh with promises of significant profits, but the scammers refused to allow withdrawals and demanded additional deposits. The case highlights common red flags: legitimate employers do not require upfront investments, offer jobs via cold calls, or promise high returns for minimal effort.
timesnownews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 70-year-old retired engineer in Delhi lost over Rs 10.3 crore in a "digital arrest" scam that spanned 19 days, beginning in late September 2024. Scammers posing as courier company staff and a Mumbai Police officer manipulated him by claiming a banned substance parcel contained his Aadhaar details, then convinced him to transfer money to "safe accounts" under threat of arrest. Police managed to freeze Rs 60 lakh of the stolen funds, with recovery efforts ongoing.
entergynewsroom.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece identifies ten common impostor utility scams, including disconnection threats demanding prepaid card payments, fake billing routing numbers, bogus equipment fees, overpayment refund requests, and post-disaster power restoration charges. The article notes that the Better Business Bureau reported a median loss of $463 per victim in 2023 and advises customers that legitimate utilities send written disconnection notices, offer multiple payment methods, handle equipment upgrades proactively, process refunds via mail or account credits, and do not charge for disaster-related power restoration.
25newsnow.com
· 2025-12-08
Black Friday online scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with 41% of all scams reported to the Better Business Bureau in 2023 originating from online purchases, affecting people of all ages through fake websites, deepfake influencer endorsements, and phishing tactics on social media. To protect themselves, consumers should verify website addresses, read reviews, avoid clicking suspicious links, never share private information via email or text, use credit cards instead of gift cards or cryptocurrency, enable multifactor authentication, and be cautious with peer-to-peer payment apps that lack consumer protections.
paymentsdive.com
· 2025-12-08
As scammers increasingly use advanced technology to create realistic fraud schemes, authorized push payment scams—where criminals persuade consumers to voluntarily send money through instant payment networks like Zelle—pose a significant threat even to vigilant consumers. In 2023, Zelle customers disputed over $206 million in fraudulent transactions, with consumers bearing the costs of 80% of those disputes, and the paper notes that once payment is authorized, victims have little to no recourse since transactions are often irrevocable. The Federal Reserve recommends that financial institutions adopt artificial intelligence and machine learning to assess scam risk and alert customers before high-risk transactions are executed.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
A Federal Reserve research paper warns that even vigilant consumers face increasing risk from authorized push payment (APP) scams, as criminals use advanced technology to create increasingly realistic fraud schemes on platforms like Zelle. In 2023, Zelle customers disputed over $206 million in fraudulent transactions, with consumers bearing 80% of the costs and having little recourse once payments are executed. The Fed recommends that instant payment networks adopt more sophisticated fraud-fighting strategies, while scammers continue to evolve their tactics through methods such as fake accounts, mule schemes, and potentially AI-generated personas.
coned.com
· 2025-12-08
Con Edison, joining over 150 energy and water companies for Fraud Awareness Week, warns customers to recognize and avoid utility scams that use pressure tactics and fake payment methods like prepaid cards, Cash App, Venmo, and Zelle. Scammers impersonate company employees, manipulate caller IDs, and use digital tactics including fake payment websites and QR codes to steal personal information and money, with some victims losing thousands of dollars after being told transactions failed and paying repeatedly.
welivesecurity.com
· 2025-12-08
Phone scams exploiting voice calls remain highly effective because scammers leverage human psychology and social engineering techniques, with callers having less time to verify legitimacy compared to written communication. In 2023, approximately 28% of unknown calls globally were fraud or spam, affecting 16% of consumers who lost an average of $2,257—a 527% increase from the previous year—while scammers obtain phone numbers through data breaches, social media scraping, and data brokers. Common phone scams include impersonation of authorities (vishing), remote access/tech support fraud, investment schemes, and prize draw scams, with consumers advised to heed "scam likely" warnings from their
electricireland.ie
· 2025-12-08
Phishing is a scam using fraudulent emails, texts, and phone calls to trick people into revealing personal or financial information by directing them to fake websites or requesting details directly. These scams may impersonate legitimate companies like Electric Ireland using realistic logos and branding, though the contact information has typically been sourced from public databases or generated randomly. To protect yourself, verify sender email addresses rather than display names, hover over links before clicking, avoid providing personal information via unsolicited communications, and contact your bank immediately if you've already compromised your information.
pandasecurity.com
· 2025-12-08
Hong Kong police arrested nearly 30 members of a criminal organization that used AI-generated deepfake profiles of attractive women to defraud approximately 400 middle-aged men across Taiwan, China, Hong Kong, Singapore, and India in a romance scam totaling $46 million. Victims were lured into fake romantic relationships, manipulated into investing in fraudulent cryptocurrency platforms, and unable to withdraw their funds. The article advises victims to watch for red flags such as investment solicitation from new online contacts and signs of manipulated media including unnatural body postures, flat-toned audio, and mismatched facial features.
everythingzoomer.com
· 2025-12-08
Fraud is now the leading crime against seniors in Canada, with scammers increasingly using advanced technology like voice simulation, AI, and fake profiles to perpetrate sophisticated schemes. Common scams targeting seniors include grandparent fraud (2,494 Canadian victims lost $9.4 million), romance scams (Canadians lost $59 million in 2022), and phishing attacks (approximately $58 million in losses in 2022). Seniors are particularly vulnerable due to social isolation, limited digital literacy (only 26% feel very confident with technology despite 67% using the internet), and accessible savings, making protection strategies essential as emotional manipulation often overrides caution.
firstpost.com
· 2025-12-08
Virgin Media O2 developed Daisy, an AI chatbot designed to mimic an elderly British woman and engage scammers in lengthy conversations to waste their time and prevent them from targeting real victims. Created with input from YouTube scambaiter Jim Browning, Daisy can autonomously hold scammers on the phone for up to 40 minutes by engaging them with fictional stories about family and hobbies, and has already wasted hundreds of hours of scammers' time while collecting data for law enforcement.
dataconomy.com
· 2025-12-08
O2 developed "dAIsy," an AI chatbot that mimics an elderly woman to engage scammers in lengthy conversations, wasting their time and preventing them from targeting real victims—sometimes keeping scammers occupied for up to 40 minutes. The tool uses advanced AI technologies including large language models, voice synthesis, and diffusion models to create lifelike interactions, addressing a critical fraud crisis where Americans over 60 lost nearly $3.4 billion to telephone scams in 2023 and 69% of Britons report being targeted by scammers. O2 encourages the public to report suspicious calls to 7726 and share their experiences to combat increasingly
wcfcourier.com
· 2025-12-08
I cannot provide a summary of this content. This appears to be a list of country names and territories rather than an article about scams, fraud, or elder abuse.
To help with your request, please provide an actual article or transcript related to elder fraud, scams, or abuse that you'd like summarized for the Elderus database.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Three New York residents—Rohan Lyttle (97 months), Caron Pitter (66 months), and Charlene Marshall (34 months)—were sentenced to prison for their roles in a Jamaican lottery scam targeting elderly Americans between 2017 and 2020. The defendants received and laundered funds from victims who were falsely told they had won Publisher's Clearing House prizes and needed to prepay taxes, with victims losing over $1.1 million collectively through cash packages, wire transfers, and fraudulent credit card and ATM withdrawals in Jamaica; each defendant was ordered to pay $245,147.98 in restitution.
mirror.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
Former Love Island star Amy Hart lost £5,000 in a 2022 phone scam when criminals impersonating her bank used pressure tactics and personal information to trick her into authorizing fraudulent transactions. Hart recovered her money after her bank's investigation and has since partnered with O2 to raise awareness about phone scams, emphasizing that victims should not feel embarrassed as scammers use sophisticated methods and are professionals at exploitation.
mirror.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
A woman in her sixties from England lost nearly £20,000 to an AI-generated romance scammer posing as a US Army colonel named "Mike Murdy" on Tinder. The scammer used deepfake videos, images, and AI-synthesized voice and text to build a convincing romantic relationship, eventually convincing the victim to pay money under the pretense of unlocking a briefcase containing £607,000 in cash and accessing a life insurance payout. Financial authorities have issued warnings about this emerging AI-powered romance scam trend targeting vulnerable individuals seeking romantic connections.
abc.net.au
· 2025-12-08
An educational video game called "Dodgy or Not?" is teaching Australian primary school students to identify online scams and deepfake fraud by analyzing real-world messages and social media posts in real time. The game addresses the growing sophistication of cyber criminals using AI-generated deepfakes, with Australia losing $3-4 billion annually to reported online fraud, and educators warning that emerging threats like sextortion targeting young people are increasing globally.
echo-pilot.com
· 2025-12-08
Black Friday scams are expected to proliferate, with five main types to watch for: counterfeit products from third-party sellers, fake delivery failure notifications that lead to phishing sites, impersonation of customer service representatives seeking personal information, false winning notifications, and email/text phishing schemes. Consumers should avoid unusually low prices from unknown sellers, only click delivery links from official retailers, never provide personal details to unsolicited contacts claiming to be from companies like Amazon, and remain skeptical of prize claims requiring upfront payments.
pymnts.com
· 2025-12-08
Greg Hancell, a fraud expert at Lynx Tech, warns that QR code scams are rapidly growing and now account for over 20% of online scams, making them harder to identify than traditional phishing because victims cannot see the destination link before scanning. Fraudsters typically replace legitimate QR codes with counterfeit ones in public spaces like parking lots and restaurants to trick people into sharing sensitive data and payment information. To protect themselves, consumers should look for physical tampering signs (like stickers or damage), verify QR code sources, check URLs before proceeding, and use verification tools, while banks can provide financial protection through AI-powered fraud detection systems.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
Dr. Ruchika Tandon, a 44-year-old Indian neurologist, lost approximately 25 million rupees ($300,000) to an elaborate "digital arrest" scam in which fraudsters impersonating law enforcement officials coerced her through video calls into believing she was under federal investigation for money laundering and trafficking. Over a six-day period, the scammers maintained constant surveillance via video call, manipulating her into draining her family's savings from multiple accounts including banks, mutual funds, and insurance policies. According to official figures, Indians lost over 1.2 billion rupees to this type of scam between January and April 2024, with over
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
Google's Vice President of Trust & Safety highlighted five emerging scam trends in November 2024, warning that fraudulent cyber attacks are increasing in volume and becoming more sophisticated through the use of AI and landing page cloaking techniques. The advisory addressed crypto investment schemes, app cloning, major event exploitation, AI-powered impersonation campaigns that create deepfakes and fake giveaways, and cloaking tactics that deceive both moderation systems and users by presenting different content to Google than what users see. Google recommends users watch for unnatural expressions in content, verify URLs before clicking, and report suspicious promotions from public figures.
kfiz.com
· 2025-12-08
**"Pig butchering" investment scams** involve fraudsters building trust with victims over weeks or months—posing as romantic interests or investment coaches—before convincing them to invest in fake opportunities and ultimately stealing their money. According to 2023 FTC data, investment scams represented only 4% of fraud reports but accounted for over 30% of total losses, with an average loss of $7,000 per victim. Red flags include unsolicited investment pitches from online contacts, pressure to use cryptocurrency or special apps, displays of fake profits, and reluctance to meet in person or speak by phone.
abc7chicago.com
· 2025-12-08
A Wisconsin woman lost $433,279.53 in a gold bar investment scam after scammers impersonated Apple and FTC officials, falsely claiming her identity was stolen and bank account hacked. Across Wisconsin, 49 people reported similar scams to the FBI, losing approximately $13 million total, with couriers like Gourav Patel and Junjie Liang arrested for collecting the purchased gold bars from victims' homes. The scam operates by convincing victims their accounts are compromised and instructing them to buy gold bars supposedly for protection at the Federal Reserve, which couriers then collect and never return.
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
Pennsylvania's Attorney General Michelle Henry warned residents of phishing scams in which fraudsters contact people claiming fraudulent activity on their bank accounts, then request sensitive information such as login credentials, account numbers, Social Security numbers, and dates of birth via phone, email, or text. The advisory emphasizes that legitimate financial institutions never solicit account information through these channels and advises victims to contact their bank directly using the number on their card or visit their local branch to verify contact, and to report scams to the Attorney General's Bureau of Consumer Protection.
fallriverreporter.com
· 2025-12-08
A 30-year-old New York man, Xuejian Wu, was arrested after defrauding a North Reading, Massachusetts elderly resident of more than $10,000 through a sophisticated online scam involving remote computer access, threats, and Bitcoin transactions. Wu was apprehended when he appeared at the victim's home impersonating a federal agent to attempt collecting additional funds, and he was charged with multiple counts of larceny and conspiracy. The case highlights the targeting of seniors through technology-based fraud and the importance of reporting suspected scams to law enforcement promptly.
kimt.com
· 2025-12-08
Residents in Winneshiek County reported receiving scam calls from individuals impersonating Sheriff's Office staff, characterized by live voices with foreign accents. The scammers attempted to obtain personal information including credit card numbers and identification. The Sheriff's Office advises recipients to hang up immediately and contact the department directly at 563-382-4268 to verify any legitimate law enforcement inquiries.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Henry Aragon, a 54-year-old Golden resident and one of six Coloradans indicted, was sentenced to repay over $19 million in a nationwide telemarketing fraud scheme that victimized more than 150,000 Americans and generated $300 million over two decades. The scheme deceived elderly and vulnerable victims into approving magazine subscription renewals through false claims about reducing costs or calling from existing subscription companies, when perpetrators were actually fraudulently charging them for new subscriptions. Sixty individuals across 14 states and two Canadian provinces were involved in the operation, with Aragon credited as the scheme's deviser and operator.
indiacsr.in
· 2025-12-08
Over 21 million individuals in the United States fell victim to fraud in the past year, with 78% of mobile users encountering at least one scam, demonstrating the scale of online fraud perpetrated by transnational organized crime networks. Google has released a white paper recommending coordinated action across governments, industries, and technology providers, including enabling international cooperation and information sharing, incentivizing scam-fighting efforts through legal protections, and investing in public education and AI-driven detection technologies. Google's own efforts include blocking 99.9% of spam and malware on Gmail, removing over 5.5 billion policy-violating advertisements in 2023, and establishing collaborative intelligence-sharing
popsci.com
· 2025-12-08
US consumers lost a record $10 billion to fraud in the past year (a 14% increase), with scammers increasingly targeting older adults via phone—over two-thirds of UK residents over 75 surveyed reported experiencing at least one fraud attempt in six months. In response, UK mobile operator Virgin Media O2 created "Daisy," an AI-powered grandmother chatbot that wastes scammers' time by providing false information and engaging in lengthy, meandering conversations, with some interactions lasting over 40 minutes. While Daisy aims to reduce real victim targeting, scammers are simultaneously deploying AI voice-cloning technology to perpetrate new frauds including imp
techcrunch.com
· 2025-12-08
O2, the UK's largest mobile network operator, launched "dAIsy," an AI chatbot designed to waste scammers' time by mimicking an elderly woman who engages them in prolonged conversations about personal topics while refusing to provide bank details. The technology, developed with scambait expert Jim Browning, uses voice transcription and text-to-speech AI to respond naturally, addressing the growing threat of phone scams targeting seniors—a population that lost $3.4 billion to telephone fraud in 2023 alone.
mashable.com
· 2025-12-08
UK telecom provider Virgin Media O2 developed "Daisy," an AI bot designed to impersonate an elderly woman and keep phone scammers on the line for extended periods, with the system successfully detaining fraudsters for up to 40 minutes per call. The bot, created in collaboration with YouTuber Jim Browning, uses conversational AI to generate rambling responses about family and hobbies while providing false personal information, reducing scammers' time targeting actual victims. This approach addresses a significant problem: elderly individuals are disproportionately targeted by phone scams, with people over 60 accounting for 58 percent of impersonation scam losses in the U.S. (
newsbreak.com
· 2025-12-08
The Rocklin Police Department warned of increasing financial scams targeting seniors that use computers and phones to deceive victims. The department advised seniors to avoid responding to urgent emails, pop-ups, or phone calls requesting immediate action; never provide login credentials via email; enable two-factor authentication; and recognize red flags such as requests to withdraw money, lie about transactions, or pay via gift cards or cryptocurrency.
cleveland19.com
· 2025-12-08
A 76-year-old South Euclid woman lost $23,000 in an elaborate scam that began with a fraudulent email claiming to be from Discover and involved impersonators posing as a LifeLock customer service representative, bank fraud expert, and FBI agent. Within 90 minutes, the scammers convinced the victim to withdraw the entire amount from her checking account across three bank locations and hand over the cash to a man in a Starbucks parking lot. Police emphasize that legitimate federal agents never ask victims to provide their own money during investigations, and recommend contacting authorities, family, or an attorney before responding to unsolicited requests for funds.
usatoday.com
· 2025-12-08
Bank fraud affected 29% of bank customers in the past year, with 45% of those victims experiencing multiple incidents, according to a J.D. Power study. Fraud proliferates through peer-to-peer payment apps, data breaches that expose personal information to scammers, and social engineering tactics where fraudsters impersonate banks. Experts recommend customers proactively protect accounts through security centers, complex passwords, and fraud alerts rather than only reactively monitoring transactions.
scoop.co.nz
· 2025-12-08
A 26-year-old UK national, Jack Dylan Hennessy, was sentenced to three years and three months imprisonment for his role as a cash courier in a fake police scam that defrauded Auckland residents of $337,700. The scam involved criminals cold-calling victims while posing as police officers, convincing them to withdraw cash under the pretense of assisting a covert operation, then collecting the money in person. Two other men face ongoing court proceedings for their alleged involvement in related scam activities across New Zealand.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A California man lost $20,000 to a tech support scam after receiving a pop-up warning that his account was compromised and being instructed to withdraw cash and mail it to a New York City address. NYPD Detective Justin Guzman intervened quickly upon the victim's report, intercepting the package at a Bayside, Queens apartment before the scammers retrieved it and successfully returning the funds. The case illustrates how scammers evolve tactics—when gift card fraud failed, they pivoted to requesting actual cash—and highlights the importance of police responsiveness in combating these schemes.
nj1015.com
· 2025-12-08
A New Jersey resident lost $16,000 after responding to a fake Instagram advertisement from a fraudulent company called "D&J Auto Transportation," which deleted its ad and website after receiving payment via wire transfer. The scam affected at least three victims across New Jersey, California, and New York for a total of over $38,000 before New York resident Ariel Cruz was identified and charged with theft by deception and computer theft. Red flags for online car purchase scams include pressure to finalize quickly, inability to meet the seller or inspect the vehicle, and payment requests via wire transfer or gift cards.
rocktownnow.com
· 2025-12-08
The Harrisonburg Police Department warned residents of a scam where impersonators posing as HPD officers call victims claiming they have missed jury duty or outstanding citations and demand payment via gift cards or cryptocurrency to avoid jail time. The scammers use caller IDs and fake phone menus designed to appear legitimate, and employ threats of criminal charges to pressure victims into sending money quickly. HPD emphasized that legitimate law enforcement never requests payment for dropping charges or resolving citations, and residents should hang up on such calls and report them to police.