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in Scam Awareness
mypolice.qld.gov.au
· 2026-09-11
Queensland police are warning residents about caller ID spoofing scams where fraudsters impersonate police, government agencies, banks, and other trusted organizations to demand payments or steal personal information. The scammers use technology to display fake caller IDs from legitimate institutions and pressure victims with threats of legal action or financial harm. Police emphasize that legitimate organizations never request banking details, passwords, or payments via gift cards or cryptocurrency, and urge victims to independently verify caller identity before sharing information.
taylorvilledailynews.com
· 2026-09-11
Six Nigerian nationals arrested in Cape Town in 2021 are being extradited to the United States to face wire fraud and money laundering charges for operating romance scams that defrauded over 100 American women of more than $6 million. The men, affiliated with the Black Axe criminal network, targeted pensioners and businesspeople through sophisticated online relationships. Their extradition follows broader Interpol operations against West African organized crime groups involved in cyber-enabled financial fraud.
cnn.com
· 2026-09-11
Six Nigerian nationals arrested in Cape Town in 2021 are being extradited to the US to face wire fraud and money laundering charges for their involvement in romance scams that defrauded over 100 American women of more than $6 million. The men are allegedly part of the Black Axe criminal network, which is known for cyber-enabled financial fraud targeting victims through fake online relationships. Among the victims were pensioners and businesspeople who were deceived through sophisticated online schemes.
huffingtonpost.co.uk
· 2026-09-11
British consumers face rapidly escalating AI-powered fraud threats, with 75% now worried about AI scams and investment fraud up 40% year-on-year in 2025, as criminals use deepfake technology to impersonate loved ones and celebrities in romance and investment schemes. Over four million fraud cases were reported in the UK in 2025, resulting in £1.3 billion in losses, prompting authorities to launch the "Take Five" campaign encouraging people to verify unexpected requests for money or personal information before acting.
hometownstation.com
· 2026-09-11
Congressional representatives introduced the bipartisan Protecting Elders from Wire Fraud Act to combat wire transfer scams targeting seniors, with the FTC reporting $334 million lost to fraudulent wire transfers in 2025 alone. The legislation would allow banks to temporarily hold suspicious wire transactions and report suspected exploitation to authorities to prevent irreversible financial harm to vulnerable seniors on fixed incomes. The bill is endorsed by AARP and the National Elder Fraud Coordination Center.
stgeorgeutah.com
· 2026-09-10
Since 2020, Utahns have lost nearly $450 million to scams and financial crimes, with losses reaching $108.4 million in 2025 alone. Utah Attorney General Derek Brown launched the Utah Financial Crimes Intelligence Center, a statewide team of investigators, prosecutors, and financial analysts designed to identify fraud patterns, connect related cases, and investigate crimes spanning multiple jurisdictions. The center will coordinate investigations involving identity theft, romance scams, elder fraud, cryptocurrency schemes, and other financial crimes while providing training and resources to law enforcement and financial institutions.
thepaypers.com
· 2026-09-10
Romance-investment scam networks operating from Southeast Asia are rapidly dispersing to Sri Lanka, the Middle East, and West Africa when enforcement pressure increases, as seen after Cambodia's 2026 crackdown that closed 190 suspected centers but left criminal infrastructure intact. Banks must shift from country-based risk assessments to network-focused monitoring, as scam operations function as modular supply chains with replaceable components including fake trading platforms, payment accounts, and money mules that can quickly relocate across jurisdictions. Financial institutions need international coordination to disrupt these portable criminal networks rather than simply detecting isolated suspicious transactions or applying blanket country risk labels.
coingeek.com
· 2026-09-10
U.S. Bancorp launched its dollar-backed stablecoin (USBDC) on the Stellar network following a successful pilot cross-border payment transaction between North America and Europe, positioning it for institutional use cases in treasury operations and asset tokenization. Meanwhile, Circle acquired Singapore-based B2B payments firm Tazapay for $400 million in an all-stock deal to expand stablecoin payment infrastructure across Asia, where Tazapay already processes over $25 billion in annualized payment volume with approximately 60% involving stablecoins.
gulfnews.com
· 2026-09-10
US authorities are escalating efforts to combat scam operations based in Southeast Asia that steal billions of dollars annually from Americans, with the Treasury Department sanctioning Xinbi Guarantee, a Chinese-language financial platform that facilitated money laundering and cryptocurrency scams. American losses to Southeast Asia-based scams totaled at least $10 billion in 2024, with schemes including "pig-butchering" romance and investment frauds operated from Cambodia, Myanmar, and Laos through transnational criminal networks. The crackdown involves coordinated Treasury sanctions, Justice Department infrastructure seizures, and a multi-agency Scam Centre Strike Force targeting criminal leaders, recruitment networks, and the financial infrastructure enabling these operations.
moneytalksnews.com
· 2026-09-10
Victims of retirement account scams face a devastating tax trap: when con artists drain IRAs or 401(k)s, the IRS still demands income tax on the stolen money, with the 2025 tax law making this rule permanent and eliminating most theft-loss deductions. Elderly victims like a 57-year-old who lost $675,000 to a romance scammer face tax bills exceeding $225,000 on money they never received, while the IRS only allows deductions for specific scam types, leaving most fraud victims with both their financial loss and massive tax liability.
abc6onyourside.com
· 2026-09-10
Ohio Attorney General Andy Wilson launched a new hotline (1-855-961-SCAM) to help residents recognize and report romance scams, which have become increasingly sophisticated with the use of artificial intelligence and deepfakes. The dedicated line connects reports to forensic investigators with the Ohio Bureau of Criminal Investigations, while experts recommend using reverse image searches and looking for inconsistencies in scammers' photos and stories to identify potential frauds.
wpxi.com
· 2026-09-10
A Walmart customer's account was compromised by scammers who placed over $2,000 in unauthorized grocery orders for store pickup in Florida, changing her account phone number and successfully retrieving the items despite her attempts to stop them. The victim initially struggled to recover the funds after her bank reversed a temporary credit when Walmart confirmed someone had picked up the orders with a proper barcode, but eventually received a full refund after media intervention. Similar fraudulent grocery order scams have been reported across the United States and Canada, with Walmart recommending customers change their passwords immediately if they notice unauthorized charges.
malwarebytes.com
· 2026-09-10
Scammers are filing fraudulent copyright complaints against Instagram accounts to trigger temporary suspensions, then demanding ransom payments in cryptocurrency to withdraw the complaints and restore access. The scheme exploits Meta's automated copyright system, which processes complaints without verifying the filer's identity, and has affected content creators whose livelihoods depend on their accounts. One victim paid $50 to restore his account but was immediately targeted again, and law enforcement warns against paying ransoms as they encourage repeat attacks and don't guarantee protection.
wsbtv.com
· 2026-09-10
Travel scams have become increasingly sophisticated, with scammers using AI tools to create convincing fake websites and exploit real reservation data stolen from hotels and airlines. Common scams include reservation hijacking, where imposters pose as hotels claiming payment failures, and flight cancellation scams that create false urgency to rebook flights at additional cost. Americans reported losing $3.5 billion to impostor scams in the past year, with experts recommending travelers verify communications directly through official company websites and phone numbers rather than clicking links in unsolicited messages.
ca.finance.yahoo.com
· 2026-09-10
Travel scams have become increasingly sophisticated, with scammers using AI tools to create convincing fake websites and using stolen data to impersonate hotels and airlines. Common scams include "reservation hijacking" where fraudsters pose as hotels claiming payment issues, and fake flight cancellation notifications demanding rebooking fees; Americans reported losing $3.5 billion to impostor scams via text, email, and phone in the past year. Experts recommend verifying communications directly through official company websites and phone numbers, avoiding clicking links in unsolicited messages, and refraining from posting travel documents on social media.
ca.style.yahoo.com
· 2026-09-10
Travel scams have become increasingly sophisticated, with scammers using AI tools and stolen data to create convincing fake websites and impersonate hotels and airlines. Common scams include reservation hijacking (where fraudsters use real reservation details to trick travelers into making payments) and fake flight cancellation notifications, with Americans losing $3.5 billion to impostor scams in the past year. Experts recommend verifying communications directly with companies through official websites and phone numbers, avoiding clicking links in unsolicited texts, and not sharing travel documents on social media.
hoodline.com
· 2026-09-10
Jamisha Sylvain, a South Florida woman charged with exploiting elderly residents in Deerfield Beach, skipped a court hearing in July 2026 and allegedly continued targeting seniors while on bond, including posing as a building manager to steal debit cards, credit cards, and cash from residents at senior living communities. Her initial arrest in December 2025 involved manipulating an elderly blind woman and coercing a 78-year-old woman with dementia into unauthorized cash withdrawals totaling $1,718, with charges including occupied burglary, elder exploitation, and grand theft. Sylvain faces potential penalties up to 30 years in prison under Florida law for financial exploitation of
which.co.uk
· 2026-09-10
A Which? survey of 1,501 UK fraud victims found that 63% encountered scams through apps or websites, with Meta-owned platforms (Facebook 28%, WhatsApp 17%, Instagram 10%) being the primary sources. Beyond financial losses, victims reported severe mental health impacts including anxiety, depression, and strained relationships, with 63% experiencing increased stress and 54% suffering mental health damage, while some became isolated due to shame. The research reveals that vulnerable populations with pre-existing mental health conditions faced disproportionate harm, and calls for Ofcom to enforce the Online Safety Act against tech companies that profit from fraudulent advertising.
therecord.media
· 2026-09-10
Treasury's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network released a study analyzing over 33,000 cyber fraud reports filed between September 2023 and December 2025, revealing that approximately $12.7 billion was stolen from Americans through cryptocurrency investment scams involving overseas criminal organizations. The scams, which employ manipulative tactics like romantic deception and fake financial advice, disproportionately targeted victims who liquidated retirement accounts and took out loans to invest in fictitious digital asset schemes, with cryptocurrency firms detecting $5.5 billion and traditional banks detecting $6.4 billion in suspected fraud. The Treasury urged financial institutions to improve reporting and vigilance as scam activity rates increased nearly 11% monthly, with victims spanning
vinnews.com
· 2026-09-09
Federal authorities shut down Xinbi Guarantee, a Chinese-language Telegram marketplace with over 650,000 users that sold tools and services to support "pig butchering" cryptocurrency fraud schemes, money laundering, and human trafficking operations targeting Americans. The enforcement action froze more than $52 million in cryptocurrency across multiple wallets and resulted in coordinated international operations that dismantled 13 scam compounds in Madagascar, arrested nearly 400 people, and seized over 3,200 devices. Americans lost $8.65 billion to cryptocurrency investment scams in 2025, with many operations relying on trafficked workers held in Southeast Asian compounds forced to run romance and investment cons.
crowdfundinsider.com
· 2026-09-09
The US and UK signed a landmark memorandum of understanding on September 3, 2026, to jointly combat industrial-scale cryptocurrency fraud, particularly "pig-butchering" romance and investment scams operated from compounds in Southeast Asia. These scams cost Americans approximately $10 billion annually, with reported cryptocurrency fraud losses to the FBI jumping 89 percent from $4.57 billion in 2023 to $8.65 billion in 2025. The coordinated effort will involve parallel investigations, shared intelligence on syndicate operations, and joint disruption activities targeting the criminal networks often tied to Chinese organized crime and forced labor trafficking.
root-nation.com
· 2026-09-09
Pig butchering crypto scams caused Americans to lose $9.3 billion in 2024, with $5.8 billion attributed to pig butchering schemes alone—a 66% increase from the prior year—while Missouri residents reported $88 million in fraud losses in 2023. These scams typically begin with unsolicited contact that builds trust before introducing fraudulent trading opportunities, leading victims to transfer savings into platforms displaying fabricated profits. Legal action and evidence preservation, including blockchain records and communications, may help victims recover losses by identifying responsible parties such as fraudsters, cryptocurrency platforms, and payment processors.
odaily.news
· 2026-09-09
Southeast Asian criminal organizations use cryptocurrency, primarily USDT, as the central payment method for an industrialized fraud and trafficking network that includes "pig butchering" scams, human trafficking, online gambling, and money laundering. The operation functions as an assembly line with specialized service providers handling recruitment, target identification through illegally obtained personal data, website construction, social engineering, and cash-out services, with cryptocurrency guarantee platforms acting as intermediaries. Telegram groups openly facilitate transactions including the buying and selling of trafficked people (priced in thousands to tens of thousands of USDT) and the sale of illegally obtained personal information obtained from corrupted insiders in government and financial institutions.
wfmz.com
· 2026-09-09
A 63-year-old Lebanon County woman lost approximately $384,000 and hundreds of Apple gift cards in a romance scam after meeting a scammer posing as an up-and-coming country music star on TikTok in February 2026, with communications moving to Telegram. The scammer repeatedly asked for money to advance his music career and instructed the victim to keep their relationship secret, but the fraud was discovered when her children became aware of it. Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the scheme and remind the public to never send money or gift cards to online contacts and to verify identities before sharing personal or financial information.
themarysue.com
· 2026-09-09
This article discusses a TikTok video by creator Ember Spies showing a scripted scenario where a man arrives at a woman's house with a suitcase after one date, expecting to move in, which has sparked debate about dating safety and boundary-setting. While the video is entertainment designed to highlight red flags, it reflects growing anxiety about online dating safety and has led to increased use of background-check platforms like Stud or Dud. The article notes that romance scams, such as one involving an imposter posing as an NFL player, have made verification of potential dates' identities a modern dating concern.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2026-09-09
A Virginia woman received over 600 emails in 24 hours as part of an "email bombing" scam designed to bury a legitimate fraud alert from her bank about an unauthorized $1,200 laptop purchase. Scammers used automated tools to sign her email address up for hundreds of newsletters and services, flooding her inbox with messages from real organizations to obscure the critical security warning. Cybersecurity experts warn this tactic can overwhelm inboxes within minutes and create opportunities for fraudsters to make unauthorized purchases or compromise accounts while victims are distracted by the email deluge.
yahoo.com
· 2026-09-09
Ohio has launched a statewide initiative to combat romance scams targeting older residents, which exploit trust while stealing money through tactics including AI-generated photos, deepfake videos, and synthesized voices. Scammers typically pose as overseas workers on dating sites or create fake investment opportunities and military romance schemes to manipulate victims into sending money or sharing personal information. Residents can report suspected romance scams to the Romance Imposter Scams Forensic Initiative hotline at 855-961-7226.
whio.com
· 2026-09-09
Ohio has launched a statewide initiative to combat romance scams targeting older residents, establishing a dedicated hotline (855-961-SCAM) for reporting suspected fraud and identifying patterns across jurisdictions. Scammers increasingly use AI-generated photos, deepfake videos, and synthetic voices to deceive victims, making it difficult to verify authenticity through visual or audio evidence alone. The Ohio Attorney General's Office emphasizes that romance scams are particularly devastating because they exploit trust and steal more than just money from vulnerable older Ohioans.
wfmz.com
· 2026-09-09
A 63-year-old Lebanon County woman lost approximately $400,000 in a romance scam after meeting someone on TikTok who claimed to be an aspiring country music star and later requested money via the Telegram app. The scammer repeatedly instructed the victim not to tell family or friends about the relationship, a common manipulation tactic, though her children eventually discovered the fraud. Pennsylvania State Police are investigating the case and reviewing financial records to identify the accounts and individuals involved.
straitstimes.com
· 2026-09-09
Singapore passed new anti-scam legislation on September 9, 2026, making it illegal to provide personal details for creating online accounts or to supply accounts on platforms like Carousell, TikTok, Telegram, and Meta to criminals, with convicted online account mules facing up to three years imprisonment, fines up to $10,000, and potential caning. The law also significantly increased penalties for non-compliant online service providers, raising maximum fines from $1 million to $10 million, as scam victims in Singapore lost $410.6 million in the first half of 2026 alone.
telecompaper.com
· 2026-09-09
A GSMA report on Southeast Asia reveals that 8 percent of consumers in Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam experienced scams in the past year, with nearly half of reported scams remaining unresolved. The findings show widespread concern, with 96 percent of surveyed consumers worried about scams or hacking, indicating that unresolved fraud threatens user confidence and digital adoption in the region.
finance.biggo.com
· 2026-09-09
Tether froze approximately $39.3 million in USDT across 10 Tron addresses linked to Xinbi Guarantee, a Chinese-language escrow platform that has processed billions in transactions tied to pig-butchering scams and stolen funds, on September 8. The action mirrors Tether's previous enforcement against similar illicit platforms like Huione Guarantee and comes as regulatory pressure intensifies, including a UK asset freeze imposed on Xinbi in March. Despite these enforcement efforts, Xinbi has demonstrated resilience, processing an estimated $17.9 billion in total volume since its launch, making the frozen funds represent less than one percent of its transaction history.
consumerfinancialserviceslawmonitor.com
· 2026-09-09
On September 3, FinCEN published an analysis of digital asset investment scams ("pig butchering" schemes) covering September 2023 through December 2025, identifying approximately $12.7 billion in suspected fraudulent financial activity across 33,904 BSA reports, with reporting volume growing at an average rate of 10.9% per month. These scams typically involve fraudsters using fake personas on social media and dating platforms to build trust with victims before directing them to transfer funds to scammer-controlled accounts, often by liquidating retirement accounts or taking out loans. Victims spanned all 50 states and all age demographics, with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network characterizing the acceler
mynews4.com
· 2026-09-08
Nevada ranks second nationally for senior scam risk and leads the nation with 748 fraud reports per 100,000 seniors aged 60 and older—well above the national average of 522. The most common scams involve business impostors posing as legitimate companies, with losses varying by age group: younger seniors losing approximately $250 per scam, those 70-79 losing around $648, and seniors over 80 losing about $5,000. Scammers employ sophisticated tactics including creating false urgency and targeting different age groups through varying channels—social media and websites for younger seniors, and phone calls for those over 80.
ia.acs.org.au
· 2026-09-08
Thirteen Telstra customers lost over $39,500 to SIM swap fraud after the telecommunications company ignored warnings and failed to implement proper identity verification procedures, resulting in a $277,200 penalty from the Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA). The regulator identified 28 breaches of mandatory customer authentication rules, including failures to use multi-factor authentication and verify customer details, with some victims having already warned Telstra they were being targeted. This is Telstra's second penalty for similar failures, reflecting regulators' increasing concern about telcos' inadequate anti-fraud controls leaving Australians vulnerable to preventable harm.
turnto23.com
· 2026-09-08
A growing "wrong number" text scam uses chatbots impersonating attractive women to lure victims into conversation, eventually tricking them into signing up for dating or adult websites where they are prompted to provide credit card information, risking fraudulent charges and identity theft. The scammers employ social engineering tactics like compliments and fake photos to build rapport before requesting financial information. The Better Business Bureau advises consumers to ignore unsolicited texts from strangers, block suspicious numbers, and never share personal or financial information with unknown contacts.
dailystar.co.uk
· 2026-09-08
Thai military seized an 80-hectare scam compound in Cambodia's O'Smach that housed thousands of trafficked workers running romance, cryptocurrency, and government impersonation schemes targeting victims globally, including British citizens. The facility contained fake police station mock-ups (including replicas of Singapore Police and Brazil's Federal Police offices), detailed romance scam scripts on whiteboards, and rows of cubicles where scammers operated around the clock. While Cambodian authorities claim to have eradicated large-scale scam operations, rights groups and experts assert that criminal syndicates have simply transitioned to decentralized operations rather than being truly dismantled.
vietnam.vn
· 2026-09-08
Thai police arrested 12 South Korean nationals and their Chinese boss operating a call center in Samut Prakan province that targeted over 1,000 South Korean victims through phone scams. The perpetrators impersonated government prosecutors and officials, falsely claiming victims were involved in criminal investigations to trick them into transferring money. The group, which had illegally entered Thailand six months prior and relocated every two months to avoid detection, operated from a luxury house equipped with 13 workstations, computers, mobile phones, and forged official documents.
money.ca
· 2026-09-08
A 41-year-old Ontario man allegedly defrauded five women out of over $1 million through a romance scam that began in 2020, meeting victims in person at a gym and dog training business before gradually building trust over years and requesting money for investments and emergencies. Salvatore Malandrino reportedly used funds from one victim to make payments to others, extending the deception, and now faces multiple fraud and money laundering charges. The case highlights that romance fraud isn't limited to online dating apps and can occur through ordinary in-person relationships where skepticism naturally fades over time.
escudodigital.com
· 2026-09-08
The US and UK have signed a memorandum of understanding to coordinate investigations and share intelligence against Southeast Asian scam centers that operate investment fraud and romance scams, often staffed by trafficked labor. The partnership, which includes a joint operation planned for October in London, has already identified overlapping cases and secured significant seizures, including £100 million in frozen assets and approximately $15 billion in cryptocurrency linked to the Cambodia-based Prince Group. This marks the first international alliance specifically targeting cryptocurrency investment fraud and other digitally-enabled financial crimes run by transnational criminal networks.
kval.com
· 2026-09-08
An elderly man in Eugene, Oregon nearly lost $3,000 to an in-person romance scam after a woman about 30 years younger approached him at a restaurant, built rapport over multiple dinners, and then claimed financial hardships requiring money. The man became suspicious when his bank was closed and contacted police before completing the transaction, averting the loss. Eugene police warn that romance scammers often target older adults by posing as romantic interests, establishing quick relationships, and requesting money for fabricated emergencies.
thedanielislandnews.com
· 2026-09-08
The Berkeley County Sheriff's Office is offering free Senior Fraud Prevention Tour workshops to educate older adults and their families about recognizing and avoiding scams, with an upcoming session scheduled for September 25 at Del Webb Point Hope from 7-8 p.m. The presentations cover phone and text message scams, grandparent and AI voice scams, identity theft, online safety, financial fraud, and how to report suspicious activity. No registration is required, and the workshops are open to seniors, caregivers, family members, and anyone interested in fraud prevention.
channelnewsasia.com
· 2026-09-08
During a two-month joint operation between Singapore's police force and five banks (DBS, UOB, OCBC, Standard Chartered, and GXS), over 400 scam attempts were disrupted and more than S$46 million in potential losses were averted. More than 3,300 SMS alerts were sent to over 2,700 bank customers identified as potential victims, primarily of investment and job scams where fraudsters deceived victims into making incremental transfers. The operation utilized robotic process automation technology to enable rapid information sharing and quick identification of potential scam victims for timely intervention.
thehackernews.com
· 2026-09-08
BengalSEO, a campaign operating from Rajasthan since at least 2015, uses black hat SEO techniques to poison Bing search results with fraudulent lure pages impersonating legitimate services like antivirus tools, streaming platforms, and banking portals to deliver MayaBot malware and redirect victims to tech support scam call centers. The operation employs a sophisticated traffic distribution system, aggressive backlink spam, and DOM manipulation to manipulate search rankings and fingerprint potential victims before routing them to payload delivery or scam operations. The campaign has been active since at least 2022 and is attributed to IT service providers WeConnect Solutions LLC and Garage2Global.
news4jax.com
· 2026-09-08
Employment scams targeting college students and Gen Z job seekers have surged, with reports doubling last year and approximately one in three young job seekers reporting they fell victim to such schemes. These scams typically involve fraudulent job postings or fake employers that collect personal information, money, or both from unsuspecting applicants. The article emphasizes the need for awareness among young workers to identify red flags in suspicious job offers before applying.
kevinmd.com
· 2026-09-08
An 82-year-old physician and author lost $7,500 to a book publishing scam via wire transfer after being promised printing and distribution of 2,500 copies through Books-A-Million with a money-back guarantee. The scammer, operating from South Asia, had previously charged $2,800 to format and upload the author's memoir to Amazon, then exploited the author's post-publication euphoria to solicit the larger fraudulent investment using a fake business address and bogus website. The author also received follow-up impersonation scheme emails from fake book club representatives seeking additional fees.
ftc.gov
· 2026-09-08
Humboldt Merchant Services, a payment processor, will pay $12 million and face a permanent ban on processing payments for high-risk merchants after the FTC found it knowingly facilitated payments for over 1,000 fraudulent shell company merchants engaged in unauthorized billing scams, including the scam operation Legion Media. The settlement holds the company accountable for ignoring red flags that indicated consumers were being defrauded.
vladtv.com
· 2026-09-08
DJ Vlad's 80-year-old mother lost $200,000 to an FBI impersonation scam that began with a fake Charles Schwab pop-up warning her account was compromised, leading fake federal agents to gain remote computer access and direct her to purchase gold coins that were handed off in a parking lot. Former CIA officer Charles Finfrock explains the scam's tactics of using authority, fear, and secrecy to isolate victims and exploit bank systems, highlighting the rising trend of gold and cryptocurrency scams targeting seniors.
losbanosenterprise.com
· 2026-09-08
Merced Police are hosting an elder fraud prevention class on September 15, 2026, for residents 50 and older as the county experiences multiple active scams targeting seniors, including impersonation of law enforcement officers demanding payment for missed jury duty, family emergency scams claiming arrested relatives need money for ankle monitors or bonds, and fraudulent emails posing as county departments requesting wire transfers for fake invoices. The scams have used increasingly sophisticated methods including spoofed phone numbers, fake official documents, and AI-generated voice imitations to deceive victims.
news3lv.com
· 2026-09-08
Nevada ranks second in the U.S. for seniors vulnerable to scams, with median losses ranging from $250 for victims ages 60-69 to $5,000 for those 80 and older, according to research analyzing FBI and FTC data. Senior fraud losses in Nevada grew 42% year-over-year, with scammers using varied tactics including phone calls, social media, and websites depending on the victim's age group. Arizona, California, and Washington also ranked among the top states for senior scam risk, with younger seniors primarily targeted through social media and websites while older seniors are most commonly contacted by phone.