Search
Explore the Archive
Search across 19,276 articles about elder fraud. Filter by fraud type, payment mechanism, or keywords.
6,239 results
in Phishing
cryptodaily.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
The FBI's 2023 Internet Crime Complaint Center report revealed a 53% increase in cryptocurrency-related fraud losses, which rose from $2.57 billion in 2022 to $3.94 billion in 2023, with scams targeting victims across all age groups (particularly ages 30-60) through increasingly sophisticated investment schemes promising high returns. Common tactics include romance scams (resulting in $370 million in losses), business email compromise schemes, and ransomware attacks, with criminals using cryptocurrency to quickly transfer stolen funds. The FBI recommends users employ two-factor authentication and verify payment requests to reduce fraud risk, though some analysts argue reported scam revenues have declined since 2
cryptotvplus.com
· 2025-12-08
Cryptocurrency scams generated at least $4.6 billion in 2023, a decrease from the previous year, though actual totals may be higher according to Chainalysis. Approval phishing and romance scams (also called "pig butchering" scams) are increasingly prevalent, with scammers using private communication channels to build fake relationships and extract money while remaining difficult to trace. Despite these challenges, progress has been made in combating crypto fraud, including a joint effort by Tether and OKX with the U.S. Department of Justice that froze $225 million linked to human trafficking, and an Interpol operation that apprehended 3,500 cyb
cointelegraph.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, cryptocurrency-related investment fraud caused $3.94 billion in losses in the United States—a 53% increase from 2022 and representing 86% of all investment fraud losses—with victims lured by promises of high returns. Common crypto scams include romance scams (which resulted in $374 million in stolen crypto) and phishing attacks (affecting over 324,000 users and causing $295 million in losses), with similar fraud trends occurring globally.
abc27.com
· 2025-12-08
According to the Better Business Bureau's 2023 Scam Tracker report, investment and cryptocurrency scams are the riskiest fraud type, with a median loss of $3,800, exploiting victims' lack of understanding about digital assets by promising unrealistic returns before demanding hidden fees to access nonexistent earnings. Employment scams and romance scams are also growing threats, targeting younger adults and those over 65 respectively, with victims losing not only money but also time and personal information. The BBB recommends avoiding quick financial decisions, being cautious with unknown contacts, and ignoring unsolicited links to protect against these increasingly sophisticated schemes.
krocnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are using AI-generated deepfakes to target real estate transactions in Minnesota, impersonating agents, lenders, and other professionals to trick buyers and sellers into revealing sensitive information that allows them to redirect funds. The National Association of Realtors is urging industry professionals to increase cybersecurity training and implement verification protocols, including confirming communications through known contact information, using encrypted channels, and adding watermarks to documents. A recent survey found that 60% of home buyers and sellers received little to no education about wire fraud threats from their real estate professionals.
wccsradio.com
· 2025-12-08
Pennsylvania residents lost at least $158 million to scammers in the first nine months of 2023, a $28 million increase from the same period in 2022, based on Federal Trade Commission data showing 126,576 fraud reports with an average loss of $1,250 per victim. Remote contact methods—particularly social media—were the most common and profitable scam techniques, with social media accounting for $1 billion of the $7 billion stolen nationwide in 2023.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Pennsylvania residents lost more than $158 million to scams in the first nine months of 2023, a 22% increase from the previous year, with over 126,000 fraud reports filed averaging $1,250 per incident. While people ages 30-39 reported the most fraud cases, those ages 60-69 lost the most money at $744 million, and one in seven fraud victims experienced losses exceeding $10,000. The FTC advises consumers to avoid unsolicited requests for personal information, resist pressure to act quickly, and be wary of scammers demanding cryptocurrency or gift card payments.
thestarphoenix.com
· 2025-12-08
Saskatoon Police Service partnered with the Electronic Recycling Association to offer free secure destruction of electronics and confidential documents on March 14 as part of Fraud Prevention Month awareness efforts. The initiative comes as Canadian fraud losses reached $567 million in 2023, with investment scams, spear phishing, and romance scams causing the most financial damage, while fraud methods have evolved to include cryptocurrency schemes and sophisticated phishing techniques targeting both individuals and institutions.
cryptodaily.co.uk
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, the United States experienced a 53% increase in cryptocurrency investment fraud, with losses jumping from $2.57 billion in 2022 to $3.94 billion—accounting for 86% of all investment fraud losses. Scammers primarily used romance scams (causing $374 million in losses) and phishing attacks (causing $295 million in losses) to trick victims into transferring cryptocurrency by promising high returns or building fake relationships, with the problem affecting investors globally.
clickondetroit.com
· 2025-12-08
**AI Voice Cloning Scams**
Scammers are using advanced artificial intelligence to clone voices from small audio clips and impersonate loved ones or authority figures (family members, bosses, or candidates) in urgent situations to trick targets into sending money immediately via digital payment apps or wire transfers. The article outlines common scenarios—such as a "daughter in an accident" requesting funds or a "boss" requesting urgent vendor payments—and provides prevention tips including resisting immediate action, verifying requests through known contact numbers, avoiding digital wallet transfers when uncertain, and implementing multifactor authentication and workplace verification protocols.
localnewsmatters.org
· 2025-12-08
An elderly woman in El Granada, California fell victim to a phishing scam in which she received a fraudulent email impersonating a money exchange company and was instructed to withdraw cash and meet a courier in person. She handed over an undisclosed amount of money to the courier, who then fled the area; the San Mateo County Sheriff's Office is seeking the suspect and urging residents to avoid sharing banking information or sending money in response to unsolicited online or phone requests.
mylondon.news
· 2025-12-08
Roberto Mobile, 53, fell victim to an elaborate pickpocketing scam in South London in February where a man pretended to return his stolen phone to a bar, then observed his passcode while standing nearby—a ploy that allowed the thief to steal the phone again moments later and drain nearly £10,000 from his account through contactless payments and casino bets. The victim's bank delayed freezing his account for over 24 hours despite his early morning alert, and seven other phones were reportedly stolen the same night, suggesting organized crime involvement. Mobile eventually recovered his funds after three weeks but experienced significant emotional distress and financial hardship while waiting for reimbursement.
fox7austin.com
· 2025-12-08
The Round Rock Police Department warned residents about scammers impersonating law enforcement officers and IRS representatives who contact victims via phone, email, or text to create urgency and extract personal or financial information using tactics like caller ID spoofing and threats of arrest. Police advised verifying caller identity through official agency numbers, never sharing personal information unsolicited, resisting intimidation tactics, and reporting suspected incidents to the Federal Trade Commission, while noting that legitimate government agencies never demand payment over the phone or via gift cards.
wvlt.tv
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, Tennesseans lost $161 million to scammers, with tech support fraud, investment fraud, and business email compromise being the most prevalent schemes. The FBI reported this represented a significant increase from previous years, part of a nationwide trend where Americans lost $12 billion to fraud in 2023. Experts advise heightened vigilance, recommending that people verify company information independently and report suspected scams to the Better Business Bureau, FTC, or FBI.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Scams in Colorado increased 34% year-over-year leading up to the April 15 tax deadline, with the FTC reporting that Coloradans lost $164 million to fraudsters in the previous year. Experts advise consumers not to respond to urgent money requests via messages and recommend freezing credit with the three major credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) to protect against identity theft, which can take years to recover from.
wafb.com
· 2025-12-08
Fake job scams are increasingly common, with approximately 14 million people exposed annually, according to the Better Business Bureau. Scammers impersonate legitimate companies and recruiters through emails and texts, often targeting job seekers with work-from-home opportunities, fake check schemes, and requests for upfront fees or personal banking information. To protect themselves, job seekers should verify company websites, conduct video interviews with recruiters, use separate bank accounts, and report suspicious postings to the BBB.
lohud.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, the Hudson Valley region experienced over $2 million in losses from online purchase scams alone, where fraudsters used fake checks and refund requests, with over 1,000 cases reported. The region also faced nine other major scam types including employment scams ($692,389 lost), investment scams ($1.2 million lost), advance fee loan scams ($281,474 lost), and various imposter schemes targeting government agencies and healthcare programs, collectively affecting thousands of residents across the Hudson Valley, New York City, and Long Island.
interpol.int
· 2025-12-08
INTERPOL's Global Financial Fraud Assessment reveals that organized crime groups are increasingly using AI, large language models, cryptocurrencies, and phishing-as-a-service models to conduct sophisticated fraud campaigns targeting vulnerable people worldwide at relatively low cost. Key fraud trends include investment fraud, romance baiting (which combines romance and investment schemes), advance payment fraud, and business email compromise, with human trafficking networks increasingly forced into call centers to execute these schemes. The report emphasizes the urgent need for international law enforcement cooperation, data sharing, and public-private partnerships to combat this escalating global threat; since 2022, INTERPOL's I-GRIP mechanism has helped intercept over $500 million in criminal proceeds
theage.com.au
· 2025-12-08
A 70-year-old Melbourne retiree lost approximately $200,000 to an elaborate catfishing scam that targeted her after she posted on a cat lovers' social media page. The scammers used stolen photos and videos of Brazilian photographer Ike Levy without consent, creating fake profiles under multiple male names (Franklin Edward, Warren William, Carlos Michaelson, and others) to pose as wealthy professionals with temporary financial difficulties and romantic interest in older, single women. The criminal operation has defrauded dozens of victims globally and continues despite Meta removing some fraudulent accounts, as scammers repeatedly create new profiles using the same stolen images.
securityboulevard.com
· 2025-12-08
Romance and investment scams caused over $10 billion in reported losses in 2023, with 64,000 romance scams ($1.1 billion) and 108,000 investment scams ($4.6 billion), though actual losses are estimated at $10-80+ billion annually due to significant underreporting. Scammers use researched targeting and manipulation to build trust with victims through text messages, social media, and dating sites, increasingly leveraging generative AI to create convincing deepfakes and multilingual communications that enhance credibility. Effective prevention requires cross-industry coordination to identify and block scams at their initiation points, particularly on messaging platforms like Telegram an
wsmv.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, Americans lost $10 billion to scams, with imposter scams being the leading fraud category at $2.7 billion in reported losses, followed by social media scams ($1.4 billion) and investment scams (with median losses rising to $7,700). Tennessee ranked 16th nationally for fraud reports, with email being the scammers' primary contact method and bank transfers and cryptocurrency the most common payment methods exploited.
abc11.com
· 2025-12-08
**Spring Break Travel Scams in North Carolina**
Scammers are targeting North Carolina travelers during spring break by creating fake websites that mimic legitimate airlines, rental car companies, and vacation listing sites, often differing by only a single letter in the URL. Additional threats include "juice jacking" at public charging stations and malicious Wi-Fi hotspots that steal personal information. Security experts recommend verifying URLs carefully, using Norton's free scanning tools, employing VPNs on public Wi-Fi, and avoiding public charging stations to protect against these threats.
fox7austin.com
· 2025-12-08
According to the Better Business Bureau's 2023 Scam Tracker Risk Report, investment scams (including cryptocurrency) were identified as the riskiest scam type, with over 80% of targets losing money and a median loss of $3,800. Employment-related scams ranked second and more than doubled from 2022, while online purchase scams dropped to third place despite representing roughly 40% of all reported scams. Young adults ages 18-24 reported the highest median dollar losses among all age groups for the second consecutive year.
keysnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Americans lost a record $10 billion to scams and fraud in 2023, a 14% increase from 2022, with investment scams causing the largest losses at $4.6 billion followed by imposter scams at $2.7 billion, according to FTC data from 2.6 million consumer complaints. Fraudsters increasingly used cryptocurrency and bank transfers, while imposter schemes targeting vulnerable populations through government and business impersonation saw significant growth, with Florida ranking among the top states for per capita fraud complaints at 1,563 per 100,000 residents.
au.news.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Australian losses to social media scams tripled to $95 million in 2023, a 249% increase from 2020, with people aged 65 and over accounting for nearly one-third of all social media scam losses and experiencing a 57% increase from the previous quarter. Scammers primarily targeted older Australians through fake advertisements impersonating retailers, romance scams, and investment schemes, with over 16,000 victims reporting they never received ordered goods. While overall Australian scam losses reached $477 million in 2023, social media scams emerged as the fastest-growing fraud category particularly affecting elderly residents.
courierjournal.net
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
A scam technique called "smishing" (SMS phishing) targets people by spoofing legitimate company phone numbers and sending text messages claiming suspicious account activity, then requesting victims to share their two-factor authentication codes. The scammer already possesses the victim's username and password and uses this social engineering tactic to gain full account access. The advice provided warns that legitimate companies never request 2FA codes, victims should change their passwords immediately if they receive such messages, and using authenticator apps instead of SMS-based authentication provides better security.
clickorlando.com
· 2025-12-08
The Titusville Police Department held an educational scam seminar at the public library to warn seniors about common frauds including IRS scams, utility fraud, fake prizes, tech support scams, and impersonation schemes. The city's Criminal Investigations Division receives approximately 15 new fraud cases per week involving thousands of dollars, with seniors being the primary targets; police emphasized that scammers exploit vulnerabilities and continuously update their tactics, and advised seniors to safeguard personal information and verify callers' identities before engaging further.
publicnewsservice.org
· 2025-12-08
According to a recent Federal Trade Commission report, older adults in North Carolina and across the country lost $1.6 billion to scammers in the past year, with nearly half of those losses attributable to bogus investment schemes. Common tactics include impersonation scams initiated through text messages and AI-based schemes, which scammers use to build false relationships before requesting money or investments. Experts recommend that seniors and their financial caregivers monitor accounts for suspicious activity, report suspected fraud to their financial institution and police, use strong password practices, and stay informed through resources like the FTC and Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.
brooklyn.news12.com
· 2025-12-08
New York City seniors attended an educational session at the Brooklyn Public Library where NYPD's Crime Prevention Division provided information on recognizing common scams targeting older adults, including jewelry scams, purse snatching, ATM fraud, and phone/email schemes that evolve with technology. Officers warned seniors to watch for red flags such as urgent demands, spelling errors, suspicious attachments in emails, and callers impersonating law enforcement or the IRS requesting payment via apps, wire transfers, or gift cards. The department emphasized that tech-enabled scams cause significant financial harm to seniors' life savings and recommended contacting 311 for assistance if victims suspect fraud.
foxbusiness.com
· 2025-12-08
Mega Millions and Powerball issued warnings about lottery scams coinciding with nine-figure jackpots, noting that scammers use emails, text messages, social media, and phone calls to deceive people into believing they won prizes and either extract money or personal information. Red flags for lottery fraud include requests for upfront fees or taxes to claim prizes, notifications of wins from lotteries the person never entered, and instructions to keep winnings secret—practices legitimate lotteries never employ.
wfdd.org
· 2025-12-08
The North Carolina Department of Justice Consumer Protection Division received over 21,000 complaints in the past year, with scams being a major category. The top three scams in the Triad region included online purchase fraud (255 reports, ~$150,000 in losses), employment scams ($70,000 lost through fake job postings), and phishing schemes targeting personal and financial information via email, text, and phone. Police recommend caution with suspicious contacts and note that voluntarily sent funds to scammers are typically unrecoverable.
support.anydesk.com
· 2025-12-08
Remote access software is frequently exploited by scammers who impersonate legitimate companies or technicians and cold-call unsuspecting users to gain device access for theft and data extraction. Best practices for protection include verifying website authenticity, never sharing access codes, demanding identity verification before granting access, and ignoring unsolicited contact requests. Users should report suspicious activity to local authorities and understand that legitimate companies never cold-call for technical support or unsolicited remote access.
pages.motors.ebay.com
· 2025-12-08
The eBay Motors Security Center provides educational guidance to help buyers and sellers avoid scams and fraud when transacting vehicles on their platform. The resource advises users to conduct all transactions through eBay.com and mobile apps, educate themselves on common fraudster tactics like phishing and spoofing, and report suspicious activity to eBay or law enforcement if they suspect scams, pricing fraud, or unauthorized seller behavior.
mcafee.com
· 2025-12-08
Text message scams defrauded Americans of $330 million in 2022, according to FTC data, as scammers increasingly impersonate legitimate brands through SMS, email, and social media. To protect themselves, consumers should familiarize themselves with how organizations say they'll contact them, verify message sources by checking sender information and logging into accounts directly, stay informed about current scam trends through resources like the FTC and AARP, and use protective software with AI-powered text scanning features.
wcvb.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece outlines five common tax scams affecting taxpayers, with $5.5 billion stolen in tax fraud last year. The scams include phishing emails and texts, imposters posing as IRS agents, fraudulent tax preparers, phishing attacks targeting tax preparation businesses, and "Offer in Compromise" schemes that falsely promise to settle IRS debts. The article provides protective measures for each scam type, such as verifying communications directly with companies, never clicking unsolicited links, using legitimate tax preparers with IRS credentials, and contacting the IRS directly regarding tax debts.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission identifies 10 common lies scammers use to defraud victims, including creating false urgency, isolating targets from trusted advisors, making arrest threats, and instructing victims to move money, buy gift cards or cryptocurrency, or withdraw cash. These tactics are increasingly sophisticated and sometimes aided by artificial intelligence, as exemplified by a recent $50,000 scam targeting a New York Magazine columnist. The FTC advises people to hang up, delete messages, and report suspicious contact to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
amp.theage.com.au
· 2025-12-08
A 70-year-old Melbourne retiree lost approximately $200,000 to an elaborate catfishing scam that operated using stolen photos and videos of Brazilian photographer and influencer Ike Levy. The scammer, posing as "Franklin Edward," an American engineer, contacted the victim through a cat lovers' social media page, built an emotional relationship with her over weeks, and then requested money claiming to have tax and financial problems. The criminal syndicate behind the scam created multiple fake profiles using various aliases to target vulnerable women over 50, primarily members of animal-focused social media groups, with the victim ultimately seeking mental health treatment after discovering the fraud.
itweb.africa
· 2025-12-08
Online romance scams are increasingly prevalent in South Africa, particularly targeting middle-aged and elderly women seeking companionship through social media and dating sites, with organized criminals now operating these schemes at larger scale and sophistication. Fraudsters exploit emotional connections to convince victims to send money for fabricated emergencies, and victims often refuse to accept warnings even from financial institutions detecting fraudulent transactions. The article advises potential victims to be suspicious of online romantic interests requesting money, to consult trusted advisors before any financial transactions, and to recognize red flags such as refusal to meet in person or on video.
cnbc.com
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission refunded $4.1 million to 27,584 consumers who were defrauded by student debt forgiveness scams operated by Mission Hills Federal and Federal Direct Group since 2014. The scammers charged illegal upfront fees, falsely promised to lower monthly payments or eliminate balances, and often intercepted consumers' loan payments after claiming to take over loan servicing. To protect themselves, borrowers should recognize red flags like urgency, unrealistic promises, and requests for personal information, and instead use legitimate free assistance programs such as income-driven repayment plans offered by the Department of Education.
bigcountrynewsconnection.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are impersonating Amazon through spoofed phone calls and text messages claiming suspicious account activity, then using fabricated identity theft threats to pressure victims into transferring money from their bank and retirement accounts. The scam relies on psychological manipulation—creating urgency through false arrest threats and claims that someone opened fraudulent accounts using the victim's Social Security number. Victims should verify account issues directly through Amazon's website or app, never call back suspicious numbers, check their credit report at AnnualCreditReport.com, and remember that legitimate organizations will never demand secrecy or immediate money transfers.
arabianbusiness.com
· 2025-12-08
"Pig butchering" romance scams, where criminals build fake romantic relationships to defraud victims of money and cryptocurrency, have surged 85-fold in revenue since 2020, generating approximately $75 billion in illicit gains with victims losing roughly $1 billion to related approval phishing scams since May 2021. These scams exploit loneliness by using messaging apps and social media to establish trust before directing victims toward fraudulent investment schemes, while a single scam address stole an estimated $44.3 million and a U.S. bank CEO lost $47 million to such a scam. The scam ecosystem is compounded by a humanitarian crisis, as many
choice.com.au
· 2025-12-08
Australians with disability are more than twice as likely to experience romance scams, with scammers exploiting limited romantic exposure and vulnerability. The article follows Chris, a 26-year-old man with disability in Adelaide, who encountered at least eight romance scammers on social media platforms like Snapchat in 2023, where scammers encouraged him to move conversations to encrypted apps (Telegram, WhatsApp) before requesting money or gift cards. Advocates and consumer organizations emphasize that people with disability face disproportionate risk and call for better protections from online dating platforms and related businesses.
glasgowcourier.com
· 2025-12-08
Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen warned residents during National Consumer Protection Week (March 3-9) about three rising scams: law enforcement impersonation scams where fraudsters call claiming victims have arrest warrants and demand immediate payment via wire transfer or gift cards; cryptocurrency investment scams that use threats of arrest to convince people to deposit money into crypto ATMs, which cannot be recovered; and tech support scams involving fake pop-up alerts that trick users into calling scammers who then take control of computers and demand payment. The state's Office of Consumer Protection advises Montanans to avoid third-party payment apps and cryptocurrency ATMs, verify business information, and consult trusted contacts before sending money.
hillsborofreepress.com
· 2025-12-08
The North Central-Flint Hills Area Agency on Aging and Kansas Legal Services launched the "Scam Scan" educational seminar series, offering free presentations to the public on recognizing and preventing common scams. Two seminars were held in Marion County on March 20, with managing attorney Corinne Petrik providing prevention tips and strategies to help older adults protect themselves, their money, and personal information from fraud.
valleybreeze.com
· 2025-12-08
The Burrillville Police Department warned residents about the "grandparent scam," in which callers impersonate grandchildren in distress to convince seniors to withdraw and send money, often instructing victims not to tell bank tellers about the transfers. An elderly couple in Burrillville was recently targeted, and the FBI reports seniors lost over $3 billion to online scams in 2023. Police Chief Stephen Lynch recommends residents slow their response, verify claims with family members, and report suspicious calls to local authorities.
fox23maine.com
· 2025-12-08
Maine seniors lost $12.7 million to fraud in 2022, a dramatic increase from $2 million in 2021, with victims over 60 nationwide experiencing skyrocketing losses according to FBI data. One Maine senior fell victim to a tech support scam involving deceptive popups claiming she had a virus and requesting access to her savings account information. Experts emphasize that education and awareness are critical to protecting Maine's aging population, the oldest in the nation, from increasingly prevalent fraud schemes.
wltx.com
· 2025-12-08
A New York Magazine financial columnist lost $50,000 to an elaborate con scheme, prompting the Federal Trade Commission to publicize ten common lies fraudsters use to manipulate victims into sending money, including creating false urgency, isolating victims from trusted advisors, making arrest threats, and directing victims to move funds via gift cards, cryptocurrency, precious metals, or cash transfers. The FTC warns that any pressure to act quickly, secrecy, threats of legal consequences, or instructions from strangers regarding financial transfers are reliable indicators of fraud, and recommends victims hang up, delete communications, and report suspected scams to ReportFraud.ftc.gov.
fmins.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article outlines how increased social media usage has created opportunities for scammers to target users through phishing, identity theft, and financial fraud schemes. The piece provides 10 practical prevention tips including recognizing suspicious account activity and poor grammar, using multi-factor authentication, setting accounts to private, avoiding oversharing of personal details, and verifying sellers before making in-app purchases. The advice emphasizes that users should trust their instincts when something seems off and take proactive measures to reduce their vulnerability to social media scams.
abc7ny.com
· 2025-12-08
AI-powered voice cloning is being used in increasingly sophisticated tax season scams, with fraudsters impersonating the IRS or tax professionals to steal personal information and money. McAfee reported over one million suspicious tax-related URLs clicked in February alone, with scammers using realistic American-accented AI voices and phishing through calls, texts, and emails threatening back taxes or offering fake tax forgiveness. The IRS never initiates contact by phone or email and will not demand payment via gift cards, cryptocurrency, or payment apps—legitimate tax notices arrive by mail first.
actionnews5.com
· 2025-12-08
Job scams are a growing threat, with the Better Business Bureau reporting approximately 14 million people exposed to employment scams annually, particularly on platforms like LinkedIn, Indeed, and Glassdoor. Common scams include work-from-home reshipping jobs (where victims do work without payment), fake checks, secret shopper, and caregiver positions, with scammers impersonating real companies and conducting interviews via email or text. Red flags include requests for upfront fees, bank account information before employment, vague job descriptions, unusually high pay, and postings not on the company's official website—victims should verify company identity through Google searches, insist on video interviews, and report suspected scams