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justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Christen Lee Cosgrove, age 40, and Brian Cosgrove, age 37, of Pennsylvania were indicted on federal charges including conspiracy, bank fraud, wire fraud, and money laundering for defrauding a 93-year-old senior citizen and financial institutions of approximately $1 million between October 2022 and May 2023. The defendants allegedly used fraudulent wire transactions to obtain the money and spent it on personal purchases including a house, recreational vehicle, boat, and vacations. The case was investigated by the Internal Revenue Service and Luzerne County District Attorney's Office, with potential sentences of up to 30 years for bank fraud and 20
taipeitimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Cambodian authorities arrested over 1,000 people, including 75 Taiwanese, 271 Indonesians, and 213 Vietnamese, during raids on internet scam centers across the country following Prime Minister Hun Manet's directive to crack down on cybercrime operations. The UN estimates these Southeast Asian scam centers defraud social media users of approximately $40 billion annually using romance and business cons, with Amnesty International reporting at least 53 scam compounds in Cambodia involved in human trafficking, forced labor, and other abuses on a "mass scale."
wjournalpr.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, older adults aged 60 and over suffered $4.9 billion in fraud losses nationally—a 43% increase from 2023—with Puerto Rico experiencing a dramatic 618% surge to $21.1 million in losses for the same demographic. The most financially damaging scams targeting seniors include investment fraud ($1.8 billion), tech support scams ($982 million), and romance scams ($389 million), with experts noting that perpetrators operate as sophisticated, organized call centers using psychological manipulation rather than amateur schemes. Seniors remain vulnerable due to a combination of limited digital literacy, available financial resources, social isolation, and reluctance to report crimes, particularly when perpet
asahi.com
· 2025-12-08
Cambodia's Prime Minister Hun Manet ordered a crackdown on cybercrime operations, resulting in the arrest of over 1,000 suspects across five provinces between Monday and Wednesday, including foreign nationals from Vietnam, China, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Myanmar, along with seized equipment such as computers and mobile phones. UN estimates indicate that cyberscams originating from Southeast Asia generate billions of dollars annually for international criminal gangs, though human rights organizations like Amnesty International have raised concerns about alleged state complicity and associated human trafficking abuses in Cambodia's scamming compounds.
anz.com.au
· 2025-12-08
Australian bank ANZ reports measurable improvements in scam detection through its partnership with BioCatch Trust, an inter-bank fraud intelligence network that uses behavioral biometrics and real-time risk scoring to identify sophisticated scams including impersonation, investment, romance, and business email compromise schemes. In 2024-2025, Australians lost over $2.03 billion to scams, with romance scams averaging AU$15,000 per victim and investment scams causing AU$59 million in losses; the BioCatch integration has enhanced detection of complex fraud while reducing false positives that inconvenience legitimate customers.
mysuncoast.com
· 2025-12-08
Venice, Florida residents were targeted by phone scammers impersonating police captains who claimed victims had missed jury duty or faced legal trouble, demanding payment via cryptocurrency or gift cards to resolve fabricated charges. One resident's wife was contacted with false allegations of fentanyl trafficking linked to Homeland Security, but the family recognized it as a scam when payment was demanded. Venice Police warn residents to hang up immediately on such calls and contact the non-emergency police line to verify any legal claims.
therealdeal.com
· 2025-12-08
Plano couple Sidhartha "Sammy" and Sunita Mukherjee face first-degree felony theft charges for allegedly defrauding over 100 people of more than $4 million through multiple schemes including fake real estate deals affiliated with the Dallas Housing Authority, a fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loan, and elder scams using spoofed law enforcement emails. The investigation, which began in 2023, revealed an elaborate multi-year fraud operation with one victim losing $325,000; both defendants were arrested and posted $500,000 bonds, though Sammy Mukherjee was subsequently detained by ICE. Investigators believe most of the
tillamookheadlightherald.com
· 2025-12-08
An Eastern Oregon woman lost $600,000 in life savings to a "gold bar scam" in which scammers impersonated federal agents, claimed her accounts were at risk, and convinced her to purchase gold bars for "safekeeping"; local law enforcement prevented an additional $300,000 loss after her sister reported the scheme to the Oregon Department of Justice Consumer Hotline. The scam typically involves fraudsters creating false urgency about compromised finances, instructing victims to convert assets into gold, and dispatching couriers to collect the valuables before disappearing. The Oregon DOJ warns that no legitimate government agency requests gold purchases or home visits for money collection, and urges victims to hang up
thehindu.com
· 2025-12-08
Hyderabad Police reported a 75% drop in digital arrest scams in the first half of 2025, with 34 cases compared to 140 in the same period of 2024, attributed to awareness campaigns and advisories. However, senior citizens—particularly those aged 60-80, highly educated, and living alone with children abroad—remain primary targets, as illustrated by recent cases where an 84-year-old lost ₹44 lakh and a 69-year-old lost ₹38.7 lakh after being falsely accused of money laundering and human trafficking. Police emphasize that these scams aim for psychological control and isolation, not just
windsorstar.com
· 2025-12-08
Windsor police are investigating two contractor scams targeting senior homeowners in July, in which elderly victims were driven to banks and pressured to withdraw large sums of money under false pretenses for alleged roofing and repair work. In the first incident, a woman withdrew $13,000 and attempted to withdraw another $13,000 after being driven by a suspect claiming to be Mark Bignam; in the second, a man was lured into withdrawing $10,000 (with an attempted additional $5,000 withdrawal declined) after work allegedly began on his roof. Police are seeking public assistance in identifying the suspects and determining whether the incidents are connected.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
A 42-year-old Chinese national, Zhigang Lian, was indicted for allegedly orchestrating an imposter scam that defrauded a 76-year-old Belleville, Illinois resident of over $70,000. The scheme began with a fake Apple text message, then escalated when scammers posing as federal agents convinced the victim their identity had been stolen and they needed to withdraw all their bank funds for protection; the victim handed over $25,000 on June 17 and $45,000 on July 1 before Lian's arrest by Illinois State Police. Lian faces charges of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and wire fraud, each carrying
wwnytv.com
· 2025-12-08
Senator Gillibrand raised concerns about proposed budget cuts to the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and other federal agencies responsible for protecting seniors from fraud, noting that older adults lost nearly $5 billion to scams in the previous year. She argued that reducing funding to these agencies is counterproductive at a time when artificial intelligence has made financial fraud schemes more sophisticated, and called for an examination of how such cuts would impact senior protection efforts.
the-independent.com
· 2025-12-08
In early 2025, Chinese actor Wang Xing was abducted after being lured to Thailand under false pretenses and taken to a scam operation in Myanmar, sparking widespread panic about fraud on Chinese social media; Thai police rescued him within three days after he reported being forced into training for "pig butchering" scams. Pig butchering scams, operated by organized crime groups primarily since 2019, involve criminals building trust with victims online before manipulating them into making large fraudulent investments, with victims losing billions globally—including a U.S. banker who embezzled $47 million to cover losses from such a scam, and a Connecticut woman who lost nearly $1
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-08
Jeffrey Paul Kent, a 55-year-old Alberta serial romance scammer, defrauded five women of thousands of dollars between 2016-2017 by posing as wealthy professionals, faking illnesses like brain cancer, and manipulating victims into financial and emotional relationships, with one victim left with a $300,000 debt. In June 2023, an Edmonton judge designated Kent as a dangerous offender with an indeterminate sentence, finding that his elaborate schemes caused serious psychological harm including depression, shame, and suicidal ideation; Kent's lawyer is now appealing the designation, arguing it sets an unprecedented precedent for non-violent fraud cases.
inquisitr.com
· 2025-12-08
A 52-year-old Texas man, Paul Schendel, lost over $6,000 to a sophisticated bank impersonation scam involving call spoofing and an in-person card collection scheme, and died of a heart attack the following day after learning of the fraud. The scam began with a caller impersonating his bank, followed by a woman posing as Wells Fargo security who collected his debit card at his home; the bank confirmed they do not initiate contact via phone and could not reimburse him. Similar scams targeting victims through fraudulent bank employee impersonation have increased dramatically, with other victims like Scott Merovitch losing $20,000
abc7ny.com
· 2025-12-08
A 68-year-old woman on Long Island was defrauded of $62,000 by a fortune teller who initially charged her $20,000 for services, then instructed her to withdraw an additional $42,000 from a bank. Nassau County Police arrested Hemanth Kumar Muneppa, 33, of Queens, who was charged with third-degree grand larceny, attempted grand larceny, and fortune telling violations after the victim was alerted to the scam and called police.
championnewspapers.com
· 2025-12-08
This is a community events announcement for Chino Hills, California. The most relevant item to elder fraud awareness is the Chino Hills 55+ Club's 12th anniversary meeting on July 25, which will feature a guest speaker who is an identity theft victim discussing her experiences with elder identity fraud, along with social activities and field trip planning.
lasvegassun.com
· 2025-12-08
This opinion piece advocates for the bipartisan TRAPS Act (Task Force for Recognizing and Averting Payment Scams) to combat the surge in digital fraud, which cost Americans $12.5 billion in losses across 2.6 million fraud reports last year—a 25% increase from the previous year. The author, a former law enforcement executive, argues that payment scams disproportionately target older adults through romance schemes, fake investments, and AI-generated impersonation calls, and that the current fragmented approach leaves victims bouncing between agencies without effective coordination. The proposed legislation would unite the Treasury Department, FTC, Justice Department, FCC, and financial industry leaders
kelly.senate.gov
· 2025-12-08
Arizona Senator Mark Kelly led a bipartisan Senate effort urging federal agencies to coordinate against transnational criminal networks operating "scam labor camps" in Southeast Asia and elsewhere that traffic or coerce individuals into defrauding older Americans. According to the FBI, Americans over 60 lost more than $3.4 billion to online scams in 2023—an 80% increase in two years—through tactics including tech support scams, cryptocurrency fraud, romance scams, and government impersonation. The lawmakers requested that the Secret Service, State Department, and Treasury Department enhance international law enforcement partnerships, dismantle trafficking operations, strengthen public awareness campaigns, and improve interagency coordination while reporting back by July
newsmeter.in
· 2025-12-08
Digital arrest scams in Hyderabad decreased by over 75% in the first half of 2025 (34 cases) compared to the same period in 2024 (140 cases), attributed to increased public awareness efforts. Senior citizens aged 60-80, particularly retired professionals with children abroad, remain primary targets of these scams, where fraudsters impersonate law enforcement officers and coerce victims to liquidate assets through psychological manipulation and threats of arrest. Recent cases included an 84-year-old man defrauded of Rs 44 lakh and a 69-year-old woman defrauded of Rs 38.7 lakh, with police adv
corrections1.com
· 2025-12-08
Jared Borgesto Murray, 41, of St. Petersburg, Florida, defrauded Lowe's Hardware Store of $1,260,495.89 between January 2019 and September 2020 while serving a state prison sentence for robbery, using contraband phones to impersonate customers and fraudulently purchase products on credit that he and co-conspirators then resold online. Murray used some of the proceeds to purchase materials for a home in Lake Placid, which authorities later seized along with $43,550 from his bank accounts. He was sentenced to four years and nine months in federal prison after pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud.
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
Michael Shannon Sims and Juan Carlos Reynoso were charged with wire fraud and money laundering for operating OmegaPro, a fraudulent forex trading platform that defrauded investors of over $650 million between 2019 and 2023. The scheme operated as a Ponzi scheme with pyramid scheme elements, using lavish promotional events and social media displays of wealth to lure victims with promises of up to 300% returns, while no actual trading occurred and the defendants used stolen funds for personal expenses. The scam eventually collapsed in 2023 when victims were told their accounts had been "hacked" and were directed to a non-existent successor platform, leaving them unable
koco.com
· 2025-12-08
Multiple scams are currently targeting Oklahomans, including fake bank fraud calls where scammers impersonate financial institutions to obtain personal information and conduct unauthorized wire transfers, as well as grandparent scams where callers impersonate relatives claiming to be in emergencies. To protect themselves, Oklahomans are advised to hang up on unsolicited calls, avoid sharing personal information like passwords or account numbers, independently verify emergencies by directly contacting the person or institution involved, and report suspected scams to police, banks, and the state attorney general's office.
gulfnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Dubai Police arrested a cybercrime gang that defrauded victims through fake investment and trading schemes promoted on social media and via phone calls. The gang falsely claimed to represent legitimate investment platforms, convincing victims to transfer funds to offshore accounts with promises of high quick profits. Dubai Police warns the public to verify investment offers through authorized institutions only and report suspicious activity through official channels.
northfortynews.com
· 2025-12-08
The Larimer County Sheriff's Office issued a public alert about a surge in fraud targeting Northern Colorado residents, particularly seniors and small business owners, including romance scams, bank impersonation, fake government texts (DMV, law enforcement), and business invoice schemes that pressure victims to pay via Bitcoin, gift cards, or money apps. Common red flags include unsolicited requests for personal information, urgent threats, and payment demands via untraceable methods, with victims urged to verify requests directly with official sources and report fraud to law enforcement and agencies like the FTC and IdentityTheft.gov.
indianexpress.com
· 2025-12-08
A seminar in Chandigarh organized by the Second Inning Association addressed the growing threat of digital fraud targeting senior citizens, with officials from Chandigarh Police, the Reserve Bank of India, and Bombay Stock Exchange highlighting that cybercriminals exploit ignorance, fear, and greed through phishing scams, fake investment offers, and fraudulent calls—even affecting highly educated and retired professionals. The experts recommended that financial institutions increase cyber safety education for elderly clients, staff train to detect suspicious activity, victims report crimes immediately to police (dial 112) or the cybercrime helpline (1930), and individuals practice "digital isolation" by verifying messages before responding. In one
indianexpress.com
· 2025-12-08
A seminar in Chandigarh organized by the Second Inning Association highlighted digital fraud as an escalating threat to senior citizens, with police, Reserve Bank of India, and Bombay Stock Exchange officials warning that cybercriminals use psychological manipulation, fake rewards, and impersonation to target vulnerable elderly individuals—even highly educated retirees and former bureaucrats. Experts emphasized that victims should immediately report crimes to police (dial 112) or the cybercrime helpline (1930), practice "digital isolation" by verifying messages before responding, and that financial institutions must enhance staff training and client education on cyber safety. In Chandigarh alone, cybercrimes
panewslab.com
· 2025-12-08
A cryptocurrency investment scam originating from mainland China spread to Hong Kong in 2025, affecting at least 118 victims aged 33-80 who lost approximately HK$3.2 million through a fraudulent platform called "DGCX Xinkangjia." Hong Kong police arrested four local suspects in July 2025 for organizing promotional dinners that recruited victims and collected HK$3.89 million, though most funds remain unrecovered as the fake trading platform never invested the money and used funds to maintain operations and process other victims' withdrawals. The use of USDT stablecoin for transactions has complicated investigation, fund recovery, and victim compensation efforts.
wral.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers targeted a news station twice using spoofed caller IDs displaying "Verizon Agent" to impersonate legitimate company representatives and claim fraudulent iPhone charges on the victim's account. The scam was notable for explicitly stating no personal information would be requested—an unusual tactic that makes the fraud harder to identify using standard warning signs. Verizon confirmed the calls were fraudulent, originating from spoofed numbers, and advised consumers to verify legitimate calls through official numbers, check for verified checkmarks on caller IDs, and use call-blocking tools.
mk.co.kr
· 2025-12-08
Nineteen Korean members of an international romance scam operation were arrested in Pattaya, Thailand on the 21st following a joint raid by Korean and Thai police at a pool villa complex. The organized crime ring operated from the villa using dozens of computers to execute romance scams and voice phishing schemes, with members assigned specific roles in the fraud operation. Korean authorities dispatched an investigation team to analyze the electronic devices and evidence on-site, and are coordinating with Thai officials to repatriate the suspects and develop joint countermeasures against Southeast Asia-based international organized crime.
moneycontrol.com
· 2025-12-08
This content is not an article about elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It is a website footer/consent notice for Moneycontrol, a financial news and information platform, describing cookie policies, privacy agreements, and user consent options. It does not contain relevant material for the Elderus fraud research database.
wvnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Seniors aged 60 and older face significant financial fraud threats, prompting the U.S. Department of Justice's Elder Justice Initiative to coordinate education and prevention efforts. Common scams targeting older adults include Social Security impostor scams (using caller ID spoofing to demand fund transfers to gift cards), tech support scams (requesting remote device access and fabricating charges), lottery scams (claiming foreign winnings while requesting fees), and romance scams (exploiting dating platforms to solicit money). Additional resources on these scams are available through the Justice Department's elder justice website.
amac.us
· 2025-12-08
Seniors are frequent targets of relay attacks and phishing scams, particularly those impersonating Google/Gmail. Scammers send sophisticated fake emails appearing to be from Google, using stolen logos and bypassing spam filters to trick users into clicking malicious links and entering login credentials, thereby gaining unauthorized access to Gmail accounts, Google Drive, and connected apps. To protect themselves, seniors should verify sender email addresses, avoid clicking unfamiliar links, watch for misspellings or unusual characters, independently authenticate requests for personal information, and remember that legitimate companies like Google never ask users to provide sensitive account details via email.
local10.com
· 2025-12-08
The Broward Sheriff's Office warned of a rising bank impersonation scam in which callers posing as fraud investigators trick victims into withdrawing cash or surrendering debit cards and PINs. In recent months, the Pompano Beach District received over a dozen complaints with losses totaling thousands of dollars—including one victim who lost $15,000 and another couple who suffered over $9,000 in fraudulent charges after handing over their cards. Authorities emphasized that legitimate banks never request customers to withdraw money via ride-share services or surrender debit cards to third parties, and urged residents to hang up on suspicious calls and contact their banks directly using official numbers.
wrdw.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI warned South Carolina residents of a rising government impersonation scam in which criminals spoof FBI phone numbers, including the Columbia field office's main line, and threaten victims with arrest or prosecution for missed jury duty or warrants to extort money or personal information. Scammers use follow-up calls to pressure victims into withdrawing cash and converting it to cryptocurrency at kiosks to avoid fines. The FBI advises never providing personal information to unknown callers, refusing all payment requests via gift cards or cryptocurrency, and independently verifying any calls by hanging up and contacting the local field office directly.
12news.com
· 2025-12-08
A man in Peoria was defrauded of his life savings ($27,000) after receiving a fraudulent text claiming to be from Bank of America, which prompted him to call a scammer posing as bank security. The scammer instructed him to withdraw cash and deposit it through a fraudulent Apple Wallet card linked to an ATM, exploiting a novel social engineering technique. Detective Michael Finney of the Peoria Police Department's financial crimes unit recovered approximately 90% of the funds within five months through swift action, taking advantage of the critical 72-hour window for fund recovery in fraud cases.
fox29.com
· 2025-12-08
A King of Prussia woman lost $6,430 in a jury duty scam after receiving a call from someone impersonating the Montgomery County Sheriff's Office, who threatened her with arrest and kept her on the phone for nearly three hours while directing her to wire money. The scammers spoofed legitimate county phone numbers and used official badge numbers and the sheriff's name to create false urgency, with the victim reporting she nearly realized the deception multiple times but was intimidated into completing the transaction. The Montgomery County Sheriff's Office confirmed this is a recurring scam affecting multiple victims, with at least one person losing $25,000.
afp.gov.au
· 2025-12-08
Australian authorities are cracking down on money mules who rent or sell their bank accounts to criminals for $200-$500, with the AFP and Australian Banking Association warning that this activity enables money laundering and supports organized crime. Criminals recruit mules through employment scams, romance scams, and threats, routing illicit funds through legitimate bank accounts to obscure their origin; in one case, a Sydney woman was imprisoned in April 2025 for renting 10 accounts used to launder $3.8 million. Renting or selling bank accounts is illegal and can carry life imprisonment charges, and account holders risk being implicated in serious crimes including drug trafficking, extortion, and terrorism financing.
au.finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Australians are being targeted in a growing "money mule" scheme where individuals rent out their bank accounts to criminals who use them to launder illegally obtained funds, typically earning $200-$500 plus commissions per transfer. The Australian Banking Association and Australian Federal Police reported detecting nearly 13,000 mule accounts in 2024-25, with one Sydney woman jailed in April 2024 after her 10 accounts were used to launder almost $4 million in criminal funds that were transferred overseas. Criminals recruit mules through social media, gaming platforms, and employment, threat, or romance scams, but authorities warn this activity facilitates money laundering and exposes participants
mk.co.kr
· 2025-12-08
Voice phishing and its variants—including investment fraud, romance scams, smishing (text fraud), and fake reservation scams—have become increasingly sophisticated over the past 20 years, with the "five major phishing crimes" causing 1.687 trillion won in damages last year, 3.4 times more than robbery and theft combined. Victims of phishing crimes suffer average losses of 48.75 million won per case with less than 3% recovery rates, yet many phishing variants lack legal classification as telecommunications fraud and fall outside the official response system, leaving victims without integrated support channels or adequate online resources for assistance.
bankingjournal.aba.com
· 2025-12-08
The House passed H.R. 1469, the Senior Security Act, which directs the Securities and Exchange Commission to establish a task force focused on protecting senior investors from exploitation and financial abuse. The task force will include SEC staff and outside experts to identify challenges seniors face, including cognitive decline and financial exploitation, and recommend regulatory improvements. The American Bankers Association supported the legislation as aligned with efforts to protect elderly customers from financial fraud.
rstreet.org
· 2025-12-08
The GUARD Act is a proposed federal rule that would authorize law enforcement agencies at all levels to use existing Department of Justice grant funds to investigate elder financial fraud and scams like pig butchering schemes, with support for emerging technologies, real-time intelligence sharing, and interagency coordination. The legislation addresses a critical need, as FBI data shows fraud complaints from adults over 60 increased 46 percent in 2024 to 147,127 cases, yet 78 percent of fraud victims do not report incidents to law enforcement due to shame and jurisdictional challenges that make prosecution difficult. The bill aims to combat transnational organized crime targeting elderly Americans, who face vulnerabilities including diminished digital literacy
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Three men were arrested following a six-month investigation into a fraud scheme that defrauded over 75 elderly Texans of $1.5 million across North Texas cities including McKinney, Allen, Wylie, and Frisco. Operating under business names Precision Home Pros and Krishnaraj Construction, the suspects approached victims offering to reduce utility bills, then used forged electronic signatures to create unauthorized 20-year loans ranging from $13,000 to $32,500, funneling the funds through shell companies while victims remained liable for repayment. Prakash Krishnaraj (58), Christian Bolding (31), and Eric Ell (
moodys.com
· 2025-12-08
This article provides an overview of the evolving fraud landscape, noting that the United States experienced over 59,000 fraud risk events in 2024—a 12,500 event increase over five years—while globally, an estimated $1.03 trillion is lost annually to fraud schemes including credit card fraud, romance scams, phishing, and identity theft. Businesses are implementing comprehensive fraud prevention strategies, including ongoing screening and monitoring, third-party risk management, and compliance with new regulations like the UK's "failure to prevent" fraud offence that requires senior managers to allocate reasonable budgets for fraud prevention technology and training. The article emphasizes that effective fraud prevention requires collaboration among financial institutions, adverse
vocal.media
· 2025-12-08
Romance scams cost Americans over $1.3 billion in 2022, with losses quadrupling over five years and affecting victims across all age groups, though those 50 and older account for approximately 60% of reported cases. Sarah, an Ohio woman, lost $45,000 to a romance scammer impersonating a successful oil rig worker named Marcus over three months before discovering the entire relationship was fabricated. These increasingly sophisticated, organized international schemes employ specialized teams that steal identities, build emotional connections through psychological manipulation, and exploit fundamental human needs for connection to extract money from victims.
whec.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, scammers impersonated Geek Squad (Best Buy's tech support subsidiary) more than any other company, with the FTC receiving 52,000 reports; the scam typically begins with fake invoices via email or text claiming unauthorized charges, then directs victims to remote access software (anydesk.com) to steal banking credentials and drain accounts. Red flags include non-official phone numbers, Gmail addresses, and pressure tactics claiming auto-renewal charges, and victims should report such scams to the FTC and Internet Crime Complaint Center.
freep.com
· 2025-12-08
From January through April 2025, the Federal Trade Commission received over 75,000 reports of government imposter scams, with scammers impersonating U.S. Customs and Border Protection, Social Security, Medicare, and the FTC itself to steal money via phone and text. Consumers lost approximately $204 million total, with median losses ranging from $650 overall to $12,000 for FTC impersonation scams, typically requested through gift cards, cryptocurrency, wire transfers, or banking information. Scammers exploit current concerns about immigration, drug trafficking, and tariffs by claiming intercepted packages contain drugs or threatening arrest warrants to pressure victims into immediate payment.
wfmz.com
· 2025-12-08
Pennsylvania State Police investigated a $20,000 fraud case in North Whitehall Township where elderly victims received phishing emails falsely claiming fraudulent Apple charges, then were manipulated by a scammer posing as "Thomas" into downloading remote access software and withdrawing cash that was handed to a courier using the code word "purple." The scam occurred on June 6, and police are seeking information about the unknown male courier who collected the money.
diyatvusa.com
· 2025-12-08
A New Jersey man, Pranav Patel, was sentenced to over six years in federal prison for acting as a "money mule" in a nationwide elder fraud scheme that defrauded 11 seniors across seven states of nearly $1.8 million between October and December 2023. Overseas scammers impersonated U.S. Treasury agents, convincing elderly victims they were under investigation and needed to surrender cash and gold for "safekeeping," with two Florida victims losing $170,000 and $732,000 respectively. Patel collected and transported the stolen funds and was arrested during a sting operation in December 2023; he was ordered to forfeit $1,
tampafp.com
· 2025-12-08
A multi-state fraud operation that stole $8.8 million from 235 predominantly elderly victims was dismantled, resulting in eight arrests in Polk County, Florida. The scheme involved three M&T Bank employees in Maryland who sold stolen customer data via Telegram to fraudsters, who then used the credentials to drain bank accounts and purchase luxury items. The perpetrators, including bank insiders Antonio Penn, Roshado Durrant, and others, face racketeering and related felony charges with bonds exceeding $1 million.