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savannahbusinessjournal.com
· 2025-12-08
A Chatham County Police Department investigation resulted in the arrest of 20-year-old Pranavkumar Baria in connection with a phone fraud scheme that defrauded an elderly victim of over $500,000 through impersonation of a bank representative and false claims of account compromise. Baria convinced the victim to transfer money and precious metals, and was arrested on August 14, 2025, when he arrived at the victim's home to collect additional precious metals. Police believe there may be additional victims and urge the public to report suspected fraud without fear or embarrassment.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Jiaci Liu, a Chinese national, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for his role in a multinational fraud conspiracy targeting seniors in Southern California and Arizona. The scam involved posing as tech support specialists, bank representatives, and government officials to convince victims to withdraw cash under false pretenses; Liu personally collected over $202,000 from elderly victims in a single week in June 2023, with a 63-year-old Poway resident thwarting the scheme by reporting his suspicions to authorities before Liu could retrieve the victim's $28,000 withdrawal.
wtoc.com
· 2025-12-08
A 20-year-old man was arrested in Chatham County, Georgia, in connection with a fraud scheme that defrauded an elderly victim of over $500,000. The scam involved impersonating a bank representative over the phone, claiming the victim's account was hacked, and convincing them to transfer money and precious metals; the suspect was arrested on August 14, 2025, when he arrived at the victim's home to collect additional precious metals. Police believe there may be additional victims and urge the public to avoid providing financial information over the phone and to verify caller identity by contacting their bank directly.
fox10tv.com
· 2025-12-08
Multiple scams are circulating across the Gulf Coast region, including online gambling schemes, bank fraud, and elder theft. The report outlines warning signs to recognize and steps victims should take if targeted. An additional safety alert advises residents to check their freezers for undisclosed items.
independent.com
· 2025-12-08
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office warned of an increase in impersonation scams where fraudsters pose as officials and demand immediate payments via gift cards or wire transfers, threatening arrest for unpaid fines or tolls. The Sheriff's Office clarified that legitimate law enforcement never demands phone payments, requests gift cards, or threatens arrest over the phone, and advised victims to hang up, avoid sending money, and call the Sheriff's Office directly at (805)683-2724 to verify suspicious calls. The warning emphasized that seniors are frequently targeted by these fear-based scams and encouraged community members to share the information with vulnerable family members and neighbors.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
A man in his 60s was arrested in Seoul for littering but was found to be a fugitive wanted for a cryptocurrency scam that defrauded 1,300 people of 17.7 billion won ($13 million) over five years. Police became suspicious when he resisted the minor citation, refused to provide identification, and attempted to bribe officers, prompting them to investigate and uncover his outstanding arrest warrant for 10 fraud-related charges. The case highlights rising global cryptocurrency-related crimes, with platforms losing $2.2 billion to theft in 2024 alone.
kstp.com
· 2025-12-08
Mavious Redmond, a 54-year-old from Austin, Minnesota, was sentenced to one year and one day in federal prison for impersonating her deceased mother to fraudulently collect Social Security benefits over 25 years, netting over $360,000. Beginning in 1999, Redmond deliberately circumvented Social Security Administration reporting requirements by forging signatures, using false personal information, and impersonating her mother in phone and in-person interactions. She was also ordered to serve supervised release following her prison term for this scheme that defrauded the Social Security program and taxpayers.
newsbreak.com
· 2025-12-08
The article discusses a surge in impersonation scams targeting seniors, where scammers pose as government agencies or trusted businesses (like Amazon) to convince victims to transfer money for "protection," ultimately stealing it. The FTC reports a nearly 200% increase in reports of older Americans losing up to $10,000 since 2020, with a 400% increase in losses exceeding $100,000, and younger Americans are increasingly affected. The piece provides protective advice including being wary of money transfer requests, refusing demands for gift cards or cryptocurrency transfers, and hanging up to independently verify caller claims.
tribtoday.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers are increasingly targeting senior citizens with evolving schemes involving cryptocurrency, gift cards, and virtual currencies, often using urgent or threatening language about fines, arrests, or family emergencies to pressure victims into immediate payment. Ohio reported 16,741 financial exploitation referrals of older residents between July 2024 and June 2025, demonstrating the widespread impact of these frauds. Key prevention measures include avoiding sharing personal or financial information with unsolicited contacts, verifying requests through official phone numbers, researching businesses before sending money, and trusting instincts when offers seem suspicious.
pulse.com.gh
· 2025-12-08
Nigeria deported over 100 foreign cybercriminals (primarily Chinese and Filipino nationals) convicted of orchestrating romance and cryptocurrency investment scams that defrauded victims worldwide out of millions. The deportations, announced by Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, were part of a larger crackdown that arrested 792 suspected cybercriminals in Lagos in December, signaling the country's commitment to combating international fraud syndicates that exploit its infrastructure to target victims in North America and Europe.
adomonline.com
· 2025-12-08
Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission deported 102 foreign nationals (60 Chinese, 39 Filipino, and 3 others) convicted of cyber-terrorism and internet fraud, with additional deportations of 51 more individuals occurring since mid-August. The deportations are part of a broader crackdown on online scam operations based in Nigeria that lure victims—primarily Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, and Europeans—through romance schemes and fake cryptocurrency investment opportunities. These sophisticated fraud operations, often involving foreign criminal syndicates exploiting Nigeria's weak cybersecurity infrastructure in collaboration with local accomplices, have left victims unable to recover savings, business capital, and borrowed funds.
cryptopolitan.com
· 2025-12-08
Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) deported 102 foreign nationals (60 Chinese and 39 Filipino) convicted of cyber-terrorism and internet fraud, following their June conviction by federal high court and arrest in December 2024 after dismantling their operational base in Lagos. The deportations are part of intensified crackdowns on online scams, including fake cryptocurrency investment schemes like Crypto Bridge Exchange, which defrauded Nigerian victims of their entire savings and reportedly led to suicides. The EFCC, working with foreign criminal networks that recruit young Nigerian accomplices, continues identifying and shutting down scam hideouts while targeting victims primarily in the United States, Canada
graphic.com.gh
· 2025-12-08
Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission deported 102 foreign nationals (60 Chinese and 39 Filipinos) convicted of cyber-terrorism and internet fraud, with additional deportations of 51 more individuals ongoing. The deportations are part of a broader crackdown on online scam operations based in Nigeria that use romance schemes and fake cryptocurrency investment offers to defraud victims—primarily Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, and Europeans—out of their savings and business capital. The scams involve foreign criminal syndicates recruiting Nigerian accomplices to conduct phishing attacks and convince victims to transfer money or reveal sensitive account information.
myjoyonline.com
· 2025-12-08
Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission deported 102 foreign nationals (60 Chinese and 39 Filipinos) convicted of cyber-terrorism and internet fraud, with additional deportations of 51 more foreign nationals ongoing, following a December operation that arrested 792 suspected cybercriminals in Lagos. These foreign cybercrime syndicates, often working with Nigerian accomplices, targeted victims primarily in the United States, Canada, Mexico, and Europe through romance scams and fraudulent cryptocurrency investment schemes that deceived victims into transferring money or revealing sensitive financial information.
thestkittsnevisobserver.com
· 2025-12-08
Nigeria's Economic and Financial Crimes Commission deported 102 foreign nationals, including 50 Chinese citizens, following a major sting operation that arrested 192 foreigners suspected of running a large-scale cybercrime syndicate involving internet fraud and "cyberterrorism." The crackdown, part of Operation "Eagle Flush," targeted organized groups running romance scams, sextortion schemes, and fake cryptocurrency investment frauds, representing the second major raid on foreign cybercriminals in less than a year.
newsandsentinel.com
· 2025-12-08
Perry Forensic, a division of Perry & Associates CPAs, hired three experienced forensic professionals: Steven A. Bodge (certified fraud examiner with 30+ years of insurance fraud investigation experience), David A. Tracewell (retired IRS forensic accountant with 30 years of federal tax examination expertise), and Jeff Harper (CPA with 40+ years in financial management and consulting). Bodge will also provide free elder fraud prevention seminars in the Mid-Ohio Valley region, addressing a significant problem that cost Americans over 60 more than $4.8 billion in 2024.
11alive.com
· 2025-12-08
Georgia prison inmates, including an imprisoned rapper, were sentenced in Ohio for operating a phone scam from behind bars that impersonated law enforcement officers and targeted registered sex offenders nationwide, netting thousands of dollars before being uncovered by Ohio investigators. Marquis Conner received four years in prison and ordered to pay $9,400 in restitution; co-defendants Emmitt Wells and Johnathan Ford each received three years, while Julissa Casanas was placed on community control for processing payments. The scheme involved contraband cellphones in Georgia prisons and represents part of a larger pattern of fraud within the state's correctional system.
shu.edu
· 2025-12-08
The Department of Information Technology issued a cybersecurity alert warning of a surge in phishing scams targeting Seton Hall's community, particularly during busy academic periods like semester starts and financial aid deadlines. Common tactics include fake Google Forms mimicking university branding, cloned login pages, credential theft targeting faculty and staff whose accounts are then used to defraud students, and financial fraud redirecting legitimate payments to fraudulent accounts. Protection measures include enabling multi-factor authentication, avoiding suspicious links, being skeptical of urgent requests, never sharing passwords, and reporting suspected phishing to IT security.
ksby.com
· 2025-12-08
The Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office is alerting residents to an increase in impersonation scams where fraudsters pose as officials claiming victims owe fines, missed tolls, or face arrest, demanding immediate payment over the phone. The Sheriff's Office emphasizes it never demands payment by phone, requests gift cards, or threatens arrest for unpaid fines. Residents should hang up, avoid sharing information or sending money, and verify suspicious calls by contacting the Sheriff's Office directly at (805) 683-2724.
ajc.com
· 2025-12-08
Gloria and Gary Moss fell victim to a phone impersonation scam when fraudsters posing as Chase Bank called and convinced Gloria to transfer $50,000 from her account in February 2024. The scammers used social engineering tactics, including obtaining her one-time password and creating a false sense of urgency, to access her account and complete the wire transfer. Remarkably, Gloria recovered the full $50,000 after authorities investigated, and prosecutors successfully identified and charged a suspect—making the Mosses a rare case where a fraud victim recovered their stolen money in full.
centralnews.co.za
· 2025-12-08
DIRCO spokesperson Clayson Monyela warned South Africans against fake foreign job offers promoted on social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, which are fronts for human trafficking networks that exploit victims through forced labor and illegal schemes. The warning follows multiple documented cases where South Africans were lured abroad with promises of jobs in Myanmar, Thailand, and Cambodia, only to be trapped in cyber-scam operations or forced labor with confiscated passports; DIRCO has successfully repatriated numerous victims but others remain missing. The scam particularly targets vulnerable young people and job seekers amid South Africa's high unemployment rates, and authorities recommend verifying offers through official channels such as embassies or
townhall.com
· 2025-12-08
Jiaci Liu, a Chinese national, was sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for operating a tech support scam targeting seniors across Southern California and Arizona. Liu and his co-conspirators used pop-up windows to trick elderly victims into believing they had computer viruses, then impersonated bank representatives and government officials to convince victims to withdraw cash, stealing over $202,000 in just one week in June 2023 from victims in their 70s and 80s. One Poway, California victim lost $28,000 before becoming suspicious and alerting authorities, leading to Liu's arrest when he arrived at the victim's home to collect the money.
ainvest.com
· 2025-12-08
This article covers multiple bank fraud cases prosecuted in 2025. Former Cathay Bank manager Weixin "Tony" Chen was indicted on charges of siphoning funds from customers' home equity lines and deposit accounts across Southern California branches, facing up to 30 years per count. The article also highlights the case of Jiaci Liu, a Chinese national sentenced to 24 months in federal prison for a sophisticated elder fraud scheme where he impersonated technical support and law enforcement to extract over $202,000 from elderly victims in Southern California and Arizona, including one victim who withdrew $28,000 after believing his computer was compromised.
hayspost.com
· 2025-12-08
Scammers posing as banks, government agencies, and businesses are increasingly targeting retirees by creating fake crises around account fraud, identity theft, or computer security to pressure victims into transferring money. According to a new FTC report, reported losses from business and government impostor scams among adults 60+ have surged dramatically, with losses exceeding $100,000 increasing nearly sevenfold between 2020 and 2024, with many victims losing tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars. The FTC advises never transferring money in response to unsolicited calls or messages, verifying requests through independently confirmed contact information, and remembering that legitimate government agencies never demand immediate money transfers
pbs.org
· 2025-12-08
Sophisticated criminal networks are using stolen identities to create "ghost students" and flood U.S. community college application systems to siphon millions in financial aid. The U.S. Department of Education has identified $150 million dispersed to ineligible students, including $30 million to deceased individuals, with victims including both colleges and people whose identities were stolen to fraudulently obtain student loans. These overseas fraud rings operating from countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Vietnam target community colleges due to their open-access policies and also exploit .edu email addresses for additional fraud schemes involving discounts on software and services.
analyticsinsight.net
· 2025-12-08
A cybercriminal group called ShinyHunters breached Google's systems in June 2025, compromising nearly 2.5 billion Gmail users' contact information, business names, and notes—though passwords were not exposed. Following the breach's discovery on the dark web in August 2025, attackers launched phishing campaigns using spoofed calls, fake emails, and text messages impersonating Google to trick victims into revealing login credentials and sensitive documents. Cybersecurity experts recommend users ignore unsolicited Google communications and enable two-factor authentication to protect their accounts.
rappler.com
· 2025-12-08
Rappler is hosting "Lolo at Lola Laban Sa Scam," a free all-day educational event on September 16, 2025, in Manila to help elderly citizens and families protect themselves against digital scams through workshops and expert panels. The event addresses a growing threat: the Cybercrime Investigation and Coordinating Center received over 10,000 scam complaints in 2024 (triple the 2023 number), with older adults particularly vulnerable to emotionally manipulative fraud schemes. Participants will learn how to document scams, verify information, and improve digital safety through hands-on workshops led by government officials and fact-checking experts.
anz.com.au
· 2025-12-08
ANZ Bank has successfully prevented thousands of fraudulent payments through its Confirmation of Payee (CoP) feature, which alerts customers when payment recipient details don't match bank records; since launch, 143,303 payments were abandoned by customers, with 10,040 going to accounts flagged on the Australian Financial Crimes Exchange. The bank emphasizes that combating scams requires collaboration between financial institutions, customers, and authorities, alongside technological innovations like the Digital Padlock feature and partnerships with fraud intelligence networks. Australia's coordinated approach has contributed to a 25.9% decrease in reported scam losses in 2024 compared to 2023, demonstrating that awareness and prevention strategies are
abc.net.au
· 2025-12-08
A study by the International Justice Mission documented 493 global cases of child sextortion linked to South-East Asian scam compounds along the Thai-Myanmar border and in Cambodia, where trafficked workers are forced to blackmail victims using intimate images or AI-generated content. The research cross-referenced US cyber tip line data from 2022-2024 with known scamming hub locations, finding that criminal networks are expanding beyond romance and cryptocurrency fraud to include sextortion tactics, with minors increasingly becoming victims despite not being deliberately targeted. Survivors reported that scammers pose as attractive individuals online, capture screenshots during video calls, and use them for extortion, while some perpetrators pose as telehealth
pulse.com.gh
· 2025-12-08
This educational article outlines eight categories of federal crimes that attract FBI investigation, ranging from terrorism and espionage to cybercrime, public corruption, civil rights violations, and organized crime. The piece provides examples of each category, such as the 2013 Boston Marathon bombers' online radicalization, the 2021 Colonial Pipeline ransomware attack, and the Equifax data breach affecting 147 million Americans. The article is designed to inform readers about activities—both intentional and unintentional—that could trigger FBI scrutiny beyond commonly known offenses like terrorism or organized crime.
newsbreak.com
· 2025-12-08
Andrea Estell Cochran, a 51-year-old from Houston, was arrested and charged with federal bank fraud after using fake passports to impersonate account holders and withdraw approximately $11,000 from multiple Washington state banks in 2024, with similar attempts in Maine; she faces up to 30 years in prison and state charges across multiple Washington counties. Additionally, a VPNPro study reveals that seniors aged 60 and over across all U.S. states lost substantial sums to fraud in 2022, with per-victim losses ranging from $13,118 to $30,150 depending on the state, highlighting seniors as prime targets for scammers
dailyhodl.com
· 2025-12-08
A 26-year-old Texas woman, Audrey Michelle Townsend, was sentenced to 20 years (5 in prison, 15 on probation) after pleading guilty to theft and four counts of elder abuse for orchestrating a phishing scheme that defrauded an elderly couple of $49,000 in February 2024. Townsend impersonated a Chase Bank representative via text, tricking Gloria Moss into providing account verification information, which enabled the unauthorized transfer of funds to an account in Townsend's name; Chase ultimately reimbursed the victims after media attention and intervention by the district attorney's office.
newsbreak.com
· 2025-12-08
Andrea Estell Cochran, a 51-year-old from Houston, was arrested and charged with federal bank fraud after using forged passports to impersonate account holders and withdraw approximately $11,000 from multiple banks across Washington state and Maine in 2024. She faces up to 30 years in federal prison plus additional state charges, with a plea deal hearing scheduled for August 28, 2025.
A separate study by VPNPro found that seniors aged 60 and older across all U.S. states lost significant sums to fraud in 2022, with losses ranging from approximately $3 million to $31 million per state, highlighting the widesprea
kpq.com
· 2025-12-08
Andrea Estell Cochran, a 51-year-old from Houston, accepted a plea deal for a multi-state bank fraud scheme in which she used fake passports to impersonate account holders and withdraw thousands of dollars from banks across Washington and Maine between May and August 2024. She faces federal charges including bank fraud, identity theft, and false use of a passport, with potential sentences up to 30 years, plus additional state charges in multiple Washington counties. Her plea hearing is scheduled for August 28, with specific agreement details pending release.
viconsortium.com
· 2025-12-08
A 53-year-old woman, Andrea Hull-King, was extradited to the U.S. Virgin Islands to face charges after defrauding an elderly relative of $26,730 between October 2021 and January 2022. Hull-King unlawfully registered the victim's Banco Popular account for online access and transferred funds to her personal account using her relative's credentials. She was apprehended in Massachusetts in August 2025 on an outstanding warrant and charged with multiple offenses including grand larceny, identity theft, and financial exploitation of an elderly person.
thetimes.com
· 2025-12-08
A study of cyber-criminals in Ghana found that members of the "Sakawa Boys" romance scam network deliberately target lonely British women, with some fraudsters justifying their crimes as "reparative justice" for colonialism by claiming they are reclaiming wealth taken during British colonial rule. The scammers use social media to emotionally manipulate victims into sending money while posing as men with stable careers, and show little remorse for their actions despite the significant financial and psychological harm caused. Ghana ranks 13th globally for online fraud, and a recent Interpol-coordinated operation arrested over 1,200 cyber-criminals across 18 African countries and the UK, recovering $97.4 million
northernvirginiamag.com
· 2025-12-08
Fairfax County Police Department's Financial Crimes Unit warns that romance scams are increasing, with scammers building trust online before exploiting victims by requesting money or sensitive information. Common red flags include scammers avoiding in-person or video meetings, moving conversations to private messaging quickly, professing love without meeting, and creating urgent problems (medical, legal, financial) to solicit money. The department recommends verifying identities through reverse-image searches, keeping initial contact public, refusing all money requests, insisting on video calls, and consulting trusted friends before sending funds or information.
patch.com
· 2025-12-08
A 40-year-old Queens resident, Abba Cohen, was arrested for defrauding a Bergen County senior of $25,800 in a home improvement scam that occurred in January 2024. Cohen, who had prior similar charges, was apprehended by New York City Police in August and remains in custody awaiting extradition to New Jersey on charges of conspiracy to commit theft by deception and receiving stolen property.
roanoke.com
· 2025-12-08
Gareth West, alleged leader of a grandparent scam network operating out of Montreal, was arrested in Quebec for defrauding American seniors of approximately $30 million through a complex scheme employing dozens of people. The article also documents a specific case in which Roanoke residents Ewell and Louise Beirne lost $75,000 after clicking on a fraudulent pop-up warning about their bank account, and provides ten key fraud prevention tips including refusing urgency, verifying through official channels, avoiding irreversible payment methods, and resisting pressure to keep transactions secret.
crimefightersng.com
· 2025-12-08
Daniel Chima Inweregbu, a 40-year-old Nigerian national, pleaded guilty on August 21, 2025, to operating a romance scam that defrauded American victims of over $405,000 between July 2017 and December 2018. Inweregbu and his co-conspirators created fake dating profiles under the alias "Larry Pham" to build romantic relationships with women, then exploited their trust to extract money, which they subsequently laundered through multiple transactions. He faces up to 20 years in prison on the fraud charge and an additional 20 years on money laundering charges, with sentencing scheduled for December 4,
forbes.com
· 2025-12-08
Imposter scams cost Americans $2.95 billion annually and rank as the second most costly fraud type, with scammers commonly posing as government agencies or law enforcement to demand immediate payment or personal information. Russell Tafron Weatherspoon was convicted of operating a multistate scam (March 2022–April 2024) where he and accomplices spoofed law enforcement phone numbers to tell victims that arrest warrants had been issued, demanding bond payments; similarly, Anthony Sanders was indicted in January 2025 for a jury duty scam in which he posed as a Sarasota sheriff and extorted over $12,000 in Bitcoin from a victim by threatening
noozhawk.com
· 2025-12-08
Jonathan Tudor, a 64-year-old West Hollywood man, was arrested in July and is facing 78 criminal charges including elder theft, securities fraud, grand theft, money laundering, and forgery after defrauding 38 victims out of approximately $500,000. Tudor posed as a BMW luxury car executive and investment advisor, promising high-end vehicles and doubled investment returns that never materialized; detectives recovered over $250,000 in luxury goods from his home and found no evidence the vehicles existed. The scam victimized people across California, New York, and Washington dating back to 2023, with Tudor allegedly using funds from new victims to pay smaller returns to earlier victims in
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Debora A. Siler, 68, of East Weymouth, Massachusetts, was charged with bank fraud for stealing approximately $61,685 in Social Security benefits over five years by fraudulently accessing the account of a deceased beneficiary. From June 2015 through September 2020, Siler forged checks and made debit card withdrawals from the account after the beneficiary died in May 2015, without reporting the death to authorities. She faces up to 30 years in prison if convicted.
michigan.gov
· 2025-12-08
Tukua Young, 42, and Brandon Young, 36, of Detroit were bound over for trial on charges of filing approximately $150,000 in fraudulent disability insurance claims between 2016 and 2022, with Tukua receiving $79,058 across two insurers and Brandon receiving $70,434 from one insurer. The couple allegedly claimed to be disabled from working at a non-existent group home, while Tukua continued working despite her claims. Both face multiple felony charges including conducting a criminal enterprise, false pretenses, insurance fraud, and tax violations.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
A federal jury in Puerto Rico convicted Oluwasegun Baiyewu and four co-conspirators of money laundering involving proceeds from romance scams, pandemic relief fraud, unemployment insurance fraud, and business email compromise schemes that primarily targeted elderly and vulnerable Americans. The defendants laundered stolen funds through hundreds of transactions in 2020-2021, including purchasing used cars shipped overseas to Nigeria, with the conspiracy affecting victims across multiple states and Puerto Rico.
myfoxzone.com
· 2025-12-08
An elderly San Angelo resident lost nearly $900,000 in gold after being targeted by a sophisticated computer scam in which suspects impersonated government officials and instructed him to purchase gold bars. The arrest of suspect Muthukrishnan Palraj in August led authorities to link him to a multi-county fraud scheme totaling over $51 million in losses across Texas, with state and federal prosecutions now underway and potential deportation following any prison sentence.
hermoney.com
· 2025-12-08
Online dating scams, tech support fraud, and fake e-commerce websites represent increasingly sophisticated threats that affect people across all age groups. In 2023, online dating scams alone generated 64,003 reports with $1.14 billion in losses, with scammers using months of emotional manipulation and professionally researched personal details to build false trust before requesting money. The article provides preventative strategies including reverse image searches for dating profiles, verification of tech support legitimacy through official company websites, and use of scam-detection tools before purchasing from unfamiliar retailers.
financialpost.com
· 2025-12-08
Canadians lost $310.6 million to investment fraud in 2024, with deepfakes of celebrities and politicians used in fraudulent social media ads promising unrealistic returns. While reported cases have leveled off since 2022, experts estimate only 5-10 percent of fraud incidents are reported due to victim shame and underreporting. Younger Canadians aged 18-24 are experiencing the largest rise in reported fraud victimization, and the article advises protecting oneself through digital privacy awareness, recognizing red flags in investment ads, and reporting suspected fraud.
saharareporters.com
· 2025-12-08
Oluwasegun Baiyewu, 37, of Richmond, Texas, was convicted by a federal jury in Puerto Rico for conspiracy to launder funds from large-scale fraud schemes including romance scams, pandemic relief fraud, and business email compromise attacks that disproportionately targeted elderly and vulnerable Americans. Baiyewu and four co-conspirators routed stolen proceeds through multiple accounts to conceal their origin, then used the funds to purchase used cars shipped to Nigeria and distribute money to other co-conspirators between 2020 and 2021. The defendants will be sentenced by the District of Puerto Rico court.
cbsnews.com
· 2025-12-08
George Santiago, Jr., owner of "The Garage Door Guy" in Modesto, was arrested after investigators found he defrauded multiple customers out of approximately $42,600 by accepting payment for garage door installation and repair work that was never completed. Santiago was taken into custody on August 21 and charged with grand theft, theft by false pretenses, and weapons violations after a loaded firearm was found in his vehicle and additional guns, drugs, and paraphernalia were discovered at his home.