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pineandlakes.com
· 2025-12-08
The Walker office reports receiving daily scams and phishing attempts using various methods to steal personal and financial information from victims. The article highlights three specific scam types: tax season phishing emails impersonating the IRS to collect sensitive information; tech support scams using fake calls or pop-ups to trick users into paying for nonexistent computer problems; and general warnings about unsolicited communications requesting personal data. Victims have lost tens to thousands of dollars to these schemes, though many people successfully identify and report the attempts before losing money.
abc11.com
· 2025-12-08
**Article:** Backyard Leisure Customer Non-Delivery Investigation
Multiple customers of Backyard Leisure, a Raleigh-based company, paid thousands of dollars for hot tubs and spas that were never delivered despite repeated promises and false tracking updates, with payment amounts ranging from $7,000 to $20,000 and wait times extending from months to over a year. The North Carolina Attorney General's Office began reviewing the case after receiving 18 complaints, and the company subsequently claimed staffing shortages and promised to send order confirmations and obtain receipts. Some affected customers initiated credit card chargebacks to dispute their payments.
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-08
Albertans reported losing over $156 million to fraud since 2020, with losses reaching $62.5 million in 2023 alone—a fivefold increase from 2020—though experts estimate only 5-10% of incidents are reported due to victim reluctance and embarrassment. Investment scams, particularly cryptocurrency fraud, accounted for nearly 58% of 2023 losses ($35.9 million), followed by spear-phishing attacks that took $8.5 million, with technological advancements and the unregulated nature of cryptocurrency enabling fraudsters to operate across borders with relative anonymity.
wltx.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, 277 South Carolinians lost over $11 million to romance scams, though only 29 cases were reported to state authorities, indicating significant underreporting of this growing threat. Sandra Shealy exemplified the impact when she lost approximately $85,000 after developing trust with a scammer on Facebook who used fake photos, videos, and Zoom calls; she is still repaying the debt. The FBI emphasizes that romance fraud and confidence scams are increasingly common due to easier fake persona creation with AI technology and urges victims to report incidents to improve prevention efforts.
wach.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI warned South Carolina residents about escalating romance scams that target vulnerable populations, particularly elderly individuals, through social media, email, and text messaging by building trust over weeks or months before requesting money. Losses from these scams in South Carolina increased dramatically from $5 million in 2016 to $59 million in 2023, with 2024 projections exceeding that figure. The FBI advised potential victims to pause contact, consult trusted friends or family, and reconsider why they trust the person reaching out.
alaskapublic.org
· 2025-12-08
Alaska experienced a 91% surge in internet scam losses from 2022 to 2023, jumping from $16.5 million to $31.5 million—nearly double the national average increase of 21%—with seniors over 60 representing about 300 victims but accounting for over $8.7 million (more than a quarter of total losses). The FBI identified the three main fraud types affecting Alaskans as compromised business emails, investment fraud, and romance scams, while emphasizing that actual losses are likely underreported. Authorities stress prevention through strong passwords, anti-virus software, caution with virtual relationships, and reporting incidents to the FBI's Internet Crime
afr.com
· 2025-12-08
An elderly man named Alan Baldwin fell victim to a romance scam during the COVID-19 lockdown, believing he was in a relationship with someone who did not exist; police discovered the fraud months later when Detective Constable Rebecca Mason visited his Hertfordshire home in November 2020 to inform him of the deception. The article highlights how romance scams often go undetected until family members notice suspicious bank transactions, friends identify fake online profiles, or the fraudster can no longer maintain excuses for avoiding in-person meetings.
rappler.com
· 2025-12-08
Love scams on dating apps have increased since the pandemic, with perpetrators building romantic relationships with victims before requesting money. Victims report losing hundreds of thousands of pesos and being manipulated into sharing intimate photos used for blackmail, resulting in both financial and emotional harm.
ktvq.com
· 2025-12-08
Montana's Commissioner of Securities and Insurance office is conducting community education across the state to help residents identify scams and recognize vulnerable populations, particularly seniors who are targeted because they typically have more accumulated wealth. The office has identified pig-butchering schemes—a cryptocurrency-based twist on romance scams where perpetrators contact victims online and eventually solicit money or investment advice—as a rising threat in Montana. The CSI emphasizes that education and awareness of common red flags are the most effective prevention methods.
wach.com
· 2025-12-08
I appreciate you wanting me to summarize this article, but the text you've provided only contains the page layout and navigation elements from a news website, not the actual article content.
To provide an accurate summary for the Elderus database, I would need the full article text about the FBI's romance scam warning in South Carolina. Could you please share the complete article content, including the body text and details about the scam warnings?
winnipegfreepress.com
· 2025-12-08
A 61-year-old Saskatchewan farmer lost approximately $60,000 to romance scammers over the past decade, including $7,000 in the last year to someone posing as a widowed mother from Utah who promised a romantic relationship in exchange for money for her daughter's medical expenses. Romance scams target vulnerable, isolated individuals through "love bombing"—building trust and affection before requesting money—and affect people across all socioeconomic and educational backgrounds. The Winnipeg Police Service and a local matchmaker partnered to hold a public seminar warning people about these increasingly sophisticated frauds.
theatlantic.com
· 2025-12-08
Americans lost a collective $10 billion to fraud in the past year—a first-time benchmark—as scammers exploit social isolation and emotional vulnerabilities using increasingly sophisticated methods targeting romance, finances, immigration, and family emergencies. Risk factors include loneliness and secrecy rather than age alone, with research showing that 10 percent of people aged 18-29 reported being scam victims compared to 9 percent of those 65 and older, though older adults tend to lose higher dollar amounts per incident. Scammers deliberately trigger heightened emotional states to impair rational decision-making and create confidential relationships where victims feel pressured to keep conversations secret.
securitymagazine.com
· 2025-12-08
A Visa report analyzing payment fraud from June to December 2023 found that 15% of U.S. adults have been targeted by inheritance scams, where victims are deceived by fraudsters posing as law firms notifying them of inheritances from relatives and requesting upfront payments. The report also highlighted other major scam trends including "pig butchering" scams (targeting 10% of adults through fake cryptocurrency investments), humanitarian relief scams, and triangulation fraud, while noting that fraudsters increasingly use AI to enhance their attacks and that ransomware cases surged 300% compared to the previous year.
actionnews5.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece features a Google technology expert discussing how to recognize and prevent online scams during tax season, when identity theft targeting tax refunds increases. The article notes that Americans spend over 8 hours daily online and face various scam types including fear-based fraud and romance scams, with the IRS reporting the second-highest number of identity theft complaints in history last year. The expert provides guidance on identifying scams and protecting personal information.
stories.td.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, Canadian fraudsters targeted thousands of people, with the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre processing over 62,000 fraud reports affecting more than 41,000 individuals and resulting in $554 million in losses. Common scams include the "Bank Investigator" scam, where fraudsters impersonate bank officials or law enforcement to trick victims into wiring money or revealing banking credentials, and the CRA scam. To protect yourself, never provide banking information or remote device access to unsolicited callers, verify the legitimacy of calls by contacting your institution directly, and remember that financial institutions will never ask you to withdraw money or share security codes for investigations.
observerlocalnews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 19-year-old Palm Coast man was indicted in January 2025 for federal wire fraud involving over $800,000, following a separate incident in October 2024 where Flagler Schools lost $719,000 to fraudulent transfer. Elderly residents are increasingly targeted by sophisticated fraud schemes including tech support scams, investment fraud, and impersonation of government officials, with FBI data showing that victims over 60 reported $3.1 billion in losses in 2022—an 84% increase—and cryptocurrency-related losses among seniors jumping 350%. Law enforcement officials note that most cases go unsolved due to funds being transferred overseas or through multiple accounts
kpbs.org
· 2025-12-08
On March 20, 2024, the U.S. Attorney's Office presented an educational program at San Diego State University featuring Assistant U.S. Attorney Oleksandra Johnson, an elder fraud coordinator, who discussed various methods of elder financial abuse including mail, phone, computer, and in-person schemes. The presentation covered trending fraud types in Southern California such as grandparent scams, romance scams, and investment fraud, while providing information on recognizing signs of financial abuse and prevention strategies.
dallasnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Ijeoma Okoro, a 33-year-old Denton County woman, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for her role in a large romance scam operation targeting elderly victims in North Texas between 2015 and 2020, with an order to pay $2.2 million in restitution. Okoro was convicted of conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering; scammers used fake identities and online dating sites to build trust with divorced or widowed victims before requesting financial assistance. The operation involved 11 arrests in 2021, with several co-conspirators receiving lesser sentences ranging from 2 to 37 months
cbs6albany.com
· 2025-12-08
A 24-year-old woman and two 18-year-old men were charged in two separate armed robberies in the Guilderland and Troy areas, where they lured victims through dating apps and robbed them at gunpoint of cars, money, and personal items. The Better Business Bureau reports that online dating and romance scams ranked in the top 5 consumer risks in 2023, with victims losing an average of $3,600 compared to $1,400 in 2022. Police advise dating app users to watch for red flags such as fast-moving relationships, hints of financial trouble, or financial pressure, and encourage reporting suspected scams to authorities and the BBB.
techradar.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, the FBI reported that cryptocurrency scams cost victims $4.57 billion—a 38% increase from $3.31 billion in 2022—surpassing ransomware losses of $59.6 million. Romance scammers typically impersonate attractive individuals to build weeks-long relationships before convincing victims to "invest" in fake cryptocurrency platforms, displaying false gains until withdrawal attempts trigger additional "fees." The FBI acknowledged its ransomware figures likely underrepresent actual losses since they exclude business downtime costs and only count reported incidents.
yourvalley.net
· 2025-12-08
Over 100 Sun City residents attended a March 20 scam prevention seminar hosted by Chase Bank and the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, where officials reported that fraud and scams are rising nationally and particularly in retirement communities. Maricopa County Sheriff's Office Captain Brian Stutsman noted that Arizona ranked 10th nationally for fraud in 2022, with losses reaching over $10 billion in 2023, and that a nine-month period in the Sun Cities resulted in $2.7 million in losses, though actual figures are likely higher due to underreporting caused by shame and embarrassment.
the-sun.com
· 2025-12-08
A 76-year-old Georgia widow lost her life savings of approximately $78,700 in a romance scam after meeting a man claiming to be a doctor working for the Red Cross in Yemen on Facebook. The scammer, using the name Caleb, built a months-long relationship with Jennifer Dennis and convinced her to wire money toward purchasing a home in North Carolina together, but the property was already occupied and the scammer disappeared after sending a final photo claiming he had been beaten. Dennis and her son ended up homeless and sleeping in their car until receiving a camper from their church, and she now warns others about romance scam red flags.
ca.movies.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
Older adults in Modesto lost thousands of dollars to fraud in 2022, with the Federal Trade Commission reporting a 30% increase in fraud losses nationwide and 3,500 reported incidents in the county. Three prevalent scams targeting seniors locally are romance scams (exploiting social isolation), banking scams (where fraudsters pose as bank IT to gain phone access), and solar scams (linked to the unregulated PACE program). The average loss for victims age 80 and over is $1,500, more than six times the average loss for younger victims, with scammers specifically targeting vulnerable populations including the recently widowed, lonely, or isolated.
ktul.com
· 2025-12-08
Oklahoma Attorney General Gentner Drummond warned of rising Bitcoin ATM scams targeting elderly residents, where fraudsters convince victims their banks are failing and persuade them to withdraw cash and deposit it into cryptocurrency kiosks at retail locations, with funds then sent irreversibly to scammers' wallets. The advisory also outlined related crypto scams including romance scams, pig butchering, fake investment platforms, computer virus alerts, and impersonation of government agencies, urging Oklahomans never to pay anyone demanding cryptocurrency, gift cards, or wire transfers as advance payments.
kmaland.com
· 2025-12-08
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird warned residents about increased imposter scams during tax season, particularly scammers impersonating the IRS who call to solicit personal information. Bird advised against answering unknown numbers, sending payment via gift cards or cryptocurrency, and recommended contacting local law enforcement or the attorney general's office if targeted by scams involving the IRS, UPS impersonation, or romance fraud.
biometricupdate.com
· 2025-12-08
Sumsub's research found that approximately 1 in 100 users on digital platforms are involved in fraud networks, with significant variation by region (Bangladesh at 10.2 percent, U.S. and UK at 0.2 percent each). The company updated its KYC verification platform to better detect and prevent fraud rings, which range from 3 to over 750 members and pose greater risks than individual scammers, with a notable case involving dozens of crypto exchange applicants in Estonia attempting to issue multiple cards to the same address using identical fake documents.
electronicpaymentsinternational.com
· 2025-12-08
According to global verification platform Sumsub's 2023 research, approximately 1 in 100 digital platform users belonged to organized fraud networks that collectively engaged in multi-accounting, money laundering, and account takeovers. Fraud ring activity varied significantly by region, with Bangladesh (10.2%), Thailand (6.6%), and Vietnam (3.7%) showing elevated rates, while the US and UK reported only 0.2% each; detected networks ranged from 3 to over 750 coordinated members, including a case of Estonian cryptocurrency exchange applicants using identical fraudulent documents. Sumsub warns that fraud rings cause significantly greater damage than individual sc
ca.style.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
During the holiday season, cybercriminals exploit increased smartphone use and online shopping to perpetrate various scams including malicious mobile apps, SMS phishing, counterfeit gift deals, fake travel offers, malware-laden e-cards, deceptive games, and fraudulent shipping notifications. These scams aim to steal personal information, credit card details, and compromise accounts through malware downloads or social engineering tactics. Consumers are advised to download apps only from official stores, be suspicious of unrealistically low prices, verify sender information, and monitor bills for unauthorized charges.
chvnradio.com
· 2025-12-08
Southern Manitoba continues to experience widespread fraud, including bogus speeding text messages, romance scams, and impersonation scams targeting utility and tax payments, with scammers typically demanding cash, gift cards, or Bitcoin transfers. Access Credit Union reports that the most common fraud involves compromised online credentials through phishing, malware, and social engineering, though the institution uses multi-factor authentication and transaction alerts to protect members. In 2023, the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre recorded over 66,000 fraud reports totaling $554 million from 44,111 victims, with experts advising awareness during peak scam seasons like tax time.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Ijeoma Okoro, 33, from Aubrey, Texas, was sentenced to 10 years in prison and ordered to pay $2.2 million in restitution for operating romance scams targeting elderly victims through dating websites like Match.com and Zoosk. Okoro and her coconspirators posed as romantic interests, built trust with vulnerable victims (often divorced or widowed), then fabricated emergencies requiring financial assistance and requested money they promised to repay. Four additional codefendants received sentences ranging from 24 to 37 months for conspiracy to commit wire fraud and money laundering in connection with the scheme.
the-sun.com
· 2025-12-08
An 82-year-old woman and her 91-year-old husband lost $1.46 million over six months in a sophisticated scam involving fraudsters impersonating a Wells Fargo representative and U.S. Marshal who claimed their accounts were compromised and placed them in a witness protection program. The scammers isolated the couple by threatening legal consequences if they contacted family, directing them to liquidate savings into Bitcoin and gold supposedly held in a Federal Reserve account; the couple realized the fraud in October 2023 after losing contact with the scammer, and one arrest has been made in connection with the crime.
abcactionnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Online scams are growing rapidly across multiple channels (text, email, phone, social media), with cryptocurrency/investment, employment, and online purchase scams ranking as the top three types reported to the Better Business Bureau, while debt relief and romance scams are also rising significantly. Red flags include demands for upfront payment, guaranteed outcomes, and unsolicited contact from scammers who may possess personal information to appear legitimate. Experts warn that consumers should never share personal information or click unknown links, as AI technology will likely make scams increasingly difficult to detect in the future.
nvdaily.com
· 2025-12-08
Virginians lost $205 million to scammers in 2023, with 54,602 fraud reports filed to the FTC, making Virginia the 12th most defrauded state. Identity theft and imposter scams are the most common fraud types, often involving criminals stealing personal information from social media profiles to create fake accounts, impersonate victims, or execute romance scams requesting money and gifts. Law enforcement recommends making social media accounts private, avoiding profile pictures, monitoring credit scores regularly, and reporting suspected scams to local police immediately.
theregister.com
· 2025-12-08
Filipino police rescued 875 workers—including 504 foreigners from Vietnam, China, the Philippines, Rwanda, Taiwan, Indonesia, and Kyrgyzstan—from a forced labor operation disguised as an online gaming company that trafficked enslaved people to conduct romance scams. The victims were lured with false job promises, had their passports confiscated, and were forced to adopt fake identities to extract money from romance scam targets through schemes involving cryptocurrency wins and business investment promises; those who failed to meet quotas faced physical abuse, sleep deprivation, and confinement. Nine individuals were arrested and charged with anti-trafficking violations, with the operation run by Zun Yuan Technology
stories.td.com
· 2025-12-08
New Canadians face heightened vulnerability to financial fraud, with 90% of surveyed newcomers worried about becoming victims and 73% feeling particularly susceptible. Common scams targeting this population include phishing (stealing personal/financial information via fake emails or texts), job scams (fraudsters posing as employers to extract money for fake training or supplies), and romance scams, with 28% of affected new Canadians unsure how to respond if victimized. The best defense is awareness of warning signs, understanding common fraud tactics, and knowing how to report fraudulent activity.
the-sun.com
· 2025-12-08
Princo Oduro, a 34-year-old former Chase bank employee from Ohio, was sentenced to eight and a half years in prison for operating multiple fraud schemes that defrauded victims of $1.8 million. Using stolen personal information from at least five Chase customers, Oduro ran romance scams—posing as a soldier, medical patient, or precious metals dealer—and laundered stolen funds through PayPal accounts, including targeting a widow by falsely claiming her deceased husband had stored valuable artwork. He has been ordered to pay $1.8 million in restitution.
citizen.co.za
· 2025-12-08
Financial predators exploit vulnerable individuals by gaining their trust, then isolating them from friends and family before extracting money through romance scams, predatory lending, or identity theft. The three most common types are romantic predators who establish fake relationships to manipulate victims, predatory lenders who trap borrowers in debt cycles, and identity predators who steal personal information for fraud. To protect yourself, maintain strong relationships with trusted friends and family who can spot suspicious behavior, and immediately cut all communication if you suspect someone is a financial predator.
thesenior.com.au
· 2025-12-08
During October-December 2023, Australians aged 65 and over reported 16,901 scams totaling $20.49 million in losses, with investment and online dating scams being major contributors. Seniors represented 30 percent of all social media scam losses—a 57 percent increase from the previous quarter—primarily through WhatsApp (47 percent of losses), Facebook (20 percent), and online dating sites (9 percent). The report emphasizes verification of contact sources, checking business registration, and reporting scams to authorities or contacting IDCARE for support.
ntd.com
· 2025-12-08
Syretta Scherer, a 42-year-old Georgia woman, was sentenced to nearly four years in prison in March for her role in a romance scam conspiracy that defrauded at least 28 seniors across multiple states of $5.8 million between February 2018 and November 2019. The scheme involved cultivating fake online relationships through dating apps, then pressuring victims to send money for fabricated emergencies; Scherer laundered approximately $1.1 million through bank accounts created under a sham company called Precise Carriers. Multiple co-conspirators were also prosecuted, with one receiving 78 months in prison and ordered to pay over $
fox56.com
· 2025-12-08
An elderly woman in Chapman Township, Clinton County lost $4,000 to a romance scam between January and February 2024, after an online scammer posing as an Army serviceman and romantic partner convinced her to send multiple payments for promised gifts that never arrived. The Renovo Police Department is warning residents to be cautious about sending money to unknown individuals and to be skeptical of offers that seem too good to be true.
nzherald.co.nz
· 2025-12-08
Brent Carey, CEO of New Zealand's Netsafe (which receives 15,000 scam reports annually with 25% year-over-year growth), discusses the expanding fraud landscape affecting victims across all demographics. Romance scams and sextortion are particularly devastating, with sextortion complaints up 88% and primarily targeting young males who are blackmailed after sending intimate images to fraudsters posing as young women. A Netsafe and Global Anti-Scam Alliance survey found New Zealanders lost over $2 billion to scams, with the average victim losing $3,165, contrary to the misconception that only elderly people are targeted.
kwwl.com
· 2025-12-08
I cannot provide a summary of this article as requested. The content provided is a weather alert and forecast for Eastern Iowa, not an article about romance scams or elder fraud. To create an accurate summary for the Elderus database, please provide the actual article about romance scams in Eastern Iowa.
yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
**Love Scam Operation Dismantled in Philippines**
Police rescued over 800 victims from a sprawling "love scam" compound north of Manila where individuals lured with job promises had their passports confiscated and were forced to operate romance fraud schemes targeting victims worldwide. The rescued victims—432 Chinese nationals, 371 Filipinos, and 72 others—were coerced into posing as attractive singles online to build relationships with targets before convincing them to invest in fake schemes and cryptocurrencies; those failing to meet quotas faced physical abuse, sleep deprivation, and confinement. Eight suspects were arrested for human trafficking and illegal detention, an
todayonline.com
· 2025-12-08
Police in the Philippines rescued 875 people from a human trafficking and online scam operation during a raid on March 14, with eight suspects arrested. The compound north of Manila, posing as an internet gaming company, forced victims into love scams, romance scams, and cryptocurrency schemes under threat of physical harm and by confiscating their passports, affecting Chinese nationals, Filipinos, Vietnamese, and citizens from other Southeast Asian countries. This operation reflects a broader problem across Southeast Asia where crime syndicates generate billions of dollars annually by coercing workers into predatory online scams.
wgme.com
· 2025-12-08
Fraud losses among Maine seniors have surged dramatically, increasing from $2 million in 2021 to $12.7 million in 2022, with tech support scams being among the most common threats to the state's aging population. One Maine senior fell victim to a tech support imposter scam involving malicious popups claiming she had a virus, which prompted her to call a fraudulent number where scammers attempted to access her savings account information. Experts emphasize that education and awareness are critical to protecting Maine's elderly residents, who represent the nation's oldest state population and face heightened vulnerability to fraud schemes.
fox23maine.com
· 2025-12-08
Maine seniors lost $12.7 million to fraud in 2022, a dramatic increase from $2 million in 2021, according to FBI data. One victim fell prey to a tech support scam involving fake virus warning popups that prompted her to call scammers who attempted to access her savings account information. Experts emphasize that education and community awareness are critical tools in combating fraud targeting Maine's elderly population, the oldest in the nation.
bbc.com
· 2025-12-08
Police in the Philippines raided a scam centre north of Manila on Thursday and rescued 658 people (383 Filipinos, 202 Chinese, and 73 other foreign nationals) who were being forced to operate "love scams" or "pig butchering" schemes. The victims were trafficked under false job promises and coerced into posing as romantic partners online to manipulate targets into financial fraud, with the raid triggered by a tip from a Vietnamese man who escaped by climbing a wall and crossing a river, bearing signs of torture and electrocution.
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.
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.