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At least four American tourists are facing lengthy prison sentences in Turks and Caicos after ammunition was discovered in their luggage, with one Virginia man potentially facing up to 12 years imprisonment. The Caribbean territory has strict firearms laws that impose mandatory minimum sentences of 12 years for possessing even a single bullet, and a recent court ruling requires tourists to serve prison time if convicted, eliminating the previous option of paying fines and leaving the country. Families of the detained Americans claim the ammunition was brought accidentally, but travelers are now vulnerable to severe penalties for what they describe as unintentional violations.

This article is not relevant to elder fraud research. It is an educational piece about the FBI Police force—a few hundred sworn law enforcement officers established in the late 1980s who protect FBI personnel, facilities, and information across the Eastern seaboard, particularly in Washington D.C., New York, and West Virginia. The article, published in honor of National Police Week 2024, profiles FBI Police Chief David Sutton and Officer Briana Chapman, describing their training, authority, duties, and community engagement role.

According to the FBI, financial scams targeting senior citizens are rising, with 80,000 seniors losing $3.1 billion in 2022. The Smyth County Chamber of Commerce hosted an educational event where Virginia's Attorney General and local law enforcement warned seniors about common scams (phone, computer, and mail-based) and emphasized the importance of never sharing personal or financial information unsolicited, as legitimate institutions like banks and the Social Security Administration will never request such details over the phone.

In May 2023, a 72-year-old Lynchburg, Virginia woman named Marsha Burks had over $8,000 stolen from her credit card by her in-home caregiver. The incident highlights a broader problem: Virginia reported over 2,000 complaints of elder financial fraud in 2023 with victims losing over $90 million. The case prompted the family to advocate for "Larry's Law," which took effect in the state to prevent elder financial abuse by allowing financial institutions to contact emergency contacts when fraudulent charges are suspected.

Elder fraud complaints increased 14% in 2023, with Americans losing $1.6 billion to scams nationally and Virginia residents losing $265 million, according to FBI data. Virginia reported approximately 2,700 elder fraud complaints in 2023, with investment scams being the most common type targeting seniors with regular income by exploiting their loneliness or desire to earn additional money. The FBI emphasizes that scammers are skilled manipulators who deliberately identify and exploit vulnerable elderly individuals.

A Virginia woman nearly lost $22,000 in a holiday-season scam, though the amount was ultimately not transferred after a bank questioned the suspicious withdrawal. The Central Virginia Better Business Bureau warns of prevalent phishing scams during the holidays, including fraudulent messages impersonating delivery services and the IRS that attempt to steal personal information or download malware through malicious links. The BBB advises consumers not to click suspicious links, never pay with Bitcoin or gift cards, and remember that legitimate offers that seem too good to be true probably are.

Following the deaths of two Virginia Beach police officers, the Virginia Beach Police Department is warning the public against donating to potentially fraudulent fundraisers and is urging donors to hold off on financial contributions until an official fund is established. The department is accepting food and household goods through legitimate local community advisory channels to mitigate the risk of scams during this period of community support.

The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles is warning drivers about a scam involving fraudulent text messages claiming overdue toll charges. The DMV advises recipients never to send personal information via text, avoid clicking links in unsolicited messages, and instead contact the tolling agency directly using verified phone numbers or websites to report suspicious texts.

According to the FTC, scammers stole over $150 billion from Americans two years ago, with increasing numbers of older Virginians targeted online. AARP Virginia is hosting a series of webinars to educate seniors on protecting their personal information, noting that AI tools are making scam communications more convincing by eliminating typical red flags like grammatical errors. Upcoming sessions will cover cybersecurity awareness, recognizing online scams, and current scams targeting families, with participation from the Virginia Attorney General's Office.

Chase Bank and the Charleston Police Department partnered to educate seniors about fraud and scam risks, citing that West Virginia lost over $27 million to fraud in the previous year according to the Federal Trade Commission. The initiative aims to help vulnerable populations, particularly those living paycheck-to-paycheck, avoid financial devastation that could result from having their bank accounts emptied by scammers.

Charleston Police and Chase Bank hosted a workshop to educate seniors on avoiding scams, as phone, text, and email fraud targeting this population is on the rise both nationally and locally. According to the Federal Trade Commission, West Virginians lost more than $27 million to fraud and scams in the past year, primarily from impostor schemes including EasyPass, jury duty, and romance scams. The workshop emphasized the importance of verifying communications directly with companies or agencies rather than responding to urgent-seeming messages.

Virginia ranks 11th nationally for elder fraud losses, with nearly 4,000 complaints from residents 60 and older in 2024 resulting in over $16.6 million in losses. Scammers target seniors on fixed incomes through online schemes, including convincing phishing attempts like fake tech support calls. Experts emphasize the importance of online safety awareness to protect vulnerable older adults from fraud.

Virginia Tech has experienced an influx of phishing scams targeting university email accounts, primarily using social engineering tactics rather than system vulnerabilities to trick recipients into sharing personal information, money, or clicking malicious links. While misinformation claims the scams are new or that Outlook's security is ineffective, officials report the scams have persisted for years and Outlook has strong protective tools; notably, most victims have been students rather than older individuals. University officials recommend marking suspicious emails as phishing, verifying sender addresses through official staff lists, and reporting compromised accounts immediately.

An 83-year-old Iowa woman avoided a gift card scam where a caller claimed she had won $2 million and demanded a $150 gift card to claim the prize. Iowa reported nearly 13,000 fraud cases in 2023 resulting in $42.6 million in losses, with gift card scams accounting for $228 million stolen nationally, prompting AARP and state officials to launch an 18-stop awareness tour and push for legislation requiring stores to post gift card scam warnings.

According to an AARP-West Virginia survey of over 700 residents aged 45 and older, nearly half of West Virginia adults know a family member or close friend who may have been a scam or fraud victim, with scammers increasingly using AI to manipulate vulnerable people into making quick financial decisions. The survey also found that 84 percent of state residents rely on or plan to rely on Social Security for retirement income, over 77 percent support repealing state income tax on Social Security, and one in three residents aged 45 and older have skipped prescriptions due to high drug costs. The findings are being used by AARP to inform advocacy efforts around financial security, healthcare access, and support for

Virginia's House Bill 692 passed unanimously in both chambers in February 2024, requiring financial institutions to train employees to identify and report elder financial exploitation, establish trusted contact procedures, and develop detection guidelines. The bill was championed by advocate Janine Williamson, whose uncle retired Navy Commander Larry Cook lost $3.6 million through international wire fraud scams that financial institution employees failed to detect or report, prompting her negligence lawsuit against Wells Fargo and Navy Federal Credit Union.

A Navy commander's niece is appealing the dismissal of a lawsuit seeking to hold banks responsible for transferring $3.68 million from her uncle's accounts in alleged scams, while simultaneously praising Virginia lawmakers for passing legislation to strengthen financial exploitation protections for seniors. The case highlights the need for greater bank accountability in preventing elder financial fraud.

Virginia passed legislation ("Larry's Law") to establish uniform training guidelines for banks and credit unions to better identify and report financial exploitation of elderly and vulnerable adults, inspired by the case of Navy veteran Larry Cook who lost over $3 million in an alleged wire fraud scheme involving nearly 75 overseas transfers in 2022 despite his cognitive impairment from a stroke. The measure provides legal protection to financial institutions that undergo the training and report suspected exploitation to authorities or trusted contacts, with guidelines to be developed by January 2026. This action comes amid national concern, with over 88,000 seniors reporting combined losses of $3.1 billion to elder fraud in 2022 alone.

Six members of a fraud enterprise were arrested between October 2020 and February 2021 for orchestrating business email compromise scams, romance fraud targeting vulnerable elderly victims, and fraudulent COVID-19 relief loan applications, collectively controlling over 45 bank accounts with approximately $55 million in deposits. The defendants used spoofed emails, fake online identities, and fraudulent Small Business Administration loan applications to deceive victims and divert funds to accounts they controlled. Authorities seized luxury vehicles purchased with fraud proceeds, and the defendants face prosecution in federal court by the FBI and IRS Criminal Investigations division.

This article discusses Virginia legislation (House Bill 692) designed to protect elderly and vulnerable adults from financial exploitation. The bill would allow seniors to register trusted contacts at their banks who can be alerted during financial emergencies, and requires bank staff training on identifying financial abuse. According to 2022 data, over 88,000 people aged 60+ reported losses totaling $3.1 billion to elder financial scams, with dementia patients particularly vulnerable.

Fairfax County, Virginia police warned residents about seasonal driveway-paving scams that typically emerge in spring, where unlicensed contractors solicit door-to-door, collect deposits under false urgency, and either fail to complete work or abandon jobs, leaving homeowners out money and with damaged property. The department recommends verifying contractors have valid solicitor's licenses, obtaining multiple quotes, researching businesses online, and reporting unlicensed solicitors to police.

Fairfax County, Virginia police warned residents about ongoing scam calls impersonating bank fraud departments or police officers that pressure victims into purchasing gift cards or making Bitcoin ATM deposits, with reported losses ranging from $10,000 to $31,100 per victim. Police advise hanging up suspicious calls, independently contacting financial institutions through legitimate channels, and never sharing personal information with callers claiming to represent banks or authorities.

**Summary:** Joseph Beach, a 54-year-old from Inwood, West Virginia, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for stealing $253,867.12 from his elderly father, a veteran in care facility, by misappropriating his father's disability, retirement, and Social Security benefits while serving as his fiduciary. The case was investigated by the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, and Social Security Administration, with prosecution by the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Joseph Beach, a 54-year-old West Virginia man, pleaded guilty to wire fraud after stealing $253,867.12 from his elderly father while serving as his fiduciary, misappropriating veteran's disability, retirement, and social security benefits for personal use. The victim, who resides in a veterans' care facility, was defrauded by his own son over an extended period. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office and investigated by the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, and the Social Security Administration.

Joseph Beach, 54, of Inwood, West Virginia pleaded guilty to wire fraud for misappropriating $253,867.12 in veteran's disability, retirement, and social security benefits from his elderly father while serving as his fiduciary. Beach, who was responsible for managing his father's finances while the father received care at a veterans' facility, instead used the funds for his own personal benefit. The case was prosecuted by the U.S. Attorney's Office with assistance from the Veterans Affairs Office of Inspector General, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, and Social Security Administration.

Virginia's House Bill 692, which awaits Governor Youngkin's signature, aims to combat elder financial fraud that costs seniors $3 billion annually by incentivizing banks and credit unions to train employees to identify and report financial exploitation of seniors. The bill was inspired by the case of Navy veteran Commander Larry Cook, who was scammed out of $3.6 million, and would allow at-risk seniors to maintain lists of trusted contacts at their banks while offering financial institutions liability protection if they disclose red flags of exploitation. If signed, the Virginia Bureau of Financial Institutions must establish bank training guidelines by January 2026.

U.S. prosecutors in Virginia are investigating whether Meta's social media platforms facilitated and profited from illegal drug sales, with subpoenas issued last year and the FDA assisting in the criminal grand jury probe. Meta stated that illicit drug sales violate its policies and that it actively works to remove such content and cooperates with law enforcement, while also announcing partnerships with the State Department and UN to combat synthetic drug sales online. --- **Note:** This article is not related to elder fraud or elder abuse. It concerns general drug trafficking investigations and would not typically be included in an Elderus elder fraud database unless there was a specific connection to elder victims or elder-targeted scams.

The Huntington Police Department warned residents of an ongoing phone scam in which fraudsters impersonate police officers and claim victims have outstanding warrants to extort money and personal information. One scammer posed as "Sergeant Michael DeVito," leaving voicemails about urgent legal matters to pressure victims into calling back, with similar reports emerging across West Virginia since the beginning of the year. Police emphasized that legitimate law enforcement never solicits money for warrants or requests gift cards or money orders, and urged residents to report such calls to the department.

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.

Wendy Renee Bunner, 48, of Florida pleaded guilty to money laundering for her role in defrauding a Berkeley County man with dementia alongside her husband Samuel, who previously pleaded guilty to bank fraud and aggravated identity theft. Together, the couple stole over $2.1 million from the elderly victim, using the funds to purchase homes, vehicles, campers, and consumer goods for their personal use. Wendy Bunner faces up to 10 years in prison while Samuel faces up to 30 years, with sentencing hearings scheduled for later in 2024.

A couple in West Virginia nearly fell victim to a debt consolidation scam after receiving an unsolicited call promising to negotiate with creditors and consolidate payments, but their son's investigation using the Better Business Bureau's Scam Tracker revealed numerous complaints against the company. The article also warns consumers against online shopping scams that steal financial information or send counterfeit goods, and advises shopping only at trusted retailers to ensure legitimate products and returns policies.

In 2023, Virginia residents lost over $200 million to scams according to the Federal Trade Commission. The Better Business Bureau warns that AI-generated content is making scams increasingly sophisticated and harder to detect, with scammers using AI to create fake celebrity endorsements in shopping and investment schemes. The BBB recommends verifying legitimacy through reverse image searches, checking for audio/visual irregularities, and conducting thorough research before engaging with unfamiliar offers.

Shannon and Kit Abell are retired professionals in Roanoke County, Virginia who volunteer as fraud prevention educators through the Triad program, a partnership between AARP, law enforcement, and community groups designed to reduce crime against older adults. Shannon delivered 52 fraud prevention presentations in 2023 covering scams such as romance fraud, identity theft, and grandparent scams, while the Triad program has expanded from over 200 Virginia locations at its peak to 59 chapters, with AARP and state officials working to revitalize participation. The program emphasizes peer-to-peer education and local law enforcement involvement to build community trust and help victims connect with appropriate resources.

Virginia experienced 491 tax scam victims in 2023 who lost over $12 million to government impersonation schemes, ranking the state 11th nationally. Scammers primarily target older adults by impersonating the IRS through fake websites (using .com or .net instead of .gov) to steal login credentials and redirect tax refunds within minutes, with potential access to accounts lasting years. The article features a reformed scammer who warns that verifying URLs and protecting IRS account information are critical defenses against these schemes.

A scam targeting car shoppers involves imposters impersonating local car dealers, with such virtual vehicle vendor frauds rising in frequency both locally and nationally in the Roanoke, Virginia area. The Better Business Bureau advises potential victims to watch for red flags and report suspicious activity to the BBB by phone or online.

A Fostoria, Ohio woman fell victim to a Facebook impersonation scam when hackers posed as her friend requesting her phone number under the pretense of account recovery, gaining access to her Facebook account and a linked debit card that resulted in unauthorized charges of $441 for an airline ticket to Australia and $113 to ARC. The same scammers subsequently used the same tactic to compromise accounts of her friends and family members across multiple states including Ohio, Virginia, Florida, Arizona, and Texas. Local authorities advise users to unlink payment methods from social media accounts and verify requests through independent contact methods before providing personal information.

I don't have access to the full article content. The text provided only shows the website navigation menu and header information for a WDBJ7 news article titled "AGING IN PLACE: Senior Scams" published on April 23, 2024, but the actual article body is not included. To provide an accurate summary for the Elderus database, please share the complete article text or transcript.

The Virginia Department of Transportation and FBI warned the public about a widespread "smishing" scam targeting over 2,000 people nationwide, in which fraudulent text messages claim recipients owe money for unpaid tolls and direct them to fake payment websites. The scam affects users of various toll systems including E-ZPass, NC Quick Pass, and SunPass, with messages often threatening late fees to pressure victims into clicking malicious links and providing financial information. Authorities advise recipients to verify toll balances directly through official websites, never click links in unsolicited texts, and report suspected fraud to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.

"Smishing" is a text message-based scam combining "phishing" and SMS that tricks recipients into clicking malicious links by claiming unpaid toll balances are due. The FBI issued a warning after more than 2,000 complaints across North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Illinois, though Virginia has not yet reported cases; authorities advise never clicking links in unsolicited toll-related texts and instead using official websites or calling legitimate customer service numbers to verify account status.

FBI forensic accountant Daniel Booth warns that cryptocurrency scams are increasingly prevalent in the Hampton Roads, Virginia region, representing traditional fraud schemes updated to use digital currency. Three common types include ransomware attacks on businesses (demanding crypto payments for system access), fake tech support scams targeting individuals (gaining remote access to steal financial data), and "pig butchering" schemes (fake investment websites encouraging victims to deposit money with false promises of trading gains, sometimes resulting in loss of life savings). Victims of cryptocurrency fraud are encouraged to report cases to the Internet Crime Complaint Center.

Criminals are impersonating Social Security Administration officials in phone scams, claiming victims' Social Security numbers have been suspended or offering higher monthly benefits to obtain personal information. AARP Virginia warns that scammers, who often already possess the last four digits of victims' numbers from dark web sources, are targeting people daily to steal complete Social Security numbers for fraud; imposter scams resulted in over $617 million in reported theft in 2023.

A Fredericksburg, Virginia detective has been investigating an elaborate romance scam perpetrated by Fred Lee Dick Jr., who allegedly conned at least eight women out of tens of thousands of dollars by creating fake personas (including "Dean Orion Constantine") on social media. The suspect posed as a Marine and cancer patient to build romantic relationships, gaining access to victims' credit cards and personal assets, including an $88,000 truck he never returned; DNA evidence confirmed his identity, and police currently have 40 pending warrants for his arrest as they continue to locate him.

An FBI report revealed that scammers stole over $94 million from Virginia residents over age 60 in 2023, representing a 56% increase from the prior year and moving the state into the top 10 nationally for elder fraud losses. Tech support fraud was the most commonly reported scam type, with victims over 60 losing more than all other age groups combined, some resorting to remortgaging homes and emptying retirement accounts to cover losses. The significant increase has been partially attributed to increased virtual activities and isolation following the COVID-19 pandemic, with experts noting that many cases go unreported to law enforcement.

James City County, Virginia authorities reported a rise in impersonation scams where callers falsely posed as law enforcement officers ("Deputy Shawn Anby" and "Derek Petterson") claiming victims had missed court appearances and threatening arrest warrants unless they immediately transferred funds. The scammers provided fake badge numbers and claimed affiliation with regional police and sheriff's departments in Richmond and Kent, with similar incidents reported across Virginia in January through April. Officials emphasized that legitimate law enforcement and courts never contact people by phone requesting money or personal financial information.

The Lynchburg Police Department is warning about romance scammers who manipulate victims—often lonely individuals met on dating apps and social media—into becoming "money mules" that launder proceeds from human trafficking and drug trafficking, sometimes over months or years. Victims who are exploited this way have been prosecuted as criminals in Lynchburg despite being manipulated, with charges potentially reaching felony level depending on amounts involved; last year Virginians lost $205 million to fraud overall. Police advise victims to immediately cut contact with scammers and report to local law enforcement.

A sophisticated property fraud scheme involving Jose Manuel Santiago, Rosson Dwayne Hamilton, and Vernon Lavoie resulted in multiple homes being stolen and sold without owners' knowledge across Virginia, Florida, and North Carolina. The trio created fraudulent bank accounts in homeowners' names, with Lavoie using fake IDs to impersonate owners; one home in Tampa, Florida sold for $65,000 and a U.S. Army veteran lost his house along with military memorabilia and his Jeep. Santiago received three years in prison for conspiracy to commit mail and wire fraud, Hamilton received one day, and Lavoie received two years and seven months; experts recommend homeowners obtain

**Summary:** Sunyu Qian, 31, from Fairfax, Virginia, pleaded guilty to defrauding elderly people of approximately $1.1 million through gift card scams between November 2020 and August 2023, as part of a larger criminal organization that used the cards to purchase electronics. In a separate scheme from April 2023 to March 2024, Qian used counterfeit price tags to purchase baby formula at deep discounts from retailers, defrauding them of $124,000. Qian pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit access device fraud and conspiracy to commit wire fraud, with sentencing scheduled for September 18 and a

Georgia resident Malachi Mullings received a 10-year prison sentence for laundering $4.5 million in proceeds from business email compromise (BEC) attacks targeting healthcare providers and romance scams targeting individuals, including numerous elderly victims, between 2019 and July 2021. Mullings used multiple bank accounts under his company name to conceal the fraud, purchasing luxury items including a Ferrari with stolen funds; one romance scam victim alone lost $260,000. He pleaded guilty to eight charges including money laundering and conspiracy to commit money laundering as part of a larger scheme involving nine other suspects across Georgia, South Carolina, and Virginia that defrauded state Medicaid programs

U.S. Attorney William Ihlenfeld honored 22 public servants and law enforcement officials in Ohio County, West Virginia for exceptional work in criminal investigations and community service, including recognition for outstanding efforts in drug trafficking, violent crime, human trafficking, and identity theft cases. Notable honorees included the Ohio Valley Drug Task Force and Marshall County Drug Task Force for drug investigations, and Dontuwee Boykin, J.W. Smith, and Loretta Phillips specifically recognized for outstanding elder fraud investigation work. The annual United States Attorney Awards ceremony recognized individuals who went "above and beyond the normal call of duty" in bringing criminals to justice across the Northern District of West Virginia.

This press release announces the annual U.S. Attorney Awards for the Northern District of West Virginia, recognizing 22 public servants and law enforcement officials for exceptional work in criminal investigations and community service. Among the honorees, Dontuwee Boykin (IRS-Criminal Investigations), J.W. Smith (West Virginia State Police), and Loretta Phillips received the Outstanding Elder Fraud Investigation award for their dedication to combating elder fraud in the region.