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Fraudsters exploit isolation and search for human contact to often devastating effect. These are steps you can take to avoid them As you have got older, retirement has left you with more time on your...

TechFlow News: On March 21, according to a report by the Hong Kong Wen Wei Po, the Cybercrime Division of the Hong Kong Police Force’s “Cyber Guardians” unit disclosed a cryptocurrency fraud case in w...

Checked for accuracy by our qualified fact-checkers and verifiers. Find out more about fact-checking at CHOICE The Banking Code of Practice confers a duty on banks to be on the lookout for s...

Gina Abercrombie (left) and Justin Teel (right) sit alongside a defense attorney during opening statements in their Fresno County elder fraud trial Monday. ABC30 screenshot A Fresno County jury heard...

New Delhi, 6th March, 2026: Bybit, the world’s second-largest cryptocurrency exchange by trading volume, today announced the results of its 2025 Security Initiative, highlighting the interception and ...

# Fraud Prevention Workshop for Seniors Iowa State University Extension is hosting a free fraud prevention workshop on March 5 aimed at protecting older adults, who are disproportionately targeted by scammers—with elder financial fraud being the most common form of elder abuse affecting over 50 million Americans aged 62 and older. The program will teach participants how to identify warning signs of common scams and learn practical strategies to protect their finances and assets. Anyone age 60+ or their caregivers can register free of charge at www.extension.iastate.edu/humansciences/stay-independent or by calling 712-792-2364.

Fraudsters are using dating apps to manipulate people into unwittingly participating in fake motor insurance claims, rather than stealing their money directly. The scammers recruit accomplices to pose as accident witnesses or injured parties in staged crashes, using the victim's identity to legitimize fraudulent claims—a tactic that often goes unreported because victims don't realize they've been exploited and feel ashamed. The UK's Insurance Fraud Bureau warns that people should be cautious about requests from dating matches to participate in accident claims or insurance matters, and report any suspicious activity to authorities.

Fraudsters are using dating apps to manipulate romantic partners into participating in fake car insurance claims, targeting people for their identity rather than their money. Victims may be persuaded to claim they witnessed accidents, were passengers in crashes, or submit false injury claims, often using scripts provided by the scammers. The Insurance Fraud Bureau warns this scam is likely underreported due to victims' embarrassment, and advises people to be cautious about requests from dating matches to participate in accident-related claims or take out insurance policies.

# Romance Fraud Scam Summary Scammers are using romance fraud tactics to manipulate dating app users into unknowingly participating in fake insurance claims by either witnessing staged car accidents or filing bogus claims themselves. While victims aren't directly losing money, they face serious consequences including being placed on fraud registers, difficulty obtaining future insurance, and damaged credit scores—plus they're technically committing fraud. People should be cautious of romantic partners who pressure them to participate in car accidents or insurance claims, and report suspicious incidents to authorities rather than staying silent out of shame.

# Fraud Prevention Program for Seniors Iowa State University Extension is hosting a free fraud prevention workshop on March 5, 2026, in Carroll to help seniors and their caregivers protect themselves from financial scams, which disproportionately target older adults—elder financial fraud is the most common form of elder abuse affecting millions of Americans age 62 and older. The program will teach participants how to identify common scams, recognize warning signs, and implement protective strategies for their finances. Interested attendees must pre-register by contacting the Carroll County Extension Office at 712-792-2364 or through the Iowa State Extension website.

# Fraud Summary An elderly retired anesthesiologist in his 80s lost over $8 million to "pig butchering" scams—a romance-based fraud where victims are gradually manipulated into sending money—after being groomed by a scammer posing as "Jessica Li" on Facebook starting in 2021. HSBC's U.S. banking arm is being sued for allegedly ignoring red flags such as large, frequent wire transfers and the customer's advanced age, even after he switched banks when his previous institution restricted his account. To protect yourself, be extremely cautious about unsolicited investment offers from online contacts, never share banking credentials or identification documents with people you've only met online, and alert your bank if you notice unusual activity on your accounts or feel pressured to make large transfers.

A woman named Tamsin fell victim to "romance fraud" when she met a charming mechanic who manipulated her through love-bombing over two years, causing her to abandon her marriage, job, home, and savings, leaving her with decades of debt to repay. The case highlights a growing problem of in-person romance scammers who target vulnerable people—particularly single mothers and divorcees—by building false trust and fabricating financial crises to extract money. To protect yourself, be cautious of rapid relationship escalation, especially if a new partner pressures you for money or loans, and verify any investment opportunities or personal emergencies through independent sources before committing financially.

Fraudsters are targeting families with children at UK independent schools by sending fake emails impersonating school bursars and requesting fee payments be sent to criminal bank accounts, with some families losing up to £10,000. Foreign students' families are particularly vulnerable because English may not be their first language, making it easier for criminals to create convincing forged documents and payment instructions. Parents should verify any fee payment requests through direct contact with the school using a known phone number, be suspicious of urgent requests or early-payment discounts, and never rely solely on email instructions for financial transfers.

# Financial Crime Summary Financial criminals frequently steal personal information like Social Security numbers and financial account details to make unauthorized purchases, open fraudulent accounts, or commit identity theft, leaving victims with serious financial and legal consequences. To protect yourself, stay informed about common scams, report suspicious activity promptly, and monitor your accounts and credit for warning signs of fraud. The Utah Attorney General's office and resources like the Stop Fraud Utah website, Division of Consumer Protection, and FBI website provide practical guidance on recognizing scams, understanding your rights, and reporting suspected fraud.

# Fitness Fraud Summary Fraudsters are exploiting January's fitness boom by creating fake gym membership deals and personal trainer websites that closely mimic legitimate businesses, tricking people into paying for nonexistent services or apps that steal their data. Those affected include gym-goers who act quickly on urgent offers without verifying legitimacy, only to discover their payments aren't honored and the business has no record of them. To protect yourself, be wary of gym deals emphasizing urgency or extreme discounts, verify the gym's official website directly, check for independent reviews, and avoid clicking links from social media ads—instead, contact the business directly through their official channels.

# Lottery Scam Conviction A man from out of state was sentenced to 10 years in prison for defrauding a 76-year-old Arkansas resident in a lottery scam scheme that promised an $11 million Jamaican lottery prize. The victim lost approximately $57,000 before law enforcement intervened during a cash exchange in May 2025, where the perpetrator attempted to hand over a briefcase containing only printer paper instead of winnings. Authorities advise elderly citizens and others to be suspicious of unsolicited lottery claims requiring upfront payments, as legitimate lotteries never ask winners to pay fees to collect winnings.

SARCOA is hosting a free Fraud Summit on January 22, 2026, in Enterprise, Alabama, designed to help seniors and their caregivers recognize and avoid financial scams and exploitation. Expert speakers from organizations like the Alabama Securities Commission and AARP will provide practical guidance on spotting common scams, protecting personal information, and accessing help resources. Seniors interested in attending should register by January 12 to secure their spot at this free event, which includes lunch.

Recent cases in Japan revealed that seniors lost ¥50-90 million through bank passbook withdrawals labeled as "living expenses" that were actually transferred to caregivers or new spouses, with bank staff failing to question the transactions or alert families. Warning signs included multiple same-day withdrawals to a single recipient and notes citing vague purposes, often enabled by the account holder's cognitive decline. Families can protect elderly relatives by regularly reviewing bank statements and withdrawal patterns, requesting banks implement dual approvals for large transfers, and establishing legal guardianship or trust arrangements that restrict unsupervised access to accounts.

An 86-year-old woman lost $700,000 to scammers who used fake security warnings to convince her to withdraw money from her banks, and she's now suing Merrill Lynch, UBS, and TD Bank for failing to stop the unusually large transactions despite her documented vulnerability to fraud. The scam is part of a broader pattern where criminals impersonate trusted institutions and law enforcement to trick people into transferring their savings. To protect yourself: never withdraw funds based on unsolicited warnings, remember that legitimate banks and government agencies will never ask you to transfer money for safekeeping, and if you're concerned about cognitive decline, consider designating a trusted family member to monitor your accounts as an early warning system.

Criminals are using AI voice-cloning technology to create realistic voicemails impersonating loved ones in distress (claiming accidents, injuries, or robberies) to trick people into sending money quickly. The scammers only need a brief audio clip—as little as three seconds from social media videos or casual phone responses—to generate convincing synthetic voices that exploit emotional urgency and bypass skepticism. To protect yourself, verify unexpected money requests through a different communication channel (call the person back directly), be suspicious of emotional appeals for quick transfers, and never send money based solely on voice messages, even if they sound authentic.

RangersAI announced two new features in its ScamRanger app to combat elder fraud and scams: Guardian Mode, which allows vulnerable users to designate trusted contacts who receive scam alerts and can provide support, and a WhatsApp Agent that delivers real-time scam detection directly within WhatsApp. The app detects over 130 scam types across SMS, email, and chat platforms, addressing a global scam crisis exceeding $1 trillion in losses annually.

Actor John Amos' daughter Shannon sued her brother Kelly Christopher Amos, former caretaker Belinda Foster, and associate Eugene Brummett for elder abuse, fraud, and wrongful death, alleging that starting around 2019, K.C. Amos systematically isolated their father, manipulated him into signing new wills and trusts that gave K.C. near-complete control of the estate, and neglected his medical needs—resulting in hospitalizations including treatment for a maggot infection. The petition claims John Amos, who died in 2024 of natural causes, was kept in unsafe conditions with improperly administered medications, and seeks to freeze the

83-year-old real estate developer Walter Bowen sued his former senior vice president Barclay Grayson for elder abuse, alleging Grayson used Bowen's signature stamp to sign personal guarantees and loan documents without authorization, and misappropriated $250,000 of a $1.1 million improvement allowance intended for condo renovations. Bowen, who hired Grayson in 2003 despite Grayson's prior prison sentence for mail fraud, fired him in July 2024 and filed suit for breach of contract, breach of fiduciary duty, and financial abuse of a vulnerable person; the complaint also implicated the

TARCOG is hosting a free Fraud and Scam Summit in Athens, Alabama to educate seniors, caregivers, and professionals about recognizing and preventing scams, which cost Americans nearly $5 billion annually. The event features experts from law enforcement and the Alabama Securities Commission discussing common fraud tactics, identity theft prevention, and reporting procedures, with particular focus on romance scams as the fastest-growing threat targeting vulnerable seniors. Attendees can register on the waiting list by contacting TARCOG at 256-830-0818, and resources will be available online for those unable to attend.

From 2014 to June 2025, cybercriminals in New Delhi defrauded residents of Rs 1,487.37 crore through increasingly sophisticated online scams targeting elderly pensioners, traders, and young adults via fake bank messages, bogus payment confirmations, and fraudulent investment platforms. Losses surged dramatically to a record Rs 817.65 crore in 2024 alone, with cybercriminals employing deepfakes, counterfeit websites, and AI-generated content to impersonate trusted institutions. While authorities have established response measures including dedicated cyber police stations and a national reporting portal, experts stress that public awareness and vigilance remain the most effective

A Durham County caregiver bonded out on charges of exploiting her client through check fraud, exemplifying a broader trend of financial abuse by caregivers targeting vulnerable adults. The article documents multiple cases including a nurse who stole a patient's identity, a caregiver who used an elderly woman's financial information to make thousands in unauthorized transactions, and a healthcare company operator sentenced to 17 years for a $500,000 Medicare fraud scheme. The AARP reports over 369,000 annual incidents of financial abuse against older adults in the U.S., with experts recommending background checks, financial monitoring, secure document storage, and requiring receipts to protect vulnerable individuals in care.

Five people in Craven County, North Carolina were formally charged with a total of 139 felonies in connection with a financial exploitation scheme targeting an elderly couple that began in November 2023, with two of the suspects serving as in-home caregivers to the victims. The charges include identity theft, forgery, larceny, fraud, and elder exploitation, with lead suspect Ashley Berry facing 90 felony counts. Police urge family members and caregivers to monitor for financial exploitation involving in-home caregivers and contact Adult Protective Services with any suspicious activity.

A 33-year-old in-home caregiver employed by Lilies of Hope Health Agency was arrested on multiple felony charges including exploitation of an elderly adult, uttering forged endorsements, and obtaining property by false pretense after the victim's daughter discovered three forged checks and missing prescription medications. The caregiver, Victoria Lowery, was taken into custody in Red Springs and later bonded out, with a court date scheduled for September. The specific dollar amounts involved in the check fraud were not disclosed in the report.

Financial elder abuse is the most common form of elder abuse in Canada, affecting approximately 10% of seniors annually, often perpetrated by trusted family members and occurring subtly over extended periods through manipulation of wills, powers of attorney, and financial documents. Protection strategies include creating clear legal documents such as powers of attorney (which can be set to activate only upon incapacity) and wills that designate trustees, potentially using professional corporate executors rather than family members to reduce the risk of abuse.

The Ocala/Marion County Mobile Integrated Senior Crisis Response Team, a collaborative effort of over 20 local agencies, was presented to Florida State Senator Darryl Rouson as an effective model for addressing non-law enforcement crises affecting seniors. The team addresses issues including elder exploitation, dementia-related wandering, hoarding, and financial fraud, while reducing excessive 911 calls and avoiding service duplication. Since its organization began in 2020 by Marion Senior Services, the team has provided unified care coordination and rapid response for seniors experiencing mental health crises, exploitation, and other supportive care needs.

**AInvest Newsletter - Financial Exploitation of Elderly Investors** Adults over 60 reported $4.885 billion in losses to financial exploitation in 2024, a 46% increase from 2023, with 147,127 complaints filed to the FBI's IC3, though actual cases are estimated to be 43 times higher than reported. Elderly investors face exploitation through two main vulnerabilities: undue influence (emotional manipulation by caregivers or advisors) and inadequate estate planning, with a 2024 NAPSA study finding 68% of exploited seniors had no prior cognitive decline but were compromised by dependency relationships. The article recomm

A woman's Instagram account was hijacked and used to advertise fake Oasis concert tickets, resulting in £1,400 stolen from her friends who believed they were purchasing genuine tickets from her. The scammers impersonated her to spread the fraud and demanded £100 to return account access, while Instagram refused to recognize the account as compromised. The incident reflects a broader trend of ticket fraud, with UK Oasis fans losing over £2 million to fraudsters by March 2025, and experts recommend using two-factor authentication to prevent similar account compromises.

The Senior Community Center of Owensboro-Daviess County hosted a free educational program on elder exploitation, abuse, and neglect awareness, prompted by a recent local case involving financial exploitation of an elderly man through pawned items, fraudulent bank transactions, and forged documents. Law enforcement and Adult Protective Services officials emphasized that scams are the most common form of elder exploitation, with growing sophistication through artificial intelligence, and stressed the importance of community vigilance and regular engagement with elderly loved ones to prevent such crimes.

The Jammu and Kashmir Police's Crime Branch registered three separate cases against fraudsters who duped job seekers of approximately Rs 1.50 crore through employment scams. The accused—including Ajay Kumar (who impersonated a Secretariat official and defrauded six victims of Rs 1.06 crore), suspended teacher Jameel Anjum (who posed as a PA to high officials and defrauded nine victims of Rs 39 lakhs, with this being his 11th FIR), and Iftikhar Ali and Nazir Ali (accused of defrauding one victim)—targeted vulnerable youth with false promises of government

**Rental Fraud Overview** Young people account for three-quarters of rental fraud cases, with approximately £9 million lost across 5,000 reported incidents last year. Scammers typically pose as landlords on low-cost listing sites and social media, offering cheap properties and requesting deposits before viewings, using tactics like fake videos and artificial urgency to pressure victims into payment. **Key Prevention Advice:** Never pay deposits without viewing the property in person, verify landlord credentials and ownership proof, scrutinize profile creation dates and multiple similar listings, and trust instincts when details seem suspicious.

In 2024, seniors aged 65 and older reported nearly $4.9 billion in losses to financial scams—a 43% increase from the previous year—with Texas seniors alone filing over 9,473 complaints averaging $489,000 in losses each. Seniors are targeted because they control significant national wealth and often struggle to keep pace with technology, making them vulnerable to romance scams, tech support scams, grandparent scams, government impersonation, and investment fraud. Family members and caregivers can help protect seniors by monitoring account activity, maintaining open communication about financial matters, and encouraging consultation before large transactions, while laws like the 2017 Elder Abuse Prevention

The Central Alabama Aging Consortium's Ombudsman Program held its annual Elder Justice Fraud and Caregiver Conference on July 17 to educate professionals and caregivers about identifying and preventing elder abuse and fraud. Over 1,200 Alabama seniors report being victims of elder fraud annually, resulting in losses exceeding $17 million per year, with 10% of seniors nationwide experiencing fraud victimization yearly. The conference featured experts in financial exploitation, elder law, and protective services who provided tools and resources for professionals to assist fraud victims and prevent future incidents.

Financial exploitation costs seniors an estimated $27 billion annually and can occur through theft by family members, caregivers, or scammers. Key prevention strategies include monitoring bank and credit accounts regularly, protecting personal financial information, carefully selecting powers of attorney, reviewing credit reports, taking time with major financial decisions, and remaining alert to common scams like grandparent fraud and fake check schemes. Additional protections include registering with the Do Not Call Registry, avoiding unsolicited deposit requests, and limiting personal information shared on social media.

The Health 2.0 Conference highlighted healthcare fraud as a rapidly growing threat targeting seniors, who are vulnerable due to complex medical needs, digital disadvantages, and social isolation that scammers exploit through fake insurance plans, Medicare billing fraud, telehealth scams, and spoofed portals. Healthcare providers, policymakers, and innovators are urged to implement intelligent systems and vigilance to detect red flags such as unexpected charges and unfamiliar providers to protect this vulnerable population.

Reality TV personality Vicki Gunvalson faces a financial elder abuse lawsuit from 74-year-old client Diane Field, who alleges that Gunvalson and her business partner at Coto Insurance and Financial Services mismanaged Field's $6 million estate by recommending unsuitable life insurance and annuity investments that cost hundreds of thousands of dollars more than promised. Gunvalson has demanded a jury trial (expected to last 7-10 days) and denies all allegations, claiming she acted with the client's consent and in her best interest. The case is ongoing.

Scammers are creating fake Facebook profiles posing as family members to share fraudulent links to virtual funeral livestreams or donation pages, charging victims £10 or requesting donations that never provide access to genuine services. The Chartered Trading Standards Institute reports this scam has circulated for two years across the UK and Ireland, targeting high-profile deaths and exploiting grieving individuals who often don't report the fraud due to embarrassment or concern for the bereaved family. Legitimate funeral directors never charge for livestreaming, and victims should verify any links directly with the funeral director or family before providing payment or personal information.

Older adults are vulnerable to financial fraud from family members and trusted individuals, not just external scammers. Experts recommend protecting against family financial abuse by establishing a trusted team to oversee finances, automating bill payments, monitoring accounts regularly, organizing legal documents (power of attorney, wills), requiring dual signatures for major transactions, and watching for red flags such as unusual financial activity, missing valuables, and unauthorized account changes.

Family members can commit financial fraud against seniors in retirement, with red flags including unusual account activity, missing valuables, suspicious signatures, and unauthorized changes to wills or powers of attorney. Experts recommend protecting yourself through estate planning, forming a trusted financial care team, automating bill payments, securing personal information, obtaining legal documents like powers of attorney and wills, and implementing dual signatures or co-trustees to prevent any single person from having complete financial control.

Vietnam veteran Leroy Theodore, Sr., a quadriplegic stroke survivor, became the subject of a guardianship dispute after St. Francis Hospital in Tulsa initiated efforts to obtain legal control of his finances and medical decisions in April 2024, despite his daughter Valerie Parks holding power of attorney and having been cleared of neglect allegations by Adult Protective Services in March. The hospital and state denied the family access to Theodore for 1.5 months while competing guardianship claims were filed in two different courts, raising concerns that Theodore's case exemplifies a growing nationwide pattern of guardianship fraud targeting vulnerable elderly patients for financial gain.

The Alabama Securities Commission reported a record 200 elder fraud cases since January, with women aged 71-90 being disproportionately affected, and identified social isolation as a key vulnerability factor that scammers exploit during periods of grief or health crises. Fraudsters use social media information and infiltrate senior groups to build trust, with exploitation ranging from online romance scams to financial abuse by family members and caregivers. The ASC recommends maintaining regular contact with seniors, adding "trusted contacts" to financial accounts, and sharing fraud awareness information to reduce vulnerability to these increasingly sophisticated schemes.

The Federal Trade Commission estimated criminals stole $61.5 billion from adults age 60 and over in 2023, with financial abuse coming from both known perpetrators like family members and strangers carrying out scams. To prevent elder financial exploitation, AARP recommends adding trusted contacts to financial accounts, freezing credit to prevent unauthorized accounts, and using robocall and text message blockers to reduce exposure to phone-based scams. Victims should report scams to local law enforcement or contact AARP's Fraud Watch Network at 1-877-908-3360.

Equity Access Group highlights financial abuse risks to seniors on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day (June 15), noting that older Americans lose an estimated $36.5 billion annually to financial scams and exploitation. The company emphasizes warning signs of financial abuse—including pressure to sign documents quickly, sudden involvement of new individuals in finances, and unexplained withdrawals—and implements protective measures such as mandatory HUD-approved counseling, staff training to identify manipulation, and personal follow-up with all reverse mortgage applicants to ensure borrower safety.

Ohio's Department of Job and Family Services and Department of Aging marked World Elder Abuse Awareness Month in June 2025, highlighting that local agencies receive over 100 adult protective services referrals daily and that one in 10 seniors nationally experience some form of elder abuse. The state provided information on recognizing warning signs of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse as well as financial exploitation and neglect, with resources including an awareness campaign and a hotline (1-855-OHIO-APS) for reporting suspected abuse.

The Federal Trade Commission estimated that criminals stole approximately $61.5 billion from adults age 60 and over in 2023, with elder financial abuse coming from both known perpetrators and stranger scams. AARP highlights preventive measures including adding trusted contacts to financial accounts, freezing credit to prevent unauthorized accounts, and using robocall/text blockers to reduce exposure to phone-based scams. The article emphasizes that these proactive steps can significantly protect older adults' financial security.

During May 2025's Older Americans Month, Georgia's Attorney General Consumer Protection Division reached over 1,300 seniors to educate them on recognizing, preventing, and reporting financial abuse and exploitation. The division highlighted common scams targeting older adults—including government imposter schemes, investment/cryptocurrency fraud, and romance scams—and provided resources such as their free "Georgia Consumer Protection Guide for Older Adults" (available in English, Spanish, and Korean) along with reporting contacts for suspected financial abuse.