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in Bank Impersonation
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CNN
· 2024-02-19
A financial columnist for New York magazine fell victim to an elaborate multi-stage scam in which fraudsters impersonating Amazon, the Federal Trade Commission, and a CIA investigator convinced her to withdraw $50,000 and hand it to them in cash over the course of a five-hour phone call. The scammers exploited her vulnerability by threatening her family and creating a false sense of urgency, using isolation tactics to prevent her from seeking help or verification. She came forward with her story to highlight that scam victims span all demographics and professions, and that sophisticated scammers are skilled at identifying and exploiting individual vulnerabilities.
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FOX 5 San Diego
· 2024-02-22
A couple fell victim to a spoofing scam when scammers impersonated Chase Bank, claiming suspicious account activity and convincing them to provide access codes to their accounts. Despite the victims' attempts to verify the caller and quickly seek help at multiple bank branches, a $49,500 wire transfer was initiated before their account was frozen 4.5 hours later; the couple is now working with the FBI and lawyers to recover the funds.
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FOX31 Denver
· 2024-03-11
Scams increased 34% year-over-year leading up to tax season, with the Colorado Public Interest Research Group warning consumers to remain vigilant. Scammers are using increasingly sophisticated tactics including calls, texts, and impersonation of family members, with an 81% of Americans expressing concern about personal data misuse. Consumer protection experts advise sharing minimal personal information, ignoring unsolicited urgent money requests, and placing credit freezes with the three major credit bureaus to prevent identity theft and fraudulent account creation.
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FOX59 News
· 2024-03-12
Americans lost $10 billion to scams in 2023, a $1 billion increase from 2022, with investment scams being the costliest at $4 billion (averaging $7,000 per victim), followed by imposter scams at $2.7 billion and social media scams at $1.4 billion. The FTC is responding with increased enforcement actions, including 180 actions against telemarketers and new rules being drafted against impersonation fraud with tougher penalties. Consumers can protect themselves by guarding personal information, avoiding unsolicited links, and using unique passwords across accounts.
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The Deshbhakt
· 2024-04-02
This video essay discusses political corruption allegations in India, focusing on how the BJP appears to avoid corruption charges while opposition parties face various scams and legal actions. The video then explains the 2G spectrum scam of 2008, where the Indian government allocated mobile spectrum to companies at artificially low prices through administrative allocation rather than auction, resulting in an estimated loss of 1.76 lakh crore to the national treasury—a controversy that contributed to the fall of the UPA government and led the Supreme Court to cancel 112 spectrum licenses in 2012.
**Note:** This is a political commentary/educational piece rather than a scam affecting individual elders, so it falls outside the typical scope of
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ABC News (Australia)
· 2024-04-29
A scam text impersonating HSBC Bank led Jenny's family to lose nearly $140,000 in life savings after criminals tricked them into revealing bank details. Record numbers of scams were reported in Australia last year, with losses totaling $2.7 billion and people over 65 most heavily targeted, though authorities note some progress through improved bank coordination and action. Consumer groups argue that meaningful industry obligations and victim compensation requirements are necessary to significantly reduce ongoing losses, facing resistance from banks on the compensation issue.
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FOX59 News
· 2024-05-24
Elder fraud scams targeting seniors in Indiana have increased in sophistication, with over 1,100 victims age 60 and older reporting approximately $26 million in losses last year. Scammers are leveraging evolving technology—including AI-generated voices and deepfakes—alongside traditional techniques to make frauds more convincing, with common red flags including artificial urgency and unsolicited requests for personal information like Social Security numbers or bank account details. The FBI Indianapolis and Citizens Academy Alumni Association are hosting a free workshop on June 10th at Westfield High School to educate the public on recognizing and preventing these scams.
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FOX5 Las Vegas
· 2024-06-04
A North Las Vegas woman fell victim to a phone scam in which a caller impersonating her bank reported fraudulent charges on her account and convinced her to hand over her credit card to a courier who arrived at her door within 10 minutes. The scammer obtained thousands of dollars and demonstrated knowledge of security access codes to gain her trust. Police across the Las Vegas Valley are increasingly concerned about this evolving tactic where scammers escalate phone fraud by dispatching in-person couriers to collect victims' payment information.
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FOX23 News Tulsa
· 2024-07-10
A scam targeting seniors uses fake romantic relationships to manipulate victims into making fraudulent investments. According to cybersecurity experts, crimes against seniors increased 11% in the past year, resulting in $3.4 billion in losses, with victims averaging $34,000 lost each; scammers pose as wealthy individuals on dating sites, build trust over time, and eventually pressure victims to invest in fake schemes.
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WFMY News 2
· 2024-08-02
A recent global cyber glitch that disrupted flights and businesses served as a reminder to protect against online scams, according to money expert Jana Adams. Phishing scams—fraudulent emails with malicious links—are among the most common threats, with scammers now impersonating banks, family members, friends, social media platforms, and employers to gain access to personal information and money.
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VICE
· 2024-08-05
A Northern Irish digital marketing entrepreneur discovered that scammers had created dozens of fake profiles impersonating him across multiple social media platforms (Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Bumble, Tinder, and others) using his photos and personal information to deceive people. After investigating the fraudulent accounts, he uncovered a larger criminal enterprise operating the identity theft and catfishing scheme, which involved fabricating romantic relationships and divorce scenarios to manipulate victims.
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WENY TV NEWS
· 2024-08-07
This educational episode of The Senior Notebook Show features Stacy Pierce, a member service specialist with Corning Credit Union, discussing fraud prevention for seniors. Pierce identifies seniors over 60 as primary fraud targets because they are more likely to be home, answer phone calls, and open mail, and emphasizes that fraud affects people of all races and backgrounds without discrimination. The discussion provides awareness about who is vulnerable to scams and encourages seniors to be informed about fraud risks.
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WHNT News 19
· 2024-08-08
The Alabama Securities Commission held a Fraud and Scam Summit in Huntsville to educate seniors about common scams targeting older adults, with elder fraud reports rising 14% in 2023. A local woman, Theresa Hazard, shared her experience of losing $700 after clicking on a fraudulent Netflix phishing email and providing her credit card information, though her bank recovered the funds. The summit covered topics including cybersecurity, consumer fraud definitions, and legal implications, emphasizing the importance of seniors reporting scams to law enforcement to help authorities track perpetrators.
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ABC7 News Bay Area
· 2024-08-24
The FBI launched a "Take a Beat" awareness campaign to educate the public about common fraud and scam tactics that exploit people's emotions through urgent phone calls, texts, and emails requesting money or passwords. The campaign highlights scams such as impersonation of bank fraud departments, with one victim losing $950 after a caller claiming to be from her bank convinced her to transfer funds and disclose banking information.
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FOX 2 St. Louis
· 2024-08-29
The FBI warns that scammers are targeting older adults by posing as police, the FTC, or bank representatives and convincing them to cash out retirement accounts like 401(k)s and convert the funds into gold or bitcoin. From May to December 2023, this scheme resulted in over $55 million in losses, with scammers either claiming to hold the gold for safekeeping or pressuring victims to convert it into cryptocurrency. Authorities advise verifying any urgent financial requests by independently contacting your bank and discussing suspicious calls with trusted family members.
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WGN News
· 2024-08-31
Federal Trade Commission data shows American consumers lost over $10 billion to fraud in 2023, with digital platforms making it easier for scammers to target victims. Common scams include romance/relationship scams on Facebook where perpetrators build trust before requesting money, "pig butchering" investment schemes promising fake returns, and grandparent scams, with reported losses ranging from hundreds of thousands to millions of dollars. Protection strategies include verifying urgent requests by hanging up and calling back the person directly, avoiding quick money transfers, researching websites and investment opportunities, and reporting scams to law enforcement and platforms to help track and recover stolen funds.
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WYFF News 4
· 2024-09-09
This segment from WYFF News Four's "For the Record" series features Anderson County Sheriff Chad McBride discussing the growing scam problem affecting community members of all ages, though elderly victims are particularly targeted. The sheriff highlights multiple prevalent scam types including Facebook Marketplace deposit schemes (where sellers request $250-$1,000 deposits for vehicles that don't exist), fake jury duty calls falsely claiming to be from law enforcement demanding payment or gift cards, and other phone and internet-based fraud tactics that exploit personal information obtained from legitimate people-search websites.
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Which?
· 2024-09-15
I cannot provide an accurate summary of this article. The text appears to be a garbled or poorly OCR-scanned transcript of a consumer advice program introduction that repeatedly duplicates phrases and lacks coherent content about specific scams or fraud prevention tips. While it mentions that scams are becoming more sophisticated and references a discussion about ticket scams, the actual substantive advice or details about scams are not clearly present in the provided text. A proper summary would require a clearer, complete version of the source material.
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CBS News
· 2024-10-04
Overseas scammers defrauded a 92-year-old woman in Los Angeles of her life savings by impersonating IT experts and government officials, convincing her that her computer had been hacked and pressuring her to withdraw funds to purchase gold as a "safer investment." The scammers instructed the victim to keep the scheme secret, and despite her daughter's attempts to alert her bank (Charles Schwab) to the suspicious large transactions and wire transfers, the funds were lost. This case exemplifies a widespread epidemic affecting tens of thousands of Americans who fall victim to similar overseas fraud schemes operating through impersonation and deception tactics.
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CBS Evening News
· 2024-10-11
A 92-year-old woman in Los Angeles lost her life savings to overseas scammers who impersonated IT experts and government officials, convincing her that her computer had been hacked and pressuring her to withdraw funds to purchase gold as a "safer investment." The scam involved large wire transfers from her Charles Schwab investment account, and the perpetrators instructed her to keep the scheme secret from her family. This case exemplifies a broader epidemic of multi-million-dollar fraud targeting Americans by overseas criminals operating tech support and investment scams.
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First Alert 6
· 2024-11-21
This educational segment highlights that older adults face increased financial scam risks during the holiday season because they typically have savings, home equity, and good credit—making them attractive targets—while also experiencing social isolation and loneliness that scammers exploit. Three common holiday scams targeting seniors include charity fraud, where scammers impersonate legitimate organizations soliciting donations via calls, emails, or texts.
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KHON2 News
· 2024-12-02
Cyber Monday shoppers should beware of fraudulent websites designed to mimic legitimate retailers like Amazon and Walmart. Common holiday scams include non-delivery, non-payment, auction fraud, and gift card fraud, with thousands of victims affected annually. Experts recommend verifying website URLs, checking reviews, understanding return policies, keeping purchase screenshots, and paying with credit cards rather than debit cards for better fraud protection.
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Scripps News
· 2024-12-22
In 2024, scammers are targeting all demographics with increasingly sophisticated fraud schemes, as reported losses reached $10 billion—the highest annual total on record. The most common scams include impostor schemes, online shopping fraud, fake job opportunities, and investment scams, with 80% of investment scam victims losing money. The piece highlights how scammers exploit personal information and worst fears, noting that artificial intelligence is making these schemes even more difficult to detect and avoid.
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IRSvideos
· 2025-01-06
This is an educational webinar presented by the IRS and FTC during National Tax Security Awareness Week that covers common identity theft and tax-related scams, methods for identifying and reporting fraud, the IRS Identity Protection PIN program, and resources for protecting against identity thieves. The 75-minute presentation includes technical guidance for participants and a live Q&A session to address audience questions about fraud prevention and recovery.
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25 News KXXV
· 2025-01-06
Woodway Public Safety Department is warning residents about a rising number of scams in the community, including imposter scams where callers pose as bank representatives to steal personal information and money, bank jugging (where criminals rob people leaving banks), and Facebook Marketplace fraud involving fake items. The department notes that scam frequency is increasing, particularly during the holiday season, with AI technology making imposter scams more sophisticated and harder to detect.
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WRSP/WCCU FOX 55/27 Illinois
· 2025-03-05
A USAA bank customer lost thousands of dollars to scammers who called impersonating the bank's fraud department. The scammers used legitimate personal information and caller ID spoofing to appear authentic, claiming to warn about fraudulent charges on the victim's debit card before tricking her into giving them access to her account. The incident is part of a growing trend of similar fraud cases targeting bank customers.
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KATVchannel7
· 2025-03-05
A USAA bank customer fell victim to scammers impersonating the bank's fraud department who called claiming to warn about suspicious charges on her account. The scammers, who had obtained her personal information, manipulated her into granting them access to her account and stealing thousands of dollars. The incident is part of a growing trend of bank customers being targeted by fraudsters using spoofed caller IDs and social engineering tactics.
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60 Minutes
· 2025-03-23
This 60 Minutes segment examines why investment fraud and Ponzi schemes continue to thrive despite public awareness of high-profile cases like Bernie Madoff's multi-billion dollar fraud. The piece features expert Ricky Jay discussing how con artists exploit human psychology—including greed and excessive trust—and identifies key warning signs such as dealings with well-established figures who rely on exclusive affiliations to build credibility. The segment highlights that despite financial disasters and skepticism, investors remain vulnerable to sophisticated scams, a phenomenon regulators refer to as "ponzi-monium."
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KPAX-TV
· 2025-04-11
A Helena, Montana resident nearly fell victim to an impersonation scam when a caller posing as a sheriff's office representative threatened arrest for missed jury duty and demanded $5,000 payment. The victim avoided losing money by contacting his bank, Opportunity Bank of Montana, whose employees verified the scam and confirmed the fraudster had spoofed the sheriff's department's phone number. The transcript emphasizes common tactics scammers use—fear and urgency—and recommends pausing to verify information before responding to suspicious communications.
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FOX 2 St. Louis
· 2025-06-27
A new Better Business Bureau report examines sophisticated business scams where fraudsters impersonate vendors, access computer systems, and obtain sensitive data through breaches. The FBI reports $1.4 billion in losses from data breaches over three years, with IBM estimating average breach costs of nearly $5 million per business in 2024. The BBB recommends businesses implement multi-factor authentication, conduct cybersecurity training for employees, and establish unique passwords across all devices to protect against these increasingly complex attacks.
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FOX59 News
· 2025-08-04
Phishing scammers are increasingly using recognizable brand names—including EZPass, Microsoft, Steam, Facebook, Coinbase, Netflix, American Express, and others—to trick victims into clicking malicious links or visiting fake websites. Scammers exploit familiarity and artificial urgency to prompt impulsive action, with AI making fraudulent emails and websites look increasingly realistic; fake DMV scams saw a 700% increase in one quarter. The best defense is to never click links in unsolicited messages and instead navigate directly to official websites through your own search to verify any account issues.
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FOX59 News
· 2025-08-19
Imposter scammers are increasingly targeting seniors' life savings, with the number of older Americans reporting losses exceeding $100,000 increasing nearly sevenfold since 2020, according to FTC data. Scammers impersonating businesses and government agencies use three common tactics to create urgency and fear: claiming unauthorized account use, identity theft, or computer security problems, then instructing victims to move money to accounts they control under the guise of protection. The FTC advises never transferring money at a stranger's direction and instead hanging up and contacting trusted contacts or the agency directly to verify claims.
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WSOCTV9
· 2025-08-28
This educational piece from WSOC-TV features attorney Jason Stujeni's advice on how to discuss scam awareness with aging parents. He recommends teaching seniors to recognize red flags—including poor spelling, requests for unusual payment methods (gift cards, wire transfers), emotional manipulation, unsolicited contact from those claiming to represent banks or government agencies, and AI-enabled grandchild impersonation scams—and to avoid answering unknown contacts, clicking unfamiliar links, or sharing personal information with strangers.
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WUSA9
· 2025-09-08
DC's Attorney General filed a lawsuit against a major Bitcoin ATM operator after finding that 93% of deposits at these machines were linked to fraud, with victims having a median age of 71 and median losses of $8,000. The scam typically begins with a phone call from someone impersonating a bank, government official, or trusted company, who convinces seniors to deposit money into Bitcoin ATMs under false pretenses such as protecting their funds or assisting with a government investigation. Red flags include high-pressure tactics and artificial urgency in these calls.
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23ABC News | KERO
· 2025-09-08
A 2025 identity theft survey shows impersonation scams are on the rise, with scammers impersonating banks, law enforcement, and trusted contacts via text, calls, and emails—often using AI to target victims more precisely. Victims are increasingly sharing sensitive personal information including social security numbers, driver's license numbers, passport numbers, financial account details, and passwords, putting them at risk for financial and identity fraud. The Better Business Bureau and Identity Theft Resource Center urge consumers to be cautious about unsolicited contact and not share personal information, even if the message appears to come from someone they know.
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ABC News
· 2025-10-09
An 85-year-old woman, Fran Bates, lost tens of thousands of dollars of her life savings to a cryptocurrency scam over two days when a scammer convinced her that her bank account had been hacked and instructed her to deposit money into a Bitcoin ATM for safety. The scam was caught on camera at the ATM, where the victim deposited at least $23,000 before intervention occurred, highlighting how sophisticated criminal networks are increasingly exploiting Bitcoin ATMs—of which over 45,000 operate across the country—to defraud Americans.
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Good Morning America
· 2025-10-09
An 85-year-old woman named Fran Bates was scammed over two days by criminals who convinced her that her bank account had been hacked and persuaded her to deposit tens of thousands of dollars of her life savings into a Bitcoin ATM for "safety." This scam is part of a larger trend in which sophisticated criminal networks are increasingly exploiting the over 45,000 Bitcoin ATMs across the country to separate Americans from their money.
capecodtimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Robert Tobey, a Connecticut man with early-stage dementia, lost at least $5,000 to phone scammers between late 2018 and early 2019 who posed as friends, manipulating him into sending gift cards and money transfers and compromising his Social Security account. The article reports that scams affecting Cape Cod residents include romance scams, government impersonation schemes, sweepstakes scams, and grandchild-in-jail scams, with the National Council on Aging estimating five million older Americans lose $36.5 billion annually to fraud. Law enforcement warns that scams are constantly evolving and advise victims to hang up on suspicious calls
theweek.com
· 2025-12-08
The UK government launched the "Stop! Think Fraud" campaign to address the £6.8 billion annual cost of fraud, which accounts for 40% of crime and 3.2 million offenses in England and Wales. The campaign consolidates fraud prevention advice from multiple agencies and directs victims to support resources, while highlighting key scams including parcel delivery tricks, loan fee fraud, and authorised push payment (APP) scams that stolen £239.3 million in the first half of 2023.
collegiatetimes.com
· 2025-12-08
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.
seattletimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Charlotte Cowles, a finance advice columnist at New York Magazine, fell victim to a $50,000 scam involving fraudsters impersonating Amazon, the Federal Trade Commission, and the CIA who convinced her to withdraw money for "safekeeping" due to alleged identity theft and fraudulent accounts. The article debunks the scammers' tactics by confirming that Amazon never transfers customers to the FTC, the FTC never provides badge numbers or asks for financial information, and the CIA does not conduct domestic fraud investigations. The piece serves as an educational guide highlighting red flags and advising consumers to hang up on suspicious calls and contact companies directly through official channels.
the-sun.com
· 2025-12-08
A New York nurse, Avalon Grimes, lost over $20,000 from her Chase bank account after receiving a call from someone impersonating the bank who claimed fraud had been detected on her account. The scammer used a spoofed phone number matching her Chase card and tricked Grimes into wiring money and revealing a security code sent to her phone. Chase is working to help recover the funds and has warned customers about increasingly sophisticated scams involving voice cloning technology and impersonation of banks and government agencies.
freep.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, consumers reported losing a record $10 billion to fraud and scams—a 14% increase from 2022—according to FTC data, with 2.6 million fraud reports filed nationwide and approximately 700,000 people reporting financial losses. Common scams included romance fraud, fake bank and tech support calls, and impersonation schemes, with criminals exploiting digital payment methods including bank transfers ($1.86 billion) and cryptocurrency ($1.41 billion). Michigan consumers alone lost $151.7 million to fraud in 2023, with a median loss of $410 per victim.
baltictimes.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Approximately 350 romance scam cases were recorded in Lithuania in 2023, with victims attempting to transfer over 1 million euros to fraudsters, though banks were able to stop some transactions. Vulnerable victims included lonely individuals and those with poor digital hygiene skills, particularly elderly women seeking relationships online who were targeted by scammers impersonating military personnel. Banks report that recovery is difficult because victims often delay reporting due to shame and embarrassment, and experts recommend vigilance against money transfer requests from online contacts as a key prevention measure.
candgnews.com
· 2025-12-08
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel will host a free educational presentation on February 26 at the Madison Heights Active Adult Center to address common scams targeting senior citizens. The discussion covers imposter scams where con artists pose as relatives, utility workers, government officials, or romantic interests, often using artificial intelligence and creating false urgency to pressure victims into sending money via untraceable methods like gift cards, wire transfers, or cryptocurrency. Authorities recommend seniors verify caller identities through independent contact information, never share personal financial details without confirmation, and report suspected scams to local police or the Federal Trade Commission.
wesh.com
· 2025-12-08
Katie Little of Orlando received a call from someone impersonating an Orange County Sheriff's deputy threatening arrest, but she refused to comply with demands for a money order. However, approximately one hour later, $900 disappeared from her bank account, which Little believes the scammer obtained through voice verification used for fraudulent transfers. The Orange County Sheriff's Office warns that law enforcement and courts never demand money over the phone and advise residents to protect their personal information.
lrt.lt
· 2025-12-08
Romance scammers in Lithuania defrauded hundreds of people of over 1 million euros in a coordinated scheme targeting lonely individuals, particularly elderly women, who believed they were communicating with military officers or sailors online. Banks recorded 350 confirmed cases last year, with victims losing significant amounts across multiple financial institutions (Swedbank: 300,000 euros from 148 customers; Luminor: 380,000 euros; SEB: 154,000 euros from 45 customers). Many victims delay reporting due to shame and embarrassment, allowing fraudsters to retain stolen funds, and banks emphasize that money requests from online romantic contacts should be treated as a major warning sign.
coshoctontribune.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, consumers lost a record $10 billion to scams—$1 billion more than the previous year—with approximately 2.6 million reports filed to the FTC, including one in four people experiencing losses with a median of $500 each. The top three scam types were imposter scams ($2.7 billion in losses), investment scams (with median losses rising from $5,000 to $7,700), and social media scams ($1.4 billion total losses). Consumer protection agencies like the FTC and Ohio Attorney General's Office educate the public on recognizing scams targeting specific groups—such as older adults, college students, an
citizensadvice.org.uk
· 2025-12-08
This educational guide describes common scams affecting people in Scotland, including phishing emails and texts impersonating TV Licensing, HMRC, PayPal, banks, and Ofcom, as well as dating and romance scams. The advice emphasizes verifying sender information, avoiding clicking suspicious links, never providing personal or financial details to unsolicited contacts, and immediately contacting your bank and police (101) if details have been compromised. Key prevention strategies include checking official websites for legitimate communication, using trusted contact methods, and consulting trusted friends or relatives when suspicious of a scam.
montereyherald.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational column outlines four prevalent scams targeting seniors: elder financial abuse (where trusted individuals gain unauthorized access to finances), romance scams (where online/phone relationships lead to requests for money), tech support scams (fraudulent calls claiming computer or banking problems), and bereavement scams (scammers targeting grieving family members by posing as funeral homes). The article estimates that over 10% of U.S. elderly are victimized annually and recommends protective measures including adding trusted contacts to financial accounts, establishing estate plans, verifying unexpected calls by contacting organizations directly, and reporting fraud to law enforcement.