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in Law Enforcement Impersonation
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KTLA 5
· 2024-02-18
Scammers in Southern California are impersonating LA County Sheriff's deputies to extort money from residents by claiming they have arrest warrants and threatening immediate arrest or jail time. The scammers use caller ID spoofing technology to display official law enforcement numbers, obtain personal information from public voter records and online data brokers, and pressure victims to pay bogus fines via cryptocurrency or wire transfers, with at least one victim losing $1,200 before realizing the fraud. Law enforcement warns that legitimate agencies never call to demand payment and advises residents to hang up and verify claims by contacting the actual agency directly.
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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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CityNews
· 2024-04-18
A multi-million dollar "grandparent scam" targeting Canadian seniors has been shut down after defrauding over 100 grandparents of $2.2 million. Scammers impersonated police officers, judges, lawyers, and family members, calling seniors on landlines claiming a grandchild needed bail money, exploiting their desire to help family in distress. Fourteen suspects operating from the Montreal area have been arrested and charged in a joint investigation by Ontario and Quebec police.
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CTV News
· 2024-04-18
A Canadian crime syndicate was dismantled following a multi-province investigation, resulting in the arrest of 14 suspects in the Montreal area for conducting grandparent scams that defrauded seniors of at least $2.2 million. The organized criminals contacted seniors via landlines, impersonating police officers, judges, lawyers, and family members to convince victims that grandchildren needed emergency financial help, ultimately victimizing 126 people across Canada, including 15 who were scammed multiple times.
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10 Tampa Bay News
· 2024-05-06
According to an FBI report, Florida seniors over age 60 lost more than $290 million to fraud in 2023, ranking the state second worst in the nation, with scams targeting this age group increasing 11% from 2022 and averaging nearly $34,000 per victim. The most common fraud schemes include investment scams, fake tech support, online romance scams, and law enforcement impersonation schemes, with many cases going unreported due to victim shame.
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WFLA News Channel 8
· 2024-05-09
Bradenton police are intensifying efforts to combat financial fraud targeting elderly residents, with citizens losing over $2.5 million to financial crimes in the past year. Scammers from across the country use intimidation tactics and various schemes—including Bitcoin fraud—to frighten victims into surrendering their life savings, with police chief Melanie Bevon pledging increased resources to combat the victimization.
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FOX NASHVILLE
· 2024-05-11
In Tennessee, 1,577 seniors over age 60 lost a combined $43 million to fraud in one year, according to the FBI. A retired insurance salesman fell victim to a sophisticated impersonation scam where fraudsters posing as Amazon and Social Security Administration officials convinced him his identity had been compromised and involved in money laundering. Remarkably, this victim recovered his stolen money—an extremely rare outcome in elder fraud cases.
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FOX 13 Tampa Bay
· 2024-05-15
An 80-year-old veteran in Braton lost $1.5 million in a multi-state scam involving impersonators posing as federal agents who claimed to need his help with a Social Security fraud sting operation. Over the course of a month, the scammers convinced him to transfer his retirement funds into gold bars and conduct organized drop-offs at multiple locations, ultimately leading to the arrest of one woman allegedly connected to the operation. Police report this is a trending scheme affecting multiple states and have launched a new unit to combat elder fraud.
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India Today
· 2024-07-15
**Not applicable for Elderus database.**
This article discusses copyright disclaimers and their legal effectiveness in entertainment and media contexts. It does not address elder fraud, scams, elder abuse, or related financial crimes affecting older adults. This content falls outside the scope of the Elderus elder fraud research database.
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Central Florida Public Media
· 2024-07-19
Volusia County Sheriff's Office partnered with a free community screening of the film "Thelma"—which depicts a 93-year-old grandmother being scammed—to raise awareness about elder fraud, which costs older Americans billions of dollars annually and significantly affects Central Florida seniors. Law enforcement officers provided prevention advice to attendees, emphasizing strategies such as not answering unknown phone numbers, ignoring unfamiliar text messages, and contacting police or trusted neighbors when uncertain.
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Arizona’s Family (3TV / CBS 5)
· 2024-07-24
A Gilbert woman received a phone call from a scammer impersonating law enforcement who claimed she missed jury duty and demanded $5,000 or threatened jail time, using official-sounding language and arrest warrant numbers to appear credible. She nearly complied but became suspicious when instructed to send money via Coinstar, so she hung up and contacted the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, which confirmed it was a scam. County officials remind the public that legitimate jury duty notices arrive by mail and law enforcement will never call demanding payment.
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NBC4 Washington
· 2024-08-13
Scammers impersonating law enforcement are targeting seniors in Montgomery County and the DC area, convincing them to convert large sums of money into gold bars and surrender them for "safekeeping." Authorities have charged four men in connection with these scams, which have affected approximately 20 victims ranging from 61 to 94 years old, with losses totaling millions of dollars and a single largest loss of $2.3 million.
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WWLTV
· 2024-08-21
A 76-year-old woman from Lafourche Parish was defrauded of approximately $30,000 after clicking a "read more" link on a Facebook post about Hollywood actors, which triggered a fake security warning. A scammer impersonating Microsoft security convinced her that hackers had compromised her computer and bank accounts, instructing her to withdraw cash and deposit it into a cryptocurrency ATM while keeping the call secret. The victim is now warning others about the scam after losing her money to the fraudsters.
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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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FOX8 WGHP
· 2024-09-03
An elderly woman in Asheboro was defrauded of $25,000 after scammers used fear tactics and impersonation of law enforcement to manipulate her into withdrawing cash and purchasing gift cards. The suspect met the victim at a gas station to collect a large cash withdrawal before fleeing in a white van, and Detective Marcus Pierce is actively investigating the case while advocating for awareness of common red flags like requests for gift card payments.
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WDHN
· 2024-09-04
An elderly woman in Houston County lost $20,000 to an email scam in which she received a fake invoice notification and was tricked into believing she would receive a larger refund. After contacting the scammers via a phone number in the email, the victim withdrew money from her bank and transferred it via Bitcoin to an offshore account, making recovery nearly impossible. The Houston County Sheriff's Office warned residents to independently verify unexpected billing notices and contact authorities if they suspect fraud.
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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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Dare County
· 2024-09-09
The Dare County Sheriff's Office presented an educational overview of common scams affecting their community, including an explanation of "pig butchering" scams that operate through dating apps. In this scam type, perpetrators use VPNs to hide their location, create fake glamorous personas, and systematically contact potential victims through dating platforms with the goal of manipulating them into financial schemes. The presentation aims to help community members recognize and avoid falling victim to these increasingly sophisticated fraud tactics.
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KXAN
· 2024-09-20
An elderly Austin woman lost thousands of dollars in a warrant scam when a caller impersonating a sheriff's department official claimed she had missed jury duty and faced arrest, instructing her to withdraw cash and convert it to Bitcoin at an ATM. The FBI reports that Texans over age 60 collectively lost billions of dollars to elder fraud schemes last year, with scammers continuing to demand additional payments after initial contact.
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ABC7 News Bay Area
· 2024-09-25
Police report that business email compromise scams are stealing tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars from victims, including a San Jose case where a suspect posed as a business employee to reroute a $500,000 wire transfer to a personal account. Pennsylvania resident Ala Torres was identified as the primary suspect in that case, with most funds recovered and an arrest warrant issued as police investigate other victims. Law enforcement advises that this growing fraud scheme operates both locally and nationally with multiple perpetrators, many of them international.
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CBC News
· 2024-10-22
Montreal police reported a resurgence of scams targeting seniors involving gold and jewelry in the North End. One scheme involved a couple with a child offering gold or jewelry deals, defrauding a victim of $1,000, while an 87-year-old woman was approached by a woman in an SUV who distracted her with conversation before stealing her gold chain containing a cherished photo of her deceased son.
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WWLTV
· 2024-11-03
Lafourche Parish authorities reported a record number of cryptocurrency ATM scams, with over 160 residents defrauded of nearly $1.6 million in a single year. Scammers impersonated law enforcement officers, falsely claiming victims had active fines or warrants, then pressured them to withdraw cash and deposit it into cryptocurrency ATMs. Sheriff Craig Weber emphasized that legitimate government agencies never accept cryptocurrency as payment and urged residents to report suspected scams to his office.
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WREG News Channel 3
· 2024-11-13
Three Nigerian men in their 40s were sentenced to federal prison for orchestrating romance and investment scams that targeted victims across America from 2017 to 2021, including a Western Tennessee resident who lost $400,000. The perpetrators used fake identities on social media and dating sites, posing as romantic partners and repeatedly requesting emergency financial assistance from victims. Law enforcement urges scam victims to report incidents to police, as victims of romance scams often face additional risks including identity theft when they unknowingly share personal information with fraudsters.
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News 19 WLTX
· 2024-11-19
During the holiday season, scammers increase their fraudulent activities by posing as charities, delivery services, and government agencies to prey on people's generosity and inattention. Common tactics include using localized phone numbers and names of trusted community figures, along with fake offers, urgent payment demands, and prize promises to trick victims into revealing personal information or money. South Carolina residents should be aware of prevalent scams including purchase fraud, warrant scams, lottery/sweepstakes schemes, tech support scams, debt collection fraud, service repair scams, job scams, subscription fraud, loan scams, and warranty scams.
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WCHS Eyewitness News
· 2024-12-01
Scammers are impersonating county sheriff's office staff and calling victims about missed jury duty, claiming a warrant exists for their arrest and demanding payment of a fine. The scam uses spoofed local phone numbers, real deputy names, and personal information to appear legitimate, though red flags include requests for case information before appearing in court and pressure to pay fines immediately. Victims are advised to recognize that legitimate jury duty notifications do not include advance case packets or fine demands via phone calls.
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KTVQ News
· 2024-12-14
A Billings man who works in cybersecurity received a phone call impersonating the Yellowstone County Sheriff's Department claiming he had missed jury duty and owed $3,000 in fines, with threats of immediate arrest if he hung up. The victim contacted the actual sheriff's office before paying and learned it was a scam; the Yellowstone County Courthouse reports receiving several such jury duty scam calls monthly.
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KHON2 News
· 2024-12-18
The Better Business Bureau identified 12 common holiday scams, with misleading social media ads and imposter websites being the most prevalent. The list includes phishing emails, fake charities, puppy scams, unsafe holiday apps, and counterfeit product sales. To protect themselves, consumers should avoid interacting with unsolicited messages, only shop from trusted businesses, verify website authenticity, report scams to the BBB and financial institutions, and contact local law enforcement if money is lost.
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FOX 2 St. Louis
· 2024-12-20
Local police departments in Bridgeton and Kirkwood issued warnings about an evolving "brushing scam" that combines unsolicited package shipments with QR codes included in the packaging. In brushing scams, online sellers ship random products to real addresses and post fake positive reviews to boost sales, but this new variation includes QR codes that, when scanned, may direct recipients to malicious websites designed to steal personal and financial information. Authorities advise consumers to avoid scanning QR codes on unsolicited packages, monitor credit annually, and exercise caution with any unexpected shipments requesting online engagement.
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WXYZ-TV Detroit | Channel 7
· 2025-01-08
Jury duty phone scams are increasing across Oakland County, Michigan, with scammers impersonating law enforcement and claiming victims owe money for missed jury duty to frighten them into paying. A Birmingham resident nearly fell for the scam after receiving a realistic voicemail from a local number with prompts mimicking the sheriff's department, though the Oakland County Sheriff's Department warns the public to recognize these calls as fraudulent schemes.
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Channel 3000 / News 3 Now
· 2025-01-27
A scam targeting parents of University of Wisconsin-Madison students involved fraudsters impersonating UWPD officers, calling at night (between 2-3 a.m.) and claiming their child had been detained, demanding money for release. Madison Police Department received at least three reports of the scam calls, which used real officer names to appear credible, exploiting the fear and disorientation of parents awakened in the middle of the night.
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WHNT News 19
· 2025-02-04
The Huntsville Police Department warned of a dating app scam where criminals pose as government investigators and claim victims face arrest warrants, then pressure them to pay money to avoid prosecution. Police documented two cases of this scam and advise potential victims to hang up, independently verify any claims by calling local police directly, and never pay money to resolve alleged warrants.
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WTNH News8
· 2025-02-04
The FBI and DEA are investigating a widespread impersonation scam targeting healthcare professionals, pharmacists, and veterinarians in Connecticut, with victims losing hundreds of thousands of dollars in some cases. Scammers impersonate federal agents (DEA, FBI) and state/local police to steal money and personal information from licensed professionals by using partial information to build credibility and extract additional details. The agencies are raising public awareness as criminals operate from boiler rooms conducting research on specific targets to refine their fraudulent schemes.
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midday india
· 2025-02-06
A 78-year-old retired bank manager in Mumbai lost 2.3 lakh rupees (approximately $2,760 USD) to a digital arrest scam in which fraudsters impersonated police officers, falsely claiming he was involved in an illegal hawala case and under house arrest. The victim was instructed to transfer money via RTGS to "verify" his bank details; once the funds were sent, the scammers became unresponsive. Digital arrest scams have been increasing in India, with victims pressured to make immediate payments under the threat of legal action.
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PBS NewsHour
· 2025-02-16
Online romance scams target victims across all demographics through psychological manipulation, with perpetrators using fake profiles to convince people to invest money, often via cryptocurrency. Investigative reporter Cezary Podkul notes that victims have lost billions of dollars annually, with some individuals losing over $1 million, and that many scam operations are run by Chinese cybercriminal gangs that recruit trafficked individuals. To protect oneself, people should watch for red flags like unsolicited contact offering investments, seek second opinions from trusted friends, and report suspected scams immediately to local police, the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center, and the U.S. Secret Service to aid law enforcement in tracing funds and identifying additional
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KVUE
· 2025-02-17
During tax season, two prevalent scams target taxpayers: IRS impersonators and "ghost tax preparers" who prepare returns but refuse to sign them, leaving clients liable for any errors. To protect yourself, verify that tax preparers have a valid Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) through IRS.gov before hiring them, research their credentials on the Better Business Bureau website, and be wary of illegally discounted fees or preparers who take a percentage of your refund.
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NBC Bay Area
· 2025-02-21
Scammers are increasingly targeting undocumented immigrants by exploiting fears around immigration enforcement and deportation. Victims report losing thousands of dollars to fraudsters posing as immigration attorneys or ICE agents who demand payment for paperwork help or personal information, with scammers even spoofing official ICE phone numbers. Immigration attorneys and law enforcement warn vulnerable immigrant communities to be alert, as ICE does not initiate contact by phone or demand money.
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FOX 47 News
· 2025-02-26
Tax season scams are prevalent, with fraudsters impersonating tax preparers and the IRS to steal personal information and money through threats of legal trouble or false promises of refunds. To protect yourself, verify that tax preparers are legitimate, never provide personal information to unsolicited callers or emails, and remember that the IRS communicates through certified mail only, never by phone or email.
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KRIS 6 News
· 2025-03-18
The Kingsville Police Department is investigating an insurance fraud scam targeting elderly residents, where a woman in her 20s posed as an insurance agent attempting to collect payments. The suspect has targeted at least six elderly neighbors, though police believe additional victims may come forward; one 61-year-old resident avoided being scammed after his legitimate insurance agent had previously warned him about the scheme, and he alerted police with video evidence from his doorbell camera.
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CBC News
· 2025-03-21
Three prominent online fraud fighters—Jim Browning, Kitboga, and Pleasant Green—collaborated to infiltrate and disrupt scammer call centers targeting North American victims. Through real-time interception, they successfully prevented multiple fraud attempts including one targeting a woman threatened with legal trouble, coordinating with banks and law enforcement to protect victims from losing thousands of dollars. The operation demonstrated tactics used by scammers and highlighted how these vigilantes have collectively disrupted hundreds of scam centers and prevented hundreds of thousands of dollars in losses over nearly a decade.
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WFSU Public Media
· 2025-03-26
Florida residents, particularly seniors, are experiencing widespread scam calls and text messages, including toll balance fraud and unsolicited calls from unknown numbers. According to board-certified elder law attorney Jana McConna, vulnerable seniors—especially those who are isolated, lonely, recently widowed, or experiencing memory issues—are actively being targeted, with scammers exploiting emotional vulnerability and cognitive decline to financially manipulate victims. McConna emphasizes that isolation and loneliness are key risk factors that make seniors susceptible to fraud schemes.
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WFRV Local 5
· 2025-04-06
The Fond du Lac County Sheriff's Office received multiple complaints about a jury duty scam in which callers used caller ID spoofing to impersonate the sheriff's office and threatened victims with fines or jail time for allegedly missing jury duty. The sheriff's office clarified that they never solicit personal or financial information by phone, and warned that any call demanding money is likely a scam.
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NBC10 Boston
· 2025-04-08
The FBI warns of a widespread scam targeting iPhone and Android users in which scammers impersonate law enforcement officials via text messages and voicemails to demand money or personal information under the pretense of a supposed offense. Consumers should be alert to fraudulent messages impersonating legitimate organizations like USPS, banks, and utility providers, which use urgent language and suspicious links to trick recipients into providing personal or financial information.
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CNA Insider
· 2025-04-19
Chinese exchange students studying abroad have become targets of a "cyber kidnapping" scam in which scammers send fake images of tied-up or injured victims to families and demand ransom payments—sometimes exceeding $1 million—while threatening to harm or sell the student's organs. The scam uses internet-based psychological manipulation rather than physical abduction, and has affected multiple Chinese international students globally, including cases like 17-year-old Kai Chuang who went missing in Utah in December 2023. Law enforcement warns that these crimes are difficult to prevent or resolve, as scammers operate with little accountability and families face impossible decisions when unable to verify their loved one's actual location or safety
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KENS 5: Your San Antonio News Source
· 2025-05-10
This article describes a violent crime and criminal sentencing case, not elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It does not fit the scope of the Elderus elder fraud research database and should not be summarized for this resource.
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CTV News
· 2025-06-21
This article does not contain information about a taxi scam or elder fraud. The content describes a vehicle theft incident in Toronto where a delivery driver's car was stolen by a man and woman on June 17, 2025, resulting in the driver being injured. Suspect Francis Lavois, 29, was arrested and charged with hit and run causing injury, dangerous driving, and motor vehicle theft, while his 26-year-old accomplice was released and scheduled to appear in court in August 2025.
**Note:** The article title references a taxi scam with $500K stolen, but that content does not appear in the provided text.
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LEX18
· 2025-06-30
A Lexington woman narrowly avoided a jury duty scam in June when a caller impersonating a county sheriff's deputy contacted her claiming she had failed to appear for jury duty. The scammer used sophisticated tactics including a real deputy's name, local area code, actual county address, and the victim's personal information to establish credibility, though he never requested payment and instead asked her to come to the sheriff's office in person. The woman's skepticism and decision to verify the claim prevented her from becoming a victim of what could have escalated to financial loss or worse.
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Eyewitness News ABC7NY
· 2025-07-18
Text message scams impersonating the New York State Department of Motor Vehicles are increasing, threatening recipients with driver's license revocation or prosecution unless they pay outstanding fees. Red flags include checking the sender's phone number country code (the example showed +63 from the Philippines, when legitimate DMV messages would come from domestic numbers) and avoiding clicking suspicious links that request payment or personal information. Recipients should delete such messages rather than engage with them, as the links may contain malware or be designed to steal credit card and personal data.
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News 19 WLTX
· 2025-07-21
**Summary:**
The FBI is warning the public about a rise in government impersonation scams in which callers using spoofed phone numbers impersonating the FBI inform victims they have missed jury duty or have an arrest warrant, then demand payment to avoid arrest. The FBI reminds the public that it never demands payment over the phone or requests personal or financial information, and victims should hang up and contact their local FBI office directly if they receive such calls.
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Al Jazeera English
· 2025-07-24
**Cyber Kidnapping Scams Target Chinese International Students**
Chinese international students worldwide are falling victim to "cyber kidnapping" scams where fraudsters impersonate authorities and coerce victims into staging fake abductions to extract ransom payments from their families, with demands reaching $1 million. A notable case involved 17-year-old exchange student Kai Wang, who went missing in Utah in December 2023 after being targeted by scammers threatening violence. Victims experience significant financial losses and psychological trauma from these sophisticated schemes that exploit their trust in authority figures.
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KTVN 2 News Nevada
· 2025-07-28
The Lyon County Sheriff's Office is warning of a rising trend in phone and identity scams targeting senior citizens, including scams impersonating law enforcement, government agencies, and family members in distress. Officials recommend that seniors stop and consult with trusted family members or official sources when encountering potential scams to avoid victimization.