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A major high street bank has issued a warning over a cruel new type of scam in which fraudsters exploit loneliness by posing as online friends and persuading victims to send money. TSB said it has see...

New TSB data shows a series of recent scams in which criminals use social media to lure people into online friendships, then extract money ranging into the tens of thousands. TSB’s fraud expert, Step...

A bank has issued a warning about scammers who are exploiting people’s loneliness and desire for connection to trick them out of money. TSB Bank revealed that its data shows the average loss per impe...

As Chief of Police, our agency remains vigilant in providing information to our community members when we observe increasing crime trends. We look to track these occurrences not only to ensure we have...

Singapore Government officials impersonation scam cases jumped 123.6 per cent last year, however. There were 37,308 scam cases in 2025, a 27.6 per cent drop from the 51,501 cases recorded in 2024. (...

In 2022, Nurul Shifa found a focus group discussion on Telegram that promised rewards for simply sharing her thoughts. However, she soon found herself embroiled in an investment scam that saw her nea...

New York Attorney General Letitia James has warned of "pig butchering" scams, where fraudsters build fake relationships with victims on social media and dating apps before convincing them to invest money in fraudulent schemes like cryptocurrency, sometimes resulting in losses exceeding $1 million. These sophisticated scams typically begin with friendly contact, move to encrypted chat platforms to hide the scammer's identity, and end with the perpetrator disappearing with the victim's savings. To protect yourself, remain cautious of unsolicited messages from strangers urging investments, verify investment opportunities independently, and report suspected scams to the Attorney General's office.

New York Attorney General Letitia James has warned residents about "pig butchering" scams, where fraudsters build fake relationships with victims through social media and dating apps before convincing them to invest money in fake cryptocurrency or currency trading schemes. The scammers use encrypted messaging apps to hide their identities and create elaborate personas—such as romantic partners or financial advisors—to gain trust before stealing victims' savings. New Yorkers should remain vigilant about unsolicited contact, verify investment opportunities independently, and report suspected scams to the Attorney General's office or the platforms where they occur.

New York Attorney General Letitia James warned New Yorkers about "pig butchering" scams, where fraudsters build fake relationships with victims through social media and dating apps before pressuring them to invest money in fraudulent cryptocurrency or currency schemes. The scammers use fake screenshots and fake wealth displays to gain trust, then transition conversations to encrypted messaging apps to hide their identities before stealing victims' savings. New Yorkers are urged to remain vigilant, verify investment opportunities independently, and report suspected scams to the Attorney General's office or the platforms where they occur.

New York Attorney General Letitia James has warned residents about "pig butchering" scams, where fraudsters pose as friends online to gain trust before tricking victims into making fake investments. These scams have affected New Yorkers who lost money after being manipulated by scammers posing as romantic interests or friends. To protect yourself, avoid making investments based on unsolicited online relationships, verify investment opportunities independently, and report suspicious activity to the Attorney General's office and the platform where contact occurred.

# Pig Butchering Scam Alert New York's Attorney General is warning residents about "pig butchering" scams, where fraudsters build fake relationships with victims through social media and dating apps before convincing them to invest money in fraudulent schemes, often involving cryptocurrency. The scammers gain trust over time by posing as romantic partners or financial advisors, use encrypted messaging to hide their identity, and show fake screenshots of profits to seem legitimate. To protect yourself, remain cautious of unsolicited contacts offering investment opportunities, verify relationships before sharing financial information, and report any suspected scams to the Attorney General's office or the relevant platform.

New York's Attorney General has warned residents about "pig butchering" scams, where fraudsters build fake relationships with victims through social media, dating apps, and text messages before convincing them to invest money in fake cryptocurrency or forex trading schemes. The scammers use fake screenshots, fabricated success stories, and counterfeit investment websites to trick victims into depositing their savings, sometimes causing severe financial damage. To protect yourself, be cautious of unsolicited contact offering investment opportunities, verify any investment advisor's credentials through official channels, and never send money to people you only know online—especially if they pressure you to use encrypted messaging apps.

New York's Attorney General warned residents about "pig butchering" scams, where fraudsters create fake romantic or professional relationships on social media and dating apps to trick victims into investing in fake cryptocurrency platforms that disappear with their money. The scams are particularly damaging because victims often fall for follow-up "recovery" schemes where new fraudsters promise to return lost funds for a fee, resulting in additional losses. To protect yourself, avoid sending money or cryptocurrency to online strangers, thoroughly research anyone soliciting investments, and watch for red flags like pressure to use encrypted messaging or unfamiliar trading platforms.

A 44-year-old Auckland woman has been arrested and charged with defrauding a Dunedin man of over $517,000 through an 18-year romance scam—a rare case since most romance scams are typically perpetrated by offshore criminals. The scheme involved the victim sending money to someone he believed he was in a romantic relationship with but never met in person. Police advise people to be extremely cautious about online relationships and investments, as romance scams almost always begin with online contact where victims are convinced to send money without ever meeting the person face-to-face.

An Auckland woman has been charged with defrauding a Dunedin man of over $517,000 in an alleged 18-year romance scam—a rare case of a local perpetrator, as such scams are typically run by offshore criminal networks. The victim was convinced to send money to someone he believed he was in a romantic relationship with online, despite never meeting them in person. Police advise people to be highly skeptical of online romantic relationships, friendships, and investment opportunities, as these are common tactics used to exploit victims, and warn that offshore scammers are nearly impossible to prosecute.

Romance scams in the Bay Area have exploded in 2025, with AI making these schemes faster and harder to detect—Northern California saw losses more than double to $43.3 million, with San Francisco alone experiencing a nearly 900% increase to $6.34 million. Scammers, often operating overseas, use dating apps, social media, and text messages to build trust with lonely or vulnerable victims before draining their savings in schemes known as "pig butchering." The FBI advises people to be cautious about online relationships, verify identities, and check for inconsistencies before sharing personal or financial information, especially with someone you've only met online.

# Romance Scam Alert: $10 Billion Threat The CFTC has launched a coordinated national campaign against "pig butchering" romance scams, which bilked Americans of an estimated $10 billion in the past year—a 66% increase from the previous year. These scams, primarily operated by criminal networks in Southeast Asia, target dating app and social media users by building fake romantic relationships before convincing victims to invest in cryptocurrency or other schemes, with individual victims losing an average of $150,000 or more. To protect yourself and loved ones, the CFTC advises being suspicious of romantic interests who push investment opportunities, verifying contacts through trusted channels, and only using U.S.-regulated platforms for financial transactions and cryptocurrency storage.

A New Braunfels woman was sentenced to 30 months in prison and ordered to repay over $1.25 million after defrauding an elderly couple by falsely claiming she needed loans to cover property taxes and insurance while waiting for FEMA disaster funds—money she actually spent at gas station casinos. The scheme exploited the victims' trust and generosity, with the perpetrator convincing them they would be repaid once the fraudulent FEMA funds arrived. To protect yourself from similar scams, be wary of requests for money from acquaintances claiming to need funds for disaster relief or government benefits, verify any claims about upcoming payments independently, and never lend money to someone with vague promises of repayment.

Guyanese citizens face increasing threats from banking fraud, social media scams, and pyramid schemes that exploit trust and technical inexperience. A cybersecurity professional recommends three key protective measures: adopt a "zero trust" mindset by verifying all requests independently (especially by calling banks directly using official numbers), recognize social engineering tactics like romance scams and investment schemes promising unrealistic returns, and enable multi-factor authentication on all financial accounts. Citizens cannot rely solely on police or banks for protection and must take personal responsibility for hardening their own defenses against these sophisticated threats.

A Kailua man named John Tamahere McCabe was sentenced to four years in federal prison for defrauding a 79-year-old California man out of nearly $2 million over seven years through a yacht sale scam that left his victim homeless. McCabe befriended the elderly man and offered to sell his yacht, but instead forged documents to transfer ownership to himself and pocketed the sale proceeds. McCabe has been ordered to pay $1.8 million in restitution and must be cautious of similar scams targeting seniors—verify all documents independently, never hand over assets to someone you've recently met, and consult with trusted family members or attorneys before major financial transactions.

A Chinese national named Jingliang Su was sentenced to nearly four years in prison for his role in a $37 million cryptocurrency scam that defrauded 174 American victims through a technique called "pig butchering"—where scammers gain trust via social media and dating apps before directing victims to fake crypto exchanges. Su's operation, based in Cambodia scam centers, laundered the stolen funds using Tether cryptocurrency, part of a broader organized crime trend in Southeast Asia that stole a record $17 billion globally in the past year. To protect yourself, be skeptical of strangers who quickly build romantic or investment-related relationships online, verify crypto exchange websites independently before sending money, and avoid conducting financial transactions with people you've only met digitally.

The Idaho Department of Finance and North American Securities Administrators Association warn that investor fraud remains a significant threat in 2025, with schemes ranging from "pig butchering" romance scams and deepfake impersonations to fake AI trading bots and cryptocurrency fraud. These scams affect investors across all demographics, though older adults face particular targeting, with fraudsters increasingly using social media, short-form videos, text messages, and AI technology to deceive victims. To protect yourself, verify investment opportunities through official channels, be skeptical of unsolicited messages about exclusive investments, never invest in platforms you cannot independently verify, and report suspicious activity to the Idaho Department of Finance.

# Article Summary A South Korean man named Dex was tricked into working for a Chinese-run scam operation in Cambodia, where he and hundreds of other Korean speakers were forced to conduct romance and investment fraud against victims in their home country, stealing tens of millions of dollars and devastating families' finances. After escaping, Dex has partnered with victims of the same scam network to help prosecutors build cases against the ringleaders, two of whom were recently extradited to South Korea. For people targeted by such scams, authorities recommend verifying job offers through official channels, being skeptical of unsolicited investment opportunities, and reporting suspicious activity to local law enforcement and financial institutions immediately.

A 56-year-old New Braunfels woman was sentenced to 30 months in prison and ordered to pay $1.25 million in restitution after defrauding an elderly couple by befriending them and falsely claiming she needed loans for FEMA disaster relief, then spending the money at casinos instead. The scam highlights how fraudsters exploit relationships of trust with vulnerable populations to steal their life savings. Elderly individuals should be cautious about lending money to new acquaintances, verify claims about government assistance independently, and report suspected fraud to the FBI at ic3.gov or the FTC at reportfraud.ftc.gov.

# Fraud Prevention Summary Washington State's Department of Financial Institutions and the North American Securities Administrators Association are warning investors about 12 new sophisticated fraud schemes expected in 2026, with scammers increasingly using artificial intelligence and deepfake technology to steal money. State securities regulators investigated over 8,800 cases in 2024 resulting in $259 million in fines and restitution, with common schemes including "pig butchering" romance scams that build trust before requesting fake investments and deepfake impersonations using AI-generated videos of celebrities. Investors should be skeptical of unsolicited investment pitches—especially those involving new technologies or creating urgency—and verify any investment opportunity through official channels before sending money.

Australian banks like NAB are deploying specialized teams of over 1,000 employees, including behavioral scientists, to help customers recognize and escape romance scams where offshore criminals pose as romantic interests to steal money. Scammers use psychological manipulation and grooming tactics to build trust with victims and often convince them to distrust their own banks' warnings. Customers should be skeptical of online romantic connections that eventually lead to requests for money or investment, and should trust their bank's warnings if staff express concern about their transactions.

A man in his 70s from Santa Rosa lost his entire US$500,000 retirement savings to a "pig butchering" scam, where a fraudster posing as a Finnish woman named Alexa built trust with him over five months through daily messages, video calls, and gifts before convincing him to invest in fake cryptocurrency schemes. The scam is part of a growing trend where criminals build intimate relationships with victims to lower their guard before stealing their money, often operating from organized scam centers overseas. To protect yourself, be extremely cautious of online romantic connections, especially those quickly encouraging financial investments or cryptocurrency opportunities, and verify investment opportunities through independent sources before sending any money.

In 2025, organized international crime syndicates caused an estimated $10.5 trillion in global cybercrime damages—more than any single country's GDP except the US and China—marking a dramatic shift from individual hackers to industrialized criminal operations. The widespread adoption of artificial intelligence has made sophisticated fraud accessible to low-level criminals, who now create convincing deepfakes and execute psychological attacks like "digital arrests" that exploit human trust rather than just technical vulnerabilities. To protect yourself, remain skeptical of unexpected communications from authority figures or executives, verify requests through independent channels before sharing sensitive information, and stay informed about AI-generated deepfakes and social engineering tactics.

A Santa Rosa man in his 70s lost his entire $500,000 retirement savings to a sophisticated "pig butchering" scam, where a con artist posing as a Finnish woman named Alexa Achselsson built a five-month romantic relationship with him before convincing him to invest in fake cryptocurrency schemes. These scams, which build trust through personal engagement before exploiting victims financially, have become increasingly common, with some operations linked to organized fraud centers operating overseas. The victim is sharing his story to warn others that scammers use emotional connection and persistence to gain trust, and people should be extremely cautious about investment opportunities introduced by people they've met online, even those they've built seemingly genuine relationships with.

A Santa Rosa man in his 70s lost his entire $500,000 retirement savings to a "pig butchering" scam, where criminals build trust with victims over months before luring them into fake cryptocurrency investments. The scammer, posing as a Finnish woman named Alexa Achselsson, engaged him daily through messaging and video calls for five months, even sending gifts and planning a visit, before convincing him to invest in fraudulent cryptocurrency schemes that drained his accounts and led him to take out additional loans. The man is warning others about this increasingly common scam tactic, which often involves international scam operations that use personal relationships and emotional manipulation to extract large sums from victims.

Tennessee's Department of Commerce & Insurance warns investors about a surge in sophisticated scams expected this holiday season, with fraudsters increasingly using AI technology like deepfake videos and fake trading bots to deceive victims—tactics that contributed to over $259 million in fines and restitution from 8,800 active investigations in 2024. Key threats include "pig butchering" romance scams, deepfake impersonations of celebrities, and phantom AI trading bots that promise guaranteed returns but are actually designed to steal money. Investors should be skeptical of unsolicited investment opportunities, especially those involving new technologies or promises of guaranteed returns, and verify the legitimacy of investment platforms and contacts before committing any funds.

Romance scams targeting people in Korea are surging, typically involving perpetrators posing as U.S. soldiers, diplomats, or other professionals who befriend victims on social media and then claim to have sent money or valuables that require customs clearance fees to release. Victims are tricked into sending millions of won to pay these fake fees, with perpetrators continuing to demand more money in an escalating scheme. To protect yourself, be highly suspicious of anyone requesting customs clearance fees online, and verify any claims directly with customs authorities rather than trusting the person making the request.

Hawaii's Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs is warning consumers about increasingly sophisticated holiday scams that use artificial intelligence and technology to exploit victims, including fake investment schemes, deepfake impersonations of celebrities, and fraudulent "AI trading bots" promising guaranteed returns. State securities regulators investigated over 8,800 cases in 2024, resulting in $259 million in fines and restitution, revealing that while scammers employ new tools, their core goal remains stealing money from unsuspecting victims. Consumers should be cautious of unsolicited investment pitches—especially those involving FOMO (fear of missing out), online relationships pushing financial commitments, and promises of guaranteed AI-driven returns—and verify the legitimacy of investment opportunities before sending money.

Tennessee's Department of Commerce & Insurance is warning residents about a surge in holiday scams using sophisticated technology like AI, which state regulators investigated over 8,800 cases of in 2024, resulting in $259 million in fines and restitution. Common scams include romance-based investment schemes ("pig butchering"), deepfake impersonations of celebrities or trusted contacts, and fake AI trading bots designed to steal money from victims. Investors should be skeptical of unsolicited investment pitches—especially those involving new technologies or celebrity endorsements—and verify the legitimacy of any investment opportunity before sending money.

Hawaii's Department of Commerce and Consumer Affairs is warning consumers about sophisticated holiday scams, with state securities regulators handling over 8,800 investigations in 2024 that recovered $259 million in fines and restitution. Scammers are increasingly using artificial intelligence and new technologies to execute schemes like "pig butchering" (romance scams combined with fake investments) that exploit people's fear of missing out on trending investments. Consumers should be cautious of unsolicited investment pitches, especially those involving new technologies or platforms that build trust through online relationships, and verify any investment opportunities through official channels before committing money.

Hawaii officials are warning residents about a surge in holiday scams powered by artificial intelligence and technology, including deepfake voice impersonations of trusted friends, fake investment schemes, and fraudulent trading bots that promise guaranteed returns. According to state regulators, scammers are exploiting people's fear of missing out on tech investments and using AI-generated videos and cloned voices to steal money, with tactics ranging from romance scams to fake cryptocurrency and stock offerings. To protect yourself, be cautious of unsolicited investment pitches, verify requests for money by contacting friends or institutions directly through known channels, and avoid platforms promising guaranteed returns, especially those using AI or cryptocurrency.

A "pig butchering" scam operating through dating apps has defrauded victims in Gujarat's Ahmedabad and Gandhinagar regions of up to ₹66 lakh each, with fraudsters posing as foreign women to build trust before luring victims into fake investment schemes promising unrealistic returns. Once victims attempted to withdraw their money, they were blocked and asked to pay additional fees, revealing the fraud. To protect yourself, avoid mixing online relationships with financial decisions, verify all investment platforms through SEBI registration, and report suspicious activity immediately to the national cybercrime helpline at 1930 or cybercrime.gov.in.

A Douglas County man lost $150,000 in an online romance scam between January and August, becoming one of approximately 64,000 victims who fell prey to such schemes in 2023, which collectively cost Americans $1.14 billion according to the FTC. Romance scammers typically initiate contact through dating apps or social media, build fake emotional relationships, and gradually request money for emergencies or immediate needs. To protect yourself and elderly relatives, never send money, cryptocurrency, gift cards, or wire transfers to anyone you haven't met in person, and be wary of sad stories or requests for financial help from online acquaintances.

Singapore reported a 12.6% decrease in total scam losses ($456.4 million in H1 2025 vs. $522.4 million in H1 2024) and a 26% decline in overall scam cases (19,665 vs. 26,563), marking the first decline since 2021. However, the median loss per case increased to $1,500, and elderly victims (age 65+) who comprised 15% of cases suffered the highest per-victim losses at $33,672, with government impersonation scams nearly tripling to 1,762 cases and phishing scams seeing losses jump 134% to $

In the first half of 2025, Singapore reported 19,665 scam cases with S$456.4 million in losses—a 26% and 12.6% decrease respectively from the same period in 2024. The top scams include phishing (up 134% in losses), government official impersonation (cases tripled), investment scams (highest losses at S$145.4 million), and a newly identified insurance services scam (791 cases, S$21.3 million lost), where fraudsters impersonate insurance employees to extract personal details and payments.

Scam text messages originating from China have reached epidemic levels worldwide, using disguises like missed package alerts and unpaid tolls to steal passwords and money through five primary schemes: package delivery fraud, fake job offers, phony fraud alerts, toll payment scams, and romance/investment scams. Apple's new iOS 26 feature addresses the problem by filtering suspected spam messages into a separate folder that blocks links and prevents replies, while the FTC advises consumers to avoid clicking links, replying to unknown texts, and to verify requests through independently confirmed contact information.

This article outlines common social media scams including fake friend requests and impersonation accounts, malicious app downloads, data-harvesting quizzes, romance fraud, and investment/crypto schemes. Key warning signs include unrealistic offers, pressure to act quickly, suspicious requests for money or personal information, suspicious links, poor grammar, and low-quality profile photos. Users are advised to verify unfamiliar accounts, download apps only from official sources, avoid sharing financial information with online-only contacts, and be skeptical of guaranteed investment returns.

Sextortion scams targeting minors in Japan are sharply rising, with perpetrators befriending children online, coercing them into intimate photos or videos (or using AI-generated explicit images), then extorting money or additional content through blackmail. PAPS, a Tokyo nonprofit, received 1,066 inquiries about sextortion in the first 14 weeks of fiscal 2025—up dramatically from 131 in 2022—with 68% of victims being male; perpetrators are often overseas and demand payment via gift cards, digital wallets, or cryptocurrency. Experts emphasize the importance of open parent-child communication and victims avoiding engagement with blackmailers

**Summary:** Christopher Earl Lloyd, a 39-year-old from Whittier, California, was arrested and federally indicted on 14 counts for operating romance scams through dating apps including Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble between April 2021 and February 2024, defrauding victims of over $2 million. Lloyd posed as a financially successful investment manager with false claims of property ownership and corporate positions, convincing victims to send money via wire transfers, Cash App, Zelle, and cash, which he then used for personal expenses such as a $40,000 car purchase. If convicted, Lloyd faces up to 20 years in federal prison

A 39-year-old Whittier man, Christopher Earl Lloyd, was arrested for orchestrating romance scams that defrauded victims of over $2 million between April 2021 and February 2024. Lloyd met his victims on dating apps, posed as a financially successful investor, and convinced them to send him money through fraudulent investment schemes. He faces 13 counts of wire fraud and one count of engaging in monetary transactions involving fraudulent proceeds.

Christopher Earl Lloyd, 39, of Orange County, California, was federally charged with 14 counts of fraud for operating a romance scam via dating apps (Tinder, Hinge, Bumble) from April 2021 to February 2024. Lloyd posed as a successful investor and finance manager, deceiving at least five victims into sending him over $2 million through false promises of investment returns and insurance guarantees, while actually using the funds for personal expenses including a $40,000 Lexus purchase. He faces up to 20 years in prison per wire fraud count if convicted.

A 39-year-old Whittier man, Christopher Earl Lloyd, was arrested for allegedly defrauding over $2 million from at least five victims through romance scams conducted on dating apps (Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble) between April 2021 and February 2024. Lloyd posed as a financially successful investment manager and vice president, convincing victims to invest money with promises of returns, then misappropriated the funds for personal use including a $40,000 vehicle purchase. He faces 13 counts of wire fraud and one count of monetary transaction in property derived from fraud, with potential sentences up to 20 years in federal prison.

Christopher Earl Lloyd, a 39-year-old from Whittier, was arrested on federal charges for operating a romance scam through dating apps including Tinder, Hinge, and Bumble that defrauded victims of over $2 million between April 2021 and February 2024. Lloyd posed as a financially successful investment professional, falsely claiming to be a vice president at Planet 13 Holdings and a financial manager, and convinced victims to send him money for fake investment opportunities that he used for personal expenses including a $40,000 Lexus purchase. He faces 14 federal counts including 13 counts of wire fraud and one count of monetary transaction in property derived from

This educational article warns students, faculty, and staff about the surge in cyber scams during the back-to-school season, including scholarship fraud, fake tuition processors, IRS impersonation, phishing emails, and fake login pages. The piece provides protective measures such as skepticism toward unsolicited messages, strong password practices, multi-factor authentication, and reporting suspicious emails through institutional channels. The article emphasizes that heightened vigilance is needed during this period when hackers exploit academic community confusion, particularly around student debt relief issues.

A 62-year-old retired professor in Mumbai lost ₹1.93 crore ($231,000 USD) in a two-stage romance scam involving cryptocurrency: first, a woman named "Ayesha" befriended him on Facebook, gained his trust, and convinced him to deposit funds into a Binance account she controlled before disappearing; then a second scammer named "Koyal" contacted him posing as a recovery agent and extracted additional payments with false promises of restitution. The Cyber West Division has registered a criminal case under India's Information Technology Act, which provides for 3-10 years imprisonment for crypto fraud convictions.