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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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Eyewitness News WTVO WQRF (MyStateline)
· 2024-04-12
The L's Park Police Department held a free educational session warning Illinois seniors about tax refund scams and other fraud schemes, including the grandchild scam where criminals impersonate relatives to extract money. Police emphasized that scammers are particularly active during tax season and encouraged victims to report fraud to local authorities and the Better Business Bureau for current scam alerts in their area.
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Eyewitness News WTVO WQRF (MyStateline)
· 2024-04-12
I cannot provide a summary of elder fraud, scams, or abuse from this text. The provided content is a weather forecast broadcast from WTVO news dated April 12th, 2024, which discusses temperatures, wind conditions, and weather predictions for the Rockford, Illinois area. It does not contain information relevant to the Elderus database's focus on elder fraud or abuse.
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ABC11
· 2024-04-16
An 81-year-old Ohio man, William Brock, was charged with murder after fatally shooting 61-year-old Uber driver Lola Hall in a tragic case involving coordinated scams. Scammers called Brock demanding $112,000 in fake bail money and instructed him a driver would arrive to pick up a package, while simultaneously directing Hall through the Uber app to pick up a package at his home; when Hall arrived unaware of the circumstances, Brock confronted her at gunpoint and shot her three times when she attempted to leave. The incident illustrates how scammers can simultaneously victimize multiple people with fatal consequences.
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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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KCAU-TV Sioux City
· 2024-04-25
Iowa's Attorney General's office reported a rise in grandparent scams targeting older adults in the state, particularly in Western Iowa. Scammers impersonate grandchildren claiming emergency situations—such as bail money, car accidents, or medical bills—and pressure victims to wire money or provide credit/debit card information immediately. Authorities advise grandparents to hang up, independently contact their grandchild or family members to verify the claim, and report suspicious calls to local law enforcement rather than complying with the scammer's demands.
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WENY TV NEWS
· 2024-04-25
This is an educational interview featuring Sheila Brewer-Montero, a scams prevention coordinator from Lifespan of Greater Rochester, discussing fraud schemes targeting older adults. The conversation introduces the top scams affecting seniors in the Southern Tier area, with government impersonator scams (Social Security Administration and IRS) identified as a primary threat, though the full details of prevention strategies and other scam types are cut off in the provided transcript.
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NBC4 Columbus
· 2024-05-07
According to the FBI's 2023 Elder Fraud Annual Report, seniors over 60 lost $3.4 billion to fraud and scams in that year, a nearly 11% increase from the previous year, with Ohio seniors alone reporting over $64 million in losses across nearly 3,300 cases. Tech support fraud emerged as the leading scam targeting older Americans, exploiting their increasing use of technology and computers.
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CBS New York
· 2024-05-17
Voice cloning technology powered by artificial intelligence is enabling a growing scam where fraudsters impersonate loved ones—such as a son in jail needing bail money—to trick victims into sending cash. One fraud-experienced attorney nearly fell victim when scammers using a cloned voice of his son convinced him to withdraw $9,000 for bail, though he was warned by his daughter-in-law before losing money. Victims who don't lose funds face challenges in obtaining legal recourse, and law enforcement is working to address this emerging threat as the technology continues to evolve rapidly.
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WFMY News 2
· 2024-06-05
This is an educational segment featuring AARP representatives discussing elder fraud and abuse prevention, with a focus on the Piedmont Triad Area Agency on Aging's Elder Abuse Awareness Day event scheduled for June 15th at Triad Park. The free event will include document shredding, medication disposal, and informational vendors to help seniors and families protect themselves against financial elder abuse and fraudulent activities.
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NBC4 Columbus
· 2024-06-25
According to the FBI's 2023 Internet Crime Complaint Center report, seniors over 60 reported approximately $3.4 billion in losses to fraud and scams in the past year. Common scams targeting older adults include tech support fraud, investment scams, and grandparent scams, which continue to exploit the nation's senior population. The article highlights the ongoing problem of elder financial exploitation and emphasizes the need for awareness and prevention strategies to help protect vulnerable seniors from becoming victims.
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WCBD NEWS 2
· 2024-07-09
The City of Charleston is hosting educational workshops to protect seniors from phone and online scams, which generate $36 billion annually in the United States with older adults as primary targets. The initiative focuses on teaching seniors to recognize common scams—such as lottery/prize winnings requiring upfront payments—and know what steps to take if targeted, as demonstrated by one senior who avoided losing money to a fake lottery scheme promising half a million dollars.
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WCBD NEWS 2
· 2024-07-09
The City of Charleston is working to protect senior citizens from phone and online scams through educational workshops that teach seniors to recognize common fraud tactics and warning signs. Scams targeting elderly people cost the United States $36 billion annually, with seniors being particularly vulnerable due to their trusting nature; the city's initiative focuses on raising awareness about scam types and advising victims on appropriate responses.
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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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WAAY 31 News
· 2024-07-30
The Alabama Regional Council of Governments is hosting an educational event to help senior citizens protect themselves from online scams, which affect thousands of Alabama seniors annually. The event will feature presentations from the Huntsville Police Department, Better Business Bureau, and Alabama Securities Commission discussing current fraud schemes and practical prevention strategies, designed to be accessible to seniors regardless of their technology proficiency level.
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Lawfare
· 2024-08-07
This is a podcast introduction featuring Arun Rao, Deputy Assistant Attorney General for the DOJ's Consumer Protection Branch, discussing the growing sophistication of fraud schemes targeting consumers and elders. Rao explains how technological advances such as robocalls, text, email, and social media have enabled fraudsters to refine their tactics and target victims with greater precision. The discussion covers the DOJ's consumer protection work, cybercrime, elder fraud, and data privacy issues.
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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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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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Forbes Breaking News
· 2024-09-19
Senator Bob Casey led a Senate Aging Committee hearing on fraud targeting older Americans, during which the committee released its annual "Fighting Fraud" resource book. The hearing addressed multiple scam types affecting seniors including grandparent scams, investment fraud, government impostor schemes, lottery scams, and tech support scams, while noting that scammers have become increasingly sophisticated in their tactics over recent years. The committee discussed both fraud prevention strategies and how federal law enforcement agencies respond to fraud reports.
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WGN News
· 2024-09-23
AARP Illinois launched "Fraud-Fighting Fraudlettes," a collaborative awareness initiative featuring AARP representatives Theresa Jones and Courtney Herman to educate seniors about prevalent scams. The program aims to increase fraud prevention awareness among older adults, who are identified as particularly susceptible targets for scams.
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CFPBLive
· 2024-10-09
This is an introductory webinar hosted by the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau on payments industry practices for combating elder financial exploitation. The session provides participants with access to slides, resources, and a discussion platform to explore strategies and tools for preventing elder financial abuse within the payments sector.
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NOLA.com
· 2024-10-17
AARP Louisiana hosted an educational presentation titled "Unmasking Fraud" featuring nationally recognized fraud expert and former prosecutor Paul Greenwood to address senior fraud targeting older adults in Louisiana. The event emphasized that fraud against seniors impacts not only financial security but also causes lasting emotional and psychological harm, and provided practical strategies for protection. AARP directs people to its Fraud Watch Network resource for current scam information and personal data protection guidance.
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NOLA.com
· 2024-10-17
AARP Louisiana hosted a fraud awareness townhall event featuring nationally recognized fraud expert and former prosecutor Paul Greenwood to educate seniors about scams targeting older adults. The event aimed to provide practical protection strategies and highlight how fraud impacts seniors beyond financial loss, including emotional and trust-related consequences. AARP encourages seniors to utilize resources like their FraudWatch Network to stay informed about emerging scams and safeguard personal information.
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WIRED
· 2024-11-05
This WIRED article features "Scammer Payback," a YouTube scam-baiting channel, answering audience questions about common fraud tactics and red flags. The content identifies three major warning signs of scams: scammers pressuring victims to make quick decisions (especially involving gift cards or Cash App transfers), requests for remote access to computers or phones, and demands for untraceable payment methods like Bitcoin or wire transfers. The educational piece emphasizes that time pressure is a deliberate tactic scammers use to prevent victims from consulting family members or others who might intervene.
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moneycontrol
· 2024-11-16
**Cybercrime Risk During Diwali Shopping Season**
India's National Crime Record Bureau reported over 1.1 million cyber fraud cases last year, with incidents rising significantly during high-spending periods like Diwali, particularly targeting elderly individuals. Common scams include customer support fraud (using screen-sharing apps to hijack mobile devices), virtual arrest scams (impersonating law enforcement to extort payments), and Aadhaar-enabled payment system fraud. To protect oneself, stay vigilant during shopping seasons, verify legitimacy of support contacts independently, avoid sharing remote access to devices, and be skeptical of unsolicited law enforcement threats.
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News 4 Tucson KVOA-TV
· 2024-11-23
The Pima County Sheriff's Department warns of a "family emergency scam" targeting residents, in which scammers call claiming a family member has been kidnapped or injured and demands money be sent immediately without contacting authorities. Scammers use AI technology to synthesize victims' family members' voices by harvesting audio from social media platforms, and often call at odd hours to catch victims off-guard. Authorities recommend verifying callers by independently contacting family members directly from your phone rather than using the number provided by the caller.
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NBC 7 San Diego
· 2024-11-26
Holiday fraud increases significantly in December, with scammers targeting busy shoppers through identity theft, credit card fraud, package theft, and fake social media ads selling counterfeit goods. Law enforcement and the Better Business Bureau warn that common holiday scams have become more sophisticated and high-tech, including fake toll collection texts and counterfeit items sold online, and advise consumers to remain vigilant during the busy shopping season.
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KVUE
· 2024-12-27
The FBI is warning of an emerging AI-powered "kidnapping scam" where criminals use artificial intelligence to mimic the voices of loved ones—typically claiming they've been in an accident or arrested—to pressure victims into sending money for bail or emergency assistance. A victim named Anthony received a call from what sounded exactly like his son claiming he needed bail money for a drunk driving accident, with a follow-up call from a fake attorney to arrange payment. Law enforcement notes that criminals only need a few seconds of audio from social media to clone someone's voice and create convincing fake conversations, making these scams increasingly difficult to detect.
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ABC11
· 2024-12-28
Federal authorities warn that AI-powered impostor scams are on the rise, with criminals using artificial intelligence to replicate the voices of loved ones claiming to be in emergencies (such as drunk driving accidents requiring bail) to pressure victims into sending money. The scams, also known as "grandparent scams" or "kidnapping scams," require only seconds of audio from social media to generate convincing fake conversations that sound nearly identical to real family members. Experts caution that victims should independently verify emergencies by contacting family members directly rather than responding to urgent calls requesting immediate payment.
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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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We Are Iowa Local 5 News
· 2025-03-17
Grandparent scams are impostor fraud schemes where scammers impersonate a grandchild or other trusted person (minister, friend, family member) to convince older adults to send money urgently. The caller typically claims to be in trouble—arrested, injured, or needing bail—and pressures the victim not to contact their parents, exploiting emotional vulnerability and the grandparent's natural desire to help. To avoid these scams, older adults should verify the caller's identity through independent contact with family members and remain skeptical of urgent money requests, particularly those demanding secrecy.
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WHNT News 19
· 2025-03-19
The Colbert County Sheriff's Office reported a recent surge in phone and text scams targeting senior citizens in the area, with reported losses reaching approximately $60,000. Common scams include impersonation of grandchildren claiming emergency money is needed and fraudsters posing as law enforcement demanding payment; the sheriff emphasized that legitimate law enforcement will never call requesting money and advised seniors to use common sense and contact the sheriff's department if uncertain about a call's legitimacy. The office hosted scam prevention presentations at senior centers to educate residents on recognizing and avoiding these schemes.
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CBC News
· 2025-03-19
Police in Montreal arrested 23 people in June operating an elaborate grandparent scam network targeting American seniors, allegedly defrauding them of $21 million USD ($30 million CAD) through coordinated call centers. The scam typically involved one caller impersonating a grandchild in financial distress, followed by another impersonating a police officer directing victims to wire money (usually around $10,000). Montreal has emerged as a major hub for these large-scale grandparent scam operations, which cause significant financial loss to vulnerable elderly victims in the United States.
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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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WKBW TV | Buffalo, NY
· 2025-03-20
Scammers steal approximately $23,000 per hour from New Yorkers, with older adults over 60 losing more than $200 million annually to fraud schemes in New York alone. One victim, Torchy Massie, was convinced by an online acquaintance to invest all her savings into a fake investment opportunity. Advocacy groups are pushing for state funding to combat these increasingly sophisticated scams, while noting that many victims remain unreported due to embarrassment.
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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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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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CBS Philadelphia
· 2025-03-27
Washington Township Police Department in New Jersey partnered with the FBI to host an educational seminar teaching seniors and families how to recognize and avoid scams, prompted by recent major fraud cases in their community. Scammers commonly use fear, urgency, and confusion to target seniors through IRS scams, grandparent scams, tax support scams, online banking scams, and EasyPass billing scams, with recent local cases involving losses of $100,000 or more. Police emphasize that recognizing red flags through education is the most effective way to prevent seniors from losing their savings to fraud.
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CTV News
· 2025-04-14
Police in Ontario are warning of a fake gold investment scheme that has defrauded at least three elderly residents of approximately $1.3 million. Scammers impersonate bank or security officials, claiming victims' bank accounts have been compromised, then convince them to purchase large quantities of gold as a security measure—gold that is never actually picked up. Police emphasize that legitimate banks never ask customers to withdraw funds and buy gold, nor do they request customer participation in investigations.
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CBS Pittsburgh
· 2025-05-09
This educational piece highlights key strategies to protect against increasingly sophisticated scams that target people of all ages. Common scams include grandparent scams, fake tech support, and gift card scams, all designed to steal money or personal information. Experts from law enforcement and the FBI recommend pausing before acting on urgent requests, verifying caller identity through independent family contacts, and remembering that legitimate creditors never demand payment via gift cards.
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therhodeshow
· 2025-05-20
This educational segment discusses common senior scams affecting millions of Americans annually, including identity theft schemes, grandparent scams (falsely claiming a relative needs bail money), tech support scams, and romance scams. Key prevention strategies include educating seniors about scam tactics, maintaining regular involvement in their financial affairs, and reporting suspected fraud to state police or adult services, while noting that many scams go unreported due to victim embarrassment.
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FOX5 Las Vegas
· 2025-07-15
Joe Fitzpatrick, a retired data security professional living in a Las Vegas senior community, created the Silera Community Scam Guide after noticing neighbors were regularly targeted by scammers, with some losing money to tech support and other common fraud schemes. He and fellow residents compile easy-to-read guides identifying various scams to help educate their community about fraud prevention, addressing what Fitzpatrick describes as a daily epidemic affecting seniors in the area.
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CTV News
· 2025-07-17
A Calgary senior lost over $300,000 in a cryptocurrency scam that began in 2022 when a scammer impersonated her grandson claiming he needed bail money for a car crash and drug charges. The fraudster, working with a fake lawyer, instructed the victim to make more than 300 deposits into Bitcoin ATMs over a six-week period before she became suspicious and reported it to police. Calgary police's cybercrime unit identified and arrested 34-year-old Jeremy Ratray of Quebec in connection with the scheme.
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NBC 10 WJAR
· 2025-08-13
This educational piece discusses the growing threat of elder fraud, referencing a recent grandparent scam takedown involving 13 arrests that affected over 400 victims. A banking expert explains that scam volumes have increased exponentially due to technological advances, including AI-powered tactics like voice cloning and deepfake videos that make scams more sophisticated and convincing, particularly in romance and impersonation schemes targeting seniors.
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CBS News
· 2025-08-13
Federal law enforcement dismantled a coordinated grandparent scam ring operating from a call center in the Dominican Republic, charging 13 alleged scammers who stole millions of dollars from hundreds of elderly victims across the country. The operation used runners in the United States, including Massachusetts, to pick up cash from victims' homes and used ride-share services to transport the money, with the investigation initiated after alert Uber drivers reported suspicious activity. The scammers posed as grandchildren in emergencies to manipulate victims into sending money.
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CBS Miami
· 2025-08-13
The FBI dismantled a grandparent scam operation run from a Dominican Republic call center that defrauded over 400 seniors of more than $5 million. Scammers used scripts to convince elderly victims that a grandchild needed urgent money, then deployed local runners using Uber to collect cash payments. Authorities were alerted after Uber's security team flagged suspicious activity, and experts recommend families establish a code word to verify callers' identities and prevent similar schemes.
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wgaltv
· 2025-08-13
Thirteen suspects were arrested in connection with a sophisticated international grandparent scam ring that stole over $5 million from more than 400 seniors, with call centers in the Dominican Republic and money-collection runners across the United States including Massachusetts. The scam involved criminals posing as grandchildren in distress and pressuring elderly victims to withdraw cash from banks, with one victim's family losing $18,000 in the scheme. Authorities recommend families establish a code word that grandchildren must provide when calling, as a protective measure against this type of fraud.
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CBS Chicago
· 2025-08-13
The FBI dismantled a grandparent scam operation run from a Dominican Republic call center that defrauded over 400 seniors of more than $5 million by convincing them their grandchildren needed emergency money, using US-based runners and Uber to collect cash. The scheme was uncovered after Uber's security team flagged suspicious activity to the FBI. To protect against such scams, families are advised to establish code words with relatives, remember that law enforcement never requests money by phone, and watch for warning signs like secretive phone behavior or large cash withdrawals from elderly family members.
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KREM 2 News
· 2025-08-14
The FBI dismantled a grandparent scam operation run from a Dominican Republic call center that defrauded over 400 senior citizens of more than $5 million by convincing them their grandchildren needed emergency money. The scammers used scripted calls to exploit victims' emotional connections to family members, causing not only financial losses but also emotional trauma and loss of trust. To prevent such scams, authorities recommend establishing family code words, verifying caller identity through independent contact, avoiding sending money to unknown recipients, and watching for warning signs like secrecy around calls or unusual cash withdrawals.
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NBC10 Philadelphia
· 2025-08-14
An 86-year-old South Philadelphia woman was defrauded of $6,000 after receiving a call from scammers using AI-generated voice technology to impersonate her granddaughter claiming to be in a car accident and detained by police. A fake lawyer then demanded $10,400 to secure the granddaughter's release, settling for the $6,000 in cash the victim had available. The incident highlights how scammers exploit family emergencies and new technology to manipulate elderly victims into sending money quickly without verification.
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CNY Central
· 2025-08-20
Federal authorities arrested 13 people involved in a transnational grandparent scam that defrauded at least 400 elderly victims nationwide of approximately $5 million, with funds funneled to the Dominican Republic. Scammers called victims from call centers in the Dominican Republic, impersonating grandchildren in distress and requesting urgent wire transfers, sometimes using ride-share drivers to collect cash in person. An elderly couple from Cayuga County, New York, was among the victims, losing nearly $25,000 to the scheme.
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FOX6 News Milwaukee
· 2025-08-22
**Title:** Preventing scams and fraud | FOX6 News Milwaukee
A Hartford staffing support company received a convincing phone call from someone impersonating their bank, with a spoofed caller ID, claiming fraudulent transactions required setting up a new account and requesting current account credentials. The company president recognized red flags when asked for sensitive information despite the caller's friendly demeanor and trust-building tactics, ultimately refusing to provide the information and avoiding financial loss. The segment provides awareness about how financial fraud scams use social engineering and caller ID spoofing to appear legitimate and manipulate victims into revealing account information.
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FOX23 News Tulsa
· 2025-08-27
Scammers are using AI voice cloning technology to impersonate loved ones in "vishing" (voice phishing) schemes that target families with emergency-based fraud calls. With as little as 15 seconds of audio, attackers can create a convincing voice clone and spoof the caller's phone number to pressure victims—particularly elderly targets—into sending money by claiming a loved one is hurt or needs immediate help.
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NBC 6 South Florida
· 2025-12-09
An elderly woman named Christine lost $6,000 in a grandparent scam after receiving a panicked call from someone claiming to be her granddaughter Addison asking for emergency money; authorities believe the caller used AI-generated voice technology to impersonate her granddaughter, who was actually safe at work. The grandparent scam is a widespread fraud affecting over 147,000 victims annually with losses totaling nearly $4.9 billion, and scammers are increasingly using readily available AI voice-cloning tools that require minimal audio samples to create convincing impersonations.
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KPRC 2 Click2Houston
· 2025-09-03
The Better Business Bureau warns about "emergency scams" targeting senior citizens, in which scammers impersonate grandchildren or other family members claiming to be in urgent situations (hospitalized, in accidents, or needing bail money) and request immediate money transfers. The scam exploits the emotional distress and urgency created by the false emergency to pressure victims into sending funds before they can verify the caller's identity.
Cryptocurrency
Gift Cards
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KETK NBC
· 2025-09-04
The Better Business Bureau advises families to protect seniors from scams during Grandparents Day by recognizing common fraud tactics. Seniors are frequently targeted because they tend to be more isolated and trusting, making them vulnerable to schemes including the grandparent scam, high-pressure sales calls, and phishing scams. Families should watch for warning signs such as excessive spam emails, junk mail, and suspicious text messages as indicators that an older adult may be targeted by scammers.
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ABC10
· 2025-09-04
California seniors lost $1.7 billion to fraud in 2024, with scammers increasingly targeting older adults through digital devices using evolving tactics like spoofing and gift card scams. Experts from AARP and Chase Bank conducted educational workshops in Sacramento to help seniors recognize common scams and protect their identities, emphasizing that awareness and vigilance are key to prevention.
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WDEF News 12
· 2025-09-04
Phishing scams have become increasingly sophisticated since the 1990s, with fraudsters now using emails, text messages, phone calls, QR codes, and AI-generated voices to deceive victims into sharing sensitive information like bank accounts, passwords, and social security numbers. Notably, younger adults aged 18-30 are now falling victim to these scams more frequently than older Americans, particularly through online shopping schemes, while businesses and consumers collectively face millions in losses annually from stolen funds, identity theft, and malware infections.
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ABC News
· 2025-09-25
**Grandparent Scam - Voice Technology Fraud**
Scammers are using advanced voice technology to impersonate grandchildren in what the FBI identifies as an escalating problem targeting older adults. A 91-year-old victim (Shirley Morrow) was convinced by a call mimicking her grandson's voice that he was in legal trouble and needed $9,000; older adults collectively lost $4.9 billion to these scams, which typically involve fraudsters posing as family members in supposed emergencies to pressure immediate payment.
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ABC News
· 2025-09-25
A 91-year-old woman named Shirley Morrow lost $9,000 in a "grandparent scam" after receiving a phone call from someone posing as her grandson, claiming he was in jail following a car accident and needed bail money. The scam involves fraudsters impersonating a grandchild in distress and requesting immediate payment, with tens of thousands of cases reported nationwide targeting senior citizens. Scammers use voice mimicking technology and social engineering tactics to convince victims to withdraw cash before they realize they've been deceived.
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Arizona’s Family (3TV / CBS 5)
· 2025-10-06
This podcast segment from "On Your Side" features hosts Gary Harper and Susan Campbell discussing the evolving nature of scams targeting vulnerable populations. The hosts highlight how scams have become increasingly sophisticated and believable over time, using technology to deceive victims—exemplified by Susan's personal anecdote about her grandmother falling for a classic Microsoft pop-up scam that prompted her to call a fraudulent number and potentially compromise her financial accounts. The hosts emphasize that scams are becoming more prevalent and convincing, affecting even intelligent and vigilant people, and stress the importance of family awareness and intervention to protect loved ones from fraud.
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KGW News
· 2025-10-10
Oregon is experiencing a growing crisis affecting its expanding senior population, with scams and housing insecurity among the pressing issues. AARP estimates that within five years, one in five Oregonians will be 65 or older, and seniors already outnumber those 18 and younger in the state. The discussion highlights how many elders are overlooked, isolated, and in need of community support and solutions to help them thrive safely.
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
cnbc.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, consumers lost a record $10 billion to fraud, with imposter scams being the most prevalent, affecting nearly 854,000 people and resulting in $2.7 billion in losses at an average of $800 per victim. Imposter scams involve criminals posing as trusted entities (government agencies, companies, relatives, or romantic interests) via email, phone, text, or social media to steal money or personal information, with emerging technologies like AI and voice cloning making these frauds increasingly convincing. Older adults, particularly those 80 and over, experience significantly higher median losses ($1,450) and are particularly vulnerable to "phantom hacker" tech-
reverejournal.com
· 2025-12-08
Revere police officers Kenan Resic and Pheachey Chhom prevented a $6,500 theft targeting a senior citizen couple through a "grandparent scam" where the perpetrator impersonated their grandson, claimed to be in jail, and requested bail money. The officers successfully identified and apprehended the courier (a hired Lyft driver) and recovered the stolen funds after the elderly couple provided vehicle information and surveillance video. The incident highlights the rising threat of elder fraud in the region, prompting the Suffolk County District Attorney's office to launch the Suffolk County Fraud Fighters program, a multi-agency initiative designed to educate and protect vulnerable residents across Boston,
thecut.com
· 2025-12-08
In October, the author—a financially literate journalist and New York Times columnist—fell victim to an elaborate impersonation scam that cost her $50,000 in savings. After an initial fraudulent Amazon customer service call, she was transferred to a scammer posing as a federal agent who claimed her identity had been compromised and her home was being monitored, pressuring her to withdraw cash and leave it on the street in a shoebox without telling anyone. The article challenges common stereotypes about scam victims, noting that younger adults are actually 34% more likely to report fraud losses than seniors, and that intelligence, education, and financial literacy provide no protection against sophisticated psychological manipulation tactics.
vancouver.citynews.ca
· 2025-12-08
Port Moody police reported three "grandparent" scams in a single day in February 2024, resulting in $12,000 in losses, where callers impersonated grandchildren claiming to need money for car repairs or legal fees. Victims were instructed to withdraw cash from banks and meet the suspects in person to exchange money, with police noting an additional incident the previous week where an elderly couple lost $21,000 under similar circumstances. Law enforcement warned that these scams are becoming increasingly sophisticated, with scammers using artificial intelligence to alter voices and impersonate family members more convincingly.
scdemocratonline.com
· 2025-12-08
Jeff Bank leaders discussed the rising prevalence of fraud and scams targeting their customers, particularly elderly individuals who are being defrauded of substantial sums of money. The bank has increased staff training on scam detection and conducted community outreach to vulnerable populations, while noting that scams often go undetected until money has already been sent. Common scams include the Microsoft pop-up scam, lottery fee schemes, the "grandma scam" involving emergency situations, and unsolicited requests for money through electronic channels or phone calls.
ny1.com
· 2025-12-08
The Orange County Sheriff's Office warned residents about scammers impersonating the sheriff's department to sell T-shirts, clarifying that neither the Sheriff's Office nor its association conducts such sales or fundraising. Sheriff Paul Arteta advised the public to ignore unsolicited calls, emails, and requests for payment, emphasizing that legitimate communications arrive by mail or are pre-solicited, and recommended contacting local law enforcement if victimized. The office has established a white-collar task force and is conducting fraud awareness presentations at senior centers to prevent scams.
thespec.com
· 2025-12-08
**Summary:**
Three seniors in Port Moody, B.C., were targeted by "grandparent" scammers on the same day in February 2024, with two victims losing a combined $12,000 in cash. The scammers called elderly residents claiming to be grandchildren in legal trouble and arranged for accomplices to collect money in person from their homes, often impersonating authority figures like bailiffs or lawyers. Police suspected the cases may be linked and were investigating by canvassing neighborhoods and reviewing surveillance footage.
globalnews.ca
· 2025-12-08
Three seniors in Port Moody, B.C., were targeted by "grandparent" scams on the same day, with two victims losing a combined $12,000 in cash. The scammers impersonated grandchildren claiming to need money for legal emergencies like bail or car accidents, then arranged for unknown individuals to collect cash in person from the victims' homes. Police are investigating whether the cases are connected and are reviewing surveillance footage and canvassing neighborhoods for leads.
theautopian.com
· 2025-12-08
Financial advice columnist Charlotte Cowles lost $50,000 to a sophisticated phone scam in which callers impersonated Amazon, the Federal Trade Commission, and the CIA, using personal information to convince her to withdraw cash and hand it to an undercover "CIA agent." The scammers obtained her Social Security number and family details, and instructed her not to tell anyone, ultimately leading her to place $50,000 in a shoebox and hand it through a car window. Cowles publicly shared her experience to raise awareness about how scams can target anyone, regardless of financial literacy or expertise, and to help prevent others from falling victim to similar schemes.
patch.com
· 2025-12-08
Howell Township police warned residents of a surge in telephone scams targeting senior citizens, with scammers using common stories about unpaid bills (IRS or utilities) or relatives in legal or medical trouble to pressure victims into sending money via gift cards or arranging in-person cash pickups. Police emphasized that funds lost to these scams are typically unrecoverable and urged residents to be cautious and contact law enforcement if suspicious.
pembinavalleyonline.com
· 2025-12-08
**Grandparent Scam Alert from Winkler Police**
Winkler Police Service reports an increasing number of scams over the past five years, with the grandparent scam emerging as a recent variation targeting elderly residents. Scammers pose as grandchildren or their representatives claiming to be in trouble (car accidents, arrests) and requesting money for bail or emergencies, often using spoofed local phone numbers and information gathered from social media to appear credible. Police recommend hanging up, verifying the claim with family members or local police, and contacting the Canadian Anti-Fraud Center if targeted—noting that legitimate police requests differ significantly from scammer tactics.
fox61.com
· 2025-12-08
Connecticut State Police are investigating multiple "bail scams" in which victims received phone calls falsely claiming a family member was arrested and needed bail money, with a person posing as a bail bondsman collecting cash in person. At least three incidents have been reported in East Haddam and Somers, with police seeking a Black male in his late 20s, approximately 6'3", described as the person of interest. State police warn that bail scams often target seniors but can affect anyone, and advise never providing personal or financial information without verifying the request's legitimacy.
cbapd.org
· 2025-12-08
This was an educational webinar hosted by the Canadian Bar Association's Elder Law Section on April 16, 2024, addressing scams and frauds targeting older adults across Canada, including grandparent schemes, mortgage lending fraud, and door-to-door HVAC scams. The session featured presentations from police, advocacy organizations, and estate litigation lawyers on criminal justice responses, legal support for victims, and the increasing use of equitable relief and unconscionability doctrines in predatory lending cases.
nbcconnecticut.com
· 2025-12-08
Connecticut State Police are investigating multiple bail bond scams across East Haddam, Somers, and other towns where a man (described as approximately 6'3", late 20s) posed as a bail bondsman representative and collected cash directly from residents' homes after convincing them a family member needed bail money. At least three incidents occurred within one week, with victims withdrawing cash from their banks before someone arrived at their homes to pick up the money in person. State police advise residents to verify claims about family members in custody by contacting relatives directly and to be alert for warning signs such as being told not to discuss the request with others.
kqradio.com
· 2025-12-08
Iowa's Attorney General, Insurance Commissioner, and AARP State Director are conducting statewide educational stops to raise awareness about AI-enabled scams targeting elderly residents. The latest fraud scheme involves criminals using artificial intelligence to impersonate grandchildren, replicating their voices and phone numbers to deceive seniors in "grandparent scams."
wobm.com
· 2025-12-08
Howell Township Police issued a warning about rising phone scams targeting senior citizens in New Jersey, where scammers typically pose as government agencies (IRS, utilities) or claim relatives need bail or medical money. Police advise seniors never to pay via gift cards or allow strangers to pick up money, and urge victims to report incidents to local law enforcement to help track patterns.
messengernews.net
· 2025-12-08
Iowans lost nearly $30 million to fraud in 2022, with older adults disproportionately targeted because they tend to have more assets, may be less tech-savvy, and are more trusting. People ages 70-79 lost an average of $43,000 per scam incident, though many cases go unreported due to victim embarrassment and fear. Common red flags include promises of something free, pressure to act quickly, requests for personal information or money transfers, vague details, and unsolicited contact.
tryondailybulletin.com
· 2025-12-08
A 72-year-old woman named Donna lost $34,000 in a romance scam after seven months of communication with someone she met on a dating site who promised to buy a house with her but disappeared after receiving her money. The article highlights that the FTC reported over $10 billion in losses from scams last year, with elderly individuals particularly vulnerable to sweetheart scams, fake prize winnings, grandparent scams, contractor fraud, and phishing emails. The article recommends protective measures including frequent password changes, two-factor authentication, monthly credit monitoring, antivirus software, limiting personal information on social media, and recognizing red flags like pressure to send money immediately.
observernews.net
· 2025-12-08
In 2022, Americans lost nearly $9 billion to scams and fraud, with seniors being particularly vulnerable targets, according to FTC reports. The Community Foundation Tampa Bay, Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office, and Men's Club of Sun City Center partnered to present a free educational seminar on March 5 featuring speakers who covered common scams including charity fraud, lottery schemes, romance scams, and grandparent scams, while providing prevention strategies and resources to protect older adults from financial exploitation.
steinbachonline.com
· 2025-12-08
A senior in Steinbach, Manitoba lost a substantial amount of money in a Grandparent Scam on Wednesday, where a fraudster called pretending to be a relative in jail and requesting bail money, then arranged in-person cash pickup at the victim's home. Police received two complaints that day and report fraudsters have obtained victims' addresses in the area; if successful, scammers typically call back demanding additional money. Authorities recommend seniors hang up on suspicious calls, verify with family members, establish a family safety word, and report all suspected fraud to police and the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
nypost.com
· 2025-12-08
A YouTube content creator operating under the pseudonym "Neld Harris" poses as an elderly, tech-illiterate widow to infiltrate and expose scam operations targeting vulnerable seniors. Through his ScamSandwich channel, which has garnered over 8 million views since launching in January 2023, he lures scammers into elaborate traps, takes control of their computers, and publicly reveals their identities, locations, and tactics. This "scambaiting" effort addresses a significant problem: the AARP reports Americans over 60 lose $28.3 billion annually to scams, with only 1 in 10 cases reported to authorities.
publicnewsservice.org
· 2025-12-08
AARP Connecticut is launching a new educational series to address the growing complexity of scams targeting older adults, with 400 different scam types reported in 2022. Seniors are frequently targeted because they tend to have more financial resources, and losses can range from hundreds to hundreds of thousands of dollars, with emotional and psychological impacts extending beyond financial harm. The free online series will cover topics including artificial intelligence and voice cloning scams, with a Connecticut man recently indicted for defrauding Wisconsin seniors of $200,000 through grandparent impersonation scams.
midmichigannow.com
· 2025-12-08
State Representative Jasper R. Martus and Attorney General Dana Nessel will present "Senior Scams Awareness" at the Krapohl Senior Center in Mt. Morris Township to educate seniors about common scams targeting older adults, including grandparent scams, IRS scams, and sweepstakes scams, as well as prevention strategies. The presentation aims to teach seniors how to recognize these frauds and what steps to take if they encounter a scam.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Attorney's Office partnered with Winchester and Waltham Police Departments to host financial fraud awareness seminars for older adults, featuring presentations from federal prosecutors, the IRS, and U.S. Postal Service on common scams and protective measures. According to FBI data, victims over 60 experienced an 84% increase in losses from 2021 to 2022, totaling over $3 billion, with nearly 5,500 victims losing more than $100,000 each to schemes including tech support, romance, and sweepstakes scams.
saskatoon.ctvnews.ca
· 2025-12-08
I'm unable to provide a summary of this article because the text provided only contains the title and a list of unrelated shopping/product recommendation links, with no actual article content about the scam incident. To summarize the grandparent scam case involving the Alberta woman arrested in Saskatoon, please provide the full article text.
wset.com
· 2025-12-08
Bedford Police reported an increase in scams targeting elderly residents, including romance scams, grandparent scams requesting money or gift cards, and fraudsters impersonating organizations in person. Community Resource Officer Travis Thomas advised victims to request contact information and verify claims through independent research before donating or sending money, and encouraged residents to contact Bedford Police's non-emergency line to report scams or confirm legitimacy of requests.
steinbachonline.com
· 2025-12-08
Steinbach RCMP responded to four grandparent scam incidents in two days, with two victims losing money. Scammers called elderly residents impersonating relatives in legal trouble and requesting bail money, which victims were instructed to hand over to couriers at their homes. Police advise recipients to hang up, verify the story by calling the alleged family member, never share personal information, and establish a family safety word to prevent falling victim to this fraud.
healthjournalism.org
· 2025-12-08
Elder fraud schemes—including grandparent scams, romance scams, and government impersonation scams—have become increasingly sophisticated through AI technology like deepfake videos and robocalls, making them difficult to distinguish from legitimate communications. In 2022 alone, approximately 88,000 people aged 60 and older lost $3.1 billion to fraud, with victims over 70 losing an average of nearly $42,000; scammers typically exploit emotions rather than intelligence, and experts advise victims and their families to watch for financial requests as the key indicator of fraud. The AARP Fraud Watch Network received nearly 100,000 calls last year from victims of all
orilliamatters.com
· 2025-12-08
The Huronia West Ontario Provincial Police arrested two individuals (ages 24 and 25) in late February after investigating a grandparent scam in which a suspect impersonated a police officer and falsely told a victim their grandson was in jail, demanding money for legal fees; the suspect visited the victim's home three times to collect cash before police intervened on the third visit. Both suspects were charged with fraud over $5,000, with the 24-year-old also charged with resisting a peace officer. The OPP provided guidance on protecting against emergency/grandparent scams, emphasizing verification of callers through independent contact information and warning that legitimate law enforcement will never request payment by
netnewsledger.com
· 2025-12-08
The Thunder Bay Police Service warned of persistent grandparent scams targeting seniors in the community, with one victim losing $3,000 after receiving a call from someone impersonating a lawyer representing her grandson who allegedly needed bail money. The scam typically involves fraudsters calling from private numbers, sometimes playing background voices to create credibility, and requesting urgent fund transfers via email or gift cards. The police recommend protective measures including hanging up on suspicious calls, independently verifying claims with family members, being alert to pressure tactics, reporting suspicious activity, and staying informed through resources like the Canadian Anti-Fraud Centre.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
Video call scams are fraudulent schemes conducted via platforms like WhatsApp where scammers use impersonation, deepfakes, and emotional manipulation to target victims through four main methods: blackmail (threatening to release recorded calls), investment fraud, tech support deception, and romance schemes. India's CERT-In recommends safeguards including avoiding video calls from unknown contacts, not sharing personal information, verifying identities, using secure platforms, and maintaining restricted privacy settings on social media.
natlawreview.com
· 2025-12-08
The FTC has proposed expanded regulations to combat impersonation fraud, which has surged due to emerging technologies like deepfake AI. The proposed rule changes would prohibit impersonation of individuals (extending beyond current government and business protections) and hold companies liable if they knowingly provide services—such as payment processing or AI platforms—used in impersonation schemes including romance scams and grandparent scams. The rule will enter a 60-day public comment period before implementation.
vancouver.citynews.ca
· 2025-12-08
The Vancouver Police Department is hosting free scam prevention workshops for seniors, with the first session on February 28, 2024, covering phone scams, bail money scams, distraction thefts, and cybercrime. The initiative follows recent scams in the region, including a bail money scam targeting a Vancouver senior, a $7.5 million cryptocurrency scam affecting a Burnaby senior, and an AI-enabled grandparent scam in Richmond. Monthly workshops will continue through June at various community locations, including sessions in multiple languages.
calgaryherald.com
· 2025-12-08
Nishaan Singh Sandhu pleaded guilty to his role in a grandparent scam targeting 81-year-old Calgary senior John Roy, who lost $12,000 after being told his grandson was in jail in Philadelphia and needed bail money. When the judge indicated a custodial sentence was appropriate and rejected a probationary proposal, Sandhu's lawyer sought to withdraw the guilty plea; the case returns to court March 15 to determine if the plea can be vacated or proceed to sentencing. Sandhu was arrested at Roy's home while posing as "Michael Lee" to pick up the fraudulent payment, though the Crown did not allege he was involved in the
globalnews.ca
· 2025-12-08
Vancouver police held anti-fraud workshops for seniors after a Broadway Lodge resident lost approximately $5,000 to phone scammers, highlighting the need for fraud prevention education. The workshops cover common scams including grandparent scams (which cost victims over $10 million in 2022), bail scams, distraction theft, and cybersecurity threats, with officers noting that fraudsters are increasingly using artificial intelligence and social media to target vulnerable seniors. Police emphasize that prevention through education is critical since recovering stolen funds—often sent overseas—is extremely difficult.
pembinavalleyonline.com
· 2025-12-08
The Grandparent Scam, currently prevalent in Manitoba, involves criminals calling seniors pretending to be relatives who need bail money for a supposed arrest, then arranging cash pickup at the victim's home. RCMP Sergeant Joanne Ryll advises recipients to hang up, verify the story by calling other family members, never share personal information, and establish a family safety word, noting that fraudsters often make multiple calls requesting additional money once they identify a vulnerable victim. Recovery of money lost to these scams is nearly impossible once handed over to the criminals.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Jean Richard Audate, a 38-year-old New York City man, was sentenced to 30 months in federal prison for his role in a grandparent scam conspiracy that defrauded elderly victims across the United States of over $867,000. Audate traveled to multiple locations, including Rhode Island, to collect cash that victims had been tricked into sending after receiving phone calls from scammers posing as grandchildren or lawyers claiming a relative needed bail money. The scammers also falsely invoked "gag orders" to prevent victims from discussing the requests with others.
terracestandard.com
· 2025-12-08
I cannot provide a summary as requested. The content provided is a website homepage/navigation menu for a news outlet, not an article about elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. To create a summary for the Elderus database, please provide an actual article or transcript that discusses a specific fraud case, scam scheme, or elder abuse incident.
globalnews.ca
· 2025-12-08
Two suspects—a 26-year-old man from Montreal and a 24-year-old woman from Quebec City—were arrested at Vancouver International Airport in connection with a grandparent scam operation that defrauded Saanich, B.C. residents of more than $20,000. The scam involved fraudsters posing as relatives in distress to convince elderly victims to send money. Both suspects face two counts of fraud and are scheduled to appear in court, though police believe additional victims on Vancouver Island may not have reported the crimes.
winnipeg.ca
· 2025-12-08
Fraud Prevention Month 2024 highlights the importance of education and awareness in combating scams targeting Canadians, particularly seniors through schemes like the grandparent scam. In 2022, Canada reported 70,878 frauds affecting 37,047 victims with total losses of $529.3 million, while Manitoba alone experienced 1,850 scams resulting in $10.4 million in losses across 1,011 victims. Law enforcement agencies, including the Winnipeg Police Service, are promoting fraud prevention throughout March via radio panels, community events, educational articles, and social media campaigns focused on cryptocurrency, grandparent, bank investigator, and sextortion frau
castanet.net
· 2025-12-08
**Fraud Landscape and Impact:**
Canadian fraud and cybercrime losses reached $530 million in 2022, a 40% increase from 2021, with AI and emerging technologies enabling criminals to create personalized scams and voice replications. While young adults (20-29) report fraud most frequently, older adults suffer substantially larger financial losses, exemplified by cases including a 68-year-old losing $3,000 to cryptocurrency fraud and an 80-year-old losing $5,000 in a grandparent scam.
**Key Prevention Strategy:**
Experts recommend four protective measures: remain alert to red flags and share scam awareness with
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
Wayne County, Ohio is launching a free scam education and awareness program for residents ages 60 and older through a partnership between the Gilcrest Center, county commissioners, and Job and Family Services, funded by an Ohio Department of Aging grant. Older adults are particularly vulnerable to online financial scams due to declining cognitive abilities, lower technology familiarity, and susceptibility to tactics using fear or urgency, with common 2023 scams including COVID-19 fraud, fake medical equipment sales, and bogus genetic testing. The program emphasizes protective measures such as verifying sender identity, avoiding suspicious links, and protecting personal information to help seniors safely navigate digital transactions.
the-daily-record.com
· 2025-12-08
Wayne County, Ohio has launched a free scam education and awareness program for residents ages 60+ with incomes below 300% of the poverty line, partnering the Gilcrest Center with county commissioners and Job and Family Services through an Ohio Department of Aging grant. The initiative addresses the growing vulnerability of older adults to sophisticated online scams, including COVID-19 fraud, medical equipment sales, and phishing schemes, by providing mentoring and practical safety tips such as verifying sender identity, avoiding suspicious links, and protecting personal information.
doorcountydailynews.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece outlines the anatomy of the "Grandchild Scam," explaining how perpetrators use caller ID cloning to appear legitimate, create emotional urgency (such as claiming a grandchild is injured or jailed), isolate victims from seeking outside advice, and request wire transfers or money card purchases. The article emphasizes that scammers follow consistent methodology across fraud types—elevating emotion to lower logic—and advises potential victims to end suspicious calls immediately and adopt a decisive "hard target" approach to discourage further contact.
atlantafed.org
· 2025-12-08
The Federal Trade Commission reported over 850,000 imposter fraud complaints in 2023, resulting in approximately $2.7 billion in losses—a 60 percent increase over five years. Business and government imposters account for nearly 80 percent of these complaints, with phone calls generating the highest median losses per victim at $1,500. While older adults are frequently targeted, younger people also fall victim to phone-based imposter scams involving fake government agencies, tech support, or romantic partners using emotional manipulation to extract money.
stories.td.com
· 2025-12-08
A TD survey found that 41% of young adult Canadians (ages 18-34) are more likely to be targeted by fraudsters on social media than older adults, with nearly 30% having fallen victim to financial fraud or scams through various channels including social media (43%), online ads (29%), and job applications (25%). Young adults are most concerned about job scams (19%), investment scams (15%), and cheque scams (12%), with 62% feeling vulnerable to fraud despite 60% taking steps to educate themselves about warning signs. Experts recommend learning to identify red flags, reporting incidents to banks and police, opting for electronic payments over cheques, and being suspicious
oudtshoorncourant.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece provides ten practical strategies for avoiding romance scams on the internet. Key advice includes: not engaging with unknown online contacts, using reverse image lookups to verify identities, recognizing manipulation tactics (excessive terms of endearment, avoidance of video calls), never sending money to people you haven't met, and avoiding sharing personal information or intimate photos that could be used for sextortion or extortion. The article emphasizes trusting friends and family who recognize warning signs, as scammers often exploit emotional manipulation and create false scenarios to extract money or sensitive information.
thepointsguy.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, the FTC received 2.6 million fraud reports totaling $10 billion in losses, with imposter scams being the most common type, and AI technology is rapidly enabling new fraud methods including voice cloning, deepfakes, email spoofing, and credential stuffing attacks. Scammers use AI to impersonate loved ones, clone voices, generate fake images, mimic writing styles, and create convincing fraudulent communications to steal money and loyalty points, with the technology expected to advance further to include convincing deepfake video calls. Protection strategies include awareness of these AI-enabled tactics, verification procedures beyond video calls, and regulatory efforts like the FTC's
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
Josiah DeJesus, a 22-year-old from the Bronx, was sentenced to 80 months in prison for serving as the lead courier in a "grandparents" fraud scheme operating from the Dominican Republic from June to October 2020. The scam targeted elderly Americans nationwide by using phone calls from overseas co-conspirators posing as grandchildren or attorneys to convince victims their grandchildren had been arrested and needed immediate bail money, with DeJesus and his recruits collecting thousands of dollars from UPS and FedEx packages across Pennsylvania. DeJesus was ordered to pay $366,303.28 in restitution to victims.
vancouver.citynews.ca
· 2025-12-08
An elderly woman in Kelowna was targeted in a grandparent scam on February 9, 2024, when a caller impersonating "Sgt. Ashley Olsen" claimed her grandson had been arrested and demanded an immediate bond payment. The senior withdrew a large sum of money that was collected by a female suspect in her building's lobby, and received a follow-up call requesting additional funds, but a bank employee recognized the fraud and prevented further withdrawal. Police are seeking a woman described as 23-30 years old with long dark hair and specific clothing, and are reminding the public to verify such claims directly with family members.
welivesecurity.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2022, seniors over 60 reported $3.1 billion in cybercrime losses to the FBI across 88,262 incidents, representing an 82% year-on-year increase, though many cases remain unreported. Digital fraudsters increasingly target senior citizens, believing they have more savings but less digital awareness to recognize scams. Common schemes include phishing, romance scams ($734 million in 2022), Medicare impersonation, tech support fraud, online shopping scams, robocalls, government impersonation ($1 billion in combined losses in 2022), and lottery fraud.
stories.td.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article outlines major fraud trends affecting consumers in 2024, noting that fraud losses exceeded $10 billion in 2023 with a 14% increase year-over-year. It describes five prevalent scam types targeting older adults: grandparent scams (impersonating distressed relatives), romance scams (building false relationships to extract money), SIM swap scams (hijacking phone numbers to access financial accounts), investment scams (promoting unrealistic opportunities with high-pressure tactics), and mail theft scams (stealing personal information from physical mail). The article provides practical prevention strategies including using family code words, conducting background checks, enabling voice authentication with banks, avoiding unsolicite
aol.com
· 2025-12-08
The "grandparent scam" has stolen millions from elderly Americans by impersonating a grandchild's lawyer or bail bondsman, falsely claiming the grandchild is in legal trouble or an accident out of state and demanding urgent payment via wire transfer, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. In 2021, over 92,000 older fraud victims lost $1.7 billion, with scammers exploiting fear and urgency by calling at odd hours. Law enforcement recommends not answering calls from unknown numbers, hanging up without engaging, and calling family members directly to verify—while noting that emerging AI voice-cloning technology makes these scams increasingly difficult to detect.
theprescotttimes.com
· 2025-12-08
The Yavapai County Sheriff's Office warned senior citizens that scammers use urgency tactics through calls, texts, emails, and social media to steal money, advising victims to "slow down" and verify requests independently. Recent local cases included a $12,000 grandparent scam using AI-generated voices and a $40,000 Bitcoin fraud, with law enforcement cautioning against clicking suspicious links, using untraceable payment methods, and trusting caller IDs, as scammers impersonate relatives, banks, and government agencies.
southcoasttoday.com
· 2025-12-08
The "grandparent scam" has stolen millions from elderly Americans by impersonating lawyers, bail bondsmen, or family members to claim a grandchild is in legal trouble or distress and urgently needs cash sent via wire transfer, gift cards, or cryptocurrency. The FBI reported over 92,000 older fraud victims lost $1.7 billion in 2021, with scammers exploiting psychological tactics—calling at odd hours and inducing fear—and now increasingly using AI voice cloning to impersonate relatives. Law enforcement recommends not answering unknown callers, hanging up on urgent money requests, and independently verifying any family emergency by calling the relative directly rather than engaging with the
silive.com
· 2025-12-08
On National Slam the Scam Day, Staten Island District Attorney Michael E. McMahon highlighted that scams remain a significant crime driver in the borough, with senior citizens losing over $2.6 million to fraud in 2023 alone. Common scams include impersonation schemes (government officials, police, IRS, family members), marketplace fraud, and payment requests via gift cards and digital platforms, with scammers using threats and pressure tactics to manipulate victims. McMahon emphasized that prevention and immediate reporting to the District Attorney's Scams Hotline (718-556-7226) are critical to investigating incidents and securing restitution for victims.
timesofindia.indiatimes.com
· 2025-12-08
The "courier scam" has affected at least 390 people in two months, with one Chennai businessman losing ₹6 crore after being threatened by fraudsters posing as police officers. Scammers contact victims claiming a parcel with drugs or contraband was found in their name, then connect them via video call to fake police officers who threaten legal action and coerce money transfers by promising account protection through a new Aadhaar card and KYC update.
thestarphoenix.com
· 2025-12-08
Saskatoon Police Service partnered with the Electronic Recycling Association to offer free secure destruction of electronics and confidential documents on March 14 as part of Fraud Prevention Month awareness efforts. The initiative comes as Canadian fraud losses reached $567 million in 2023, with investment scams, spear phishing, and romance scams causing the most financial damage, while fraud methods have evolved to include cryptocurrency schemes and sophisticated phishing techniques targeting both individuals and institutions.
golocalprov.com
· 2025-12-08
Two men from Florida and New York—Jason Rhodes, 34, and Robert Munoz, 29—were arrested in Warwick, Rhode Island in connection with a "grandparent scam" targeting elderly residents in Warwick and Coventry after police executed a controlled money delivery on March 8, 2024. During a search of a hotel room, detectives seized evidence linking the suspects to multiple grandparent scams and a large sum of cash, with the investigation ongoing. Warwick Police are urging other potential victims throughout Rhode Island to report similar scams to their local police departments.
clickondetroit.com
· 2025-12-08
**AI Voice Cloning Scams**
Scammers are using advanced artificial intelligence to clone voices from small audio clips and impersonate loved ones or authority figures (family members, bosses, or candidates) in urgent situations to trick targets into sending money immediately via digital payment apps or wire transfers. The article outlines common scenarios—such as a "daughter in an accident" requesting funds or a "boss" requesting urgent vendor payments—and provides prevention tips including resisting immediate action, verifying requests through known contact numbers, avoiding digital wallet transfers when uncertain, and implementing multifactor authentication and workplace verification protocols.
southeastiowaunion.com
· 2025-12-08
Iowa Insurance Commissioner Doug Ommen conducted a statewide "Stop the Scammers" educational tour in Mt. Pleasant to inform older residents about common fraud schemes including romance scams, grandparent scams, investment scams, and pig butchering scams. Ommen emphasized that scammers exploit emotional vulnerabilities and target older Iowans by conducting personal research and creating deceptive relationships to extract thousands or hundreds of thousands of dollars. The campaign aimed to educate residents so they could share protective information with family and friends to help prevent fraud victimization.
clickorlando.com
· 2025-12-08
The Titusville Police Department held an educational scam seminar at the public library to warn seniors about common frauds including IRS scams, utility fraud, fake prizes, tech support scams, and impersonation schemes. The city's Criminal Investigations Division receives approximately 15 new fraud cases per week involving thousands of dollars, with seniors being the primary targets; police emphasized that scammers exploit vulnerabilities and continuously update their tactics, and advised seniors to safeguard personal information and verify callers' identities before engaging further.
winnipegfreepress.com
· 2025-12-08
The "grandparent scam" has significantly increased across Canada, targeting seniors through phone calls from scammers impersonating grandchildren in crisis situations (legal trouble, illness, etc.) to pressure victims into sending money urgently via courier or bank withdrawal. In 2022, this scam resulted in losses exceeding $9.2 million nationally, with Manitoba victims losing over $313,000. Protection strategies include not answering unknown numbers, calling trusted family members to verify urgent requests, and remembering that police never demand bail money directly.
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-08
A 79-year-old Manitoba senior lost $16,000 in a "grandparent scam" in which a caller impersonated her grandson, claiming he had been arrested after a car crash and needed bail money; a second caller posed as his lawyer, instructing her not to tell anyone and arranging courier pickup of cash from her home. Since the start of 2024, approximately 13 similar scams have been reported in southern Manitoba, resulting in roughly $70,000 in losses, with scammers increasingly targeting less tech-savvy victims by requesting in-person cash withdrawals rather than online transfers. A 32-year-old courier who was intercepting the final payment
sentinelandenterprise.com
· 2025-12-08
Two bank branch managers in Massachusetts prevented an elderly couple in their mid-70s from losing $80,000 in March 2024 after scammers posed as law enforcement, claiming the couple needed to transfer funds due to alleged illegal images and money laundering on their computer. Branch Manager Kim Giammasi at Hanscom Federal Credit Union became suspicious and required the couple to complete the transfer in person, allowing her colleague Melody Anoli to contact Billerica police, who confirmed the scam and secured the couple's accounts. The article emphasizes the importance of bank employee vigilance and provides Federal Trade Commission guidance on avoiding such schemes, including never clicking unexpected links, refusing unsolicited payment requests
winnipeg.ca
· 2025-12-08
The "grandparent scam" has significantly increased across Canada, with scammers impersonating grandchildren in distress to pressure seniors into sending money urgently, often through couriers. In 2022, Canadian seniors lost over $9.2 million to this scam, with Manitoba losses exceeding $313,000. Protection strategies include ignoring unknown callers, verifying requests by calling trusted family members, and remembering that police never demand money directly for bail.
valleybreeze.com
· 2025-12-08
The Burrillville Police Department warned residents about the "grandparent scam," in which callers impersonate grandchildren in distress to convince seniors to withdraw and send money, often instructing victims not to tell bank tellers about the transfers. An elderly couple in Burrillville was recently targeted, and the FBI reports seniors lost over $3 billion to online scams in 2023. Police Chief Stephen Lynch recommends residents slow their response, verify claims with family members, and report suspicious calls to local authorities.
fox23maine.com
· 2025-12-08
Maine seniors lost $12.7 million to fraud in 2022, a dramatic increase from $2 million in 2021, with victims over 60 nationwide experiencing skyrocketing losses according to FBI data. One Maine senior fell victim to a tech support scam involving deceptive popups claiming she had a virus and requesting access to her savings account information. Experts emphasize that education and awareness are critical to protecting Maine's aging population, the oldest in the nation, from increasingly prevalent fraud schemes.
fox23maine.com
· 2025-12-08
Maine seniors lost $12.7 million to fraud in 2022, a dramatic increase from $2 million in 2021, according to FBI data. One victim fell prey to a tech support scam involving fake virus warning popups that prompted her to call scammers who attempted to access her savings account information. Experts emphasize that education and community awareness are critical tools in combating fraud targeting Maine's elderly population, the oldest in the nation.
wgme.com
· 2025-12-08
Fraud losses among Maine seniors have surged dramatically, increasing from $2 million in 2021 to $12.7 million in 2022, with tech support scams being among the most common threats to the state's aging population. One Maine senior fell victim to a tech support imposter scam involving malicious popups claiming she had a virus, which prompted her to call a fraudulent number where scammers attempted to access her savings account information. Experts emphasize that education and awareness are critical to protecting Maine's elderly residents, who represent the nation's oldest state population and face heightened vulnerability to fraud schemes.
cp24.com
· 2025-12-08
This article is about Canadian political maneuvering regarding pipeline policy and does not contain information about elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It cannot be summarized for the Elderus database as it falls outside the scope of elder fraud research.
toronto.ctvnews.ca
· 2025-12-08
I cannot provide a summary of this article because the text provided does not contain any actual article content about the grandparent scam or the Toronto man's charges. The material shown only includes a title and a list of unrelated shopping and product recommendation articles.
Please provide the full article text so I can create an accurate summary for the Elderus database.
weau.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center reported over $12.5 billion in total fraud losses nationally in 2023, with Wisconsin accounting for 7,683 complaints and $92 million in losses. The FBI Milwaukee field office released a list of common fraud alert questions to help consumers identify potential scams, including cryptocurrency and investment fraud, impersonation of banks or government agencies, tech support scams, romance scams, and cash-for-gift-card schemes. Consumers who suspect they have been targeted are encouraged to file complaints at www.ic3.gov.
kpbs.org
· 2025-12-08
On March 20, 2024, the U.S. Attorney's Office presented an educational program at San Diego State University featuring Assistant U.S. Attorney Oleksandra Johnson, an elder fraud coordinator, who discussed various methods of elder financial abuse including mail, phone, computer, and in-person schemes. The presentation covered trending fraud types in Southern California such as grandparent scams, romance scams, and investment fraud, while providing information on recognizing signs of financial abuse and prevention strategies.
amac.us
· 2025-12-08
This educational piece outlines four common scam tactics targeting potential fraud victims: scammers impersonating trusted organizations (IRS, Social Security, tech companies) to steal financial or personal information; scammers falsely claiming computer or account problems to instill fear and extract payment or data; scammers posing as family members in emergencies (often using voice-cloning technology) to solicit money for bail or hostages; and scammers claiming victims have won prizes or sweepstakes requiring upfront fees. The article advises victims to block unwanted contacts, never open suspicious links, verify emergencies by calling family members using known phone numbers, and remain skeptical of unsolic
wmtv15news.com
· 2025-12-08
The FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center reports that Americans lost over $12.5 billion to fraud and scams in the previous year, with Wisconsin alone experiencing more than 7,000 complaints resulting in $92 million in losses. The FBI has released a list of common fraud warning signs including cryptocurrency investment schemes, impersonation of banks or government agencies, tech support scams, romance scams, and cash withdrawal schemes to help consumers identify if they may be targeted. Victims or those who suspect fraud are encouraged to report incidents to IC3 at www.ic3.gov.
globalnews.ca
· 2025-12-08
Regina police are warning seniors about "grandparent scams" in which fraudsters call posing as grandchildren or police officers claiming an emergency requiring immediate payment of thousands of dollars for bail, car repairs, or legal fees. Multiple reports were received over three days, with some scammers fraudulently claiming to be officers who would pick up bond money at victims' homes. Police urge anyone experiencing or suspecting such fraud to contact them immediately.
fox5dc.com
· 2025-12-08
A California man was arrested in Montgomery County, Maryland for defrauding a 64-year-old woman out of $800,000 by posing as a federal investigator and convincing her to convert her assets into gold bars for supposed identity theft protection, then stealing the gold from a parking lot. The FBI reports this cash-to-gold scam resulted in over $55 million in losses nationwide from May to December of the previous year, with at least 12 victims identified in Montgomery County alone, as scammers exploit the lack of transaction scrutiny from gold bullion websites compared to traditional banking institutions.
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-08
Albertans reported losing over $156 million to fraud since 2020, with losses reaching $62.5 million in 2023 alone—a fivefold increase from 2020—though experts estimate only 5-10% of incidents are reported due to victim reluctance and embarrassment. Investment scams, particularly cryptocurrency fraud, accounted for nearly 58% of 2023 losses ($35.9 million), followed by spear-phishing attacks that took $8.5 million, with technological advancements and the unregulated nature of cryptocurrency enabling fraudsters to operate across borders with relative anonymity.
blogto.com
· 2025-12-08
Toronto residents are experiencing a surge in scams targeting seniors and vulnerable citizens, including fraudulent speeding ticket texts, rental listing scams (with victims losing up to $3,600), 407 ETR toll highway payment scams via text message, and grandparent scams that have defrauded over 200 Toronto victims of more than $1 million since 2021. Recent cases include an 87-year-old who lost $10,000 when scammers falsely claimed her grandson needed bail money for drug possession charges, highlighting how fraudsters exploit urgency and trust in authorities to manipulate victims.
globalnews.ca
· 2025-12-08
According to a Valley First branch manager, fraud is a growing threat in Canada, with common scams including investment, grandparent, tech support, romance, and spoofing schemes. In 2023, Canada recorded over 62,000 fraud reports affecting more than 41,000 victims with losses exceeding $554 million, though actual figures are likely higher due to underreporting. Protection strategies include maintaining updated antivirus software, enabling multi-factor authentication, using complex passwords, setting up banking alerts, and avoiding sharing personal information or upfront fees.
wmtv15news.com
· 2025-12-08
The Dane County Sheriff's Office warned the public of AI-enhanced grandparent scams where criminals use artificial intelligence to mimic a grandchild's voice and claim they are in danger, pressuring victims to send money in the tens of thousands of dollars. The scam targets elderly grandparents across urban and rural areas, particularly during spring break when college and high school students are away, and succeeds by creating false urgency while telling victims not to contact parents. Law enforcement advises people to hang up and directly call the family member to verify the emergency, adjust social media privacy settings, and listen for robotic tones in the voice recording as a warning sign.
nbc15.com
· 2025-12-08
The Dane County Sheriff's Office is warning the public about AI-powered grandparent scams where scammers use artificial intelligence to create realistic voice recordings impersonating grandchildren in distress, pressuring grandparents to send money urgently while threatening not to contact parents. These scams affect victims nationwide across urban and rural areas, with losses reaching tens of thousands of dollars per incident, though AI voices may still have a robotic quality that can serve as a warning sign. Law enforcement advises victims to hang up and call family members directly to verify emergencies and recommends adjusting social media privacy settings to limit scammers' access to personal information.
wkow.com
· 2025-12-08
The Dane County Sheriff's Office reports that artificial intelligence is being increasingly used in "Grandparent Scams," where scammers use AI-generated voice recordings created from online videos to impersonate grandchildren in distress and convince seniors to send money. The scam has become more convincing and effective at stealing thousands of dollars from vulnerable elderly victims. Authorities recommend tightening social media privacy settings, hanging up and independently calling family members to verify claims, and reporting suspected scams to local law enforcement.
channel3000.com
· 2025-12-08
The Dane County Sheriff's Office is warning seniors about AI-powered "Grandparents scams," where criminals use artificial intelligence to clone a grandchild's voice from online videos and convince elderly victims their relative needs emergency financial help. To protect themselves, seniors should limit social media sharing, use strict privacy settings, and verify emergency calls by hanging up and contacting family members directly.
1011now.com
· 2025-12-08
A Lincoln couple, ages 86 and 89, lost $23,000 to a grandparent impersonation scam in which callers claimed to be their grandson and his lawyer, demanding bail money for a fake accident and citation. The victims withdrew cash and gave it to a courier before realizing the deception the following day and contacting police. Lincoln Police recommend that families discuss impersonation scams with elderly relatives and always verify the identity of callers claiming to be family members or legal/financial representatives.
london.ctvnews.ca
· 2025-12-08
I appreciate you providing this article, but the content you've shared appears to be a webpage header/navigation menu rather than the actual article text about the grandparent scam in London, Ontario. The title indicates there's a story about a senior who successfully resisted fraudsters twice, but the body content is missing—it only shows shopping and product recommendation links.
To provide an accurate summary for the Elderus database, could you please share the actual article text? Once you do, I'll create a 2-3 sentence summary covering what happened, the scam type, and the outcome.
fox47.com
· 2025-12-08
The Dane County Sheriff's Office warns senior citizens about an AI-enabled "Grandparents scam" where criminals use deepfake technology to impersonate grandchildren in distress and request emergency money. To protect themselves, seniors should restrict social media privacy settings to prevent scammers from obtaining video material, and should hang up suspicious calls and contact family members directly to verify claims.
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
Scammers posing as federal agents convinced Alaina Weisman, a woman in her late 70s, to deposit $11,000 into a cryptocurrency ATM at a cannabis dispensary in Santa Fe, New Mexico, by falsely claiming her bank accounts were compromised and the money would protect them. This initial scheme was the first of multiple frauds perpetrated by the same criminals that ultimately cost Weisman $159,000. Crypto ATMs are increasingly becoming the payment method of choice for scammers targeting victims through government impostor scams, romance scams, grandparent scams, and other schemes, as traditional methods like gift cards and payment apps face growing prot
pentictonherald.ca
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, Canada recorded 41,111 fraud victims, prompting the Essex County OPP to host a community awareness event on recognizing and preventing scams. Key recommendations include avoiding unsolicited calls and emails, keeping personal information private, and recognizing urgency tactics—with common current scams including romance scams, grandparent/emergency scams, and Canada Revenue Agency impersonation. Officials emphasized that fraud cases are underreported due to embarrassment and encouraged victims to report incidents to help protect others.
local.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
This is an educational awareness piece from AARP Florida highlighting fraud prevention resources for older adults in Florida. AARP offers a 24/7 Fraud Watch Network hotline, community shredding events for secure document disposal, partnerships with law enforcement and financial institutions, and educational materials through the AARP Florida Fraud Resource Center to help seniors recognize and avoid common scams like phishing and grandparent fraud. The article emphasizes that fraud prevention requires ongoing vigilance, community collaboration, and staying informed about evolving scammer tactics.
witn.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2024, imposter scams remain the most commonly reported fraud category, with emerging threats including AI scams, synthetic identity fraud, and fake charity schemes. One Pitt County resident lost over $12,000 after scammers posed as Microsoft support and convinced her to call a fraudulent number, highlighting how scammers use fear tactics to manipulate victims. Experts recommend staying calm when receiving suspicious emails or calls, avoiding clicking links or calling provided numbers, and contacting legitimate technology professionals for verification.
ketv.com
· 2025-12-08
An eighth grader named Parker Cosimano created and distributed 1,000 flyers to five senior living facilities to warn older adults about common scams, particularly impersonation fraud, after his own grandmother had her credit card stolen. The project grew from a school essay on senior scams into direct community action, with a printing company donating the flyers when learning of the cause, as AARP estimates seniors lose $28 billion annually to financial scams. Cosimano's goal is to increase awareness about scams occurring "all across the world" and educate seniors on how to respond if targeted.
the-sun.com
· 2025-12-08
The WhatsApp Gold scam, circulating since 2016, tricks millions of users by promising an exclusive upgraded WhatsApp version through fraudulent links that actually sign victims up for costly premium SMS services costing around £30 per month. Security experts warn users to avoid clicking links or providing phone numbers in messages offering special WhatsApp downloads, and to be vigilant against related scams including impersonation fraud, phishing links, tech support scams, and romance scams on the platform.
mainstreetdailynews.com
· 2025-12-08
A 72-year-old widow named Mary from Gainesville was scammed out of $90,000 by a man claiming to be named "Bill" who contacted her through LinkedIn and posed as an oil company engineer, eventually claiming he wanted to marry her but needed money due to frozen assets in China. The article also details a separate grandparent scam targeting 78-year-old Alfred Dorsett, who lost $5,000 after being told his grandniece was in legal trouble, and notes that the FTC reported 853,935 imposter scams nationwide in 2023 resulting in $2.7 billion in losses, with romance scams being a common t
boston.com
· 2025-12-08
A 77-year-old Hingham woman lost $9,500 in a "grandparent scam" after receiving a call from someone claiming to be her grandson who needed money for a pregnant woman's medical expenses; a second caller posing as a federal agent arranged for pickup via a ride-share driver. The victim became suspicious when the scammer called again requesting an additional $5,000, prompting her to contact police, who apprehended the ride-share driver (who was unaware of the scam and faced no charges). Hingham police note that grandparent scams remain common and increasingly sophisticated, with scammers using personal information from social media and even AI voice-cloning technology
trendmicro.com
· 2025-12-08
AI-generated deepfakes and voice cloning technology are increasingly being exploited by scammers to perpetrate fraud against unsuspecting victims. Common schemes include fake celebrity giveaways using deepfake videos, voice cloning to impersonate family members or authority figures for ransom demands and the "grandparent scam," and impersonation attacks via business platforms like Microsoft Teams and WhatsApp that have resulted in significant financial losses (including a $25 million case involving a deepfake CFO). Victims should verify collaborations through official websites and social media accounts, be cautious of unsolicited messages requesting meetings, and report suspicious activity to authorities.
news.trendmicro.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article outlines emerging AI-enabled scams targeting the public, including deepfake celebrity giveaway scams, AI voice cloning used to impersonate family members or demand ransom for kidnapped children, and deepfake video attacks on business platforms like Microsoft Teams (with one Hong Kong firm losing $25 million to fraudsters impersonating their CFO). The article advises consumers to verify collaborations through official websites and social media accounts and warns of AI-generated fake news and romance scams as additional threats.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
Shannon and Kit Abell are retired professionals in Roanoke County, Virginia who volunteer as fraud prevention educators through the Triad program, a partnership between AARP, law enforcement, and community groups designed to reduce crime against older adults. Shannon delivered 52 fraud prevention presentations in 2023 covering scams such as romance fraud, identity theft, and grandparent scams, while the Triad program has expanded from over 200 Virginia locations at its peak to 59 chapters, with AARP and state officials working to revitalize participation. The program emphasizes peer-to-peer education and local law enforcement involvement to build community trust and help victims connect with appropriate resources.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell established a new Elder Justice Unit to combat the frequent and pervasive fraud targeting older residents, with director Mary Freeley coordinating resources across multiple bureaus to enhance prosecution and education. In 2023, Massachusetts consumers reported over 87,000 fraud cases resulting in $142.3 million in losses, though experts note significant underreporting due to shame and lack of awareness. Common scams include impostor fraud targeting bank and government agency impersonation, grandparent scams, and cryptocurrency schemes, with prevention experts recommending victims slow down and avoid emotional reactions that bypass logical thinking.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
Two retired Georgia law enforcement veterans with combined 75+ years of experience—Joe Gavalis and Dan Flynn—volunteer with the North Georgia Elder Abuse Task Force Foundation to combat elder fraud through training, education, and prevention work. They have facilitated over 60 law enforcement trainings and reached approximately 8,000 older adults with fraud prevention presentations covering common scams like credit card fraud, grandparent scams, and romance schemes. Their work addresses a critical gap, as Americans reported 2.6 million fraud incidents in 2023 with $10 billion in losses, with elder victims often experiencing catastrophic financial impact.
states.aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
San Diego County Deputy District Attorney Scott Pirrello leads an Elder Abuse Unit that has partnered with the FBI and other agencies through the Elder Justice Task Force to combat elder financial fraud, which resulted in approximately $97 million in losses in San Diego County alone in 2023. The unit prosecutes cases ranging from grandparent scams to tech-support fraud, such as a 2023 case where a 22-year-old man stole over $200,000 from a 65-year-old woman through a fake Microsoft pop-up and fraudulent Chase Bank calls. While reported losses nationwide exceeded $1.6 billion in 2022 for adults
patriotledger.com
· 2025-12-08
A 77-year-old Hingham woman lost $9,500 to a grandparent scam in which a caller impersonated her grandson, claiming he needed money for hospital bills after a car accident, then a fake federal agent arranged for a driver to pick up the cash from her home. When the scammer called requesting an additional $5,000 the next day, the woman became suspicious and contacted police, who intercepted the second pickup and arrested no one, though the investigation remains ongoing.
finance.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
During tax season, scammers commonly target taxpayers through identity theft, impersonation, and fake tax preparers, exploiting fear, urgency, and promises of money to trick victims into sharing personal information or paying fees. The IRS received 294,138 identity theft complaints in 2023, with affected taxpayers waiting an average of 19 months for refund processing. To protect yourself, recognize scammer tactics, verify that contact from the IRS comes only via physical mail, research tax professionals through official directories, and avoid sharing information with unknown callers.
ny1.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article outlines common tax season scams and protection strategies. Scammers typically use fear, urgency, and financial incentives to trick taxpayers into sharing personal information or money, with identity theft being particularly prevalent—the IRS received 294,138 identity theft complaints in 2023, leaving victims waiting an average of 19 months for refund processing. Experts recommend verifying the legitimacy of tax professionals, remembering that the IRS contacts people only via official mail and websites, and avoiding sharing personal information with unsolicited callers.
cbs2iowa.com
· 2025-12-08
Law enforcement in Cedar Rapids, Iowa is warning seniors about an evolving "grandparent scam" that uses AI to impersonate distressed relatives and manipulate victims into withdrawing large cash amounts, sometimes picked up by couriers posing as family members. Scammers use social media information and spoofed phone numbers or deepfake voices to create urgency and pressure victims to act quickly without verification. Police recommend establishing a family password system for emergencies, verifying unexpected requests by calling trusted contacts directly, and reporting suspected fraud to the Federal Trade Commission.
veronapress.com
· 2025-12-08
On March 28, Verona Police arrested 23-year-old Jiale Yang after receiving an anonymous tip that he would commit elder fraud that afternoon; Yang falsely identified himself as an IRS agent and obtained $30,000 in cash from the victim, who had been deceived by a pop-up claiming her computer had a virus and directed her to "Apple Support" where she was told her money was involved in criminal activity. The article also outlines five common types of elder fraud schemes: grandparent scams, government impersonation scams, phishing scams (which increased from 114,702 reports in 2019 to 298,878 in 2
adirondackdailyenterprise.com
· 2025-12-08
This educational article outlines common tax season scams and protection strategies. Scammers typically use fear, urgency, and money as tactics to trick taxpayers into sharing personal information or paying for fraudulent services, with identity theft being particularly prevalent—the IRS received 294,138 identity theft complaints in 2023, and victims wait an average of 19 months for resolution. Experts recommend verifying that contacts are genuinely from the IRS (which communicates only by mail), researching tax professionals through official directories, and avoiding unsolicited phone calls to prevent falling victim to these scams.
aarp.org
· 2025-12-08
A Hong Kong finance worker lost $25.6 million after being deceived in a video conference where the CFO and executives were entirely computer-generated deepfakes, representing a sophisticated AI-enabled fraud scheme. Criminals are increasingly weaponizing generative AI tools like ChatGPT and DALL-E to create convincing fake voices, videos, and identities for various scams including celebrity endorsement frauds, romance schemes, sextortion, and phishing emails. Experts warn that AI technology has dramatically lowered the barrier for fraud perpetration, enabling an "industrial revolution for fraud criminals" with potentially endless victims and losses.
capenews.net
· 2025-12-08
This educational article discusses aging in place and the rising threat of elder fraud, reporting that seniors age 60+ filed 88,262 fraud complaints in 2022 resulting in $3.1 billion in losses—an 82% increase from 2021. Scammers target older adults due to accumulated savings, daytime availability, lower tech literacy, and potential cognitive vulnerabilities, with the five most common scams being government imposter schemes (Medicare, IRS, Social Security), sweepstakes/lottery fraud, phishing/vishing/smishing, tech support scams, and grandparent scams. The article emphasizes that seniors may underreport scams due to fears
bc.ctvnews.ca
· 2025-12-08
This article does not contain information relevant to elder fraud, scams, or elder abuse. It is a compilation of general news briefs from Vancouver and British Columbia covering topics such as housing policy, immigration, wildlife disease testing, sports, crime, weather, and other local news items. There is no content suitable for the Elderus elder fraud research database.
columbian.com
· 2025-12-08
This article provides educational guidance on protecting yourself from tax season scams. Common scams include identity theft (where scammers file false returns in victims' names to claim refunds) and IRS impersonation schemes that use fear, urgency, and promises of money to trick people into sharing personal information. To protect yourself, verify that communications are genuinely from the IRS (which contacts people only by mail), research tax professionals through official directories, and avoid sharing information with unknown callers.
chadronradio.com
· 2025-12-08
The Nebraska Attorney General's Office warns of an increase in Family Emergency (Grandparents) Scams, where scammers pose as family members or authority figures in crisis and request urgent payments via phone or text. These imposter scams represent the top fraud category nationally, with over 850,000 reports and 21% resulting in financial losses. The alert recommends verifying callers directly with family members, confirming any authority figures' identities independently, refusing payment requests, and staying calm to protect against these emotionally manipulative schemes.
postandcourier.com
· 2025-12-08
This opinion piece highlights multiple types of elder and consumer fraud affecting South Carolina residents, including gift card scams, cryptocurrency schemes, the "grandparent" impersonation scam, and account takeovers, with documented losses ranging from $30,000 to $39,000. The author provides red flags to recognize scams (requests for gift cards or cryptocurrency, unsolicited requests for personal information, phishing emails) and recommends protective measures such as using strong passwords, utilizing password managers, and paying with credit cards rather than debit cards to limit liability. The piece emphasizes that while individuals have limited recourse, large institutions continue to suffer major data breaches that put personal information into criminals' hands.
businessinsider.com
· 2025-12-08
Americans lost over $1 million to online puppy scams in the past year, with the Better Business Bureau receiving thousands of reports primarily from Facebook Marketplace and Craigslist, where approximately 80% of sponsored pet advertisements are potentially fraudulent. A North Carolina grandmother lost her life savings when she sent $5,000 in gift cards to a scammer on Facebook Marketplace while attempting to purchase a Yorkshire terrier. The FTC recommends consumers adopt from local shelters, reverse image search photos, request in-person meetings, and avoid unusual payment methods like gift cards, while law enforcement has begun prosecuting perpetrators with felony charges carrying substantial prison sentences.
wired.com
· 2025-12-08
This article explains the emerging threat of AI-powered voice cloning scams, where fraudsters use artificial intelligence to impersonate family members or trusted contacts in urgent calls requesting money. The article provides expert advice on protection strategies, including hanging up and calling the person back using a verified number, establishing pre-agreed safe words with loved ones, and asking personal questions that only the real person would know to verify authenticity.
kxii.com
· 2025-12-08
Jason Leach from Communication Federal Credit Union discusses common scam types, specifically grandparent and romance scams, and provides guidance on how to avoid becoming a victim. The segment, part of a "Dollars and Sense" educational series, focuses on awareness and prevention strategies for these prevalent fraud schemes.
patch.com
· 2025-12-08
Brick Township police warn residents, particularly seniors, about active scams in their community, including gift card/cryptocurrency fraud, grandparent scams, email phishing, tech support fraud, and romance scams. The department urges residents to verify caller identities, avoid unsolicited payment requests, maintain strong cybersecurity practices, and report suspected fraud to local police immediately.
rexburgstandardjournal.com
· 2025-12-08
Madison County residents, particularly those 50 years old and older, have been targeted by a jury duty summons scam where callers impersonating sheriff's office deputies demand payment or attempt to arrange in-person meetings. The Madison County Sheriff's Office clarified that deputies never contact residents by phone regarding warrants, fines, or tickets, and do not accept payment via gift cards or digital payment methods. Other prevalent scams in the area include IRS impersonation, sweepstakes fraud, fake scholarships, and romance scams, all designed to extract money from victims.
dailycardinal.com
· 2025-12-08
The Dane County Sheriff's Office is warning seniors about the "Grandparents Scam," where callers impersonate grandchildren claiming to be in legal or financial trouble and request cryptocurrency, gift cards, or wire transfers, sometimes using AI voice-cloning technology to enhance authenticity. Elderly Americans lose approximately $28.3 billion annually to such financial exploitation, with scammers deliberately targeting victims' emotions to prevent them from questioning the requests. Law enforcement emphasizes the importance of public education about these evolving scams as AI technology becomes increasingly sophisticated and accessible.
cpr.org
· 2025-12-08
While younger adults are statistically more likely to fall for fraud, people over 70 lose significantly more money overall. An 80-year-old man in Aurora lost $20,000 after scammers posed as his bank's fraud department over several weeks, convincing him to withdraw cash and convert it to Bitcoin at a gas station ATM. Deputy Ryan Falkner of the Douglas County Sheriff's Office identifies the most prevalent current scams targeting older adults as popup virus warnings and jury duty/arrest warrant phone scams, recommending that victims turn off their computers and never pay via gift cards or cryptocurrency.
stories.td.com
· 2025-12-08
**Gift Card Scams Overview**
Gift card scams are increasingly prevalent, with fraudsters posing as grandchildren, IRS agents, or bank employees to pressure victims into purchasing gift cards and sharing the numbers. Scammers prefer gift cards because they are difficult to track once the card number and PIN are compromised, making them an "easy depletion method" for accessing funds. Common variants include bank investigator scams, IRS impersonation scams, grandparent scams, and lottery scams, all of which exploit urgency, authority, or emotional appeals to manipulate victims into sending money via untraceable gift cards.
fox61.com
· 2025-12-08
Tax season scams are prevalent, with identity theft being one of the most common, where fraudsters file tax returns in victims' names to claim refunds—the IRS received 294,138 identity theft complaints in 2023, and victims wait an average of 19 months for resolution. Scammers typically use tactics based on fear, urgency, and financial incentives to trick people into sharing personal information or money, often impersonating the IRS or tax professionals. Experts recommend verifying IRS contact through official channels (mail or their website), researching tax professionals through reputable directories, and avoiding unsolicited phone calls to protect against tax-related fraud.
opb.org
· 2025-12-08
Kitboga, a Twitch streamer and "scam baiter," poses as vulnerable characters (like an elderly woman named Edna) to waste scammers' time and expose their tactics, preventing them from targeting real victims. With Americans losing a record $12.5 billion to internet crimes in the latest year—a 22% jump from the previous year—Kitboga uses his 1.2 million Twitch followers to educate viewers about common scams including tech support fraud, gift card scams, and "pig butchering" (romance-investment scams involving cryptocurrency). Inspired by his grandmother's vulnerability to scams and a chatbot
freebeacon.com
· 2025-12-08
An 81-year-old Ohio man fatally shot an Uber driver after both became entangled in a telephone scam involving threats and demands for money. William Brock received calls from a scammer claiming a relative was incarcerated and demanding payment, while the same scammer directed driver Lo-Letha Hall to pick up a package from Brock's home, leading to a confrontation in which Brock shot Hall three times. This case illustrates the growing danger of phone scams targeting elderly individuals, particularly those involving false claims about incarcerated relatives.
wccbcharlotte.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Attorney's Office in Charlotte issued a warning about IRS imposter scams and other financial fraud schemes targeting older adults, noting that victims often suffer substantial monetary losses and emotional distress. According to the FBI's 2023 Internet Crimes Report, individuals aged 60 and above filed 101,068 complaints and lost $3.4 billion to fraud, with tech support scams, government impersonation, phishing, romance scams, and non-delivery schemes being the most common schemes. Federal prosecutors conducted "Fraud Bingo" education sessions at senior centers to teach older adults about fraudster tactics and encourage reporting to help identify trends and recover stolen funds.
npr.org
· 2025-12-08
Kitboga, a software engineer-turned-Twitch streamer with 1.2 million followers, poses as elderly people and other characters to waste scammers' time and expose their tactics, inspired by his grandmother's vulnerability to tech support scams. By documenting his interactions with fraudsters on livestream, he educates viewers about common scams including romance schemes, pig butchering, and gift card fraud, while Americans lose a record $12.5 billion annually to internet crimes. His scam-baiting efforts aim to reduce the number of actual victims by keeping perpetrators occupied and helping people recognize fraud through his educational content.
justice.gov
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Attorney's Office in North Carolina warned the public about IRS imposter scams and other financial fraud schemes targeting older adults, particularly around Tax Day. According to the FBI's 2023 Internet Crimes Report, individuals 60 and older filed 101,068 complaints and sustained $3.4 billion in losses, with tech support scams, government impersonation, phishing, romance scams, and non-delivery schemes being the most common schemes. Federal prosecutors used an interactive "Fraud Bingo" educational tool at a senior center to help older adults, caregivers, and community workers recognize fraud tactics and report suspicious activity to help recover stolen funds and identify emerging
news.azpm.org
· 2025-12-08
Kitboga, a computer engineer-turned-Twitch streamer with 1.2 million followers, is a prominent "scam baiter" who poses as vulnerable individuals to waste scammers' time and expose their tactics through livestreamed videos. Americans lost a record $12.5 billion to internet crimes in the past year (a 22% increase from the previous year), yet law enforcement lacks resources to investigate most cases; Kitboga aims to reduce actual victims by keeping fraudsters occupied while educating viewers about common scams like tech support fraud, romance scams, and pig butchering schemes. He was inspired to start scam baiting in 2017 after
newstopicnews.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Attorney's Office issued a warning about IRS imposter scams and other financial fraud schemes disproportionately targeting older adults, which cause substantial monetary losses and emotional distress. According to the FBI's 2023 Internet Crimes Report, individuals aged 60 and above filed 101,068 complaints and sustained $3.4 billion in losses, with tech support scams, government impersonation, romance scams, and non-delivery schemes being the most common schemes. Federal prosecutors conducted educational "Fraud Bingo" sessions at senior centers to help older adults recognize scam tactics and encourage fraud reporting to authorities.
iredellfreenews.com
· 2025-12-08
The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Western District of North Carolina is warning residents about IRS imposter scams and other fraud schemes that disproportionately target older adults, with the FBI's 2023 Internet Crimes Report noting that individuals 60 and above filed 101,068 complaints and sustained $3.4 billion in losses—the highest among all age groups. Common scams include government impersonation (IRS, SSA, sheriff's office), tech support scams, romance scams, grandparent scams, and non-delivery schemes, with authorities emphasizing that reporting fraud helps recover stolen funds and identify emerging criminal trends.
calgaryherald.com
· 2025-12-08
A 41-year-old Vermilion man was charged with fraud after posing as a lawyer in a grandparent scam targeting a 75-year-old woman in Lethbridge, Alberta. The scammer convinced the senior that her grandson needed bail money, resulting in her handing over $3,400 in cash to a courier who arrived at her home; he was arrested when he returned for additional money, and some cash was recovered during a search of his motel and vehicle. Police commended the victim for contacting a family member despite being told not to discuss the matter, and are investigating whether there are additional victims.
tucsonlocalmedia.com
· 2025-12-08
Oro Valley residents are being heavily targeted by scammers who initiate contact via phone, email, text, and online, then exploit fear, greed, or isolation to request payment through cryptocurrency, gift cards, or payment apps. Attendees at a local "Outsmarting Scammers" presentation shared losses ranging from $15,000 to half their fortunes, with common scams including romance schemes ("pig butchering"), tech support fraud, and grandparent impersonation scams. Law enforcement emphasized that scams follow predictable patterns and are nearly impossible to recover from, advising residents to verify suspicious emails, avoid providing remote computer access, and remain skeptical of unsolicite
ca.news.yahoo.com
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, Quebec police reported that nearly 37,000 Quebecers fell victim to fraud schemes, representing a 15 percent increase since 2021, with credit card, computer, identity theft, grandparent, and romance scams being the most common types. The Mauricie region experienced the steepest rise at 64 percent over two years, while Montreal had the highest total number of cases, though police acknowledged the true figures are likely higher due to underreporting. Police chiefs emphasized the importance of public reporting and awareness to combat the growing fraud problem.
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-08
Nearly 37,000 Quebecers reported fraud in 2023, representing a 15 percent increase since 2021, with credit card fraud, computer scams, identity theft, grandparent scams, and romance scams being the most common types. The Mauricie region experienced the steepest increase at 64 percent over two years, while Montreal had the highest total number of cases, though police emphasized that actual fraud rates are likely higher due to significant underreporting by victims.
cbc.ca
· 2025-12-08
In 2023, nearly 37,000 Quebecers reported fraud, representing a 15 percent increase since 2021, according to the Association of Quebec Police Chiefs. The most prevalent scams involved credit cards, computers, identity theft, "grandparent" scams, and romance scams, with the Mauricie region experiencing a 64 percent surge in cases. Police acknowledged that reported fraud likely represents only a portion of actual cases and urged victims to report incidents to help combat the growing problem.