#senior-scams

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#social-engineering #cybersecurity #scams #phishing #fraud #consumer-protection #financial-exploitation
#cybersecurity
Information security
fromTechRepublic
4 days ago

Hackers Impersonate IT Help Desk on Microsoft Teams to Gain Access, Steal Data

Hackers are increasingly using social engineering on Microsoft Teams to gain unauthorized access by impersonating IT support.
fromNextgov.com
2 weeks ago
Information security

Government official impersonation scam complaints doubled in 2025, FBI report shows

Complaints of government impersonation scams nearly doubled from 2024 to 2025, resulting in approximately $800 million in losses.
fromTheregister
1 month ago
Information security

Voice phishing skyrockets as smooth crims talk their way in

Voice phishing became the second most common method for cybercriminals to gain access to IT systems in 2025.
Information security
fromTechRepublic
4 days ago

Hackers Impersonate IT Help Desk on Microsoft Teams to Gain Access, Steal Data

Hackers are increasingly using social engineering on Microsoft Teams to gain unauthorized access by impersonating IT support.
Information security
fromNextgov.com
2 weeks ago

Government official impersonation scam complaints doubled in 2025, FBI report shows

Complaints of government impersonation scams nearly doubled from 2024 to 2025, resulting in approximately $800 million in losses.
more#cybersecurity
#hospice-fraud
Healthcare
fromLos Angeles Times
1 day ago

Commentary: Fraud is rampant, but good hospice care exists. Here's a guide to making the right choice

Hospice fraud is rampant due to financial exploitation of Medicare, with California highlighted as a significant problem area.
Healthcare
fromLos Angeles Times
5 days ago

Stolen ID: Woman hears she's 'in hospice' in L.A. County after filing Medicare claim for pickleball injury

Fraud in the hospice industry has led to victims being denied care and facing terrifying situations despite evidence of wrongdoing.
Healthcare
fromLos Angeles Times
1 day ago

Commentary: Fraud is rampant, but good hospice care exists. Here's a guide to making the right choice

Hospice fraud is rampant due to financial exploitation of Medicare, with California highlighted as a significant problem area.
Healthcare
fromLos Angeles Times
5 days ago

Stolen ID: Woman hears she's 'in hospice' in L.A. County after filing Medicare claim for pickleball injury

Fraud in the hospice industry has led to victims being denied care and facing terrifying situations despite evidence of wrongdoing.
more#hospice-fraud
Retirement
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 day ago

Will I ever retire? It doesn't look like it | Dave Schilling

Retirement feels increasingly unattainable for many, especially in the face of financial instability and societal changes.
Los Angeles
fromLos Angeles Times
2 days ago

Woman in her 70s survives strangling, robbery in Hollywood Hills home invasion

A woman in her 70s survived a home invasion in Hollywood Hills where she was robbed and strangled.
Cancer
fromIrish Independent
2 days ago

Romance fraudster jailed for five years after 'despicable and sinister' targetting of vulnerable young widow

A conman deceived a woman into giving him €142,000 under false pretenses of a romantic relationship and cancer treatment.
Law
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 days ago

States' deed theft protection measures tracked by new tool

EquityProtect launched a Scorecard to track deed theft and property title fraud legislation across all states, revealing significant vulnerabilities in property protection.
fromMilitary.com
2 days ago

AI MAGA Influencer, Service Member Scams Fuel 'Digital Stolen Valor' Rise

The administrators behind Military Phony described 'digital stolen valor' as the online equivalent of wearing medals you didn't earn, using exaggerated or fabricated credentials to gain respect, sympathy or opportunity that would otherwise belong to someone else.
Social media marketing
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
2 days ago

If someone over 65 has stopped initiating contact with people they used to be close to, psychology says something far more complex than losing interest is happening - Silicon Canals

Friendships after 65 require significant effort, and many men struggle to maintain them due to societal expectations and personal challenges.
#sextortion
Media industry
fromwww.independent.co.uk
2 days ago

Boy, 13, among rising number of males blackmailed in sextortion scam

Sextortion scams predominantly target young men, with nearly half of victims in their twenties, highlighting a significant vulnerability across various age groups.
Mental health
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 weeks ago

I felt ashamed and scared': how an online friendship became a sextortion nightmare

Online friendships can lead to severe risks, including sextortion, which can have devastating emotional consequences.
Media industry
fromwww.independent.co.uk
2 days ago

Boy, 13, among rising number of males blackmailed in sextortion scam

Sextortion scams predominantly target young men, with nearly half of victims in their twenties, highlighting a significant vulnerability across various age groups.
Mental health
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 weeks ago

I felt ashamed and scared': how an online friendship became a sextortion nightmare

Online friendships can lead to severe risks, including sextortion, which can have devastating emotional consequences.
more#sextortion
California
fromABC7 San Francisco
3 days ago

A wave of Bay Area property tax checks were stolen. Here's how to protect your paper check payments

Check fraud is increasing, with stolen tax checks being altered and cashed by criminals, prompting the need for better security measures.
UX design
fromMedium
3 days ago

How AI may reshape elderly care

AI has the potential to assist caregivers of older adults and those with dementia, but ethical considerations and design challenges must be addressed.
Deliverability
fromSecurityWeek
3 days ago

The Behavioral Shift: Why Trusted Relationships Are the Newest Attack Surface

Email attackers now exploit behavioral weaknesses, using tailored tactics that blend into trusted relationships and workflows, making detection more challenging.
#artificial-intelligence
fromWIRED
4 days ago
Artificial intelligence

5 AI Models Tried to Scam Me. Some of Them Were Scary Good

fromTODAY.com
4 weeks ago
Digital life

Send This to Your Boomer Parents: Avoid AI Scams With 1 Trick From a Deepfake Expert

Artificial intelligence
fromWIRED
4 days ago

5 AI Models Tried to Scam Me. Some of Them Were Scary Good

Artificial intelligence is increasingly capable of executing sophisticated social engineering attacks, as demonstrated by the DeepSeek-V3 model.
Digital life
fromTODAY.com
4 weeks ago

Send This to Your Boomer Parents: Avoid AI Scams With 1 Trick From a Deepfake Expert

Artificial intelligence is rapidly improving at creating realistic fake media, leading to increased vulnerability to scams, especially among older adults.
more#artificial-intelligence
UK news
fromwww.independent.co.uk
4 days ago

Widow who lost life savings in romances scams died in Ghana crash

The Independent provides critical journalism on various issues, emphasizing the importance of donations to support unbiased reporting.
#reverse-mortgages
more#reverse-mortgages
Careers
fromwww.theguardian.com
5 days ago

AI job scams are booming and I was fooled by one. Here is how to avoid them

A seemingly perfect job opportunity turned out to be a scam, revealing red flags throughout the recruitment process.
#fraud
Pets
fromMail Online
6 days ago

Fraudsters use AI to try and swindle $2,800 from missing dog's family

Fraudsters used AI to create fake emergency surgery images to scam a family out of $2,800 for their missing dog.
US news
fromSFGATE
3 weeks ago

Man from viral YouTube video pleads guilty in $27M fraud targeting seniors

Jiandong Chen pleaded guilty to his role in a $27 million fraud scheme targeting elderly victims in the U.S.
Pets
fromMail Online
6 days ago

Fraudsters use AI to try and swindle $2,800 from missing dog's family

Fraudsters used AI to create fake emergency surgery images to scam a family out of $2,800 for their missing dog.
US news
fromSFGATE
3 weeks ago

Man from viral YouTube video pleads guilty in $27M fraud targeting seniors

Jiandong Chen pleaded guilty to his role in a $27 million fraud scheme targeting elderly victims in the U.S.
more#fraud
Real estate
fromwww.housingwire.com
6 days ago

How Atlantic Avenue became the top reverse mortgage broker

Atlantic Avenue Mortgage became the top reverse mortgage brokerage in 2025, driven by compliance education, direct mail, and proprietary volume growth.
Retirement
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 days ago

Retirement confidence declines as worries grow over rising costs

Many retirees and workers are concerned about the future of the U.S. retirement system and the impact of rising costs on retirement planning.
fromTheregister
2 days ago

Dev targeted by sophisticated job scam

Vujičić noted that he receives daily messages about job offers, with a personal record of eight in one day, indicating the prevalence of recruitment scams targeting crypto professionals.
Information security
Information security
fromZDNET
4 days ago

The shadowy SIM farms behind those incessant scam texts - and how to stay safe

SIM farms are used by cybercriminals for financial fraud, spam, phishing, and online product scalping.
Retirement
from24/7 Wall St.
4 days ago

9 Expenses to Cut the Week You Turn 65 Before They Cost You Another $30K

Cutting unnecessary expenses at 65 can save $25,000 to $30,000 annually, extending retirement savings significantly.
Digital life
fromwww.businessinsider.com
2 weeks ago

I quit my software engineering job to help seniors with tech. I assist them with things like recovering photos and bank accounts.

Adrian Amora transitioned from software engineering to a tech concierge role to enhance job satisfaction and help older adults with technology.
#scams
Parenting
fromSlate Magazine
3 weeks ago

My Mom Got a Call That I Was in a Horrific Accident. What She Did Next Can't Be Undone.

Scammers exploit emotional vulnerabilities, making it crucial to educate and protect against future scams.
Boston
fromBoston.com
1 month ago

Don't be fooled by this fake court notice scam in Mass., NH, authorities warn

Authorities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire warn about fake court notices sent by scammers, urging the public to verify unexpected communications.
Parenting
fromSlate Magazine
3 weeks ago

My Mom Got a Call That I Was in a Horrific Accident. What She Did Next Can't Be Undone.

Scammers exploit emotional vulnerabilities, making it crucial to educate and protect against future scams.
Boston
fromBoston.com
1 month ago

Don't be fooled by this fake court notice scam in Mass., NH, authorities warn

Authorities in Massachusetts and New Hampshire warn about fake court notices sent by scammers, urging the public to verify unexpected communications.
more#scams
UK news
fromIndependent
2 weeks ago

Gardai target 'bogus company' linked to Black Axe romance fraud after elderly woman scammed out of six-figure sum

Two men arrested in Clondalkin as part of a crackdown on the Black Axe crime network linked to romance fraud.
California
fromCalifornia Post
3 weeks ago

Elderly victim lured into car, robbed of life savings in sick lottery scam

An elderly woman was robbed of $45,000 in a lottery scam targeting seniors in Santa Ana.
Retirement
fromwww.housingwire.com
2 weeks ago

As retirement slips further away, workers prioritize stability and senior home equity

Workers prioritize job security over new opportunities, with many delaying retirement due to rising living costs and health care expenses.
fromwww.theguardian.com
4 weeks ago

The great care home cash grab: how private equity turned vulnerable elderly people into human ATMs

Kilgour arranged a bank loan and in June 1989 he launched Four Seasons Health Care, taking the name from a restaurant in Midtown Manhattan where he had once dined.
London politics
Careers
fromZDNET
3 weeks ago

3 red flags that job posting is a scam - and how to verify safely

Job scams are on the rise, exploiting vulnerable job seekers with vague offers and promises of high pay for little work.
Cryptocurrency
fromCointelegraph
1 month ago

How a 'Wrong Number' Message Turned Into a $3.4M Crypto Scam

This $3.4 million scam illustrates the rise of social engineering in crypto fraud, focusing on emotional manipulation over technical exploits.
Relationships
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

Friendship fraud: warnings of rise in insidious' scam targeting older people

Friendship fraud targets older individuals, exploiting their loneliness and leading to significant financial losses through small, repeated requests for money.
Media industry
fromwww.independent.co.uk
1 month ago

Warning after pensioner loses 4,000 in cruel' friendship scam

Criminals exploit elderly and vulnerable people through online "friendship fraud," building trust to extract money over extended periods or in single transactions.
Careers
fromAol
1 month ago

Pennsylvania retiree lost $221K to a remote 'task scam' job approving fake hotel reviews. Here are the FTC's 3 red flags every job seeker must know

A Pennsylvania retiree lost over $220,000 in a sophisticated task scam promising easy online earnings.
Information security
fromSecuritymagazine
3 weeks ago

Tax Season Means Phishing Season: How Individuals and Businesses Can Protect Themselves

Phishing attacks during tax season have become more sophisticated, leveraging generative AI to impersonate trusted entities like the IRS.
fromSilicon Canals
2 months ago

I'm a retired Boomer and I just watched my smartest friend lose everything to a scam-here are 9 ways they got to him that could get to anyone - Silicon Canals

Last month, I sat across from one of the brightest people I know as he explained how he'd lost nearly everything to a sophisticated scam. This wasn't some naive teenager or technophobe. This was my friend from university days, a retired executive who'd navigated corporate politics for decades and made shrewd investment decisions his whole life. Watching him piece together how it happened was like watching someone solve a puzzle in reverse.
Psychology
#online-scams
Privacy professionals
fromThe Mercury News
1 month ago

Larry Magid: Beware of online scams

Americans lost at least $16.6 billion to scams in 2024, with older adults over 60 losing more than $4.8 billion, primarily through phishing and romance scams that exploit trust and technology unfamiliarity.
Privacy professionals
fromThe Mercury News
1 month ago

Larry Magid: Beware of online scams

Americans lost at least $16.6 billion to scams in 2024, with older adults over 60 losing more than $4.8 billion, primarily through phishing and romance scams that exploit trust and technology unfamiliarity.
more#online-scams
Online marketing
fromZDNET
1 month ago

Watch this, get rich, lose it all - 8 ways to spot and avoid investment scams on Meta

A Russian-speaking cybercriminal network operates 300+ malvertising campaigns across 25 countries using fake Meta ads impersonating trusted media brands and celebrities to lure victims into investment scams.
Retirement
fromwww.housingwire.com
1 month ago

How policy uncertainty is reshaping senior retirement plans

Retirees and near-retirees show heightened financial anxiety in 2025, with Social Security benefit cuts emerging as the primary policy concern, prompting delayed retirement plans and portfolio shifts toward conservative investments.
Miscellaneous
fromHoodline
1 month ago

NYPD Warns Of Jewelry-Swapping Scam In Brooklyn

Brooklyn thieves swap real jewelry for fake by distracting victims and gaining close physical access, targeting seniors through emotional manipulation and false blessings.
#atm-fraud
more#atm-fraud
#romance-scam
more#romance-scam
E-Commerce
fromPractical Ecommerce
3 months ago

The Fraud Hiding in Email Signups

Fake but valid email accounts enable card testing and coupon abuse, causing chargebacks, revenue and inventory loss, and jeopardizing merchant payment relationships.
Public health
fromBuzzFeed
2 months ago

20 Older People Are Sharing The Issues They Face That Aren't Talked About Enough

Older Americans face persistent, underreported problems including workplace ageism, mobility decline, inadequate women's health research, excessive telemarketing, and patronizing treatment.
Privacy professionals
fromSlate Magazine
2 months ago

Help! We Just Dodged an Obvious Scam Call. But One Thing the Scammer Said Has Us Extremely Worried.

A man is falsely credited as the named creator of an Islamophobic book under his name, risking career and reputation; he seeks removal.
#phone-scams
fromZDNET
1 month ago
Information security

Why scammers call you and say nothing - and how to respond safely

fromZDNET
1 month ago
Information security

Why scammers call you and say nothing - and how to respond safely

more#phone-scams
Miscellaneous
fromMoneywise
1 month ago

PA Retiree Loses $221K in Remote Work Task Scam

A Pennsylvania retiree lost over $220,000 in a sophisticated task scam involving fake hotel review work that used escalating deposit requirements and false withdrawal obstacles to extract money.
Relationships
fromwww.theguardian.com
2 months ago

Romance fraud: warning over scam that turns victims into insurance cheats

Scammers recruit romantic partners into staged accidents or fake insurance claims to exploit victims' identities and trigger fraudulent payouts, harming victims' insurance and credit records.
UK news
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

The 49 driller killer': steps to avoid locksmith scams

Rogue locksmiths use bait-and-switch tactics, advertising low prices online then charging 10 times more upon arrival, exploiting vulnerable customers locked out of their homes.
Miscellaneous
fromwww.berkeleyside.org
1 month ago

Police warn of aggressive' door-to-door contractor scam targeting older Berkeleyans

Sophisticated scam groups target Berkeley residents with fraudulent roofing and masonry services, causing losses between $10,000 and $450,000 per victim.
California
fromwww.ocregister.com
2 months ago

Man scams elderly California resident out of nearly $2 million, leaving him homeless

John Tamahere McCabe received four years in federal prison and $1.8 million restitution for defrauding an elderly man of nearly $2 million.
Retirement
from24/7 Wall St.
1 month ago

The Top Scams Retirees Fall For Every Time

Retirees aged 65 and over are primary targets for scammers exploiting technological gaps and accumulated savings through schemes like grandparent scams and romance fraud.
fromBuzzFeed
2 months ago

"It's The Biggest Scam Of Our Generation": 30 Adults Share The Common Habits That Are Bullsh*t

Looking for work to do. Not like a job, but my parents and older family all complain constantly they have no free time. But all they do is make themselves work. Cut down some trees, rearrange the entire house, dig up the yard. Just always making themselves work.
Relationships
Retirement
fromBuzzFeed
1 month ago

32 Older People Are Sharing The Issues They Face That Aren't Talked About Enough

Older Americans face overlooked challenges including disrespect from younger generations, lack of formal address etiquette, and senior women experiencing homelessness due to insufficient retirement savings and inflation.
fromSilicon Canals
2 months ago

The phone call scam targeting grandparents that sounds so real even cautious people fall for it - Silicon Canals

The phone rings at 2:47 AM. Your heart pounds as you fumble for the receiver. "Grandma?" The voice is shaky, desperate. "I'm in trouble. I got arrested. Please don't tell Mom and Dad." The voice sounds just like your grandson. He uses the nickname only family knows. He remembers that trip you took together last summer. Everything about this call feels real because, in many ways, it is.
Information security
fromPCWorld
1 month ago

Phishing scammers weaponize ICE ragebait

The email seen by at least some customers of the Emma email platform was a phishing scam. Hackers hoped to inspire instant panic with the words, 'As part of our commitment to supporting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), we will be adding a Support ICE donation button to the footer of every email sent through our platform.'
Information security
Information security
fromTravel + Leisure
2 months ago

This New Travel Con Is So Real Looking It's Tricking Even the Most 'Scam Aware' Travelers-Here's How to Stay Safe

Urgent, personalized texts impersonating airlines or hotels trick travelers into clicking counterfeit links or calling scammers to steal login, payment, and travel-identifying information.
Information security
fromFortune
2 months ago

A widow lost $39,000, her house, and six dogs after a scam. 'If the story wasn't so horrible, people wouldn't pay attention.' | Fortune

Emotional manipulation in online relationships leads victims to share money or account access, causing catastrophic financial and personal losses.
Information security
fromSecurityWeek
2 months ago

Researchers Expose Network of 150 Cloned Law Firm Websites in AI-Powered Scam Campaign

Over 150 coordinated cloned law-firm websites impersonate firms to re-victimize fraud victims by offering free asset recovery and evading takedowns.
Information security
fromZDNET
1 month ago

The average tax scam victim loses $1,020 - and they're younger than you'd think

Tax scams are increasingly sophisticated and widespread, with 82% of Americans concerned about tax fraud, 23% having fallen victim, and average losses reaching $1,020.
Information security
fromComputerworld
1 month ago

OAuth phishers make 'check where the link points' advice ineffective

Attackers use phishing emails with malicious OAuth links containing broken parameters to redirect users to attacker-controlled destinations through legitimate identity providers.
Information security
fromTheregister
2 months ago

Payroll pirates conned the help desk, stole employee's pay

Attackers used compromised shared-mailbox credentials and a help-desk MFA reset via social engineering to divert a physician's salary into the attacker's account.
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