Latest news with #Grigory
Yahoo
06-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Hooked By An Instagram Ad: The Shocking $47,000 Scam That Shattered One Man's Life In Days
Benzinga and Yahoo Finance LLC may earn commission or revenue on some items through the links below. A single click. A friendly voice. A promise of guaranteed profits. In 2025, that's all it takes to lose everything. A California resident's life changed forever when they scrolled past what seemed like just another Instagram advertisement. 'Guaranteed profits through crypto trading,' the ad promised. 'Professional guidance from financial experts.' The Bond Finance platform at looked legitimate, professional, trustworthy. Don't Miss: — no wallets, just price speculation and free paper trading to practice different strategies. Grow your IRA or 401(k) with Crypto – . It was anything but—a reality that California's Department of Financial Protection and Innovation has documented extensively through its crypto scam tracker, which reveals the alarming frequency of such schemes targeting unsuspecting investors. Within days of clicking that ad, the victim found themselves ensnared in a sophisticated web of deception orchestrated by criminals who had perfected the art of financial manipulation. 'Grigory' reached out almost immediately, introducing 'Alexander'—supposedly a seasoned financial analyst ready to guide them toward crypto riches. The script was flawless. Alexander patiently walked the victim through creating an account, explained how to buy cryptocurrency, and provided step-by-step instructions for transferring funds to the Bond Finance platform. The trades looked successful. The account balance grew. At one point, it showed $47,000 in profits. Then came the trap. When the victim attempted to withdraw their earnings, Bond Finance claimed their account was frozen due to a trade that allegedly exceeded available funds. The solution? Pay $13,000 for 'account insurance' to unfreeze everything. The victim couldn't pay. The website vanished. Every dollar was gone. This isn't an isolated incident—it's part of a financial pandemic destroying lives across America. According to FBI data, an estimated $5.6 billion was lost to cryptocurrency-related scams in 2023, representing a staggering 45% increase from the previous year. Investment fraud involving cryptocurrency specifically rose from $2.57 billion in 2022 to $3.96 billion in 2023—a devastating 53% increase. These aren't just numbers on a government report. They represent thousands of families destroyed, retirement savings wiped out, dreams shattered. The sophistication of these operations has reached terrifying new heights. Cryptocurrency romance scams have escalated in recent years, leading to billions of dollars in losses worldwide, with criminals employing psychological manipulation tactics that would make professional therapists uncomfortable. Trending: New to crypto? on Coinbase. With Instagram hosting over 1.4 billion active users, the platform provides scammers with an ideal hunting ground for their fraudulent schemes. The platform's algorithm-driven advertising system can precisely target individuals based on their financial interests, recent searches, and demographic profiles. The Bond Finance case illustrates the evolution of crypto scams beyond simple romance fraud. These operations now employ: Professional Website Design: Fake trading platforms that mirror legitimate exchanges with real-time charts, professional layouts, and convincing testimonials. Multi-Person Teams: 'Grigory' and 'Alexander' represent different roles in a coordinated operation designed to build trust and maintain the illusion of legitimacy. Psychological Manipulation: The gradual building of trust, small initial successes, and the creation of artificial urgency around 'account insurance' fees. Technical Sophistication: Platforms that can display fake trading results, manipulate account balances, and create the appearance of profitable investments. The Bond Finance scam contained multiple warning signs that every cryptocurrency investor must recognize: Guaranteed Profits: No legitimate investment offers guaranteed returns. Period. The crypto market's volatility makes such promises mathematically impossible. Unsolicited Contact: 'Grigory' reaching out after a simple ad click represents a major red flag. Legitimate investment platforms don't cold-call potential clients. Withdrawal Restrictions: Any platform that prevents withdrawals or demands additional fees to access your money is operating a scam. Pressure Tactics: The demand for $13,000 in 'account insurance' represents a classic extortion technique designed to extract additional funds from victims. Unverified Platforms: The domain was likely registered recently and lacked proper financial licensing or regulatory oversight. Protection in the cryptocurrency space requires a multi-layered defense strategy that treats every investment opportunity with extreme skepticism: Verify Everything: Search for any cryptocurrency or platform using the word 'scam' and examine what you find. Visit official consumer protection sites like the FBI, Securities and Exchange Commission, and Federal Trade Commission. Use Only Established Platforms: Stick to well-known, regulated exchanges like Coinbase, Kraken, or Binance that have proper licensing and insurance protections. Never Share Private Information: Do not disclose private keys, passwords, or sensitive details over the phone to unverified individuals. Verify legitimacy through official company emails or verified social media interactions. Trust Your Instincts: Be cautious of investment advice or promotions from someone you meet online and have never met in real life, even if you have spoken on the phone or video chatted. Implement the 48-Hour Rule: Never make investment decisions immediately. Wait at least 48 hours and discuss any opportunity with trusted friends or family members before proceeding. If you suspect you've fallen victim to a crypto scam, immediate action can sometimes limit the damage: Cease all contact immediately and report the incident to your financial institution and the FBI at Filing a complaint with IC3 allows the FBI to identify patterns to aid federal investigations and public awareness efforts. Contact your bank or credit card company if you provided payment information. While cryptocurrency transactions are typically irreversible, you may be able to stop additional unauthorized charges. Document everything: screenshots, email communications, phone numbers, website addresses, and transaction records. This information can prove crucial for law enforcement investigations. The Bond Finance victim's story represents more than financial loss—it's a cautionary tale about the predatory nature of modern cryptocurrency scams. These operations specifically target individuals seeking financial security, exploiting hope and trust for criminal gain. Online criminals woo targets with promises of love and risk-free cryptocurrency investments, but end up stealing millions and breaking hearts. The psychological damage often exceeds the financial impact, leaving victims feeling violated, embarrassed, and financially devastated. In 2025, financial survival requires treating every investment opportunity as potentially fraudulent until proven otherwise. The sophistication of modern scams means that traditional warning signs—poor grammar, obvious spelling errors, unprofessional presentation—no longer apply. The criminals behind Bond Finance and thousands of similar operations employ professional web developers, experienced marketers, and psychological manipulation experts. They study their victims, exploit vulnerabilities, and perfect their techniques based on successful frauds. Question everything. Verify independently. Never invest money you can't afford to lose completely. And remember: in cryptocurrency, if something seems too good to be true, it absolutely is. The $47,000 that vanished from that California resident's life is gone forever. Don't let your story become the next cautionary tale. Read Next: A must-have for all crypto enthusiasts: . Maker of the $60,000 foldable home has 3 factory buildings, 600+ houses built, and big plans to solve housing — Image: Shutterstock This article Hooked By An Instagram Ad: The Shocking $47,000 Scam That Shattered One Man's Life In Days originally appeared on Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
USA Today
12-02-2025
- Health
- USA Today
Is a prominent vaccine denier the best pick for Health & Human Services?
Jacksonville Florida Times-Union Leaders must commit to proven science President Donald Trump's inauguration speech promoted a healthy America. 'Together, we will end the chronic disease epidemic and keep our children safe, healthy and disease-free.' However, doing so demands that his administration commit to proven principles of health science. Infectious diseases have challenged us throughout history. Smallpox, cholera, typhus and tuberculosis wiped out entire cities. Around 1800, Edward Jenner created an effective vaccine against smallpox, ushering in a new age. By the mid-20th century, vaccines had been developed against common childhood infections like measles, mumps, rubella and chickenpox. These diseases affect vision, hearing and fertility — they also kill. All have been controlled by universal vaccination. The horror of polio converted the skeptics. During the 1940s, Jacksonville closed parks and swimming pools to control spread. I have friends who were permanently paralyzed. Two decades later, I worked at Boston Children's Hospital helping people my age on the polio ward. Daily survival required an iron lung (predecessor to the ventilator) to assist paralyzed breathing muscles. Need a break? Play the USA TODAY Daily Crossword Puzzle. Desperate parents clamored for the new polio vaccines developed by Jonas Salk and Albert Sabin. Within years, polio cases disappeared. Today, many parents have forgotten that horror or were born long after the eradication of polio. Childhood vaccines were once mandatory, but now, hundreds of thousands of school children are not protected against horrific but preventable infections. They are victims of vaccine-deniers who — without credible evidence — have eroded confidence and undermined the health of our communities. So, the question for President Trump (and the Senate) is: Should the most prominent denier of established medical science head the Department of Health and Human Services? Stephen Entman, M.D. (retired), Jacksonville Don't close off refugee sponsorship Last month, when President Donald Trump signed an executive order ending humanitarian parole programs and suspending refugee admissions, my mind flashed back to 2022. Moved by the devastation of the war in Ukraine, I decided to sponsor a refugee family through the Uniting for Ukraine program. Using the Welcome Connect website, I met Grigory, a Ukrainian man looking for a safe place for his family while he remained in Ukraine to fight. My husband and our two friends decided to sponsor his wife, Inna; her sister Liudmyla; and their children, Margo and Max. We welcomed them in September 2022 and Grigory joined us later in January 2023. We helped them secure housing, work permits, jobs and English lessons. In return, they enriched our lives, strengthening our ties to friends, neighbors and a new culture. We still celebrate birthdays and holidays together and both families are thriving in St. Augustine. We had hoped to sponsor Liudmyla's husband and son, but with the recent policy changes, this door to safety has officially closed — not only for this family, but for thousands of Ukrainians simply wanting to reunite with their families. Sponsorship profoundly changes the lives of both the sponsors and the families they welcome. When we close these pathways, we turn away from our core values and deny ourselves the contributions these newcomers bring. America should be expanding, not eliminating, programs that uphold ideals we have always held as a country — the right to freedom and security for all who seek it through the legal pathways we create. Elizabeth Langland, St. Augustine Local support for Operation Christmas Child The overwhelming generosity of the people of Jacksonville helped provide joy to children in need through Operation Christmas Child shoebox gifts this season. Across the U.S., the Samaritan's Purse project collected 10.5 million shoebox gifts in 2024. Combined with those collected from partnering countries last year, the ministry is now sending over 11.9 million shoebox gifts to children worldwide. Shoebox packers brought joy and hope to children around the world through fun, personalized gifts. For many children, this is the first gift they have ever received. Each shoebox gift is a tangible expression of God's love, given to children in need around the world. Since 1993, Operation Christmas Child has collected and delivered more than 232 million gift-filled shoeboxes to children in more than 170 countries and territories. Across the region, shoebox packers often shop for deals on shoebox items throughout the year, and many serve at a deeper level by becoming a year-round volunteer. Information about more ways to get involved can be found at Although local Jacksonville drop‑off locations for shoebox gifts are closed until Nov. 17-24, 2025, anyone can still be a part of this life-changing project by packing a shoebox gift online in just a few simple clicks at These simple gifts, packed with love, remind children around the world that they are loved and not forgotten. Molly Miller, Samaritan's Purse, Boone, N.C. Tax cuts won't help our kids Assume you have a friend who cannot control his spending. This friend is so reckless that he now has personal debt that is seven times his annual salary and the interest on said debt takes 20% or more of that income. Would you tell your friend to cut his income? You would not. If you were a good friend you would probably suggest he find a way to make more money or just declare bankruptcy and start over. That story is relevant because our national debt is currently $36 trillion, our 2024 tax revenue was $4.9 trillion and our interest cost was $1.1 trillion. The ratios are identical to those of your hypothetical friend. So, why is the current administration pushing to cut taxes? Unlike your hypothetical friend above, our government does not have the option to default on debt. This means that the $36 trillion will be passed to future generations. Every child born today will start with a repayment schedule for roughly $100,000 in debt. Is this fair? We must start paying our bills and stop acting like the national debt is not a problem. For no other reason, do it for the kids. Scott Schleifer, Jacksonville There goes the rule of law Thanks to Donald Trump for again proving that America is no longer a country of law and order. It's bad enough that a 34-time convicted felon can manipulate the legal system, put himself above the law and avoid all accountability by being elected president. But when convicted, violent insurrectionists from the Jan. 6 riots are given not only a complete pass on their abhorrent, criminal actions, but are also consoled for having suffered as 'hostages,' it showcases the stunning and perverse weakness of our entire justice system. Where's the outrage from leading Republicans and police unions? Crickets. So much for the GOP 'backing the blue.' This reprehensible action was not surprising, but it is shockingly disgusting. See ya, Lady Justice — it was nice while it lasted. Philip May, Jacksonville 'Robber barons,' 2.0 Donald Trump's propaganda promises us a new golden age, but we've seen all this before. In the late 19th century, the administration of Grover Cleveland was propelled by the same type of business interests. This was the world of Cornelius Vanderbilt, J.P. Morgan, Jacob Astor, Andrew Carnegie and their ilk. At the recent inauguration, we saw their 21st-century counterparts flanking the new president and cheering him on for their benefit. Two of those tech titans, Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk, have been appointed to make our government into a business. So brace yourself to be dominated by a new outbreak of "robber barons.' Sharon Scholl, Atlantic Beach
