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Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
FBI reports elder fraud in Arkansas on the rise, more than $27 million in 2024 losses
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Officials with the Little Rock FBI office said elder fraud is on the rise nationally, including in Arkansas. Officials said that the 2024 national loss to those over 60 due to various scams totaled $4.885 billion, based on 147,127 complaints. This represents a 46% increase from 2023 losses, they said. Arkansas agencies issue notices about frequent text scam FBI officials reported that Arkansans over 60 experienced losses totaling $27,253,501 in 2024. Officials said typical scams targeting seniors include investment scams, technical/customer support scams, money mule & romance scams and others. 'Anyone can be a victim of fraud, but unfortunately scams targeting the elderly remain a growing problem,' said FBI Little Rock Special Agent in Charge Alicia D. Corder. 'Our goal is to educate Arkansans about this threat so together we can protect seniors in our communities.' Investigators said seniors are often targeted because they are generally more polite and trusting. The fact that they may be unfamiliar with reporting options such as adds to their attractiveness to predatory scammers. Arkansas Attorney General Tim Griffin urges precautions as scammers target small businesses FBI officials gave these tips to help seniors avoid scams: Search online for the contact information (name, phone number, email, and address) of any unknown source that reaches out to you, as well as the proposed offer. Verify the legitimacy of businesses on reputable websites, such as the Better Business Bureau. Other people have likely posted information online about businesses and individuals attempting to run scams. Resist the pressure to act quickly. Scammers create a sense of urgency to lure victims into immediate action, typically by instilling trust, inducing empathy or fear, or promising monetary gains, companionship or employment opportunities. Be cautious of unsolicited phone calls, mailings, and door-to-door service offers. Never give or send to unverified people or businesses any personally identifiable information, money, checks, gift cards, or wire information. Take precautionary measures to protect your identity in case a criminal gains access to your device or account. Immediately contact your financial institutions to place protections on your accounts and monitor for suspicious activity. Jefferson County deputies warn of email scam If someone believes they are a victim of fraud or knows a senior who may be, regardless of financial loss, immediately report the incident to their local FBI field office or other law enforcement agency, or: by calling 1-800-CALL FBI, or online at or to the Internet Crime Complaint Center at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Yahoo
Coloradans lost over $200M in scams in 2024: FBI
DENVER (KDVR) — The FBI found that scammers stole hundreds of millions of dollars from Coloradans in 2024, and a few specific scams took most of the money. The latest report from the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center discovered that Colorado was one of the top states in the nation with the most scam complaints filed per capita. In 2024, this totaled to a loss of $243,517,403 from Colorado victims — about a $56 million increase since 2023. Denver police warn jobseekers of online scams using cryptocurrency There are several common scams reported in Colorado, but the three biggest scams in the state include investment fraud, which took a total of $90 million, business email compromise, which took $48 million, and personal data breach that took $23 million. While these took the most in monetary value, the report found that the most common scams that tallied several thousand reports in Colorado included extortion, phishing/spoofing and personal data breach. And it's not just Colorado. While Colorado was the seventh top state for reported losses due to scams, it's increasing across the country. The report said the complaint center received over 800,000 complaints nationwide of suspected internet crime, reporting losses of $16.6 billion — a 33% increase from 2023. Colorado faces new phishing trend: Blackmail scams on the rise Nationwide, the most frequently reported scams included phishing/spoofing, extortion and personal data breaches. Meanwhile, the most reported losses included investment fraud, specifically involving cryptocurrency, totaling more than $6.5 billion in losses. Over all the scams, the FBI said the people 60 and older had the most losses at nearly $5 billion, and with the highest number of complaints. The FBI said these are just the reported losses, and there are likely more victims. If you think you may have been a victim of a cyber-enabled crime, file a complaint at Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
07-03-2025
- Yahoo
FBI warns of scam involving document converter tools
(COLORADO) — The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Denver Field Office is warning of an increase in scams involving free online document converter tools. According to the FBI, criminals use free online document converter tools to load malware onto victims' computers, leading to incidents such as ransomware. To conduct the scheme, cybercriminals across the globe use any type of free document converter or downloader tool. This may be a website claiming to convert one type of file to another, such as a .doc file to a .pdf file. It might also claim to combine files, such as joining multiple .jpg files into one .pdf file. The converters and downloading tools will do the task as advertised, but the resulting file can contain hidden malware giving criminals access to the victim's computer. The converters can scrap submitted files for: Personal identifying information, such as social security numbers, dates of birth, phone numbers, and more Banking information Cryptocurrency information (seed phrases, wallet addresses, etc.) Email addresses Passwords 'The best way to thwart these fraudsters is to educate people so they don't fall victim to these fraudsters in the first place,' said FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek. 'If you or someone you know has been affected by this scheme, we encourage you make a report and take actions to protect our assests. Every day, we are working to hold these scammers accountable and provide victims with the resources they need.' FBI Denver says many victims don't realize they have been infected by malware until it is too late, and their computer is infected with ransomware or their identity has been stolen. The law enforcement agency encourages individuals to take the following steps to protect themselves from this scam: Take a breath, slow down, and think. Be aware of your actions online and what risks you could be exposed to. Keep your virus scan software up to date and scan any file you receive before opening it to help eliminate malicious software from being installed on your computer. If you are a victim of this scam, FBI Denver recommends taking the next steps: Contact your financial institutions immediately. Take steps to protect your identity and your accounts. Change all your passwords using a clean, trusted device. Make a report at Run up-to-date virus scan software to check for potentially malicious software installed by the scammers. Consider taking your computer to a professional company specializing in virus and malware removal services. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-02-2025
- Yahoo
FBI operation aims to reduce number of cryptocurrency investment fraud victims
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – The FBI is warning people of a new scam following the rise of cryptocurrency; it's become a new playing field for scammers, creating cryptocurrency investment fraud scams. The FBI identified that the largest group of victims range between 30 and 60 years old. 'It's the largest, most prevalent, and costly fraud that's out there,' FBI Supervisory Special Agent Peyton Tucker said. 'Criminals are looking online, they are looking to identify potential victims, they build relationships with the victims.' Little Rock FBI explains growing threat of financial sexual extortion cases among minors 'They are going to ask them to invest in some type of cryptocurrency, they will have them invest in some type of platform, and get them to put money in and they will show what appears to be a rise,' Tucker said. Tucker says when the victim asks for the money back, 'there is no money.' Through its Operation Level Up, the FBI is trying to lower the number of Cryptocurrency investment fraud victims. 'What we are trying to do is identify victims, reach out to them, and let them know that they are victims or potential victims of a scam,' Tucker said. According to Operation Level-Up, 76% of victims who are contacted are unaware they are being scammed. Each victim receives the help and knowledge they need to prevent further victimization and financial loss. 'They had my daughter's demeanor, I mean everything about her' Morrilton couple targeted by scam impersonating daughter Below are some tips directly from the FBI on how to help protect yourself from these scams: Do not release any financial or personal identifying information, and do not send any money to someone you met online. Do not invest solely based on the advice of someone you met online. Do not download or use any unfamiliar applications or click on any links sent to you by someone you met online. Do not pay any additional fees or taxes to withdraw money you have invested in a potential scheme. Do not pay for services that claim to be able to recover lost funds, as these are often scams as well. More information about Operation Level Up and what to look out for can be found on If you think you may be a potential victim, you should stop sending money immediately and file a report with the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center at or call 1-800-CALL-FBI. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
