Study looks at worldwide statistics on complaint data and types of romance fraud
China says it prosecuted 40,000 people in 2023 for producing counterfeit goods
American Banker’s Association and Postal Inspectors announce joint effort to fight counterfeit check fraud; both enforcement and prevention efforts
Review and recommendation: I watched Judgment at Nuremburg again last night. This 1961 classic involves the trial of Nazi judges for their action supporting the Third Reich. It has a fantastic cast, headed by the great Spencer Tracy. The film reminds us that it is important for good people to stand up against the currents of popular opinion. Hitler did not just appear from nowhere, he built on intellectual currents and ideas developed in the universities. Fraud Studies: Here are links to the studies I’ve written for the Better Business Bureau: puppy fraud, romance fraud; BEC fraud, sweepstakes/lottery fraud, tech support fraud, romance fraud money mules, crooked movers, government imposters, online vehicle sale scams, rental fraud, gift cards, free trial offer frauds, job scams, online shopping fraud, fake check fraud and crypto scams
Fraud News Around the world
- UK: Essex police make 15 arrests, seize £2 million, in month long effort against romance, Facebook Marketplace, and other frauds
- Canada: Manitoba RCMP arrests man for grandparent fraud who came in person to pick up money
- Singapore joins US, Canada and group of 11 countries that pledge to do more on International fraud; will help get victim money back
- EFCC in Nigeria arrests 45 in Lagos for internet fraud
- Illinois: Chinese man from NY man arrested in government impersonation scheme where he went to home to pick up money
- Wisconsin AG wins case against Missouri timeshare exit company; $2.5 million judgment and full refunds to WI customers
- CFTC wins injunction against Israeli company and three individuals over binary option investment fraud; must pay $51 million
- Singapore police investigating 339 people for fraud with losses of $10 million
- Canada: Peel police arrest Toronto man for grandparent fraud; he had contacted victim by text
- UK: Jail for three Nigerians who used ID theft to get £490,000 in mobile phones
- UK fraud unit funded by banks and financial system took down 1600 social media sites last year; most used to recruit mules
- Arkansas: Four get prison for international investment fraud that took in $18 million
- India: Police bust call center doing tech support and government imposter scams and targeting victims in the UK and Australia
- Boston: Woman gets six months prison for using stolen identities to buy cars
- UK: Four family members get nearly three years prison for selling counterfeit goods online; bought them from China
- Brooklyn: Two (Chinese?) arrested for tech support fraud; pretended to customer service reps; victims found phone number with internet search
- Maryland: Man pleads guilty to stealing money in small sums, micro-debits, from bank accounts across the country; got at least $1.5 million
- New York: Knife wielding crooks steal $200 of paper towels from CVS store and get busted
- UK: 13 stupidest criminals
- FTC sends $527,000 in refunds to victims of fake reviews on Amazon
- FTC settles with two tech support scams headquartered in Cyprus; to pay $26 million
- FTC sends $100 million in refunds to victims of sham healthcare plan Benefytt
- FTC settles with two companies that falsely claimed to help small businesses get PPP loans; to pay $59 million
- The FTC warns that no one from the government will ever send you to a Bitcoin ATM
- FTC warns the average loss is $7000 for victims who were contacted by scammers impersonating agency employees
- Miami: Four charged with PPP fraud, including former letter carrier and Miami transit worker; got $1.3 million
- Las Vegas: Man gets 2 ½ years prison for PPP fraud; got $48,000
- Tacoma: Nigerian man who had lived in Canada gets 42 months prison for PPP fraud; was extradited from Germany; got $1 million
- New Jersey: Three charged with seeking Covid employment tax benefits; tried to get $2.9 billion
- Long Island: Man gets ten years prison for PPP fraud; got $9.6 million
- Boston: Man pleads guilty to PPP fraud; got $220,000
- Atlanta: Man gets 8 months prison for PPP fraud
- Florida: Man gets five years prison for PPP fraud; used ID theft to file; must repay $360,000
- BBC: Over 500 rescued from crypto romance call center in the Philippines
- Cambodia arrests 450 from Chinese-led call centers that engage in crypto romance fraud and illegal online gambling
- Poland: Four Nigerians charged with BEC and romance fraud
- Australia: NSW charges five with acting as money mules for BEC frauds
- Attacks take out District Attorneys offices across New Mexico
- Hits school district of Scranton, PA
- Canada: Russian administrator of ransomware gang LockBit gets four years prison
- Boston: US moves to seize $2.3 million in crypto tied to crypto romance frauds
- Houston: SEC sues crypto Ponzi scheme aimed at Spanish-speakers; took in $300 million
- South Africa: Police in Cape Town arrest four disguised as police who ran ATM scams on tourists
- Mexico: Romanian man must face trial for ATM skimming in Cancun; he is also wanted in Romania for murder
- Australia :People with a disability twice as likely to encounter a romance fraud
- Nigeria: Man who pretended to be US soldier in Afghanistan arraigned for romance fraud
- 16 year old boy in Missouri kills himself after becoming victim of online extortion plot
- Texas: Woman (Nigerian?) gets ten years prison for romance fraud; must repay $2.2 million