Major Interpol effort against fraud involving 19 African countries nets arrests of over 1000; take down websites; involved BEC fraud, ransomware, extortion online and other scams
China hacks telecom companies worldwide
FTC amends Telemarketing Sales Rule to cover calls from Tech Support scams; extension will also allow FTC to sue those who aid and abet that fraud
Germany busts huge online shopping fraud operation; seizes 50 servers across Europe, arrests two men
Over 5500 worldwide arrested, $400 million seized, in coordinated cyber fraud crackdown led by South Korea
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
- St. Louis: Man accused of making fraudulent ID’s, including driver’s licenses and social security number and selling them on social media pleads guilty
- Canada: Toronto police arrests woman who sold nonexistent Taylor Swift tickets on Facebook; victims lost $70,000
- Jamaica: Police arrest Jamaican soldier over phishing scam that took in $47 million
- US Customs seizes counterfeit Gibson guitars coming from Asia that were worth $18 million
- Singapore: Police arrest 223 for online frauds
- Mobile: Two men arrested over rental fraud
- Australia: Pakistani man charged with fraud that contacted people claiming to be from telco, offering to upgrade phones, and then got access to financial accounts tied to phones
- Chicago: FBI arrests Nigerian man “Bobo Chicago” for hacking company system; got $2.8 million
- Australia sues Westjet over deceptive pricing of flights
- Mexico closes down huge mart selling counterfeit products from China
- India busts two cyber crime groups; arrest 8; one group offering online loans and the other using malicious apps on phones to steal data
- New Zealand: Two from the UK sentenced for text phishing scam; one gets two years
- Thailand raids home near Bangkok used by Chinese to set up unauthorized online sale sites at Amazon and Etsy
- Miami: Man extradited from Peru and charged in scam that called Spanish speakers, impersonated government, and claimed people had to pay for goods they never received or face legal consequences
- UK: Jury convicts two men of fraud; called pretending to be police, asked victims for money to aid investigations
- Minnesota Commerce Commission warns about timeshare resale frauds
- New Jersey: Man who worked for Social Security pleads guilty to acting as a courier going to houses of victim’s of grandparent scams to collect money for scammers operating out of the Dominican Republic
- FTC, CFPB and other agencies release joint statement on risk management to help prevent elder financial fraud
- Italian Nun arrested on suspicion she was aiding the Mafia
- Woman accidentally threw out hard drive that had account for her ex-husband’s $569 bitcoin fortune
- Virginia man arrested for shoplifting during Walmart “shop with a cop” event
- FTC announces five new cases against deception using AI
- FTC resolves case with online retailer Goat over shipping delays and violation of its buyer protection program; to pay $2 million
- FTC sues company selling AI powered facial recognition services for deceptive effectiveness claims
- FTC settles case with Gravy Analytics over selling location data on consumers without their consent
- CFPB proposes new rule to help stop data brokers from selling information to stalkers and scammers
- FTC sends $114,000 in refunds to victims of PPE seller who claimed next day shipping during the pandemic
- CFPB bans student loan processor; had charged fees for access to free services
- Memphis: Two women indicted for PPP fraud; sought $65 million
- Virginia: Two active duty military members charged with PPP fraud; third man charged
- Homeland Security recovers $3.5 million stolen in BEC fraud
- Spanish National Police bust BEC scam gang, arrest 8 money mules who used AI to open accounts
- Nashville: Nine members of group that laundered money for BEC scam arrested and charged
- Philippines arrests 6 from South Korea for online crypto investment fraud
- Thailand busts crypto investment fraud promoted on social media
- Hits supply chain management company that works for many large companies, including Starbucks
- Attack on City of Hoboken, New Jersey
- Russia arrests large ransomware affiliate/developer
- Hits City of Coppell, Texas and also Minneapolis Parks and Recreation Board
- Attack on Texas energy contractor ENGlobal
- Vodka maker Stoli files for bankruptcy after ransomware attack
- St. Louis: Six, apparently all Romanians illegally in the US, indicted for ATM skimming
- India: Romanian man gets three years prison for ATM skimming
- Malaysia: Woman who was romance fraud victim assaults her husband after he reveals it was a scam
- California: Jury finds man guilty in civil case over romance fraud; must pay $8 punitive, $1 million actual damages
- Knoxville: Man from Ghana gets 63 months prison for laundering romance fraud victim’s money; handled $2 million