Soled & Thomas: Predictive Analytics And The Tax Code
The UK criminal justice system is failing victims of cybercrime; new report
BBB updates my earlier study dealing with online shopping fraud
- BBB complaints nearly doubled between 2021 and 2023
- Losses reported to the FTC in 2023 were $400 million
- Complaints have declined in Canada
Meta takes down 2 million accounts in effort to fight crypto romance fraud linked to scam call centers in Cambodia, Philippines, Myanmar, United Arab Emirates and Laos
Houston: Man from India gets 16 years prison; laundered money and hired money mules for scam from India that called impersonating law enforcement and telling victims that they had to pay fine by buying gift cards; handled $3.5 million
Need an expert witness for consumer protection or fraud issues? Let me know.
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
Nigeria: Five get prison for internet frauds, including romance fraud
Ohio: Three men from India indicted over scam that called impersonating bank and told victim they had to move money into a “safe” account
Thailand arrests Chinese man who sent over 1 million text messages from mobile station in a car
Montreal police arrest six in two fraud schemes, in one callers impersonated bank and had victims move money into a “safe”account; in the other pretended to be banks, got debit card PIN and had victim place card in an envelope; $1 million lost to scammers
FTC finds that the number of victims losing $100,000 or more tripled since 2020
UK shuts down pet supply company from China that sells defective goods or they are not delivered
India busts tech support call center that impersonated Microsoft; arrest 11
Washington State: Two Chinese men arrested in scam where caller claimed to be FBI; scammer went to victim home and were arrested
Singapore considers new law that would allow police to get orders preventing suspected scam victims from spending money in bank accounts
Ireland seizes 9000 pairs of counterfeit Nike running shoes
Massachusetts: AG gets conviction of man for rental fraud aimed at immigrants
Singapore: Man gets 20 months prison for rental fraud he ran on Facebook
China adopts new laws to combat telephone and internet fraud
What is the difference between credit freezes, security locks, and credit locks?
The UK criminal justice system is failing victims of cybercrime; new report
Boston: Man convicted of laundering money through crypto for counterfeit goods sold online, including Gucci
Humor FTC and CFPB
- FTC sends $1.9 million in refunds to victims of credit bureau center, which claimed cheap rental properties and sold credit report service
- CFPB issues final rule asserting oversight of payment apps
- Texas: Two co-founders of PPP system indicted for PPP fraud
- Spokane: Two Air Force airmen indicted for PPP fraud; got $300,000
- West Virginia: Two indicted for PPP fraud
- West Virginia: Man gets five months probation for PPP fraud; got $30,000
- Shreveport:24 members of street gang get prison for PPP fraud
- Kansas City: Woman pleads guilty to PPP fraud; got $220,000
- East St. Louis: Three men indicted for PPP fraud; got $1.4 million
- North Carolina: Man pleads guilty to PPP fraud; got over $1 million
- 39 escape from fraud call centers in Myanmar and cross into Thailand
- Philippines rescues 1000 who had been held and forced to work in scam call centers
- Why the US should have a national security strategy countering scam compounds in Southeast Asia
- Nashville: Man arrested in what seems to be a BEC fraud scheme
- Tulsa: Nigerian man who was extradited from South Africa gets seven years prison and ordered to pay $2.8 million restitution for using BEC to order goods from businesses and send them overseas
- Connecticut: US seizes $3.5 million stolen in BEC fraud