Google says its new AI powered defenses block 10 billion scam calls and texts on Android each month
China sentences five to death for operating scam compounds
Europol takes down three large credit card fraud operations; 18 arrested; used stolen card numbers to launder fraud money; over €300 million in losses
Digital Arrest Scams. There is much angst in India about this type of fraud. But from reading articles about this, I’m not sure there is agreement about just what this consists of. It does seem to begin with a call from a law enforcement impersonator, claiming that the victim has been involved and threatening arrest. Beyond that I’m not sure if this is actually a different pitch than the scams we see that tell victims that they need to move their money to the caller to keep it “safe.” So it may be just a new term for a fraud that we already see. But I’m be interested in hearing from anyone that knows more than I.
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
- UK seizes thousands of counterfeit sensors and other auto parts
- Montana: Man from India found guilty of laundering money for frauds from India who told victims they were victims of ID theft and needed to keep their money “safe”
- Florida: Police arrest woman who defrauded victim by claiming to be with sheriffs department and threatening to arrest them for missing jury duty
- Korea: Prison for phishing gang that operated from Cambodia
- UK: Chinese man arrested after stealing thousands of gift cards from Norfolk supermarkets
- India arrests 11 over “digital arrest” scam where callers claimed to be police and said victim’s phone number used for a crime and they had to pay a fine
- DOJ reorganizes its Consumer Protection Branch at Main Justice into new Enforcement and Affirmative Litigation Unit
- Singapore passes new law requiring caning of scammers
- Florida: Jury convicts two of selling $60 million of counterfeit HIV drugs in the US
- Man tries to rob bank from a taxi at drive through; teller hits alarm and cops nab him
- Youtube video of dumb crooks
- Model from Byelorussia kidnapped into scam compound in Myanmar and then murdered
- Thailand: 20 Chinese scammers arrested in raid on luxury villa
- Cambodia arrests 111 at scam compound; 106 of them Indonesians
- Taiwan arrests 25 who were tied to Cambodian scam compounds
- Morocco: Man gets five years prison for luring victims to scam compounds
- Thailand arrests 42 Chinese scammers
- Thailand arrests Chinese man wanted for $31 million crypto Ponzi scheme
- Australia levies fine of $56,000 on chain of bitcoin ATM’s over their use by victims of fraud
- California: State fines Bitcoin ATM company CoinMe $300,000 for use by victims sending money in grandparent fraud
- Europe busts crypto money laundering ring; nine arrested; handled €600 million
- Hong Kong: 16 arrested for crypto investment fraud
- Tennessee: Man from Ukraine extradited from Ireland for running ransomware fraud
- Chicago: Two rogue employees of firm that negotiates ransomware payments indicted for themselves engaging in ransomware fraud
- Study finds that now only 23% of those hit with ransomware pay the ransom
- Attack on New Jersey medical center
- Cambodia: Police arrest 65 from China and Viet Nam for romance fraud
- Pennsylvania: Second Nigerian from online extortion case involving a young man who committed suicide gets six years prison
- Thailand: Three Thai women arrested for working with Nigerian romance fraud group
- FBI warns that scammers are meeting victims on dating sites, and asking them to go to a dating verification site, where their info is collected and credit cards are charged for subscriptions to other dating sites