Authorities in the United States, Canada, and Brazil have reported a surge in financial scams targeting elderly individuals and consumers, with several recent arrests and warnings issued. In Florida, Otiz Swinton Jr., 37, was arrested by the Hillsborough County Sheriff's Office after allegedly scamming a 92-year-old Sun City Center man out of more than $800,000 through a romance and bank fraud. Swinton, a convicted felon with prior fraud offenses, reportedly posed as a woman online to gain the victim's trust and access to his financial accounts. The funds were drained through cryptocurrency transactions, ATM withdrawals, and counterfeit checks totaling $14,300. Swinton was caught on camera at a Publix in Orlando using the victim's card. He had previously served a prison term for defrauding over 50 people and was released in March. Authorities believe there may be additional victims. In Toronto, police arrested 28-year-old Chimezie Nwabueze, who is accused of defrauding two victims of over $600,000 in an online romance scam. Nwabueze allegedly convinced the victims, whom he met on a dating platform, that he owned an oil rig in the Middle East and urgently needed money. He faces several charges, including fraud over $5,000 and laundering proceeds of crime. Nwabueze was previously arrested for a similar $250,000 fraud and is believed to be part of a larger criminal network targeting older adults. Separately, Cody Robert Rayner of Florida was charged with defrauding a southern Utah woman of more than $60,000 by convincing her to transfer her savings to an account he controlled, under the pretense of protecting her from bank fraud. The FBI has issued a nationwide warning about scams, including fake discount medical insurance plans and digital fraud schemes. In 2024, New Englanders reported over $446 million in financial losses to the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center, a 42% increase from the previous year. The fake discount medical insurance scam has defrauded victims nationwide out of millions. In Brazil, digital frauds cost victims over R$10 billion in 2024, a 17% increase from 2023. One in four Brazilians over age 16 reported losses, with scams such as the WhatsApp scam, false sales, and fake bank employee schemes being most common. The hospitality and food sectors suffered estimated losses of R$100 billion due to scams including fake lodging and counterfeit food and beverage products. Authorities recommend reporting suspected scams to official channels and caution against sharing personal information or transferring funds without verification.