Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown issued a consumer alert Friday warning residents about a disturbing scam preying on pet owners desperate to reunite with their lost animals. https://t.co/8KK8J2PJi8
The FBI says Americans lost $4.8 billion in 2024 to fraud schemes and scams targeting seniors. https://t.co/KkDzyLmEvG
Local sheriff warns of phone scam https://t.co/x7qUu4PkpM
The FBI has reported a significant rise in elder fraud, with Americans losing $4.8 billion in 2024 to various schemes targeting seniors. On National Senior Fraud Awareness Day, the agency is actively working to educate the public about these risks. The FBI's efforts include outreach programs, such as briefings at the Century Village retirement community in South Florida, to inform seniors about the different types of fraud and how to protect themselves. Law enforcement agencies across the U.S. and Canada are issuing warnings about a variety of scams. In Charleston County, South Carolina, the Sheriff's Office is alerting the public to individuals posing as deputies to scam money from victims. Similarly, the Tazewell County Sheriff's Office in Virginia has reported scam calls. In Toronto, police have noted an increase in phone scams where suspects impersonate officers, including spoofing the 52 Division phone number and claiming to be from the 'Shanghai Police' to extract personal banking information. In Maryland, Attorney General Anthony Brown has issued a consumer alert about a scam targeting pet owners. Scammers are impersonating employees from reputable animal shelters, using caller ID spoofing to appear legitimate, and demanding payment through money transfer apps for supposed medical care of lost pets. In one case, a pet owner was defrauded of $2,600. The City of San Marcos, Texas, is warning its citizens about a phishing scam where individuals posing as city officials request money. This scam targets businesses and individuals who have submitted requests to the Planning and Development Services Department, using email addresses that do not end in 'sanmarcostx.gov'. Ahead of hurricane season, Southeast Texas experts are cautioning residents about post-storm scams. They advise hiring local and trustworthy contractors to avoid fraudulent services, particularly in home repairs and roofing, where scammers may offer quick fixes and then disappear with the money.