Tag

Romance Scam

All articles tagged with #romance scam

crime23 hours ago•3 min saved

Romance-scam linked to fake NFL star nets $1.3M from women across four states

Two men were arrested in Idaho for a romance-based investment scam in which one posed as a San Francisco 49ers player and the other as his adviser, defrauding at least 26 women of more than $1.3 million across California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho by peddling fake investments and using three-way FaceTime calls to show fake gains; victims were pressured into loans or sending funds, and investigators believe there are more victims.

via CBS Sports|

#crime #dating-apps #fraud

crime-and-courts1 day ago•6 min saved

Fake NFL Star Persona Used in Romance Scam Swindling Women Out of $1.3M

Federal prosecutors say Daejon Love and Taylor Chan posed as a San Francisco 49ers player and his adviser to charm at least 26 women across California, Oregon, Washington and Idaho, staging three-way calls to show fake investment gains and pressuring victims to take out loans. They allegedly stole about $1.3 million before being arrested in Boise; investigators believe additional victims may exist.

via Los Angeles Times|

#49ers #crime-and-courts #fbi

politics2 months ago•3 min saved

Ohio fraud indictments spotlight nearly $60M in scheme across Medicaid, PPP

Fourteen people in Ohio are charged with nearly $60 million in fraud across Medicaid, a romance scam, and fraudulent Paycheck Protection Program loans, announced at a Columbus-area news conference led by Acting U.S. Attorney General Todd Blanche. The indictments surface amid a partisan fight over Medicaid fraud and immigration, with Republicans highlighting enforcement and Democrats arguing the issue is being politicized.

via The Columbus Dispatch|

#immigrant-communities #medicaid-fraud #ohio

society6 months ago•7 min saved

Bay Area retiree loses $500K to a romance scam tied to crypto hype

A San Francisco retiree wired more than $500,000 to a woman he met online after months of romance, believing they’d start a new life together. The scam, a so-called pig-butchering scheme leveraging crypto promises, led funds to overseas accounts in Malaysia and Vietnam. Despite repeated warnings from family and friends and alerts to authorities, the victim pressed on, later realizing the supposed multi-million crypto stash required a $25,000 unlock fee and that he’d been scammed. The case highlights how persistent online romance scams can drain life savings even in the face of clear red flags.

via ABC7 San Francisco|

#bay-area #cryptocurrency #fraud

world1 year ago•2 min saved

Romance Scam Victim Travels 700km to Marry Beauty Queen

A 76-year-old Belgian man traveled 760 km to meet a French beauty queen he believed was his fiancée, only to discover he had been scammed and was met by her husband, highlighting the dangers of online romance fraud.

via BBC|

#france #online-fraud #romance-scam

scam-alert2 years ago•2 min saved

Romance Scammers Targeting Victims in Florida and Across the US

A Miami man lost $42,000 in an Ethereum investment scheme that began with a romance scam on Instagram, using the photograph of a woman claiming to be a CEO of Estee Lauder. The victim made small investments and saw gains, but when he tried to withdraw the funds, he was asked to pay, and his money disappeared. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission reported that losses to romance scams totaled $1.14 billion in 2023, advising people to never send money to anyone they haven't met in person and to be suspicious of promises of increasing their nest egg.

via WKMG News 6 & ClickOrlando|

#ethereum #federal-trade-commission #investment-scheme

cybersecurity2 years ago•4 min saved

Romance Scammers Targeting US Victims with Crypto and Dating Apps

Victims in the United States are falling prey to a sophisticated cryptocurrency romance scam, known as "pig butchering," orchestrated by crime syndicates in Southeast Asia. Using digitally altered deepfake videos and AI-generated profile pictures, scammers lure victims into fake crypto investments through online dating apps. The FBI reported over 40,000 people losing more than $3.5 billion to cryptocurrency fraud in 2021, but many victims are too ashamed to report the crime. Recovery is difficult, and some victims even fall prey to fake recovery agents, leading to self-harm and financial devastation.

via Yahoo News|

#cryptocurrency #cybersecurity #deepfake

crime2 years ago•3 min saved

"Spanish Police Arrest Suspect in Sibling Killing Tied to Romance Scam Debts"

Spanish police have arrested a 43-year-old Pakistani man in connection with the killing of three siblings in their 70s, reportedly over debts linked to an online romance scam. The suspect had previously attacked one of the sisters and had lent them at least $55,000, which they had never repaid. The tragedy is believed to be linked to a fake online love affair, where the sisters were led to believe they would receive a multi-million-dollar inheritance. Romance scams are not uncommon, with recent cases in the U.S. involving swindling victims out of large sums of money.

via CBS News|

#crime #debts #murder

scam3 years ago•1 min saved

"Fake 'Stranger Things' Star Dacre Montgomery Catfish Scams Woman out of $10k"

A woman from Kentucky claims she was catfished and scammed out of $10k by someone pretending to be Dacre Montgomery, known for his role in "Stranger Things." The woman divorced her husband after the fake actor told her to choose between him and her spouse. Despite the real Dacre Montgomery being in a relationship since 2017, the woman believed the imposter's story and sent money through gift cards, crypto, and payment apps. This incident highlights the dangers of romance scams, where scammers exploit emotional vulnerability to gain trust and manipulate victims into sending money.

via TMZ|

#catfishing #dacre-montgomery #online-fraud

crime3 years ago•3 min saved

"Florida Woman's Romance Scam Targets Holocaust Survivor, Receives 4-Year Sentence"

Peaches Stergo, a Florida woman, has been sentenced to over four years in prison for swindling over $2.8 million from an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor in a "romance scam" that lasted for years. Stergo met the victim on a dating website and fabricated stories to convince him to send money, including claiming she needed funds from a legal settlement. She also sent heartless text messages mocking the victim's love for her. Stergo will forfeit her home and luxury items and has been ordered to pay restitution. The FBI warns that romance scams are on the rise, with losses totaling nearly $1 billion in 2021 alone.

via NBC News|

#crime #fraud #holocaust-survivor

crime3 years ago•3 min saved

"Florida Woman Sentenced to Over Four Years in Prison for Stealing $3 Million from Holocaust Survivor"

Peaches Stergo, a Florida woman, has been sentenced to over four years in prison for stealing nearly $3 million from an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor. Stergo posed as a love interest and convinced the victim to write 62 checks totaling over $2.8 million, leaving him broke. She used the money to live a life of luxury, traveling and buying expensive items. Stergo pleaded guilty to wire fraud and will also face a $2.8 million restitution and forfeiture order. The judge described her actions as "unspeakably cruel" and motivated by greed.

via The Associated Press|

#crime #fraud #holocaust-survivor

scam3 years ago•6 min saved

Tinder Scammer Tricks Mom into Losing $100k Retirement Savings

A divorced mother of three lost over $100,000 to a scammer she met on Tinder who convinced her to invest in bogus cryptocurrency schemes. The scam, known as "pig butchering," involves building a fake romantic relationship with the victim before providing fraudulent investment advice. The con is reportedly exploding across the US and Australia, with victims losing up to $850,000. The scam is often run by criminal syndicates in Cambodia, and victims are given scripts tailored to their individual circumstances.

via Daily Mail|

#cryptocurrency #investment-scam #pig-butchering

crime3 years ago•4 min saved

Ghanaian Instagram Influencer Extradited for $2M Romance Scam Targeting Elderly

Ghanaian influencer Mona Faiz Montrage, known as Hajia4Reall, has been charged with six counts of fraud and money laundering in connection with a series of romance scams that targeted vulnerable, older Americans. The scams were allegedly carried out by a criminal enterprise based in West Africa, of which Montrage was a member. She was arrested in the UK in November 2022 and extradited to the US in May 2023. Montrage is accused of receiving over $2 million in fraudulent funds from the enterprise.

via Department of Justice|

#crime #extradition #fbi