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$700K Gold, Bitcoin Theft: ‘PayPal’ Poser From NJ Scams Elderly PA Man, DA Says $700K Gold, Bitcoin Theft: ‘PayPal’ Poser From NJ Scams Elderly PA Man, DA Says
$700K Gold, Bitcoin Theft: ‘PayPal’ Poser From NJ Scams Elderly PA Man, DA Says A slick con artist posing as a PayPal agent scammed a 74-year-old Pennsylvania man out of nearly $700,000 in gold and cryptocurrency, authorities revealed on Friday, Jan. 16. Hirtik Hemchand Khatri, of Lawrence Township, New Jersey, pleaded guilty on Thursday, Nov. 20 to felony charges of Theft by Extortion, Theft by Unlawful Taking – Movable Property, and Criminal Use of a Communication Facility, according to Holihan.  Khatri was sentenced at a hearing before Judge Thomas M. Caffrey to 12 months, minus a day, to 36 months in prison for both theft charges, along with two years of proba…

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by Jillian Pikora
Business
Phony Amazon Messages Target Shoppers With New Tricks: What To Know Now Phony Amazon Messages Target Shoppers With New Tricks: What To Know Now
Phony Amazon Messages Target Shoppers With New Tricks: What To Know Now That email claiming to be from Amazon about a mysterious order or urgent account issue? It could be a scammer’s trap waiting for you to click. Amazon users are being warned about a fresh wave of sophisticated scams hitting inboxes.  Fraudsters are sending emails and texts that look like they're from Amazon, often claiming something’s wrong with your account or a suspicious purchase has been made.  The messages urge you to click a link or call a customer service numbe, leading you straight into a scam. According to online security firm ExpressVPN, these phishing emails are design…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Impostor Scams Skyrocket Among Older Adults, FTC Warns: What To Do Impostor Scams Skyrocket Among Older Adults, FTC Warns: What To Do
Impostor Scams Skyrocket Among Older Adults, FTC Warns: What To Do Scams targeting older Americans are surging, causing victims to lose millions of dollars to scammers posing as government officials or trusted companies. The number of victims age 60 and older who lost more than $100,000 has increased by more than 700%, the Federal Trade Commission said on Thursday, Aug. 7. Those high-value thefts jumped from $55 million in 2020 to $445 million in 2024. Older adults who lost at least $10,000 also dramatically rose by more than 300%. "While younger consumers also have reported these scams, older adults were much more likely to report these ex…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Fake Facebook Ads Promote Bogus ‘Tariff Relief’ Offers, FBI Warns Fake Facebook Ads Promote Bogus ‘Tariff Relief’ Offers, FBI Warns
Fake Facebook Ads Promote Bogus ‘Tariff Relief’ Offers, FBI Warns Scammers are once again turning hot-button headlines into bait — this time with bogus offers of “tariff relief” payments showing up in Facebook and Instagram ads. The fraudulent posts have promised $750 in “tariff relief credit” or as much as $5,600 in “tariff relief benefits.”  But the promised payouts don’t exist. Instead, these ads are believed to be attempts to gather personal information or steer unsuspecting users into marketing calls where they could be targeted by spammers. Meta, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, confirmed that it removed the ads after being alerte…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
FBI Impersonator Scams Trail Creek Outfitters Out Of Nearly $2K: PA State Police FBI Impersonator Scams Trail Creek Outfitters Out Of Nearly $2K: PA State Police
FBI Impersonator Scams Trail Creek Outfitters Out Of Nearly $2K: PA State Police A store manager was duped out of nearly $2,000 by a phone scammer pretending to be an FBI agent in Concord Township, Pennsylvania State Police announced in a release issued Monday, April 21. The impersonator called Trail Creek Outfitters on Wilmington West Chester Pike around 8:40 p.m. on Sunday, March 3, and instructed the manager to buy several Green Dot MoneyPak gift cards totaling $1,845.80, PSP Media troopers said. In addition to the gift cards, the actor convinced the 34-year-old victim from Landenberg to send $880 via CashApp to the handle "$Bigmomma4120" (stansmon), according to the…

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by Jillian Pikora
News
Fraudulent Texts Pretend To Be From USPS Fraudulent Texts Pretend To Be From USPS
Fraudulent Texts Pretend To Be From USPS A new scam is targeting people with fraudulent text messages pretending to be from the United States Postal Service (USPS) — and officials are urging caution. The US Postal Inspection Service (USPIS) is warning customers about a rise in phishing and smishing attacks, where fraudsters send fake texts and emails that appear to come from USPS. The messages often claim that a package is delayed or that a payment is due, directing recipients to click a link that steals personal information. Postal inspectors say these scams are becoming more advanced, but there are clear warning signs: Smishi…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
$620K In Fake Checks Found In Vehicle With NJ Plates During PA Traffic Stop: Police $620K In Fake Checks Found In Vehicle With NJ Plates During PA Traffic Stop: Police
$620K In Fake Checks Found In Vehicle With NJ Plates During PA Traffic Stop: Police A routine traffic stop in Eddystone, Pennsylvania, led to the discovery of a massive fraud operation involving hundreds of counterfeit checks worth more than $620,000, Pennsylvania State Police announced on Tuesday, March 18. Christopher Hayman, 29, and Tyree Holmes, 33, were pulled over by Eddystone police while driving a white Volvo with temporary New Jersey plates on Thursday, March 13, according to officials. Inside the vehicle, officers discovered approximately 200 fraudulent checks linked to scams in four states, along with stolen credit cards and fake IDs, police said. Investigator…

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by Jillian Pikora
Business
Delete These Suspicious Texts Immediately, FBI Warns Delete These Suspicious Texts Immediately, FBI Warns
Delete These Suspicious Texts Immediately, FBI Warns The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has issued an urgent warning about a widespread text message scam designed to steal personal and financial information from unsuspecting victims. Known as “smishing” (SMS phishing), the scam involves fraudulent texts impersonating toll and package delivery services to trick recipients into clicking malicious links or revealing sensitive data. According to cybersecurity firm Palo Alto Networks’ Unit 42, cybercriminals have registered over 10,000 fraudulent domains as part of this operation, targeting at least 11 states and one Canadian province. Key…

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by Joe Lombardi
Police & Fire
Fake PA Police Officer Tried To Scam His Way Into Woman's Home: Cops Fake PA Police Officer Tried To Scam His Way Into Woman's Home: Cops
Fake PA Police Officer Tried To Scam His Way Into Woman's Home: Cops A Massachusetts man is behind bars after state police say he tried to con his way into a Pennsylvania home by posing as a cop. Thomas Rooney, 25, was arrested in Hempfield Township after a resident called police about a suspicious encounter on Friday morning, Jan. 31. The victim told troopers that Rooney knocked on her door, identified himself as a Pittsburgh police officer, and asked to come inside. Three other men waited nearby in a pickup truck with Massachusetts plates, police said. They claimed to be from out of town and said they were selling gravel for driveways, which investigators …

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by Josh Lanier
News
Holiday Deals Or Fraud? IRS Issues Warning For These Scams Holiday Deals Or Fraud? IRS Issues Warning For These Scams
Holiday Deals Or Fraud? IRS Issues Warning For These Scams As the holiday shopping season begins, the IRS reminds everyone that it’s not just your credit card balance you need to watch — it’s also your personal information. As part of its ninth annual National Tax Security Awareness Week, the IRS is warning taxpayers about a rise in holiday scams.  The scammers aren’t interested in gifts under your tree; they’re after your Social Security number and financial information instead. Here’s how scammers are getting creative—and how you can stay safe: Phishing Emails: Be wary of emails pretending to be from reputable retailers, shipping companie…

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by Joe Lombardi