Tag: Federal Trade Commission
How To Avoid Lottery, Prize Scams: You Didn’t Enter, But You 'Won'?
A surprise message says you hit the jackpot, but there’s a catch: you must pay a fee or hand over personal details to claim it.
That’s the hallmark of a lottery or prize scam—designed to separate you from your money and identity.
These schemes often arrive by email, text, phone, or mail and lean on pressure tactics to force quick decisions.
Scammers frequently demand “taxes,” “processing,” or “shipping” upfront, or ask for sensitive data to “verify” you.
Legitimate lotteries do not require payment to release a prize, and you should never be asked for your Social Security…
‘Government Agents’ Were Actually Rutherford Brothers In $400K Senior Scam, Prosecutors Say
Two New Jersey brothers are accused of running a scam that stole nearly $400,000 from elderly victims in New York and Connecticut, Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez said Monday, Aug. 25.
Abhishek Barvalia, 31, and Tushar Barvalia, 32, of Rutherfo, were indicted on charges of second-degree grand larceny, first-degree scheme to defraud, and fourth-degree conspiracy, Gonzalez said. They were released without bail after being arraigned in Brooklyn Supreme Court and are due back Oct. 22.
Prosecutors say the scam ran from June 2023 to January 2024, targeting women ages 76, 78, 83, and 90 i…
Don't Fall For It: Fraudsters Are Promising Paychecks, Gigs To Steal Info, Money
They promise dream jobs, fat paychecks, and easy work-from-home gigs. But instead of landing a position, job seekers are getting played.
Recruitment scams are surging as fraudsters use increasingly sophisticated tactics to steal money and personal information from people hunting for work, according to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), job site FlexJobs and reporting from CBS News.
The schemes vary, but the red flags are consistent: unverified recruiters reaching out on WhatsApp or Gmail, upfront requests for money, and vague but lucrative job offers requiring little to no experience.
Som…
Columbia Co. Victim Gave $100K In Gold, Cash To Scammer Posing As Federal Agent, Police Say
A Long Island man posing as a federal agent conned a Hudson Valley woman into handing over nearly $100,000 in cash and gold, police said.
Mykhaylo Mykhaylov, 39, of Copiague, was busted during an undercover operation in Columbia County on Wednesday, May 7 — just as the victim was about to deliver yet another payment, New York State Police said.
The 73-year-old victim first contacted police on Monday, May 5, after realizing she may have been targeted in a fraud scheme that began in March. She told troopers that people claiming to be agents with the Federal Trade Commission had convinced her …
Man Posing As Federal Agent Tricks 90-Year-Old Woman Into Handing Over $10K: Nassau Police
A 90-year-old woman was conned out of $10,000 by a man pretending to be a federal agent in a disturbing elder scam in Hewlett, Nassau County police announced on Sunday, May 4.
Zugen Jiang, 28, of the 600 block of 46th Street in Brooklyn, was arrested after detectives connected him to the elaborate scheme, which unfolded at 9 a.m. on Thursday, Feb. 6, 2025, according to the Fourth Squad.
Detectives say the victim received a phone call from an unknown man claiming to be with the Federal Trade Commission. He told her that her identity and Social Security number had been compromised and instruc…
