scam

Stories 21 - 40 | << Prev   Next >>

Moving Company Employees Guilty in 'Despicable' Scheme

Prosecutors said companies would hold belongings hostage, demand extra fees

(Newser) - Two people who worked for a succession of fraudulent moving companies based in New York City are going to be moving to federal prisons for up to 20 years. A jury found Kristy Mak, 34, and Andre Prince, 45, guilty of one count of wire fraud in what prosecutors described...

The Phony Will Worked— Until His Ex Got Suspicious

'Toronto Life' unravels story of ex-cop, his mistress, and the money they stole from a dead man

(Newser) - In one sense, the story by Katherine Laidlaw in Toronto Life recounts a straightforward, depressing crime: When an elderly man with dementia died without a will and seemingly without relatives, a couple successfully schemed to illegally obtain his estate of more than $800,000. They pulled it off because Adellene...

The Rare Kit Kats Made It to the US. Then Came the Scam

'Strategic theft' is on the rise. This was one instance of it

(Newser) - As far as scams go, it's a strange and confusing one—and on the rise. The New York Times delves into the world of "strategic theft," which it describes as "part identity theft, part extortion," with a real-world case involving 55,000 unusually flavored Kit...

Cancer Scammer Apologizes: 'I Didn't Do This for Money'

Madison Russo says it was an attempt to keep her family together; she will avoid prison

(Newser) - An Iowa woman who falsely claimed to have cancer and documented her "battle" on social media will stay out of prison after a judge gave her probation and a suspended sentence, per the AP . Madison Russo, 20, never had pancreatic cancer, leukemia, or the football-sized tumor wrapped around her...

She Wanted Anonymity After Powerball Win, Didn't Get It

Cristy Davis advocates for winners being able to stay anonymous after scammers exploited her

(Newser) - No one matched all the requisite numbers in Wednesday's Powerball drawing, which has sent the jackpot for Saturday night's picks to $725 million . Winning such a huge lottery is a moment most of us have daydreamed about, but Cristy Davis actually lived that dream, after claiming a $70...

He Lost Life Savings to Scam. The Bank Stepped Up

Australia's ANZ recognized 78-year-old Alex Shaw, who has dementia, had been taken for $300K

(Newser) - An elderly man from Down Under who was scammed out of his life savings has received a reprieve, in a tale described by the Good News Network as "a story of corporate responsibility in the face of personal tragedy." ABC Australia notes that although scam victims in the...

Cops: Cyberscam Led Man to Kill His Family

Thai police say Sanit Dokmai, now charged with premeditated murder, also tried to take his own life

(Newser) - At least 11 people are suspected to be involved with a loan scam that allegedly drove a man to kill his wife and two young boys before trying to take his own life in their family home, Thai police said Wednesday. Sanit Dokmai has been charged with premeditated murder after...

Imprisoned Over Huge Scam, He Insists It Was All Legal

'The Walrus' tells the story of Patrice Runner, who pitched psychic services to believers

(Newser) - As a teen, Canadian Patrice Runner was so intrigued by the power of persuasive copywriting that he set out to become one. Eventually, he was running a booming direct marketing business selling numerous schemes and self-help publications—and the abilities of a psychic, Maria Duval . As Rachel Browne writes for...

She Left a Holocaust Survivor 'Penniless and Betrayed'

Peaches Stergo, who stole $2.8M from him, is handed a 51-month sentence

(Newser) - The Florida woman who "deceived an 87-year-old Holocaust survivor, maliciously draining his life savings so she could become a millionaire through fraud," will pay for her crime. Peaches Stergo, 36, pleaded guilty to wire fraud in April and was on Thursday sentenced to four years and three months...

8 Busted in Alleged California Recycling Scam

They allegedly brought in tons of cans and bottles from Arizona

(Newser) - California charges an extra 5 or 10 cents on bottles and cans, which can be redeemed when they're returned to a recycling center—and those nickels and dimes can add up to a lot of money, especially if you're bringing in out-of-state containers by the ton. The state...

Man's Yearslong Manure Scam Sends Him to Prison

Ray Brewer, 66, sentenced to 6 years for cow dung-to-green energy scheme

(Newser) - A California man is going to prison for running a cow dung-to-green energy scheme that authorities say was a load of manure. Ray Brewer, 66, of Porterville was sentenced Monday to six years and nine months in federal prison in a yearslong scam that bilked investors out of $8.75...

Mom: Kidnap Scam Used AI Clone of Daughter's Voice

Jennifer DeStefano is spreading the word after terrifying phone call

(Newser) - Jennifer DeStefano got a call from an unknown number while her 15-year-old daughter Brianna was at an athletic event. Fearing an emergency, she answered, reports CNN . DeStefano heard a girl's voice identical to Brianna's. She screamed that she'd "messed up," then the terrified mom heard...

Principal Quits After Being Scammed by Fake Elon Musk

She wrote $100K check after months of communicating with fraudster

(Newser) - The principal of a charter STEM school in Florida resigned this week after saying she had been taken in by a scammer pretending to be Elon Musk. "I am a very smart lady. Well-educated. I fell for a scam," Dr. Jan McGee told a board meeting, per WESH...

FTC Warns of 'Terrifying' Phone Scam Driven by AI

Agency says voice cloning can make caller sound like a loved one begging for money

(Newser) - Many of us have heard of the old hoax in which victims receive phone calls from "police" or a "doctor" (actually scammers) saying that a loved one is in trouble and needs money sent stat. Now, in what NPR says "sounds like a plot from a science...

They Make a Living Scamming Scammers
They Make a Living
Scamming Scammers
longform
Jan 29, 2023 8:00 AM CST

They Make a Living Scamming Scammers

'Rest of World' profiles the duo behind Trilogy Media of YouTube fame

(Newser) - In the jargon of their chosen field, Artsiom “Art” Kulik and Ashton Bingham are "scambaiters." Which means, as a profile at Rest of World explains, that the popular YouTubers make it their mission to flip the tables on workers at call centers who try to scam unsuspecting...

Her Fake Feel-Good Story Just Went Even More South

Katelyn McClure gets 3 more years in jail in case involving fake $400K fundraiser for homeless man

(Newser) - A New Jersey woman who pleaded guilty to helping her boyfriend spread a feel-good story about a homeless veteran that garnered more than $400,000 in online donations has been sentenced to three years in prison on state theft charges. Burlington County prosecutors say Katelyn McClure, 32, wasn't present...

Feds Nab Pastor, Son in Alleged $8.4M COVID Scam

Evan and Josh Edwards accused of setting up fake ministry, trying to buy posh home near Disney

(Newser) - In early July, NBC News filed a report about a Florida pastor and his family, accused by federal prosecutors in late 2020 court papers of pulling off a big-bucks COVID relief scam. "Why haven't they been charged?" the news outlet asked regarding the "curious" case. That question...

Fake Astronaut Wooed Woman to Pay for Return Ticket to Earth
Woman Duped Out of $30K
in Out-of-This-World Scam
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
Oct 15, 2022 4:45 PM CDT

Woman Duped Out of $30K in Out-of-This-World Scam

Online lover convinced 65-year-old in Japan he was astronaut who needed cash to return to Earth

(Newser) - Nigerian prince scams are so 1990s—welcome to the 21st century and the Russian cosmonaut scam. Kyodo News reports that police are looking into the claims of a 65-year-old woman in Japan's Shiga prefecture who said she fell in love with a man online who tricked her into...

Cops: Woman Scammed Own Mom in $140M Psychic Ruse

Sabine Boghici, 48, and accomplices are accused of conning her 82-year-old mother for years

(Newser) - A Brazilian woman was arrested this week and accused of recruiting a group of fake psychics to scam her own 82-year-old mother out of about $140 million in cash, artwork, and jewelry, reports the Washington Post . The alleged scheme began in January 2020, when Genevieve Boghici, the wealthy widow of...

GoFundMe Scammer Pleads Guilty a Second Time
GoFundMe Scammer
Sentenced to a Year in Prison
UPDATED
Jul 22, 2022 3:01 AM CDT

GoFundMe Scammer Sentenced to a Year in Prison

Katelyn McClure could get more time on state charges

(Newser) - Update: New Jersey woman Katelyn McClure has been sentenced to a year in federal prison for her role in a 2017 GoFundMe scam. McClure, who pleaded guilty to wire fraud, was also ordered to pay $400,000 in restitution, the Department of Justice says. The 32-year-old could face more prison...

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