In Sweden, a woman in her 90s in Marks kommun received a call from someone claiming to be police, was transferred to a fake banker, and was persuaded to transfer money, according to police spokesperson Jens Andersson. An elderly couple in Orust received a text about a jewelry purchase they did not make, called the payment service, and spoke to someone posing as a bank employee for hours, Andersson added. The couple was convinced to authorize several credits at different loan institutions, potentially involving large parts of their savings, the couple themselves reported. Police have initiated investigations into fraud in both the Marks and Orust cases, multiple reports indicate. Separately, a woman in her 80s in Sävsjö received a text appearing to be from a pharmacy, was told to call, and was tricked into providing information and making transfers, according to multiple reports. Police have filed a fraud report in the Sävsjö case, multiple reports confirm.
Police spokesperson Jens Andersson explained that scammers create stressful situations and pretend to be helpful to deceive elderly people. Authorities advise hanging up if unsure, not disclosing sensitive information, and contacting police quickly if scammed, Andersson said. Telephone fraud or vishing is very common, with scammers using tactics to scare victims and then offer help, multiple reports indicate. Police strongly advise being rude: never call back unknown numbers in texts, hang up on unknown callers, and discuss with relatives to make it harder for scammers, multiple reports state. Authorities warn against calling back numbers in unexpected texts or emails, even if they appear to be from companies or authorities, multiple reports note. If you need to verify information, find the correct number from official sources like company websites, multiple reports advise.
Two major banks allowed Ray Anholt to empty his accounts despite red flags.
Additional Swedish cases include a woman from Tierp who is charged with defrauding elderly men of large sums, totaling in the million-class, by building close relationships and draining their accounts, according to two sources. In another Tierp incident, a woman in her 80s was called by someone claiming to be from a bank and was asked to provide sensitive information like card numbers over the phone, two sources report. Relatives contacted police, who responded and filed a report for attempted fraud or fraud, depending on whether the bank stopped it, according to police spokesperson Maria Hall. A 75-year-old woman received a text about returning a rental car she had not rented, called back the number provided, and was connected to scammers posing as a bank, multiple reports state. The woman made several logins with BankID, leading to about 300,000 SEK disappearing from her account, multiple reports confirm. In a separate case, a woman in her 60s reported being scammed out of over 1 million SEK, specifically 1.2 million, in an investment fraud, multiple reports indicate. An AI tool identified a 50-year-old woman as guilty of several bank frauds, but she was wrongly deprived of freedom for half a year, losing her home, car, and dog, multiple reports note.
In Canada, Ray Anholt of Victoria lost almost $1.7 million in life savings over six months last year due to a bank investigator scam, research from four sources shows. The scam against Ray Anholt involved phoney bank employees, fake official letters, piles of cash, massive bank drafts, gold bars, and couriers, research from four sources details. In June 2024, Ray Anholt received a phone call from a scammer impersonating CIBC's fraud department, who claimed to need his help with a national money-laundering investigation, research from four sources reports. The scammer instructed Ray Anholt to withdraw money and have a courier pick it up, and told him not to tell anyone, research from four sources states. According to www.cbc.ca, Jill Anholt described that two major banks allowed Ray Anholt to empty his accounts despite red flags. Ray Anholt made cash withdrawals at various CIBC branches, and at one point a branch manager questioned his activity and froze his online account and ATM access, but he could still withdraw in person, research from four sources indicates.
Criminals had taken out nine accounts using my name and Social Security number and set up drug cartels.
Last year alone, Canadians lost more than $643 million to bank fraud, an increase of nearly 300% since 2020, research from four sources shows. Experts say financial institutions in Canada lag behind other countries with better protections against scams. CIBC and Royal Bank said in statements that they have robust measures to protect and alert clients when fraud is suspected.
In the United States, Judith Rosenberg of Oakland was tricked into mailing $63,000 to thieves in a scam involving impersonation of a federal agent, research from four sources reports. The scam against Judith Rosenberg began with a text claiming someone stole her Apple ID, leading to a call from a man posing as federal inspector general David Freeman, research from four sources details. According to abc7news.com, Judith Rosenberg described that criminals had taken out nine accounts using her name and Social Security number and set up drug cartels. According to abc7news.com, Judith Rosenberg described that the scammer instructed her to move her money into a protected account, go to Bank of America in Oakland, and get a cashier's check for $63,000 while keeping her phone on. According to abc7news.com, Judith Rosenberg described that a teller at Bank of America asked if anyone was forcing her to do this, and she nodded no. Tellers at Citibank in Hayward got suspicious and turned Judith Rosenberg away when she tried to deposit the check, research from four sources states. According to abc7news.com, Judith Rosenberg described that the scammer told her to mail the check to an address in San Lorenzo, which she did overnight for $31. Judith Rosenberg recovered her money after contacting Bank of America's fraud department and rushing to the bank the next morning, research from four sources confirms.
The scammer instructed me to move my money into a protected account, go to Bank of America in Oakland, and get a cashier's check for $63,000 while keeping my phone on.
In another U.S. case, Kimberly Bitting of Leesburg is charged with exploiting a senior widow by using power of attorney to steal approximately $350,000, according to the state attorney general's office and Leesburg Police Department. Bitting allegedly issued checks from the victim's accounts to her account and those of co-defendants Lara Larsen and Ashton Silvis, falsifying them as payments for caregiving and other work not performed, the state attorney general's office reports. Bitting purchased two parcels of land using the victim's funds, the state attorney general's office adds. Bitting has pleaded not guilty to the charges, a court filing shows.
Miles Friday of Hollywood was arrested in Davie for a bank scam targeting a woman, admitting to posing as representatives from the FDIC and several banks, according to the Davie Police Department. Friday, posing as 'Connor Wilson', convinced the victim to wire $45,000 to a man in Skokie, Illinois, and $55,000 to her Truist Bank account, then withdraw cash, totaling $203,000 in losses, the Davie Police Department reports. Friday told the victim not to tell anyone at the bank about the transactions, claiming bank employees might be involved, the Davie Police Department states. Police set up a sting where the victim was to withdraw $30,000 at a Truist branch in Davie, but a detective gave her fake money to hand off to an Uber Courier, the Davie Police Department details.
A teller at Bank of America asked if anyone was forcing me to do this, and I nodded no.
Telephone fraud or vishing is very common, with scammers using tactics to scare victims and then offer help, multiple reports reiterate. Last year alone, Canadians lost more than $643 million to bank fraud, an increase of nearly 300% since 2020, research from four sources emphasizes.
Police have initiated investigations into fraud in both the Marks and Orust cases, multiple reports note. Authorities advise hanging up if unsure, not disclosing sensitive information, and contacting police quickly if scammed, police spokesperson Jens Andersson said. Police have filed a fraud report in the Sävsjö case, multiple reports confirm. Relatives contacted police, who responded and filed a report for attempted fraud or fraud, depending on whether the bank stopped it, according to police spokesperson Maria Hall. CIBC and Royal Bank said in statements that they have robust measures to protect and alert clients when fraud is suspected.
The scammer told me to mail the check to an address in San Lorenzo, which I did overnight for $31.
Scammers create stressful situations and pretend to be helpful to deceive elderly people, police spokesperson Jens Andersson explained. Police strongly advise being rude: never call back unknown numbers in texts, hang up on unknown callers, and discuss with relatives to make it harder for scammers, multiple reports state. Authorities warn against calling back numbers in unexpected texts or emails, even if they appear to be from companies or authorities, multiple reports note. Experts say financial institutions in Canada lag behind other countries with better protections against scams.
It remains unknown whether the banks involved in the Swedish and Canadian cases will reimburse the victims for their losses, and the total number of victims and financial losses across all reported scams in Sweden and North America has not been confirmed. The identities and locations of the scammers behind the impersonation and phone fraud schemes are also unknown. Whether the AI tool used in the Swedish case has been corrected to prevent future wrongful identifications is not specified.