Addressing consumer fraud around the world. The Baker Fraud Report focuses on mass marketing fraud – where victims never meet the fraudster in person but communicate over the phone, though the mail, or on the internet.
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HHS releases federal action plan and campaign to protect older Americans
Need an expert witness for consumer protection or fraud issues? Let me know.
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Are we looking at fraud transactions correctly? Most of us think of fraud as a one transaction event. Victim gets a call/text/email, get flustered, sends money to crooks and then later reports it. But many times, even most, victims really send money to the scammers several times before they end up reporting it. If I’m right, this matters for several reasons. First, of course, if the crooks are likely to return this is an opportunity for law enforcement to step in, especially if the scammer appears in person to collect funds. And it reminds us when we receive complaints that the matter is not necessarily at an end and that victims need to be warned of that.
Justice Department to strip US citizenship from those committing fraud
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New study looks at the use of AI in crypto romance frauds
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Is that “local” business really where it says it is? In the last issue I covered the FTC’s recent case against Premium Home Services, which ran google ads and offered plumbing, electrical, and other home repair services with “local” addresses and phones along with great (fake) reviews. But at least 10,000 victims found that calls really went to overseas call centers, who collected money and then tried, often unsuccessfully, to find someone who could appear and do the work. It is troubling that anyone would be able to game the online system this way, thought I fear that (at least) fake florists and locksmiths use the same tactics. More law enforcement here – not to mention better work by Google – might be a real benefit to consumers
Review and Recommendation: I heartily recommend a series of fiction books by CJ Box that all involve Wyoming Fish and Game agent Joe Pickett. They each have some sort of crime involving the state — though these are not typical mystery novels. And I think they are great for any sort of audience.
Vermont: Seven from Quebec indicted for grandparent fraud; went to victim homes to pick up “bail”
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Nigerian law enforcement agency, the EFCC, says 60% of college students are involved in online fraud
Ohio: 25 convicted in BEC fraud run from Nigeria that stole $215 million and had 1000 victims
AI and ChatGPT can now create fake ID’s and other fake documents
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Washington: US Scam Center Strike Force announces major actions against Scam Compounds
New FTC Data Spotlight on Frauds that begin on Social Media
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WSJ: How Cambodia became Scambodia
SIM farms in the US, Europe, and elsewhere are rented out to send scam text messages
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FTC fraud data. I’ve covered the annual fraud data from the Internet Crime Complaint Center, and also data from Australia. I expected the FTC to release its compilation of fraud data for 2024, but I’ve not seen that. Sources report that even though the FTC has done this every year since 2008, it is not doing a fraud data book this year. Sad to see. Of course the FTC has its tableau site where one can find data, but it is not nearly as easy to get the big picture. In my view this is a loss for the public.
Reviews and recommendation” We went to see Operation Hail Mary, at a local movie theater — and it is just excellent. Written by Andy Weir, author of The Martian, it is very much a crowd pleaser, with stellar reviews — and no politics at all. Sure to be one of the best movies of the year. And its worth seeing it in a theater on a big screen.
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Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3) releases 2025 data
VERY GOOD AND IMPORTANT! Podcast with Erin West and two journalists on why and how Cambodia became a haven for scam compounds and crypto romance fraud (43m) Part 1 of 2
