Two cousins have been allegedly caught in a massive $8.5 million scheme to scam customers out of vacation rentals and cash, using double-booking and bait-and-switch to target customers. Shray Goel, 36, and Shaunik Raheja, 37, allegedly operated their rental fraud scheme from 2013–2019, using fake identities to defraud predominantly black people. The pair was caught … Read more
St. Maarten’s government is warning travelers about a scam that charges tourists to process an immigration form that should be free. The fake third-party website is charging a fee to help visitors complete the island’s embarkation/disembarkation form, a form that’s required for entry. However, there are no fees associated with the real form, the St. … Read more
You might want to think twice before chalking grandma’s “senior moments” up to getting older. More than 10 million people around the world are diagnosed with dementia each year, but studies show symptoms often begin to appear long before the condition is officially recognized. Still, a 2023 Alzheimer’s Society survey found that one in three … Read more
Waiter, there’s an AI in my soup. Artificial intelligence has been used to carry out increasingly sophisticated frauds, from financial aid schemes to impersonating loved ones to demanding money via voice scammers. Now, food courier services are reporting a spike in scammers employing generative AI to make their food orders appear undercooked or bug-ridden so … Read more
Scan and be scammed. Officials are warning about a rise in “quishing attacks,” whereby con artists use nefarious QR codes that direct smartphone users to malicious sites that steal personal information. QR codes have become common at places such as restaurants, where customers use their smartphones to scan the code to both pay and peruse … Read more
For Toni Campbell, the most wonderful time of the year has been screwed by scammers. The Queens native, a 63-year-old loving aunt to a flock of nieces and nephews, sprinted out of the office early — with sweat dripping from her brow, her heartbeat racing and her stomach in knots — on the afternoon of … Read more
’Tis the season for twinkling lights, overflowing inboxes — and scammers working overtime. As Americans rush to buy gifts, book travel and spread holiday cheer, fraudsters are decking the halls with fake deals, bogus charities and panic-inducing messages designed to empty wallets faster than a last-minute Black Friday sale. Non-payment and non-delivery scams cost people … Read more
He was royally “fleeced.” A pair of UK passengers were left over $5,000 poorer after malicious scammers canceled their British Airways flight out of spite when they refused to bite on their scheme. “If it can happen to me, it can happen to anyone,” Geoff Spink, 63, told the Independent about the unfortunate case of … Read more
A Hollywood director was convicted Thursday on charges that he scammed Netflix out of $11 million for a show that never materialized, while he instead used the cash for lavish purchases that included several Rolls-Royces, a Ferrari and about $1 million in mattresses and luxury bedding. Carl Erik Rinsch, best known for directing the film … Read more
New York restaurants are being bombarded with requests by self-declared “influencers” for free food — but are getting wise to many just being scammers. After wannabe food influencer Pei Chung walked out on bills totaling over $4,000 at Williamsburg hotspots last month, restaurant staffers across the city are coming forward to expose the shocking demands made by … Read more
Noel Phillips can’t believe he was cleaned out so quickly — and easily. Phillips’ world was shattered after being robbed of thousands of dollars by business imposter scammers. Tamara Beckwith/N.Y.Post The New York millennial was bled dry earlier this year by a group of business imposter scammers who used phone number spoofing technology — software … Read more
A tourist believes she was scammed at a popular Las Vegas hotel after she was hit with a $224 bill for using a power outlet in her room. Sharina Butler, who is from the Bahamas, traveled to Sin City for vacation and stayed at the Paris Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip in August, when … Read more
In a recent global survey, most people couldn’t differentiate between a phishing message written by artificial intelligence (AI) and an authentic, human-written email. The survey of 18,000 employed adults from around the globe tested them on their awareness when it comes to cyber dangers, like AI and phishing, and found startling room for improvement. When … Read more
Americans receive fraudulent or scam messages twice as much as other countries, according to new research. A poll of 10,500 adults from around the world found that the average American navigates an average of nine calls, nine emails and another seven text messages every single week, or about 100 scam encounters per month. Similarly, Brits … Read more
If you develop dementia, you can bank on it affecting your decision-making skills. More than 6 million Americans have dementia — a gradual decline in cognitive function like memory, language and problem-solving that significantly impacts daily life. Early signs of dementia include memory loss, difficulty finding words and disorientation. A neuropsychologist warns that problems managing … Read more
A United Airlines passenger claimed he was scammed out of $17,000 while attempting to rebook a flight with the airline. Dan Smoker said that he called the United customer service number to rebook a flight for him and his family after it was canceled due to a mechanical issue in May — and believes the … Read more
We live in the age of data leaks and scammers. Last year scammers stole $2 billion from Australians (down from the all-time peak of $3.1b in 2022). This year scammers got extensive data on millions of people from the Qantas data breach, and even more highly sensitive personal and medical data from the Genea data breach. So, … Read more
Airbnb has apologized to a woman after her host used artificial intelligence to claim she had caused thousands of dollars worth of damage. The incident took place earlier this year when a London-based woman booked a one-bedroom apartment in Manhattan for a two-and-a-half month stay, The Guardian reported. She decided to leave the Airbnb early … Read more
It’s the art of the steal. The internet is flooded with inventive schemes, from AI-fueled romance scams to cybercriminals who pose as kidnapped loved ones to receive “ransom” payments. Now, a woman is warning of a sneaky “new scam” in which bad actors masquerade as artists so they can hijack people’s personal information. “Heads up … Read more
An American ripoff in Paris. Parisian servers have always been notorious for their rudeness, but now it looks like they’re ripping off customers as well. Paris restaurants are charging US tourists up to 50% more than local patrons, an undercover investigation has found. Following several online complaints about the so-called American tourist tax, the city’s … Read more