An Australian grandmother has been scammed out of nearly $480,000 in a complex fraud scheme after selling her family home. Jane, a customer of the bank ANZ for nearly five decades, fell victim to the scam under the belief that she was transferring her money into an ING bank account, which promised a high interest … Read more
The star of the HBO docuseries “Telemarketers” — which chronicled the chaotic rise of a New Jersey-based call center — reportedly vanished on Friday night and has not been seen or heard from since. Patrick J. Pespas, a devious salesman with a history of substance abuse, went missing from his home in Easton, Pennsylvania where … Read more
It was a real faux pas-ta. Twin sisters from Wisconsin experienced the con of a lifetime when they were duped into paying more than 500 euros — about $530 — for a shrimpy-size dish of lobster pasta while vacationing in the south of France. Travel influencers Cassidy and Leah Armbruster, who now call Madrid, Spain, … Read more
I scream, you scream, we all scream for extra fees! A woman named Chiara was shocked to be charged a euro — about $1 — for requesting an extra spoon so she could share her ice cream cup. She had popped into Gelateria Serafini in the town of Lavis in northern Italy to enjoy a … Read more
Drop and give me 10 pounds, soldier. The so-called “Military Diet” promises just that, promoting itself as a “three-day weight loss diet that can help you lose 10 pounds in a week.” And the name conjures up images of boot camp-style chow that helps produce lean, mean, combat-ready bodies. The truth, however, may be camouflaged … Read more
Shoe better be careful — in the dating world, there’s always trouble afoot. There was a time when all a single gal had to worry about was some wannabe womanizer trying to steal her heart. But now, an online dater in New York is warning her fellow love-seekers to steer clear of a sticky-fingered fraudster, who … Read more
She’s paying now. Chantal Derrick, 26, is warning others about online platforms that allow you to “buy now” and “pay later,” claiming she ended up nearly $4,000 in debt from Klarna and VeryPay. “When you’re young and careless with money, it’s so easy to get sucked down the rabbit hole,” the UK traffic management worker … Read more
Things got a little para-dicey on this family’s vacation. In March, Neil Bray, 42, decided that he wanted to take his family of six to Spain for their first vacation in 11 years — booking a four-bedroom villa for his wife and children. But when they rolled up to the property they’d booked for a … Read more
This new hotel scam will have you seeing five stars — and it’s all legal. Hotels across the country have been caught slapping customers with often-outrageous charges for checking in early or checking out late — a perk until only recently offered as a courtesy when available, reports the Wall Street Journal. The latest travel … Read more
My big fat Greek restaurant bill. After famously charging a Montana couple nearly $900 for a few aperitifs, Greece’s most infamous restaurant, DK Oyster, is being blamed for yet another act of epicurean extortion. This time, aggrieved Italian tourists have accused the Myokonos-based eatery of sticking them with a $773 (€711) bill for a cocktail, … Read more
A California family claims they got scammed trying to escape the Maui wildfires, costing them $3,400 in airfare. Megan and Kevin Morgan were celebrating their fifth wedding anniversary on the island with their 8-month-old when they decided to cancel their celebratory dinner and return home to the Sacramento area — shortly before the devastating blaze … Read more
Things sure seemed to end “Upside Down” after this one. A “Stranger Things” obsessed woman fell victim to a ruthless catfishing scam where she began an online relationship, divorced her husband and sent $10,000 worth of gift cards to someone portraying an actor from the hit Netflix show. McKayla, a film artist and single mother … Read more
Well, this takes the cake. A family was shocked to discover they were charged 20 euros — about $22 — to have their cake cut into 20 pieces. The group was celebrating a birthday at an unidentified restaurant in Palermo, Sicily. They ordered about $130 worth of pizza and drinks, not including the “20 X … Read more
Disgraziade. A traveler in Italy took to the internet to vent after noticing he’d been slapped with a surprise 2 euro surcharge at a restaurant in the upscale Lake Como region — for having his sandwich cut in half. The unnamed man, visiting from nearby Milan, had ordered a vegetarian sandwich — with french fries … Read more
Police have launched a murder investigation after the dismembered remains of missing millionaire Fernando Pérez Algaba, 41, were discovered by a group of children in Argentina over the weekend. The grisly case came to light after the kids found a red suitcase filled with body parts while playing by a stream in the town of … Read more
They’re thinking outside the box. Merchandisers and celebrity makeover artists aren’t the only ones cashing in on the success of the “Barbie” movie. Cybersecurity experts are warning of online scammers using the summer blockbuster’s cachet to steal bank info from legions of pink-pilled moviegoers. “Cybercriminals are always on the lookout for opportunities to make phishing … Read more
Every new season, occasion, holiday, natural disaster, you name it, scammers work hard. Vacation seasons are one of their favorite times to pounce. Some in-person criminals might spy that you’re away and break in. Take steps to make sure your home isn’t a target. Most cybercrime targets you as you’re getting your trip scheduled and … Read more
What’s the price of love? Terri, a recent guest on “Dr. Phil,” sent nearly $80,000 to her virtual boyfriend before she realized that her relationship may not be what it seemed. Terri met “Ricardo” on Facebook Messenger two years ago. A month after they started talking, Ricardo asked Terri to invest $10,000 in Bitcoin, promising … Read more
Please, just make it stop — a new survey has revealed just how sick and tired Americans are of scam calls and scummy white-collar criminals. A poll of 2,000 adults revealed the most common types of fraud seen by Americans are through scam emails (48%), phone calls (47%), and texts (44%). Nearly half (49%) said … Read more
An unnamed clinic in Argentina has been accused of printing the same ultrasound scan for all their clients. The alleged scam was brought to light when a pregnant woman named Antonella shared what she believed to be her 5D scan on Twitter. Another woman responded to the post confusedly noting that she appeared to have … Read more