Cybercriminals Impersonate Aid Agencies to Lure Victims with Fake Financial Offers

Scammers have intensified their efforts to defraud vulnerable populations through sophisticated impersonation schemes and fraudulent financial aid offers, according to recent intelligence monitoring and law enforcement findings.

The threat landscape reveals a coordinated, international ecosystem of fraud operations targeting individuals across multiple social media platforms, with particular focus on older adults who represent a significant financial loss category in the broader cybercriminal economy.

According to the FBI’s Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3), individuals aged 60 and older reported record-breaking complaint volumes in 2024, with cumulative losses reaching $4.8 billion—nearly double the losses experienced by younger age groups.

This alarming trend underscores the systematic nature of these operations and the vulnerability of aging populations to sophisticated social engineering tactics.

The Federal Trade Commission corroborates these findings, noting that adults aged 70 and older experience significantly higher median dollar losses compared to younger demographics, establishing a ...