fraud

A phone company developed an AI 'granny' to beat scammers at their own game

5:03am December 10, 2024

The company behind the scam-baiting granny said the AI technology can keep scammers on the phone for 40 minutes at a time, keeping them away from real people.

Queue Listen Now

A victim of a crypto ‘pig butchering’ scam just got his $140,000 back

6:59pm October 04, 2024

NPR investigated a crypto scam company known as SpireBit, which stole hundreds of thousands of dollars from Russian-speaking seniors. Now, some of the victims are getting their money back after a lawsuit by Massachusetts authorities.

Insurance brokers say rogue agents are switching batches of customers to new plans without the customers' knowledge. The agents then collect monthly commissions on the Affordable Care Act plans.

Health & Safety

ACA health insurance plans are being switched without enrollees' OK

5:00am April 01, 2024

by Julie Appleby

Rogue insurance agents access consumer information on the Affordable Care Act federal marketplace and make the changes. Policyholders can lose their doctors and end up owing back taxes.

Pilot mountain mayor stands at podium outside of town hall

Three officers fired after Pilot Mountain concludes police corruption investigation

3:46pm December 13, 2023

by April Laissle

The town of Pilot Mountain has officially fired three police officers after concluding its weeks-long investigation into departmental corruption.

The Justice Department has charged a U.S. Army Reserves major in an alleged years-long fraud scheme targeting Gold Star families.

Gold Star families allegedly defrauded of death benefits by adviser

1:38pm July 07, 2023

by Jaclyn Diaz

A major in the Army Reserves and financial counselor with the Army allegedly used his access to beneficiaries of deceased servicemembers to defraud them and enrich himself, prosecutors allege.

The Justice Department announced charges against 78 people related to health care fraud schemes.

78 people face charges for $2.5 billion in attempted health care fraud, DOJ says

2:21pm June 28, 2023

by Jaclyn Diaz

At least $1.1 billion was actually paid out in these schemes targeting elderly patients, high-risk and low-income pregnant women and HIV patients.

Some older Americans got dozens of COVID tests they never ordered in the mail, just as the free test benefit was ending. It could mean they are at risk for more fraud involving their Medicare numbers.

Health & Safety

Seniors got COVID tests they didn't order in Medicare scam. Could more fraud follow?

8:16am May 18, 2023

by Susan Jaffe

Some seniors got dozens of COVID tests they never ordered. Bad actors may have used seniors' Medicare information to improperly bill the federal government — and could do it again, investigators say.

Gautam Adani, billionaire and chairman of Adani Group, speaks during an event at Israel's Port of Haifa, on Tuesday. The Indian billionaire, whose business empire was rocked by allegations of fraud by short seller Hindenburg Research, said his company will make more investments in Israel.

World News

How Asia's ex-richest man lost nearly $50 billion in just over a week

10:17am February 02, 2023

by Sushmita Pathak

Indian businessman Gautam Adani was a few billion dollars shy of Elon Musk. But he tumbled down the billionaires' list after a U.S. firm accused the Adani Group of pulling off an epic con.

Courts

Owner of United Youth Care Services convicted in scheme to defraud state Medicaid

4:40pm January 19, 2023

by Paul Garber

A federal jury has convicted the owner of a former Greensboro mental health and drug treatment center of medical fraud charges. Donald Booker was part of an $11-million scheme that targeted people at risk of becoming homeless.

The U.S. Department of Justice said 47 people devised and carried out a massive scheme to defraud the Federal Child Nutrition Program out of $250 million.

National

DOJ charges 47 with stealing $250 million from a pandemic food program for kids

4:29pm September 20, 2022

by Vanessa Romo

The defendants allegedly carried out a plot to steal $250 million from a nutrition program meant to serve needy children in Minnesota. Officials called it a "brazen scheme of staggering proportions."