1A — WAMU NPR  | Where do scam texts and calls come from? Who sends them? The sender is likely trapped in a scam compound and being forced to commit fraud.

Detonation Point | Former U.S. Secret Service Agent Matt O’Neill interviews Erin West about cybercrime, SIM swaps, pig butchering scams — and what we need to do to fight them.

KALW Public Radio digs into the reality of scams in the age of AI with an interview with AARP’s Amy Nofziger and Operation Shamrock’s Founder Erin West.

The Guardian | People seeking connection have long been the target of criminals. But romance fraud is increasing, especially among older adults. Learn about the warning signs.

The Fight of My Life | Escaping Scam City is a true-crime podcast about a couple who were trapped and forced into committing fraud. Operation Shamrock’s Erin West shares how the scams work and how we fight them.

KHOU | The FBI is warning about fake websites designed to mimic the Internet Crime Complaint Center (IC3). The sites are designed to trick people into entering personal and banking details.

BBC | An Interpol operation has arrested 250 suspected cyber scammers across 14 African countries who used romance scams and sextortion to steal nearly $2.8 million from over 1,400 people.

Token for Your Thoughts  | Erin West explains pig butchering investment scams, the scam industry, and how Operation Shamrock unites banks, law enforcement, and advocates to fight back.

University of Notre Dame | When banks can provide details about fraudulent activity, customers are more likely to stay. In fact, 62% fewer leave compared with those who hadn’t experienced fraud.

Futurism | Scammers are using SMS blasters to increase their phishing game. They move around with the portable devices, sending thousands of messages with dangerous links to nearby phones.

Reuters uses illustrations to tell the story of Oly, an IT consultant who flew from Ethiopia to Thailand to meet a friend for a few days. He was trapped in Southeast Asia for five months.

The New York Times | A person called a reporter, asking for him by name. The caller ID said “Chase Bank.” The scammer had a ready answer for every question the reporter asked. It almost worked.

Truth Be Told | Sarasota, Florida detectives uncovered a national crime ring. It was all part of an $80 million scam operation orchestrated from within prisons in nearby Georgia.

Reuters | Reuters asked AI chatbots to draft e-mail messages for a phishing scam targeting older people. The results show how scammers can use AI to conduct fraud.

IT Brew | Experts say the US government isn’t doing enough to fight scams. The FBI has prevented $400 million in crypto fraud to date in 2025, yet US scam victims lost over $5 billion in 2023.

ASPI | In a new report, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute outlines what’s happening as Myanmar becomes a haven for transnational organized crime groups.

Cosmopolitan | After the investigation by Brianne and Cecilie, the romance scammer is in federal custody, facing charges filed by Operation Shamrock’s Erin West.

The Guardian | Operated by crime syndicates and fostered by the military junta, the number of massive scam complexes on the Thai-Myanmar border has doubled since 2021.