Across the country, scammers continue to find success — particularly with older residents and their families — with a seemingly endless supply of techniques for separating people from their hard-earned money.

Among the latest efforts is a scam in which a person receives a phone call, email or text that says they need to pay a fine, but that they should do so with Bitcoin, a gift card or other virtual currency.

And yes, the wording is confusing and aggressive enough that people continue to fall for these scams in droves.

In Ohio alone, between July 1, 2024, and June 30, 2025, counties received 16,741 maltreatment referrals related to financial exploitation of older residents, according to the state Department of Job and Family Services.

These scams often feature urgent or aggressive req

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