Scams
Fraudulent schemes and deceptive practices
Latest stories
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Cary teens help seniors avoid scams as IRS sees rise in elder fraud
Investigators with the IRS say they're seeing more seniors in North Carolina lose millions of dollars in fraud schemes.
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Greensboro postal employee accused of stealing thousands of opioid pills from Veterans Affairs
A U.S. Postal Service employee was arrested after police said he allegedly stole thousands of prescription opioid pills intended for veterans.
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Nepal Police warn of scams targeting flood-relief donations
According to WRAL 5 On Your Side people should avoid sending money to personal bank accounts or e-wallets and confirm the recipient’s name before approving a QR-code payment.
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Protecting yourself against job scams
In today's digital landscape, job seekers are facing an increasing threat from sophisticated scammers posing as legitimate recruiters. Recent collaboration between the FBI and LinkedIn aims to raise awareness about common red flags.
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5 On Your Side: Protecting students from back-to-school scams
From first day of school photos to school supply "deals," here's what parents need to be aware of as kids return to classrooms.
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Most likely to be scammed: BBB data shows towns most targeted
An analysis of data with the Better Business Bureau shows which communities within the Triangle are most frequently reporting scams, both attempted and successful.
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Scammers use these 4 stages to manipulate victims, expert says
Whether it's a romance scam, or financial fraud, an expert explains how scammers are trained to use psychological manipulation to get what they want from their victims. This happened to a Fuquay-Varina man who lost hundreds of thousands and is still hoping to see some of it recovered.
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Fuquay-Varina man scammed out of $700,000 awaits any return of his money
A Fuquay-Varina man who lost his savings in what's called a pig-butchering scam is warning others what to look out for so they don't become victims in what experts say is a very convincing scheme.
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Father's Day, Prime Day to bring record spending. Here's how to shop smart, and avoid scams
Nearly $30 billion dollars will be spent for Father's Day, as online purchasing comes in as North Carolina's most frequent scam type.
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Raleigh wedding photography company faces court deadline to turn over photos and videos
A Raleigh-based wedding photography company accused of failing to deliver photos and videos to hundreds of customers has until June 11 to comply with a court order or face possible contempt proceedings and additional sanctions.
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Greensboro woman loses $1,000 to Stanley Cup ticket scam
A Greensboro woman says she lost $1,000 while trying to buy Carolina Hurricanes Stanley Cup Final tickets through a Facebook group that appeared legitimate. After sending money to the group's administrator for two tickets, the tickets never arrived.
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5 On Your Side: Beware summer travel scams
Summer travel season is here, and while families are booking vacations and hitting the road, scammers are looking for ways to cash in.
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NC AG to discuss lawsuit against wedding photographer accused of swindling clients out of $750K
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson is set to speak on Wednesday about a lawsuit against Holly Christina Photography, following allegations that the company defrauded more than 200 couples of an estimated $750,000.
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Billions lost to scams: FTC data shows social media the biggest threat to your money
New data from the Federal Trade Commission shows nearly 30 percent of scam victims in 2025 say their experience started on social media. Total losses? $2.1 billion.
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Scammers are spoofing Wake County Sheriff's deputies. What it looks like, from a near victim
The Wake County Sheriff's Office shared with WRAL it has received 181 fraud reports so far this year. Several of those are confirmed cases of law enforcement impersonation.
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Insurance commissioner, bail agents warn of rising bail scams in North Carolina
Scammers in North Carolina are posing as law enforcement or bail bondsmen to trick families into paying for the immediate release of incarcerated loved ones.
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Garner warns residents of 'spoofing' scheme that used town email addresses
According to the town staff, they have received reports of scammers using email addresses or phone numbers that have come from town of Garner email addresses or caller ID information to further the scam.
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Raleigh Police warn community about fake donation drive
The Raleigh Police Department warns there is no Shop with a Cop fundraiser event happening right now, and any calls you may receive about it is a scam.
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Attorney General warns of scam targeting veterans
Don't fall for scams offering free money, Jeff Jackson said.
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With one click, everything's gone: The FBI says crypto crime is soaring in NC and across the country
Crypto crime is soaring, according to new numbers from the FBI. It includes investment scams, romance scams and more. Tracking down money that moves as fast as lightning is challenging for investigators and bad news for victims who want their money back.
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Ignore this text: Scam includes QR code to get you to pay with threat of court
A scam text message making the rounds is warning people in Wake County about fake traffic violations and an upcoming illegitimate court date.
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5 On Your Side warning: Scammers are texting fake product recall notices
Scammers are trying to trick you with phony recall notices. So how can you tell the difference between a legitimate recall and a scam? Consumer Reports reveals what you need to know to avoid being duped.
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BBB warns of ticket scams ahead of March Madness
Just last week, a major ticket vendor unveiled a new system interface to prevent scammers from more easily duplicating tickets.
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Raleigh photographer sued by state attorney general after allegedly swindling clients out of $750K
The State of North Carolina is suing a Raleigh-based photography company that's made headlines in recent months for defrauding newlywed and engaged couples out of hundreds of thousands of dollars.
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‘Don’t mail checks’: Wake County warns about check washing spike during tax season
WRAL has covered past incidents of check fraud extensively, but the Wake County Sheriff’s Office said this time of year, check washing picks up.
