“We estimate that the proceeds of this scam in 2023 were at least $500,000, and perhaps well over $1,000,000.”
The pitch arrives out of the blue on LinkedIn: a Wikipedia page for $750, then $1,500, then $10,000. A fake “Sr. administrator” claims part of the fee goes to other admins to approve the page. Then the scammer keeps the money, skips the article and blames Wikipedia for the delay. The marks are retirees and small business owners who wanted something their grandkids could read.