How to Recognize and Stop the Scams That Are Surging Right Now

During a recent National Consumer Protection Week webinar, experts from the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) detailed the scam tactics that are currently tricking the most people. Their message was clear: while the stories scammers tell keep changing, their goal remains the same—to pressure you into handing over money or personal information. Being aware of the current trends is your first and best line of defense.

Here’s a breakdown of the most prominent threats they highlighted and, more importantly, how you can protect yourself.

The Top Threats: What Scammers Are Pushing Now

According to the FTC’s latest data, a few specific types of fraud are seeing significant increases.

1. Imposter Scams Remain King This broad category is consistently the most reported. It involves a scammer pretending to be someone you trust to create a false sense of urgency or fear. The FTC specifically highlighted two prevalent versions:

  • Government Imposters: Calls, texts, or emails claiming to be from the Social Security Administration, IRS, or even a local sheriff’s department. They’ll allege there’s a problem with your account, a warrant for your arrest, or a suspended Social Security number. The solution? They demand immediate payment via gift cards, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency to “resolve” the issue.
  • Business Imposters: You might get a pop-up or phone call from someone claiming to be from “Microsoft Support” or “Amazon Security.” They’ll say your computer is infected or there’s suspicious activity on your account. Their goal is to gain remote access to your device to “fix” a non-existent problem, often planting malware or stealing data in the process.

2. Phishing Gets More Personalized Generic “Dear Customer” emails are still around, but the more dangerous trend is spear-phishing. Scammers now use data from previous breaches or social media to craft highly tailored messages. An email might reference a recent purchase you actually made or use the name of your real bank. The link or attachment looks legitimate, but it leads to a fake login page designed to harvest your credentials.

3. Fake Online Listings and “Too-Good-To-Be-True” Deals With more shopping happening online, scams on marketplace platforms are up. This includes sellers posting ads for in-demand items (like event tickets, pets, or rentals) that don’t exist. They’ll often pressure you to pay upfront via peer-to-peer payment apps (Venmo, Cash App, Zelle) and then disappear. The FTC emphasizes that these apps are for sending money to people you know and trust, not strangers.

How to Protect Yourself: Practical Steps from the FTC

Knowing the trends is step one. Acting on that knowledge is step two. Here are the core defensive strategies recommended during the webinar.

Verify, Don’t Trust. If you get an unexpected call, text, or email about a problem or an opportunity, pause. Do not use the contact information provided in the message. Instead, look up the official phone number or website of the company or government agency independently. Contact them directly to ask if the communication was legitimate.

Recognize the Red Flags. Scammers rely on emotion and haste. Be immediately suspicious of any communication that:

  • Demands immediate payment or action.
  • Insists you pay with a gift card, wire transfer, or cryptocurrency.
  • Asks for remote access to your computer.
  • Threatens you with arrest, deportation, or shutting off a service.

Secure Your Payments and Information. When shopping from new online sellers, use a credit card when possible, as it offers stronger fraud protections. Never give out your Social Security number, bank account details, or one-time passcodes to someone who contacts you.

What to Do If You Suspect a Scam

Even the most cautious person can be targeted. If you think you’ve encountered a scam, or worse, lost money to one:

  1. Report It: File a report with the FTC at ReportFraud.ftc.gov. This is critical. Your report helps law enforcement identify patterns and build cases against scammers.
  2. Contact Your Financial Institution: If you sent money or shared account information, call your bank, credit card company, or payment app immediately. They may be able to stop a transaction or secure your account.
  3. Secure Your Accounts: Change passwords on any accounts you think may be compromised, and enable multi-factor authentication where available.

Scammers are always adapting, but the fundamentals of protection are steady. A healthy dose of skepticism, a habit of verification, and knowing where to report fraud are your most powerful tools. The FTC’s consistent advice is to slow down, check it out, and talk to someone you trust before you act on an unexpected request. Sharing what you know about these tactics helps protect your community, too.

Sources: Information and recommendations are based on the FTC’s public consumer education materials and summaries of their National Consumer Protection Week 2026 webinar.