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Fraud Surge Targeting Older Adults: How to Spot Tech Scams Before You Lose Money Fraud cases involving phone calls, texts, and emails are rising sharply among people aged 50 and older. Recent reports from CBS News and AARP show that losses in Florida alone topped $258 million in 2025, and impersonation scams — where someone pretends to be a government agency, a tech company, or a family member — increased 148% compared to the previous year. If you or someone you care for is in this age group, it’s worth understanding what’s driving this wave and how you can reduce the risk. ...

Investment Scams on Social Media: What to Know After a State Attorney General’s Warning In early April 2026, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown issued a consumer alert about a surge in investment scams operating on Meta platforms—specifically Facebook and Instagram. The warning, published by the Attorney General’s office, highlights how fraudsters are using fake profiles, sponsored ads, and private messages to pitch bogus investment opportunities to unsuspecting users. ...

Gift Card Scams Are Still Thriving: What the Latest D.C. Alert Means for You Gift cards are a convenient way to give presents, but scammers have turned them into a preferred payment method for fraud. In December 2025, District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued a consumer alert warning residents about a surge in gift card scams. While the alert targets D.C. residents, the advice applies to anyone who receives an unexpected demand for payment via gift card. ...

What Are ‘Pig Butchering’ Scams? How to Spot and Avoid Them If you’ve ever received an unexpected text from a stranger who seems a little too friendly, or matched with someone on a dating app who quickly steers the conversation toward “investment opportunities,” you may have encountered a pig butchering scam. The term is grim but descriptive: fraudsters “fatten up” their victims with trust and affection before “slaughtering” them financially. ...

What Is a “Pig Butchering” Scam? How to Spot and Avoid This Devastating Fraud If you receive an unsolicited message on a dating app, social media, or even a text from a “wrong number,” be cautious. That friendly stranger could be a scammer running a “pig butchering” scheme—a hybrid of romance fraud and fake investment opportunities that has cost victims billions. Recent alerts from authorities, including New York Attorney General Letitia James, underscore how widespread and destructive this scam has become. ...

Fraud Victims See Credit Scores Rise: How Extended Alerts Can Help You Recover Getting hit by financial fraud feels like a violation. You worry about money you lost, accounts hijacked, and the long cleanup. But new research from the Philadelphia Federal Reserve Bank offers a surprising finding: many fraud victims who use extended fraud alerts end up with better credit scores than before the incident. ...

National Consumer Protection Week 2026: Key Tips to Avoid Scams Each year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and its partners dedicate the first week of March to National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW). For 2026, NCPW ran from March 1 through March 7, serving as a focused reminder that scams and identity theft don’t take a holiday—and neither should your awareness. While the official week has passed, the advice issued by the FTC remains just as relevant today as it was during the campaign. ...

Pig Butchering Scams: How They Work and How to Protect Yourself A new alert from the New York Attorney General sheds light on a growing cryptocurrency fraud that combines romance and investment tricks. If you spend time on dating apps, social media, or messaging platforms, you may have encountered a friendly stranger who gradually steers the conversation toward cryptocurrency investing. That stranger could be running a “pig butchering” scam—a scheme that has cost Americans billions in recent years. ...

Top Consumer Protection Tips from the FTC’s National Consumer Protection Week 2026 Every year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) runs National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) to help Americans stay informed about scams, identity theft, and fraud. This year’s campaign, which ran in early March 2026, provided a fresh set of warnings and practical advice that remain relevant even after the official events ended. If you missed it, here’s a summary of the most important points and what you can do to protect yourself. ...

New FTC Data Reveals Top Scams to Watch Out for in 2026 Every year during National Consumer Protection Week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) hosts a webinar to share emerging fraud trends and practical advice. This year’s session, summarized by ACA International, highlighted several scams that are currently affecting consumers at higher rates. If you want to stay ahead of the people running these schemes, understanding what they are and how they operate is the first step. ...