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How to Spot and Stop the Latest Scams: A Guide from the FTC Every year, scammers refine their tactics, creating new schemes and repackaging old ones to catch people off guard. During this year’s National Consumer Protection Week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) hosted a webinar to spotlight the most current and pressing fraud trends targeting consumers today. This update isn’t just bureaucratic news; it’s a crucial heads-up on what traps to avoid right now. By understanding how these scams work, you can better protect your finances and personal information. ...

Watch Out for This Convincing New Parking Ticket Text Scam If your phone buzzes with a text demanding immediate payment for a parking violation, your first instinct might be panic. Before you react, take a breath—it could be a scam. Law enforcement and consumer protection agencies, including the North Carolina Department of Justice (NCDOJ), are warning drivers about a sophisticated new wave of text-based fraud. Scammers are posing as city officials or law enforcement to steal money and personal information through fake parking ticket notices. ...

Beyond Satisfaction: What the 2025 Banking Survey Really Means for Your Security A recent survey commissioned by the American Bankers Association (ABA) found something noteworthy: a strong majority of U.S. consumers report being satisfied with their bank’s efforts to prevent fraud. This data, collected by Morning Consult in the fall of 2025, indicates a significant level of trust in the financial industry’s security measures. While this is encouraging news, it’s not a reason for complacency. The fight against fraud is a partnership. Understanding what banks are doing—and what you must do alongside them—is the key to truly protecting your money and identity. ...

That “Official” Parking Ticket May Be a Scam A new consumer alert warns drivers to be extra vigilant about parking violation notices arriving by text or email. The North Carolina Department of Justice recently highlighted a sophisticated scam where fraudsters send official-looking communications demanding immediate payment for alleged parking infractions. While the specific alert focuses on North Carolina, the tactics used are universal, making this a timely reminder for all drivers to pause and verify before paying any unexpected fine. ...

Survey Shows We Trust Banks with Fraud. Here’s How to Make That Trust Pay Off A recent national survey offers some reassuring news for anyone who banks online. According to the Fall 2025 Morning Consult survey commissioned by the American Bankers Association, U.S. consumers are broadly happy with their banks and specifically applaud their fraud protection efforts. In an era of constant headlines about scams and data breaches, it’s a significant vote of confidence in the security measures financial institutions have put in place. ...

The Insider Threat: When Bank Employees Become Partners in Crime In the digital age, we’re often warned about shadowy hackers in far-off countries. But what happens when the threat comes from inside the very institutions we trust to guard our money? A recent police case in India has highlighted a disturbing trend: bank officials actively helping criminals launder stolen funds. For the average consumer, this isn’t just a news headline—it’s a wake-up call to understand how these schemes work and how to better protect yourself. ...

The New Scams to Watch For, According to the FTC’s Latest Update Staying ahead of scammers is a constant challenge. Just as we learn to recognize one scheme, another evolves to take its place. Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) provided a timely update on this shifting landscape. During a webinar for National Consumer Protection Week in March 2026, the agency highlighted the latest fraud trends exploiting current events and persistent human vulnerabilities. ...

Why Reporting a Scam is One of the Most Important Things You Can Do You see the alert pop up on your local news site or in an email from AARP: a new scam is targeting people in your area. It might involve fake IRS agents, a fraudulent travel deal, or a phony product recall. Your first instinct might be to simply delete the message, feel relieved it didn’t catch you, and move on. But there’s a critical next step that many people skip: reporting the attempt. ...

When Bankers Become the Problem: The Insider Threat Behind Mule Account Fraud A recent case in Hyderabad shows how trust in financial institutions can be exploited from within, and what you need to watch for. ...

What the FTC Wants You to Know About Today’s Top Scams Keeping up with the latest scams can feel like a full-time job. Scammers constantly refine their tactics, exploiting new technologies and current events to catch people off guard. That’s why the information shared during the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) recent National Consumer Protection Week webinar is so critical. The session provided a timely update on the frauds that are currently working, and more importantly, how you can stop them from working on you. ...