How to Spot and Avoid Parking Violation Scams If you receive a text or email about an unpaid parking ticket, think before you click. Law enforcement agencies, including the North Carolina Department of Justice, have issued alerts about a sophisticated new scam targeting drivers. The fraudulent messages are designed to look and sound legitimate, tricking people into handing over money and sensitive personal information. ...
Don’t Get Locked Out or Scammed: How to Safeguard Your Next Ticket Purchase Scoring tickets to a much-anticipated concert, playoff game, or theater show is a thrill. Unfortunately, that excitement makes fans a prime target for fraudsters. Beyond the scramble for seats lies a parallel scramble by scammers looking to steal your money, your personal data, or both. Whether you’re buying directly from a primary vendor or on the resale market, a few key security practices can significantly lower your risk of disappointment and financial loss. ...
A Practical Guide to Navigating Today’s Scam Landscape It can feel like a new scam emerges daily. The phone rings with a familiar voice—perhaps even a family member’s—pleading for money, only to be a convincing AI clone. An urgent text about a package delivery or a bank alert appears, designed to trigger a panicked click. These aren’t hypotheticals; they’re today’s reality. With identity theft reports surging, particularly around high-stakes times like tax season, a basic understanding of digital threats is no longer optional—it’s essential self-defense. ...
Don’t Get Towed by a Text: How to Spot the Latest Parking Ticket Scam If you’re a driver in North Carolina, be careful the next time a message about an unpaid parking fine pops up on your phone. State officials have issued a new consumer alert warning of a sophisticated scam that uses fake parking violation notices to steal your money and personal information. Understanding how this fraud works is your best defense. ...
Your Tickets Are Safe Until They Aren’t: A Guide to Outsmarting Scammers For anyone who has ever refreshed a browser tab at 10 a.m. sharp, the thrill of securing event tickets is unmatched. That excitement, however, has a dark shadow: a growing wave of sophisticated scams determined to turn your anticipation into disappointment and financial loss. From fake listings for sold-out concerts to phishing attacks designed to hijack your accounts, fraudsters are relentlessly targeting fans. ...
Don’t Fall for It: A Real-World Guide to Fighting Fraud Scammers are getting smarter. New data reveals a troubling 50% spike in identity theft over the last two tax seasons, a period when our guard might be down and sensitive information is in motion. Meanwhile, criminals are now using AI to clone voices for fake emergency calls and create convincing deepfake videos, making old tricks dangerously new. It’s no longer enough to just delete suspicious emails; we need a proactive plan. ...
How to Spot a Fake Parking Ticket Before You Pay Getting a parking ticket is frustrating enough. Now, imagine paying a fine for a violation that never happened. According to a recent alert from the North Carolina Department of Justice, that’s exactly what scammers are hoping you’ll do. A new wave of parking violation scams is targeting drivers, using deceptive texts and emails to steal money and personal information. Here’s what you need to know to protect yourself. ...
The Scam That Almost Got Me: A Practical Guide to Modern Fraud It started with a text message. A simple alert about a suspicious charge on my credit card, with a link to “verify my account.” For a split second, my heart dropped. I’d just made a few online purchases. Was this real? Then I noticed the sender: a strange email address disguised as my bank’s name. I didn’t click. It was a phishing attempt, one of millions sent daily. But it felt chillingly personal. ...
Your Guide to National Consumer Protection Week 2026 It’s that time of year again: National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) is on the horizon for 2026. This isn’t just another calendar note from the government. For a week each year, spearheaded by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) alongside a coalition of partners, the spotlight shines directly on empowering you with the knowledge to fight fraud, secure your identity, and navigate the digital marketplace safely. ...
Don’t Get Played: A Realistic Guide to Spotting, Stopping, and Recovering from Scams It feels like a weekly occurrence: a new text about a missed delivery, an urgent call from “your bank,” or a too-good-to-be-true investment offer. Fraud isn’t just annoying; it’s costly and emotionally draining. Recent reports, including a series from Investopedia, highlight a sobering reality: identity theft spiked by 50% over the last two tax seasons, and scammers are now wielding artificial intelligence to create frighteningly convincing fakes. ...