Nearly 1 in 3 Americans Have Been Scammed While Shopping Online: How to Protect Yourself

Nearly 1 in 3 Americans Have Been Scammed While Shopping Online: How to Protect Yourself If you’ve ever clicked “Buy Now” on a deal that felt a little too good to be true, you’re not alone. According to a November 2025 study from the Pew Research Center, about a third of Americans say they’ve experienced an online shopping scam. With holiday shopping in full swing, that number is a reminder to slow down and check before you check out. ...

June 19, 2026 · 5 min · BriefArc Desk

Update Your Privacy Tools Now to Fight AI-Powered Cyber Attacks

Update Your Privacy Tools to Keep Up With AI‑Driven Threats Cybercriminals have always adapted quickly, but the arrival of generative AI has changed the pace. Automated phishing emails, deepfake voice calls, and credential‑stuffing attacks that used to take hours can now be launched in minutes. According to the World Economic Forum, AI is helping attackers “expose system flaws” faster than ever before. For the average person, that means the privacy tools you set up a year or two ago may already be out of date. ...

June 19, 2026 · 5 min · BriefArc Desk

One in Three Americans Has Been Scammed While Shopping Online – Here’s How to Avoid It

One in Three Americans Has Been Scammed While Shopping Online – Here’s How to Avoid It If you shop online, you are not alone in worrying about getting tricked. New data from the Pew Research Center shows that about a third of American adults—33 percent—say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That number is high enough to make anyone pause before clicking “buy now.” But the good news is that most of these scams follow recognizable patterns. Understanding them can help you shop with much less risk. ...

June 19, 2026 · 5 min · BriefArc Desk

Privacy Tools Need a Tune‑Up for the AI Age — Here’s What to Update Now

Privacy Tools Need a Tune‑Up for the AI Age — Here’s What to Update Now What happened In June 2026, the World Economic Forum published guidance on updating data privacy tools to reduce cybersecurity risk in an era where artificial intelligence is changing how attacks work. The piece, along with supporting WEF articles on AI‑driven cybercrime and trends redefining risk in 2026, makes a clear point: the privacy settings and tools many of us set up a year or two ago are no longer enough. ...

June 19, 2026 · 5 min · BriefArc Desk

6 privacy tool updates you need to make now to fight AI-powered cyber attacks

6 privacy tool updates you need to make now to fight AI-powered cyber attacks Introduction AI is making cyber attacks faster, more convincing, and harder to spot. Deepfake video calls, AI-generated phishing emails that mimic your boss’s writing style, and automated data scraping are no longer theoretical. They are happening now. The World Economic Forum’s 2026 report notes that AI is accelerating cybercrime by exposing weaknesses in existing defenses. For everyday users, this means the privacy tools you’ve relied on—password managers, browsers, messaging apps, VPNs—need an upgrade. Below are six concrete updates you can make today to cut your risk. ...

June 19, 2026 · 5 min · BriefArc Desk

1 in 3 Americans Have Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam — Here’s How to Protect Yourself

1 in 3 Americans Have Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam — Here’s How to Protect Yourself If you shop online—and most of us do—the odds that you’ve been targeted by a scam are higher than you might think. According to a 2025 Pew Research Center report, about a third of Americans say they have personally experienced an online shopping scam. That’s not just a few people falling for obvious traps. It suggests that deceptive sellers, fake websites, and phishing schemes are now a routine part of the e-commerce landscape. ...

June 19, 2026 · 4 min · BriefArc Desk

Your Privacy Tools Need an AI Upgrade: A Practical Guide

Your Privacy Tools Need an AI Upgrade: A Practical Guide If you’re still relying on the same VPN, password manager, and browser settings you set up two or three years ago, it’s worth checking whether they’re still holding up. Cybercriminals have started using AI to automate and improve attacks, which means some of the defences that used to work are now less effective. The good news is that updating your existing tools doesn’t require a technical degree—just a few deliberate changes. ...

June 19, 2026 · 5 min · BriefArc Desk

Update These Privacy Tools Now to Outsmart AI-Powered Cyber Attacks

How to Update Your Privacy Tools to Stay Safe in the AI Era If you’re still relying on the same privacy settings and security tools you set up a year or two ago, it’s probably time for a refresh. The reason isn’t just new software versions—it’s that artificial intelligence has changed how cybercriminals operate. The good news is you don’t need to buy expensive new software. Small adjustments to the tools you already use can make a significant difference. ...

June 19, 2026 · 5 min · BriefArc Desk

1 in 3 Americans Has Been Scammed Shopping Online – Here’s How to Avoid It

1 in 3 Americans Has Been Scammed Shopping Online – Here’s How to Avoid It A recent study from Pew Research Center found that about a third of Americans say they’ve experienced an online shopping scam. That number is high enough to make anyone think twice before hitting “buy now.” The good news is that most of these scams follow predictable patterns, and once you know what to look for, you can avoid them without much effort. ...

June 19, 2026 · 5 min · BriefArc Desk

How to Upgrade Your Privacy Tools to Protect Against AI-Powered Cyberattacks

How to Upgrade Your Privacy Tools to Protect Against AI-Powered Cyberattacks Cybercriminals are no longer just guessing passwords or sending clumsy scam emails. They now use AI to craft convincing phishing messages, clone voices, and automate attacks at scale. The same technology that powers chatbots and image generators is being repurposed to break into accounts and steal personal data. The good news: you don’t need to become a security expert to defend yourself. But you do need to review and update the privacy tools you already use. ...

June 19, 2026 · 4 min · BriefArc Desk