Consumer Alert

Chrome Quietly Dropped Its Promise That On-Device AI Stays on Your Device If you use Chrome’s built-in AI features—like the “Help Me Write” tool or tab organizer—you might have assumed they run entirely on your computer with no data sent back to Google. That was the company’s stated position until recently. But sometime around Chrome version 130, that promise was removed from the browser’s privacy FAQ without any public announcement. The change was first spotted by security researchers and reported by Decrypt on May 7, 2026. For privacy-conscious users, it raises a straightforward question: what exactly is happening with your data now? ...

Investment Scams on Facebook and Instagram: What the Maryland Attorney General’s Warning Means for You If you use Facebook or Instagram, you have likely seen posts or messages promoting investment opportunities. Some promise quick returns, “guaranteed” profits, or secret strategies. In early April 2026, Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown issued a consumer alert about a surge in investment scams on Meta platforms. The warning is not just for Maryland residents—scammers do not respect state lines, and the patterns they use are consistent across the country. ...

Investment Scams on Facebook and Instagram: How to Spot Them and Stay Safe If you’re active on Facebook or Instagram, you’ve probably seen posts or messages promoting a “guaranteed” investment opportunity. Maybe it’s a crypto trading platform that promises triple your money in a week. Or a direct message from someone claiming to be a trusted financial advisor with a limited-time offer. ...

Gift Card Scams: How They Work and How to Avoid Them In December 2025, District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued an alert warning residents about a surge in gift card scams. The announcement is a useful reminder for consumers everywhere because this type of fraud rarely respects state lines. Gift card scams have become one of the most frequently reported fraud types to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), and they tend to spike around the holidays when many people are buying and using gift cards anyway. ...

Gift Card Scams Are on the Rise: What You Need to Know to Avoid Being Tricked Intro Gift cards are a convenient present, but they’ve also become a favorite tool for scammers. On December 15, 2025, Washington D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued an alert warning District residents about a surge in gift card scams. While the alert targets local consumers, the tactics and takeaways apply nationwide. If you receive an unexpected call, text, or email demanding payment via a gift card, it’s almost certainly a scam. ...

Gift Card Scams: How to Spot Them and What to Do Right Now Introduction Gift cards make convenient presents, but scammers have turned them into one of the most widely used payment methods for fraud. In December 2025, Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued an alert warning Washington D.C. residents about the persistent threat of gift card scams. The official notice reminds consumers that no legitimate government agency, business, or utility company will ever demand payment in the form of gift cards. If you encounter such a request, it’s almost certainly a scam. ...

How to Spot and Avoid Gift Card Scams: A New Alert from D.C.’s Attorney General In mid-December 2025, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued a consumer alert warning District residents about a surge in gift card scams. The alert is short, but it underscores a problem that drains hundreds of millions of dollars from Americans every year. The tactics scammers use are remarkably consistent—and once you know them, they become much easier to spot. ...

How to Spot and Avoid ‘Pig Butchering’ Investment Scams If you receive an unsolicited message from a stranger who seems charming, quickly turns the conversation toward investing, and pushes you to put money into a cryptocurrency platform you’ve never heard of, you might be in the crosshairs of a “pig butchering” scam. On February 17, 2026, New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a consumer alert specifically warning residents about this growing fraud. Here is what you need to know to recognize it, avoid it, and act if you or someone you know has been targeted. ...

How to Spot and Avoid ‘Pig Butchering’ Crypto Romance Scams What Is a Pig Butchering Scam? The term “pig butchering” comes from the way scammers carefully “fatten up” a victim before taking their money. It blends social engineering — often starting on dating apps or social media — with fake cryptocurrency investments. The goal is to build trust over weeks or months, then convince you to send large sums to bogus trading platforms that show impressive but completely fabricated returns. ...

Lloyds Bank Warns Customers of New Scam Wave: What to Do Now Lloyds Bank has issued an updated customer alert warning of a rise in fraud attempts targeting its account holders. The alert, published on 24 April 2026, outlines specific tactics fraudsters are using to impersonate the bank and trick customers into handing over sensitive information. ...