Cybersecurity

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. ...

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 “Pig Butchering” Scam: How Fraudsters Fatten Victims Before the Slaughter In a recent official warning, New York Attorney General Letitia James alerted the public to a sophisticated and devastating financial fraud known as “pig butchering.” This isn’t a minor swindle; it’s a long-term con that blends emotional manipulation with complex financial deception, leaving victims emotionally devastated and financially ruined. Understanding how it works is your first and best defense. ...

Fraud Alerts vs. Credit Freezes: Which One Actually Protects You? In an age of frequent data breaches, protecting your credit from identity thieves isn’t just prudent—it’s essential. Luckily, federal law provides you with two powerful, free tools to guard your financial identity: the fraud alert and the credit freeze. While they sound similar, they work very differently. Choosing the right one depends on your specific situation and how you balance protection with convenience. ...

The New Scam Playbook: What Fraudsters Are Trying Now Every day, scams become more sophisticated, blending into our digital routines. Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a webinar during National Consumer Protection Week to shed light on the latest tactics criminals are using. While the exact details of every emerging scam shift constantly, the patterns and psychological tricks remain consistent. Understanding these patterns is your best defense. ...

Banking on Safety: What Recent Surveys Tell Us About Protecting Your Money A nagging worry for many of us is the security of our bank accounts. We hear stories about sophisticated scams and data breaches, leaving us to wonder: are our financial institutions keeping up? Recent surveys from the banking industry offer a revealing look at both consumer confidence and the ongoing threats, providing a useful roadmap for where we should focus our own security efforts. ...

What National Consumer Protection Week 2026 Means for Your Digital Safety National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) is more than a calendar event; it’s a concentrated effort led by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and partners to empower you with the knowledge to fight fraud. Scheduled for early March 2026, NCPW 2026 serves as a critical reminder that consumer protection is a year-round need, especially in our increasingly digital lives. The week focuses on education, providing free resources and events designed to help you spot scams, secure your data, and understand your rights. This year’s initiative continues a long-standing tradition of tackling pressing issues, with digital safety, identity theft, and evolving fraud tactics taking center stage. ...

The Latest Scam Threats and How to Protect Yourself Every year, scammers refine their tactics, and keeping up can feel like a full-time job. Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a webinar during National Consumer Protection Week to spotlight the current fraud landscape. The session, highlighted by ACA International, provided a clear-eyed look at the methods causing the most harm today. Understanding these trends is your first and best line of defense. ...

How “Pig Butchering” Scams Fatten Victims Before the Slaughter You receive a message from a stranger. It might be a wrong-number text, a direct message on a social media platform, or a friend request from an appealing profile. The conversation starts casually, often friendly or flirtatious. Over weeks or even months, a relationship builds. Then, an opportunity arises: a can’t-miss investment, a urgent financial favor, or a foolproof trading platform. You’re persuaded to send money, maybe just a little at first. The profits on the screen look impressive, encouraging you to send more. Eventually, when you try to withdraw your “earnings” or the relationship sours, the person—and your money—disappears. ...

Don’t Get “Fattened Up”: How to Spot and Stop a Pig Butchering Scam If you’re active on social media, dating apps, or even in your text messages, you should know about a sophisticated and devastating scam on the rise. It’s called “pig butchering,” and as New York Attorney General Letitia James recently warned, it’s a serious threat targeting people across the state and the country. The name is grim but accurate: scammers “fatten up” their victims with trust and affection over weeks or months, only to “butcher” them for their life savings. Understanding how it works is your first line of defense. ...