Your Guide to the Latest Scam Trends and How to Stay Safe Each year, National Consumer Protection Week serves as a crucial reminder to review our digital habits. This year, a key event was an FTC webinar dedicated to unpacking the latest scam trends. With fraudsters constantly refining their tactics, this update isn’t just informative—it’s a necessary tool for safeguarding your finances and personal information. ...
The “Pig Butchering” Scam: How Fraudsters Fatten Victims Before the Slaughter You get a friendly, unexpected message on social media, a dating app, or even your phone. It seems harmless—a wrong number, a shared interest, or a potential new connection. Over weeks or months, a relationship builds. They’re sympathetic, engaging, and talk often about their financial success. Then, an “opportunity” arises: a chance to invest in cryptocurrency or another venture with incredible returns. If you’ve experienced this, you may be the target of a ruthless long-con known as a “pig butchering” scam. ...
Don’t Get Tricked by Fake Parking Tickets: A Practical Guide If you drive in North Carolina, be extra cautious about messages demanding payment for a parking ticket. State officials have issued a new alert warning drivers about a sophisticated parking violation scam circulating via text and email. But the tactics used are universal, and understanding them can protect drivers anywhere. ...
The Silent Weapon Against Scams: Why and How to Report Fraud It’s a sinking feeling—the moment you realize you’ve been targeted by a scam. Whether you lost money or simply recognized a fraudulent attempt, the immediate reactions are often anger, embarrassment, or a desire to just forget it ever happened. But there’s one crucial, empowering step that follows: reporting it. ...
Don’t Get Towed by a Fake Ticket: How to Spot a Parking Violation Scam If you’ve recently received an urgent text, email, or letter demanding payment for a parking ticket you don’t remember getting, you’re not alone. The North Carolina Department of Justice (NCDOJ) issued a consumer alert in March 2026 warning drivers about a new wave of sophisticated parking violation scams. These cons are designed to create panic and trick you into paying money or surrendering personal information to criminals. ...
A New Parking Ticket Scam is Targeting Drivers: Here’s How to Protect Yourself A new, deceptive scam is circulating that preys on a common driver’s worry: the unexpected parking ticket. According to a recent consumer alert from the North Carolina Department of Justice (NCDOJ), fraudsters are sending out fake parking violation notices in an attempt to steal money and personal information. This scam isn’t confined to physical tickets on windshields; it’s primarily digital, leveraging texts and emails to create a false sense of urgency. ...
Watch Out for Fake Parking Tickets: How to Spot the Latest Scam If you’ve ever rushed back to your car, worried about a parking meter running out, you know that sinking feeling. Scammers are banking on that anxiety, and a recent alert from the North Carolina Department of Justice warns they’re now using it to steal your money and personal information. ...
Don’t Get Towed by a Parking Ticket Scam If you find a parking violation notice on your windshield or receive one in the mail, your first reaction might be annoyance followed by a quick check of your wallet. Scammers are banking on that exact sequence. Authorities, including the North Carolina Department of Justice, are warning drivers about a rise in fraudulent parking tickets designed to steal your money and personal information. Understanding how this scam works is your first line of defense. ...
How the Latest Scams Are Evolving—and How to Fight Back If you’ve noticed an uptick in suspicious texts, odd emails, or urgent voicemails lately, you’re not alone. Scammers are constantly refining their playbook, and keeping up can feel like a full-time job. Recently, as part of National Consumer Protection Week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a public webinar to spotlight the latest trends in fraud. Their goal was straightforward: to arm everyday people with knowledge about how scams are changing right now. ...
Attorney General Issues Warning: How “Pig Butchering” Scams Are Targeting New Yorkers In February 2026, New York State Attorney General Letitia James issued a formal consumer alert about a particularly insidious type of fraud: “pig butchering” scams. While the name may sound unusual, the financial damage is brutally real. This warning highlights a growing threat that leverages fake online relationships to fatten up victims—the “pigs”—before financially butchering them. Understanding this scam is the first critical step in preventing it. ...