Fraud Prevention

Your Digital Wallet Is a Target. Here’s How to Lock It Down. If you’ve ever used Venmo to split dinner, Zelle to pay rent, or PayPal for an online purchase, you’re part of a massive shift in how we handle money. These apps are incredibly convenient, turning our phones into pocket-sized banks. But that convenience has a shadow: a dramatic increase in sophisticated scams targeting everyday users. Consumer protection agencies, like the New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection, are now issuing specific alerts about these risks. The message is clear: as our habits change, so must our vigilance. ...

What Scammers Are Doing Now—and How to Stay One Step Ahead Keeping up with the latest scams can feel like a full-time job. Just as you learn to spot one scheme, a new, more convincing one pops up. That’s why events like the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) recent webinar, held during National Consumer Protection Week, are so valuable. They pull back the curtain on what fraudsters are currently doing, giving you the knowledge to protect yourself. Based on insights from that session, here’s a look at the evolving scam landscape and practical ways to shield your money and information. ...

Don’t Just Get Mad, Report It: A Practical Guide to Stopping Scams When a scammer tries to trick you, the first wave of emotion is often anger, followed by embarrassment. You might want to just block the number, delete the email, and put the whole thing behind you. But there’s a critical step that many people skip: reporting the fraud. ...

The Scams to Watch Now, According to the FTC’s Latest Briefing The digital world offers incredible convenience, but it also provides new avenues for fraudsters. Every year, scammers refine their tactics, making their schemes more convincing and harder to spot. Staying ahead of these threats requires reliable, up-to-date information. That’s why the insights shared during the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) recent National Consumer Protection Week webinar are so valuable. The session highlighted the specific scam trends that are currently ensnaring people, providing a crucial snapshot of where the danger lies right now. ...

What High Satisfaction with Bank Fraud Protection Means for You A recent survey from the American Bankers Association (ABA), conducted by Morning Consult in Fall 2025, points to a notable trend: a strong majority of U.S. consumers report being satisfied with their bank’s efforts to protect them from fraud. On its face, this is encouraging news. It suggests that the significant investments banks have made in security systems, real-time alerts, and customer education are being recognized. ...

Protecting Your Money on Venmo, Cash App, and PayPal A Practical Guide to Avoiding Common Digital Payment Scams The convenience of digital payment apps like Venmo, Cash App, and PayPal is undeniable. Splitting a dinner bill or paying a friend back is now instantaneous. However, as their use has surged, so have the scams targeting their users. Recently, the New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection issued an alert highlighting this growing threat. Criminals are exploiting the speed and perceived informality of these transactions to trick people out of their money, often with little recourse for recovery. ...

Key Takeaways from the FTC’s Latest Scam Alert Webinar During National Consumer Protection Week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a public webinar to outline the most pressing fraud threats facing consumers today. The session served as a timely reminder that while the digital landscape evolves, so do the tactics of scammers. The goal was clear: to turn awareness into action by providing the public with the latest information on how scams are changing and what they can do about it. ...

Survey Says: People Trust Their Banks on Fraud. Here’s Why You Still Need to Be Proactive. Recent surveys from the banking industry paint an encouraging picture of consumer confidence. According to a National Survey released in April 2025 by the American Bankers Association (ABA), U.S. consumers report being happy with their banks and specifically “applaud banks’ fraud protection efforts.” This sentiment is echoed in the Fall 2025 Morning Consult Survey Results on consumer satisfaction, which indicate high marks for banking services, including security measures. ...

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. ...

Beyond Satisfaction: What the 2025 Banking Survey Really Means for Your Security A recent survey commissioned by the American Bankers Association (ABA) found something noteworthy: a strong majority of U.S. consumers report being satisfied with their bank’s efforts to prevent fraud. This data, collected by Morning Consult in the fall of 2025, indicates a significant level of trust in the financial industry’s security measures. While this is encouraging news, it’s not a reason for complacency. The fight against fraud is a partnership. Understanding what banks are doing—and what you must do alongside them—is the key to truly protecting your money and identity. ...