Identity Theft Prevention

How to Shop Online Without Getting Scammed: A Practical Guide Online shopping is convenient, but it also attracts scammers. According to a January 2026 article from VA News, fraudulent websites, phishing emails, and too-good-to-be-true deals are becoming more common year-round. The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and USA Today have also reported on fake bank schemes and text-message scams targeting consumers. This guide explains what is happening, why you should care, and what you can do to protect yourself. ...

One in Three Americans Has Been Hit by an Online Shopping Scam — Here’s How to Avoid It Intro With the holiday shopping season in full swing and online spending at record levels, a new survey from the Pew Research Center delivers a sobering statistic: about a third of Americans say they’ve had an online shopping scam happen to them. The data, collected in July 2025, underscores how widespread these schemes have become and why it’s worth taking a few minutes to review your own shopping habits before clicking “buy.” ...

Chrome Extensions Hijacked: How to Spot a Dangerous Productivity Tool Before It’s Too Late Your browser extensions may be a bigger security risk than you think. Recent reports document a rising pattern: malicious actors compromise legitimate-looking productivity extensions, then use them to steal credentials, exfiltrate corporate data, or establish persistent access inside enterprise networks. The attack is subtle, because the extension usually delivers on its promised functionality — at least for a while. ...

Don’t Get Scammed Buying a Prom Dress Online: How to Spot Fake Websites Prom season is a busy time for high school students and parents. It’s also a busy time for scammers. The Better Business Bureau recently sent out an alert — including one covered by 101.5 WPDH — warning shoppers in the Hudson Valley about fake prom dress websites that take your money and deliver nothing, or a cheap knock‑off that looks nothing like the photo. ...

How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams: Tips from Government Agencies Online shopping is convenient, but it also attracts scammers looking to steal your money or personal information. Government agencies such as the VA and the FDIC regularly issue alerts to help consumers recognize the warning signs. This article distills their guidance into practical steps you can take right now. ...

Mother’s Day Shopping Scams: How to Spot Fake Deals and Stay Safe Mother’s Day spending has been climbing for years—recent estimates put the total at more than $30 billion nationally. As the holiday approaches, scammers are taking notice. Fake online stores, phishing emails disguised as gift guides, and counterfeit products are showing up earlier and more frequently than usual. If you’re planning to buy a gift online, it helps to know what to look for. ...

5 Things You Should Never Tell Your AI Chatbot to Protect Your Finances AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude are now part of daily life for millions of people. They can draft emails, summarize documents, and answer questions about almost anything. But as these tools become more integrated into our routines, a serious privacy risk has emerged: oversharing financial information. ...

5 things you should never tell your AI chatbot (to protect your money) AI chatbots are convenient. They can draft emails, summarize articles, help with travel plans, and even offer financial advice. But the ease of conversation can lead to oversharing—and that can be costly. A recent column in The Washington Post drew attention to five categories of personal information that should never be handed over to a chatbot, no matter how helpful it seems. Below is a summary of the advice, along with context on why it matters and what you can do instead. ...

5 things you should never tell a chatbot if you want to keep your money safe AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Meta AI have become everyday tools for drafting emails, planning meals, and even managing personal finances. But as their popularity has grown, so have concerns about what happens to the information you share. Recent reports, including a Washington Post column on chatbot safety, alongside a BBC investigation that showed how easily a researcher could extract data from these systems, make one thing clear: chatbots are not private vaults. ...

That Call from ‘Google’ About Your Account? It’s a Scam—Here’s How to Spot It If you use Gmail, Google Drive, or any Google service, you may have received a call that looks like it’s coming from Google. The caller ID shows “Google,” the voice sounds professional, and the message is urgent: your account has been compromised, someone is trying to log in from a strange location, and you need to verify your identity immediately. ...