Identity Theft

Prime Day Scams: 9 Essential Tips to Shop Safe and Avoid Getting Ripped Off Prime Day is one of the biggest online shopping events of the year, which also makes it one of the busiest times for scammers. Phishing emails, fake websites, and too‑good‑to‑be‑true deals flood inboxes and search results, all designed to separate you from your money or your personal information. The good news: most of these scams are avoidable if you know what to look for. Below are nine practical steps to help you shop safely, based on advice from cybersecurity experts and consumer protection agencies. ...

I Lost $150 to a Fake Store Recommended by ChatGPT — Here’s How to Avoid the Same Scam Like many people, I’ve been experimenting with using ChatGPT for shopping research. It’s fast, convenient, and seems to cut through the noise. Two weeks ago I asked it to find a good deal on a popular wireless speaker. Within seconds it returned a link to an online store I’d never heard of, priced $150 below what I’d seen elsewhere. The description looked professional, and the site had what appeared to be dozens of five-star reviews. I made the purchase. ...

New Email Security Standards: What They Mean for Your Inbox If you’ve been paying attention to email lately, you might have noticed fewer obvious scams landing in your main inbox. That’s not an accident. Over the past few years, major email providers and industry groups have been pushing a set of technical standards designed to make phishing and spoofing harder. Standards like DMARC, DKIM, and SPF are increasingly the norm, not just for big companies but for everyday users too. ...

Is Your Financial Administrator Putting Your Data at Risk? How to Spot Poor Email Security When you’re already dealing with money trouble—debt, credit repair, or budgeting help—the last thing you need is a data breach from the very people you trusted to help. Yet a recent report from the NL Times found that many financial administrators fall short on basic email security, leaving clients’ sensitive financial information exposed. For individuals who have to share pay stubs, bank statements, tax forms, and other personal documents, this is not a minor risk. ...

Your Financial Administrator’s Email Could Be Putting You at Risk — Here’s What to Do When you receive an email from a debt collector, mortgage broker, or other financial administrator, your first instinct is probably to assume they have your best interests in mind—or at least that they handle your sensitive information carefully. Recent reporting suggests that assumption may be unwarranted. A growing body of evidence, including reporting from NL Times, indicates that many financial administrators operate with weak email security, leaving clients—especially those already in financial distress—vulnerable to data breaches and identity theft. ...

How to Protect Your Finances from Email Security Lapses at Financial Administrators If you’re struggling with debt, working with a financial administrator – a debt counselor, tax preparer, or small-business accountant – you probably assume they take care of your sensitive data. A recent investigation by NL Times (June 8, 2026) suggests that assumption may be risky. The report found that many financial administrators have weak email security, leaving their clients’ financial information exposed to attackers. ...

How Poor Email Security at Financial Firms Puts Your Money at Risk — and What to Do If you’re already dealing with debt collectors, applying for a loan while unemployed, or struggling to keep up with bills, the last thing you need is another security headache. But according to a recent report from NL Times, financial administrators’ poor email security is putting many people with money trouble at serious risk of data breaches, phishing, and identity theft. ...

Financial Administrators’ Weak Email Security Puts Your Data at Risk: What to Do If you’re already struggling with debt, the last thing you need is a data breach that lets criminals drain your accounts or steal your identity. Yet a recent report from the NL Times reveals that many financial administrators in the Netherlands handle sensitive client information through email accounts with weak security — leaving thousands of vulnerable people exposed to fraud. ...

How to Spot Fake Emails From Debt Collectors and Protect Your Finances If you’ve ever dealt with a debt collector, a financial administrator, or a company that manages your payments, you’ve probably received emails about your accounts. These messages can feel urgent, sometimes even threatening. But behind that urgency is a growing security problem: many of these institutions still use weak email protections, making their customers easy targets for scammers. ...

How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams: Tips from the VA and FTC Online shopping is convenient, but it also attracts fraudsters. Every year, especially during tax season and the holidays, reports of scams spike. The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Federal Trade Commission regularly update their guidance to help people—particularly veterans and military families—protect themselves. Knowing what to watch for can save you money and personal information. ...