Identity Theft

Chrome Quietly Removes Privacy Promise About On-Device AI — Here’s What to Do If you’ve been using Chrome’s newer AI features under the assumption that everything stays on your device, a recent change might give you pause. Around the start of May 2026, Google removed a key statement from Chrome’s settings page that had explicitly promised on-device AI does not send data to Google servers. At the same time, separate reports indicate that Chrome is installing a large AI model (roughly 4 GB) that reappears even after you delete it. ...

Fake Prom Dress Websites Are Tricking Shoppers — Here’s How to Avoid Them Prom season is just around the corner, and for many families in the Hudson Valley and beyond, that means hunting for the perfect dress online. Unfortunately, scammers are exploiting the rush. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has issued an alert warning about fraudulent websites that pose as prom dress retailers, only to disappear after taking your money — and sometimes your personal information. ...

Nearly a Third of Americans Have Been Scammed While Shopping Online – Here’s What to Know If you’ve ever bought something online that never arrived, paid for a “deal” that turned out to be a fake listing, or handed over your card details to a site that looked legitimate but wasn’t, you aren’t alone. According to a November 2025 Pew Research Center survey, about one in three U.S. adults say they have experienced an online shopping scam. That’s roughly 33 percent of American consumers. ...

One in Three Americans Has Been Scammed Shopping Online. Here’s How to Avoid It. If you’ve ever bought something online that never arrived, or clicked a link from a social media ad and ended up on a site that looked real but wasn’t, you’re not alone. New data from the Pew Research Center shows that about a third of Americans say they’ve experienced an online shopping scam. That’s roughly 33 percent of U.S. adults—and the number may be higher since many scams go unreported. ...

How to Avoid Online Shopping Scams: 1 in 3 Americans Have Been Hit If you’ve ever bought something online that never arrived—or worse, handed over your card details to a site that turned out to be fake—you’re not alone. ...

How to Spot Online Shopping Scams: What Government Alerts Can Teach Us Online shopping has become routine for most of us, but scammers have become just as routine in trying to steal your money and personal information. Government agencies, including the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC), regularly issue warnings about the latest tactics. Their advice is practical, tested against real threats, and often the same across multiple agencies—which means it’s worth paying attention to. ...

Watch Out for Scams and Stay Safe While Online Shopping: Advice from the VA and FDIC Online shopping has become routine for most of us, but it also attracts fraudsters looking to steal money or personal information. The Department of Veterans Affairs and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation have published multiple warnings about these threats. Whether you’re a veteran, a family member, or just someone who buys things on the internet, understanding the common tactics and how to protect yourself is worth a few minutes of attention. ...

How to Spot Online Shopping Scams: Official Tips from Government Agencies Online shopping scams are not new, but they keep evolving. Fake websites, phishing emails, and bogus banks appear regularly, targeting anyone who shops or manages money online. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) have published recent guidance to help consumers recognize these threats and protect themselves. Below is a practical summary of what they advise, drawn directly from official sources. ...

How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams: Practical Advice from VA News Online shopping is convenient, but it also attracts fraudsters looking to steal your money or personal information. Scams can appear in many forms—fake websites, phishing emails, or too-good-to-be-true social media ads. Government sources like the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) regularly publish warnings and guidance to help consumers protect themselves, especially during high-traffic shopping periods. This article distills key tips from recent VA News articles so you can shop with more confidence. ...

Is That Chrome Extension Spying on You? How to Spot a Backdoor ‘Productivity Tool’ Browser extensions are one of the easiest ways to add functionality to Chrome—a grammar checker here, a coupon finder there, a note-taking sidebar. They promise to save time and streamline work. But that convenience comes with a catch: an extension that can read every page you visit can also steal your passwords, session cookies, or private data. Over the past year, security researchers have documented a rise in malicious Chrome extensions that masquerade as legitimate productivity tools, then siphon credentials or inject ads. For remote workers and small business owners, the risk is especially high because a single compromised browser can lead to a full account takeover—including work email, cloud storage, and financial dashboards. ...