Online Fraud

Social Media Scams Cost Americans Billions: Here’s How to Protect Yourself Fraud has increasingly moved from email inboxes to social feeds. According to the Federal Trade Commission, older Americans alone lost $2.4 billion to scams in 2024, much of it originating on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok. These platforms have become the top vector for fraud because scammers can create fake profiles and ads quickly, often bypassing automated checks. While platforms have added reporting tools, users still need to take their own precautions. Below is a breakdown of the most common schemes and practical steps you can take to avoid losing money or personal data. ...

Social Media Scams Are Costing Americans Billions: What You Need to Know Intro If you use Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, you’ve probably seen a post for a can’t-miss deal on designer goods, a too-perfect investment opportunity, or a friendly message from a stranger who seems unusually interested in your life. These are often the opening moves of a social media scam. Fraud has shifted aggressively onto these platforms, and the dollar figures are staggering. ...

Your Guide to Avoiding Scams: Lessons from National Consumer Protection Week 2026 Every year in early March, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) runs National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) to remind people how to spot fraud and safeguard their money and identity. This year was no different. But the advice the FTC publishes during that week is not meant to be forgotten once the campaign wraps up. Scams evolve, but the patterns that make them work stay the same. If you missed NCPW 2026 — or just want a refresher you can come back to all year — this guide covers the scams that were hitting hardest in 2026 and the steps you can take right now to protect yourself. ...

New Scam Trends from FTC Webinar: What You Need to Know Every year, National Consumer Protection Week draws attention to the latest fraud tactics affecting Americans. In March 2026, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a webinar highlighting current scam trends, co-hosted with ACA International, a trade group for credit professionals. The session offered a data-driven look at what kinds of fraud are rising and how consumers can protect themselves. Here is a summary of the most important points and what you can do about them. ...

How to Recognize and Avoid ‘Pig Butchering’ Scams That Target Your Savings A new wave of sophisticated online scams is draining bank accounts under a disturbing name: “Pig Butchering.” Recently, the New York State Attorney General’s office issued a formal consumer alert warning residents about this specific fraud, which has led to devastating financial losses. Unlike a quick phishing attempt, this scam is a long con, meticulously designed to fatten up victims with false trust before slaughtering their savings. Understanding how it works is your first and best defense. ...

How to Spot and Stop a “Pig Butchering” Scam You get a message out of the blue. It might be on a dating app, social media, or even a wrong-number text. The person is friendly, charming, and over weeks or months, they build a genuine-seeming connection. Then, they tell you about a fantastic, can’t-miss investment opportunity. This slow-burn deception has a name: the “Pig Butchering” scam. It’s a brutal metaphor, where the victim is the “pig” fattened with trust before being financially “butchered.” ...

Don’t Get Fleeced: How to Recognize and Stop “Pig Butchering” Scams You meet someone new online. The conversation is engaging, the connection feels genuine, and over weeks or months, a bond of trust develops. Then, they mention a lucrative, low-risk investment opportunity they’ve used to build wealth. Eager to share their good fortune, they encourage you to join in. This is not a modern fairy tale; it’s the opening act of a devastating financial fraud known as a “pig butchering” scam. Following a recent consumer alert from the New York State Attorney General’s office, understanding this threat is more critical than ever. ...

What Are “Pig Butchering” Scams, and How Can You Avoid Them? You receive a friendly, seemingly accidental message on a social platform or dating app. The person on the other end is charming, builds rapport over weeks, and gradually steers the conversation toward a “can’t-miss” investment opportunity. This is not the start of a romantic or financial success story. It is the opening act of a sophisticated financial scam known as “pig butchering.” ...

The “Pig Butchering” Scam: How Fraudsters Fatten Victims Before the Slaughter You receive a friendly, unexpected message. It might be on a dating app, social media, or even via a seemingly wrong-number text. The person on the other end is charming, builds rapport over weeks, and eventually shares a secret: they’ve made incredible profits through an online investment platform. They offer to help you do the same. This is the opening act of a “pig butchering” scam—a ruthless long-con where victims are emotionally “fattened up” with trust before their finances are slaughtered. ...

How to Recognize and Stop a “Pig Butchering” Scam Before You Lose Money You meet someone new online. The conversation starts casually, but they’re engaging, attentive, and seem genuinely interested in you. Over weeks or even months, a bond forms. Then, one day, they mention a fantastic investment opportunity—a way to build a future together. If this story sounds familiar, you might be facing one of the most insidious online frauds today: the “Pig Butchering” scam. ...