Online Safety

The Scam Landscape for 2026 and How to Navigate It National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), led by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), is more than just a calendar event. It’s an annual reminder to pause and take stock of our digital and financial health. As we approach NCPW 2026, the core mission remains unchanged: equipping you with the knowledge to recognize, reject, and report fraud. This year, the threats aren’t necessarily brand new, but their delivery and sophistication continue to evolve. ...

A Warning About Investment Scams on Facebook and Instagram If you spend any time on Facebook or Instagram, you’ve likely seen them: ads or posts promising unbelievable investment returns with little to no risk. A recent official warning urges you to view these offers with extreme skepticism. ...

The Scams You’re Most Likely to Face This Year, According to the FTC With National Consumer Protection Week shining a spotlight on fraud prevention, the Federal Trade Commission recently held a webinar to outline the scam tactics that are currently tricking people most often. While the specific methods may evolve, the core strategies of scammers remain consistent: exploiting trust, creating urgency, and using modern technology to appear legitimate. ...

New Scams Are Getting More Convincing—Here’s How to Stay Safe Every day, our inboxes, text threads, and phone lines are flooded with messages. Most are harmless, but an increasing number are carefully crafted traps designed to steal money and personal information. Scammers are relentless innovators, constantly refining their tactics to exploit our trust and urgency. During a recent National Consumer Protection Week webinar, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) highlighted the latest evolution of these schemes, providing a crucial snapshot of what to watch for right now. ...

Don’t Get Played: How to Spot and Stop Gift Card Scams If someone pressures you to pay them with a gift card, you’re almost certainly talking to a scammer. That’s the blunt warning from D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb, who recently issued a consumer fraud alert to residents. Despite being a well-documented trick, gift card scams continue to drain millions from unsuspecting victims every year. The scam’s simplicity is its greatest weapon, but with the right knowledge, you can easily defuse it. ...

How to Spot and Avoid the Latest Scams Every year, the landscape of fraud shifts. Scammers are relentless innovators, always refining their tactics to exploit new technologies and current events. During the recent National Consumer Protection Week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) hosted a webinar to spotlight the most pressing and emerging scam trends affecting people today. This annual focus provides a crucial snapshot of what to watch for. Understanding these patterns isn’t about fostering fear; it’s about building practical defenses. Here’s a breakdown of the key trends highlighted and, more importantly, what you can do about them. ...

New York’s Top Lawyer Warns of “Pig Butchering” Scams: How to Protect Yourself In a recent official warning, New York Attorney General Letitia James alerted the public to a sophisticated and cruel online fraud known as “pig butchering.” The name, derived from a grim metaphor, describes how scammers “fatten up” a victim with trust and affection before “slaughtering” them financially. This advisory highlights a disturbing trend that capitalizes on loneliness and the promise of easy wealth, leaving victims both heartbroken and bankrupt. Understanding this scam is your first line of defense. ...

What the FTC Wants You to Know About Today’s Scams In early March, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) hosted a key webinar as part of National Consumer Protection Week, distilling the latest patterns in consumer fraud. While the full data reports are still being compiled, the session underscored that scammers are relentlessly refining their tactics, often exploiting current events and digital tools to appear more convincing than ever. ...

FTC Webinar Highlights Key Scam Trends: What You Need to Know Now A recent Federal Trade Commission (FTC) webinar, held during National Consumer Protection Week, served as a timely reminder that scammers are endlessly inventive. The session underscored how fraudsters continuously refine their tactics to exploit current events, new technologies, and human psychology. While the full details of the webinar aren’t publicly available, reports from organizations like ACA International confirm its focus on emerging threats. For anyone navigating today’s digital and phone-based landscape, understanding these trends is a critical first line of defense. ...

How to Spot and Steer Clear of “Pig Butchering” Scams In an increasingly digital world, scams evolve to exploit our trust and hopes. One of the most damaging schemes circulating today is known as “pig butchering.” Recently, New York Attorney General Letitia James issued a formal consumer alert warning residents about this specific threat. Unlike a quick con, this scam is a long-game operation that builds a false sense of security before the devastating financial blow. Understanding its mechanics is your first and best line of defense. ...