Online Safety

Social media scams cost Americans billions: How to spot and stop them Americans lost an estimated $2.4 billion to scams in 2024, with older adults bearing the brunt, according to the Federal Trade Commission. A growing share of that fraud starts on social media, where scammers no longer rely on clumsy messages or grainy photos. AI tools now let them generate realistic profiles, voices, and videos, making deception easier than ever. ...

How to Spot the New Google Scam That Looks Surprisingly Real A convincing phishing scam is making the rounds, and it’s tricking even experienced Gmail users. The message arrives as a security alert from Google, warning of unusual sign-in activity or a potential breach. The design is polished, the language is professional, and the sense of urgency is strong. But the link leads to a fake login page designed to steal your credentials. ...

How to spot and avoid social media scams that cost Americans billions Social media platforms have become a primary hunting ground for fraudsters. According to the Federal Trade Commission, older Americans alone lost $2.4 billion to scams in 2024, and social media remains the leading contact method used by criminals. As artificial intelligence makes fake messages, deepfake videos, and cloned voices more convincing, the threat is growing faster than most consumers realize. ...

This New Google Scam Looks Real—Here’s How to Spot It A convincing new phishing campaign is targeting Google users with fake account alerts that look nearly identical to official Google communications. The scam, reported by Reader’s Digest in late April 2026, employs realistic login pages and urgent language to trick people into handing over their credentials. Here’s what’s happening, why it’s dangerous, and how to protect yourself. ...

Social Media Scams Are Costing Americans Billions – Here’s How to Protect Yourself Introduction If you’ve scrolled through Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok recently, you’ve likely seen ads for miracle weight-loss gummies, “free” government grants, or investment opportunities that promise returns too good to ignore. What looks like a typical social media post may actually be a well-designed trap. Fraud has shifted from phone calls and emails to the platforms where we spend hours each day, and the losses are staggering. ...

Shift’s New Browser Promises Private AI – Here’s What to Know The past few years have made one thing clear: many people no longer trust the default choices for browsing the web. Between data collection, tracking, and the latest wave of AI tools that phone home with your queries, the idea of a browser that respects privacy has become more appealing than ever. Into that gap steps Shift, a company best known for its desktop email and app integration tool, which is now launching a browser it claims puts privacy first — especially when it comes to AI. ...

Social Media Scams Are Costing Americans Billions — Here’s How to Stay Safe If you use Facebook, Instagram, or TikTok, you’ve probably seen ads for too-good-to-be-true deals, messages from strangers who seem too friendly, or posts promising easy money. These are more than annoyances. According to the Federal Trade Commission, Americans lost a record sum to scams that started on social media last year. The scale of the problem is hard to ignore. ...

Shift Browser Promises Privacy-First AI: Should You Switch? Every few months, another story breaks about an AI tool quietly feeding user data back to its parent company. Whether it’s a chatbot recording conversations or a browser extension sending browsing history to a third party, the pattern is consistent. Against that backdrop, a company called Shift has launched a browser that claims to offer built-in AI features without collecting or sharing your personal data. The product is being marketed as a privacy-first alternative to Chrome, Edge, and other browsers that have added AI assistants over the past year. ...

A New Google Scam Looks Real — Here’s How to Spot It and Avoid Getting Tricked If you use Gmail, Google Drive, or any Google service, you may soon receive an email or see a pop-up that looks exactly like an official Google message. It will ask you to verify your account, re-enter your password, or click a link to resolve a security issue. The design will be convincing. The logo will be correct. And that’s the problem — the message is a fake. ...

The Latest Google Scam: How to Recognize a Phishing Attempt That Looks Real If you’ve received an email that appears to be from Google asking you to verify your account, reset a password, or review a security alert, you’re not alone. A new wave of phishing attempts is mimicking Google’s official communications so closely that even experienced users have been fooled. Reports from Reader’s Digest and other outlets have flagged this scam as particularly convincing. ...