Online Scams

How AI Could Put Your Bank Accounts and Privacy at Risk—and What to Do About It Intro Artificial intelligence is no longer just a tool for productivity or entertainment. It has become a weapon for scammers—one that targets your bank account and your personal privacy with alarming precision. Recent reporting from Kiplinger highlights how AI is being used to bypass traditional security measures, making it harder than ever to tell a legitimate message from a fraud. Understanding these new threats is the first step to protecting yourself. ...

5 Things You Should Never Tell Your AI Chatbot (to Keep Your Money Safe) AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude are convenient tools for drafting emails, brainstorming ideas, or summarizing documents. But their usefulness can lead to a false sense of privacy. People often treat chatbot conversations like a private diary, forgetting that anything typed may be stored, reviewed, or even used to train future models. ...

5 Things You Should Never Tell Your AI Chatbot to Protect Your Finances AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Claude are now part of daily life for millions of people. They can draft emails, summarize documents, and answer questions about almost anything. But as these tools become more integrated into our routines, a serious privacy risk has emerged: oversharing financial information. ...

5 things you should never tell a chatbot if you want to keep your money safe AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Google Gemini, and Meta AI have become everyday tools for drafting emails, planning meals, and even managing personal finances. But as their popularity has grown, so have concerns about what happens to the information you share. Recent reports, including a Washington Post column on chatbot safety, alongside a BBC investigation that showed how easily a researcher could extract data from these systems, make one thing clear: chatbots are not private vaults. ...

1 in 3 Americans Were Scammed Online—Here’s How to Protect Yourself If you’ve ever clicked a tempting ad on social media or received an email about a deal that seemed too good to be true, you’re not alone. A new Pew Research Center survey, conducted in July 2025 and published this November, found that about one in three U.S. adults say they’ve experienced an online shopping scam. With holiday shopping ramping up, that number could rise. Here’s a breakdown of what’s happening and practical steps you can take to avoid joining that statistic. ...

Five Things You Should Never Tell an AI Chatbot to Keep Your Money Safe AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Microsoft Copilot have become go‑to tools for quick answers, help with writing, and even personal finance advice. They can simplify tasks, from drafting emails to summarizing investment options. But that convenience comes with a real privacy trade‑off. The conversations you have with these bots are often stored, sometimes reviewed by human trainers, and could be exposed in a data breach. Knowing what not to share is the first step to protecting your money and identity. ...

Five Things You Should Never Tell an AI Chatbot to Protect Your Finances AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Google Bard, and Microsoft Copilot are becoming everyday tools. People use them to draft emails, summarize articles, and even brainstorm financial decisions. But as their popularity grows, so do the risks. A recent column in The Washington Post warned users about sharing sensitive financial details with chatbots, and other outlets such as NerdWallet and the National Council on Aging have echoed similar cautions. If you’re not careful, a casual conversation with an AI assistant could put your bank account or identity in danger. ...

Don’t Get Fooled: A Practical Guide to Gift Card Scams Gift cards are meant to be a simple, thoughtful present or a convenient way to make a purchase. Unfortunately, scammers have turned them into a favorite tool for theft. These scams are pervasive and effective, bilking consumers out of millions each year. The issue is serious enough that officials like District of Columbia Attorney General Brian Schwalb have issued specific alerts to warn the public. Understanding how these scams work is your first and best defense. ...

A Warning from New York: How “Pig Butchering” Scams Are Targeting Wallets You receive a friendly, seemingly accidental message. It might be on a dating app, social media, or even a wrong-number text. The person on the other end is charming, builds a connection over weeks or months, and eventually starts talking about a fantastic investment opportunity they’ve found. This slow, deliberate process is the hallmark of a “pig butchering” scam, and it’s become a significant enough threat that New York Attorney General Letitia James has issued a formal consumer alert to warn the public. ...

The New “Friend” Who Wants You to Get Rich: Understanding Pig Butchering Scams You get a message out of the blue. Maybe it’s on a dating app, social media, or even a wrong-number text that turns into a conversation. The person on the other end is charming, attentive, and seems genuinely interested in your life. Over weeks or even months, a digital friendship—or romance—blossoms. Then, they casually mention an incredible investment opportunity that’s making them a fortune. They want to help you get in on it, too. ...