Online Security

Keep Your Money Safe: Five Things Never to Tell Your AI Chatbot If you use ChatGPT, Gemini, Copilot, or any other AI chatbot for daily tasks, you’re not alone. These tools are incredibly convenient for drafting emails, summarizing documents, or brainstorming ideas. But that convenience comes with a privacy catch: anything you type into a chatbot can be stored, analyzed, and in some cases, exposed to third parties. As more people turn to AI for help with budgeting, shopping, or even tax prep, the risk of oversharing sensitive financial information has grown sharply. ...

The Long Con: How “Pig Butchering” Scams Work and How to Protect Yourself You meet someone new online. The conversation starts casually, perhaps on a social media platform or a dating app. Over weeks or even months, a genuine-seeming friendship or romance blossoms. They share details about their life, ask about yours, and the connection feels real. Then, eventually, the topic turns to money—a can’t-miss investment opportunity, a sudden personal crisis, or a complex financial favor. If you engage, you may become the latest victim of a “pig butchering” scam, a devastating fraud that is seeing a sharp rise, prompting warnings from officials like the New York Attorney General. ...

The “Pig Butchering” Scam: How to Spot It and Protect Your Money You receive a friendly, seemingly accidental message. A wrong number, perhaps, or a new connection on social media. The conversation starts casually, but over weeks or months, it evolves. Your new contact is personable, shares stories of their success, and eventually reveals an “exclusive” investment opportunity with incredible returns. This is the opening act of a devastating financial fraud known as “pig butchering,” and authorities like New York Attorney General Letitia James are urging the public to be on high alert. ...

The “Pig Butchering” Scam: How Fraudsters Fatten Victims Before the Slaughter You get a friendly, unexpected message on social media, a dating app, or even your phone. It seems harmless—a wrong number, a shared interest, or a potential new connection. Over weeks or months, a relationship builds. They’re sympathetic, engaging, and talk often about their financial success. Then, an “opportunity” arises: a chance to invest in cryptocurrency or another venture with incredible returns. If you’ve experienced this, you may be the target of a ruthless long-con known as a “pig butchering” scam. ...

The Latest Scam Playbook and How to Shield Yourself Each year, scams grow more sophisticated, targeting our wallets and personal information through increasingly believable lies. During the recent National Consumer Protection Week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) hosted a webinar to cut through the noise and highlight the most prevalent and damaging scam trends affecting consumers right now. The insights from this session are a crucial update for anyone looking to protect themselves and their families from financial fraud. ...

FTC Warns of Rising Scam Tactics: How to Stay Protected The landscape of fraud is constantly shifting, with scammers refining their tactics to exploit new technologies and current events. To mark National Consumer Protection Week, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently hosted a webinar highlighting the latest trends in consumer scams. The session served as a critical reminder that vigilance is a year-round necessity, not just during awareness campaigns. While specific data from the webinar is still being disseminated, the overarching themes provide a clear picture of where threats are growing and how you can defend yourself. ...

What Scammers Are Doing Now—and How to Stay One Step Ahead Keeping up with the latest scams can feel like a full-time job. Just as you learn to spot one scheme, a new, more convincing one pops up. That’s why events like the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) recent webinar, held during National Consumer Protection Week, are so valuable. They pull back the curtain on what fraudsters are currently doing, giving you the knowledge to protect yourself. Based on insights from that session, here’s a look at the evolving scam landscape and practical ways to shield your money and information. ...

What to Watch Out For: The FTC’s Latest Scam Alert and How to Protect Yourself Every year, scammers refine their tactics, and keeping up can feel like a full-time job. Recently, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) held a webinar during National Consumer Protection Week to shed light on the latest schemes catching people off guard. While the specific webinar details aren’t fully public, the FTC’s ongoing alerts and data paint a clear picture of the current threat landscape. By understanding these trends, you can build a stronger defense for your wallet and your personal information. ...

What Consumer Protection Week 2026 Means for Your Online Safety Every year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) spearheads National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW), a dedicated campaign to arm the public with knowledge against fraud and scams. The recently announced theme for NCPW 2026 continues this mission, offering updated resources and warnings tailored to the current digital landscape. For anyone who banks online, shops on the internet, or simply has a digital footprint, this isn’t just a bureaucratic event—it’s a timely checklist for your personal security. ...

Don’t Get Slaughtered: A Practical Guide to Pig Butchering Scams In recent months, authorities like the New York Attorney General have issued urgent warnings about a sophisticated and devastating type of fraud. Known as “pig butchering,” this scam is not a physical threat, but a digital one that financially “fattenes up” victims before the final, brutal theft. Understanding how it works is your first and best defense. ...