Phishing

Account Takeover on the Rise? Here’s How to Protect Your Online Accounts In August 2025, the New York Department of State’s Division of Consumer Protection issued an alert about a significant increase in account takeover incidents. If you use online banking, email, social media, or any service that stores personal information, this matters to you. Account takeover is a form of identity theft where criminals gain access to your existing accounts — often by stealing your credentials — and then use them to commit fraud, make unauthorized purchases, or steal additional data. ...

Three Emerging Scam Trends from the FTC’s National Consumer Protection Week Webinar Every March, the Federal Trade Commission uses National Consumer Protection Week to highlight the latest fraud tactics hitting consumers. This year’s webinar, held in early March 2026, focused on three scam trends that are growing quickly: AI-powered impersonation, fake delivery notifications, and QR code phishing. If you’ve received a suspicious call, text, or QR code lately, knowing how these scams work can help you avoid losing money or personal information. ...

Top Scam Trends from the FTC’s Latest Webinar — and How to Protect Yourself Every year during National Consumer Protection Week, the Federal Trade Commission holds a webinar to brief the public on emerging fraud threats. This year’s session, which took place in early March 2026, focused on several trends that are costing Americans billions. If you missed the event, here is a clear summary of what was discussed and concrete steps you can take now to avoid becoming a victim. ...

What the FTC’s Latest Scam Data Means for You Every year during National Consumer Protection Week, the Federal Trade Commission takes the opportunity to give the public a clearer picture of what fraud looks like right now. This year, a webinar hosted by the FTC and covered by ACA International laid out the scam trends that consumers should be paying attention to in 2026. If you’ve felt like the calls and messages are getting more convincing, you’re not wrong—the tactics are evolving. ...

Phony Parking Tickets: How to Spot the New NC Scam If you get a text or email saying you owe money for a parking violation in North Carolina, think twice before clicking any link. The state’s Attorney General has issued a warning about a scam that’s circulating right now, and it’s designed to look like an official notice from local parking authorities. ...

Don’t Get Duped by Fake Parking Tickets – A New Scam Is Targeting Drivers If you get a text or email saying you owe a parking fine and need to pay immediately, do not click the link. A wave of phishing scams is impersonating state DMVs and parking authorities, and the North Carolina Department of Justice has issued an official consumer alert. Similar schemes have appeared in other states, often following the launch of digital payment systems for parking or toll violations. Here is what you need to know to spot the fraud and protect your money. ...

New Parking Violation Scam Targets Drivers: How to Spot the Fake Ticket If you’ve parked in a public lot or on a street in North Carolina recently and returned to find a ticket on your windshield, you might want to take a second look before reaching for your wallet. The North Carolina Department of Justice (NCDOJ) issued a consumer alert in March 2026 warning of a new parking violation scam that uses fake tickets to trick drivers into paying bogus fines. ...

New Parking Violation Scam: How to Spot Fake Tickets and Avoid Being Tricked If you’ve received an unexpected parking ticket by mail, email, or text that demands immediate payment, take a moment before reaching for your wallet. The North Carolina Department of Justice recently issued a consumer alert about a scam that uses fake parking violation notices to pressure drivers into sending money. ...

New Parking Violation Scam Targets Drivers: How to Spot and Avoid It If you park in a paid lot or street space and later receive a text message demanding immediate payment for a parking violation, do not tap the link. That message is almost certainly a phishing attempt, and it is part of an active scam that state authorities in North Carolina have been warning about since late March 2026. ...

The Scams Changing Fast: What the FTC Wants You to Watch For Every March, National Consumer Protection Week serves as a crucial reminder to review our defenses against fraud. This year, a key event was a public webinar hosted by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which pulled back the curtain on the scams that are currently tricking the most people. The insights shared weren’t just statistics; they were a clear guide to the specific traps being set today. ...