Scam Prevention

Social Media Scams Are Costing Americans Billions—Here’s How to Spot Them Introduction If you spend any time on social media, you’ve probably seen too‑good‑to‑be‑true deals, urgent messages from “friends,” or investment pitches that promise guaranteed returns. These aren’t just annoyances—they are part of a growing wave of fraud that the Federal Trade Commission says cost older Americans alone $2.4 billion in 2024. And the problem is only getting worse as scammers adopt artificial intelligence tools to make their pitches more convincing. ...

How to Spot a New Google Scam That Looks Totally Legit A convincing new phishing campaign is targeting Google users with alerts that appear to come directly from Google. The scam, recently reported by Reader’s Digest, sends notifications warning of suspicious account activity or a security breach. The email or text looks nearly identical to legitimate Google security alerts, including official logos and formatting. But the goal is to steal your login credentials. ...

How to Spot the Latest Google Scam That Looks Real—and Protect Yourself A new wave of phishing attacks is impersonating Google with surprising accuracy. Security alerts, account verification requests, and payment notices—all spoofed with official logos and formatting—are landing in inboxes and appearing in sponsored search results. Reports from Reader’s Digest and other outlets in late April 2026 point to a surge in these campaigns. If you use Gmail, Google Drive, or Google Ads, it’s worth knowing what to watch for. ...

Don’t Fall for This New Google Scam: Here’s How to Spot and Avoid It A wave of highly polished Google-branded phishing emails is hitting inboxes, and they look more convincing than ever. According to a recent report from Reader’s Digest, these scams are bypassing many of the usual red flags — they use real Google logos, domain names that seem correct at first glance, and language that mimics official security alerts. If you rely on Gmail, Google Drive, or any Google service, it’s worth knowing exactly what to look for before your account ends up compromised. ...

That Urgent Google Notification Might Be a Scam—Here’s How to Tell You’re checking your email or browsing the web when a notification pops up: “Security alert – unusual sign-in detected” or “Your Google account will be suspended in 24 hours.” It looks official—Google logo, familiar fonts, even a link that starts with “accounts.google.com.” But that link might not lead where you think. ...

Is That Chrome Extension Collecting Your Data? How to Spot the Dangerous Ones It starts innocently enough. You need a quick tool—a grammar checker, a coupon finder, a tab manager—so you look it up in the Chrome Web Store, click “Add to Chrome,” and move on. Problem solved, right? But behind that simple action, a growing number of seemingly harmless extensions are being weaponized to steal passwords, track browsing, and exfiltrate entire email histories. ...

Stop telling your AI chatbot these 5 things – your bank account depends on it AI chatbots like ChatGPT, Gemini, and Copilot have become everyday tools for drafting emails, summarizing documents, and even getting financial advice. Their convenience is real. But convenience comes with a risk many users overlook: everything you type can be stored, reviewed, and potentially exposed. ...

Gift Card Scams Are Everywhere: How to Spot Them and Protect Your Money In mid-December 2025, Washington, D.C. Attorney General Brian Schwalb issued an alert warning District residents about a surge in gift card scams. The notice highlighted a pattern that law enforcement agencies across the country have been tracking for years: fraudsters impersonating government officials, utility companies, or tech support agents who demand payment in the form of gift card codes. While the alert was directed at D.C. consumers, the advice applies to anyone who shops online or has ever received a call from someone claiming to be from the IRS, Social Security Administration, or a well-known retailer. ...

National Consumer Protection Week 2026: Practical Advice to Avoid Scams and Fraud Every year, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) and a coalition of government agencies, advocacy groups, and businesses run National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW). The 2026 edition took place March 2–6, and its goal was straightforward: give people the tools to recognize, avoid, and report fraud, identity theft, and other consumer scams. Even though the week itself has passed, the guidance remains timely. Here’s a look at what was covered and how you can apply the advice year-round. ...

Don’t Let Scammers Win: Essential Tips from the FTC’s Consumer Protection Week 2026 National Consumer Protection Week (NCPW) 2026 wrapped up in early March, but the advice the Federal Trade Commission shared during that week is worth keeping at hand all year. Whether you missed the live webinars or just want a clear summary of the most practical steps, here’s what you need to know to spot scams, protect your identity, and know what to do if something goes wrong. ...