Scams

How to spot online shopping scams and shop safely online Online shopping is convenient, but scammers know that too. Fake websites, phony deals, and payment fraud are common, and they can cost you money and personal information. The Department of Veterans Affairs recently published guidance specifically for veterans and their families, but the advice applies to anyone who shops online. Here’s what you need to know to avoid getting tricked. ...

Online Shopping Scams: What to Watch For and How to Protect Yourself If you shop online—and most of us do—you’ve probably come across a deal that seemed too good to be true. Maybe an email offered 80% off a popular brand. Or a website listed a hard-to-find item at half the usual price. These can be signs of a scam. And the problem is not going away. ...

How to Spot and Avoid Online Shopping Scams: Tips from the VA Online shopping is convenient, but it also attracts scammers looking to steal your money or personal information. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs recently issued a reminder to stay vigilant, and the advice applies to anyone buying goods or services on the internet. Whether you’re a veteran or just someone trying to snag a good deal, knowing the common tactics used by fraudsters can save you a lot of trouble. ...

How to Avoid Online Shopping Scams This Holiday Season: Advice from the FTC The holiday shopping season is a busy time for consumers—and for scammers. According to the Federal Trade Commission, Americans reported losing a record $12.5 billion to fraud in 2024, and many of those losses happen during the final months of the year. Fake websites, phishing emails, and deals that look too good to be true are especially common as people rush to buy gifts. ...

Online Shopping Scams Are Everywhere — Here’s How to Protect Yourself Online shopping is convenient, but it also attracts scammers who know how to make fraudulent offers look legitimate. Government agencies like the VA and the FDIC have issued repeated warnings: fake websites, phishing emails, and payment scams are on the rise. The good news is that most of these scams follow predictable patterns. Once you know what to look for, you can spot them before losing money or personal data. ...

How to Spot Fake Prom Dress Websites: BBB Warns of Scams This Season Prom season is a big deal for many families, and finding the perfect dress often means hours of browsing online. Scammers know this. The Better Business Bureau recently warned shoppers in the Hudson Valley about fake prom dress websites that take money and never deliver. While the alert was local, the tactics are used nationwide, and the advice applies to anyone shopping for formalwear online this spring. ...

Spot Fake Prom Dress Sites Before You Lose Money – BBB Warning Each spring, as prom season ramps up, scammers launch dozens of look-alike dress websites designed to part shoppers from their money. The Better Business Bureau has just issued a fresh alert for the Hudson Valley region, but the problem is nationwide. If you or your teen are shopping for formal wear online, knowing how to spot the fakes can save you hundreds of dollars and a lot of disappointment. ...

Prom Dress Scams Are Real: How to Spot Fake Websites and Shop Safely Prom season brings excitement — and, unfortunately, an uptick in scam websites designed to look like legitimate dress retailers. The Better Business Bureau recently issued an alert warning shoppers in the Hudson Valley about fake prom dress sites, but this problem isn’t limited to one region. Scammers nationwide are setting up storefronts that take your money and deliver nothing — or a knockoff that looks nothing like the photo. ...

Chrome Quietly Removes Privacy Promise About On-Device AI — Here’s What to Do If you’ve been using Chrome’s newer AI features under the assumption that everything stays on your device, a recent change might give you pause. Around the start of May 2026, Google removed a key statement from Chrome’s settings page that had explicitly promised on-device AI does not send data to Google servers. At the same time, separate reports indicate that Chrome is installing a large AI model (roughly 4 GB) that reappears even after you delete it. ...

Fake Prom Dress Websites Are Tricking Shoppers — Here’s How to Avoid Them Prom season is just around the corner, and for many families in the Hudson Valley and beyond, that means hunting for the perfect dress online. Unfortunately, scammers are exploiting the rush. The Better Business Bureau (BBB) has issued an alert warning about fraudulent websites that pose as prom dress retailers, only to disappear after taking your money — and sometimes your personal information. ...