Recognizing and Avoiding Text Message Scams (Smishing)
Fraud tactics continue to evolve as criminals look for new ways to steal personal and financial information. One of the fastest-growing threats today is the text message scam, also known as smishing. These fraudulent messages are designed to trick people into clicking malicious links, sharing sensitive information or sending money. Banks and financial institutions across […]
Mortgage Scams to Avoid: Protecting Yourself When Buying or Refinancing a Home
Buying a home is one of the biggest financial decisions you’ll ever make. Unfortunately, it’s also a prime target for scammers. Mortgage scams are fraudulent schemes that trick homeowners or prospective buyers into losing money, property or sensitive personal information. Scammers often target financially vulnerable people with promises that are too good to be true […]
Work From Home Scams: How to Spot and Avoid Them
The dream of working from home is more alive than ever. Trading your commute for a cozy home office? Yes, please! But as remote work has boomed, so has a shadowy industry of scammers looking to cash in on our dreams. It’s a bigger problem than you might think. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reported […]
Military Romance Scams: Protecting Your Heart and Your Wallet
Romance scams have become one of the most devastating forms of fraud, with losses reaching $1.3 billion in 2022 according to the FTC. Among these heartbreaking schemes, military romance scams hold a particularly painful place, exploiting both our respect for service members and our desire for meaningful connections. If you’re wondering whether that charming soldier […]
7 Frustrating Holiday Shopping Scams to Avoid
The last thing you want to get wrapped up in this holiday season is a financial scam. Unfortunately, fraudulent activity tends to ramp up during the end of the year as scammers prey on those looking to score discounts on gifts and travel accommodations, make charitable contributions or seek companionship. According to a recent AARP […]
Pig Butchering Scam: What It Means & How to Protect Yourself
Jump to: It’s the investment scam with the unusual name – and it has nothing to do with barbecue. Pig butchering scams are based on the practice of fattening a hog before slaughtering the animal for its meat. In the first stage – known as “fattening the pig” – the scammer cultivates a relationship to […]
AI Financial Scams: How They Work and How to Avoid Them
Jump to: Financial scams are an unfortunate reality in today’s world. Fraudsters are constantly looking for ways to get you to part with your hard-earned cash. The sudden boom of communications technology and widespread Internet adoption in the 1990s and 2000s created avenues for scams that we deal with today. Phishing and its various forms, […]
Prevention Tips: Quishing, the New Phishing
QR codes seem to be everywhere. You may have scanned one to see the menu at a restaurant or pay for public parking. You may have used one on your phone to get into a concert or sporting event or to board a flight. There are countless other ways to use them, which explains their […]
How to Spot Phishing, Smishing & Vishing Bank Scams
There’s a cruel irony to phishing, smishing and vishing bank scams that cheat anxious account holders out of tens of millions of dollars each year.
Elder Financial Abuse: How to Protect the Elderly from Exploitation
If you find it hard to imagine that someone would target a senior citizen with a financial scam, you’re not alone. Who would do such a thing? Sadly, recent consumer protection data and financial exploitation statistics suggest that elder financial abuse is happening all over the country, and that scam artists who personally know the […]