In the past 12 months, data point after data point showed that the issue of fraud has only gotten worse. As we begin the new year, here are five statistics on scams that caught our eye. In one year, Americans lost an estimated $196 billion to fraud Consumers reported losing $12.5 billion to scams in 2024 (the latest full year of data available). However, law enforcement agencies believe that only 2%-6.7% of […]
As shoppers rush to lock in deals and check names off holiday gift lists, fraudsters are working overtime. Recent data from TransUnion shows that digital fraud attempts in the U.S. jumped sharply — rising 4.4 percent during the 2024 holiday shopping season compared with the non-holiday period. Before you lose your “holiday cheer,” keep in […]
As the federal government shutdown stretches into its second month and more social benefit programs are disrupted, scammers are seizing the opportunity to exploit consumers’ uncertainty and fear. State attorneys general, banks, and media outlets are already warning of an uptick in fraud targeting beneficiaries of federal programs. Scammers never miss a crisis. Millions of […]
The BBB is warning about recent reports of “ghost tapping” scams. While this may sound like a Halloween prank, it’s anything but funny. Ghost tapping takes advantage of Near Field Communications (NFC), the technology embedded in many payment cards and smartphones that allows tap-to-pay functions. In crowded or distracting environments, bad actors can try to […]
The U.S. government is reissuing warnings of a phantom hacker scam that has resulted in a sharp uptick in older adults losing significant amounts of money. From 2020 to 2024, the number of older adults who reported losing $10,000 or more to these scams increased more than fourfold, while the number of reports increased almost […]
The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) is warning that scammers are impersonating the agency and other law enforcement organizations. Some messages claim that the target has illegally supported a terrorist network. Others pretend to offer compensation for victims of a crime. DOJ’s Office for Victims of Crime is warning that criminals are posing as DOJ […]
As developers rush to release their AI products, not all of them are implementing checks to prevent misuse of their services. Scammers have made news with their use of voice cloning software, in particular. With generative AI, criminals can easily obtain scripts for a variety of scenarios and create a convincing human voice. The software […]
Individuals residing in the U.S. from overseas are experiencing a lot of anxiety and confusion about their legal status. According to a new FBI alert, scammers are taking advantage of this by impersonating government officials and targeting those on student visas. The FBI is warning that fraudsters are impersonating U.S. immigration officials, like those from […]
If you are one of the approximately 40 million taxpayers who owed a balance to the IRS on Tax Day, chances are that stress about being able to pay your taxes went up. Scammers are counting on that stress to target potential fraud victims. With April 15 in the rear view, many taxpayers may find […]
The Social Security Administration recently announced that it will require in-person or online identity verification for certain services beginning April 14. Fraudsters are capitalizing on the changes and sending false requests for information to Social Security beneficiaries. To begin a new claim for Retirement, Survivors, or Auxiliary (spouse or child) Social Security benefits, individuals will […]
