Scam of the Day
Scam of the day – August 29, 2026 – Vacation Photos Lead to Identity Theft
Phony text messaging, called smishing, which purport to be from your credit card company is a scam about which I have been warning you for years, but is a scam that has dramatically increased recently due to AI. Scammers are harvesting vacation photos from social media and using AI to analyze the photos even if there was no attached metadata to identify where the photo was taken or directly indicated in your social media. They then send text messages to their targeted victims posing as the victims’ credit card company informing them that unusual activity was detected while they were traveling to wherever they actually were. Having the name of the city or country where the targeted victim was traveling included in the text message makes it much more believable. They then provide either a phone number or a link that will take you to an AI created counterfeit website of the credit card company where you will be prompted to provide credit card information that will lead to identity theft.
The best course of action when you receive such a text message, if you have a concern that it may be legitimate, is to merely independently contact your credit card company to determine whether or not the text message was a scam, but be careful that you do not misdial the telephone number of your credit card company as some scammers purchase phone numbers similar to those of legitimate credit card companies hoping that they will receive calls from unwary consumers who may have merely misdialed the telephone number of their bank or credit card company.
TIPS
Regardless of how official such a text message may appear, you should never provide personal information to anyone in response to a telephone call, email or text message because in none of those situations can you be sure that the person contacting you is legitimate. If you do receive a communication from a bank, government agency or any other person or entity that you think might have a legitimate need for personal information from you, you should call the real entity at a telephone number that you know is legitimate in order to ascertain the truth.
It is a good idea to wait until you have returned from vacation to post your photos and when you do post them on social media you should use your privacy settings to limit their viewing to just your actual friends.
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Scam of the day – August 28, 2026 – FTC Settles Investment Training Scam Lawsuit Against IM Mastery Academy
In 2025, the FTC and the state of Nevada filed a civil lawsuit against IM Mastery Academy and its principals in which they accused them of operating a deceptive investment training and multi-level marketing scheme that scammed consumers of more than $1.2 billion. IM Mastery Academy lured its victims through misleading marketing on social media including Instagram, YouTube and TikTok that featured false and deceptive income claims and the depiction of luxury lifestyles. At the heart of the scam were subscriptions to foreign currency trading tools and educational content, however, the real profits came from recruiting new members into the scam rather than successful foreign currency trading. The overwhelming majority of participants lost money or earned little through their participation in the program.
In 2025 preliminary injunctions were ordered against the company and its senior officials freezing their assets. This was followed by a civil settlement judgment of $795.8 million followed by a series of settlements and forfeitures of millions more against the principals and the company itself which concluded in July.
TIPS
Never rush into any investment or other opportunity being sold through a seminar or on social media until you have carefully investigated the people selling their investment or system as well as the investment or system itself. Always be a bit skeptical as to testimonials which should also be carefully investigated before being relied upon. Before investing with anyone, you should investigate the person offering to sell you the investment with the Securities and Exchange Commission’s Central Registration Depository. This will tell you if the broker is licensed and if there have been disciplinary procedures against him or her. You can also check with your own state’s securities regulation office for similar information. Many investment advisers will not be required to register with the SEC, but are required to register with your individual state’s securities regulators. You can find your state’s agency by going to the website of the North American Securities Administrators Association. https://www.nasaa.org/investor-education/how-to-check-your-broker-or-investment-adviser/ Many investment advisers will not be required to register with the SEC, but are required to register with your individual state securities regulators. You should also check with the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA) for information about the particular investment adviser. https://www.finra.org/investors/protect-your-money/ask-and-check
It is also important to remember that you should never invest in something that you do not completely understand. This was a mistake that many of Bernie Madoff’s victims made. You also may want to check out the SEC’s investor education website at www.investor.gov. Scammers can be very convincing and it may sound like there is a great opportunity for someone to make some money, but you must be careful that the person making money is not the scam artist taking yours.
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Scam of the day – August 27, 2026 – FTC Warns About Law Firm Inheritance Letter Scam
The Federal Trade Commission is warning people about a scam which begins when you get a letter from a law firm informing you that they are probating an estate in which they have not been able to locate an heir, however, they then inform you that you are the heir to the million dollar estate. The letter then offers to split the value of the estate with you, some charities and their law firm. If you respond to the letter, you will be asked to provide personal and financial information including your Social Security number and to pay a fee. If this sounds vaguely familiar it is because it is just a variation of the Nigerian email scam that continues to plague the online community.
Although it may seem that the Nigerian email scam began in the era of the Internet, the origin of the scam actually goes back to 1588 when it was known as the Spanish Prisoner Scam. In those days, a letter was sent to the victim purportedly from someone on behalf of a wealthy aristocrat who was imprisoned in Spain under a false name. The identity of the nobleman was not revealed for security reasons, but the victim was asked to provide money to obtain the release of the aristocrat, who, it was promised, would reward the money-contributing scam victim with a vast reward that included, in some circumstances, the Spanish prisoner’s beautiful daughter in marriage.
In the most common versions of this scam circulating on the Internet today, you are promised great sums of money if you assist a Nigerian or someone elsewhere in his effort to transfer money out of his country. While we refer to this type of scam as the Nigerian Email Scam, not all versions of this scam have a connection to Nigeria as indicated in the email copied below. Common variations of the scam include the movement of embezzled funds by corrupt officials, a dying man who wants to make charitable gifts, a minor bank official trying to move the money of deceased foreigners out of his bank without the government taking it or, as in this case, abandoned funds.
In most variations of this scam, although you are told initially that you do not need to contribute anything financially to the endeavor, you soon learn that it is necessary for you to contribute increasingly large amounts of money for various reasons, such as fees, bribes, insurance or taxes before you can get anything. Of course, the victim ends up paying money to the scammer, but never receives anything in return.
TIPS
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Scam of the day – August 26, 2026 – Texas Sheriff Warns About Used Car VIN Cloning
Every car has a Vehicle Identification Number or VIN that is unique for each car. Scammers are taking photos of the VIN number which can be found just below the windshield on the driver’s side of a car that is the same make, model and year of a car that the scammers have stolen and then make a new metallic VIN plate with the cloned number and swap it out for the VIN number of the car the stolen car. They then offer their stolen car for sale. Meril Bauter responded to an ad for a 2019 Toyota 4Runner on Facebook Marketplace. The scammer sent the VIN number which Ms. Bauter used to do a VIN search and a Carfax search and everything checked out fine even though the actual car was a stolen car whose real VIN had been removed. She then paid $40,000 in cash to the scammer and registered her car. It wasn’t until three years later that the scam was discovered and the car was seized by law enforcement due to its being a stolen car. Fortunately, Farmers Insurance, Bauter’s automobile insurance company paid her claim.
Recently, the Tom Green County Sheriff’s Office in Texas issued a warning about organized criminal gangs including some linked to the Sinaloa cartel were stealing cars, and cloning VIN numbers to make the cars they then sold on social media appear legitimate.
So how do you protect yourself from being a victim of VIN cloning?
TIPS
The VIN number is found not only on the dashboard by the windshield, but also in the front door. Make sure they both match. Also, run your finger over the VIN plate and look for signs that the VIN plate may have been switched. You also should compare the VIN number to the VIN number that appears on the Title and all other documents that relate to the car. It is also important to get a Carfax or other vehicle history report on the vehicle and review it carefully for any discrepancies. This scam often doesn’t involve cars that are the exact make model and year of the stolen car. Additionally, you should have a mechanic inspect any used car you are considering buying for indications that it is not as represented.
Trust me, you can’t trust anyone.
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Scam of the day – August 25, 2025 – Why You Should Keep Your Cell Phone Number Private
Identity thieves use legal and illegal online sources to gather their victims’ personal information, such as their Social Security number, address, and date of birth and use that information for purposes of identity theft which is a significant threat to everyone. One important piece of information that many people don’t realize should be kept as private as possible is their cell phone number. These days your cell phone number is tied to so much of what we do.
When a criminal knows your cell phone number, he or she can leverage that number through commonly available legal databases such as White Pages Premium and learn information such as your current address, past addresses, the names of your family members and more. Many services allow password resets through text messages enabling criminals to spoof your number and reset passwords to many of your accounts. The criminal can also use the number to gain access to your social media accounts and can most significantly use the information gained to answer security questions that would allow the criminal to do a SIM swap whereby your cell phone number would be transferred to a phone of the criminal and thereby defeat dual factor authentication where you get a text message or a code sent to your phone when you go to access your bank account online or any other account that requires significant security.
So what can you do to protect yourself?
TIPS
Limit providing your cell phone number to people and companies as much as possible. You also may want to consider getting a second phone to use when you have concerns about security. You also can use apps such as Google Voice https://voice.google.com/about or Burner https://www.burnerapp.com/ that will enable you to create different numbers to use for calls and text messages.
As for dual factor authentication, while sending a code or text message to your cell phone is a simple and effective method of dual factor authentication, you may wish to consider other forms of dual factor authentication such as apps that will generate temporary security codes such as Authy https://authy.com/ or Google Authenticator https://support.google.com/accounts/answer/1066447?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&hl=en
Perhaps the best thing you can do to protect your SIM card from SIM swapping is to set up a PIN or password to be used for access to your mobile service provider account. This will help prevent a criminal from calling your carrier posing as you and convincing your mobile carrier to swap your SIM card to the criminal’s phone merely by providing personal identifying information or answering a security question.
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Scam of the day – August 24, 2026 – FBI Warns About Cryptocurrency Recovery Scams
In recent years, I have written many times about the myriad of cryptocurrency scams that have cost people billions of dollars. According to the FBI, Americans lost more than 11.36 billion dollars to cryptocurrency investment scams in 2025 which represents a 22% increase from 2024.. In some instances, law enforcement has been able to recover some of those lost funds, but in many other instances, the money is lost forever. According to the FBI, scammers, posing as representatives of companies that falsely claim to be able to recover funds lost to cryptocurrency scams, are luring in victims through social media, messaging platforms or advertisements. Often the scammers claim affiliation with law enforcement, federal agencies or legitimate legal services providers, but it is all a lie. In return for a substantial up-front payment, the scammers claim they can recover all of the funds lost to a cryptocurrency scam. Of course, this is a lie and anyone who pays the fee loses that money.
TIPS
No private company can issue a seizure order to a cryptocurrency exchange. This is only done by internal processes of the exchanges or in response to court ordered legal process as has been done by the Justice Department. If you are contacted by any of these companies offering assistance in getting back your lost money, do not give personal information to them as this information can be used to make you a victim of identity theft.
Legitimate law enforcement agencies such as the FBI which works extensively in the area of cryptocurrency scams do not charge any fees for investigating cryptocurrency crimes or for efforts to return funds to people who have been scammed. If you are a victim of a cryptocurrency scam, you should contact the local office of the FBI for assistance.
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Scam of the day – August 23, 2026 – Hacking Your Computer Through Your Smoke Detector
I have been warning you about dangers in the rapidly expanding Internet of things for more than twelve years. The Internet of Things is made up of a broad range of devices connected to the Internet including home thermostats, security systems, medical devices, refrigerators, televisions, cars and toys. Our homes have become filled with these devices including Alexa and Siri. The FBI has longed warned consumers about the dangers of posed by hacking of various devices that makeup the Internet of Things.
Cybercriminals hack into your devices that are a part of the Internet of Things to enable them to enlist your devices as a part of a botnet by which they can distribute malware while maintaining their anonymity. They also can hack into your Internet of Things devices to access your home computers or cell phones to steal information for purposes of identity theft or to implant malware on your home computers and cell phones. Any device you have in your home that is connected to the Internet poses a threat. One device that people hardly give any thought to is your smoke detector. Newer, sophisticated smoke detectors have the capability to send data to your phone or the manufacturer which they do through your router and this make them vulnerable to being hacked.
TIPS
Most of the devices that make up the Internet of Things come with preset passwords that can easily be discovered by hackers. Change your password as soon as you set up the product. Also, set up a guest network on your router exclusively for your Internet of Things devices. This is important so that you can keep the sensitive personal information you have on your computer or cell phone from being accessible through a hacking of any of your Internet of Things devices.
Configure network firewalls to block traffic from unauthorized IP addresses and disable port forwarding. Make sure that you install the latest security patches as soon as they become available. Use encryption software for the transmission of data and find out where data is stored and what steps are taken to secure the information.
Make sure your router is secure and use its whitelisting capabilities which will prevent your device from connecting to malicious networks. Routers are a critical part of your smart home security. Make sure it will automatically download and install the latest security updates from its manufacturer. If your router is an older router that does not have this capability, you can check the manufacturer’s website regularly for the latest updates, but frankly, you are probably better served by getting a newer, more secure router. Make sure you have a unique password for each of your Internet of Things devices and use dual factor authentication whenever you can for all of these devices.
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Scam of the day – August 22, 2026 – Amazon and Apple Unauthorized Charge Scam
Scammers are creating popup warnings that appear when you are browsing on a search engine such as Google Chrome that appears to be an official notification from Amazon or Apple that your account was just charged for a $149.99 purchase and providing a phone number to call if you did not make the charge. Interestingly, although the scammers use separate popups for purported unauthorized purchases from Amazon and Apple, the phone number to call for Amazon support and Apple support is the same phone number. If you call the number provided you will be prompted to provide personal account and credit card information that will lead to identity theft.
A famous bank robber was once asked why he robbed banks to which he responded, “because that is where the money is” which is why it is not surprising that scammers have used Amazon and Apple as the basis for a wide variety of scams due to so many people buying products through Amazon and using Apple products.
TIPS
No legitimate company notifies you about account activity through a popup. Only scammers do.
If you have a question about your Amazon account, you can either contact them through their website or call them at 1 (888) 280-4331.
If you have a question about a charge on your Apple account you can check your account through their website. https://appleid.apple.com
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Scam of the day – August 21, 2026 – Do You Need Property Title Theft Insurance?
Deed fraud, which is also referred to as “property title theft” occurs when a criminal files a counterfeit deed to property owned by someone else and then either lives in the property or even sells the property to an unwary buyer. Deed fraud most commonly occurs after a homeowner dies. Enterprising criminals monitor the obituaries looking for homes owned by people recently deceased and then forge a deed to the property and record it in the local Registry of Deeds.
Indications that a home you may own has been subject to deed fraud often comes when you receive notices for unpaid real estate tax, water or mortgage bills. Ironically, another indication of deed fraud is when you own a home and don’t receive your real estate tax bill because the scammer has changed the address to which the real estate tax bill is sent to cover his or her tracks. Receiving a foreclosure notice when you don’t even have a mortgage is another indication that you have become a victim of deed fraud after the criminal has mortgaged your home by forging your signature.
Resolving deed fraud can be a timely process, but it is one that you will eventually be able to do successfully. A counterfeit deed is totally invalid.
The media is filled with advertisements for companies that will monitor your local Registry of Deeds for fraudulent transfers of your property, but do you really need to pay for this service?
TIPS
In order to protect yourself from deed fraud you should regularly monitor your credit reports at each of the three major credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion and be on the lookout for bills related to your property. Monitoring your credit report is something we all should do regularly anyway. Experian, TransUnion and Equifax offer all U.S. consumers free weekly credit reports through AnnualCreditReport.com.
It also is helpful to regularly check with your local Registry of Deeds to confirm that no one has filed a forged deed to your property. Most people can access their local Registry of Deeds online for free and in recent years most Registries of Deeds offer free services to notify you if a deed is recorded in your name so you really don’t need to pay any company for this service.
Finally, when you purchase your home, you are offered the option of buying an owner’s title insurance policy which will cover the cost of remedying deed fraud. An owner’s title insurance policy is a good choice for any homeowner for a variety of reasons. Lately I have seen and heard advertisements for special insurance that only covers deed fraud although generally all these policies offer is monitoring the Registry of Deeds for filings that relate to your home, which is something that you can do on your own quite simply for free and is not worth the cost.
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Scam of the day – August 20, 2026 – Chase Credit Card Scam
Today’s scam of the day comes from a Scamicide subscriber who received a phone call from a scammer posing as a Chase bank employee working in its fraud department. The scammer told the targeted victim that someone had used her credit card in another city. The scammer then asked for information about her Chase accounts. She was then passed on to a “supervisor” who told her that the bank needed to examine the magnetic stripes on her credit cards and told her that a courier would come to pick up her card so that they could be examined. The Scamicide subscriber then asked the scammer if she called Chase’s fraud department would they confirm the two scammers worked for the bank. The scammer responded that they would not because he worked for FDIC. This contradiction of what she was told convinced the Scamicide subscriber that they were scammers and she hung up the phone.
Because scammers can “spoof” a telephone number your Caller ID can make it appear that a call you receive from a scammer is coming from Chase or another legitimate source so you can’t trust your Caller ID. While you may receive call or a text from your credit card company to confirm a purchase that they believe is fraudulent, the real credit card companies will never ask for your credit card number, information about other accounts you may have nor would they ever ask to examine the magnetic strip on your card. Only scammers do this.
TIPS
Trust me, you can’t trust anyone. Whenever you are asked for personal information, to click on a link, download an attachment or make a payment in response to any communication, you should confirm the legitimacy of the communication before doing anything . No credit card company will ask you to send them your credit cards.
If you do receive a call or other communication from your bank indicating there is a problem with your account, you should confirm with a call to your bank at a number you know is legitimate before responding. However, if you get a call merely to confirm whether you made a purchase or not, you can respond to that request. Legitimate calls from your bank or credit card company will not ask for other personal information.
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