Scam of the Day
Scam of the day – July 19, 2026 – Phony McAfee Invoice Scam
|
TIPS
There are a number of red flags that indicate that this is a scam. Your name does not appear anywhere in the invoice. Only your email address appears in the phony invoice. Also, the email was sent from an email address that has nothing to do with McAfee, but is most likely from a botnet of infected computers used to send out such scams. Additionally, the invoice indicates that your membership starts and ends on the same day which is a glaring error. Finally, the phone numbers provided are not phone numbers for McAfee whose customer service number is 1-866-622-3911.
Once, I received a large invoice from a company with which I do business for goods I did not order, but rather than click on the link provided in the email, I went directly to the company’s website to question the invoice. When the website came up, the first thing I saw was a large announcement that the invoice was a scam and that many people had received these phony invoices. If you ever receive a phony invoice such as this and you think that it may possibly be true, don’t click on links or call phone numbers provided in the email. Instead, you should contact the real company directly at a phone number or website that you know is legitimate where you can confirm that the phishing invoice was a scam.
If you are not a subscriber to Scamicide.com and would like to receive daily emails with the Scam of the day, all you need to do is to go to the bottom of the initial page of http://www.scamicide.com and click on the tab that states “Sign up for this blog.”
Scam of the day – July 18, 2026 – Devastating Income Tax Consequences of Being Scammed
It is bad enough to be scammed, but to have to pay income taxes on money you have been scammed out of certainly adds insult to injury. Prior to 2017 if a scammer convinced you to take money out of your retirement accounts and send the funds to the scammer, you could get a theft and loss deduction to ease the sting just a bit. However, with the passage of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act in 2017, the rules were changed such that you can only take a deduction under Internal Revenue Code Section 165 for your scam losses if the transaction was entered into for a profit such as when you are a victim of an investment scam. However, for imposter scams, romance scams, tech support scams and more, you are not able to deduct your losses and if you took the money out of your retirement account to pay the scammer, the results are even worse because the full amount of your withdrawal unless it was from a tax-free Roth IRA will be fully subject to income tax and if you are under the age of 59 1/2 the IRS makes it worse by adding its standard early withdrawal penalty.
TIPS
Obviously taking the steps to avoid being scammed in the first place is your first line of defense. In every Scam of the day we provide tips to avoid the particular Scam of the day.
In regard to the punitive tax laws that penalize scam victims with income taxes on funds they have unfairly lost to scammers The Tax Relief for Victims of Crimes, Scams and Disasters Act, a bipartisan bill was introduced in both the House of Representatives and the Senate as House bill HR 6938 and Senate bill S 3976 in 2024. The bills were sponsored by Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin of Maryland and Democratic Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin as well as Republican Representative Greg Steube of Florida and Republican Senator Peter Welch of Vermont. The bill would not only have reinstated the theft loss deduction for all scam loss victims, but would have retroactively so that scam victims would be able to amend their previous returns and get back the extra income taxes they paid due to the 2017 law changes. Unfortunately, both bills died in Committee. However, representatives Steube and Raskin have filed a new similar bill designated as HR 3469 which has been referred to the House Ways and Means Committee. I urge everyone to contact your representatives to urge them to pass this much needed law.
If you are not a subscriber to Scamicide.com and would like to receive daily emails with the Scam of the day, all you need to do is to go to the bottom of the initial page of http://www.scamicide.com and type in your email address on the tab that states “Sign up for this blog.”
Scam of the day – July 17, 2026 – Netflix Phishing Scam
The popularity of Netflix makes it a preferred subject for phishing emails sent to people appearing to come from Netflix in which you are told you need to update your credit card information or asking for other personal information. Reproduced below is a copy of an email I recently received. The email may look legitimate, but it is important to note that nowhere does your name or account number appear and it is sent from an email address that has nothing to do with Netflix. The Netflix logo appears on the email, but it is easy to counterfeit the Netflix logo and make the email appear to be legitimate when it is not. Making the scam even more laughable is that the subject line in the email read “Subcription.” Apparently the scammer is either a very bad speller or bad editor.
Two things can happen if you click on the links in the email. Either you will be directed to a phony but legitimate looking website where you will be prompted to input your credit card information and thereby turn it over to an identity thief or, even worse, merely by clicking on the link, you will download keystroke logging malware that can steal all of the information from your computer and use it to make you a victim of identity theft. I have removed the links in the email below.
|
|
TIPS
As I always say, “trust me, you can’t trust anyone.” You can never be truly sure when you receive an email seeking personal information such as your credit card number whether or not the email is a scam. The risk of clicking on a link or providing the requested information is just too high. Instead, if you think that the email might be legitimate, you should contact the company at a telephone number or email address that you know is legitimate and find out whether or not the email was a scam. In the case of Netflix you can go to their help center using this link https://help.netflix.com/en/
Another indication that this is a scam phishing email is that the email address from which it was sent has nothing to do with Netflix. Also, if you hover your mouse over the “UPDATE ACCOUNT NOW” you will see that it would take you to a site that has nothing to do with Netflix
If you are not a subscriber to Scamicide.com and would like to receive free daily emails with the Scam of the day, all you need to do is to go to the bottom of the initial page of http://www.scamicide.com and type in your email address in the tab that states “Sign up for this blog.”
Scam of the day – July 16, 2026 – Apple Phishing Emails Getting Worse
Phishing emails, by which scammers and identity thieves attempt to lure you into either clicking on links contained within the email which download malware or trick you into providing personal information that will be used to make you a victim of identity theft, are nothing new. They are a staple of identity thieves and scammers and with good reason because they work.
Recently there has been a flood of Apple phishing emails where the subject line reads “Your Apple Account Information Has Been Updated” which is certainly an attention grabber for an Apple customer who has not done so. The email looks like a legitimate email from Apple and it informs you that your account has been used to purchase a new iPhone and provides a customer service phone number for you to call to cancel the purchase. If you call the number provided in the email a scammer posing as an Apple customer service representative will answer immediately who will ask you to confirm your account number and provide other personal information under the guise of needing to confirm your identity. The truth is that scammers want your Apple ID because it can give them access to your iCloud account, Apple Pay and stored credit cards and other services of Apple.
TIPS
Obviously if you do not have an account with Apple you know that this is a phishing scam, but even if you do have an account with Apple, as I indicated above there are many indications that this is not a legitimate email from Apple, but instead is a phishing email. In the past, these types of phishing emails would not use your name in the email, but as a result of harvesting information from data breaches and using AI, many of these phishing emails will be directed to you by name. They will not, however, provide your account number in the email. Legitimate emails from Apple will refer not only to your name, but refer to the AppleID email address not an account number.
If you receive an email like this and think it may possibly be legitimate, merely contact Apple customer service where you can confirm that it is a scam. Here is a link to Apple customer service. https://getsupport.apple.com/topics
If you are not a subscriber to Scamicide.com and would like to receive daily emails with the Scam of the day, all you need to do is to go to the bottom of the initial page of http://www.scamicide.com and click on the tab that states “Sign up for this blog.”
Free Webinar on Avoiding Scams with Steve Weisman
As many of you may know, I frequently give seminars and webinars regarding scams and how to avoid becoming a victim. Fairway SAFE is sponsoring a one hour webinar I will be giving on July 29th and I urge everyone to consider attending. Attendees will receive valuable information about the latest scams and how to avoid them. The webinar is free and open to everyone. Here is a link to more information about the webinar and how to register to attend.
Scam of the day – July 15, 2026 – Task Job Scams Increasing
Task scams are scams in which you are solicited to do simple tasks such as liking videos or rating product images online and get paid for your efforts. Too bad it is a scam. The scammers promise that you will earn a commission on each click. The scam starts with a text message offering online work by “product boosting” or doing “optimization tasks” in an app or online platform the scammer provides. As you complete each task, the app will appear to show that you have accumulated commission earnings, but it is all a lie. After a while the scammer then asks you to deposit your own money, generally by way of cryptocurrency to complete your next set of tasks and to get your commission earnings out of the app. However, there are no earnings and once you make the payment, it is gone forever.
TIPS
A good place to start to avoiding this scam is to recognize that generic texts or WhatsApp messages offering jobs of any kind are scams. Real employers don’t seek workers that way. In addition, no one is offering to pay ordinary people to rate or like things online. The FTC requires transparency when people are paid to promote products, leave reviews, or engage in other forms of online endorsement. If you are being paid (or receiving free products) to rate or “like” something, you must disclose this connection. This is typically done with statements like “Sponsored” or “Ad” in the post or review. Most online platforms (like Amazon, Yelp, and Google) have strict rules against “paid reviews” that are not disclosed as sponsored content.
If a company asks you to leave fake reviews (pretending to be an ordinary customer) or manipulate public perception without disclosing your role, this could be considered fraud or “astroturfing.” Some states such as New York have taken action against companies and individuals engaged in this practice.
If you are not a subscriber to Scamicide.com and would like to receive daily emails with the Scam of the day, all you need to do is to go to the bottom of the initial page of http://www.scamicide.com and type in your email address on the tab that states “Sign up for this blog.”
Scam of the day – July 14, 2026 – Netflix Phishing Email
The popularity of Netflix makes it a preferred subject for phishing emails sent to people appearing to come from Netflix in which you are told you need to update your credit card information or asking for other personal information. Reproduced below is a copy of an email I recently received. The email may look legitimate, but it is important to note that nowhere does your name or account number appear and it is sent from an email address that has nothing to do with Netflix. The Netflix logo appears on the email, but it is easy to counterfeit the Netflix logo and make the email appear to be legitimate when it is not.
Two things can happen if you click on the links in the email. Either you will be directed to a phony but legitimate looking website where you will be prompted to input your credit card information and thereby turn it over to an identity thief or, even worse, merely by clicking on the link, you will download keystroke logging malware that can steal all of the information from your computer and use it to make you a victim of identity theft. I have removed the links in the email below.
Your Netflix membership will be canceled!
Sorry for the interruption, but we’re having trouble authorizing your card. Visit the account payment page by clicking the button below. Your Account
Re-enter your payment information, or add a different payment method.
Questions? Visit the Help Center
Netflix International B.V.
This message was mailed to your account by Netflix because you are a former Netflix member.
SRC: 15964_en_
Unsubscribe | Terms of Use | Privacy
Copyright Netflix.
TIPS
As I always say, “trust me, you can’t trust anyone.” You can never be truly sure when you receive an email seeking personal information such as your credit card number whether or not the email is a scam. The risk of clicking on a link or providing the requested information is just too high. Instead, if you think that the email might be legitimate, you should contact the company at a telephone number or email address that you know is legitimate and find out whether or not the email was a scam. In the case of Netflix you can go to their help center using this link https://help.netflix.com/en/
The biggest red flag that this is a scam is that the email address from which it was sent has nothing to do with Netflix.
If you are not a subscriber to Scamicide.com and would like to receive free daily emails with the Scam of the day, all you need to do is to go to the bottom of the initial page of http://www.scamicide.com and type in your email address in the tab that states “Sign up for this blog.”
Scam of the day – July 13, 2026 – How to Tell if a Website is Legitimate
The pandemic increased the trend toward online purchases of just about everything and even after the pandemic subsided, many of us continue to make large amounts of our consumer purchases online. Scammers, of course, see this as an opportunity to scam people with phony websites that steal your money and provide you with nothing in return. Some of these phony websites are for totally made up companies that you have never heard of, but which are offering tremendous discounts on popular goods while other phony websites are counterfeit websites of legitimate online retailers.
So how do you determine if you are on a legitimate website?
TIPS
Scam of the day – July 12, 2026 – Protecting Yourself When Shopping Online
Every year, the number of people shopping online and the money spent through online shopping grows significantly. And why not? The convenience alone of being able to shop from the comfort and privacy of your home is reason enough for many of us to shop online. But how safe is it? According to the FTC the number one reported fraud is online shopping scams. However, following some basic precautions can go a long way in protecting you from being scammed when shopping online
TIPS
Here is a list of some online shopping tips:
1. Make sure that the computer, laptop, tablet or phone you use is equipped with the anti-virus and anti-malware software and that you have updated the software with the latest security patches.
2. As with shopping at brick and mortar stores, don’t use a debit card for online purchases, as well. In the event of a data breach, the consumer protection laws in regard to fraudulent use of your debit card are not as protective as those that apply when your credit card is fraudulently used.
3. Don’t supply your credit card number unless the address of the website is preceded by the letters “https.” That additional letter “s” indicates that the transmission of your data is encrypted and secure.
4. Don’t leave your credit card number on record with the online retailers you use for the sake of convenience. Doing so only makes you more likely to become a victim of identity theft if the company suffers a data breach (and many of them will).
5. Don’t click on coupons or ads that you may receive by way of an email or text message regardless of how good they appear. They may be loaded with malware that will be downloaded on to your computer, tablet or phone if you click on the link. That malware can steal all of your personal information and lead to your becoming a victim of identity theft. Any legitimate coupon you might receive through an email or a text message will also be available on the website of the company where you want to shop.
6. Limit your online shopping to companies that you know and trust. Merely because a company comes up high on a Google search does not mean that the company is legitimate. Any company offering a price that appears too good to be true, should be particularly suspect. In tomorrow’s Scam of the day I will tell you how to confirm if a retail website is legitimate or a counterfeit website.
7. Use distinct and complex passwords for each online company with which you shop and use dual factor authentication whenever possible.
If you are not a subscriber to Scamicide.com and would like to receive daily emails with the Scam of the day, all you need to do is to go to the bottom of the initial page of http://www.scamicide.com and type in your email address on the tab that states “Sign up for this blog.”
Scam of the day – July 11, 2026 – Amazon Prime Scams Increasing
Recently there has been an increase in the number of scams related to Amazon Prime which is not surprising since there are approximately 220 million Amazon Prime members. Scammers attempt to lure people into providing their credit card information or Amazon user name and password to the scammer posing as an Amazon employee. Typically, these scams start with an email, text message or phone call either informing the targeted victim that their membership needs to be renewed. In some instances the scammers indicate that the credit card tied to the account is no longer able to be used, threatening to suspend the Amazon Prime account unless a new credit card is provided.
TIPS
Some of these phishing emails and text messages, which in the past had poor grammar and spelling having been sent from scammers in a country where English is not their native language are now, through AI able to appear entirely legitimate. Phone calls coming from a foreign country can be “spoofed” to appear as if the call is coming from Amazon and through AI voice cloning the scammer can appear to speak perfect English without a foreign accent.
Never click on a link in an email or text message or provide personal information unless you have confirmed that the email, phone call or text message is legitimate. The telephone number to call if you suspect Amazon related fraud is 866-216-1075 or you can call their real customer service number 888-280-4331 Never call the numbers that appears in phishing emails.
Also, because any of us can be scammed, it is a good idea to use dual factor authentication whenever possible to protect your various accounts so that even if someone actually had your password they would not be able to access your account. In order to set up dual factor authentication for your Amazon account use this link. https://www.amazon.com/gp/help/customer/display.html?nodeId=G3PWZPU52FKN7PW4
If you are not a subscriber to Scamicide.com and would like to free receive daily emails with the Scam of the day, all you need to do is sign up for free using this link. https://scamicide.com/scam-of-the-day/