Search Scams
Scam of the day – April 16, 2026 – iCloud Storage Phishing Scam
Many people have gotten legitimate messages from Apple telling them that their iCloud storage under their present plan is full. If your iCloud storage is full you can still save your photos and videos to your iPhone or iPad and documents you create will stay on your device, but these photos, videos and documents won’t upload to your iCloud account. Scammers are taking advantage of confusion as to what it means to have your iCloud account full by sending text messages like the one shown below that your iCloud account has been blocked and that your photos, videos and documents may be deleted unless you upgrade your account immediately. Clicking on the link in the text message to upgrade storage brings you to an AI created and legitimate appearing Apple website where you are prompted to provide credit card information which, if provided will lead to identity theft and credit card fraud.
Scam of the day – April 15, 2026 – Booking.com Data Breach
The latest problem is a data breach which Booking.com confirmed earlier this week in an email to its users informing them that it had suffered a data breach in which booking details, names, emails, addresses, phone numbers and any other information Booking.com users may have shared with any hotel booked through Booking.com was compromised. Scammers are using this information to contact Booking.com customers posing as Booking.com or a hotel with which the customers has made a reservation through Booking.com and under a variety of pretenses asks for credit card information related to an upcoming hotel stay. The phone calls, text messages or phishing emails will look entirely legitimate and refer to specifics as to actual reservations, making the scam more believable.
Scam of the day – April 14, 2026 – Phony Customer Service Number Scam
Now scammers are manipulating AI to have their phony customer service numbers appear in Google’s AI Overviews and OpenAI’s ChatGPT. People unfortunately believe that AI is totally trustworthy and call those numbers only to be scammed. AI harvests its information from the Internet and savvy scammers will insert their phony customer service number on online review sites, message boards and numerous websites. The more places the phony numbers appear, the more likely AI will pick them up and suggest them to you when you do an AI search.
Scam of the day – April 13, 2026 – Avis Data Breach Class Action Settlement
In August of 2024, the rental car company Avis suffered a data breach in which personal and financial information of 299,000 of its customers was compromised. The compromised information included names, mailing addresses, email addresses, phone numbers, birth dates, driver’s license numbers and credit card information. This information put Avis’ customers in danger of identity theft and other scams. A class action was filed in September of 2024 alleging that Avis was negligent in failing to implement reasonable security measures. and now that lawsuit has been settled with class members eligible to receive up to $5,000 for documented, unreimbursed losses suffered as a result of the data breach. Class members who did not experience out-of-pocket losses will also receive cash payments from the settlement. The amount of the payments will depend upon on the number of class members making claims. The settlement is scheduled for a final approving hearing before a judge who must approve the settlement On July 28, 2026.
Scam of the day – April 12, 2026 – Apple Pay Scam Alerts
One particularly effective scam starts with your receiving a text message that appears to come from Apple such as “Apple Pay pre-authorization charge of $143.95 was detected. Account locked. Call Apple Support now: 1-800-***-***. ( I have removed the scammers phone number.) Anyone responding to the text message by calling the phone number will reach a legitimate sounding scammer who may ask for your name and recent transaction amounts purportedly to verify your identity. They may also ask for device information, verification codes along with bank account or credit card data. Once that information has been turned over to the scammer, they can then use your account to make purchases. In some instances the phony text alert may provide a link to take you to a phony AI created Apple login page where you will also be prompted to provide information that will lead to identity theft or, in a worst case scenario, merely by clicking on the link you will download dangerous malware that will lead to your becoming a victim of identity theft.
Scam of the day – April 11, 2026 – Iran War Charity Scams
Scammers are contacting people by phone, text messages, emails and through social media posing as charities helping injured American soldiers, Iranian civilians or refugees. seeking donations to their phony charities. Often the emotional pleas for donations are accompanied by shocking photographs or videos created by AI In many instances the scammers request payments by cryptocurrencies, gift cards or wired funds.
Scam of the day – April 10, 2026 – Investment Scams Are Surging
Investment scams have always been with us, but according to the Federal Trade Commission, they accounted for $8,648,617,756 of losses last year which was double the amount of the previous year and almost triple the amount of the next highest category of scams
Scam of the day – April 9, 2026 – Social Security Administration Warns About Increase in Social Security Imposter Scams
Recently, the Social Security Administration (SSA) issued a warning about a dramatic increase in scammers posing as SSA employees in emails that falsely claim to provide access to the recipient’s Social Security Statement. Clicking on links in the email often lead to identity theft.
Scam of the day – April 8, 2026 – Melania Trump Nigerian Email Scam
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, funds derived from a non-existent United Nations program. As illustrated by the email copied below, the Nigerian Email Scam often has nothing to do with Nigeria, but merely is a scam where you are promised a large amount of free money based on a ridiculous premise.
Scam of the day – April 7, 2026 – Bank Imposter Debit Card Scam
The scam starts when you get a phone call that appears to come from your bank informing you that there has been fraudulent activity on your debit card. Using a technique called “spoofing” the scammers are able to manipulate your Caller ID so that it indicates that your bank is calling you. The scammer then goes on to tell you that you need to cut up your card, but keep the chip from the card to be picked up by a bank employee. The phony bank employee then shows up to pick up the chip and using social engineering lures the victim into providing his or her PIN.
Once the scammer has your PIN and the chip, he or she can create a debit card and go to any ATM and empty your bank account.
Scam of the day – April 6, 2026 – Jamaica Lottery Scammer Sentenced to Prison
I have been reporting to you since 2012 about the infamous Jamaican lottery scam through which many Americans, mostly elderly, have been scammed out of money after being told that they have won the non-existent Jamaican lottery. The scam begins when the victim receives a telephone call informing them that they have won this non-existent lottery that they never entered and are then pressured to pay “fees” and “taxes” before their winnings can be sent to them. This scam has been going on since the 1990s.
Recently, Tavoy Frarquharson was sentenced to up to 40 months in prison after being convicted of conspiracy to commit mail fraud. Between 2020 and 2024 Farquharson contacted his victims by phone and mail informing them that they had won the phony lottery. Many of his victims lost their entire life savings.
Scam of the day – April 5, 2026 – Nike Data Breach Class Action Filed
A Nike data breach that occurred around January 21, 2026 has resulted in a lawsuit being filed by Maria Gomez of California who is seeking class action status to represent all of the victims of the data breach. The lawsuit claims that while Nike became aware of the data breach around January 21st, it did not notify its affected customers until February 25, 2026. The lawsuit alleges the stolen data included names, email addresses, billing addresses, phone numbers and credit and debit card information. Nike has said that complete card details were not compromised.
Scam of the day – April 4, 2026 – AAA Emergency Roadside Kit Text Message Scam
Scammers are sending out massive numbers of smishing (the term for phishing by text) text messages that contain language such as “Congratulations! As a valued AAA member, you qualify for a FREE emergency roadside kit. Click to claim.” If you click on the link provided in the email it will take you to a phony, but legitimate appearing AAA website, most likely created by AI, where you will be prompted to provide personal information that, if provided, will lead to your becoming a victim of identity theft. Making the matter worse, in some versions of this scam you will also be asked to provide credit card information to cover shipping or a handling charge or even for verification purposes. And to make matters even more worse, merely clicking on the link in the text message may download malware that can steal information from your phone including passwords to sensitive accounts.
Scam of the day – April 3, 2026 – Virtual Kidnapping Scams Increasing
I have been warning you about phony kidnapping scams, also known as virtual kidnapping, for fourteen years and according to the FBI, the scam is increasing in frequency. Generally, the scam starts with a telephone call informing the person answering the phone that a child or other relative has been kidnapped and if the person receiving the call does not respond by wiring money right away, the relative will be killed. As with so many scams, we are often our own worst enemy and this scam is no exception. In many instances, the scammers gather personal information about the intended scam victims from information that the intended victims or members of their families post on social media. Armed with personal information gathered from social media, a scammer can describe the supposed kidnapped victim or provide personal information that would make it appear that indeed they actually do have the person in their custody.
Scam of the day – April 2, 2026 – Veterans Savings Program Scam
North Carolina Attorney General Jeff Jackson is warning veterans about a scam targeting veterans not just in North Carolina, but around the country. The scam is presently being circulated through postcards or letters, but is also being done through phone calls including automated robocalls as well as emails and text messages in which the scammer poses as a an agent of the VA, Social Security, CHAMPVA or TRICARE offering enrollment in what the scammer calls the Veterans Savings Program. The scammers claim that through the program the veterans can receive monthly payments of $200 or more, free or discounted dental insurance coverage and special savings benefits unavailable to the general public. The veteran is prompted to call a provided number to enroll.
Scam of the day – April 1, 2026 – Watch Out For Scammers Posing as Airline Customer Service Representatives
Weary travelers are always looking for help and assistance from their airline. Often the inconvenienced travelers will turn to social media for help and scammers who monitor social media for posts from disgruntled travelers respond posing as airline customer service representatives. The scammers lure their targeted victims into clicking on links to go to phony airline websites where they are manipulated into providing personal information that can be used to make them victims of identity theft. Scammers are using AI to make these phony websites appear very legitimate and convincing.
Scam of the day – March 31, 2026 – New Variation on Sextortion Scam
In the most recent version of this scam, people around the country are receiving such sextortion emails with some new twists. First, the email contains a photograph of your home with a threat to contact you at your home, referring to your home’s address if you don’t pay the demanded Bitcoin ransom. Second, the email refers to a type of Spyware called Pegasus that can steal information from you computer without being discovered. In fact, Pegasus spyware does exist, but it is used only by government agencies.
Scam of the day – March 30, 2026 – CAPTCHA Tests Being Used By Scammers
Scammer are setting up legitimate appearing websites with fake CAPTCHA tests that require you to click on a box to solve a simple test, but when you follow the instructions, you end up downloading dangerous malware.
Scam of the day – March 29, 2026 – Alleged Grandparent Scammer Arrested
In the Scam of the day for March 6, 2025 I told you that twenty-five Canadians were arrested and charged with operating the grandparent scam through a call center in Canada where they contacted elderly victims in 40 American states between 2021 and 2024 during which time they stole $21 million from their victims. The scammers posed as either the targeted victims’ grandchild or an attorney representing the grandchild asking for money to be paid for bail. The scammers sent couriers posing as bail bondsmen to collect the cash and told the elderly victims that there was a gag order that prevented the victims from discussing the phony charges.
Scam of the day – March 28, 2026 – Iran War Scams: How Imposter Bank Alerts Are Tricking Victims and Stealing Identities
Learn how scammers are exploiting the Iran war with fake bank alerts, identity‑theft tricks, and cryptocurrency ATM scams, plus key tips to protect your accounts.
Scam of the day – March 27, 2026 – Hawaii Flood Charity Scams
Natural disasters such as wildfires, hurricanes and earthquakes are common occurrences. The devastating floods recently in Hawaii has caused severe damage estimated at a billion dollars according to Hawaii officials. It has also displaced many people whose homes were ruined. Natural disasters, such as floods, hurricanes, wildfires, tornadoes and earthquakes bring out the best in people who want to donate to charities to help the victims. Unfortunately natural disasters also bring out the worst in scammers who are quick to take advantage of the generosity of people by contacting them posing as charities, but instead of collecting funds to help the victims of these natural disasters, these scam artists steal the money for themselves under false pretenses.
Scam of the day – March 26, 2026 – TD Canada Trust Impersonation Scam: Fake Inheritance Emails Target Victims
Scammers are impersonating TD Canada Trust with fake inheritance emails claiming you’re heir to millions. Learn the red flags and how to avoid identity theft.
Scam of the day – March 25, 2026 – Deadline Approaching For Victims of Bitcoin ATM Scams in Maine
Most of the scams using cryptocurrency ATMs involve imposter scams where the scammer poses as either a law enforcement officer, government official or someone providing tech support for a non-existent problem. What many of these imposter scams have in common is that they scare the targeted victim with a story about an emergency that requires them to take cash from their bank account and use a QR code provided by the scammer to deposit the money into the account of the scammer at a cryptocurrency ATM under the guise of protecting the funds. In other versions of the scams, victims are told they must make a payment through a cryptocurrency ATM to avoid prosecution for missing jury duty or some other pretense.
Scam of the day – March 24, 2026 – New PayPal Phishing Scam Uses Fake DocuSign Alerts to Steal Your Data
A new phishing scam uses fake DocuSign and PayPal alerts to trick users into clicking malware‑laden links or sharing personal data. Learn how to spot and avoid it.
Scam of the day – March 23, 2026 -Why Your Cell Phone Number Puts You at Risk — And How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft
Your cell phone number reveals more than you think. Learn how identity thieves use it to steal accounts, commit SIM swaps, and how to protect yourself.
Scam of the day – March 22, 2026 – Why iPhone Theft Is Exploding: The $30 Billion Black Market Threat and How to Protect Yourself
iPhone theft fuels a $30B black market, and 40% of victims face identity theft. Learn essential steps to secure your device, data, and Apple Wallet.”
Scam of the day – March 21, 2026 – Nationwide Fake Traffic Violation Scam: How Imposter Scammers Use Phony Notices to Steal Your Money
Learn how scammers use phony traffic violation notices, QR codes, and impersonation tactics to demand fraudulent payments. Discover key red flags and tips to stay safe.
Scam of the day – March 20, 2026 – Scammers Sending Out Phony Data Breach Notices
Taking advantage of public awareness of data breaches and the dangers they pose, scammers are sending out emails and text messages posing as companies with which we do business containing phony notices of data breaches with links or QR codes that take you to sites where you are prompted to provide personal information that would lead to your becoming a victim of identity theft.
Scam of the day – March 19, 2026 – Police Issue Warning About Fraud Recovery Scams
Recently the Maui Police Department issued a warning about a scam that I have been warning you about for years. It involves scammers targeting people who have already been the victim of scams posing as either investigators, government agencies or law firms telling the scam victims that they can can recover the funds lost in the original scam. They demand an upfront fee and then disappear. Scammers often keep detailed records of their victims and sell these lists, often referred to as “sucker lists” to other scammers on the Dark Web, that part of the Internet where scammers sell their goods and services. Scammers also get the names of scam victims through monitoring consumer complaint websites or social media.
Scam of the day – March 18, 2026 – USPS Change‑of‑Address Scams: How Criminals Redirect Your Mail and Steal Your Identity
Criminals can redirect your mail without ever touching your mailbox by exploiting USPS change‑of‑address loopholes. Learn how the scam works and how to protect yourself.
Scam of the day – March 17, 2026 – E‑ZPass Toll Scam Alerts: Smishing Fraud Continues to Target Drivers
E‑ZPass scams are surging as criminals send fake unpaid toll texts to steal credit card details. Learn how smishing works and how to protect yourself from toll fraud.
Scam of the day – March 16, 2026 – New Imposter Scam Targets Building Permits: How Criminals Exploit City and County Records
The FBI warns of a new imposter scam where criminals pose as city or county officials to demand payments for building permits. Learn how to spot and avoid these fake emails.
Scam of the day – March 15, 2026 – St. Patrick’s Day Scams to Avoid: Fake Tickets, Fake Charities, and Lottery Cons
St. Patrick’s Day brings celebrations—and scams. Learn how to avoid fake tickets, phony charities, and lottery hoaxes with simple steps to stay safe this holiday.
Scam of the day – March 14, 2026 – Gas Pump Skimmers Surge as Many Stations Still Lack EMV Chip Readers
Despite EMV deadlines, many gas pumps still lack chip readers, fueling a surge in skimming fraud. Learn how skimmers work and how to protect your credit and debit cards.
Scam of the day – March 13, 2026 – Smishing Scams Surge: How Fake Bank Text Messages Put Your Accounts at Risk
Smishing scams are skyrocketing, with fake bank text messages—especially TD Bank impersonations—tricking consumers into revealing login credentials. Learn how to stay safe.
Scam of the day – March 12, 2026 – Phony Government Grant Scams Surge: How to Spot Facebook Fraudsters
The Federal Trade Commission is warning the public about an increase of phony grant scams. Recently there have been an increase in scams involving scammers convincing their victims that they are eligible for large government grants if they merely pay a processing fee. The federal government does not charge fees for applying for grants.
Scam of the day – March 11, 2026 – Texas Arrests Highlight Exploding Gold Bar Scam Targeting Older Adults
The FBI warns of a fast‑growing gold bar scam targeting seniors, with millions stolen through fake federal agent calls. Learn how the scheme works and how to stay protected
Scam of the day – March 10, 2026 – Summer Job and Intern Scams Already Starting
In another employment scam students are contacted through their email with an extremely attractive job offer. When the student accepts, the scammer sends an official appearing check to the student who is told to deposit the check into the student’s bank account. The check is actually made out in an amount more than what was agreed to be paid to the student and the student is instructed to wire the extra funds back to the company. Of course, the check is counterfeit and ultimately bounces, however, the money that the scammed student wires to the scammer from his or her bank account is lost forever.
Scam of the day – March 9, 2026 – Facebook Marketplace Payment Scams: How Zelle, Venmo & P2P Overpayment Fraud Targets Sellers
Facebook Marketplace scams are rising, especially fake Zelle and Venmo payment schemes targeting sellers. Learn how the overpayment scam works and how to protect your money.
Scam of the day – March 8, 2026 – AI Investment Scams – How AI and Crypto Scams Target Uninformed Investors
Learn how Bernie Madoff’s cautionary advice applies today as scammers use AI and fake crypto schemes to deceive investors. Discover how to protect yourself with proper due diligence.
Scam of the day – March 7, 2026 – PayPal Invoice Scam: How Scammers Use Real PayPal Accounts to Steal Your Data
A new PayPal scam uses real PayPal‑generated invoices and fake customer service numbers to trick victims into granting remote access. Learn how to spot and avoid it.
Scam of the day – March 6, 2026 -How to Protect Yourself From Iranian Cyberattacks Amid Rising Geopolitical Tensions
Learn how to protect yourself from Iranian cyberattacks, DDoS threats, and war‑related phishing scams with practical steps to secure your devices, accounts, and data.
Scam of the day – March 5, 2026 – How Scam Artists Exploit Psychology to Steal Your Money
Learn how scammers use psychology, emotional manipulation, and red‑flag payment methods like gift cards, wires, and crypto ATMs to deceive victims and avoid detection.
Scam of the day – March 4, 2026 – Massachusetts Becomes Latest State to Sue Cryptocurrency ATM Company
The FTC reports a 1,000% rise in crypto ATM scam losses, with seniors most at risk. Learn how imposters use Bitcoin ATMs to steal money—and how to stay protected.
Scam of the day – March 3, 2026 – New Development in QR Code Scams
The new QR code scam starts with an email that appears to come from a company with which you do business informing you that you need to update your account or your account will be closed. In order to update your account, you are instructed to scan the QR code in the email which takes you to a website that looks like the real website for the company that the scammer is posing as and asks you to input your username and password. People falling for this scam end up giving access to their account to the scammer.
Scam of the day (Part 2) – March 2, 2026 – Steve’s Forbes Column About the Dangers Posed by Data Brokers
Some of you may know that in addition to Scamicide, I also write columns for Forbes and the Saturday Evening Post about white collar crime, scams and identity theft. Check out my latest column for Forbes in which I describe the tremendous and highly unregulated threat of scams and identity theft posed by legitimate data brokers being hacked by criminals and even selling our data to scammers.
Scam of the day – March 2, 2026 – Mavis Wanczyk Lottery Scams Continue to Snare Victims
Recently a Scamicide reader told me about receiving a message through Facebook that purported to be from Mavis Wanczyk informing him that she was giving him $10,000 and that all she needed was for him to set up a Cash App account and provide the details to her so that she could transfer the money to him. Fortunately, he recognized that this was a scam and did not send the account information requested which if sent would have enabled the scammer to access the bank account or debit card linked to the Cash App account and steal his money
Scam of the day – March 1, 2026 – Conduent Data Breach: Safepay Ransomware Attack Exposes 25 Million Victims’ Sensitive Personal Information
More than 25 million people were affected by the Conduent data breach caused by the Safepay ransomware gang. Learn what was exposed and how to protect yourself with credit freezes and identity monitoring.
Scam of the day – February 28, 2026 – FBI Warns of Outdated Routers: How to Protect Your Smart Home and IoT Devices
Protect your smart home from cybercriminals. Learn why the FBI warns about outdated routers, how IoT devices are targeted, and essential steps to secure your network.
Scam of the day – February 27, 2026 – AOL Phishing Email Scam
Due to its popularity, scammers and identity thieves often send out phishing emails that appear to come from AOL, such as the one reproduced below that was sent to me by a Scamicide reader. If you click on the link in the email one of two things can occur and both are bad. Either you will end up providing personal information to an identity thief or you will, merely by clicking on the link, download dangerous malware such as ransomware on to your phone, computer or other device.