Staying informed is the first step in protecting yourself from scams. By understanding how these common scams operate and knowing the warning signs, you can avoid falling victim to fraud.
Bottom Line Up Front: Fake Instagram influencers are exploiting young people's financial desperation through sophisticated pyramid schemes, fake trading courses, and MLM scams, with 74% of marketers reporting encounters with influencer fraud and Gen Z being more than three times as likely to fall for online scams compared
Bottom Line Up Front: Medicare fraud costs taxpayers an estimated $60 billion annually, with seniors increasingly targeted through sophisticated scams involving fake insurance cards, medical identity theft, equipment fraud, and bogus telehealth services. The rise of technology and COVID-19 pandemic has created new opportunities for criminals, but awareness and vigilance
A Modern Tragedy Unfolding Along the Thai Border Behind the meticulously manicured lawns and Silicon Valley-esque campus of KK Park lies one of the darkest chapters of modern human trafficking. This 520-acre complex along Myanmar's border with Thailand represents the epicenter of a multibillion-dollar criminal industry that has
Analyzing Recent Federal Cases and Emerging Threat Patterns Published by ScamWatchHQ Research Team | September 10, 2025 Executive Summary Three major scam operations targeting elderly Americans have recently been disrupted by federal authorities, revealing sophisticated criminal networks that have collectively stolen over $40 million from victims. These cases demonstrate evolving tactics
The phone call came at Sarah's workplace on a Tuesday morning, shattering her day with five words that sent ice through her veins: "This is an investigator from Taos County New Mexico." The man claimed he was 30 minutes away from her high school, ready to
Marilyn Crawford woke up to her worst nightmare: a police officer on the phone telling her that her grandson Ian was in jail. But then another voice came on the line—a voice she knew as well as her own. "Hi Grandma. Yeah, I got in trouble here. The
A sophisticated three-phase scam is draining entire retirement accounts, with artificial intelligence making attacks more personal than ever The Federal Bureau of Investigation has issued an urgent nationwide warning about a devastating cybercrime that has already cost American seniors over $1 billion since 2024. The so-called "Phantom Hacker"
Shai Plonski thought he had found the perfect woman. "Sandy" shared his interests in yoga and poetry, lived just 30 minutes away from his home in California, and seemed genuinely caring when he mentioned his business was struggling after COVID-19. When she suggested he try cryptocurrency investing—something
Robert Reese thought he was helping Amazon fix a security problem with his account. The Pittsburgh resident received what appeared to be a legitimate email confirming a $1,199.99 laptop purchase he never made. When he contacted "customer service," a helpful representative named "Mark Williams"
Sarah stared at the Craigslist listing in disbelief. A beautiful three-bedroom house in her dream neighborhood for just $850 a month—half the market rate. The photos showed granite countertops, hardwood floors, and a spacious backyard perfect for her two young children. After months of getting outbid on overpriced apartments,
You're running late, frantically searching for a parking spot downtown. Finally, you find one and rush to the meter, relief washing over you when you spot a convenient QR code that promises easy payment. You scan it, enter your credit card information, and dash off to your appointment,
"I mean, the picture of him — it was him," said Steve Beauchamp, an 82-year-old retiree who drained his retirement fund and invested $690,000 in a deepfake Elon Musk cryptocurrency scam. "Now, whether it was A.I. making him say the things that he was saying, I