Plain-English warnings about the scams going around right now, how to spot AI-made voices and videos, and how to tell real products from knockoffs. Every number links to its original source.
How you can tell:
in internet crime losses reported to the FBI in 2025, from over 1 million complaints
lost to AI-related scams such as voice clones and deepfakes, the first year the FBI tracked it
increase in fraud losses reported by people 60+, from $600M in 2020 to about $3B in 2025
The Maine Turnpike Authority warned that E-ZPass customers are getting emails demanding immediate payment for unpaid tolls. The agency says it never sends messages like this.
Police in Ocean City, Md., say scammers are calling hotels, praising staff and offering a "bonus" for settling a supposed balance with cash from the register through a Bitcoin ATM.
New York's attorney general published a guide to pension scams, fake help with VA benefits, phishing, and overpriced "special deals" sold to active-duty troops.
The FBI warned that scammers use candidates' names and slogans for fake campaign investment pools and fake political action committees that pocket the money.
AI can copy a voice from a few seconds of video. A short checklist before you send money:
Counterfeits show up on big marketplaces too. Signs to check:
Fake shops can look polished. A quick check takes a minute:
Three messages a day. Real or fake? Each answer explains the clue, so you get faster at catching the next one.
Practice examples written for this preview
An employee at a law firm I support had no idea someone in Germany had just signed into their email. Our 24/7 monitoring flagged the login right away, and I locked the account before any firm or client data was compromised.
I've worked with computers since I was 13 and have protected small businesses from hackers and scammers for more than 30 years. Every week I see clients nearly lose money to an email, a call or a website that looked real.
This site is the advice I give them, written for everyone. I link to the original source for every fact, and I never sell or promote counterfeit goods.
The scams going around this week and how to avoid them. One short email every Monday. Free.