Scammers are increasingly exploiting the authority of police, courts, and government agencies to intimidate and defraud victims. These impersonation scams are global in reach and use a combination of psychological pressure and technological manipulation to appear legitimate. Recognizing the tactics is critical to avoiding financial loss or identity theft.
Across the world, fans are being tricked out of their money and their memories by a growing fraud: clone event ticket websites. These fake platforms mimic trusted sellers with near-perfect precision stolen logos, identical layouts, and checkout pages that feel authentic.
It began with seemingly innocuous messages. Users across the world received alerts on Facebook Messenger claiming to originate from official Facebook support. The messages warned that accounts were at risk of suspension due to suspicious activity and urged users to click a link to “appeal” or “fix” their accounts immediately.
Online shopping has made delivery services part of everyday life. Scammers know this, and they are weaponizing our trust in couriers to run a series of dangerous and costly frauds. These schemes are not confined to a single trick.
They arrive when victims are at their weakest after the money has already vanished. Promising justice, refunds, and digital miracles, so-called recovery specialists are one of the most cynical forms of fraud thriving today. Instead of helping, they deliver a second blow, draining what little hope and cash the victim has left.
Creators and business owners on Meta platforms (Facebook, Instagram) face a growing threat: scams centered around “Meta verification.” With the rise of paid verification, scammers are weaponizing users’ desire for legitimacy and visibility online. To protect your account, reputation, and finances, it is vital to understand how these scams operate.
Online form builders such as Google Forms, JotForm, Typeform, and Microsoft Forms have become essential for businesses, schools, and individuals. They allow quick setup of surveys, payment forms, and applications. However, this same accessibility has created an opening for scammers.
A Facebook page posing as the Francoise Meyers Foundation recently attempted to join a community crime watch group I run so I decided to do a little research into the topic of Charity Scams. The page claims to be a nonprofit tied to Françoise Bettencourt Meyers, the L’Oréal heiress.
Artificial intelligence is being sold as today’s miracle cure. Just like the snake oil peddlers of the 1800s who promised bottled tonics to cure everything from headaches to heart disease, modern scammers now sell “AI magic.” Today, the hype comes wrapped in slick websites, flashy emails, free trials, and promises of instant growth.
Pension scams target retirement savings globally, exploiting trust with promises of high returns, early access, or fraudulent investment schemes. These scams often involve identity theft, impersonation, or deceptive offers, costing victims billions annually.