This week’s roundup casts a wide net. Be it a group chat full of AI “investors” or government actors sending messengers to your door, scammers continue to reach into people’s pockets after gaining their trust.
Remember that any unsolicited application, product or service should be approached with extreme caution – especially if it appears to be from a legitimate channel. Haste is your worst enemy; take the time to carefully analyze any unexpected messages and offers that come your way.
- Welcome to the Truman Show: Researchers at Check Point Research are warning consumers about a bizarre investment scam they’ve dubbed the “Truman Show Scam” after a Jim Carrey movie in which a man lives his entire life unknowingly on a television sound stage. The scam begins with an invitation to join an investment group that promises strong returns, which then engages victims in a group discussion. Getting caught? Every single person in that conversation — yes, I mean the president and his fellow “investors” — is an AI-generated agent. There are no real people, only fake profiles that lead you to malicious websites or apps designed to hack your accounts.
- Counterfeit Repairs in Other Countries: Scams for real estate and construction are not new, but sometimes, they can even cross international borders. A recent BBC Spotlight investigation has uncovered a group of people from the UK and Ireland running construction scams across the United States. They would go to landlords and ask to do work on their buildings, but they would pile up extra charges, disappear with deposits and come back to shell out even more money. A New York woman lost nearly $1 million after she was tricked into financing wires from what she believed to be a construction manufacturer, only to discover that the money went to a jeweler in Manhattan’s Diamond District.
- Gold Courier Cons: Law enforcement agencies across the country are sounding the alarm about rising gold crime. They often come in the form of phone calls and scams from scammers posing as government officials warning that your money is at risk. The “solution” is always the same: take out your savings, convert it to gold or silver and give it to a courier who is supposed to protect the funds (but who you will never hear from again). Adults are the main targets of these scammers, who don’t even need to be in the US to carry out their schemes. But they still rely on people here to pick up the precious metals, which is how couriers are caught in states like Kentucky, Texas and Washington.
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The most common types of scams you should be aware of
Fraudsters are always upping their game, coming up with new and (their) fun ways to trick their targets. AI-powered scams are one example of this: technology is used to reach large numbers of people with increasingly convincing schemes.
But some tricks never go out of style. Most scams fall into a few common patterns, and the old ones are still the biggest threat today – they’ve just evolved to better suit today’s digital environment.
- Fraudster scams: Fraudsters often pose as trusted figures such as government agencies, banks, employers and even friends or family to pressure victims into sending money or sharing personal information.
- Phishing and fraud: These scams use emails, texts or phone calls that appear to be from legitimate organizations. The goal is to trick you into clicking a malicious link, downloading malware or providing sensitive information.
- Online shopping scams: Fraudsters can create fake online stores or listings with hard-to-find items at unusually low prices. After paying for an article, what you end up getting may be fake – or it may never arrive in the first place.
- Investment scams: This type of scam often comes with promises of high returns from crypto, forex or other “exclusive” opportunities. Many involve long-term fix-it schemes, where victims are encouraged to invest more money over time before losing it all.
- Scams in love: Some fraudsters try to get into your pocket by heart. They build relationships with you on dating apps or social media, then convince you to give up money and assets by creating contingency or investment opportunities.
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What to do if you are a victim – or the victim of a scam
No one is immune to fraud or embezzlement, but a few consistent practices can reduce their risk and the damage they cause.
First, be suspicious of unsolicited messages, especially those that create fear or urgency. This could look like an email from your bank threatening to close your account, a text from an online marketplace saying you’ll lose your rebate or a call from the IRS saying they’ll report you to the authorities unless you “act now.”
Scammers like to use this type of language because it sets up the target immediately, expecting the prospect to move you into action.
Suffice it to say, always verify any requests from the organization by checking their official phone numbers, email or website. And don’t click on any links, download email attachments or reply to messages you suspect are fraudulent. A legitimate organization will not pressure you into immediate action or secrecy.
Now, if you’ve already sent financial information or money to someone you suspect is a scammer, you’ll need to skip it. Contact your bank, credit card company or payment platform immediately and try to stop or reverse the transaction. Be sure to change any passwords and enable multi-factor authentication to protect your accounts as well.
Reporting a scam can also help protect others. You can file a report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) at and local authorities at the nearest police department or sheriff’s office. Victims of identity theft should also consider temporarily freezing their credit.
Finally, review your financial statements and credit reports regularly, keep your software up to date and limit how much personal information you share online. Fraudsters often rely on publicly available information to make their schemes more believable.
