Discovering that a parent or close friend might be involved in an online romance scam can be both alarming and heartbreaking.

You might notice unusual behaviors: secretive conversations, sudden financial troubles, or a new "friend" who seems too good to be true.

It's natural to feel concerned, but it's essential to approach the situation with empathy and understanding.​

If you’ve been contacted by a fake debt collector, you are not alone. This is one of the most common scams in the U.S., and thousands of people are targeted every year. It doesn’t mean you’ve done anything wrong.

Scammers are getting trickier, but with the right tools and support, you can stay one step ahead.

Some scammers pretend to be hiring for a job, but it’s really a trick to steal your money or personal information. They might send you a message saying you got a job, even if you never applied.

One common trick is the fake check scam. The scammer sends you a check and says it’s for buying work supplies or training. They tell you to deposit it and send part of the money back to them. But after a few days, the check bounces, and the bank takes the money back—leaving you with a big loss.

Another scam is identity theft. A fake employer might ask for your Social Security number, bank details, or other personal information. They say it’s for payroll, but really, they use it to steal your identity or commit fraud.

Mystery Shopper Scam: Scammers pretend to hire you to secretly review stores but trick you into sending them money.

Scammers are getting trickier every year. In 2025, scammers are using new technology and sneaky tactics to fool people. They pretend to be banks, government officials, even friends or family (social engineering). Some use fake videos and voices that sound like a real person you might know (deepfake technology). Others set up fake job offers or investment deals that seem too good to pass up.

Older adults are often targeted because scammers think they’re less familiar with digital tricks. But anyone can fall for these scams.

Below, we’ll explain some of the biggest scams happening so far in 2025, from how they work to what you can do to avoid them.

Scammers promise you easy money for putting an ad on your car, but it’s really a trick to steal your money. They send you a message saying a big, name-brand company wants to pay you hundreds of dollars a week just for driving your car with an advertisement.

You get a phone call from a number you don’t recognize. Do you answer?

Maybe.

Or maybe you let it go to voicemail and then wonder if you should call back. It’s tempting, especially if curiosity gets the better of you.

Eventually you decide ‘what’s the harm?’ and call back the number… but you just hear beeps on the other end. And then you start getting 5-10 unknown calls and texts every day for the next month. Why did this happen?

In this post, we’ll explore why calling back unknown numbers is risky, how scammers operate, and the steps you can take to protect yourself.

Imagine getting a message that says: "Earn $300 a day just by liking videos!"

It’s been a rough couple of years. Who wouldn’t want easy money? You’re already on YouTube every day, surely this would be an easy job. Except… this is a scam.

More and more people are falling victim to "task scams," where scammers promise quick money in exchange for simple online tasks.

Instead of getting paid, victims often end up losing hundreds or even thousands of dollars. Let’s break it down so you can recognize and avoid these scams.

Have you ever glanced at your phone to see a missed call from a number you don’t recognize?

It’s hard not to wonder who called. Did you miss something important? Maybe you should call back, just to be safe.

This is exactly what scammers are counting on.

The "one-ring scam" is one of the most common and deceptive tricks used to exploit this curiosity, and we’ve seen a rise of this worldwide.

Here’s how it works:

Tax time is stressful enough without scammers making it worse.

Every year, criminals pretend to be the IRS, tricking people into paying fake bills or giving away personal details. They use fear to pressure you.

If you know what to watch for, you can avoid their tricks. This blog post talks about tax season scams, including what to do if one reaches you.